Jinting Han people

Since the end of the Eastern Expedition to Huainan, a considerable number of soldiers from the Wu army who presented the victory report remained in the capital and did not return to Yangzhou.

There were many reasons for this. The most obvious and direct reason was that Liu Xian was about to become emperor, and various parties were submitting petitions to urge him to ascend the throne. The Wu army had many prestigious scholars such as Zhou Qi, Gu Rong, Lu Ye, and Dai Yuan, who would inevitably participate in signing the petitions. Liu Xian then ordered most of his soldiers to return to the capital first, while leaving a portion of his elite troops in Yi'an. The Wu scholars were also housed in the palace villas and treated as honored guests. He said that he would have important matters to discuss with them after his ascension to the throne.

But the real reason is something both sides know but don't say.

The Wu people's influence in Yangzhou was so deep-rooted that it caused great anxiety. All the former masters of Jiangdong so far—Shi Bing, Chen Min, and Sima Rui—had suffered crushing defeats. While their miscalculations certainly played a part, the Wu people's inability to be controlled and their prioritization of self-preservation were undoubtedly the most important reasons.

This allowed the Wu people to preserve their own interests, surviving various large-scale battles over the years without suffering damage, but it also tarnished their reputation. Now, from Liaodong to Hexi, from Shuofang to Jiaozhi, regardless of the power, everyone knows that Jiangdong has produced a group of treacherous officials with absolutely no loyalty. Even worse, some people privately ridicule them as "traitorous ministers."

Under such circumstances, even if Liu Xian trusted the Wu people, the Wu people themselves were not at ease with themselves. Both sides needed time to get to know each other and build mutual trust. Therefore, after Liu Xian proposed allowing some Wu people to stay in the capital to participate in the enthronement ceremony, the Wu people readily agreed and temporarily settled in Yi'an. This period lasted approximately eight months.

During this period, Liu Xian allowed the people of Wu to participate in court discussions and enter and leave the Imperial Academy. He also had Lu Yun host several special banquets for these people of Wu.

Generally speaking, the Wu people's attitude was very submissive. Firstly, as a gentry family that had served several masters for a century, they had become very flexible in their dealings with the Wu people. Secondly, Liu Xian did indeed have a deep connection with the Wu people.

Liu Xian recalled that when he was in Luoyang, Sun Hao's family lived right across from him. Young and naive, Liu Xian had accompanied Chen Shou to visit them, but was instead punished with a wine cup smashed on his head by Sun Hao for his insolence and was immediately driven out. That encounter left a deep impression on Liu Xian, giving him his first real understanding of a fallen monarch and planting the seeds of revenge in his heart.

Later, he met Lu Ji, Lu Yun, and Zhou Chu, all of whom had a profound impact on Liu Xian's life. Therefore, Liu Xian realized early on that the Wu people possessed immense energy and a strong sense of purpose. They might not have the vision of unifying the world, but they had an unyielding pursuit of independence and autonomy, for which they were willing to sacrifice everything, even their dignity or principles.

Correspondingly, due to Liu Xian's early rise to fame and his early entanglement with the Wu people who entered Luoyang, as well as his favor with the Lu family of Wu Commandery, the Wu people had been keeping a close eye on him. Although they disliked his political views, they knew he was a rare and exceptional talent of his time, and therefore avoided any major conflict with him. When Liu Xian's army approached Yangzhou, the Wu people readily switched their allegiance to the Southern Han.

Liu Xian's closest friend was naturally Gu Rong. Gu Rong had once served as Sima Yi's advisor and was considered Liu Xian's former subordinate. Upon meeting, Gu Rong immediately referred to himself as an old colleague. Liu Xian also admired Gu Rong. When he saw Gu Rong at a banquet hosted by Lu Yun, Liu Xian jokingly asked, "Is Yanxian still drunk?"

Back in Luoyang, because Lu Ji switched allegiance to Sima Ying, the Prince of Chengdu, most of the Wu people followed suit and fled to Ye City. Only Gu Rong went to Sima Jiong, the Prince of Qi. However, he soon realized that Sima Jiong couldn't control the situation, so he spent his days drinking and feigning drunkenness, pretending to be incompetent. As a result, he was demoted and dismissed from Sima Jiong's residence, and then went to join Sima Yi. When Sima Yi and Liu Xian clashed, he again pretended to be drunk to avoid the conflict, earning him the nickname "Drunken Attendant."

