Jinting Han people

Chapter 736 Preparations for the Personal Expedition

Time was of the essence, and having made his decision, Liu Xian quickly began preparations for the personal expedition. However, given his current status and position, no matter how rushed he was, leaving the palace for the expedition would take at least four or five days. He needed to first ensure that the country could continue to function stably after his departure.

Therefore, at the meeting that day, he made personnel arrangements for those remaining to guard Yi'an. Liu Xian appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat Fu Chang, Imperial Censor Zhou Yi, Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince Jiang Chong, and Attendant-in-Ordinary Fan Ben to preside over state affairs and manage all important matters. As long as the three agreed, the matter could be carried out normally. If no consensus could be reached, it would be temporarily shelved until Liu Xian returned to handle it. If the matter was extremely urgent and they still could not make a decision, they would report to Liu Xian again.

At the same time, he granted Lu Zhi, the governor of Jingzhou, the power to continue supervising local reforms without being constrained by the court. According to the original plan, the second step of the reforms was to be completed this year. A delay in one step leads to delays in all others, and even at this crucial juncture, Liu Xian did not want the war to cause any further delays in the reform process.

Then that same night, Liu Xian ordered the Secretariat to work overtime to draft a series of edicts and drafts.

First, inform Li Ju of Liu Xian's decision to personally lead the expedition, maintain the original strategy of the Northern Expedition, and let him advance normally to open up the passage between Xiangyang and Luoyang as soon as possible. Then, together with Zu Ti, advance eastward to threaten the area from Xuchang to Daxing.

Then he reassured Zhou Qi and Du Tao at the front. He first told Du Tao not to be impatient and not to retreat to Ruxukou, but to continue leading his troops to garrison in Huainan, preferably to the Wujiang area. He did the same for Zhou Qi, instructing him to stabilize the situation and hold Jianye, and not to rush to Jiangcheng to engage in a decisive battle with the Qi people.

Next came the order to Wang Dun, the governor of Jiangzhou, to reorganize the army in Wuchang, mobilize the navy, gather supplies, and prepare to march eastward with the emperor.

He also transferred troops from the command of Guo Song, the governor of Jiaozhou, ordering him to lead the elite troops of Jiaozhou by boat north to Linhai County to first support the remnants of Jin Anguo's forces and stabilize the local situation. At this time, although the specific situation in Qiantang was unknown, the escape of Gan Zhuo and Sima Chi was already foreseeable.

Finally, Liu Xian ordered Li Sheng, the governor of Xiangzhou, to lead his troops into the capital. After the Jingzhou army had been largely redeployed, sufficient troops were still needed to maintain order in the capital region. Liu Xian ordered Li Sheng to garrison troops in the Shangming area, so that if anyone took advantage of the situation to cause trouble, Li Sheng could act first and report later.

The above are only military edicts. In addition, in order to gain political moral support and internal unity, Liu Xian condemned the Qi people's treachery and issued the "Edict to Punish the Qi People in the North". On the other hand, he also provided great relief to the people and soldiers in Jingbei who had been affected by the Qi people, issuing the "Edict to Relieve the Soldiers", the "Edict to Exempt the People of Jiangbei from Taxes", and the "Edict to Posthumously Honor He Gong". Of course, the most important edict was the "Edict to Repent and Reproach to the People of the Three Wu Regions".

This article was drafted by Liu Xian himself, polished by Lu Yun, and published after revision. The text reads:

"To achieve good governance and promote civilization, the first priority is to be sincere; to extend this to others, one should not hesitate to correct one's mistakes. When I first ascended the throne, I was in charge of the southern border, and my mistakes were due to my humble origins and loss of control in the east. To uphold integrity and virtue, there is no better way than to go back to the past; to reflect on my faults, I hope to make progress in the future. I will clearly demonstrate this principle to the world."

