Jinting Han people

As May progressed, temperatures gradually rose, but life in Wei County remained pleasantly cool. Contrary to Liu Xian's expectations, the summer temperatures were actually lower than in Chengdu, likely due to the high altitude, and the area was not humid. With clear skies and gentle breezes, birds soaring overhead, and Liu Xian enjoying the local specialty, lychees, life became even more comfortable.

The scene in Weixian County at this time was very different from the desolation before.

First, under Liu Xian's orders, the various Yi and Yue tribes in southern China released a large number of Han Chinese. This totaled approximately 20,000 households, nearly 100,000 people. Liu Xian assigned one-third of these people to nearby county towns, sent one-third back to Bashu, and gathered one-third in Wei County to maintain the balance of power in Ningzhou. This caused the population of Wei County to swell rapidly in a short period, now numbering over 10,000 households.

Liu Xian then mobilized these people to rebuild a new city in this place and renamed it Nanning.

The dilapidated wooden sheds in the old city were all demolished to make way for a military garrison. A secondary city was built to the east of the old city, with roads and waterways cleared to connect the two. Houses sprang up to serve as residences, government offices, markets, and ancestral halls. Although much was still in its infancy, the people's enthusiastic work already indicated that the future prosperity of this place was foreseeable.

Of course, this was not without cost. Liu Xian promised these conscripted Han people that all those who participated in the corvée labor would be allocated land around Wei County, fifty mu for each man and thirty mu for each woman, thus consolidating the foundation for the settlement of Han people.

The local powerful families who originally occupied these lands were divided into two categories. Scholars like Huo Biao and Mao Jian, who had previously supported Liu Xian, were to be given important positions by Liu Xian and taken back to Bashu. On the other hand, scholars like Zhou Yue and Cuan You, who were outwardly compliant but inwardly rebellious and had accumulated considerable resentment among the people, were to have their appointments and lands transferred to counties further south under the guise of re-enfeoffment.

The area was mostly inhabited by the Yi people, whose relationship with Zhou Yue and his group had always been strained. If Zhou Yue and his companions wanted to re-establish themselves here, they would have to pay a heavy price. However, Liu Xian's overwhelming victory left them with no choice. Should they turn against Liu Xian now? After much deliberation, they ultimately swallowed their anger and packed their bags to leave.

In this way, Liu Xian was able to readjust the power structure of the Ningzhou Prefectural Governor's Office. First, he re-examined the local scholars in the south, selecting those with courage and talent, such as Wang Qing and Fan Lang from Zangke, Dong Min and Dong Qin from Jianning, Li Bo and Li Zhuang from Zhuti, and Yao Yue and Meng Gan from Yunnan, totaling seventeen people. Second, he transferred scholars from Yizhou, such as Shangguan Dun, Cai Song, Du Qian, and Ju Fang, twenty people in total, most of whom were former subjects of the Chengdu Kingdom.

Liu Xian's overall strategy remained one of maintaining a balance. His rule in Bashu was not yet fully consolidated, making it unwise to send too many of his loyal followers to the south. However, using people from the south to govern the south would inevitably lead to the rapid formation of another independent kingdom. Therefore, Liu Xian promoted former subordinates of the Chengdu Kingdom. These individuals had no established foothold in the south, yet possessed considerable ability and a desire to achieve merit; thus, they were perfectly suited for the south.

To this end, Liu Xian continued to divide the various prefectures of Ningzhou, establishing Nanguang Prefecture in the north of Zhuti Prefecture, Yelang Prefecture in the south of Zangke Prefecture, Wushan Prefecture in the west of Xinggu Prefecture, Hanning Prefecture in the south of Jianning Prefecture, and Heyang Prefecture in the north of Yunnan Prefecture, expanding Ningzhou from seven prefectures to twelve prefectures in one fell swoop.

According to the original plan, Liu Xian originally intended to abolish the Ningzhou administrative division and establish two governors in Nanzhong. However, as the situation developed, Liu Xian found that the situation in Ningzhou was extremely complicated, and it was obviously unrealistic to handle it remotely from Chengdu. Someone still needed to take charge of the affairs in Nanzhong, so he abandoned this idea and still set up a governor of Ningzhou, with Huangfu Zhong serving as the first governor of Ningzhou, and set up three governors under his command.

