Jinting Han people

A nation is like a spring river, sometimes flowing over high mountains, sometimes through low valleys, but never at peace.

When a nation is weak, with few people and soldiers, and surrounded by powerful enemies, it is precisely because of this that the people are often united and work together harmoniously. But once a nation becomes powerful, external enemies are no longer a threat, and internal crises will erupt. Various factions within the country will often vie for power and profit, gradually creating rifts, until the balance of power shifts, and the many are no match for the few.

This situation has been quite common throughout history.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the powerful state of Jin, with its three armies, was able to dominate the various states for hundreds of years. However, internal strife among the six ministers led to the division of Jin into three separate states, each governing its own territory, allowing the Qin state to rise to power later. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu became the Hegemon-King, dividing the land and enfeoffing various lords. However, due to his eagerness for quick success, unequal distribution of fiefs, and arbitrary rewards and punishments, Peng Yue, Ying Bu, Wu Rui, and others rebelled against Chu and joined Han, allowing Gaozu to become emperor.

Even during the late Han Dynasty, the same pattern persisted. Yuan Shao acted rashly, failing to utilize the capable generals Ju Shou and Tian Feng, and later forced Zhang He and Gao Lan into rebellion, leading to his disastrous defeat at Guandu. Cao Cao himself made the same mistake. After his defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, he coveted the throne and became mired in internal strife. Although he had several opportunities to unify the country, he missed them all, ultimately resulting in the tripartite division of the empire and allowing the Sima clan to seize power.

Mencius's saying, "If a country has no advisors or remonstrating ministers within its borders and no external enemies without its borders, it will inevitably perish. Only then will we know that one is born in hardship and dies in comfort," illustrates this principle.

Liu Xian, having studied history extensively with Chen Shou since childhood, naturally understood this principle. However, he also believed that since he had only recently established his dynasty and had always been mindful of setting a good example, these problems shouldn't arise so quickly. But as events unfolded, Liu Xian gradually discovered that although he hadn't officially entered this stage, many similar signs had already appeared throughout the country.

The problem stemmed from the corrupt practices of officials in the court, with extravagance becoming increasingly prevalent and corruption and bribery emerging. Meanwhile, soldiers began to show signs of recklessness and despondency; officers were acquiring vast properties, while soldiers were deserting one after another. This was already enough to trouble Liu Xian, but then his clansmen and relatives joined in, attempting to seize military and political power as he was about to become emperor, further exhausting him.

It's not unusual for members of the imperial clan to govern the country; after all, compared to officials from other clans, members of the imperial clan are generally more united and focused on the family's interests. Cao Cao's success in usurping the Han throne, Sun Quan's stability in Jiangdong, and the Sima clan's three generations of usurpation of the Wei dynasty all owed much to the unity and effective use of their imperial clans. However, as mentioned above, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. The Rebellion of the Two Palaces in Eastern Wu weakened the state, and the earlier War of the Eight Princes terrified the entire nation.

Therefore, in Liu Xian's view, the matter of how to adjust the national system has reached a point where it cannot be delayed.

Just then, Lu Zhi arrived in Yi'an, and Liu Xian immediately went to his newly established Secretariat, dismissed everyone else, and secretly discussed important national affairs with Lu Zhi.

After listening to Liu Xian's troubles, Lu Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness's concerns are very valid. Although Your Highness is trying to nip problems in the bud, the world is like this. The accumulated problems of the Wei and Jin dynasties have lasted for a hundred years. Your Highness may not be affected in your corner of the world, but if you want to bring peace to the world, you cannot be immune to these influences."

"As the saying goes, 'Rome wasn't built in a day.' The problem Your Highness is currently facing is nothing more than an old ailment. As early as the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, there was criticism of scholars forming cliques for personal gain, controlling the flow of speech, and being out of touch with reality. This led to a major case and the removal of the frivolous faction, but it didn't have much effect. Now, it has only gotten worse."

"Why is that? It is human nature to love ease and hate work. Scholars can distinguish between good and bad people and high and low character by talking about abstract concepts, and then rise rapidly in the officialdom. Why should they value practical matters?"

"The same applies to the military atmosphere. Under Your Highness's exemplary leadership, it is not easy for the soldiers to fight and achieve merit. But war is like starting a fire; if it goes on for too long, it will inevitably burn itself out. People go to war either because they have no other choice or for wealth and glory. Now that Your Highness has conquered such a vast territory and the soldiers have started their own families, it is natural that some officers will yearn for the land and the soldiers will long to return to their hometowns."

"As for the imperial clan... that's easier to understand." Lu Zhi glanced at Liu Xian thoughtfully and said slowly, "The saying goes, 'When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.' It is the way of Confucianism for clan members to help each other. It is only natural for the imperial clan to seek power. Otherwise, why would they protect Your Highness? However, the lessons of the War of the Eight Princes are still fresh in our minds, so we do need to handle this carefully."

Liu Xian could naturally tell that Lu Zhi's previous words were actually an analysis of the cause of the problem. Governing a country is like treating an illness; only by finding the root cause can one truly prescribe the right medicine. He nodded and said, "I have actually thought about these issues recently, but there are too many and too complicated problems, like a thousand threads in a tangled mess, which has troubled me greatly. I can't think of a good way to solve all these problems."

Lu Zhi chuckled slightly upon hearing this, and said while waving his feather fan, "Your Highness is indeed overthinking things. How can there be a solution that solves everything once and for all? It's simply a matter of acting according to circumstances. There's never a complete solution to managing state affairs. Even wise rulers like Emperor Taizong and Emperor Wen of Han had their share of negligence and misjudgments by spirits and deities. The most important thing is to distinguish between what is important and what is urgent."

"Prioritization?" Upon hearing these four words, Liu Xian asked thoughtfully, "Please enlighten me, Master."

"May I ask Your Highness, with the world still unsettled, is it more important to govern the country and cleanse officialdom, or to unify the land and pacify the Central Plains?"

Liu Xian smiled and said, "Naturally, unifying the world and restoring peace is the most important thing."

Lu Zhi nodded and said, "In that case, we must prioritize military action. Although Your Highness has been benevolent to the people in recent years and has wanted to reduce their burdens and allow them to recuperate, only by first pacifying the four seas, sweeping away the bandits, and bringing peace to the world can we truly achieve great benevolence and righteousness, and only then can the people truly live and thrive."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian nodded silently and said, "What you say is very true. In that case, the most important task for the country should still be to strengthen the military. What suggestions do you have for the current army?"

Lu Zhi had been thinking about this for a long time and understood it very well. He immediately analyzed, "Whether it is the soldiers used by Your Highness or the soldiers used by the Jin court, they are basically conscripted from the people on a temporary basis. They have not formed a real system, which has created two major problems."

"Two major drawbacks?"

"Yes, as I said before, soldiers are conscripted to fight only to survive in chaotic times. Once they settle down and are given land, they yearn to return to their fields. Secondly, influenced by Emperor Wu of Wei's system of conscription, soldiers bear the heaviest burdens and have the lowest status among all people. Therefore, people look down on those registered as soldiers, and commoners are ashamed to be soldiers." Lu Zhi's words were relatively restrained, not revealing everything, but Liu Xian understood his meaning. Lu Zhi was right; so-called temporary conscription was, in fact, largely forced recruitment. If given a choice, who would want to be a soldier? Even in places like Xia Yang, impoverished and desolate, where people lived in misery, Liu Xian used land to recruit local men from good families to serve in the army.

However, the low status of soldiers can ultimately be attributed to the aristocratic system established by Cao Cao, the Emperor Wu of Wei.

As mentioned earlier, in order to save military expenses and stabilize the source of soldiers, Cao Cao compiled a separate register of all his soldiers' households, called the "Soldier Register," and controlled them and their families under his control. In peacetime, these soldiers farmed land, and the income was basically confiscated directly, leaving no surplus food. In wartime, they had to risk their lives, but after the war, they received little reward.

The exploitation was severe enough, but more importantly, once enlisted, soldiers were bound to serve for generations, with no freedom for their descendants. These factors made soldiers the lowest of the low among the common people. Although the source of soldiers was stable, their quality declined sharply over time, with frequent instances of soldiers deserting their posts or shirking their duties.

Therefore, by the Jin Dynasty, the army's combat effectiveness had become polarized, heavily reliant on the character of its generals. If a general could be fair in rewarding and punishing, and treat his soldiers like his own children, the army's fighting strength would be passable. If a general failed to do so, the army's fighting spirit would become as fragile as paper, easily defeated.

Liu Xian was undoubtedly a commander who treated his soldiers exceptionally well, and thus his troops were renowned throughout the land as a powerful army. However, his previous military system, influenced by the existing officialdom, was largely no different from the system of aristocratic families. After conscripting civilians into the army, they farmed in peacetime and fought in wartime, the only difference being that the succession did not yet begin from father to son.

Upon hearing Lu Zhi's analysis, Liu Xian had an epiphany. He hesitated and asked Lu Zhi, "I understand what Zidao means, but it will probably be difficult to see results in a short time if we want to reform these two major problems."

"Yes." Lu Zhi took a sip of tea, then poured Liu Xian a full cup, and slowly said, "Therefore, I have two strategies. One strategy can provide immediate relief, and the other is for long-term solutions."

"Oh, Zidao's thoughts are so comprehensive? Please speak quickly!"

Lu Zhi's expression immediately changed, and he quickly said, "Your Highness has done a good job in reducing the army. By cutting these useless soldiers, a large amount of expenditure will be saved. When the court collects this year's taxes in autumn and winter, this money can be used to recruit refugees in Xiangyang, Handong and other places and reorganize a new army."

Liu Xian suddenly realized that the existing army lacked motivation, but the Central Plains were still unsettled after the war. Liu Baigen and Wang Mi were inept at pacifying the people, resulting in a proliferation of wandering refugees and begging armies. These people had lost their land, were displaced, and dreamed of returning to their homeland, while also having few burdens or responsibilities. According to Lu Zhi's analysis, wasn't this a godsend source of soldiers?
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. He tapped the table and muttered to himself, "Hmm, that's right. If we recruit refugees from the Central Plains, we'll have fewer concerns. We can let Shi Hui be the commander of this new army. With Guo Mo, Mao Bao, Tian Hui, and other people from the Central Plains as assistants, and some veteran soldiers as the backbone, we can train a strong new army in this way. After several months of training in formation, both infantry and cavalry will surely be able to..."

