Late Han Zhao Tang

"You are traveling far away from me, thousands of miles away. Please take care of yourself."

Deep within the palace, Zhang Yu embraced Alahai, whispering sweet nothings to him.

Back in the palace, Zhang Yu hadn't shown much affection for his concubines, but now that they were about to part ways, it made Zhang Yu reminisce about the past.

"If Your Majesty is reluctant to part with me, shall I stay in the palace?"

Arahai was reluctant to part, her eyes reddening. She had previously felt unloved, and in a moment of impulsiveness, had agreed to her son's assignment to Yunzhong. But after Zhang Yu's tender care these past few days, she reminisced about their happy days together, making it difficult for her to leave him.

"The imperial edict has been issued; how can we disobey it!"

Zhang Yu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Besides, Bi'er is still young, and without Madam's supervision, I'm afraid he will become unruly and lawless."

When Zhang Bi was enfeoffed as a prince at a young age, Zhang Yu was most worried that his immature nature might lead him to be corrupted by power and act tyrannically throughout the country. Therefore, with his mother's supervision, Zhang Bi was prevented from going astray.

"Hey!"

Arahai sighed and said, "There are many elders in the country, and Bi'er is too young to command the people. He should accompany him to his fiefdom."

“Meiji is only a thousand miles from Chang’an. If you wish to see me, you may occasionally travel south to Chang’an. Or, when I make my northern tour, it will not be too late to meet with you, my lady!” Zhang Yu said, stroking his fair back.

“Mmm!” Arahai responded weakly.

Just as Zhang Yu was about to put Alahai to sleep, he heard an urgent report from a servant.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the southeast!"

"What's the matter?"

Zhang Yu responded through the door.

"According to the Privy Council, it seems to be a matter of traitors rebelling!"

After a short while, Zhang Yu let Alahai go to sleep first, then dressed himself and hurriedly went to the government office in the palace.

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty!"

Jia Xu led the night watch officers in bowing.

"No gift!"

Zhang Yu cut straight to the point, asking, "What is it that requires you to ask for instructions so late at night?"

"Your Majesty, according to the report from Liyang Prefecture, since the land survey and extortion of the people began, powerful families, military leaders, and bandits have risen up in various prefectures and counties. Some have robbed and killed officials, while others have attacked and killed soldiers and officers. When the troops pursue them, they disperse upon arrival, only to regroup again upon departure. The situation is particularly severe in Danyang and Wu Prefecture!" Jia Xu said.

Zhang Yu frowned and said, "I once ordered Li Song to send troops to search the countryside. How could there be any rebellion now?"

Jia Xu said, “When soldiers and officials inspect the people, they conceal household registrations. When soldiers and officials leave, the people return. If the policies are harsh, they will incite resentment among the people. Officials will lead the way and cause popular uprisings. Therefore, Li Yangzhou fears that the southeast will rebel. Now I ask Your Majesty if you can postpone the land survey and the search for people.”

“If we delay the two policies of surveying the land and extorting the people, wouldn’t that make the powerful people happy?” Zhang Yu said coldly, “Issue an order to Li Song to offer a reward for the leader of the bandits in the prefectures and counties, and send troops to attack again. If the people rebel together, we will wipe them out. The men will be enslaved and the women will be maids.”

Zhang Yu was already annoyed at being disturbed late at night, and now that he learned that the land survey had not gone smoothly, he decided to make an example of someone.

"Wait a minute, Your Majesty. If you act in this way, it may incite resentment among the people of the southeast, and the war will cause loss of life, which would be contrary to Your Majesty's reputation for benevolence!" Jia Xu advised.

"What are your thoughts?" Zhang Yu asked, glancing sideways at Jia Xu with a displeased tone. Jia Xu stroked his beard and recited, "How can every prefecture and county be filled with rebellious people? Among the powerful clans and wealthy men, are there any who do not think of serving His Majesty faithfully?"

As he spoke, a cunning glint flashed across Jia Xu's face. He said, "Most of the soldiers left to guard the southeast are from outside the region. They are unfamiliar with the geography and customs of the southeast. Therefore, Your Majesty should have Li Yangzhou recommend scholars from the southeast to serve as military advisors and officers, and then use the people of the southeast to suppress the rebels. Wouldn't all the scholars from Yangzhou who wish to serve Your Majesty volunteer to fight the traitors?"

Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes, quite approving of Jia Xu's treacherous plan. The world is never short of ambitious people; now, by using Yangzhou people to subdue other Yangzhou people, how can the policies of surveying land and expropriating the populace not be successful?

“Following Wenhe’s advice, let Li Song recommend southerners to quell the rebellion. But the government orders remain unchanged. If anyone rebels, the ringleader will be beheaded, and the followers will be exiled north,” Zhang Yu said.

"As ordered!"

With his anger subsiding, Zhang Yu said, "The southern lands have little military experience, and powerful local lords hold sway over the counties, unlike the continuous warfare in China. However, the Yangzhou rebellion is something we cannot ignore."

"Your Majesty, many powerful clans and fortified villages in the Central Plains have been dismantled. Why don't you issue an edict this year to urge these powerful clans to surrender their armor and crossbows, and allow the people to report on each other? Anyone who knows about these items but fails to surrender them will be dealt with according to the law," Jia Xu said. "The disappearance of armor and crossbows will be the beginning of land surveys and the expropriation of people."

"Ok!"

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and said, "You shall submit a memorial tomorrow, and I will have the Ministry of Personnel carry it out."

"promise!"

Zhang Yu originally intended to implement the policies of surveying land and confiscating people in the Central Plains. However, considering that the Central Plains had experienced war and the people were already fierce, he feared that issuing an edict rashly would cause a rebellion. Therefore, Zhang Yu planned to gradually dismantle the fortified villages and confiscate weapons before issuing the order to confiscate people and survey land.

Without dismantling the fortified villages and seizing weapons, the peasants and farmers in Yangzhou rebelled. Had prior measures been taken, the situation in the Central Plains would undoubtedly have been more controllable than in Yangzhou.

At daybreak, without Zhang Yu needing to say anything more, the Ministry of Personnel followed Jia Xu's plan and issued an edict to collect the armor and weapons of the Central Plains.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Zhong Yao and Minister Du Ji, who were on official business, both went to the Zichen Hall to pay their respects to Zhang Yu.

"What important matter do you two ministers have to report?" Zhang Yu asked.

"Your Majesty, I have been discussing the system of officials in prefectures and counties with Lord Du for a long time. I believe that since Your Majesty has established the Six Ministries and centralized all official positions in the central government, it is appropriate to set up officials according to the Six Ministries for the sake of governance!"

Zhong Yao handed over the memorial, which Zhang Yu then reviewed.

Zhang Yu flipped through the memorials and saw that Zhong Yao's memorial proposed abolishing the original official positions at the prefecture, county, and county levels and replacing them with six departments.

At the prefecture and county level, they were responsible for different administrative affairs, such as the six departments: Gongcao (personnel and education), Cangcao (finance and storage), Hucao (household registration and taxation), Bingcao (military affairs and public security), Facao (judicial affairs and punishment), and Shicao (engineering and water conservancy).

The six departments worked in close coordination, each with its own responsibilities, which facilitated the execution of the instructions issued by the six ministries and promulgated by the Ministry of Personnel. For example, the Department of Household Revenue executed the orders of the Ministry of Revenue, and the Department of Merit Execution executed the orders of the Ministry of Personnel. The heads of the six departments were called the Prefectural Military Advisors, those in prefectures were called Prefectural Military Advisors, and those in counties were called County Judges.

Apart from the Six Ministries, following the Han dynasty practice, the Prefectural Governor was the deputy head, assisting the Prefectural Governor in administration; the Chief Clerk of the Prefecture was the judicial officer, with the power to investigate and prosecute the Six Ministries.

As for the troops of prefectures and counties, they were not under the jurisdiction of the prefectural governors, but rather under the jurisdiction of the Privy Council and the four guards and sixteen prefectures, one for training troops and the other for commanding troops.

"feasible!"

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and said, "The Six Offices are more suitable for managing affairs than the old Chief Clerk, Registrar, and Military Office. Moreover, the salaries of officials under the jurisdiction of prefectures were higher than those under the jurisdiction of states in the past, and this has now been changed, which is quite good!"

The situation in the Eastern Han Dynasty was unique. Provincial governors held great power despite being minor officials, and this gradually evolved into administrative units above the prefecture level, eventually leading to the governor of a prefecture. However, the salaries of the officials under their jurisdiction were slow to catch up.

Now that Zhang Yu has unified the world, in addition to a major reform of official positions in the Central Plains, the official positions of prefectures, counties, and districts must also be reformed. Official positions and salaries must conform to the differences between prefectures, counties, and districts. (End of this chapter)