From the perspective of the official system, the three governors of Ningzhou were clearly far less important than the three governors of Yizhou. Therefore, to reflect their different statuses, Liu Xian was not called a governor, but rather a military commander, with the leader appointed as the commander-in-chief, on par with generals of other titles. Their appointments were as follows:

Xingqian Town was established, with Meng Tao as its commander-in-chief, overseeing the military affairs of the four prefectures of Yuexi, Zhuti, Nanguang, and Heyang.
Nanning Garrison was established, with Zhang Bao as its commander-in-chief, overseeing the military affairs of the four prefectures of Jianning, Xinggu, Yelang, and Zangke.
Dianchi Town was established, with Zhang Jun as its commander-in-chief, overseeing the military affairs of the four prefectures of Hanning, Yunnan, Wushan, and Yongchang.

Liu Xian put a lot of thought into the selection of these three garrison commanders. Zhang Jun was a native of Nanzhong, Zhang Bao was a former subordinate of Chengdu, and Meng Tao was a close follower of Liu Xian for many years. With these three each in charge of a garrison, it was a way to further strengthen Liu Xian's control over Nanzhong and maintain the balance of power in Ningzhou.

The military forces of the garrisons were reorganized from the original Ningzhou troops, with each garrison maintaining a size of around 10,000 men. The garrison commander was required to appoint a captain within the Yi and Yue tribes under his jurisdiction to command the various tribes, and was prohibited from intermarrying with the local Yi people.

Besides the three towns, the Ningzhou Prefectural Governor's Office also had a directly subordinate force: the Wudang Flying Army, mainly composed of Yi people. Liu Xian now fully understood Prime Minister Zhuge's painstaking efforts in establishing the Wudang Flying Army. His initial intention was not to enhance combat power, but to use military discipline to educate and strengthen the Yi people's loyalty to the court. With loyalty, the army would naturally become a useful force.

Liu Xian was naturally happy to follow suit. He ordered the 20,000 able-bodied men offered by various Yi and Yue tribes to be reorganized into an army, divided into ten divisions, each headed by a commander. They were scattered throughout Jianning County, and their families were gathered to cultivate land. It was stipulated that soldiers would retire at the age of fifty, and their original tribes would be replaced by new recruits. Although this was a coercive measure in the short term, in the long run, peaceful coexistence between the two sides should have a positive effect.

However, the most important task was to restore trade between Sichuan and the southern regions. Liu Xian knew that any approach that only took from the local areas without giving back would ultimately lead to self-destruction. The most crucial principle of governance was to ensure that no place or aspect was neglected.

In late May, Huangfu Chong arrived in Yuexi with the first batch of goods and craftsmen from Bashu (Sichuan and Chongqing) to assume his post, causing a sensation in the area. The silks, porcelain, lacquerware, and candles of Bashu were difficult to produce locally, and the exquisite craftsmanship of the carpenters, wheelwrights, shipwrights, blacksmiths, and plasterers was unmatched by the Yi and Yue people. During the Han Dynasty, they had seen similar items, but after the fall of Shu Han, Ningzhou mainly unilaterally paid tribute to outsiders. Except for a few places like Zhuti County, most Yi people rarely saw Han people other than soldiers and officials.

The tribal chiefs thus sensed Liu Xian's sincerity in governing Ningzhou and became increasingly convinced of his abilities. In early June, Liu Xian and the tribal chiefs traveled together to Mingyue Village. This was a lake west of Nanning County. Because its shoreline was round like a full moon, the locals believed it to be a place where the moon goddess manifested, and thus established a village there. Whenever the tribal people and the government revised their treaties, it was always done here.

