Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 642: Enfeoffment
The seventh year of Shenwu, 205 AD, January.

Because of the peace and the surrender of soldiers and officials, the first month of the year was more lively than usual. Zhang Yu took the opportunity to hold a grand banquet for his officials, both to celebrate the New Year and to commemorate the unification of the country.

Inside the hall, the lights were bright, colorful ribbons were tied high, and the sounds of drums and music were constant.

Emperor Zhang Yu and Empress Wang Ji attended the event in their finest attire. The emperor and empress sat together on the same couch, displaying their affection for each other. Emperor Emeritus Zhang Ji, at the invitation of the emperor, sat to the side, attended by his concubines. Prince Zhang Yang of Shanggu, who had traveled a long distance south, sat on the east side with the princes and concubines.

Some officials requested that Yuan Shu, Sun Quan, Liu Xie, and others be invited, but Zhang Yu, considering the face of those invited, declined the officials' arrangements. Therefore, at the banquet, the east side was mainly occupied by Zhang's Tang imperial relatives and foreign envoys, while the west side was occupied by the founding civil and military officials, who were seated according to their respective ranks.

"color!"

During the banquet, a magician from the Western Regions performed a lifelike magic trick, which drew applause and praise from the crowd.

Looking at the harmonious atmosphere, Zhang Yu grasped Wang Ji's hand tightly and said proudly, "When I first raised my army, I told you, my lady, that we would conquer the world and unify China. Now, my lady is dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, a model of virtue for the world. What do you think?"

Wang Ji's phoenix eyes sparkled as she smiled, "Even when Your Majesty was still weak, I knew my husband was no ordinary man. But I never imagined he would possess such abilities, conquering the world and establishing such a foundation. It is truly astonishing!"

"Ha ha!"

Zhang Yu smiled and said, "How was the performance of 'Guangling San'?"

"I am but a humble woman, and my skills are not comparable to those of the court musicians. But Your Majesty does not despise me, and I am willing to play for Your Majesty," Wang Ji said.

"it is good!"

"After the banquet, I will listen attentively to the Lady's celestial music!" Zhang Yu said with a smile.

"My son!"

"Father!"

Upon hearing Zhang Ji call out to him, Zhang Yu looked at his father, who was only a few steps away, and asked respectfully.

As the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Yu was a role model for officials and common people, so he had to be respectful in serving his father.

Zhang Ji looked delighted and said, "The illusionist's skills are superb. May I take him back to the palace to use to pass the time?"

"Father, there's no need to be so polite. Just tell the servants!"

Zhang Yu asked with a kind expression, "How have you been lately?"

Zhang Ji nodded repeatedly and said with a smile, "Apart from my legs, there are no major problems. In a few days, when the weather is warm, I plan to return to my hometown to pay respects to my ancestors and appease their blessings."

Zhang Yu said, "Father, if you need money or manpower when you go north to worship your ancestors, you can ask the servants. This trip should not be taken lightly, lest it damage the prestige of the royal family."

"Remember, follow the orders of the Ministry of Rites!"

"good!"

Despite being a father, Zhang Ji was quite reserved and distant in front of his son Zhang Yu, who was the emperor.

Years ago, a concubine serving Zhang Ji became pregnant, and Zhang Ji feared Zhang Yu's anger if he found out. Under Empress Wang Ji's arrangement, the concubine successfully gave birth to a son. When Zhang Yu learned of this, he was both amused and exasperated by his father's actions.
On his fourth birthday last year, Zhang Yu was quite generous and had his younger brother Zhang Tang enfeoffed as the King of Wei, but he did not have to go to his fiefdom; instead, he stayed by his father's side.

Looking at the lively palace banquet, Zhang Yu felt a surge of emotion. He had fought for fifteen years to conquer the world and finally fulfilled the promise he had made in the past.

Despite his joy, Zhang Yu never forgot his official duties during his leisure time.

"Prime Minister, spring will follow the New Year. Whether the spring rains are as usual will determine whether this year will have a good harvest. Since the court promulgated the Water Conservancy Law last year, all the prefectures and counties have responded. You should work with the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat to supervise water conservancy. This matter must be carefully considered."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Yao immediately stood up and replied, "I have already discussed with the Ministry of Personnel that we will send envoys to inspect the water conservancy of various prefectures this summer. For example, Wei Kang, the governor of Liangzhou, has submitted a memorial to promote the construction of water conservancy projects, expand the cultivation of farmland, and strengthen the border to consolidate national defense. Therefore, I request the court to send envoys to inspect the projects so that we can conduct on-site surveys of the water canals being constructed."

Liangzhou's agriculture relies on meltwater from the Qilian Mountains, making it highly susceptible to seasonal fluctuations. Therefore, Wei Kang, the governor of Liangzhou, compiled a list of canals to be constructed in Liangzhou over the next three years based on ancient Han Dynasty irrigation canals and his own surveys of potential canals. Given the scale of these water conservancy projects, the imperial court could not possibly fail to dispatch officials to conduct on-site inspections.

Zhang Yu said, “In the past, the Han Dynasty built the Qianjin Canal to irrigate the area with the Ruoshui River, which greatly boosted agriculture in the region. As a result, Zhangye, located in the Hexi Corridor, had fertile land, and the Yi people cultivated the fields. The land was vast and the grain was plentiful, supplying the Western Regions. At that time, it was the lifeblood of the Hexi Corridor. If you are to manage the water conservancy in Zhangye, you must be extremely cautious.”

"promise!"