Upon hearing this, Gu Rong's face flushed slightly, as if he had been drinking, but he still firmly shook his head and said to Liu Xian, "You are really too kind to me. In the past, I drank in Luoyang because I had no choice. Now that I have met a wise ruler, I naturally want to do something for the country, so I will no longer drink."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian laughed and immediately promoted Gu Rong to the rank of Fourth-Rank Water Conservancy Commissioner, putting him in charge of overseeing all water conservancy affairs in the country.

After Gu Rong, the next to express their support to Liu Xian were the brothers Lu Ye and Lu Wan. They were not descendants of Lu Xun, but rather of his younger brother Lu Mao. After Lu Ji and his brothers entered Luoyang, it was Lu Ye and his brothers who took charge of the situation in Yangzhou. However, unlike Lu Ji and Lu Yun, who were known for their martial prowess and refined manners, Lu Ye and Lu Wan were the opposite: the elder brother was refined, and the younger brother was martial.

Lu Yun introduced the two men to Liu Xian in this way: "Shi Guang is humble and can be lenient with Lei Huo, while Shi Yao is principled and can uphold the right path without yielding. They are a perfect combination of strength and gentleness, truly virtuous ministers who can assist the country."

After listening, Liu Xian asked Lu Ye and Lu Wan what their specific strengths were. This was essentially asking what positions the two of them wanted to hold.

Lu Ye was more tactful. He said, "Your Majesty is the wise ruler of this era. You should use a fine steed and a divine sword to govern the nine provinces. I am neither a fine steed nor a divine sword, but I do have some discernment and can drive it for a thousand miles, which Your Majesty can obtain." The implication was that he could help Liu Xian find and promote talented people.

Lu Wan's answer was much more straightforward. He said, "I am good at everything, but I am not good at anything. If I were to fight on the battlefield or govern a region, I would be nothing more than an ordinary person. However, I am capable of filling in gaps, picking up omissions and asking questions." He directly stated that he was suitable to serve as a policy advisor in the court.

Liu Xian commented on Lu Yun, saying, "Shi Guang can highlight people's strengths, Shi Yao can make up for people's weaknesses, and your family is truly worthy of being the leader of the Three Wu regions!"

Lu Yun sighed, "Your Majesty flatters us. As long as Your Majesty can forgive past grievances and allow us to redeem ourselves through meritorious service and make some achievements, we can die without regret."

Liu Xian knew what he was worried about, so he comforted him, saying, "I have long forgotten about what happened in Luoyang. Why did Shilong have to go to such lengths?" After saying that, he appointed Lu Ye as a fifth-rank scholar-official in charge of managing the Imperial Academy, and Lu Wan as a fifth-rank official in charge of entering the palace to participate in discussions and consultations.

Besides these, there were also Gan Zhuo, Dai Yuan, Qian Hui, He Xun, and others among the Wu people, all of whom were prominent figures in the region at the time. They all expressed their loyalty to Liu Xian, and Liu Xian responded with smiles, creating a very harmonious atmosphere. However, both sides knew in their hearts that this was just a formality of surrender. Liu Xian still had a long way to go before he could truly win over these Wu people, or rather, before these Wu people would truly acknowledge Liu Xian as their master.

Of course, Zhou Qi's attitude is an exception; he has always been rather unconventional.

For the past six months, the other Wu people had been very respectful to Liu Xian, but after Zhou Qi arrived in Yi'an, he made no attempt to hide his differences with Liu Xian. At their first meeting at a banquet, he bluntly criticized Liu Xian's arrangements in Huainan: "Has Your Majesty not learned your lesson from the War of the Eight Princes? Or do you intend to become a tyrant like Jie and Zhou? How could you appoint a mere child as general, causing such peril at the front lines? Don't the lives of the soldiers matter?"

