Jinting Han people

For the next few days, the rain continued. Logically, now that the mission was complete, Liu Xian could have stayed in Wancheng for a few more days until the rain stopped before continuing his journey. However, Wancheng was now a ghost town, and he was surrounded by Meng Guan's old subordinates. Sima Yue felt uneasy and dared not wait any longer in Wancheng. So, after discussing it with Liu Xian, he immediately braved the rain and embarked on his return journey.

As for the soldiers of Shanggu Camp who swore allegiance to Liu Xian, Liu Xian ordered them to go to Yanshi first and wait there until Liu Xian received the imperial reward before making further arrangements.

It took about four days for the group to return to Luoyang. Luoyang seemed to have regained its former prosperity, or perhaps even surpassed it. Although the military fortifications in the south and north of the city had not yet been removed, the caravans and canal transport had fully resumed. In addition, the soldiers had received substantial rewards and were now being paid a new round of military pay, so many people went to the various markets of Luoyang to experience its dazzling and vibrant world.

Six hundred thousand soldiers meant six hundred thousand customers. Even the world-renowned Luoyang market had never encountered so many customers. As a result, prices in Luoyang skyrocketed. When Liu Xian left Luoyang, a bolt of cloth could still be exchanged for a mature ewe; by the time he returned, a bolt of cloth could only be exchanged for three chickens. Therefore, the Qi Prince's mansion was busy both stabilizing prices and rewarding and disbanding soldiers. However, it seemed they would be busy for quite some time.

Under these circumstances, Liu Xian and Sima Yue took Meng Guan's head to the Qi Prince's residence to report back. They even had to wait in line for a while because the people in front of them were all busy reporting official business to Sima Jiong.

It is worth mentioning that at this time, the Qi Prince's Mansion was no longer the Qi Prince's Mansion, but the Grand Marshal's Mansion. In the few days that Liu Xian was away, the first edict of conferment had been issued. After declining the position three times, Sima Jiong was appointed Grand Marshal, and Sima Yi was restored to the title of Prince of Changsha, no longer the Prince of Changshan.

By the time Liu Xian went inside, it was already noon. It hadn't rained in Luoyang, and it was still incredibly hot and humid. The intense sunlight made everyone drowsy. Even Qi Wang Sima Jiong was no exception; he sat beside the ice chest, supporting his head, still feeling somewhat uncomfortable, and repeatedly instructed the maid beside him to fan him more vigorously.

Seeing Liu Xian and Sima Yue return, he asked listlessly, "How did things go?"

"It's done."

Liu Xian nodded, opened all the lacquer boxes in his hands, and then took out Meng Guan's head. When he presented it to Sima Jiong, Sima Jiong was stunned. He then asked Sima Yue for details about Meng Guan's suicide, and upon hearing the story, he shook his head repeatedly, saying regretfully:

"Meng Guan died with dignity, after all, he was not a coward who clung to life. He also had several good sons, so why did he follow the King of Zhao?"

Sima Yue said, “Sun Xiu is a treacherous villain, skilled at bewitching people. He is rare even throughout history. Not only Meng Guan, but many people in the capital, including myself, have been bewitched by him and almost caused a great disaster. Only Your Highness took the lead in raising the banner of righteousness, which prevented a major mistake!”

The flattery was so over-the-top that Liu Xian found it hard to bear. He looked at Sima Yue and thought to himself: When I worked with Sima Yue in the past, he was a refined and cultured man, and we got along quite well. How come after so many years, this Prince of Donghai seems to have become an empty bureaucratic puppet?

Sima Jiong was quite pleased. He stroked his short mustache and said modestly, "Ha, the King of Donghai is flattering me a bit. Let's get back to the main topic. I plan to circulate Meng Guan's head throughout the prefectures and counties. What do you think?"

Liu Xian quickly said, "Since Your Highness has already pardoned the Meng family's crimes and ordered them to commit suicide to preserve their dignity, why not go all the way and be a good person?"

