Jinting Han people

After bidding farewell to Zhou Qi, Liu Zhen and Zhou Min's mission was successfully completed.

Over the course of more than a month, they traveled thousands of miles, winning over twenty-six prominent families in Yangzhou, including the Zhou family of Yangxian, the Lu family of Wuxian, the Zhang family of Danyang, and the He family of Shanyin. Aside from a slight hiccup with Zhou Qi, the other families were extremely eager to cooperate. They not only pledged to support the Han army in the future but also sent Liu Zhen and his men numerous gifts.

These gifts were truly extremely valuable. Needless to say, the gold, silver, pearls, coral, crystal, and silk were abundant. These Jiangnan gentry also carefully selected calligraphy, paintings, Buddhist scriptures, and swords. Among them was the calligraphy "Letter of Pardon to the Worthy" by Lu Kang, the former Grand Marshal of Eastern Wu; the painting "Vimalakirti Transformation" by the painting master Zhang Mo; the Buddhist scripture "Lotus Sutra" personally translated by Zhi Qiangliang; and the sword "Broken-Dawn Sword" by Dong Xi, the former valiant general of Eastern Wu.

No one is immune to the allure of wealth, and Liu Zhen was delighted with these gifts. However, as the son of Liu Shen, he hesitated, remembering that the Prince of Han and the Secretariat had been cracking down on corruption and bribery in the country over the past few years, and even considered politely declining them.

However, one of his attendants persuaded him, feeling that it was making a mountain out of a molehill, and said, "Sigh, why be so sensitive, young master? His Highness has just established the country, and everything needs to be rebuilt. This is the time when people are needed. How can you care about this? If you don't accept it, people will think you have a prejudice! If you really feel it's not safe, then return all the gold, silver, and valuables, and only accept these things. If you don't say anything, I don't say anything, and no one says anything, who can cause trouble?"

Seeing that Liu Zhen was still hesitant, the attendant continued, "Even if they find out, your status is not ordinary. Your Excellency was a key minister who helped you in your time of need, yet you died unexpectedly on the battlefield. His Highness is deeply ashamed. Is His Highness really going to punish you for such a small mistake? That would chill the hearts of so many people!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhen agreed that the man was right, and Zhou Min did not refuse. The two accepted the gifts and embarked on their return journey with a heart full of joy.

Since the various ethnic groups in Jiangdong had already secretly submitted, their return journey was much smoother. It was now mid-March, and spring was coming to an end. Liu Zhen and his men set off from Yuhang, riding swiftly for seven days across the Xianxia Ridge, then transferring to boats in Shangrao, and sailing downstream along the Yu River, arriving at Pengli Lake in another five days. By this time, the banks of Pengli Lake were already occupied by Han troops, and were covered with crimson Han banners, like a rosy cloud covering the sky.

Huangfu Dan, who was stationed here, was a former subordinate of Liu Shen. Upon hearing of Liu Zhen and his group's arrival, he sent someone to invite them to stay, and they had dinner in Pengze City. Because he was the son of his former master, Huangfu Dan treated Liu Zhen very well, and the banquet was naturally very lavish. The special Jiangnan dish of water shield and perch, along with leftover ham and yellow wine from the winter, were served. The group enjoyed the meal while watching the maids dance and play music, which was indeed very pleasant.

During the banquet, the group chatted idly. Having been on a diplomatic mission for about two months, Liu Zhen inquired about the recent political situation in Jiangzhou from Huangfu Dan. It turned out that after the surrender of the various prefectures of Jiangzhou, the King of Han was working on readjusting the personnel in Jiangzhou. For the prefects of the surrendered prefectures, those who hadn't caused too much trouble were generally retained by the King of Han. However, following the previous system, a Commandant was appointed in each prefecture to strip the prefect of military power, placing it under the administration of Han generals.

However, both the prefect and the commandant still obeyed the newly appointed governor of Jiangzhou, Wang Dun. At this time, Wang Dun had not yet taken office and was still in Yi'an discussing important matters with Liu Xian. Therefore, General Huangfu Dan, who had broken through enemy lines, was appointed as the commandant of Yuzhang and the military commander of Jiangzhou as Wang Dun's military deputy, and was sent to take office first to handle military affairs.

