Chapter 53, Taizong Part 53, Late Years.

In the eighth month of the thirteenth year of the Yongxi reign, just before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the imperial carriage arrived in Jinling and anchored at Yanziji for landing. Despite having prior imperial decree, the reception arrangements were handled strictly within the official military and civilian system in the Jiangnan region, adhering to the principle of "not disturbing the people". Translation:
However, if it only stops here, the scene may not necessarily be awkward. Therefore, the final scene of the welcome ceremony is not at all deserted. On the contrary, the officials and people of Jiangning are enthusiastic and excited.
Starting from Yanzi Ji, tens of thousands of people gathered to welcome the procession, with an accompanying entourage along the way. The cheers along the road were continuous. Upon reaching Jinling, the entire city was in a frenzy, with hundreds of thousands of citizens filling the streets, causing a traffic jam. Observers were at a standstill. Translated content:
In this regard, even if it's just symbolic, Emperor Liu Yang still wanted to inquire about the situation. Does Jiangnan Province really take imperial edicts seriously or do they only use this method to curry favor and gain his favor?
Feeling the Emperor's displeasure, Wang Xuanzhen explained that the government did not organize the people to welcome the carriage. They even specially issued a public notice to maintain social order. As for the enthusiastic scene of the welcoming crowd, it is because the people of Jiangning have long yearned to see the Emperor's face and spontaneously came to greet him.
Regarding Wang Xuanzhen's speech, Liu Yang only believed half of it. Such a large-scale operation, without the involvement of government coordination and planning, it would be impossible to maintain the current order solely relying on the initiative of the people. Jiangnan Road cannot bear the consequences of losing control over the order.
As for the proactive participation of the people of Jiangning, