The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 582: Western Expedition
The flickering candlelight in the hall cast long shadows of the assembled officials. The military report brought by Jia Mu, like a block of ice, plunged into the already heavy atmosphere of the court. Qin Shou's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, each tap seeming to strike the hearts of the officials.

"Seven counties in Longxi were attacked, resulting in over a thousand civilian deaths and injuries, and the theft of 20,000 head of cattle and sheep." Jia Mu knelt on one knee, his voice tense. "The remnants of the Xiongnu Left Wise King Huyan Zhuo colluded with the Xianling Qiang, claiming to have amassed an army of 50,000."

Minister of Works Liu Ye secretly breathed a sigh of relief—the suffocating issue of the Shu Road project had now been overshadowed by this sudden military intelligence. But he immediately realized that the plan for 70,000 prisoners of war would likely have to be compromised.

"Fifty thousand?" Qin Shou chuckled. "I've already razed the Xiongnu royal court to the ground; these stray dogs are just bluffing."

He suddenly turned to Chen Qun, who had been silent all along: "Changwen, how much grain can the Ministry of Revenue provide?"

Chen Qun seemed to have been prepared, and stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting, saying, "Your Majesty, the court has been waging war for years, and the losses in money and grain are too great."

“The enemy has already reached our doorstep, how can we not use our troops?” Lu Su retorted.

Chen Qun thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I believe we can follow the old system of Emperor Ling of Han and order the powerful local strongmen of Xiliang to form their own militias to suppress the Qiang rebellion. This would save the court's military expenditure and also..."

"Absurd!" Xun You interrupted sharply before he could finish. "This is a self-destructive strategy! The root cause of the chaos at the end of the Han Dynasty lay precisely in this—powerful clans held sway over their armies, ultimately leading to regional separatism!"

Chen Qun's expression remained unchanged: "Lord Xun, please calm down. Things are different now. The Great Tang has just been established, and its power extends throughout the land. We only need to limit the strength of the powerful clans' troops, and they will be disbanded immediately afterward."

"And then?" Zhang Hong interjected with a sneer, "Let those powerful clans taste the sweetness of military power, and then expect them to obediently hand it over? Has Minister Chen forgotten how Dong Zhuo entered the capital?"

A murmur of discussion arose within the hall. Qin Shou observed coldly, noticing a meaningful exchange between Li Ru and Jia Xu.

As expected, Li Ru stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that Minister Chen's proposal, though seemingly convenient, will actually bring endless trouble. The powerful clans of Xiliang are already arrogant; if they are allowed to privately raise troops, within ten years, a second Ma Teng or Han Sui will surely emerge."

Chen Qun's forehead was beaded with sweat, but he still insisted, "However, the national treasury is already depleted from years of war. If we were to send a large army westward again, I fear..."

"The matter of money and provisions need not trouble Vice Minister Chen," Minister of Revenue Zhang Hong immediately interjected, loudly proclaiming, "Last year, the harvest in Jiangnan was bountiful, and the grain stored in the imperial granary is enough to support an army of 200,000 for half a year. Moreover, Hebei Province must have had a considerable amount of grain stored last year as well!"

The Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Revenue were in charge of Hebei Circuit and Jiangnan Circuit, respectively. Chen Qun was in charge of Hebei Circuit.

Qin Shou suddenly raised his hand, and the hall fell silent.

“Changwen, do you know why the Han Dynasty collapsed?” His voice was neither hurried nor slow.

Chen Qun was taken aback: "This is the power struggle between imperial relatives and eunuchs, leading to the Yellow Turban Rebellion."

"It's compromise," Qin Shou interrupted him, coldly scoffing, "Compromising with powerful clans, compromising with border troubles, trying to temporarily gloss over every problem. And what was the result? Liangzhou was lost, Bingzhou was lost, and finally, even Luoyang was lost."

He stood up, the gold thread on his black dragon robe gleaming in the candlelight: "I established this new dynasty to eradicate these deep-seated problems. The rebellion in Western Liang must be nipped in the bud, not appeased."

Chen Qun bowed deeply: "Your subject is foolish and dull."

“You are not dull-witted, but rather too bound by old ways,” Qin Shou said calmly, his tone softening slightly. “However, governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; sometimes, slow simmering is not as effective as quick stir-frying.”

