Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 458 End

Dao Yanzhi's defeat was a lesson for the Han Dynasty.

This also made Liu Daogui realize that the Han army was exhausted and that the Han Dynasty needed to enter a period of rest and recuperation.

Goguryeo was not a small country, nor was it a nomadic state like the Rouran. To some extent, it was a branch of the Chinese civilization, based on agriculture and building cities.

It's basically unrealistic to think about wiping them out in a short period of time.

Goguryeo was well aware of the temperament of the Central Plains dynasties, and surprisingly returned the two thousand captured Han soldiers. They even submitted a letter of apology, stating that Goguryeo only sought to maintain its territory in the eastern part of the country, had no intention of fighting for Liaodong, and would not threaten the Central Plains. From now on, they were willing to be a vassal state of the Han Dynasty...

"What a Goguryeo!" Liu Daogui's murderous intent grew even stronger.

This is clearly a strategy of concealing one's abilities and biding one's time.

Unlike the Northern Wei and Rouran, Goguryeo was unconventional, flexible, and posed a greater threat.

Liu Muzhi earnestly advised, "Today's Goguryeo is not comparable to that of the Han and Wei dynasties. Although the Han Dynasty is several times stronger than Goguryeo, it is located in the far east, a bitterly cold land, with swamps everywhere along the way, making it inconvenient for our army to conquer. I hope Your Majesty will quell your wrath and postpone the eastern expedition. The Xianbei, Xiongnu, and other barbarian tribes are the greatest enemies of the nation and will eventually become a menace. Although we have subdued their claws and teeth, they have not yet submitted to us. The lessons of the Di, Qin, and Yin dynasties are not far off."

For over eighty years during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the divisions and regional disputes between the migrants who migrated south and the native inhabitants of Jiangdong remained unresolved.

The Han Dynasty had just recovered Hebei. Although the Hu people were terrified of being killed, apart from the Qiang and Di, the other Hu peoples, including the Xiongnu, Xianbei, and other mixed groups, did not truly submit.

Liu Daogui laughed and said, "I am not Fu Jian, Brother Liu, you can rest assured. Goguryeo is located in a strategically important area with strongholds on all sides and has built its city against the mountains. The Han Dynasty has been fighting for years, and the soldiers and people are exhausted. It is not advisable to launch a large-scale war. Issue an order that only 20,000 elite troops from the tribes of Wang Zhongde, Shen Tianzi, Hu Fan, and Liu Guangzhi be left in each of the northern prefectures to prepare for war. All other prefectures shall return to their respective prefectures to rest and recuperate."

"Your Majesty is wise!" The wrinkles on Liu Muzhi's face finally smoothed out.

The great war with Goguryeo was not something that could be fought overnight.

Know yourself and know your enemy.

This letter of apology from Goguryeo reveals that Goguryeo was extremely knowledgeable about the Han Dynasty, while the Han Dynasty's understanding of Goguryeo was only superficial.

Rushing into battle will only result in a bloody defeat.

The most urgent task at present is to manage Hebei and assimilate the various ethnic groups.

To forge iron, one must be strong oneself. The Han Dynasty is currently in a state of great power and prosperity, but there are still many hidden dangers.

Big doesn't necessarily mean strong, and small doesn't necessarily mean weak.

The larger the country, the more complex the issues, the greater the internal conflicts, and the more difficult it is to govern. Conversely, a small country can be more united in its fight against a common enemy.

Goguryeo is now like a dragon lying in wait, possessing the advantages of timing, location, and popular support in Liaodong. Even if we manage to destroy it, the Han Dynasty will be exhausted.

Of course, if a large country can govern well, it can be invincible by first resolving its internal conflicts.

"Issue an edict to the whole country, advocating for non-interference in governance, simplifying administrative affairs, abolishing the harsh policies of the previous dynasty, reducing taxes and levies, and allowing the people to rest." Liu Daogui rubbed his forehead.

Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; it requires careful attention to the timing and intensity.

The world has been in turmoil for so long; it's time to focus on internal affairs.

The Tao Te Ching says: I take no action, and the people transform themselves; I love stillness, and the people correct themselves; I am inactive, and the people become rich; I have no desires, and the people become simple.

During the reign of Emperor Hui and Empress Lü of the Han Dynasty, the country was freed from the suffering of the Warring States period. Both the emperor and his ministers desired to remain inactive, so Emperor Hui ruled from behind the curtains and Empress Lü controlled the government. She did not leave her private quarters, yet the country was peaceful and the punishments were rarely used. The people devoted themselves to farming, and their clothing and food became abundant.

According to the Tao Te Ching, governing by non-action is followed by "restraining desires and advocating frugality".

Governing a country means governing its officials; governing by non-interference is about suppressing the ruling class and preventing them from infiltrating the lives of ordinary people.

Liu Daogui set an example by issuing a "Frugality Order," which prohibited large-scale construction, Buddhism, alcohol, the use of Wushi San (a traditional Chinese medicine), extravagance, and banquets. Anyone found drinking alcohol without cause in groups of three or more was to be fined four taels of silver.

He called on all officials, both civil and military, to set an example, be mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace, and practice frugality and avoid extravagance.

With the austerity order restricting things from above, the vitality of the people gradually returned.

By the third year of the Yuanwu era, the population of Guanzhong, Huaisi, Jiangzuo, and Jingxiang experienced a small boom, with children everywhere in the fields.

Even the slave households were willing to have children.

With population growth, the Han Dynasty became full of vitality.

