Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 523 The First Year of Hongwu
"Jingle Bell……"

"Keep pushing! We're almost at water!"

"Moo..."

"Bang...bang...bang..."

The Great Heat arrives with the hottest time of the year. The azure sky is like a scorching iron plate, evaporating all the clouds and allowing the blazing sun to shine unhindered on the parched earth.

The crisscrossing cracks, like thirsty mouths, greedily devoured the last bit of moisture.

The withered yellow seedlings curled up, gradually carbonizing under the blazing white sunlight, crumbling into dust at the slightest touch.

The air on the official road distorted in the heatwave, and the wind coming from the distant mountains was so hot it made one's skin burn.

Countless people were digging wells and searching for water under the scorching sun. The oxen and horses pulling the soil were too hot to neigh and just slumped over.

The dog lay in the shadows of the crowd, its tongue lolling out, its strength gone, even the strength to bark.

This was a silent disaster... There were no swords, no cries of agony, only the sun high in the sky coldly scorching everything, as if it would continue until the rivers dried up, the grass and trees turned to ash, and people became skeletons.

"Six regions—Hebei, Henan, Guannei, Jingji, Hedong, and Dongji—are suffering from severe drought. Except for Jingji and Dongji, which are not affected by the numerous rivers, Hebei and Hedong are relatively less affected. Henan is the most severely affected, with all areas except Qi and Lu experiencing total crop failure, with less than one-tenth of the crops surviving..."

“Since the beginning of the Lesser Heat, there has been continuous thunderstorms and flooding in all parts of Jiangnan East Road, Jiangnan West Road, Huainan Road, and Shannan East Road.”

"The Wusong River, Han River, Zhejiang River, Xiang River, Baimaotang River, Liujiahe River, Dahuangpu River, etc., flooded, and more than 20 prefectures including Tanzhou, Xiangzhou, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Changzhou, and Huzhou were affected. The floodwaters swallowed up the crops and the houses of the people were all destroyed."

"The imperial army marched east to reclaim the lost territory of Yingzhou, but the Xi tribe, along with the Dangxiang and Shatuo tribes, invaded the border from the south, but were driven back by Commandant Ma Maolin."

"Li Keyong, the chieftain of the Shatuo tribe, upon hearing of the newly established court, has usurped the title of King of Tang. His crime deserves death!"

"The chieftain of the Southern Barbarians, Long, led an army of 50,000 to attack Qianzhong. He was blocked by the army led by Governor Wang Guangtu (Wang Jian). The two armies clashed at the Qian River north of Shian City in Juzhou. Wang Guangtu defeated the barbarian army, killing 4,000 soldiers. Chieftain Long hurriedly retreated back to his territory."

In late June, the court discussions in the Qian Yuan Hall almost portrayed the newly established Han Dynasty as being in its final days.

In the north, there was a severe drought and invasions by the nomadic barbarians; in the south, there were floods and rebellions by the southern barbarians.

Such a situation, occurring in the first year of the Hongwu reign, is bound to cause anxiety.

Faced with a series of disastrous memorials from his ministers, Liu Jilong, dressed in ordinary clothes, sat upright on the Golden Terrace.

Although he was forty-two, he still looked like he was twenty-eight or twenty-nine, still composed, elegant, and handsome.

"I have already understood the memorials submitted by you all."

Liu Jilong spoke slowly, and at that moment, all the officials in the Qianyuan Hall looked at him.

It is worth mentioning that the officials in the hall all sat on chairs similar to those worn by officials in the Song Dynasty, and there were only a few hundred officials holding court here.

The ministers sat in chairs, facing the emperor on the golden platform. This clearly violated the etiquette established since the Sui and Tang dynasties. However, this etiquette had been in place since the first month of the first year of Hongwu's reign, and had lasted for more than five months.

The officials initially submitted numerous memorials, but now they have become comfortable with and accustomed to the new system. With the exception of a couple of stubborn individuals, they have generally accepted this system of rites.

The only downside to this etiquette is that sitting for a long time can easily make you sleepy...

Just now, as Liu Jilong spoke, the ministers who were originally drowsy were quickly awakened and could only pretend to be deep in thought.

"When droughts and floods occur in various regions, the relevant officials in the prefectures and counties should promptly report to the imperial court and dispatch the Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review to verify and investigate the situation."

"If the three judicial departments verify the facts, the taxes of the disaster victims will be exempted, and the performance evaluation of the officials will not include disasters or anomalies, but will only be based on repairs."

"The relevant authorities are to coordinate the transport of grain and fodder to the disaster-stricken prefectures, and sell it at a stable price to replenish the reserves of the Ever-Normal Granary."

"As for the northern barbarians and southern barbarians, now that Yingzhou has been recovered, they should be heavily guarded and they should not be allowed to cross the border to pursue and attack them without an imperial edict."