He turned to Jia Xu: "Wenhe, what are your thoughts?"

In fact, he knew that Chen Qun was not bound by old rules at all; it was simply a difference in stance. After all, he was from a prominent family. Although there were fewer prominent families in Liangzhou, they were still part of the prominent families.

A hint of a smile appeared on Jia Xu's sinister face: "Your Majesty is wise. The Qiang rebellion in Xiliang appears to be a military disaster, but in reality, it stems from the court's lack of prestige. If we rely on powerful local lords, even if the rebellion is quelled, the Qiang people will only fear the powerful lords and not respect the court." "Go on," Qin Shou said, his eyes gleaming.

"Therefore, I believe that the Emperor should personally lead the expedition," Jia Xu said, making a startling statement. "Firstly, to intimidate the Qiang and Hu tribes, and secondly, to let the powerful clans of Xiliang witness firsthand the might of a royal army."

A commotion erupted in the hall. Xun You urgently said, "Your Majesty's health is of paramount importance; how can you lightly venture into such a dangerous place? The journey to Xiliang is long and the climate is harsh."

“Master Xun is overthinking it,” Li Ru laughed. “When His Majesty conquered the world with his sword, what dangerous place hadn’t he been to? Besides…” He gave Chen Qun a meaningful look, “There are some matters that cannot be decided without His Majesty’s personal presence.”

Qin Shou knew what Li Ru was implying—it was an open secret that powerful figures in Xiliang were secretly colluding with certain ministers in the court. Chen Qun's discussion today might very well have their involvement.

"Draft an imperial edict." Qin Shou suddenly spoke, his voice resolute, "I will personally lead an expedition against Xiliang. I appoint Zhao Yun as the vanguard with 30,000 iron cavalry, to set out immediately; General Zhang Liao will command the troops of Bingzhou to guard against any disturbances by the Xianbei; Huang Zhong and Gao Shun will remain in Chang'an to oversee the imperial guards. I myself will lead 50,000 cavalry, with Wei Yan, Xu Huang, Zhang He, Dian Wei, Xu Chu, Ding Feng, and Pang De accompanying me, and Xun You and Pang Tong as military advisors."

"promise!"

The generals responded in unison.

"The Crown Prince will oversee the state affairs, and Wenhe will lead the cabinet to assist in governing."

"Old minister, I obey."

Jia Xu bowed and accepted the order, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy eyes. He noticed Chen Qun's hands trembling slightly in his sleeves, and his sneer intensified.

"Your Majesty," Lu Su, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped forward and said, "I request to join the army on the western expedition."

Qin Shou's eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled, "Zijing is an expert in naval warfare, but Xiliang is dominated by cavalry."

"That is precisely why," Lu Su said, neither humble nor arrogant, with a solemn expression, "I deserve to witness the mighty cavalry of the desert. Only then, if I were to launch a northern expedition against the desert in the future, would I know how to deal with them."

A soft laugh came from the corner of the hall. Everyone looked over and saw Pang Tong leaning against a pillar, his wine gourd dangling from his fingertips, saying, "Is Lu Zijing trying to steal our cavalry's livelihood?"

Qin Shou nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials before finally settling on Lu Su. He chuckled, "Since Zijing has this intention, I grant it. However, the desert winds and sandstorms are fierce; be prepared for some hardship."

Lu Su respectfully cupped his hands and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your expectations."

"Alright, that concludes today's meeting." Qin Shou rose with a flick of his sleeve and ordered, "All units, prepare immediately; the army will depart in ten days."

The ministers responded in unison and filed out of the hall. Chen Qun walked last, his expression uncertain. Jia Xu deliberately slowed his pace and walked alongside him.

"Minister Chen," Jia Xu asked with a half-smile, "among the powerful figures of Xiliang, are there any old acquaintances of yours?"

Chen Qun's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Why do you say such things, Lord Jia? I am merely sharing the nation's burdens."

"Hehe," Jia Xu stroked his long beard and said in a low voice, "I was just asking casually. However, His Majesty's personal expedition this time will likely shake the foundations of some people. Minister Chen, you'd better be careful."

After saying this, Jia Xu quickened his pace and left without waiting for Chen Qun's response, leaving Chen Qun standing there with cold sweat beading on his forehead.

(End of this chapter)