Late Han Zhao Tang

November, Da'an Palace.

Inside the palace, the imperial physician was preparing medicine for the retired Emperor Zhang Ji, while a young apprentice fanned the stove, the aroma of herbs wafting from a corner throughout the entire palace. A curtain separated the inside from the outside, and coughs could be heard from within the curtain from time to time.

When Zhang Yu and Wang Ji first entered Da'an Palace, they saw the imperial physician preparing medicine.

Zhang Yuzhao asked, "How is the Emperor Emeritus's condition?"

"Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus has contracted a wind-related illness. Apart from fever and chills, he has no other symptoms," the imperial physician said anxiously. "I will prescribe medicine for the Emperor Emeritus according to the prescribed method and see if it can cure him."

As he spoke, the imperial physician reminded him, "To prevent His Majesty from catching a cold, when you meet the Emperor Emeritus today, you should speak through a curtain."

"good!"

Zhang Yu led his wife and children forward and greeted them through the curtain, "How is Father's health?"

Zhang Ji said weakly, his voice hoarse, "I haven't been back to my hometown for many years. I unexpectedly caught a cold on my way back, which made Ji'an worry!"

Zhang Yu wanted to lift the curtain to see Zhang Ji, but remembering the imperial physician's instructions, he stopped and said, "It's just a minor cold, Father. Rest assured and take your medicine every day, and you will recover soon."

"Ok!"

Zhang Ji coughed and said, "Ji'an is the emperor, so it would be good if he left now to avoid catching a cold and delaying important state affairs."

Seeing that his father spoke normally and seemed to be in good spirits, Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Father, please rest assured and recuperate. I will leave the Crown Prince to attend to you. If there is any emergency, you can have someone relay your message!"

As he spoke, Zhang Yu looked at Zhang Luo and said in a deep voice, "I have state affairs to attend to, so I trouble the Crown Prince to serve the Emperor Emeritus on my behalf."

"The Emperor is thoughtful!"

"My son, take your orders!"

Because Zhang Ji was not in good spirits, they chatted briefly through the curtain before Zhang Yu left first. Wang Ji, however, was worried about Zhang Luo and stayed behind to give him special instructions.

“Luo’er, your father has caught a cold. You personally administered the medicine to him, and the palace servants will surely praise you for your filial piety. Therefore, they will come to inquire about you every day,” Wang Ji said.

"Your subject understands!"

Zhang Luo was quite resistant and unwilling to stay and serve Zhang Ji, but because it was Zhang Yu and Wang Ji's order, he had no choice but to bow his head and agree.

"Prince!"

Not long after Wang Ji and his palace attendants left, a sweet-looking palace attendant came forward and said in a gentle tone, "The Emperor Emeritus is being cared for by us. The Crown Prince can simply inquire about his well-being daily."

An enticing aroma wafted over, stirring Zhang Luo's heart. He said, "May I first greet the Emperor Emeritus? May I ask how you are addressed?"

The palace maid's beautiful eyes sparkled as she whispered, "I am a maidservant of the Emperor Emeritus. Your Highness, please come with me."

The palace maid was tall and slender, her steps delicate and graceful, each step like a lotus blossom. Looking at her from behind, Zhang Luo was inexplicably captivated by her beauty.
-
After visiting his father Zhang Ji at Da'an Palace, Zhang Yu went to Zichen Hall to attend to state affairs. When he arrived at Zichen Hall, Zhong Yao, Du Ji, and Xun You had already been waiting for him for quite some time.

"Greetings to Your Majesty!"

"No need to be polite!"

Zhang Yu waved his hand, gesturing for those to sit down, and asked, "The various states in the Central Plains are vigorously extorting people; what is the current situation?"

"Your Majesty, since the summer of this year, the governors of various prefectures have been following orders to survey land and demand people. The Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel have repeatedly sent envoys to inspect the situation. Among those who failed to conduct the surveys and demand people, more than ten prefectural and county officials have been imprisoned. If there is any unrest, all of them have been suppressed and exiled to the Hehuang region."

Zhong Yao said, “Except for the three prefectures of Jiao, Gui, and Ying, our dynasty’s fourteen prefectures of Sili, Liang, Yong, Yi, Jing, E, Yang, Xu, Yan, Yu, Qing, Yin, Hai, and You, as well as the four prefectures of Taiyuan and Jiangling, have been surveyed and people have been relocated and the barbarians have been registered. A total of more than 1.64 million people have been obtained, including 446,000 able-bodied men, and more than 500,000 hectares of land have been allocated.”

"If we count the population and land of the three prefectures of Jiao, Gui, and Ying, the current registered population of the dynasty is over 18.4 million, and the land area is over 3.2 million hectares!" The implementation of the land survey and population determination was not easy, but because of the precedent set by Liu Xiu, Zhong Yao, who was well-versed in the situation at the grassroots level, issued a policy ordering that those with false household registrations be investigated and that the village head and township head be exiled to distant places; those other than cousins ​​must be registered separately, otherwise their land ownership would be reduced by half.

Furthermore, Zhong Yao decreed that mutual accusations be permitted. If someone accused a able-bodied man, the accused family would be ordered to pay taxes and corvée labor on behalf of the accuser for three years.

