Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

The powerful and influential families objected.

A middle-aged civil official stepped forward, pointing at the military officers, and said, "This is a misconception! How can the governance of a country be judged by its size? Although Goguryeo is small, its significance is immense. Establishing a province here will demonstrate the importance our great Han Dynasty places on newly annexed territories!"

The middle-aged military officer sneered, "Pay attention? Setting up more officials means paying attention? Then why not just appoint a governor to every village in Goguryeo? That would be paying even more attention!"

"You... you crude brute!"

"You...a pedantic scholar who has ruined the country!"

They started arguing.

The two sides argued fiercely.

"Only by establishing a state can we demonstrate our power!"

"Establishing a prefecture is already a great favor!"

"How can the people be governed without establishing prefectures?"

"Establishing prefectures is sufficient to bring peace and stability to the people!"

Liu Ce stood there, watching the spittle flying from both sides, and was secretly overjoyed.

This was the first time he had ever witnessed a real argument in the imperial court—he had only ever seen them on TV before, but those were all acted out, nothing compared to the excitement of a real, heated argument.

Liu Ce chuckled to himself: The scene of people arguing in the court is quite interesting! Especially since I'm also involved, and I've managed to make those old aristocratic men bristle and glare at me—it feels great!

The civil officials quoted extensively from classical texts, from the Rites of Zhou to the Book of Han, from the rule of the Three Dynasties to the restoration of the Han Dynasty under Emperor Guangwu, all conveying the same message: prefectures must be established, otherwise it would be a disservice to the ancestors.

The military officers bluntly stated: "Why set up a prefecture in such a small place? It's a waste of money! We should use that money to pay more soldiers and make more suits of armor."

Liu Ce listened with great interest, and even made a comparison in his mind:

"When civil officials argue, it's like a comedy routine, with a straight man and a comedian, punchlines and jokes."

"When military generals argue, it's like a fast-paced, rhythmic rap. They're full of firepower."

"They're all quite interesting."

He even took the time to observe Liu Hong's expression.

Liu Hong squinted at the officials arguing below, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

That smile... was like that of an audience member watching a play, or perhaps a director in complete control.

Liu Ce's heart skipped a beat: Liu Hong, this guy, seems absurd, but he's actually very shrewd. He knew there would be an argument, so he was just waiting to see who would come out on top.

They argued for almost half an hour, and neither side could convince the other.

At this moment, Liu Hong finally spoke.

"Alright," he waved his hand, his voice not loud, but the hall fell silent instantly, "I have made my decision on this matter."

Everyone looked at him.

Liu Hong slowly said, "First, the land is small and the population is sparse, so setting up a prefecture would be a waste. Second, newly annexed lands should be governed simply to keep the people at ease; too many officials would only disturb the people. Third, the court has many expenses now, such as suppressing the rebellion in Liangzhou, repairing river works, and providing disaster relief. All of these require money, so we should save where we can."

Liu Hong said earnestly, "In my opinion, it is very reasonable to divide the territory of Goguryeo into prefectures."

The ministers from powerful families changed their expressions.

Liu Hong continued, "Let's establish 'Goguryeo Commandery,' under the jurisdiction of Youzhou. We'll appoint one governor and one commandant, with all departments arranged according to the commandery system. The garrison... will be transferred from Youzhou by the Prince of Yan; no separate provincial troops will be stationed."

He looked at Liu Ce and said, "Your Majesty, since Goguryeo belongs to Youzhou, you will be in charge of it. I want to see that within three years, the people of Goguryeo will be peaceful and prosperous, and there will be no more rebellions."

Liu Ce bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Liu Hong then scanned the room: "What do you all think?"

What else could we do? The emperor had already made the decision.

Although the powerful ministers were unwilling, they could only bow and say, "Your Majesty is wise..."

"Court adjourned." Liu Hong stood up and left.

After the court session, the powerful and influential families walked out of Deyang Palace, cursing and swearing.

"This Liu Ce... is too arrogant!"

"Hmph, Prince Yan... his smugness won't last long!"

"They dare to go against us right after being crowned king!"

"Goguryeo establishing a prefecture... Hmph, they got off easy!"

"We'll see..."

The officials from those powerful families were gathered together, their faces ashen, like a group of defeated roosters.

Liu Ce walked behind, listening to the discussions in front, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He shrugged, too lazy to bother with him.

Anyway, Goguryeo is now his territory, and he decides how it's planned. Setting up prefectures is good—it's streamlined and efficient. Most importantly, he has the power to appoint and dismiss personnel. No way can aristocratic families try to insert their own people into the system.

...

In the eleventh month of the third year of Zhongping, in Luoyang.

As the weather grew colder, Liu Ce had been in Luoyang for quite some time.

That morning, he went to the Greenhouse Hall of the Imperial Palace to resign from his post and return to Youzhou.

The greenhouse was warm and cozy. Liu Hong, dressed in casual clothes, leaned against the soft couch, playing with the glass bead in his hand.

Upon seeing Liu Ce arrive, he waved for the palace maids to leave.

"Your Highness has arrived?" Liu Hong looked up and smiled. "Sit."

Liu Ce sat down and explained his purpose: "Your Majesty, I have been staying in Luoyang for over a month. There are many affairs to attend to in Youzhou, and I need to return to handle them. I have come to request my leave."

Liu Hong nodded and said, "It's time to go back. Youzhou is your foundation; you can't stay away for long."

He paused, then suddenly sat up straight, his expression becoming serious, and said, "But, my dear brother, there's something I need to tell you."

Liu Ce's heart tightened: What's wrong?

"You're not getting any younger," Liu Hong said earnestly. "The coming-of-age ceremony signifies adulthood. I bestowed this marriage upon you two years ago; you'd better hurry! Cai Yong's daughter Cai Yan, the five Zhen sisters, and Zhang Ning, Ren Hongchang... so many fiancées! You have to produce offspring for our Liu family!"

Liu Ce: "..."

What the hell!

Even if you travel back to the Eastern Han Dynasty, you'll still be pressured to get married!

He mentally screamed: "You think I don't want to?! They're too young! I'm afraid they won't pass the vetting process! But now it's all good... Besides, I've come of age, I can go back and get married!"

He dared not show his emotions on his face, and could only respectfully say, "Your Majesty is right. I will go back and make preparations for the wedding, and I will definitely ensure that our Liu family has many descendants."

Upon hearing this, Liu Hong laughed and said, "That's right!"

He got up, walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and spread out a yellow silk cloth.

As he wrote, he said, "The imperial edict bestows upon Cai Yan the title of Princess Consort of Yan. She is Cai Yong's daughter, possessing both talent and beauty; she is qualified to be your principal wife."

As Liu Ce watched Liu Hong write, he felt a warm glow in his heart. Although this older brother was absurd, he was truly good to his family.

After finishing writing, Liu Hong picked up the jade seal and stamped it with a "snap".

Then he handed it to Liu Ce, saying, "Take this. Within six months, I must hear news of your marriage. Otherwise... it will be considered disobeying the imperial decree!"

Liu Ce's lips twitched as he said, "Brother, this..."

"What? You don't want to?" Liu Hong narrowed his eyes.

"No, no," Liu Ce quickly said, "It's just... isn't half a year a bit too rushed? We need to prepare the betrothal gifts, choose a date, and host a banquet for the guests..."

"What's the rush?" Liu Hong glared at him. "When I married the Empress, it took three months from the imperial decree to the wedding night. You think six months is too fast?"

He leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Besides, you're not in a hurry, but I am. I'm eager to hold my nephew as soon as possible. The continuation of our Liu family line depends on you."

Liu Ce: "..."