Jinting Han people

Cao Miao and Zhou Yi were not surprised when the emperor raised this question.

Although, so far, Liu Xian and Lu Zhi have only unveiled about a third of the reforms they planned. The only systems implemented by imperial edict are the nobility system, the military garrison system, and the abolition of traditional pavilions and the establishment of circuits, along with an edict to inspect land registers and clear up land ownership. However, judging from the momentum they've displayed so far, and given everyone's understanding of the emperor's character, it's clear to everyone that the emperor has been planning this for a long time, and his approach is aggressive; he will not give up until he achieves significant results.

The Imperial Academy (Taixue) was the highest institution of learning established since the Former Han Dynasty, a sacred place for scholars throughout the land. Although since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, due to the Nine-Rank System, most sons of powerful families could enter officialdom without studying, causing the status of the Imperial Academy to decline sharply, as can be seen from Liu Xian's early experience in entering officialdom, at least when it came to determining official rank, everyone still had to go through the formalities at the Imperial Academy. This made the Imperial Academy still the most important gathering place for scholars in the country.

Since Liu Xian took control of Chengdu, he established the Imperial Academy and recruited scholars specializing in the Five Classics. After arriving in Yi'an, he unusually spent a great deal of money to build a new Imperial Academy, while delaying the announcement of when to reinstate the Nine-Rank System. It was clear to most discerning people that the emperor intended to revitalize the Imperial Academy. In addition, during this year, Liu Xian recruited a large number of scholars from the north and relocated a large number of former Jin gentry from Shouchun. For a time, people from all walks of life gathered at the Imperial Academy, numbering in the thousands.

These people settled down in Yi'an and frequently attended lectures by the Imperial Academy's scholars. However, most of them actually wanted to learn about the court's new policies and when the new emperor planned to begin a large-scale recruitment of officials. After all, Liu Xian had promised to employ the recruited scholars according to their abilities, but the complicated procedures for becoming emperor had delayed this process.

Now that the new system has been promulgated, the next step for the court will inevitably be to recruit a large number of scholars to implement it. How the scholars in the Imperial Academy view and speculate about the new system is a trend that cannot be ignored, and it can even be said to be the forefront of the war of public opinion.

Cao Miao said to Liu Xian, "Your Majesty, there are indeed many people in the Imperial Academy discussing the new system, and it is probably difficult to summarize in a single sentence..."

Liu Xian laughed and said, "Then I won't summarize. Just tell me everything you've heard. I still have some time."

Cao Miao then composed himself for a moment and slowly said, “Your Majesty, some people say that Your Majesty is too lenient with meritorious officials. The rewards you are currently bestowing are probably far less than those of the Jin court. The so-called dukes and marquises have neither fiefs nor armies; they are merely granted land. Although the amount of land is indeed considerable, only one-third of it is exempt from rent and taxes, and the titles cannot be inherited. I have never heard of such a thing in history.”

At this point, Cao Miao glanced at the Emperor and noticed that Liu Xian merely smiled, clearly not taking it to heart, so he continued:
"Of course, only a minority say this. Some people criticize Your Majesty for valuing military prowess too much and neglecting civil administration. Why can't civil officials be granted titles? Cangjie's invention of characters shocked heaven and earth, and then came the saying of sages and virtuous men. Where were those military men during the Three Dynasties? Establishing laws and regulations like Chen Qun and Wang Shen is the real great achievement."

Liu Xian remained expressionless, probably thinking these were all the opinions of ignorant people. He rubbed his eyebrows and asked again, "Anything else?"

Cao Miao said, "Some also praise Your Majesty's frankness, saying that in governing a country, 'the problem is not scarcity but inequality, not poverty but instability.' Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, the rich have owned vast tracts of land, while the poor have no place to stand, which has led to repeated rebellions. We should have followed the Zhou dynasty's example and restored the well-field system, limiting the landholdings of all officials. Your Majesty only gave fewer rewards to meritorious officials when you founded the country, but this is beneficial in the long run. If officials take too much, they will be stripped of their power in the future. It is better to make it clear from the beginning, so as to avoid the situation of 'the rabbit is killed after the dog is cooked' later."

Many policies are like this: everyone has their own reasons, and arguing for a hundred years may not yield any results. Liu Xian was neither angry because of criticism nor pleased because of praise. What he cared about now was the inclination shown in the public opinion at the Imperial Academy.

After Cao Miao finished speaking, Liu Xian asked directly, "Anything else? Why is everyone discussing the nobility? Does anyone at the Imperial Academy have any objections to the military garrison system?"

Cao Miao was momentarily stunned, as he hadn't paid much attention and didn't know how to answer, creating an awkward situation. Zhou Yi, who had been silent for a long time, then spoke up:

"Your Majesty, indeed, not many people are paying attention to this matter. As you know, the current atmosphere is such that empty talk has been prevalent for a long time. Many scholars are unfamiliar with practical matters and think that fighting is simple, just a matter of risking their lives. They may know how strategists devise plans and make brilliant calculations, but they know nothing about how to train troops, how to raise provisions and supplies, or what kind of military system to adopt. So how can they make any evaluations?"