Under various policies, the powerful clans in the Central Plains lost their fortified villages and military strongholds one after another. The land survey and land expropriation lasted only a few months before all the prefectures completed the work.

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and praised, "This year's land survey has yielded great results, all thanks to the diligent efforts of the court officials. I hereby convey my decree that this year's New Year's holiday will be seven days long, and the salary will be increased by two months as a reward. Local officials who have made meritorious contributions will be rewarded with money and land by the prefectures, or their merits will be recorded and they will be promoted."

"Your Majesty is kind!"

Founding heroes like Zhong Yao, Du Ji, and Xun You were entitled to fiefs, so the extra two months' salary as a year-end bonus was essentially optional. However, for many lower- and middle-ranking officials, it was a cause for celebration. After all, prices in Chang'an were high, and daily social expenses were considerable, so many lower-ranking officials in the capital even had to borrow money to make ends meet or borrow from their families.

"His Majesty!"

Xun You presented an official document, saying, "Guo Huai, the governor of Yingzhou, has submitted a memorial!"

Zhang Yu browsed the military report of Yingzhou and saw that Guo Huai had briefly reported the current situation in Yingzhou in his memorial.

From the year before last, when Guo Huai came to Liaodong, he first pacified the people and officials within the prefecture, such as pardoning the scholars persecuted by Gongsun Du and disbanding the excessive troops in Yingzhou. He allowed able-bodied men to return to their hometowns to farm. For those poor people who had little land, the prefecture government relocated them and provided them with land, as well as rent, cattle, and tools, in order to develop the livelihood of the people in Yingzhou.

At that time, 10,000 infantry and cavalry followed Guo Huai to Liaodong, while Guo Huai led his subordinates to cultivate land. This year, he also established the Joseon County in the wasteland south of Lelang County, recruiting people who had fled to the Three Han to cultivate the land. He also sent Generals Xianyu Yin and Pang De to conquer the city-state of Hanye, beheading hundreds and capturing more than 3,000 people. Only then did the former people gradually come to Joseon County.

While Guo Huai was pacifying Yingzhou, a struggle broke out within Goguryeo over the issue of succession. King Bogu of Goguryeo deposed the eldest son and installed his younger brother, Gao Yanyou, as the crown prince, while the elder brother, Gao Faqi, was deposed.

After Bogu's death, Gao Yanyou ascended the throne. His elder brother, Gao Faqi, was dissatisfied. Upon learning that the Central Plains had been unified and the new Tang army had entered Yingzhou, he led more than 30,000 people from his relatives and tribes south to join him in October.

Guo Huai inquired about Zhang Yu's opinion on the placement of Gao Faqi and requested permission in his memorial to allow him to launch a campaign against Goguryeo the following year.

After reading through the official documents, Zhang Yu couldn't help but smile. He had originally hoped to accumulate strength in Liaodong for three to five years before launching a campaign against Goguryeo. Now that Goguryeo was divided, it was truly a golden opportunity presented to him. Wouldn't it be a pity to remain inactive?
Moreover, if we could decisively defeat Goguryeo, it would bring peace to Liaodong for at least fifty years, allowing the imperial court to focus on the Korean Peninsula.

“The population of Goguryeo is only about 200,000, and now more than 30,000 of its people have defected. The people’s hearts are bound to be unsettled. Now Boji has requested to send troops. I wonder what your opinion is, Gongda?” Zhang Yu asked.

Xun You pondered for a moment and said, "If the people of our country defect to China, as Your Majesty said, Goguryeo will inevitably fall apart. Although we can attack Goguryeo now, I have heard that Liaodong is mountainous and difficult to transport supplies. The enemy is holding the high ground and will not come out. If the war drags on, won't our army be defeated?"

"Therefore, it would be better to lure the Goguryeo people out to attack, and then have Guo Yingzhou lead troops to strike them. By breaking their advance and then pressing forward to kill them, we can directly threaten the capital!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and then smiled, “Could it be that you intend to have Gao Faqi set up a camp at the border to recruit Goguryeo people, and Gao Yanyou will surely consider his brother a great threat? If Gao Yanyou leads troops to attack him, our army will serve as our backup, and we will surely be able to defeat Goguryeo decisively.”

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Seeing that Zhang Yu's military ability was still so outstanding and could match his own strategy, Xun You was greatly impressed and said: "Goguryeo has been a scourge to China. If we can defeat their army and use the surrendered troops as guides, our army will surely be able to wipe out Goguryeo. At that time, the might of the Tang Dynasty will spread far and wide."

Zhang Yu put down the official document and said, "Then send an edict to Guo Huai, authorizing him to launch a campaign against Goguryeo next year. If any Goguryeo people are captured, they shall all be moved to Shuo Shang. In addition, Gao Faqi shall be enfeoffed as the King of Goguryeo and stationed in Xuantu County to recruit and entice his brother to send troops."

After a pause, Zhang Yu added, "Gongda's plan will be issued in the name of the Privy Council."

"Prime Minister!"

"exist!"

Zhang Yu instructed, "Please transport the supplies to Yingzhou so that Guo Huai can launch his expedition against Goguryeo."

"Yes!" Zhong Yao replied.

P.S.: There will be another chapter tonight. (End of this chapter)