Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 516 The Crown Prince and the Bug

According to custom, the eldest son of the legitimate wife should be the crown prince. Therefore, if Zhang Yu were to become emperor, Zhang Luo should rightfully be the crown prince.

Zhang Yu hesitated because he worried that Zhang Luo was incompetent and that in order to ensure the survival of the Zhang Tang dynasty, he would have to change the crown prince, which would cause turmoil. Therefore, Zhang Yu wanted to wait until his sons were a little older before making a decision.

However, if Zhang Yu were to declare himself emperor and fail to appoint a crown prince in time, the position of heir apparent would become vacant, inevitably sparking a power struggle among his sons and likely leading to factional strife.

After careful consideration, Zhang Yu summoned Jia Xu to the palace for advice, lest he have made a mistake in his thinking.

"Although the southern bandits have not been eliminated, China is now unified. Therefore, the country is vast, with millions of people under its rule, and only a wise man can govern it. Now, the eldest son has been made crown prince, but I fear that he is incompetent. In order to ensure the prosperity of the country, I will have to depose him. This would truly hurt the people's hearts. Therefore, I wish to see his talent and strategy. I wonder what your opinion is?" Zhang Yu asked.

"I regard you as my right-hand man and confidant, and I hope you can give me honest advice!" Zhang Yu reminded Jia Xu to avoid him trying to be clever.

Jia Xu stroked his beard and recited, "Your Majesty's concerns are far-reaching, beyond the reach of ordinary people. In the past, Ji Li was established and Ji Chang was promoted, and the Zhou Dynasty enjoyed a seven-hundred-year reign; Lin Jiang was dismissed and Li Yuan was punished, and the Han Dynasty established its two capitals. Therefore, the position of heir apparent is of great importance, and the safety of the state rests on it."

“Looking closely at the past dynasties, and taking the Zhou and Han dynasties as examples, we see that first there were eldest sons, and then there were instances of their abolition. The abolition of the eldest son was due to his insolence, leaving no other choice. Why doesn't Your Majesty observe the actions of the two Han dynasties? For instance, Emperor Gaozu wanted to depose Emperor Hui, but retained him because of the Four Sages of Shangshan; Emperor Shizu wanted to depose the crown prince, but replaced him because of the wisdom of the Crown Prince Donghai. Such were the past events; why doesn't Your Majesty follow their example?”

As a top strategist, Jia Xu knew how to persuade a ruler using different examples. Now, faced with Zhang Yu's doubts, Jia Xu used four examples in succession.

The first example is from the Zhou Dynasty. Ji Chang's grandfather, Gong Danfu, believed that his youngest son, Ji Li, was the most promising, and that his grandson, Ji Chang, was intelligent from a young age. Therefore, he deposed his eldest son, Taibo, and second son, Yu Zhong, from their right to succession. After Ji Li ascended to the throne, he greatly expanded the power of Zhou, laying the foundation for Zhou's conquest of Shang.

The second example is during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, when Liu Rong, the Prince of Linjiang, was deposed and Liu Che, the Prince of Jiaodong, was made crown prince. After ascending the throne, Liu Che undoubtedly became an expansionist, conquering vast territories and defeating the Xiongnu.

The third and fourth examples are Liu Bang's thoughts on deposing the crown prince and Liu Xiu's replacement of the crown prince.

Jia Xu used four examples to tell Zhang Yu that the eldest son is not necessarily the crown prince, but rather that the eldest son has priority. He explained that every change of crown prince was due to the crown prince's incompetence, and therefore a replacement was necessary, without comparing the crown prince with other sons.

After some persuasion, Zhang Yu felt much better. As a successor, he was always worried about the history of kingdoms falling after only two generations, so he dared not rashly appoint a crown prince. However, the proper approach should be to first assess the eldest son, and if the eldest son was not suitable, then through long-term observation of the other sons, a suitable person should be chosen from among them.

"Your insightful words have enlightened me!"

Zhang Yu said with a smile, "Since the Crown Prince has been granted an official title, you may become a tutor in the Eastern Palace."

"Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly!"

Jia Xu became wary and respectfully said, "My knowledge is shallow, how dare I teach the Crown Prince? Besides, I am old and frail, and my energy is depleted. If I can share the burden for Your Majesty, that is all I can think of."

By persuading the crown prince to become the heir apparent, most people would have readily agreed, but who was Jia Xu?

Jia Xu was cautious by nature. He was well aware of the taboos of the monarch, what could be touched and what could not. For example, Jia Xu saw himself as a private advisor, so his service was not to the court, but only to Zhang Yu.