In just a few words, Liu Jilong arranged the matters according to their importance and urgency.

In the face of disaster, relief should be the primary focus, with exemptions as a secondary measure.

The strategy against enemies such as the Dali, Dangxiang, and Khitan was primarily defensive.

Given the current situation of the Han Dynasty, it is possible to fight, but the losses would outweigh the gains.

The current situation is that since the An Lushan Rebellion, the household registration and arable land statistics have been chaotic, and local water conservancy projects have been abandoned and silted up, which has led to the breaching of river channels and flooding.

The groundwater resources in this era are very abundant. With the technology of the imperial court, it is entirely possible to drill wells more than twenty feet deep.

If the north were filled with such deep wells, even during a severe drought, manpower could ensure food supplies and prevent widespread starvation.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong glanced at the assembled officials and focused his gaze on Yang Xin, the Minister of Justice.

He said nothing, but sensing his gaze, Minister of Justice Yang Xin rose and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have something to report..."

"Granted!" Liu Jilong did not hesitate, and Yang Xin reported after giving his approval:

"The three departments, together with the officials of various provinces, investigated and reported that the traitor Doulu Zhuo and his 1,357 accomplices were executed, and his 14,216 relatives and clansmen were also killed. The remaining 277,057 members of his clan were exiled to the border regions."

"The total amount of confiscated embezzled money is 5,776,457 strings of cash and 356 coins, 34,567 houses and villas, 276,573 hectares of farmland, and countless antiques, paintings, gold, silk and pearls, with a total value of about 7 million strings of cash and bolts of cloth."

"His cronies and associates included officials from various departments, totaling 2,479 officials and over 14,600 clerks."

"After investigation by the three departments, it was found that there were 1,516 officials and more than 10,772 clerks involved."

"According to the old law, all of them were stripped of their posts and their families were exiled three thousand miles away, totaling 96,700 people."

"The authorities have ordered the confiscation of the property, which yielded more than 37,000 residences and houses, 157,420 hectares of land, and more than 6 million taels of silver. The antiques, paintings, calligraphy, gold, silver and silk are countless, and the value of the stolen goods is estimated to be more than 2 million taels of silver."

"The confiscated items have been delivered to the provincial treasuries of the two capital regions and various circuits, awaiting Your Majesty's decision."

As Yang Xin finished his report, the officials in the hall remained calm, but their hearts were already churning with turmoil.

Fourteen thousand were executed, implicating 370,000 people. The amount of money, silk, calligraphy, paintings, and antiques seized was nearly 20 million strings of cash, and the amount of farmland confiscated was astronomical.

The amount of land confiscated alone reached over 430,000 hectares, equivalent to over 43 million mu.

It should be noted that, based on the previous confiscation of land from the old empire, the new dynasty's land area was only slightly over 200 million mu. Now, nearly one-fifth of the land has been recovered in one fell swoop.

If these fields were distributed equally among the local people, it would greatly alleviate their burden and difficulties.

Such actions inevitably made the courtiers feel terrified, yet they were unable to refute them.

After all, this was a confirmed act of treason, and Doulu Zhuo and his men were already leading troops to attack the Imperial Guards outside Xuanhui Gate, so they were powerless to refute it.

Moreover, Liu Jilong did not kill many people. These 400,000 people were only exiled to local areas, and their lives were not taken directly. This can be considered a kind act.

As the courtiers pondered this, Liu Jilong, seated on the golden platform, slowly spoke:
"The farmland and houses confiscated by the authorities can be distributed equally among the poor people in various prefectures and counties."

"Items such as mansions, villas, and shops can be handed over to the Censorate for sale, and then sold by the brokers under the jurisdiction of the prefectural and county governments."

"All the antiques, paintings, calligraphy, gold, silver and silk obtained were transported to the two capital regions and stored in the granaries, and the grain was used to fill the granaries of various prefectures and counties."

“Those prisoners under the custody of various departments will be transferred to the north in February of next year, while those transferred to the south will be transferred to their respective places this autumn.”

He settled the matter and was quite satisfied with the implications of this situation.

Not only did they legally and compliantly create over 400,000 migrants, but they also directly obtained 20 million strings of cash in gold and silver, 40 million mu of arable land, and tens of thousands of residences, houses, and shops.

Farmland and houses were distributed to the people, while the rest could be collected or sold to fill the national treasury.

Even if each of these mansions and shops only held tens or hundreds of strings of cash, that would still amount to millions of strings of cash in wealth.

With this money, the imperial court can do even more...

"Your Majesty, I have something to report."

Suddenly, Xiao Gou, who was a co-champion, slowly stood up, but Liu Jilong knew what he wanted to say without him having to speak.