Although Zhou Yi was the Imperial Censor, he also served as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy at this time, so he was quite familiar with public opinion at the Imperial Academy, and Liu Xian trusted his judgment. This news relieved him, because the amount of rewards under the nobility system was actually insignificant; the implementation of the military garrison system was the most crucial key in the entire initial reform. As long as no one could see through the true intentions of this step and oppose it vehemently, the subsequent reforms could proceed smoothly.

Now it seems that most people are focusing their attention on the nobility, which is undoubtedly good news for Liu Xian. It means that people haven't yet figured out the focus of his subsequent reforms, and with no one stirring things up, implementation will naturally be much easier.

However, we cannot let our guard down. Liu Xian then asked Zhou Yi, "What are everyone's opinions on abolishing the pavilion and establishing a road?"

Although Liu Xian has not yet introduced the tax-sharing law and has not yet truly touched the interests of local powerful families, this system is undoubtedly closely related to everyone, and scholars cannot be as indifferent as they were to the military district system.

Zhou Yi said, "Your Majesty, when everyone heard about this matter, their opinions were actually quite unified."

"Oh?" Liu Xian smiled and said, "Bo Ren, what do you all think?"

Zhou Yi said, "Within the Imperial Academy, everyone says that His Majesty, having just ascended the throne, must want to clean up the household registers and measure the land to reform the administration, but he doesn't want to provoke a rebellion among the people. That's why he's gone to great lengths to find a way to satisfy both sides. He's reduced taxes and abolished outposts to establish roads, letting the localities promote their own undisciplined officials. But all this trouble will ultimately be in vain."

Zhou Yi had expected the emperor to be somewhat angry, but to his surprise, the emperor remained calm and composed. After pouring himself a cup of tea, he slowly asked, "Is this generally how people think?"

That's true.

"Does Bo Ren think so too?"

These words left Zhou Yi speechless. After a moment's consideration, he replied, "Does Your Majesty wish to hear the truth or a lie?"

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Xian knew he was a pessimist and laughed, "Given my relationship with Bo Ren, do I need to talk about this? Go ahead and say it, no matter how harsh it is, I can listen to it."

Zhou Yi immediately bowed, looked at Liu Xian with extremely solemn eyes, and then said solemnly, "Your Majesty, you have made a mistake in such a serious matter."

"A mistake?" Liu Xian asked, puzzled. Zhou Yi sat up straight and slowly said, "Reform is not war. If you want to reform, how can you spend all your time plotting with Lu Zidao in a secret room and then suddenly propose to promulgate it at the court meeting? Your idea is certainly good, to be prepared for the unprepared and catch the court officials off guard, so that the edict can be easily passed. But as the saying goes, 'One-sided listening leads to ignorance, while listening to both sides leads to enlightenment.' How can you truly know the advantages and disadvantages of pushing forward the decree without a major discussion?"

"Moreover, you are now the emperor. Although the world is not yet at peace, the entire realm ultimately belongs to you, and all the people are your subjects. How can you treat your subjects like enemies? You must not only explain the advantages and disadvantages to them, but also do so subtly and generously, so that people are convinced of your worth! But if you act in this way, it will inevitably cause your subjects to resent you, thinking that you do not treat them equally, but only want to control them like cattle and horses."

“Since the subjects harbor resentment, reform will naturally face numerous obstacles. Given the current circumstances, the nation is newly established, the war has subsided, and people yearn for peace. Rather than creating more trouble, it is better to minimize it and wait until all the people have benefited from Your Majesty's imperial grace before gradually implementing reforms. This approach will have a greater chance of success.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian remained silent for a long time. Zhou Yi's idea wasn't entirely without merit; Liu Xian did the same for routine government affairs. However, reform was unlike other government affairs; its ultimate goal was to extract benefits from the powerful and wealthy, so how could one allow others to detect this beforehand? In this sense, reform itself was a war without gunpowder.

However, Liu Xian's intentions were so well concealed that even Zhou Yi couldn't accurately judge how far his reforms would go, mistakenly believing that Liu Xian's reforms weren't thorough enough. Therefore, these words were both direct advice and a subtle reminder: the reforms were destined to be difficult, and without a firm resolve, it was better to stop early to avoid wasting time and effort, at least allowing all parties to maintain a semblance of dignity.

Liu Xian understood this principle, of course. Faced with Zhou Yi's advice, he first replied solemnly, "Bo Ren's words are the right path, and I have benefited greatly from them." Then he asked, "Is this Bo Ren's opinion alone, or the opinion of all of you?"

Clearly, the "gentlemen" Liu Xian was referring to at this point had changed from the Imperial Academy to the court and the general public.

Zhou Yi replied, "The same applies to both the court and the common people."

Liu Xian nodded, intending to move on from the topic. As things stood, public opinion was still under control, and so was the reform. He shifted the focus back to the nobility, saying, "Speaking of which, I recently heard that there's been a dispute in the military over military honors. Is that true?"