If the crown prince makes a mistake and proves incapable of inheriting the throne, Zhang Yu consults him on whether to depose him. Jia Xu will offer Zhang Yu the most suitable advice, but whether to listen or not is not his decision.

Therefore, Jia Xu would not choose to serve Zhang Luo unless Zhang Yu entrusted him with the care of his son on his deathbed, in which case he could serve the next ruler as a private advisor.

As for the struggle for power and profit?

Jia Xu's attitude was simple: he was content with what he had and did what he should do. He would absolutely not do what he shouldn't.

Seeing that Jia Xu was self-aware, Zhang Yu was relieved and said with a smile, "You have relieved my worries. Now that it is time for a meal, you may stay in the palace and join the banquet."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Jia Xu said respectfully.

During the emperor's and his ministers' meal, Guo Tu entered the hall after receiving a report.

Seeing that Jia Xu could dine with Zhang Yu, Guo Tu felt a little jealous.

It should be noted that since Jia Xu took office as Attendant-in-Ordinary, Zhang Yu, adhering to the principle of not being too close to close ministers and not being too distant from outsiders, did not give any special treatment to the officials of the Secretariat, and only allowed them to dine together on very rare occasions. Jia Xu, however, was different. As Zhang Yu's trusted outsider, he was able to enjoy meals every time he entered the palace.

Suppressing his distracting thoughts, Guo Tu said, "Your Majesty, I have a confidential matter to report!"

“Wen is not an outsider, so please speak freely!” Zhang Yu gestured for Guo Tu to sit down and said.

"Does Your Majesty remember Kong Rong and Mi Heng?"

Zhang Yu put down his chopsticks, frowned, and said, "If I remember correctly, Kong Rong and Mi Heng were forcibly sent to Guanzhong because they were disrespectful to Yuan Shu. They were recommended by my father-in-law and appointed as secretaries of the Eastern Pavilion. What is their current situation?"

After Kong Rong and Mi Heng were taken to Guanzhong by Yuan Shu, they cleverly sought to curry favor with Wang Hong, fearing retaliation. Wang Hong, valuing their reputations, protected them and secured them sinecure positions. Zhang Yu, unwilling to refuse Wang Hong, assigned them to assist in compiling the *Dongguan Hanji*.

"Your Majesty, at the banquet the other day, Kong Rong praised Emperor Liu Xie's virtues and invited all the ministers to jointly support his restoration. Among them, Mi Heng spoke disparagingly of Your Majesty at the banquet, saying..."

Fearing that Zhang Yu would be angry, Guo Tu hesitated and dared not speak further.

"What did Mi Heng say?"

"Your Majesty comes from humble origins, but thanks to the grace and imperial decree of the Han Dynasty and the support of your wife's family, you have achieved your current prosperity!" Guo Tu said, forcing himself to speak.

"Kong Rong is a mere commoner, incapable of assisting the state above or pacifying the counties below. Relying on the name of Confucius's lineage, he misleads the people. Killing him would be the only way to appease public anger."

Zhang Yu's face suddenly turned cold, and a murderous intent arose within him. He said, "Mi Heng, you worthless brat, I would kill you as easily as a sparrow or a rat. Now that you have brought about your own destruction, I shall grant your wish!"

"Your Majesty, please be careful!"

Seeing Zhang Yu's intention to kill Mi Heng and Kong Rong, Jia Xu quickly advised, "Your Majesty's might shakes the world. You have beheaded Gongsun, destroyed Yuan Shao, and captured Yuan Shu. All those you have killed are renowned figures. Although these two have empty reputations, they cannot compare to the two Yuans and Gongsun. Your Majesty has slaughtered tigers and wolves, but now you are killing these lowly creatures. Not only will you not gain fame, but you may also bring shame upon yourself."

The term "bedbug" is a colloquial term for a stink bug. Jia Xu's comparison of Mi Heng and Kong Rong to bedbugs elevates Zhang Yu's status while subtly informing him of the consequences of killing them—that is, crushing a bedbug will leave him with a stench.

Zhang Yu's anger subsided slightly, and he said, "Although the grubs cannot kill like tigers and wolves, their harassment can keep one awake at night."

Jia Xu pondered for a moment and said, "Since we cannot kill the insect ourselves, why not drive it out of the house so that others can kill it? Yuan Shu sent two men to Your Majesty in the past, with the same intention."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu seemed to be deep in thought and said, "Does Wenhe intend to send the two men on missions?" Jia Xu stroked his beard and pondered, then said, "Mi Heng is ambitious but lacks talent, and speaks without restraint. We can send him as an envoy to Liaodong. Gongsun Du is narrow-minded and intolerant. He will surely find it difficult to tolerate Mi Heng's arrogance and insolence. Kong Rong, on the other hand, is famous throughout the world, and is treated with respect by all scholars and commoners. We should seek another plan."

Mi Heng was young and impetuous, talented but arrogant. Gongsun Du, on the other hand, was narrow-minded and had killed many members of powerful clans who had bullied him after he raised his army. If Mi Heng couldn't control his tongue once he arrived in Liaodong, Gongsun Du would not tolerate him and would execute him in a fit of anger.

Zhang Yu sneered, "Kong Rong has no great wisdom or talent; he only entered officialdom based on empty reputation. If it weren't for my fear of losing his reputation, I would have killed him long ago."

Zhang Yu felt a deep-seated disgust for Kong Rong, not because Kong Rong sided with the Han Dynasty, but because Kong Rong was extremely selfish and disregarded the lives of ordinary people. For the sake of what he considered loyalty and filial piety, Kong Rong was even willing to break the rules.

When Kong Rong served as the Chancellor of Beihai, a man who had lost his father was weeping by the grave. Because he did not appear haggard, Kong Rong accused him of being unfilial and had him killed. A thief, wanting to eat new wheat after his mother recovered from illness, stole ripe wheat from his neighbor. When Kong Rong learned of this, he specially rewarded the thief for diligently caring for his mother.

At first glance, Kong Rong's actions seem correct, but upon closer inspection, they are purely driven by personal preferences and a desire to be different, which seriously undermines national laws and social order.

Guo Tu rolled his eyes slightly and said, "If Your Majesty wants to kill Kong Rong, why not first ruin Kong Rong's reputation and then severely punish him? That way, people might be convinced."

What is your plan, Gongze?

“You can falsely accuse Kong Rong of having disobeyed the court when he was in Beihai. If Your Majesty sends your trusted men to punish him, Kong Rong can be imprisoned and executed!” Guo Tu said.

Zhang Yu frowned and said, "Lords Cai and Lord Wang treat Kong Rong with great respect. How can they expect him to submit to the law based on his disobedience?"

After a pause, Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Since Zhu Fu's death, Jiaozhou has been without a ruler. Now, an imperial edict is issued appointing Kong Rong as the governor of Jiaozhou, ordering him to go south to Jiaozhou to take up his post. If Kong Rong does not obey the edict, he will be dismissed from his post and exiled to Longshan."

Rather than killing Kong Rong himself, Zhang Yu preferred to let Kong Rong bring about his own demise. If Kong Rong defected to Cao Cao en route to Jiaoling, Zhang Yu could punish him for treason. However, if Kong Rong arrived in Jiaozhou, Shi Xie, the local warlord, would certainly not tolerate him and would either imprison or assassinate him.

"Your Majesty wishes to use a borrowed knife to kill someone, but I fear that some officials may plead for Kong Rong, not to criticize Your Majesty!" Jia Xu said.

"In Wenhe's opinion, what should we do?" Zhang Yu asked.

"Your Majesty!"

Jia Xu cupped his hands and said, "Kong Rong has a grudge against General Wen Yuan. Now, Kong Rong is being sent to Huaibei to appease the former officials and followers. At this time, we are approaching the border, and things are unpredictable. General Wen Yuan should be willing to serve Your Majesty."

Zhang Yu nodded slightly, quite satisfied with Jia Xu's strategy. Last time, when Kong Rong came to Guanzhong seeking grain, it was Zhang Liao who punished him, slapping him several times. Now, having Zhang Liao handle Kong Rong's punishment was most appropriate. After all, given their proximity to the border, casualties were inevitable should war break out.

"Gongze, write a letter to Wenyuan on my behalf, and remember not to let outsiders know about it," Zhang Yu instructed.

"promise!"

Shortly after Guo Tu accepted his orders and took his leave, Zhong Yao and Du Ji, who had been summoned by Zhang Yu, entered the palace after being announced.

"Meet the king!"

"sit!"

Zhang Yu pointed to the seats and said, "I have been away from the capital on a long expedition, and I have relied on the two gentlemen to manage the affairs of the state. Now I wonder how the country is doing?"

"Your Majesty!"