Even so, Liu Jilong nodded: "Granted!"

"Your Majesty, I believe this matter involves too many people, and there must be innocent people among them. I request Your Majesty to dispatch officials from the Six Ministries to investigate together."

Xiao Gou did indeed speak up for those people, and the reason he spoke up was obviously because many old officials in the court were worried that Liu Jilong's involvement would lead to them being falsely accused and framed in the future.

Liu Jilong naturally knew that among the more than 400,000 people involved in this matter, there must be many innocent people.

If he were just an official or an ordinary citizen, he would certainly feel sorry for these people, but he is not.

He is now the emperor of the Han Dynasty, and he needs to consider the entire world.

The current situation is that the living space of Han people is shrinking in all directions except the northwest.

Although the imperial court can use the army to reclaim land, if there are no people on the land, such land will be lost when the country weakens.

History has taught enough lessons, so even if it brings infamy, Liu Jilong still wants to carry out large-scale purges, all in order to reclaim the lost lands and keep them in his hands forever.

"Now that this matter has been settled, there is no need to cause any more trouble."

Liu Jilong made the decision on the matter, and Xiao Gou could only sigh helplessly and finally sat back down in his chair.

Seeing him sit down, Liu Jilong didn't say anything, but looked at Li Shangyin and Feng Bangyan, the newly appointed Minister of Revenue.

Seeing Liu Jilong's gaze fall upon him, Feng Bangyan glanced at the unmoving Li Shangyin out of the corner of his eye, and knew it was time for him to speak.

"Your Majesty, I, Feng Bangyan, the Minister of Revenue, have something to report."

"allow!"

Liu Jilong nodded in approval, and Feng Bangyan also stood up and said, "Now that the world has been at peace for more than a year, all the fish-scale maps from various regions have been sent to the Ministry of Revenue."

"In that year, there were 7,726,527 households and 38,632,635 people in the country."

"The land registers for all provinces are still being measured, so the current status is unknown..."

With more than a year of peace and stability in the country, the population of all regions has been clearly counted thanks to policies such as merging land tax and abolishing corvée labor and poll tax.

Previously, the Ministry of Revenue reported that there were more than 39 million people in the country, but that was data copied from the old Huichang era.

Although many people went into hiding during the Huichang era, tens of thousands of civilians died due to the continuous warfare over the past thirty years.

With a population of 38.63 million, this is the closest we can get to the actual population under current methods and policies.

Compared to the dynasties after the Tang Dynasty, this population was naturally relatively small, but it was still a world-class behemoth in its time.

However, such a population still seems insufficient to achieve Liu Jilong's goal of recovering Liaodong and Yunnan, let alone replenishing Lingnan, central Guizhou, and western Hunan.

Thinking this, Liu Jilong nodded slightly and said, "The measurement of land registers in all provinces must not be rushed. It must be done carefully and not carelessly."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Feng Bangyan quickly agreed, and only sat down again after seeing that Liu Jilong had not given any further instructions.

After he took his seat, Liu Jilong looked at Dou Bin, the Minister of Works, and gave his instructions decisively:

“Farming is the source of food and clothing, and the means of livelihood; however, droughts and floods occur from time to time, so we must be prepared.”

"Now that the country is newly settled and the national treasury is full, the Ministry of Works should send officials from the Water Conservancy Department to inspect the situation and take advantage of the agricultural off-season to assess the appropriate measures."

“All ponds, lakes and weirs that can store water for drought relief and prevent flooding should be repaired according to the terrain.”

"Although this matter is primarily intended to benefit the people, the authorities should not be stingy. The workers should be paid five dou of rice or three hundred coins per month."

"In addition, the Yellow River and the Grand Canal are completely silted up, and now is the time to clean them up."

"Now, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Han Zhengke and Vice Minister Zhang Huaicheng are in charge of the Ministry of Works to recruit water conservancy workers from all over the country. Soldiers will be selected from the military governorships of Hebei, Henan, Dongji, and Huainan, and laborers will be recruited. Each person will be given five dou of rice or three hundred coins per month to work in shifts to clear silt and build river embankments."

“All soldiers and civilians who volunteer for craftsmanship will be issued summer clothes, winter coats, and two pairs of shoes, as well as one hundred coins for travel expenses.”

With the national treasury full, Liu Jilong's first task was to repair and restore the abandoned water conservancy projects across the country, and at the same time, to improve the management of the Yellow River, which had not been dredged or reinforced for over a century.

Although these are all large-scale projects, they are all large-scale projects that the people are happy to see.

As long as Liu Jilong doesn't compress the construction period of more than ten years into one year like Yang Guang, but instead works slowly like Kublai Khan and Zhu Di, the people will not complain.

Moreover, Yang Guang made his employees bring their own food, while Liu Jilong not only paid them wages but also provided them with travel expenses and clothes.