Sima Jiong thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case, so he returned the head to Liu Xian and said, "Then forget it. His title of Duke of the Commandery will still be revoked, but apart from that, you can do whatever you want with the rest of the things."

Liu Xian quickly put the head back into the lacquer box, then bowed to Sima Jiong and said, "Your Highness is very kind."

Sima Jiong clapped his hands and laughed, "To receive praise from Liu Xian is truly rare!" He paused, then continued, "Since you're here too, let me take this opportunity to discuss your reward!"

Seeing Liu Xian's surprise, Sima Jiong explained, "Although the court has not yet issued an official decree, I have already discussed this second list with the Prince of Changsha and the Prince of Chengdu. The Secretariat is drafting the edict, and an envoy will probably come to your residence to announce it the day after tomorrow."

He seemed quite satisfied with his arrangement, and continued speaking at length: "Although I didn't listen to your opinion, I think this arrangement is still very appropriate. Huai Chong, let me ask you, what do you think Luoyang needs most right now if it wants to revitalize the country and restore the prosperity of the Taikang era?"

Liu Xian thought for a moment and replied, "Restore virtue and establish the rule of law!"

"Haha! That's right!" Sima Jiong stroked the table and said slowly, "Now is not the time to defend the emperor. Weapons cannot govern the world. If we want long-term peace and stability, we must first restore moral civilization and second, we must re-establish the rule of law. We need someone to set an example for us. Let the whole world know the new dynasty's determination to restore the golden age."

"Therefore, I have discussed it with the King of Changsha, and we have decided that you, a renowned general who has fought many battles, should be in charge of overseeing the capital region, restoring public order, and handling civil affairs. What do you think?"

Liu Xian roughly guessed what position he was to be given, and he was somewhat surprised, but still confirmed, "You mean..."

"How about I appoint you as the Commandant of the Capital Region?"

This is truly an unexpected position.

During the Later Han Dynasty, the Commandant of the Capital Region, the Imperial Censor, and the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat were collectively known as the "Three Solo Seats." This was because while other officials sat together, these three officials could sit alone to demonstrate the emperor's favor.

The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, needless to say, held sole control of the Imperial Secretariat and was the true prime minister of the empire. Due to his high position and great power, the Cao Wei dynasty specifically split the Imperial Secretariat into the Secretariat and the Chancellery to weaken his authority.

The Censor-in-Chief was in charge of the Censorate and was specifically responsible for impeaching officials for illegal acts. He could receive petitions from both high-ranking officials and local magistrates. In theory, there was no one he couldn't impeach except the emperor and the crown prince. However, due to the Eight Deliberations system, the power of the Censor-in-Chief has been greatly reduced. Even if he impeached someone, the lack of enforcement power often resulted in nothing being done.

Compared to the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and the Vice Minister of the Censorate, the Commandant of the Capital Region wielded far greater power. He also possessed the power to oversee all officials below the Three Dukes of the court, but simultaneously, he also had corresponding law enforcement authority. He could, upon confirming evidence, lead his subordinates to enforce the law without reporting to the emperor. Therefore, the officials were filled with fear and referred to the Commandant of the Capital Region as a "sleeping tiger."

Moreover, the Commandant of the Capital Region was not only a government official in the capital but also a local official, serving as the direct superior of the governors of the ten commanderies of Sili Province. Theoretically, all military, political, and civil affairs within Sili Province were under the jurisdiction of the Commandant of the Capital Region.

Because of its immense power, when Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Xian of Han, he appointed himself Commandant of the Capital Region and appointed Xun Yu as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. In the several decades following Liu Bei's ascension to the throne of Hanzhong, the Shu Han state only had three Commandants of the Capital Region: Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Zhuge Liang. After that, no one held the position. Of course, by the first year of the Yongning era, the Commandant of the Capital Region's power had diminished; at least, he no longer had authority over the Imperial Guards or the Northern Expeditionary Army. The troops he could mobilize were limited to the city guards under the Commandant of the City Gates, numbering between two and three thousand, with virtually no real military power. However, it was still stronger than the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and the Censor-in-Chief, making it a very important position. Sima Jiong's decision to give this position to Liu Xian was indeed a sign of great trust and responsibility.