After hesitating for a moment, Zhong Yao said, "I am now fifty-four years old and have to handle hundreds of matters every day. My health is gradually declining. I humbly request Your Majesty to allow me to retire and recuperate next year!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu frowned slightly. He didn't understand why Zhong Yao would retire at this critical juncture. Could it be that Zhong Yao was worried about being discarded like a hunting dog after the hunt is over? "You are a pillar of the nation, with the merits of Xiao He. The country has just been at peace, and I still need your assistance. How can you abandon me and retire now?" Zhang Yu pleaded.

Zhong Yao bowed and said, “When Your Majesty raised your army, I was forty years old. For the past fifteen years, I have worked diligently, fearing only that I might fail Your Majesty’s trust. My spirit has been greatly depleted. Now that Your Majesty’s great cause has been accomplished, I, Zhong Yao, have reached the highest position among ministers and have no other desires. I am now old and frail, and I hope Your Majesty will have mercy on me!”

Zhong Yao's claim of physical depletion was true. Although he was known for his vigor and lived to be seventy or eighty years old in history, he could no longer withstand the demands of handling state affairs day after day for over a decade, especially around the time Zhang Yu unified the country, when a flood of important military matters were sent to Chang'an.

Zhong Yao had to prepare provisions for Zhang Yu and approve government affairs, working late into the night every day. At the same time, he also had to deal with monthly expenditure-related issues with the Accounting Department, leaving Zhong Yao exhausted. He had a premonition that if he didn't retire, he might die from overwork in just a few years.

As for Zhang Yu, although he was in charge of political affairs, he often handled matters that had been selected by the cabinet, which was not comparable to Zhong Yao's daily workload.

Looking closely at Zhong Yao's appearance, Zhang Yu had to admit that Zhong Yao had aged a lot in the past two years. His facial muscles had become looser, and he had a few more gray hairs at his temples.

Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and said, "You are a key minister, and now that the world is somewhat at peace, it is the right time to use your talents. I will trouble you to work hard for a while. Now that it is the beginning of the year and there are joyous occasions, we can discuss the matter of resting later!"

"promise!"

Zhong Yao did not expect to be able to apply for retirement in one go, so now that he had achieved his goal, he returned to his seat.

Wang Ji was moved and said, "Since Prime Minister Zhong wishes to retire, why doesn't Your Majesty grant his request?"

“The Prime Minister is familiar with government affairs. Now is the crucial time for land surveying and household inspection. How can we allow the Prime Minister to return to his hometown? Besides, there is no suitable successor in the court!” Zhang Yu said.

Du Ji had served as Zhong Yao's second-in-command for many years, making him the most suitable successor, a position Zhang Yu had previously considered. However, Du Ji's recent proposal to abolish the state monopoly on salt and iron has raised Zhang Yu's concerns.

Seeing that Wang Ji was interfering in politics again, Zhang Yu interrupted and said, "This is a grand banquet; let's not talk about politics!"

"Father, I will soon be returning to the capital, Yunzhong. On this New Year's Day, I offer you a toast."

Holding a wine cup, Zhang Bi approached Zhang Yu and said, "I am far from Chang'an. I hope Your Majesty will take good care of yourself and live a long and healthy life."

Seeing this, Zhang Yu was moved. He raised his cup and left his seat, saying, "Second Brother is fond of martial arts and has an impatient temperament. Now that you are governing the vassal state, you should listen to the Prime Minister's advice more often, and use both kindness and severity in your rule. Remember to love the people and never impose corvée labor or do anything to oppress them."

"I will remember this well!"

Zhang Binian was only sixteen years old, and now, thinking of being far away from his father, he couldn't help but feel his eyes redden.

Suppressing his reluctance, Zhang Yu gently patted his shoulder encouragingly and said, "Your mother will accompany you to your fiefdom, and she must inquire about you daily. If you encounter any indecision, feel free to ask your mother for her opinion. If you still have unresolved matters, you may send a messenger to write to me."

"Your subject will certainly be dutiful to your mother!"

Although Zhang Bi was impatient, he was sincere. However, because he had the blood of the Xiongnu royal family, he was arranged to be the king of the Xiongnu at an early age, and Zhang Yu felt that he had let Zhang Bi down.

Where is Yuan Hao?

"Chen is here!"

Tian Feng stepped forward and answered the call to leave his seat.

"I hereby appoint you as the Chancellor of Yunzhong. Now you will accompany the King of Yunzhong to his kingdom. You must assist him well," Zhang Yu said.

"Your subject will do his utmost to be loyal!" Tian Feng replied.

Since surrendering to Zhang Yu, Tian Feng had been quite diligent and had made significant contributions with his strategies. After the military campaign ended, Tian Feng served in the Privy Council. Zhang Yu felt that he had not given Tian Feng enough work, so he appointed Tian Feng as the Chancellor of Yunzhong to handle military affairs.

Worried that Zhang Bi might be unreliable, Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and said, "I greatly admire Lord Tian's talents in both civil and military affairs, and thus often consult him. I am young and ignorant of military and political matters. I should pay my respects to the Chancellor now, so that I may have Lord Tian's assistance after I take up my fief."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bi hesitated for a moment, then bowed to Tian Feng and said, "This humble one greets the Prime Minister. If I am unworthy, I hope the Prime Minister will teach me."

"How dare you!"

Tian Feng hurriedly helped Zhang Bi up and said, "Your Highness does not mind my nagging; I will do my best to assist you."

"good!"

Zhang Yu nodded in satisfaction and said, "Lord Tian is now traveling to the northern frontier, and he is quite old, so I have specially bestowed upon him a jade staff. Holding this jade staff, sword, and shoes, he may pay homage to the King without kneeling!"

(End of this chapter)