"Liu Xian feared that his virtue would not be inherited, and dared not be negligent or idle. However, with the country half-established and the Jin dynasty already destroyed, he became arrogant and complacent, even more so than King Fuchai of Zhou, and more forgetful of danger than Duke Huan of Qi. As a result, he was blinded by ignorance and failed to see the true nature of human nature. Wang Mi took advantage of this opportunity, raised troops in Huainan, crossed the Yangtze River to Jingkou, causing the Three Wu regions to fall and Qiantang to be reduced to ruins. Now, the people of Yangzhou have suffered this calamity, affecting the innocent. Thousands of families are left destitute, and tens of thousands are displaced. The common people cry out in despair, and the scholars resent their superiors. All of this is due to my lack of virtue and shortsightedness."

"As the saying goes, 'It's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost.' Now that the nation is in peril, every commoner has the courage to rise up, and every loyal minister has the thought of serving the country. Although I am of meager virtue, how can I lag behind? I should gather our remaining strength, lead the army to eliminate the rebels, defend the country from outside the gates, and bring peace to the people within the borders. After the rebellion is quelled, all the people of Yangzhou will have their rent reduced for three years, and all soldiers who join the army will be rewarded with a first-class rank."

After reviewing the document, it was already the next day at dawn. Liu Xian then had the Secretariat make another copy, which was then confirmed by the Ministry of Personnel and quickly sent to various places. He then went to rest in the Zhaofeng Palace where Li Xiu was.

When I woke up again, it was already dusk.

Liu Xian's mind was still a little hazy. He sat on the bed, rubbing his eyes to soothe his mind. He couldn't help but stare blankly out of the hall for a while. He saw the golden sun shining through the window, gilding the graceful clouds on the horizon with orange-red hues. The ground was covered with green bricks and tiles, and red maples formed a sea of ​​color. Accompanied by the chirping of sparrows, it was truly a pleasant scene.

Liu Xian's spirits gradually improved. He got up and saw Li Xiu packing her clothes and luggage inside. She had changed into a yellow and purple two-piece dress with a cross-collar, dressed for a long journey, and exuded a capable and spirited air. Seeing that Liu Xian had woken up, she immediately ordered a palace maid to bring a bowl of fish soup, and then asked with a smile, "I am all ready. When does Your Majesty plan to depart?"

"How did you know I was going to take you out of the palace before I even said anything?" Liu Xian asked in surprise.

"Don't I know Your Majesty well?" Li Xiu laughed. "You've forgotten that when Your Majesty personally led the expedition from Chengdu, you also took me with you on the journey and took care of me personally."

"Is that so?" Liu Xian recalled the past, touching the hollow on his shoulder with one hand. A sharp pain flashed through his lungs, causing him to shake his head with a wry smile. Then he sighed inwardly, "I really am getting old."

Since his serious illness in Zitong years ago, Liu Xian, though narrowly escaping death, was severely weakened. From then on, while he could still strategize and win battles from afar, he could no longer ride into battle with the ferocity and courage of his youth. Instead, he had to take care of his health. Therefore, in recent years, he gradually delegated authority, significantly reducing the number of times he personally led campaigns, allowing his frontline generals to make their own decisions. Even so, Liu Xian still often reminisced about his early days riding across the battlefield, fighting valiantly.

Thinking of this, Liu Xian replied to Li Xiu, "Wait three more days. I need to wait for Feng to return with the medicine."

After several exchanges of letters, the relationship between father and son improved considerably. Under Liu Xian's arrangement, Liu Lang was in charge of the compensation of fallen soldiers for a period of time, and he did indeed mature considerably, understanding some of his father's good intentions. He had already apologized to Liu Xian, and upon hearing that Li Ju was going to launch another northern expedition, he volunteered to join the army again, which Liu Xian had agreed to. However, now it seemed better for him to accompany Liu Xian eastward than to go with Li Ju.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiu nodded and then asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to bid farewell to the magistrate?"

The "elder" Li Xiu referred to was none other than the retired Emperor Liu Xun. Thanks to Empress Cao Shangrou's repeated interventions, Liu Xun had moved from Chengdu to Yi'an. After their reconciliation before leaving Luoyang, the relationship between Liu Xian and Liu Xun had significantly improved; however, the estrangement of the past years had become ingrained, leaving them still unsure how to interact.