This was the first time anyone had spoken to Liu Xian in such a tone since the uprising began. Liu Xian was stunned. Only after Lu Yun introduced him as Zhou Qi did he take a closer look at the other person.

The two had actually met before during the great battle in front of Yi'an City, but they were too far apart for Liu Xian to see clearly. Now that they were closer, Liu Xian realized that his opponent was quite different from what he had imagined. In Liu Xian's mind, Zhou Chu was a tall and agile general, so his son should be about the same height. However, he was only of average build, about seven feet three inches tall, much shorter than Liu Xian. Moreover, his features were extremely sharp, with very clear and smooth lines in his eyebrows, eyes, lips, and nose, and fair skin. Even at fifty years old, he still looked handsome and dashing, not like someone who practiced martial arts.

Liu Xian had long understood Zhou Qi's personality, so although this was the first time he had been offended by him, he was not surprised. Instead, he laughed and said, "So, Brother Xuanpei hasn't learned his lesson from Duke Yin yet? If you keep talking like this to rulers like Jie and Zhou, can you still save your life?"

Zhou Qi was taken aback by these words and began to scrutinize Liu Xian again. To be honest, Zhou Qi didn't have many other hobbies. As an intelligent man, and having experienced the tragedy of his country's destruction and his father's betrayal, he had become rather cynical. He preferred to speak in a way that stung others, exposing their hypocrisy. Having honed his skills for decades, his technique was incredibly refined and profound. Unexpectedly, in front of Liu Xian, his words were utterly ineffective.

This made him think that he was either an extremely hypocritical charlatan or a truly magnanimous monarch, and he was more inclined to believe the former.

Then Zhou Qi laughed and said, "Indeed, I misspoke. Your Majesty was able to escape unscathed from being surrounded by villains, and no one in the world could tell the difference. You must be an extraordinary figure like Emperor Xuan of Jin. How could you possibly be a ruler like Jie or Zhou?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions, including Liu Xian. Given his pursuit of life, he could not tolerate others comparing him to Emperor Xuan of Jin. Zhou Qi almost bluntly mocked him, saying that his virtue was all a pretense.

But Liu Xian's initial anger quickly dissipated. Zhou Qi wasn't the first to say such things; Ying Zhan's accusations against him last time were quite similar. Since he aspired to be emperor, he would inevitably face scrutiny from the entire world and be subject to similar suspicions—this was part of Sima Yi's extraordinary nature. Perhaps only his death would end this suspicion.

Therefore, Liu Xian quickly regained his composure and said, "Brother Xuanpei, you flatter me. In terms of talent, how can I compare to Emperor Xuan of Jin? I have only relied on some of the virtues left by my ancestors. Precisely because I know my own lack of talent, I have followed the example of my ancestors and learned to rely on virtuous people, which is how I escaped from a life-threatening situation. Today is the same. I need you all to do your best to help me achieve the great cause of unification!"

The answer was perfect, and everyone exclaimed, "Your Majesty is magnanimous, possesses the demeanor of Emperor Gaozu, and the qualities of a hero."

Zhou Qi's opinion of Liu Xian also changed slightly. He bowed and said, "In that case, please allow me to be a loyal subject."

Liu Xian didn't mind and promoted him to the rank of Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, allowing him to speak his mind and enter the palace to see him at any time.

For the next period of time, Zhou Qi really didn't hold back. He would go to the palace almost every few days, and whenever Liu Xian was free, he would seize the emperor and talk to him about the various problems he had discovered, as well as his ideas on governing the country.

Zhou Qi was certainly a discerning man. For instance, he could immediately spot the flaws in the new system painstakingly proposed by Liu Xian and Lu Zhi. Take the military garrison system, for example. He criticized it, saying, "The three prefectures of Jiao, Guang, and Ning are all barren and overgrown with thorns, far less prosperous than Yi, Jing, Yang, and Jiang. They also suffer from damp heat and plagues, as well as the incursions of barbarians. Yet Your Majesty orders that the soldiers' merit lands be the same. How can the soldiers be willing to accept this? As the saying goes, they seek profit and avoid harm, and they will inevitably shun it like the plague."