His actions were mainly modeled after those of Zhu Di.

During Zhu Di's reign, he built Beijing, launched voyages to the Western Ocean, dredged the Grand Canal, and managed the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Wusong River. He also led expeditions to the north against Mongolia and Annam, and even ordered the construction of post stations and roads from Songpan to Shannan in southern Tibet.

These various large-scale projects, if placed in the hands of other emperors, would certainly have instigated significant popular uprisings, if not universal rebellion.

As a result, the largest peasant uprising in the north during the Yongle era was the Tang Sai'er Rebellion of the White Lotus Sect, which involved more than 10,000 people but affected less than a single prefecture.

Such a large-scale peasant uprising was indeed insignificant in the feudal era; even during the Zhenguan era, there were peasant uprisings like the Qingzhou Uprising.

However, due to the limited amount of information recorded, it is often overlooked.

The reason why Zhu Di was able to control the resentment among the people in the north was mainly due to the effective governance of Xia Yuanji, Yu Xin and others. Zhu Di was indeed willing to provide clothing, shoes and food to the laborers, and would also provide extra food and paper money if they served more than the allotted time.

Although the value of paper money depreciated rapidly during the Yongle era, it was not so bad that it could be used as toilet paper; it could still be exchanged for some things.

Zhu Di was quite adept at using both carrot and stick tactics.

Liu Jilong didn't exploit the people's labor like Zhu Di did, but his carrot-and-stick approach is still worth considering.

Distributing clothes and cotton shoes doesn't cost much money or food, but it can greatly appease the people.

While he was lost in thought, Han Zhengke and Zhang Huaicheng had already sat down as instructed, and Liu Jilong, seeing them sit down, immediately took a deep breath and picked up a book.

"Throughout history, founding generals and soldiers have often been granted titles and ranks, and our dynasty is no exception."

"This is a reward I have decided after careful consideration. After the court session, the Southern Office will draft an imperial edict and send it to the residences of the meritorious officials. Do not be negligent."

He handed over the document, and Yang Gongqing took it and then waited aside.

As Liu Jilong stood up, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies took a deep breath and said, "You may proceed!"

Fu Baolang, holding the imperial seal, followed Liu Jilong and left first. The Imperial Guards on duty outside the palace raised their whips and cracked them three times.

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

The officials bowed again, and then exited the Qianyuan Hall one by one through the side gate according to their rank.

As soon as Li Shangyin stepped out, countless eyes turned to him with intense gaze, making his scalp tingle and causing him to quicken his pace.

"Hehe... Even Mr. Yishan has such a sorry state?"

"It would have been better if you hadn't been urging him so much lately. Otherwise, why would His Majesty have handed over this hot potato to Mr. Yishan during the regular court session?"

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Watching Li Shangyin's hurried departure, many veteran officials cast eager glances at him, then rushed back to their respective offices, while sending people to the government office to inquire about the matter of bestowing a title.

Li Shangyin, who rushed back to the Hall of State Affairs, had no choice but to bite the bullet and stop these people outside the hall. At the same time, he summoned officials and urgently dealt with the matters of investiture on these documents.

Judging from the thickness of the documents alone, it is clear that Liu Jilong appointed many officials.

It was only after they actually started doing it that Li Shangyin and his colleagues realized how difficult it was.

Working overtime, imperial edicts were drafted, reviewed, and sent to various prefectures.

For a time, the entire city of Luoyang was incredibly lively. Zhang Yichao, who was enjoying his retirement at home, was undoubtedly among the first to receive the title.

Zhang Yichao had already been granted the title of Prince of Dunhuang at Liu Jilong's behest, which was already the pinnacle of nobility, so he never expected to be granted another title.

"Under the command of Zhang Yichao, Prince of Dunhuang and Acting Minister of War, who has long been known for his loyalty and bravery in recovering Hexi, he is now granted a hereditary title with a reduced rank, while still retaining the title of Grand Tutor; the relevant authorities shall implement this."

"Your subject Zhang Yichao thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness..."

Inside the Prince of Dunhuang's residence, Zhang Yichao respectfully bowed to the angel who came to deliver the imperial edict. The angel slightly turned his body to avoid the bow, then smiled and presented the edict to Zhang Yichao with both hands.

“King of Dunhuang, His Majesty’s decree on the hereditary downgrading of rank is not something everyone can obtain.”

"With this decree, the Zhang family can be guaranteed wealth and honor for eight generations..."

The angel spoke with envy, and Zhang Yichao bowed and said, "I will definitely go to the palace to express my gratitude afterward. I'm sorry to trouble you to make that trip, angel."

"Now that the King of Dunhuang has received the decree, I will not linger any longer."