While pondering, Liu Xian had already thought through the relevant personnel and the content of the training. Lu Zhi smiled silently beside him, enjoying this tacit understanding between ruler and subject. With Liu Xian's comprehension, many things didn't need Lu Zhi to explain in detail; just half of what was said, or even just the beginning, was enough for Liu Xian to grasp most of it on his own—a scenario he had never dared to hope for before.

It wasn't until Liu Xian came to his senses and asked Lu Zhi for his other plan that Lu Zhi finally spoke up: "Just now I said that human nature is to fear war and seek survival. But Your Highness should know that during the Warring States period, the Qin soldiers were warlike and were famous among the seven states. Why was that?"

Liu Xian frowned and said, "Who doesn't know this? The reason why Qin prospered was precisely because of Shang Yang's reforms, which used a twenty-rank military merit system. He severely punished private fights, rewarded farming and weaving, emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce, and eventually built a strong army that conquered the world and annexed other states. However, this move harmed the people too much and was not appropriate for the times. If I were to follow suit, I'm afraid I would lose the support of the people."

Shang Yang's laws were the most brutal legal system in history, essentially a nationwide mobilization for war. Had Qin not been driven to the brink by Wu Qi, it's unlikely Qin would have been able to implement such a drastic reform. After implementing the military meritocracy system, the Qin people established their state on military might, producing renowned generals such as Sima Cuo, Bai Qi, and Wang Jian. During the Battle of Changping, they mobilized an army of 600,000—a feat unimaginable even today.

Liu Xian, however, simply lacked the conditions to implement this law, for a simple reason. Shang Yang's laws required the court to meticulously manage the household registration and land ownership of every place in the empire, ensuring that everyone received corresponding military merit ranks and benefits—rewards for victory and punishments for defeat—virtually crushing the old aristocratic privileges. Even Shang Yang himself couldn't tolerate his own laws, ultimately rebelling and being killed. After Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, he attempted to extend the military merit rank system throughout the land, but it proved ineffective. Although the six states were destroyed, their nobles remained, rebelling everywhere, colluding with each other, and ultimately successfully overthrowing the Qin dynasty.

Although the Han Dynasty inherited the old system of the Qin Dynasty, it learned from the Qin experience and therefore made some changes in its implementation. It was essentially a stage of rewarding without punishing, allowing noble titles to be passed down through generations and rise steadily. By the mid-to-late Han Dynasty, it was quite common for each village to have one or two high-ranking officials. Under such circumstances, the state could not truly implement the system of bestowing noble titles, and the people could not aspire to military merit. Military merit-based noble titles became nominal and lost their original meaning, ultimately being replaced by the recommendation system and the five-rank nobility system.

The era Liu Xian currently lives in is one in which the aristocratic class has already established its power. The court is currently finding it extremely difficult to even conduct a thorough review of land records. If it were to emulate the Qin state and implement a merit-based system of ranks based on military achievements, it would likely cause chaos within the country before any results were achieved. Furthermore, the scholars might all defect to the Qi-Han or even the Zhao-Han alliance, and even the Guanzhong alliance would break down as a result.

Lu Zhi understood Liu Xian's concerns and said with a smile, "It is certainly unlikely to implement a merit-based system for military ranks right now. But Your Highness, we can follow the spirit of it. To truly strengthen the army, we must entice them with fame and fortune, change the status of soldiers from lowly to high, and encourage good families to join the army."

“What Zidao means is…” Liu Xian vaguely realized.

Lu Zhiyou said slowly, "Your Highness can designate a system to rank soldiers in the army, evaluate their merits based on their achievements, and implement rewards and preferential treatment. It may not be effective in the short term, but as time goes on, people will be motivated to serve in the army for profit, and the spirit of martial prowess will naturally prevail."

"Excellent!" Liu Xian fully understood Lu Zhi's meaning. He slapped the table and laughed, "If this can truly be achieved, then none of the heroes in the world will be to be feared!"

The two then discussed the matter in detail, outlining the key points and refining the steps, deliberating for more than ten days. After producing a draft, they went to the Ministry of Personnel to discuss it with Li Ju, Zhou Yi, Li Sheng, Li Feng, and others. It was quickly approved, but before it could be officially implemented, they would have to wait until Du Tao's troops returned.

However, this day was not too late. On the fourth day after Liu Xian finalized the military reorganization on the Gengxu day of the fifth month, Du Tao and Xi Jian led 30,000 troops from Xiangzhou, escorting several thousand prisoners from Jiaoguang, and finally returned in triumph to Yi'an. Liu Xian then led his officials out of the city to formally accept the prisoners, a grand and lively scene, almost comparable to the time of Wang Dun's surrender. (End of Chapter)