Jinting Han people

Three days later, before the discussions about Lu Zhi's entry into Shu had subsided, a new court assembly began. However, this assembly was significantly different from previous ones.

First, there was a difference in the layout. Wudan Palace was divided into four halls, with the North Hall serving as the inner palace, the West Hall housing the Three Departments, the East Hall for court assemblies, and the Main Hall for sacrificial rites to Heaven. However, on this particular day, Liu Xian held his court assembly in the Main Hall.

Moreover, in addition to the regular court officials, Liu Xian expanded the number of attendees. All officials of the seventh rank and above within Chengdu were required to attend as observers. This wasn't limited to Chengdu. With Zhang Guang, Yang Nandi, and Wei Jun entering the court together, people realized that the King of Han had already summoned the three commanders in advance.

This was no ordinary signal. The courtiers exchanged glances, their understanding unspoken: the King of Han's solemnity clearly indicated that he had something of great importance to announce concerning the fate of the nation, and the only matter so important as to summon the three commanders back to court to participate was probably the matter that Yang Nandi had previously submitted.

This was undoubtedly a joyous occasion. Many officials followed the King of Han, certainly because they admired his benevolence, but who could say they didn't also harbor a desire to return home in glory? Ascending the Golden Terrace and drawing their swords to repay the emperor's kindness had always been the dream of most. Now that everyone said their wish had been fulfilled, they were naturally overjoyed and beaming with laughter.

When the appointed time arrived, the King of Han took his seat at court, and everyone else followed suit. Unexpectedly, Liu Xian's first act at court was to bestow honors upon Lu Zhi.

Upon hearing of Lu Zhi's arrival, Liu Xian was quite troubled about how to assign him an official position. Before the establishment of the state, this would have been easy; the responsibilities and powers of the government were unclear, and Liu Xian could have simply assigned Lu Zhi a staff position to adjust the government and transfer real power. But now that the state was established and the official system was clear, it was much more difficult to do so.

Fortunately, Lu Zhi resolved the problem himself. Since he was active in Guanzhong and helped bring back most of the Anle Duke's family, that was a merit in itself. Confucianism and Legalism prioritize filial piety, so this merit could be considered a great one or a small one. Liu Xian, of course, praised it highly, using this as an opportunity to appoint Lu Zhi as a Gentleman-in-Attendance and concurrently as the Secretary of the Imperial Library.

These two official positions are not high in rank, lower than the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, the Grand Secretary, and the Attendant-in-Ordinary, but their actual power varies from person to person.

The position of Attendant Gentleman of the Palace was a close attendant position, but it had no fixed duties. In theory, one could do anything and nothing, completely at the mercy of the monarch. When Liu Xian served as a Compiler in Luoyang, this position was generally held by two types of people: one type was scions of high-ranking families like Jia Mi, who used this position to enter the palace and accumulate experience before being promoted elsewhere; the other type was senior officials like Liu Shi, who had made great contributions and were old and distinguished, and this position allowed them to enter the palace at any time, which Sima Yan used to show his favor.

Now, Liu Xian's promotion of Lu Zhi to the position of Attendant Gentleman of the Palace is somewhat of a combination of two things: it shows his closeness to Lu Zhi and at the same time gives Lu Zhi the flexibility to participate in court affairs.

The position of Secretary-General was given to Lu Zhi by Liu Xian. Its nominal authority was weaker than that of the Three Departments, and it did not directly participate in the execution of government decrees. The Secretariat drafted imperial edicts, the Chancellery reviewed them, and the Department of State Affairs executed them. In contrast, the Secretariat merely managed the nation's books and records, and was responsible for compiling the national history and recording the emperor's daily life; it was not particularly noteworthy.

However, the Secretariat had two major powers that it could utilize. First, by taking advantage of its position in the emperor's daily life, the Secretariat could contact the emperor at any time, a power rivaled only by the Grand Secretary among the three ministries. Second, under the pretext of managing the archives, the Secretariat could inspect and copy all the case files of the government offices, effectively acting as a supervisory body. During the reign of the infamous Empress Jia Nanfeng, Jia Mi used this power to control the court.

Previously, due to the establishment of the state, Liu Xian had set up three departments, but lacked manpower, so he abolished the Secretariat. Now that Lu Zhi has arrived, this is a good opportunity to re-establish it. Coupled with the flexible authority of the Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, Lu Zhi is, in effect, already half a prime minister of the kingdom.

It must be said that Liu Xian's move was quite ingenious. Aside from Luoyang scholars like Liu Kun and Liu Shen, who were well-versed in the intricacies of officialdom, almost no one in the court could see the intentions behind the King of Han's arrangement. It would take them some time before they truly grasped Lu Zhi's power. At this moment, however, they were only concerned with the outcome of the debate over his ascension to the throne.

However, after bestowing an official title upon Lu Zhi, Liu Xian still did not mention the matter of declaring himself emperor. Instead, he summoned Xie Ban, who had come with Lu Zhi. Xie Ban was now the Military Advisor for the Western Expedition and was also an envoy sent by Yan Ding to form an alliance with Liu Xian.

Only after Xie Ban paid his respects to Liu Xian did the court officials learn of the conditions offered by the Guanzhong region.

These conditions undoubtedly displeased them greatly. Previously, when Guanzhong released the people, everyone assumed Yan Ding and his group were preparing to surrender. Who knew they intended to form an alliance, nominally remaining under the Sima clan, contributing only some wealth and horses? In contrast, Liu Xian's side had to send troops to resist Liu Yuan; a defeat would result in heavy losses, and a victory would bring no benefit—wasn't that unfair?

Most importantly, this would put his previous plans to become emperor on hold, which is something that no one wants to see.

Only then did the officials realize that the King of Han had summoned them here to make a choice between forming an alliance and declaring himself emperor.

Yang Nandi, being the first to urge Liu Xian to ascend the throne, was naturally the most dissatisfied. He immediately stepped forward and publicly opposed Liu Xian, saying, "Your Highness, I am a warrior and a Di person. Although I do not understand literature, I understand reason. Who is Yan Ding? Without Sima Yong's promotion, he would be nothing more than an unknown figure in Longyou. Yet he repays kindness with enmity, joining forces with villains like Zhang Fang to betray his lord and establish himself as emperor. He then expelled Zhang Fang, which shows his fickle nature! He is not trustworthy!"

"Right now, Liu Yuan has usurped the throne and is eyeing Guanzhong with predatory intent. If it weren't for the concern about the Xianbei people to the north, attacking Chang'an would be as easy as shooting a rabbit! What right do they have to negotiate with Your Highness? If they are willing to surrender, Your Highness can give them the position of prefect, which would be more than enough. If they are unwilling to surrender, then kill them as a sacrifice to the flag! What kind of alliance is this? It's simply laughable!"

To express his feelings, Yang Nandi deliberately spoke in such vulgar language, which made Xie Ban turn pale. Meanwhile, the officials in the court, especially the generals, secretly cheered for Yang Nandi.

Liu Xian was somewhat helpless. How could he say such things in front of the envoy? Wouldn't that be pushing Yan Ding towards Liu Yuan's side? He first glanced at Liu Kun, only to find Liu Kun lost in thought, completely unconcerned. Then he looked at Li Ju, who frowned slightly but made no move to intervene. Li Feng, standing to the side, was even more indifferent, keeping to himself. A glance at Lai Zhong, Liu Shen, He Pan, and the others revealed similar attitudes. They all seemed to think that forming an alliance with Guanzhong was unimportant.

Fortunately, there was Lu Zhi. Liu Xian nodded slightly to Lu Zhi, who immediately understood. He first stood up and bowed to Liu Xian, and then said to Yang Nandi, "Governor Yang, be careful with your words!"

Yang Nandi snorted. He showed no kindness to Lu Zhi, this Hebei native who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and straightened up to ask, "Mr. Lu, what is wrong with what I said?"

Faced with Yang Nandi's display of power, Lu Zhi showed no sign of difficulty. He slowly said, "Why must the Governor make things difficult for me? I observe that Yan Ding's actions are not fickle. He is merely seeking benefits for the scholars of Guanzhong. Sima Yong and Zhang Fang are both wicked people. Although I feel reluctant to see Yan Ding depose and install emperors, it is only human nature. Why be so harsh?"

"The Qin people are known throughout the world for their skill in warfare. There is the ancient song 'No Clothes' and the modern song 'Longtou,' both of which are warlike tunes. In the past ten years, apart from the Xianbei people two years ago, only Your Highness has been able to defeat the Qin people. But to completely crush them will not be an easy task."