Seeing that Zhang Yichao seemed to be gesturing for the servants to take the gifts, the angel's eyelids twitched, and he quickly bowed and left the Dunhuang Prince's Mansion.

Not long after the Doulu Zhuo case ended, nearly 20% of the officials and 10% of the clerks in the court were implicated and dismissed.

At a time like this, no one would dare to accept bribes directly, let alone accept them from Zhang Yichao.

Every official in the court knows that His Majesty now treats this Prince of Dunhuang with the respect due to a disciple.
Today I accepted bribes from the Prince of Dunhuang's mansion; tomorrow I'll probably be dismissed and laid off. "Hereditary downgrade, hahahaha..."

"Father, this decree must be carefully kept; we are counting on it!"

Not long after the angel left, Zhang Yichao heard two irritating voices.

When he turned around, Zhang Huaiquan and Zhang Huaiding were indeed standing behind him. Zhang Huaiding looked like he was going crazy with joy, which made Zhang Yichao frown.

After Liu Jilong entered Luoyang, the two men were sent to the Censorate by Liu Jilong and became two remonstrance officials with no real power.

Later, the Censorate was merged into the Censorate, and the two could only do some document management work. Although they were still officials of the fifth rank and had the title of county earl of the fourth rank, it was not a hereditary title and they had no real power.

Now Zhang Yichao has obtained the hereditary title of Prince of the County, which has been downgraded. When it is passed down to Zhang Huaiquan or Zhang Huaiding, it will be the title of Duke of the State. After that, there will be titles such as Duke of the County, Duke of the County, Marquis of the County, Earl of the County, Viscount of the County, and Baron of the County, waiting for their descendants.

Even the lowest-ranking county baron could receive an annual salary of two hundred strings of cash, enough to cover the household expenses.

After all, hiring a servant these days only costs six or seven strings of cash a year. As long as you don't pursue Silla maids, Bodhisattva women, or Persian women, that salary is enough to support more than a dozen servants.

"Ugh……"

Looking at Zhang Huaiding and Zhang Yichao, Zhang Yichao felt that he had failed as a father.

Given Zhang Huaiquan and Zhang Huaiding's personalities, their high positions would certainly lead to the downfall of the Zhang family.

It seems that in a few days he will have no choice but to go to the palace and shamelessly beg Liu Jilong for a promise.

Zhang Yichao felt extremely tired. With his hunched figure supported by his servants, he returned to the inner courtyard, leaving behind only the happy sons of the Zhang family.

Meanwhile, as the imperial edicts from the Southern Court continued to be issued, the situation regarding the conferment of titles gradually became clearer.

Fifteen individuals, including Zhang Yichao, Zhang Huaishen, Gao Jinda, Li Shangyin, Cui Shu, Chen Jingchong, Husiguang, Shang Duoluo, Ma Cheng, Zhang Chang, Zheng Chu, An Pohu, Zhang Wu, Cao Mao, and Wang Shi, were granted the hereditary title of Prince of the County, though the rank was reduced.

Li Yangchun, Dou Jingchong, Liu Yingyan, Han Zhengke, Yang Xin, Chen Ying, Wang Sifeng, Zhang Huaicheng and 24 others were all granted the hereditary title of Duke, though the rank was reduced.

Zheng Tian, ​​Wang Jian, Wang Chongrong, Deng Yan, Liu Song, Tan Kai and thirty-six others were granted the hereditary title of Duke of the County, though the rank was reduced.

The total number of people who were granted titles and the right to inherit them with a reduced rank was 75, of whom 27 were posthumously granted titles and their descendants inherited them with a reduced rank.

In addition to them, Liu Jilong also enfeoffed seventy county dukes, more than one hundred county marquises, more than three hundred county earls, more than five hundred county viscounts, and more than one thousand two hundred county barons.

Those who were granted titles did not receive hereditary titles of reduced rank; most of them were posthumously conferred, and their sons directly inherited the titles.

However, once the heir dies, the title is abolished.

This group of people were mostly soldiers who followed Liu Jilong from Hexi to Longxi, where they established their base and subsequently died in battle.

Of course, many of them had already died in battle and left no offspring, so they were only posthumously honored.

Even so, there were still around 1,400 officials with official titles, which increased the Ministry of Revenue's expenditure on the salaries of officials by more than 600,000 strings of cash.

Fortunately, the vast majority of these officials were not hereditary officials who had been demoted. After twenty or thirty years, these people who held titles would pass away one after another, freeing the court from this huge burden.

After this conferment of titles, while not everyone in Luoyang City possessed a title, every government office had at least a few people with titles.

Even if he was only the lowest-ranking county baron, his official rank was still the upper fifth grade, and more than 90% of the officials in the court and the countryside had to bow to him.