Upon learning this, Liu Xian quickly thanked Sima Jiong. Sima Jiong waved his hand and laughed, "Haha, this is no easy task. The capital is in a state of chaos and turmoil right now. If you don't do a good job, I won't hold back."

Sima Yue also offered his congratulations, saying, "With Lord Liu in charge of the Sili Prefecture, there will surely be a new atmosphere in the capital!"

Next, regarding Liu Xian's title, Liu Xian was already a county marquis, but because the bestowal was orchestrated by the Empress Dowager's faction, he was enfeoffed in Jun'an County of Jiuzhen Commandery. This was a small county with about a hundred households, not very well-known, and with little tax revenue—it was barely worth anything. This time, Sima Jiong revealed that he had, with a stroke of his pen, directly bestowed upon Liu Xian the title of Duke of Songzi County. Songzi County was located in Anfeng Commandery of Yuzhou, and was considered a large county with over a thousand households. It was said to be named Songzi because of the abundance of pine trees in the area, which filled the ground with pine fragrance in the summer.

This is also good news. Being granted the title of Duke of the County means that Liu Xian has his own fiefdom and can establish his own subordinate army. However, Liu Xian already has the Shanggu Camp, so there is no need to start from scratch. He can simply send the Shanggu Camp to Songzi County to register them and then rename them the Songzi Camp.

After his meeting with the King of Qi, Liu Xian returned to the General's Mansion and informed his staff to pack their belongings. The Sili Prefecture was different from a mere general's mansion; it had a fixed location within the city and was not far from the imperial palace. Once the imperial decree was issued, Liu Xian would definitely move in with his entourage. As for the general's mansion allocated to Liu Xian, he might as well convert it into the Duke of Songzi's Mansion. Adding to this the Duke of Anle's Mansion, which Liu Xian would eventually inherit, he would unknowingly own three properties in Luoyang.

Then he returned to the Duke of Anle's mansion and informed his family of the news. Fei Xiu and the others were overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately arranged for Liu Xian to invite all his advisors in. That night, they hosted a grand banquet for everyone. Even though prices in Luoyang were high, the banquet was still very lavish, and they specially hired a chef from Tongtuo Street to prepare the dishes. There were goat milk marrow cakes, stuffed turnips, roasted lamb, wild mushroom and fish soup... The children in the clan drooled at the sight of the food. Once at the banquet, they forgot all about talking and playing and began to feast with their heads down.

Liu Xian sat at the head of the table, talking to several elders in his family. He first introduced Meng Tao and Meng He to Fei Xiu and the others, saying, "From today onwards, these two are my brothers. Please help them prepare some things, and they can live in our house from now on."

Then he asked, "Please help me find a high-ranking monk at the White Horse Temple. The King of Qi gave me the marshal's head, and I plan to build another tomb for him next to Ziheng's grave. At that time, I will need monks to chant sutras to help him pass on to the afterlife."

Fei Xiu readily agreed, but she was preoccupied with A Luo, who was far away in Changshan, and urged Liu Xian to tell her when he would bring her back. Liu Xian replied, "His Highness the Prince of Changsha has already sent someone to fetch her. A Luo will come with the Princess Consort, so you don't need to worry."

"Don't worry, don't worry." Fei Xiu was very happy to learn that A Luo had finally given birth to a child, even if it was a daughter. She said, "I was afraid that you two would suffer if you didn't have any children. Now that you finally have a daughter, it means that you can take it slow and everything will come in the future."