"Governor Yang just said that Liu Yuan's attack on Chang'an is as easy as shooting a rabbit! But he doesn't know that Liu Yuan launched a military campaign against Guanzhong three years ago and suffered a crushing defeat. War is a matter of great importance to the state. If Governor Yang treats it so lightly, he may repeat Liu Yuan's mistake."

To Yang Nandi, Lu Zhi's words were tantamount to boosting the morale of others while diminishing his own. He was instantly enraged and shouted, "So, you're saying you're going to abandon the Ten Tombs of Chang'an and the foundation of the Han dynasty?!" Lu Zhi, however, remained unmoved and solemnly replied, "How could that be! I was merely stating my opinion in the best of my ability."

"What a fine example of impartiality and fairness!" Yang Nandi continued, "If we form an alliance with Yan Ding and do not head north to Guanzhong, are we merely stagnating and doing nothing?"

"Of course, we should advance eastward!"

After so much buildup, Lu Zhi had been waiting for this moment. Ignoring the hostility of the crowd, he straightened up and decisively waved his sleeve, saying, "Given the current situation, the only option is to make peace with the North and take Jingzhou from the East!"

"Jingzhou is the place where our ancestor rose to power. As Zhuge Liang said, it controls a vast territory, with the Han and Mian rivers to the north, the South China Sea to the south, Wu and Kuai to the east, and Ba and Shu to the west. It is a country for military purposes. Last year, Liu Hong died and Wang Yan took control of Jingzhou. With Zhang Fangming pressing from the outside and refugees becoming bandits from the inside, the foundation is not yet stable."

"The refugees in Jingzhou are divided into north and south. The north are refugees from Yong and Qin, and the south are refugees from Ba and Shu, each numbering over 100,000. Is this not a gift from heaven to Your Highness? Your Highness only needs to grant the refugees land registration and have their leaders lead the way. When the autumn flood season arrives, they can sail down the river, and people from both north and south of the Yangtze River will surely flock to respond. Even if Wang Yan mobilizes all the troops in Jing and Yang, what can he do? Even if he has capable generals under his command, he will only be able to retreat in defeat."

"When Your Highness possesses both Jing and Yi provinces, you will have ample opportunities to advance eastward to Yangzhou or northward to the Central Plains. What difference would Guanzhong and Longxi make?"

Although Li Feng had offered suggestions before, this was the first time he had publicly proposed an eastward expansion strategy in the court. With the court focused on retaking the Guanzhong Plain, almost everyone had forgotten about other options. Lu Zhi's proposal at this time immediately caused a significant stir.

People discussed it extensively, especially the remnants of the Shu Han regime in Hedong and the Yongzhou faction, who all felt it was indeed a good option. After all, Liu Shen originally belonged to Sima Jiong, the King of Qi, and had many soldiers recruited from Jingzhou under his command who were eager to return home. Many of the Shu Han remnants in Hedong also had ancestral roots in Jingzhou and had the idea of ​​returning to their hometown to pay homage to their ancestors.

But this was a minority view; most people didn't see it that way. Before Yang Nandi could speak, Lai Zhongxian stood up. Although he was from Jingzhou, as the leader of the isolated Shu Han army, he held a very high position and also had a strong desire to advance north into Guanzhong and Longxi. He said to Lu Zhidao:

"Young man, how can matters of state be considered solely based on self-interest? Liu Yuan has usurped the Han throne. If Your Highness turns a blind eye and does not head north to Guanzhong but instead advances east to the Yangtze and Han Rivers, how will the people of the world view Your Highness? Who is the true Son of Heaven of Han?"

Upon seeing Lai Zhong step forward, everyone fell silent for a moment, even Yang Nandi retreated. Lai Zhong's words touched upon the struggle for legitimacy, which was arguably the core conflict between the two major strategies, something even Liu Xian was unwilling to discuss directly.

Lu Zhi knew Lai Zhong's status and deeply admired his deeds. He first bowed, then calmly asked, "Lord Lai, can a monkey wearing a hat be considered a gentleman?"

"Liu Yuan usurped the throne and declared himself emperor, which is like a monkey wearing a crown! No matter how he claims to be of legitimate lineage, he was a barbarian who was held hostage in Luoyang for decades, a fact known to all! As Confucius said, 'It is better for the Chinese to be without a ruler than for barbarians to have one.' I ask you all here, who is unaware of the distinction between Chinese and barbarians?"