Zhong Yao knelt on the mat and respectfully said, "There have been no major changes in Guanzhong and Hebei. After the campaigns led by Shi Yi and Zhang Ji, all the prefectures of Liangzhou are now at peace. When the Grand Canal was being built in You and Yan, some generals rebelled, but they were quelled by the troops under the command of Dong Zhao. Therefore, Liang and You prefectures have already submitted. Among them, Liu He, the governor of Youzhou, has been ordered to leave Ji and will go to Chang'an to pay homage to Your Majesty."

Before the campaign against Yuan Shu, Zhang Yu sent Shi Yi, Yan Xing, and Zhang Ji to lead troops to conquer Liangzhou. The Lushui Hu refused to submit, but Shi Yi defeated them decisively, killing and capturing more than 10,000 Hu people. He then joined forces with other Liangzhou strongmen to drive out the Lushui Hu. They fought more than ten battles in total, and their leader Zhiyuan was killed. The remaining Hu people all submitted.

With the defeat of the Lu River barbarians, Shi Yi's power shook the Hexi Corridor. In the autumn and winter of last year, Wuwei, Zhangye and its vassal states, Dunhuang, Jiuquan and five other prefectures and kingdoms submitted to the Tang Dynasty. Although the prefectures and counties submitted, Shi Yi remained stationed in the Hexi Corridor to deter any unruly elements, as Liangzhou had only recently surrendered.

As for the Youzhou region, Zhang Yu had previously listened to the opinions of the people and mobilized the people of Youzhou to build canals, connecting the Hutuo and Pi rivers of Yanyun with the Baigou River, thus completely opening up the waterways of the Yellow River and the Haihe River system, allowing the troops and provisions of Youzhou to reach the Yellow River by boat.

During the repair of the canals, Dong Zhao abused his power and usurped the authority of the prefects of Youzhou. However, since Dong Zhao represented Zhang Yu, the prefects did not strongly resist, allowing Dong Zhao to conscript many people, and even the retainers of his generals and officers, to perform corvée labor.

Yan general He Chen, dissatisfied with his subordinates' service, clashed with Dong Zhao. Fearing Dong Zhao's retaliation, he rebelled. However, Dong Zhao was prepared and immediately mobilized troops to suppress the rebellion. He Chen was killed and defeated, and his two thousand households of retainers were all registered as commoners.

Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and then asked, "Now that You and Liang provinces have submitted, what are your thoughts on this?"

"Your Majesty!"

Zhong Yao said, "Liu He, the governor of Youzhou, has entered the capital. Now there is no one in charge of Youzhou. In my opinion, it would be better to let Dong Zhao concurrently serve as the governor of Youzhou. With the duties of the governor of Youzhou, he can supervise the repair of the canals and manage the livelihood of the people in Youzhou."

"Can!"

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and said, "Dong Zhao's talent and strategy are no less than those of Wenhe and Gongda. He is more than qualified to serve as the governor of Youzhou!"

Dong Zhao was among the most intelligent and resourceful in the country, and he abandoned Yuan Shao to serve Zhang Yu. Therefore, logically speaking, Zhang Yu would have made Dong Zhao a trusted confidant.

However, after careful consideration, Zhang Yu felt that Dong Zhao's character was inferior to that of Jia Xu and Xun You, and that he was too ambitious and self-serving. He believed that if Dong Zhao were given a high position, problems would inevitably arise, so he did not become close to him. Now, however, his outstanding performance in Youzhou was enough to prove that he was capable of serving as the governor of Youzhou.

What about Liangzhou?

“The counties of Liangzhou have few registered households, vast lands with few people, and the land is barren. At present, we can only send people to govern them slowly.” Du Ji said, “Only the Zhangye vassal state has no wise people to govern it. In my opinion, Your Majesty should abolish the vassal state and change it to a county, and then appoint officials to govern it.”

"And that's not all!"

Zhong Yao, recalling a matter, added: "Shi Yi is stationed in Zhangye. Upon hearing of the unrest in the Western Regions, he submitted a memorial requesting to lead a western expedition to persuade the various kingdoms of the Western Regions to surrender on behalf of Your Majesty."

“The Western Regions shall be governed by the Chief Administrator of the Western Regions, who shall be dispatched by the Dunhuang Commandery. Let Shi Yi be stationed in Dunhuang first to investigate the movements in the Western Regions before making further plans!” Zhang Yu said. “The establishment of a commandery in Zhangye’s vassal state shall be decided by the Ministry of Personnel, and its governor shall be selected from among those familiar with the affairs of Guanzhong.”

"promise!"

P.S.: I have something to do today, so this will be the last update. I'll try to make up for it later.

(End of this chapter)