She then shared some past events with Liu Xian: "When you were about a month old, your father and your second uncle were discussing at home how much you would achieve in the future. At that time, no one in the family was optimistic, and your mother went to pray for blessings. I thought to myself, you are so clever, you are destined for great things! So I said, you might become a governor. Now it seems that was an understatement."

Ah Chun, who was standing to the side, chimed in, "If Madam saw this, she would be so happy!"

These words created a somber atmosphere. Liu Xun, who had been silent for a long time, had no choice but to change the subject, saying:

"A promotion is certainly a good thing, but you must be careful not to fall into someone else's trap! I think this King Qi is somewhat wary of you."

He rarely brought up political topics, and Liu Xian couldn't help but want to hear his father's views, so he asked, "What do you mean?"

Liu Xun then said, “I have heard that the current political situation is that three kings are assisting in the government, each of whom still has military power and is unwilling to hand it over. How can this last? I think that sooner or later we will have to fight again.”

"In another war, military power is the most important thing. You used to command tens of thousands of troops, and your word was law. Who would dare to provoke you? Now you're the Commandant of the Capital Region, which sounds prestigious, but you only have two or three thousand men under your command. This position also makes it easy to offend people. Six years ago, Zhou Chu was the Imperial Censor, and he offended everyone. When he arrived in Guanzhong, he was openly framed by the Prince of Liang."

He paused here and offered his heartfelt advice: "Now that you're in this position, don't bring your wartime tactics with you. Learn to blend in with the world, cultivate your network, and avoid confrontations."

Faced with his father's advice, Liu Xian remained noncommittal, offering only a few perfunctory words before letting it pass. However, after the banquet, he discussed the matter with his advisors, asking them in return, "What are your thoughts on my transfer to the position of Commandant of the Capital Region?"

After a moment of silence, Huan Yi stepped forward and said, "My lord, what the old county magistrate said is neither entirely wrong nor entirely right."

"Oh? What are your thoughts, Maolun?"

Huan Yi analyzed, "The King of Qi's appointment of you as the Commandant of the Capital Region does indeed seem to be a way of relieving you of your military power. However, you do not seem to have many taboos in your actions."

He stated his conclusion first, then looked up to observe Liu Xian's expression. Seeing the encouraging look on Liu Xian's face, he was slightly pleased and continued:

“Zhou Chu is from Wu, and he is neither a member of any faction nor an ally. If he wants to get things done, he will naturally offend people. But you, my lord, are the most important minister in the Changsha Prince’s mansion. With the Changsha Prince as your backer, who would dare to offend you?”

"Currently, the three princes in Luoyang are in power. Although none of them have relinquished their military power, who would be willing to bear the blame for causing chaos in the world again? In my opinion, none of the three princes are willing to do so. Therefore, the struggle for power actually comes down to the struggle for righteousness and the hearts of the people. In this regard, the capital region will remain peaceful for a while."

"Since you are a trusted minister of His Highness the King of Changsha, it is clear that the King of Changsha agreed to appoint you as the Commandant of the Capital Region in order to win the hearts of the people. If you do nothing while holding such an important position, you will disappoint the King of Changsha and the people of the world. In the eyes of the King of Qi, he will probably look down on you."

"On the other hand, the capital region is in dire need of reconstruction, and there is great potential in Henan and Hebei! If you, my lord, can achieve some political success, the whole world will take notice! Even if the princes fall out and conflicts arise again, who wouldn't want to win you over and give you an important position?"

After Huan Yi finished speaking, Liu Xian looked around and, seeing that everyone looked on in agreement, smiled and nodded, saying:
"What Maolun said is exactly what I was thinking. A man should soar like a wild goose, how can he cower and act like a petty person? I intend to make something of myself, and I don't care who I offend. I hope you all will not hesitate to do good deeds and not worry about the future!"

Three days later, at the court assembly, by imperial decree, Liu Xian relinquished his post as Prefect of Changshan and publicly assumed the position of Commandant of the Capital Region, a rank below the princes and three dukes, but above the nine ministers and all other officials. (End of Chapter)