The wealth and honor that Liu Jilong promised in the past has now been realized. After the conferment of titles, Liu Jilong even sent someone to the residences of these officials to warn them not to do evil or abuse their power to bully the people.

Liu Jilong wasn't sure how many people would actually listen to him.

He has kept his promise, and if anyone forms cliques or breaks the law, he will not show any leniency.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong slowly opened his eyes. It was already the third day after he was granted the title.

Sitting before him was none other than Zhang Yichao, who had come to pay his respects only after all the other officials had finished their salutations.

"Your Majesty was right. Compared to the old dynasty, the world is indeed at peace now."

"But now there are barbarians in the north and various tribes in the south, while the Central Plains are plagued by drought and floods. Your Majesty needs to govern diligently in order to bring peace to the world."

Looking at Liu Jilong in front of him, Zhang Yichao could not hide the satisfaction in his eyes, but at the same time he was full of worry about the complicated situation Liu Jilong was about to face.

If he were twenty years younger, perhaps he could help His Majesty sort out these complicated matters.

But he is already seventy-five years old, and he needs help to walk, let alone govern.

If it weren't for Liu Jilong's grace that allowed him to travel in and out of the palace and outer court at any time in a small sedan chair, he probably wouldn't have been able to even get this far.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yichao's eyes gradually shifted from satisfaction and worry to regret.

Liu Jilong noticed his change, and he reached out to pour tea for Zhang Yichao, saying with a smile:

"Governing the country is indeed difficult, but as long as you put in the effort, you can always unravel the complexities of the situation."

"Your Highness must take good care of your health. You must at least see the world completely at peace before the Han people can revive their military prowess."

Faced with these words, Zhang Yichao shook his head: "I am too old, I'm afraid I won't be able to see it..."

He wasn't just saying this to fob off Liu Jilong; he genuinely felt that his health was deteriorating day by day.

However, being able to see peace and stability in the world before his death was enough to put his mind at ease.

He raised an army in Hexi because he wanted to see Hexi peaceful.

Only after advancing eastward did he realize that the chaos in the Central Plains was even greater than in the Hexi Corridor.

If it weren't for the sudden appearance of this person, he didn't know how much longer the world would have remained in chaos.

Thinking this, Zhang Yichao slowly bowed to Liu Jilong and said, "Your Majesty must know very well what the personalities of your sons are like."

"After my death, I beg Your Majesty not to hold a grudge against them..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Jilong paused slightly as he picked up his teacup.

From Zhang Yichao's words, he realized that Zhang Yichao seemed to be entrusting his son to someone, which made him feel both emotional and reluctant.

"Your Highness, please take good care of yourself. I hope to see you and the Prince of Jiaohe meet again."

Zhang Yichao chuckled upon hearing this. Although he also wanted to see his nephew again, but...

He did not respond to Liu Jilong, but only tried to prop himself up.

He seemed to have really aged, and his movements to prop himself up were very slow, which made him feel sad.

Although she managed to straighten herself up, her body began to sway uncontrollably.

Before he could react, a warm, large hand supported his arm.

When he looked over, he saw that Liu Jilong had already stood up, supporting his arm, his expression showing some sadness.

"I will help the Prince out of the palace."

Liu Jilong did not give Zhang Yichao a chance to refuse, and helped Zhang Yichao walk out of the hall, where a small sedan chair had already been prepared.

The two walked out of the palace one after the other. Only after the palace eunuchs bowed their heads and waited to be served did Liu Jilong slowly release his hand.

Seeing this, Zhang Yichao bowed slightly to Liu Jilong: "Your subject respectfully withdraws..."

"Your Highness, please take good care of yourself."

This is the third time Liu Jilong has told him to take good care of his health since we met today.

Zhang Yichao still did not respond, but simply boarded a small palanquin and was pulled by eunuchs towards the outside of the palace.

Liu Jilong stood in front of the palace gate, watching the small carriage gradually disappear into the distance, unsure of what to say.

In his eyes, it wasn't just Zhang Yichao who was growing old, but also the Guiyi Army soldiers who had followed Zhang Yichao in raising an army to recover lost territory.

"Your Majesty, this is a letter sent by the Crown Prince..."

Jing Xiang's voice woke Liu Jilong from his reverie. Liu Jilong looked at Jing Xiang and then took the letter from his hand.

[Liu Lie, a filial son from Didao County, Linzhou, Longyou Circuit, respectfully submits this letter before Your Majesty.]

On the handwritten cover, Liu Lie clearly had a character in the middle, but it had been crossed out.

Liu Jilong knew that his eldest son was blaming him for changing his name without permission. He felt a little guilty and sighed, but he still opened the letter.

[Before Father, Erlie kowtows and bows again.]