Beside the Mingyue Society, one can also see more than ten steles containing oaths made by officials and elders throughout history, spanning several hundred years. The largest and most inscribed stele is the one erected by Zhuge Liang in the third year of Jianxing (221 AD). It meticulously records Zhuge Liang's southern campaign eighty years prior, including his journey to Wei County, where he killed Gao Ding and captured Meng Huo seven times. On the reverse side of the stele are the oaths made by the participants, each inscribing their name. The first character on the right side is the simple and solemn "Zhuge Liang."

There is also a mural on the wall behind the inscription, which is said to have been painted by someone commissioned by Prime Minister Zhuge.

The background depicts the sun and moon shining brightly upon the heavens and earth, with the ruler residing atop a city tower, standing alongside the sun and moon. Below the sun, moon, and ruler, a divine dragon soars through the clouds, exhaling a breath that transforms into barbarians, along with livestock such as cattle, horses, and sheep. Officials and barbarian leaders ride together in a chariot, with officials holding flags among the barbarians, and under their command, everything is orderly. Some barbarians then offer wine to the officials, who in turn bestow gold and silver upon them. Everyone in the mural wears a smile, their eyes bright and piercing, creating a harmonious and vibrant scene.

Liu Xian examined the mural for a long time, deeply moved. He smiled at the Yi leaders and asked, "Do you have any wine?" The Yi leaders looked at each other, wondering where they would have any wine. Liu Xian pointed to the mural and said, "Prime Minister Zhuge said that a good wine should be served when an alliance is established. How can we, his descendants, not honor that?"

After saying this, Liu Xian ordered Li Xiu to bring three jars of wine, and then said to everyone, "My mother left me three jars of wine in Chengdu before she passed away, and I have always been reluctant to drink them. Firstly, because there is not much wine, and I can't drink much. Secondly, I always felt that the occasion was inappropriate. Today, I have finally encountered a good opportunity. Let's all drink a cup together."

There wasn't much wine in one jar. There were forty-three barbarian leaders present, plus their accompanying staff, making a total of sixty-eight people. Although it was said to be three jars of wine, when divided among each person, it amounted to only one bowl. The amber-colored yellow wine, poured into the bowl, released a unique and alluring aroma. It had a spicy note, along with the fragrance of pine branches and pine cones—the scent of resin secreted from injured pine trunks. As it dissipated further, the aroma fully developed, revealing fruity notes reminiscent of citrus and lychee.

Those present were all accustomed to fine wine, yet they treated this bowl of wine with utmost care, not because the wine was particularly precious. Rather, after hearing the King of Han's words, no one dared to show the slightest disrespect for even the most ordinary wine.

Seeing that everyone had taken a sip of wine, Liu Xian also took a sip, looked around at everyone, and slowly said, "Eighty years ago, Prime Minister Zhuge made an oath with the tribal chiefs. Now four generations have passed, and many of the names are your ancestors. They hoped for peace for all generations. Although it was not achieved in the end, it did eliminate many disasters and quell many conflicts."

"Now, I stand with you all again. To be honest, if I were to say that from today onwards, there will be no more war in the South, you probably wouldn't believe me. After all, fate is constant, the moon waxes and wanes, and people have their disagreements. Even the Central Plains have its share of war and chaos, let alone the South. This is something that cannot be avoided."

"But I have this intuition that, at least from our ancestors, to our generation, to our descendants, and to our descendants' descendants, no matter how many springs and autumns, sunrises and sunsets have passed, the Han and the Yi people will eventually stand here, as close as one family, as ever-present as the bright moon in the sky."

At this point, Liu Xian raised his wine bowl high and declared to the crowd with a resounding voice, "Come! Heaven and earth bear witness, as long as you all do not betray me, Liu Xian, from this day forward, I, Liu Xian, will never again lay a hand on the Southern Regions!"

These words moved everyone present. Just as Liu Xian had said, the names of ancestors like Huo Biao, Mao Jian, Meng Gan, and Li Yi were inscribed on the stele. The names of most of the ancestors of the Yi chieftains present were also on this stele. The various legends that had circulated in the south seemed to reappear, allowing them to glimpse both the past and the future. A feeling that transcended time lingered in their hearts. Regardless of what the future held, at least at this moment, they truly shared the same beautiful wish.

So they raised their wine bowls high and said in unison, "May the South never be at war again!"

