Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 588 Chen Guogong

Winter, Chang'an.

"General Manjun's might has shaken the land of Bashu. On behalf of His Majesty, I respectfully welcome the general back to the country."

Twenty miles from Chang'an, Jia Xu led musicians and armored soldiers to welcome Man Chong back to the capital.

Seeing Jia Xu representing Zhang Yu to greet him, Man Chong dared not take credit and returned the greeting to Jia Xu, saying, "Lord Jia is busy with many affairs every day, so I am grateful for your hospitality."

"It's only right!"

Jia Xu smiled and said, "Ever since you went south to conquer Shu, His Majesty has always been concerned about Bo Ning. Now that he knows your itinerary, he has urged me to go out of the capital to welcome you."

"Is Your Majesty in good health?" Man Chong inquired.

"Very good!"

Jia Xu invited Man Chong into the carriage and said with a smile, "A month ago, His Majesty was blessed with another son, who is now just a month old. He bestowed sweet cakes upon his subjects. Man Chong has returned in time and is still able to enjoy a bite of the celebratory sweet cake."

After Man Chong got into the carriage, Jia Xu changed the subject slightly and said, "There is something that has been circulating in Chang'an recently."

"What's the matter?"

Upon hearing Jia Xu's sudden mention, Man Chong's heart tightened, and he asked.

Jia Xu said, "An official has submitted a memorial to Your Majesty, impeaching that after Man Jun's troops entered Chengdu, he misappropriated money and grain from the treasury to cover the travel expenses of surrendered soldiers returning home, which is suspected of currying favor with the people of Shu!"

Upon hearing this, Man Chong was indignant and said, "Since Sun Quan surrendered, tens of thousands of Shu soldiers have been detained in Jiange and Langzhong, making it difficult to transmit imperial orders. I have been granted the authority to act on behalf of His Majesty. If the surrendered soldiers are not settled in time, will it not incite a mutiny? His Majesty often says that a general in the field may not obey the emperor's orders. Does not Jia Jun know this?"

"How could I not know!"

Jia Xu said with a smile, "If Your Majesty has any doubts, it is not I who am here to welcome Lord Man back to the capital!"

"Your Majesty refutes the censors, saying that those who do not understand military affairs should not speak of them!"

Man Chong felt somewhat relieved and said, "Fortunately, Your Majesty is wise, and I thank Lord Jia for his understanding!"

Jia Xu said, "That is true, but you should be careful with your words and actions lately, so as not to let gossips criticize you because of this."

"Jia Jun said..." Man Chong hesitated, wondering if Jia Xu was unaware of his complaints about the eastern expedition.

"Don't say others don't know, unless you don't do it in the first place!"

Jia Xu said meaningfully, "General, you hold a high position, so you should be careful with your words. You can speak frankly with me in the hall, but once you leave the hall, you will reveal secrets. There are countless examples of this throughout history."

Despite the cold weather, Man Chong was sweating profusely. He was now certain that his words in Shu had been leaked by someone and eventually reached His Majesty's ears.

Seeing this, Jia Xu smiled without speaking, waiting for Man Chong to speak. In politics, there are hardly any truly confidants; most are cunning individuals who speak one way to one person and another to another. Anyone who slanders the emperor, whether for wealth or loyalty, will likely be reported to the authorities in no time.

Although Man Chong was outstanding in military strategy, he was politically inexperienced.

Who is Gao Shun?
Zhang Yu's trusted general, formerly the commander of the main force of the central army. Now that Man Chong has expressed his dissatisfaction, Gao Shun will definitely inform Zhang Yu immediately, otherwise Gao Shun would lose his usefulness.

Man Chong, drenched in cold sweat, nervously said, "I spoke carelessly for a moment, and I hope you will put in a good word for me with His Majesty."

"Ha ha!"

Jia Xu stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "The above words were His Majesty's admonition to the emperor. His Majesty is magnanimous; how could he care about rumors!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Man Chong secretly vented his anger, relieved that Zhang Yu trusted him.

Jia Xu said, "But there is one thing that I fear the general must know!"

"What's the matter?"

Man Chong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and asked.