[I have heard that Your Majesty has newly ascended the throne and established a new reign title; though I am on the frontier, I should also dance and celebrate; however, Your Majesty has arbitrarily changed my name and the names of my brothers, and I do not know Your Majesty's intention. I humbly request Your guidance.]

[A recent imperial edict ordered all students of schools throughout the land to go to the countryside to serve in the army; I plan to go to Kucha with my classmates after I finish my studies this year.]

[The officials, out of consideration for His Majesty, have refused to approve it; if only a written edict could be granted, then it might be feasible.]

Is Mother's old ailment any better lately?

Although all my younger siblings are unharmed, their diligence in their studies varies greatly; in particular, my second son is frivolous and unruly, and my eldest daughter-in-law is arrogant and willful, which I fear is not a blessing for our family; I humbly beseech Your Majesty to strictly discipline them.

[Respectfully submitted by your son, Lie, on the 25th day of the third month of the year Yiwei, the first year of the Hongwu reign]

"So scholarly..."

After reading Liu Lie's letter, Liu Jilong seemed to have already pictured Liu Lie as a frail scholar in his mind, and couldn't help but sigh.

He did want to keep Liu Lie by his side at all times, but Liu Lie was too young before, and is only fifteen years old now, so it was really inconvenient for him to keep him by his side.

Now it seems that his personality has been formed. Although he writes letters in a literary style, he is very opinionated between the lines. He even dares to question why he changed his and his brothers' names, which makes Liu Jilong somewhat gratified.

After putting away the letter, Liu Jilong turned and walked into the palace. He then wrote a letter to Liu Lie explaining the matter of changing his name to avoid taboo, and at the same time, he granted him permission to go to Kucha to guard the border, and reminded him of many things.

In addition, he told Liu Lie about the karez wells and cotton, and said that he would have cotton seeds prepared for him.

After he goes to Kucha this time, he can use the next two years to plant cotton there, and the local government will send people to buy it.

After arriving in Kucha, you should visit your neighbors and the homes of ordinary people as much as possible, learn about the situation in the countryside, convey the imperial decrees to them, and learn from them.

When you meet your fellow villagers, be polite and respectful. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Don't try to be special. People don't like people who put on airs.

If one can persist in staying in the Western Regions after two years as an official, then one can go to Tingzhou to join the army and gain good experience.

After pausing, Liu Jilong mentioned how much he missed him and his several husbands and wives, and hoped that after he finished guarding the border and serving in the army, he could return to Luoyang to meet him.

Finally, he paused for a moment before continuing:
【Kucha is bitterly cold; I have already ordered people to prepare money and provisions for you. If you see any poor or weak people, you may help them as much as you can. When you enter the homes of ordinary people, do not go empty-handed; do as you are asked to do, and take good care of yourself.】

After putting down the brush and waiting for the ink to dry, Liu Jilong put it into an envelope and handed it to Jing Xiang, instructing him as follows:

"Order the steward of the Linzhou Palace to prepare two carriages, filled with grain and fifty strings of cash, for the Crown Prince to take to Kucha."

"Then order the relevant authorities to allocate enough cotton seeds to plant one acre of land for the Crown Prince, and order him to go to the Western Regions to sow them. Instruct the Kucha government to pay attention to this matter, and send someone to purchase the cotton after the harvest."

"Take the letter to the inner court. If the lady reads it and finds it harmless, then send it to Linzhou."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Jing Xiang nodded in agreement, then instructed a eunuch to deliver the letter to the inner court, while he remained behind and bowed to Liu Jilong, saying:

"The Ministry of Revenue submitted a memorial stating that the Venerable Master Wuzhen will soon lead a group of monks to Dokang to spread the Dharma, and therefore requested the Ministry of Revenue to allocate funds and grain to build a Buddhist temple."

With the world at peace, the matter of the monks and officials that Liu Jilong had discussed with Wuzhen was about to get on track.

However, before exploring Buddhism and Taoism throughout the world, Wuzhen needs to personally go to Duokang to build several temples and understand the situation inside Duokang before he can proceed with the westward migration of monks.

Liu Jilong was prepared, so after Jing Xiang spoke, he continued, "Order the three departments of Longyou to dispatch a battalion of soldiers to escort the Venerable Wuzhen to Duokang. All the materials used for building temples and for the monks in Duokang shall be allocated by the Jiannan Circuit Administration."

"The imperial edict was issued to detain Lu Danzeng, and he was granted the title of King of Tubo, with his father being appointed as the Supreme King of Tubo. He was to receive an annual salary of one thousand strings of cash, and be rewarded with one hundred gold and silver coins, one thousand dan of tea, and one hundred bolts of brocade."

Today, Meru Danzeng's strength is about 40,000 soldiers, and his influence covers a vast area east of Lasa and Qiangtang.