After saying this, everyone drank their fill and smiled at each other. Then Liu Xian and the others erected a stele, explaining the causes and consequences of this southern expedition. It was both to commemorate the achievements of their ancestors and to place high hopes on future generations. As the saying goes, "Man is not made of metal or stone, and his glory and decline are inevitable." After death, "the most virtuous man has no desires and forgets his friends in the rivers and lakes." But "the inscription is on the dark stone, and his deeds will last for a thousand years." Presumably, when future generations read this stele, they will also know that "the deer cry and the guests drink together."

Then everyone signed their names one by one, and finally the year "the second year of the Qiming era of the Han Dynasty" was engraved on the top of the stele.

After this alliance meeting, Liu Xian's journey to Ningzhou came to its final stage. Liu Xian had already made plans for the development of Ningzhou; his next step was to tour the surrounding areas and appease the people of Ningzhou. Shi Le had once told Liu Xian that he wanted to travel throughout the entire Nine Provinces and witness the wonders of the world; in fact, this was also Liu Xian's wish.

He first traveled south to Dianchi County, where Dianchi Lake lies right next to the county seat. Dianchi Lake is two hundred li in circumference, named for its wide upper reaches and narrow lower reaches, resembling a reverse flow. The area is picturesque, with clear waters and lush mountains, and also boasts hot springs. Li Xiu suggested that Liu Xian soak in the hot springs for a day, saying they had miraculous healing effects.

Continuing southwest, you will reach Yongchang County, which is the southwesternmost known point of the Huaxia Empire.

Yongchang Commandery was the site of the ancient Ailao Kingdom. Its territory comprised the largest of the commanderies in Ningzhou, with fourteen tribes of Yi people totaling over 300,000. However, Han Chinese were extremely few, consisting only of three major aristocratic clans, numbering approximately 4,000. The rest were the Yi people, who did not speak their own language. The Yongchang Prefect, Lü Shou, who guarded this area, was 52 years old this year. During the great turmoil, he had remained steadfast in his post, unable to leave.

Eighty years ago, his grandfather, Lü Kai, was appointed Prefect of Yongchang by Prime Minister Zhuge Liang for his meritorious defense of Yongchang, a position he held for over thirty years. After the fall of Shu Han, his son, Lü Xiang, served as Prefect for nearly thirty years. After Lü Xiang's death, his son, Lü Shou, became Prefect of Yongchang. He had not previously traveled to Wei County to meet Liu Xian, but unlike others, he did so because of the harsh conditions that made such a journey impossible.

When Liu Xian met Lü Shou in Buwei County, the old man was dressed in a style that was half barbarian and half Chinese; he wore no silk, only a right-fastening robe made of animal hide and tung cloth. The government office was also quite simple, practically no different from a fortified village, which showed how hard life was for the locals. However, the local products were extremely abundant. Lü Shou presented Liu Xian with 300 catties of pearls, 500 catties of jade, 2,000 pieces of amber, as well as two peacocks, three giant pandas, and five corals.

But this was indeed a barren land far removed from the Central Plains. Along the way, towering mountains stood tall, wild beasts roamed freely, and the roads were quickly buried by waist-high weeds. Yet, for hundreds of years, the Han people still took root here, worked, and cultivated fertile land. When Liu Xian arrived, it was already June, and the rice in the fields was ripe. Lü Shou invited Liu Xian to taste the new rice from the south.

Liu Xian was deeply moved. As he ate and drank with the old man, he gazed at the mountain peaks to the west, which looked as if they had been carved by a knife. It was said that two thousand miles to the west of this place was the birthplace of Buddhism – the Kingdom of Sindhu.

How vast the world is! He recalled the Buddha's words about the great chiliocosm, saying that there are worlds beyond worlds, and he truly wondered if the world had an end. But he thought that no matter how big the world was, the Han people, through their own hard work and survival, eventually carved out a Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Thus, he exclaimed to Lü Shou, "How magnificent! How splendid! May Heaven bless our land and our people, and may we grow old together with Heaven and live as long as the earth!" (End of Chapter)