"His Majesty's decision not to appoint the general to lead the eastern expedition is based on Xu's advice. And the reason Xu gave this advice was for the general's sake!"

Jia Xu said, “Your Majesty believes that a good driver must understand the ebb and flow of horses, and a good ruler must know the proper appointment of officials. The eight kings of the Han Dynasty were destroyed because of excessive favoritism, while the generals of Emperor Guangwu were suppressed and thus had a good end. Why is there a difference between the two? It is not because of the difference between benevolence and tyranny above, or between foolishness and wisdom below, but because of the principle of knowing when to stop.”

"The trouble caused by Liu Wu, the Prince of Liang, stemmed from Empress Dou's excessive favoritism. She praised his achievements in defending against the enemy, granted him great power, and entrusted him with a large army. As a result, the Prince of Liang believed that he was rightfully entitled to the throne, and that his merits were not rewarded. He became arrogant and domineering, which led to a rift between him and his brother, Emperor Jing. If Empress Dou had recognized his minor abilities, treated him with great courtesy, restrained his power, and bound him with the law, then his rebellious thoughts would have had no reason to arise, and the story of the brothers would have become a beautiful one!"

Jia Xu observed Man Chong's expression and said, "Your Majesty believes that it is not easy to pacify the world, but that harmony between ruler and ministers can lead to shared wealth and honor. You deeply appreciate my words. Now, Your Majesty's strategist has made great contributions to the world, and everyone in the country knows about him. Besides you, who else is in charge of the military affairs of the regional military governors?"

Man Chong remained silent, filled with deep regret. After all, Man Chong was no fool. Through Jia Xu's persuasive words, he clearly realized the problem with his mindset. He had boasted of his great contribution to the conquest of Shu, yet he had been arrogant and self-important. If Jia Xu hadn't enlightened him, wouldn't he have been courting his own destruction?
"Thank you, Mr. Jia, for your enlightening insight!" Man Chong bowed and expressed his gratitude.

"Don't dare!"

Jia Xu hurriedly helped Man Chong up and said, "General, you should thank His Majesty for his kindness and benevolence. He wishes to take you as a role model so that the officers and soldiers in the army can follow his example!"

"I would like to hear your guidance, sir!" Man Chong said solemnly.

Jia Xu said, "To be honest, His Majesty's summons of the general back to the capital was for other reasons!"

"Since the Qiang rebellion in the Later Han Dynasty, many county towns in the Longxi region, such as Shangjun, Beidi, and Anding, have been abandoned. Your Majesty has moved the Cong people to populate the Longxi region, intending to restore the prefecture's administrative center. Meanwhile, the Shuofang region has abandoned the Yunzhong, Wuyuan, and Shuofang prefectures. Now that Guanzhong is the capital, it is necessary to restore the border defenses of these prefectures."

Jia Xu spoke eloquently, saying, "If His Majesty believes that no one is more capable than Man Jun, then he has summoned you to the capital. Firstly, to renew our old friendship and restore your title and rank; secondly, to recover the border prefectures of Guanzhong and Longxi, thereby consolidating the frontier!"

Man Chong looked ashamed, cupped his hands in the direction of Chang'an, and said, "I did not understand Your Majesty's good intentions and spoke inappropriate words. Your Majesty's lack of concern for me truly makes me feel ashamed!"

Jia Xu smiled and said, “Throughout history, very few people who are rich and noble know when to stop. Regardless of their intelligence or foolishness, none of them know this. But you have followed His Majesty for more than ten years. Now His Majesty wishes to establish a relationship between ruler and subject and to take you as a role model for all generations. Therefore, he hopes that you will know when to stop being rich and noble.”

“I will remember your wise words, sir!” Man Chong said.

Among the civil and military officials, Zhang Yu's most trusted person was not Guo Tu, the Secretary-General, nor Zhong Yao, the Chancellor, nor Du Ji, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, nor Xun You, the Privy Councilor, but Jia Xu, the Deputy Privy Councilor and Attendant-in-Ordinary.

As Zhang Yu's close confidant, Jia Xu did many things for Zhang Yu, and his strategic advice goes without saying. It was common for Jia Xu to help Zhang Yu reconcile the relationships between the ruler and his ministers, and between ministers themselves, especially as the conflicts between the two prime ministers, Zhong Yao and Yu Yi, increased, making it even more necessary for a smooth mediator.