Huangfu Dan had a lot of complaints about this. He complained to Liu Zhen, "In the past, Daozhen was highly respected and willing to live and die with others. We were happy to work for him. But times have changed, and now an outsider like Wang Chuzhong has climbed over us old folks."

However, this did not diminish his respect for the Prince of Han, and he said, "But it is also thanks to Your Highness's reputation that Jiangzhou was pacified without a fight. Looking across the world, is there anyone else who can compare? Nephew, how effective was your trip to the east to persuade them to surrender?"

The success of the surrender negotiations in Yangzhou was originally a military secret and could not be disclosed to outsiders. However, Liu Zhen thought that Huangfu Dan was his former subordinate and a high-ranking general in the Han army, so it would be fine to tell him. Therefore, he told him about his experiences on the trip.

Hearing that everything went smoothly, Huangfu Dan was naturally very happy. He said with emotion, "Once Yangzhou is secured, and Huainan is conquered, Your Highness can become emperor. This means that the hard times are almost over. Those pseudo-kings and pseudo-emperors in the north are nothing but barbarians and will definitely be no match for us. I believe that in a few years, the world will be at peace, and we will meet again in Luoyang."

At this point, Liu Zhen was deeply moved, his heart filled with longing for the future. Indeed, under Your Highness's leadership, after five years of arduous struggle, the nation is finally poised to possess half of Jiangnan, and the nine provinces will be reunited. How far away can this be?
Thinking of this, Liu Zhen felt an even greater sense of responsibility and became even more eager to return home. After the banquet ended that day, they did not rest there, but instead switched to a fast boat and ordered the boatman to row westward day and night.

Seven days later, Liu Zhen arrived in Yi'an at noon on the day of Jiazi in the fourth month of the fourth year of Qiming.

The sky was clear and still, without a breath of wind. Although the spring flowers along the river had faded, the willow groves were shrouded in mist, and the catalpa trees were verdant, making the river water appear as blue as jade. The docks and roads were packed with people, and even the river itself was teeming with boats of all sizes, so much so that it took Liu Zhen and his group quite a while to find their way ashore. Upon reaching the dock and looking around, they were surprised to find that they almost completely lost their way.

Because in the two months they were away, the new Yi An City was almost completed.

The construction of the new city deviated significantly from the original plan. When Lu Yun began construction, the Han army had only just gained control of southern Jingzhou, so the initial plan was simply to expand the city and connect Lady City and Yi'an City. However, after the unification of Jing and Xiang and the submission of Jiangzhou to the Han Dynasty, Yi'an became the administrative center of the entire Jiangnan region, rendering the original design somewhat outdated. Therefore, Lu Yun advocated for a complete reconstruction rather than patching things up. He proposed using Lady City as the palace, rebuilding a large city around it, while preserving Gong'an City to the north—both as a tribute to the achievements of their ancestor and as a protective barrier for the main city.

After obtaining Liu Xian's consent, Lu Yun conscripted nearly 40,000 laborers and spent four months completing the design of the new city. The new city was extremely magnificent. Its outer city wall was rectangular, with a circumference of more than 30 li. The city wall was more than 3 zhang high and about 9 zhang wide, wide enough for horses to run. There was a moat under the city, which was 5 zhang wide, and there were 12 city gates. Its scale was comparable to that of Luoyang.

Its internal structure was modeled after Ye City and Luoyang City, divided into northern and southern sections. The palace and court were located in the north-central part of the city, while the military camps and government offices were located in the northwest and northeast parts of the city, respectively. The southern section consisted of sixty neighborhoods and six markets, as well as twenty-four streets, including the Mingtang (Hall of Brightness) and Taimiao (Imperial Ancestral Temple) for sacrifices, all of which had been completed.

What Lu Yun hadn't finished building were the Imperial Academy and the National Academy in the south of the city. According to previous national policy, their scale had to be large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of students, comparable to a small city, and could not be built carelessly. Therefore, Lu Yun left this matter until last, and the laborers were still rebuilding the foundations.