The atmosphere immediately turned somewhat subdued when the matter was brought up. Zhou Yi and Cao Miao exchanged glances, unsure of how much the emperor had heard, and also feeling that discussing this matter was a potentially offensive topic.

Competing for credit and merit is a common occurrence among soldiers. For example, when Emperor Gaozu of Han bestowed a marquisate upon Xiao He, many in the army felt it was unfair to Cao Can. This was still considered dignified; less dignified cases included Han Xin, who, resentful that Li Shiqi had persuaded Qi to surrender and steal his credit, simply launched a surprise attack on Qi and killed Li Shiqi. Such incidents actually happened frequently.

Liu Xian's forces were complex, and although several reorganizations had fostered a certain level of understanding, the problem remained unresolved. It had simply transformed from a few clearly defined factions into a more blurred, but still distinct, group. Previously, the leaders of each faction had exercised considerable restraint, preventing major conflicts. However, with the situation now dramatically altered and opportunities for lavish rewards and recognition available, things had become somewhat difficult to control.

Cao Miao had followed Liu Xian for a long time and had many friends in the army, so there were some things he couldn't say. Zhou Yi, on the other hand, didn't have so many concerns. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, there's really nothing major. If we're talking about competing for credit, there are probably only two things that have been quite famous in the army recently."

Which two items?

"Since being granted the title, the Duke of Yidu has been quite proud of himself. Whenever scholars hold philosophical discussions, he always arrives uninvited, takes the seat of honor, and then spouts outrageous theories, making the discussions chaotic. If any of the scholars express dissatisfaction, he will publicly discuss his merits, reciting one by one the military honors bestowed by the court, claiming that he has received all thirty-six titles, and then asking others what merits they have. He will then leave triumphantly, and he will do this repeatedly."

Upon hearing that Guo Mo was the Duke of Yidu, Liu Xian covered his forehead, utterly speechless. He had recently heard rumors about Guo Mo, but he hadn't expected him to act so outrageously. He immediately summoned Xi Long, a court official, and said to him, "Draft an edict for Guo Mo and ask him if he's been incredibly idle lately. If so, Huarong County is short-handed for canal construction; he could go there and do his old job, carrying sacks of earth while discussing his thirty-six lives!"

After discussing this matter, Liu Xian asked about another incident Zhou Yi had mentioned. Zhou Yi replied, "The other incident was a few days ago when the Marquis of Guixiang and the Marquis of Longchuan were arguing over the right of way. Logically, the Marquis of Guixiang should have given way, but he refused and publicly cursed the Marquis of Longchuan as a bandit who stole credit. He cursed for almost half an hour, and it was only after the Marquis of Longchuan gave way that the matter ended."

The Marquis of Guixiang was Wei Bo, the General Who Suppresses Rebellion, and the Marquis of Longchuan was Du Hong, the General Who Commands the Warships.

Upon hearing Wei Bo's humiliation of Du Hong, Liu Xian immediately realized that, whether intentional or not, this was a form of exclusion and suppression of Du Tao and the Xiangzhou army faction by the former Han army. Although Liu Xian also disliked Du Hong's background as a river pirate, this kind of friction was not what he wanted to see, as it greatly affected the unity within the army and, if not handled properly, could very likely cause unnecessary trouble.

After tapping the table twice with his fingers, Liu Xian made a decision. He said, "Then transfer Wei Bo to Xingqian Town in Ningzhou to be in charge of implementing the military garrison. Also transfer Du Hong to Shouchun to assist Lord He in supervising the construction of Hefei City and Chen Min Canal."

At this point, no matter how Liu Xian handles the two, it will be seen as suppressing one of them and praising the other, which will only exacerbate the conflict between them. It would be better to separate the two directly, so that they can be separated and out of sight of each other.

By this time, it was already quite late. Seeing that Cao Miao and Zhou Yi both looked tired, Liu Xian decided to end the meeting and go to Zhaofu Hall to visit Lü Zhu. So he picked up his tea and said, "If there's nothing else, let's call it a day."

Zhou and Cao bowed and took their leave, but Zhou Yi turned back halfway and said, "Your Majesty, I have suddenly remembered something."

"What is it?" Liu Xian asked curiously.

Zhou Yi said, "Recently, Marquis Yang Shang has repeatedly promoted the Five Ranks Theory at the Imperial Academy, saying that Your Majesty has taken the wrong approach to reforming the system and that if you want long-term stability, you still need to use the Zhou system. Moreover, his teaching level is very high, and he has a great influence in the Imperial Academy."

Marquis Yangshang was Zhou Qi. Liu Xian enfeoffed him in his hometown of Yangxian. Due to the taboo of using the same character, Yangxian was renamed Yangshang, and Zhou Qi was also called Marquis Yangshang.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian chuckled slightly. He stood up, brushed off the wrinkles on his clothes, and shook his head, saying, "Zhou Xuanpei is still talking about this? It seems he's quite resentful after our last meeting! I understand, I'll talk to him again another day." (End of Chapter)