Regarding the conversion of abandoned pavilions into roads, he also criticized: "This is a method of unifying the world. Such a system encourages people to fight for power and profit, and leads to treachery. Does the court only care about household registration and land records in the countryside, and not about the work of education and guidance?"

Liu Xian readily accepted these opinions, and ordered that the military soldiers in Ningzhou and Guangzhou each receive an additional quarter of their meritorious land, while the military soldiers in Jiaozhou would receive another quarter. He also appointed a village teacher among the local officials, specifically responsible for overseeing education and teaching in the countryside.

However, these were all minor details. His general political views soon became known throughout the court. He advocated abolishing the prefecture-county system, restoring the five-tiered feudal system of the Zhou dynasty, establishing numerous states in the regions, and reviving the well-field system in the economy. In short, his views were consistent with those of Lu Ji.

Zhou Qi was also quite skilled in debate. After the War of the Eight Princes, most people believed that the imperial family should not be allowed to be too unrestrained. However, Zhou Qi did the opposite, winning a debate at the Imperial Academy. He claimed that the War of the Eight Princes precisely proved the superiority of the enfeoffment system.

If a mentally challenged child had been made emperor, as in the Han and Cao Wei dynasties, would they have avoided being usurped? Yet the Sima clan was able to maintain its influence as a member of the imperial clan until its demise, and among its eight princes, few were truly capable. This clearly demonstrates the success of the enfeoffment system. If the enfeoffment had been more thorough, ensuring everyone was content with their place, then perhaps a mentally challenged child as emperor could have brought true peace.

Liu Xian, of course, did not agree with this idea. One day, when Zhou Qi visited the palace and discussed this view with him in person, Liu Xian refuted him, saying, "The most important thing in governing a country is to promote the virtuous and capable, and then smooth things over between superiors and subordinates, eliminating evil and promoting good. How can one boast about being foolish and stupid?"

Zhou Qi, however, remained calm and said leisurely, "Your Majesty, everything in the world has its own laws. It can operate smoothly without the court's arrangements. Forcing people to do things they don't want to do against their nature is unlikely to succeed. How many times have we seen evil not being eradicated and good not being promoted? Why did the sages advocate governing by non-action? Many things are beyond human control. The simpler things are, the better. Going against the general trend will only bring shame upon oneself."

This idea actually leads to the same conclusion as Liu Xian's philosophy. Upon hearing this, Liu Xian couldn't help but laugh and say, "So, you think that enfeoffment is the general trend of the world and the will of the people?"

“Isn’t that so?” Zhou Qi said, “The rise of the Zhou dynasty over the past century and the idea of ​​enfeoffment have long been an inevitable trend.”

Liu Xian shook his head and said, "I believe that the current collapse of Confucianism and the rise of metaphysical discussions are due to nothing more than the struggle between the noble and the lowly. People are unwilling to be inferior and strive to be superior, which is why the world is in chaos. The Zhou dynasty placed great emphasis on the distinction between the noble and the lowly, making those whose fathers were considered inferior and those whose fathers were considered noble. How can this win people's hearts? It can only lead to chaos. Only by finding a way to make the virtuous superior and the foolish inferior, the rich content and the poor at peace, can the world truly achieve lasting peace and stability."

These words astonished Zhou Qi. Having studied in Jiangdong for decades, this was the first time he had encountered an opponent who could directly refute his arguments. While he couldn't entirely agree with Liu Xian's ideas, he had to admit they were plausible. From then on, he held Liu Xian in higher regard, privately remarking to his fellow townsmen, "The Emperor's wisdom rivals Zhuge Liang's, and his words are eloquent; he is truly a remarkable figure. No wonder Lu Shiheng admires him."

He Xiu was a leading Confucian scholar during the Later Han Dynasty, known as the "Sea of ​​Learning," and was considered a contemporary equal to Zheng Xuan, the "God of Classics." Zhou Qi's words clearly implied that he was comparing himself to Zheng Xuan.

Despite his admiration, Zhou Qi remained steadfast in his stance, continuing to promote the idea of ​​enfeoffment within the Imperial Academy. Liu Xian also realized that he could not ignore these Wu people indefinitely, and it was time to implement the pre-prepared plan to establish the state of Wu. (End of Chapter)