Even so, Liu Xian naturally had to bid farewell, as was basic etiquette. So, after tidying himself up briefly, Liu Xian went to his father's palace to offer his greetings. Liu Xun resided in a newly built courtyard by the lotus pond in the Yi'an Palace. It wasn't large, but its name was grand: Wuji Hall. However, Liu Xian seemed to have arrived at an inopportune time; several of his half-brothers and cousins ​​were also there. They said that the families of Liu Huang, the Prince of Xihe, and Liu Kang, the Prince of Beidi, had recently had children, and they had brought their families to the palace to request the Emperor Emeritus to bestow names upon them.

Since children were among the visitors, Liu Xun took the opportunity to call over his two grandsons, Crown Prince Liu Cheng and Fifth Prince Liu Fen, to play with him. When Liu Xian arrived, Wuji Palace was filled with a joyful atmosphere, completely unaffected by the atmosphere of war outside. Especially the retired Emperor Liu Xun, now nearly seventy years old, older than the recently deceased He Pan, had long since become a kind old man, and seeing so many grandchildren in his family, he was exceptionally happy, making faces at the children without any sense of elder dignity, and was very much loved by them.

On the contrary, the atmosphere in the palace immediately became solemn after Liu Xian arrived. In the past, the clansmen admired the emperor, but now they were in awe. After bowing to Liu Xian, they immediately took their leave, and in the blink of an eye, only the three generations of the royal family remained in the courtyard.

Liu Xian told his brothers, Liu Cheng and Liu Xun, to go play aside, and then told his father that he was leaving Yi'an to personally lead an expedition to Jiangzuo. Liu Xun was greatly surprised, because he knew that Liu Xian had not fought in three years, which meant that this battle was no small matter. So he asked, "A hasty journey, are you confident in this battle?"

Liu Xian replied, "It's hard to say, but it won't make the situation worse."

"Can you talk to this old man about it?"

Liu Xian thought for a moment. There was nothing to keep secret; these were all imperial edicts to be made public. So he told his father about the orders he had already issued, as well as some thoughts on the future. Liu Xun didn't interrupt his son as he had in Luoyang, nor did he recount his own preconceived notions from his secluded life. Instead, he became a good listener. After Liu Xian finished speaking, he looked at his eldest son with only pride and self-satisfaction in his eyes, and finally sighed:

"You are not only much better than me, but probably much better than your great-grandfather. I am proud of you!"

Even though he was nearly forty, Liu Xian felt a warm feeling rise in his heart upon hearing these words. He didn't say anything more, bowed to his father again, and slowly left the palace.

Then he led the brothers Liu Cheng and Liu Fen to visit Adie.

Since meeting Fotucheng, Adie had devoted herself to studying Buddhism. Although her health remained poor, her mind had indeed become much more at ease. Adie was truly devout in this regard, not only donating to monks to build temples and praying for children who had died young, but also observing the precepts in the palace, burning incense and bathing daily, and practicing simple meditation with great diligence. Hearing that Liu Xian was about to embark on another long journey, she solemnly said to him, "I will also pray for you, asking Buddha to grant you peace and a victorious return!"

Liu Xian thought helplessly that from this perspective, A-Die hadn't even entered the gate of Buddhism. The most important aspect of Buddhist teachings is the pursuit of a tranquil mind free from ego, gradually leading to Nirvana. Clinging to the desire for rebirth in the Pure Land is actually clinging to the existence of phenomena while desiring emptiness, thus falling into the lower path of Buddhist practice. However, Liu Xian wasn't foolish enough to tell his wife she was practicing incorrectly. Given A-Die's recent health condition, Liu Xian thought that as long as she was happy, he would let her be.

He simply said to Liu Cheng, "You've grown up now. After I leave the palace, you should learn to take better care of your mother."

Liu Cheng stared at his father, nodding repeatedly. Liu Xian patted his head, feeling quite gratified. Although Liu Cheng was not as clever as Liu Lang, he was obviously much more obedient, filial to his elders, and kind to those around him. Perhaps when he pacified the world in the future, Liu Cheng would be suitable for governing the country with civil administration and emphasizing literature over military affairs.