Because Jia Xu was a low-key person, always smiling, and backed by Zhang Yu, although his relationships with most people in the court were not particularly close, everyone respected him. After all, Jia Xu was exceptionally intelligent, and no one wanted to offend him. Later, Jia Xu inexplicably made false accusations against Jia Xu.

Now, after being persuaded by Jia Xu's words that combined kindness and severity, Man Chong's attitude changed, and he felt both grateful and somewhat fearful of Zhang Yu.

After an unknown amount of time, Man Chong, guided by Jia Xu, entered the Zichen Palace.

Inside the Zichen Palace, a banquet was prepared. Zhang Yu chatted and laughed with the other officials, waiting for Man Chong's arrival.

"Your subject Man Chong pays respects to Your Majesty!"

"Bo Ning, you may dispense with the formalities!"

Upon seeing Man Chong enter the hall, he bowed. Zhang Yu got off the couch, personally helped Man Chong up, and took his arm in the process.

"Bo Ning has rendered extraordinary service in conquering Shu, and I have been waiting for you for a long time!"

Zhang Yu raised Man Chong's arm and addressed the officials in the hall with a smile, saying, "I, the Grand General of the Garrison, have returned to court. Why don't you all greet and pay your respects?"

"Greetings, General of the Garrison!"

At Zhang Yu's signal, everyone paid homage to Man Chong.

"Don't dare!"

Compared to his initial complaints upon entering the capital, Man Chong, now thoroughly disciplined by Jia Xu, was somewhat apprehensive upon seeing the respectful treatment he received. However, beneath this apprehension lay even greater gratitude towards Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu, holding Man Chong's hand, led him to the banquet and said with a smile, "I wish to bestow upon you the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, but there are many Marquises of Ten Thousand Households in the country, which makes it difficult to highlight your status as a founding hero. I have pondered this for a long time and now I wish to change the nobility system and re-establish the nobility system throughout the land."

“The Zhou dynasty had five ranks of nobility: duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron. The Han dynasty re-established the nobility system. I now restore the three-rank, five-level nobility system, with fiefs distributed among the nobility. Dukes are divided into three ranks: state, prefecture, and county; marquises are divided into three ranks: county, township, and pavilion; earls, viscounts, and barons are the same as marquises.”

Zhang Yu stood on the steps and said in a deep voice: "General Man Chong, the commander of the army, made the greatest contribution to the conquest of Shu. I hereby confer upon him the title of Duke of Chen, with a fief of ten thousand households and the honor of having a temple erected in his honor."

Under the new nobility system, Zhang Yu implemented a system of shared fiefs. However, there was a discrepancy between the number of households in the fief and the actual rent and taxes received. It was roughly a proportional system, with the ratio being around 2:1. In other words, when Zhang Yu conferred the title of Duke of Ten Thousand Households upon Man Chong, Man Chong would actually only receive a fief of five thousand households.

Therefore, compared to his previous title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, Zhang Yu used the title of Duke of the Founding State to gain five thousand households under Man Chong's control. Under this new regulation, Man Chong gained prestige, while the court received tangible benefits.

Otherwise, if a group of people were granted titles of nobility and rent was collected based on the actual number of households, the court would have to grant titles to at least 200,000 households. Now, by using the pretext of reform to exchange five thousand households of fiefdom for dukedoms, not only will the officials not be dissatisfied, but they will be extremely grateful.

As can be seen from Man Chong's current behavior, when Zhang Yu conferred upon him the title of Duke of Chen, Man Chong hurriedly knelt down to decline!

"Your Majesty, how dare I accept the title of Duke!"

Man Chong said in a flustered manner, "My achievements are meager, and I am already content with receiving the title of county marquis!"

Zhang Yu laughed and said, "The title of Duke is not a real fief, but rather half of the ten thousand households are allocated to him. Since you have already made great contributions, why do you need to worry?"

As he spoke, Zhang Yu pointed at the court officials and joked, "Many of you officials desire to be dukes. If you do not receive the title of duke first, how dare the others accept it?"

(End of this chapter)