Lu Zhi's words struck at the heart of the matter, silencing the entire court, especially the Di people like Yang Nandi, whose faces turned green with rage. By raising the distinction between the Han and the barbarians at this moment, he completely disqualified Liu Yuan from becoming emperor.

The implication is that no matter how many people Liu Yuan had, as long as he attacked Liu Yuan for his barbarian origins, he would never be able to win the battle of public opinion against Liu Xian. Conversely, Liu Xian was an indisputable member of the "Two Kings and Three Respected Officials," and once he raised the banner of the debate between the Chinese and the barbarians, the scholars would naturally be more inclined to side with him.

Lu Zhi then continued, “Lord Lai, Guanzhong and Longxi are inhabited by many barbarians. If our army marches north to attack Yong and Qin, using Chinese to disrupt Chinese, then Liu Yuan will send troops to help Yan Ding, using barbarians to aid Chinese. Lord Lai, in your opinion, who is the rightful ruler in the eyes of the people?”

"Moreover, the nominal General Who Conquers the West is still Sima Fan, the Prince of Xiangyang. The Prince of Xiangyang saved Your Highness's life. If Your Highness attacks him, you will be criticized even more."

Lai Zhong could only remain silent, but Li Ju stepped forward and asked, "But according to what Lord Lu said, if our army marches eastward into Jingzhou and ignores the barbarians, wouldn't it be seen by others as using Chinese to disrupt Chinese, and fighting among ourselves?"

"That's not true at all!" Lu Zhi spoke eloquently and fluently, "Who is the culprit behind the current chaos in the world? It is none other than the likes of the King of Donghai and Wang Yan! Your Highness's raising of troops to march east and punish Wang Yan is precisely to relieve the people's suffering and punish the guilty, and to rid the people of this scourge!"

"Once Your Highness defeats Wang Yan, reaffirms the Han dynasty's authority, forgives past grievances, and accepts the surrender of the Jin dynasty, you will obtain the Imperial Seal and the merit of pacifying the rebellion. At that time, when Your Highness ascends the throne, all the people of the world will surely witness the resurgence of your imperial power, the return of the Mandate of Heaven to the south, and the establishment of the legitimate dynasty! Who would not surrender at the mere sight of you, offering you food and drink? In this way, Your Highness will be the popular choice, and when you lead the northern expedition against the rebellious, even if there are millions of rebels like Liu Yuan and Liu Baigen, they will be powerless!"

At this point, Lu Zhi let out a breath, feeling a bit stuffy. He subconsciously wiped his temples with his sleeve, only to realize that he had been so engrossed in the debate that he was drenched in sweat, his sleeve completely soaked. Looking around, the officials in the hall were all silent, their foreheads dripping with sweat.

Just as Lu Zhi had promised Liu Xian beforehand, he single-handedly faced all the doubts head-on, refuted them one by one, and proposed a solution. The debate over his ascension to the throne naturally came to an end.

Seeing that Lu Zhi had not only persuaded everyone in the court and among the people, but also formulated a more detailed set of policies than Li Feng's, Liu Xian was greatly pleased. He knew he had not chosen the wrong person and was full of confidence in future development. So he praised him in public, saying, "Hearing Lord Lu's words is like listening to a stream on a summer night, making one happy and forgetting the heat!"

After this incident, officials in the court and the public gained a preliminary understanding of Lu Zhi. They were very surprised by the contrast in Lu Zhi's behavior, because at first glance, Lu Zhi appeared kind and gentle, with a mild temperament, and was a very typical scholar. Some even whispered and joked that he was "Lu the Girl." However, when it came to the debate, Lu Zhi was heroic and charismatic, and no one dared to look him in the eye. Only then did they remember Lu Zhi's title and changed it to "Lu Long" (meaning "Lu the Dragon").

Regardless, the Northern Alliance's eastward expansion strategy was set, and the newly established Shu Han regime in Chengdu quickly began to function. In the past few years, they had waged countless battles, conquering far and wide, and establishing a solid foothold—a rare haven of peace and prosperity in the world. But this was far from enough. Every inch of this land between the great rivers and mountains had been soaked in the noble blood of the Han people; only by recovering all of this magnificent land could the glory of their ancestors be restored.

(End of the Dragon Transformation Scroll) (End of this chapter)