However, it must be said that during the period after Fotucheng's departure, Buddhism continued to flourish in Yi'an. The Yi'an Buddhist Temple, built by Subhuti, was completed and named Bao'en Temple after Fotucheng's wishes. Fotucheng also left four relics in the temple, said to originate from Venerable Kasyapa, the foremost of the Buddha's ten disciples. Because the relics were dazzlingly colorful and considered miraculous, and because the temple was funded by Imperial Noble Consort Yang, many people believed it to be true. Rumors circulated that the current emperor was the reincarnation of Vaishravana, a Chakravartin king ordained by Heaven, leading to a surge in visitors to Bao'en Temple, making it a very popular destination.

But for Liu Xian, all of this was meaningless. As the emperor, he was the only deity in the world, and the only person Liu Xian could pray to and believe in was himself. This was also the belief of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang: for the emperor, life and death were the will of Heaven, and the emperor should only do his best.

Over the next two days, Liu Xian spoke with Empress Cao Shangrou about some family matters. His main concern was that after he left Yi'an, he should try his best to restrain the behavior of his clansmen and prevent them from becoming extravagant and indulgent in his absence.

At this time, the eldest son, Liu Lang, finally arrived belatedly from Shu. A year had passed, and Liu Lang had grown taller; at seventeen, he was already eight feet tall, exuding a heroic and powerful aura. Even without armor, simply standing among the crowd with his sword in hand, he gave off an air of solitary grandeur. Xi An and Zhang Gu, upon seeing him, privately remarked that seeing the current Prince of Longxi reminded them of His Majesty's early splendor.

Seeing his son growing more mature, Liu Xian was very happy. This time, he planned to fight alongside his eldest son and witness his heroic figure on the battlefield firsthand. So he said earnestly:

"Fengyao, as a general, you must not only fight bravely regardless of life and death, but also know how to love your soldiers like your own children and consider the overall situation. The reason I reprimanded you last time was because you didn't understand that one person's courage can never compare to the unity of thousands. The people's hearts are power, and integrity is power. I believe you understand now. This time, I will lead you to avenge our defeat. Can you do it?"

Liu Lang bowed respectfully to his father and said, "I will obey Your Majesty's instructions."

Liu Lang did not come to Yi'an alone; he was accompanied by Qiao Deng, who had been living in seclusion in Brazil. He Pan had repeatedly invited Qiao Deng to serve in the government, but Qiao Deng, fearing it would violate the principles of loyalty and filial piety, had always refused. However, in June, He Pan, feeling unwell, wrote again inviting Qiao Deng to serve. Just then, the Qi people went to war, and this time, Qiao Deng finally did not refuse. By this time, he had been out of politics for seven years.

Liu Xian was pleased to see him and asked with a smile, "Shenming, do you still dare to charge into battle? This battle may be very dangerous!"

During the decisive battle of Chengdu, Qiao Deng led over a hundred cavalrymen in a charge, reaching right up to Liu Xian's main force, leaving a deep impression on Liu Xian. Now, with such a brave general assisting him, Liu Xian's chances of victory are even greater.

However, when this past event was mentioned, Qiao Deng still felt somewhat ashamed and embarrassed. After hesitating for a long time, he finally clasped his hands in a fist and said to Liu Xian, "The Qi people are nothing but a few clowns. Qiao Deng is at Your Majesty's beck and call."

With all preparations complete, in early October of the sixth year of the Qiming era, Liu Xian officially set off from Yi'an, with Huo Biao and Wen Shuo as his leading guards, and Lu Yun, the Grand Secretary, and Huan Yi, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, as the chief officials of the expeditionary force. He led over eight hundred imperial guards and over one hundred officials, traveling on more than twenty boats, directly from the Xia River to Wuchang, where he first joined forces with Wang Dun's troops in Jiangzhou, and then marched on Yangzhou. (End of Chapter)