As Liu Zhen walked through the docks and embankments into the city, he could clearly see that the somewhat chaotic market outside Yi'an City was gone, replaced by a neatly arranged network of market streets within the city, like a chessboard. The streets had clearly been widened, yet the flow of people hadn't decreased; on the contrary, they seemed even more bustling. The cries of merchants, the chanting of Taoist priests, and the neighing of carriages and horses all filled the city with vitality.

These earth-shattering changes made Liu Zhen feel unfamiliar, so much so that he had to ask for directions to find the palace. The bustling scene along the way made him exclaim, "It's just like a peaceful time."

After verifying their identities and entering the palace, a completely different scene unfolded. Simply put, perhaps because there weren't many palaces and the land hadn't been planted with anything yet, the interior appeared rather spacious. Apart from the paved stone paths and lakes, there were mostly a few inches of grass and wildflowers, with few trees and palace maids. Only guards patrolled the area, making it seem rather desolate and quiet.

The hall where the King of Han handled state affairs was located in the second row of buildings behind the Sima Gate, named Jianchang Hall. However, the King of Han had too many matters to attend to and could not meet with everyone individually. Therefore, Liu Zhen and his entourage first entered the Ministry of Personnel to report the matter to Li Ju, the Minister of Personnel.

After Li Ju understood the general situation, he asked them to wait a moment while he went to Jianchang Hall. About half an hour later, he returned to the Ministry of Personnel and said to Liu Zhen, "You've returned at this time, haven't you had lunch yet? Why don't you go and rest for a while? The Prince of Han is currently discussing matters, you can come back after dinner."

The meeting after dinner indicated that the Prince of Han had specifically set aside time to investigate the details, demonstrating the importance he placed on the matter. Liu Zhen and his entourage were delighted to hear this, quickly thanking Li Ju before slowly withdrawing from the Ministry of Personnel. Speaking of lunch, they were indeed hungry. At this time, Yi'an had reinstated its dine-in system, allowing all officials to dine at the Imperial Household Department. However, due to the Prince of Han's frugal lifestyle, the food was rather ordinary—filling but lacking in richness. Having endured a bumpy journey of over half a month, Liu Zhen and his group naturally had no interest in such meals. Having seen the reconstruction of the market town in the south of the city, they unanimously decided, without discussion, to try some of the new offerings at the market's taverns.

Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the market south of the city, before they could even choose a tavern, they were surprised to find many people speaking with northern accents in the streets and alleys. The Central Plains accent was deep and resonant, unlike the soft, gentle tones of the south, making it easily identifiable. Liu Zhen found this very strange. After selecting a shop selling lamb, they began to discuss it:
"When did so many northerners appear in China? I've been with the military for four or five years, and I don't know a single one of them."

This matter truly puzzled Liu Zhen. Although the King of Han rose to power from Hedong and had many northern generals and officers under his command, the country was ultimately based in Bashu, and the soldiers were mostly southerners. Therefore, Liu Zhen recognized almost all the northerners of standing in the country. These northerners passing by on the street were not only well-dressed but also spoke politely, clearly not ordinary people, yet Liu Zhen was completely unfamiliar with them. Where did they come from?
Zhou Min and the others returned at the same time, and like them, they were confused about the situation, so they all shook their heads. At this moment, a young and loud voice said from the side: "If you can recognize all the northerners in the country, then the King of Han is not the King of Han."

The voice was completely unfamiliar. Liu Zhen looked over and saw a young man, probably in his early twenties, sitting upright in the seat to his left, holding a wine cup in his hand, with a plate of fermented black beans in front of him, seemingly drinking alone. The young man also spoke with a northern accent, and had handsome, refined features with a hint of affection in his eyes. He wore a blue and green blouse and a long sword at his waist, making him a very dashing and elegant gentleman who left a deep impression at first glance.

When Liu Zhen first heard this, he thought the speaker was very presumptuous, but when he saw how handsome the other person was, he immediately felt relieved and asked with a smile, "What do you mean by that?"