Despite their apparent strength, they still needed to purchase hundreds of thousands of shi of grain and tens of thousands of dan of tea from Longyou, Jingji, Shannandongdao, and Jiannandao every year.

Because Liu Jilong did not prohibit trade with them, they mainly relied on plundering cattle and sheep from other tribes to exchange for grain and tea. They had little arable land, and the grain yields on that land were decreasing over time.

A year of hard work in the fields yields only seven dou of grain, while killing an enemy and obtaining a horse can sell for seventy dou of grain.

Even if there are many losses along the way, forty bushels can still be left when the goods arrive in Jincheng, which is much better than working hard to grow crops.

For this reason, according to the reports from Lu Danzeng's spies, although the Dokang regime had 600,000 people and more than 40,000 soldiers, it had only 700,000 mu of cultivated land.

The combined output of these cultivated lands was barely enough to pay the wages of 40,000 soldiers, so Lu Danzeng was not heavily reliant on the Han Dynasty's grain and tea.

Only with enough tea could the 600,000 indigenous people survive on dairy products, wild fruits, and game.

For ordinary people, eating a pound of grain a day is an extreme luxury; normally they only get half a pound or even less.

Liu Jilong was not surprised by this. If it weren't for the warm season, the snowy region would not have been able to support the Tibetan people, who numbered three million.

Now that the warm period is over, it would be considered good if two out of three million Tibetans survived.

The Yuan Dynasty divided the snow-covered area into nineteen 10,000-household units, indicating that the population was only around one million.

Although the influx of tea and grain trade during the Ming Dynasty led to a population increase of two million in the snowy region, the population quickly declined to one million due to wars as Altan Khan, Gushi Khan, and the Dzungar Khan successively entered the snowy region. It was not until the end of the Qing Dynasty that the population barely recovered to two million.

All of this demonstrates that, without a warm season or the support of industrial development, it is very difficult for snow-covered areas to exceed three million people; two million people is the norm.

Although the slave uprising within Tibet ended a few years earlier due to the arrival of Lu Danzeng, the core area of ​​Tibet has already suffered a severe blow.

With the constant infighting among various factions, anyone who isn't stupid should know that only the Han Dynasty can support him in unifying the snowy region.

Lu Danzeng would certainly treasure this imperial edict as if it were a precious gem.

As long as Wuzhen's propagation of the Dharma is unrestricted under Lu Danzeng's rule, the monks within the Great Han territory will either return to secular life or enter Tibet.

As Buddhism from the Central Plains continues to culturally influence the snowy region, coupled with control over grain and tea, there will be no shortage of minor frictions between Tibet and the Han Dynasty, but major frictions are unlikely.

The reason Liu Jilong was certain there would be minor frictions was mainly because Lu Danzeng couldn't possibly control everything.

Even at the height of the Tubo Dynasty, it could not control the nobles and bandits of the Qiangtang region, let alone the new Tubo regime after its decline.

Once Tibet is stabilized, the imperial court can focus its efforts on the southwest and northeast.

As for the Northwest, all he needs to do is support Zhang Huaishen in recapturing Suyab and developing land reclamation in the Ili River Valley.

As long as Tibet remains stable, there is no danger to the southern border, while the danger to the northern border can be completely defended by the Ili River Valley and Suyab.

The Northwest must be brought under our actual control. In the future, we will not need to expand westward; we can focus on developing the Northeast and the Southwest.

As the warm period ends, these regimes in the Northeast will collapse. Even if the Han people cannot penetrate deep into the Northeast, they must firmly control Liaodong and restore the former Four Commanderies of Han.

He has laid a solid foundation; his children and grandchildren only need to safeguard it.

As his thoughts settled, Liu Jilong inevitably thought of Liu Lie, who had written him a letter.

He glanced at Jingxiang, who remained attentive to his teachings.

"You shall select your own officials to serve in Kucha, and you must ensure the protection of the Crown Prince."

"Your Majesty, I obey!" Jing Xiang replied without changing his expression, but he knew in his heart what his emperor was thinking.

She was only in her early twenties, while her emperor was already forty-two and the crown prince was only fifteen.

If His Majesty has a deeper meaning, it must be that he wants me to help the Crown Prince.

However, Jingxiang himself was also aware that few of the crown princes of founding emperors were able to ascend the throne smoothly.

Therefore, he needs to carefully balance how to help the crown prince.

"Go back."

"Yes……"

After dismissing everyone, Liu Jilong continued writing, burying himself in dealing with the mountain of memorials.

The sun was still shining brightly, and the clouds in the sky were evaporating.

It brought a severe drought, but it also eliminated the darkness and dampness on the ground, causing countless snakes, insects, and rodents to disappear.

They didn't disappear; they just burrowed into the damp ground, waiting for the sun to set before emerging to roam the countryside once more...

(End of this chapter)