By the seventh year of Emperor Yuanwu's reign, the Han Dynasty had not suffered from an empty treasury due to light taxes and levies. On the contrary, the people were full of vitality, the population had increased, and they spontaneously reclaimed wasteland, which helped to heal the wounds of the war that had lasted for nearly a century since the Yongjia Rebellion.

The collected land taxes continued to increase, with the Guanzhong region alone accumulating a surplus of fifty shi of grain annually. The largest increase was still in the Jianghuai region, with 1.7 million shi of grain produced each year.

There are also three major pastures: Shandan, Hetao, and Songmo, which produce 200,000 head of livestock and more than 4,000 excellent warhorses every year.

The national strength of the Han Dynasty also reached a small peak.

Although the country has been governing by doing nothing in recent years, the Tiger Guard Army and the Fubing Army have never been idle. They have plenty of warhorses and will launch small-scale expeditions to the northern desert every year.

In the second year of Yuanwu's reign, the five governorates designated on the map included three of them: Songmo, Monan, and Langjuxu. By occupying these fertile grasslands, they completely controlled the vast area north of the Yanshan Mountains and east of the Langjuxu Mountains.

Each governor's office was under the command of one thousand elite Tiger Guard cavalry and three thousand Qiang and Di volunteer soldiers.

Without sending a single soldier to the Western Regions, most of the countries had already surrendered and requested the restoration of the Protectorate of the Western Regions and the establishment of the Wuji Colonel.

In the past, conquest relied on military force. However, since China was unified and its national strength increased, smaller neighboring countries have voluntarily requested to join its ranks without resorting to force.

By the fourteenth year of Emperor Yuanwu's reign, the Han Dynasty had completely annexed the Rouran. The Northern Protectorate was established, with Liu Yiwu as its Protector-General. A military city was built on the southern slope of the Jinshan Mountains as the seat of the Northern Protectorate.

They also built Buddhist temples in various governorates and decreed that those who did not worship Buddha were barbarians and considered lowly households, while other commoners and slaves could be oppressed at will.

Once the decree was issued, monks who had migrated from the Central Plains spread Buddhism everywhere under the protection of the Han army.

And you know what? This method is very effective. The Buddhist concept of reincarnation, where one generation suffers and the next generation is reborn as a superior person, is very popular among herdsmen.

This greatly reduced the ruling pressure on the Northern Protectorate.

Liu Daogui issued an edict designating Langjuxu Mountain as a Buddhist mountain, requiring everyone to go up the mountain to worship Buddha every June, and mandating that every household send a strong man to become a monk, who would remain unmarried for life and serve Buddha.

"Your Majesty, Goguryeo has officially moved its capital to Pyongyang!" Meng Ganzhi reported with a beaming smile.

Goguryeo's former capital was Wandu City, which was captured by Murong Ke in 343 AD. However, Goguryeo later rebuilt the city, which is located on Wandu Mountain. It is a typical mountain city that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

However, in order to strengthen its control over Baekje and Silla, and to occupy the fertile and warm land south of the Changbai Mountains, Goguryeo could not resist the temptation and eventually moved its capital to Pyongyang.

"I have been waiting for this day for a long time."

Over the years, Liu Daogui has never forgotten this arch-enemy on the Liaodong land.

Goguryeo was hiding deep in the mountains, and Liu Daogui couldn't do anything about it for the time being. After all, Chang'an was too far from Liaodong, and the Tiger Guard Army consumed millions of units of grain every time they went back and forth.

However, after the capital was moved to Pyongyang, the situation became exactly the same as when Emperor Wu of Han attacked Wiman Joseon.

It faces Hebei across the sea.

"Why must Father Emperor go on the expedition? I am willing to do it in his place." Liu Yixing could not bear to see Liu Daogui go on a distant expedition.

"No need. This time, I must go. You must remember that the great dangers to the country are twofold: first, Liaodong; second, the powerful clans and gentry. I personally eliminated the external threats. You must not forget the internal threats, nor should your descendants. The reason why the Han Dynasty was strong was that every emperor suppressed the powerful clans. The reason why the Wei and Jin Dynasties were weak was because they let them go."

Liu Daogui tirelessly offered his advice.

Governing a country can be difficult or simple; it is essentially about the distribution of interests.

The powerful and wealthy clans stole state artifacts and plundered ordinary people, to the point that mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes became their private property. The rich owned vast tracts of land, while the poor had nowhere to stand. How could such a country last?

Fearing that his descendants would forget, Liu Daogui specially wrote an essay called "Imperial Model," which contained no political maneuvering or scheming, but only the various methods used by the Han Dynasty to suppress powerful clans.

Liu Yixing said, "I review my father's imperial example every day."

"Very well, Chang'an is now in your hands!"

Starting from the seventh year of Emperor Yuanwu's reign, the governing power of the Han Dynasty was handed over to Crown Prince Liu Yixing, while Liu Daogui only held military power.

The father and son each performed their respective duties.

However, Liu Yixing also had his own faction in the army, including his father-in-law Zhu Lingshi, Grand Tutor Mao Dezhu, and many of his old subordinates such as Duan Hong and Han Mao.

"My father spent his life on the battlefield, and even in his old age he still has to work hard..." Liu Yixing's eyes glistened with tears.

Liu Daogui laughed heartily, "Who says I'm old? You and I, father and son, haven't even established a prosperous era yet, how dare I be old! Immediately issue orders to all the armies in Chang'an to accompany me on my eastern expedition against Goguryeo—"

The End

(End of this chapter)