The young man said, “Since the beginning of this year, the King of Han’s fame has spread throughout the world. Everyone knows that the southern lands are about to be pacified, while the great bandits in the central lands are running rampant. If no northerners come to join the King of Han, wouldn’t that mean the King of Han is an immoral ruler?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhen suddenly realized that the young man was right. He immediately remembered that before he went to Yangzhou, the King of Han had also sent other envoys out of the city, ostensibly to recruit talented people, but without specifying their destination. Now it seemed they were recruiting scholars from the north, and with considerable success. This young man before him must also be here to seek refuge with the King of Han.

Looking at the young man's demeanor, he had another question and asked, "Then why are you drinking alone, with only some fermented black beans?"

Upon hearing this, the young man sighed repeatedly, saying, "I'm broke, so if I want to drown my sorrows in alcohol, I have no choice but to do this!"

This puzzled Liu Zhen even more: "Judging from my friend's attire, it shouldn't be like this!"

The young man scratched his head and said bluntly, "This morning I saw some people playing backgammon on the street, and I got the urge to join in, but I ended up losing everything except for the room fee. That's why I'm here to drown my sorrows!"

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter. It turned out that this man was not only a drunkard but also a gambler! However, the young man's straightforwardness was not off-putting; on the contrary, it made people feel good about him. Liu Zhen then said, "In that case, why don't you drink with us? We can share some mutton with you."

The young man was quite blunt and immediately moved over to another seat, saying as if talking to himself, "Only a fool wouldn't take advantage of a good deal."

The group laughed again. Although they were complete strangers, the young man was indeed likable and very talkative. Liu Zhen and Zhou Min had been away from the north for a long time, so they chatted with him about the situation there. The young man sighed repeatedly, telling them about the current war in the Central Plains and commenting, "The northern bandits are rampant, the people have lost all hope, and the situation is probably beyond saving."

This naturally aroused dissatisfaction among the crowd. Liu Zhen recalled what he had seen and heard along the way and felt that the situation was very favorable. He asked rather unconvinced, "Do you mean that my king is unable to pacify the Central Plains?"

"That's not the case," the young man shook his head and said, "The biggest problem right now is not the outcome of the war, but the instability of the nation's foundation. Although the King of Han is a brilliant strategist, even someone as invincible as Xiang Yu would have ended up committing suicide at the Wujiang River if he couldn't win the hearts and minds of his soldiers. The King of Han has already expanded his territory by thousands of miles. The most urgent task is to consolidate the foundation and prevent the people's hearts from wavering. Therefore, the enemy in the north is a minor matter, while the enemy in the south is a major one."

"The enemy to the south?"

"Oh, you mean Mi Fang, Shi Ren, and other petty scoundrels."

After a hearty meal, the young man and Liu Zhen discussed his political views at length for over two hours. Although Liu Zhen and the others disagreed with some points, they admired his ingenious ideas and were greatly impressed, readily acknowledging his superiority. Before they knew it, dusk had fallen, and it was time for dinner. Remembering that he had to see the Prince of Han, Liu Zhen rose to bid him farewell.

He asked the young man, "Where do you live? I can recommend you for a government position another day."

The young man already knew that Liu Zhen's identity was extraordinary, but he still said casually, "No need. Once I find my uncle, I will take up an official post. At that time, I will also treat you to a meal in return."

"May I ask your uncle's honorable name?" Liu Zhen took it as a joke and didn't take it seriously.

"My uncle's surname is Liu and his given name is Kun. He is said to be the Commandant of the Capital Region in Shu."

Upon hearing this, everyone was startled. Liu Zhen then asked, "My apologies, my apologies. May I ask how I should address you?"

At this point, the young man realized he hadn't introduced himself yet, and he quickly cupped his hands and said, "My name is Wen Qiao, courtesy name Taizhen. I come from the Wen family of Taiyuan. You can just call me Taizhen."

The name Wen Qiao is still relatively unfamiliar to most people. But it won't be long before everyone knows him. This is because he is not only the last person to achieve the rank of Zhuoran (a high-ranking official) in the Jin Dynasty, but also the first in the Han Dynasty. (End of Chapter)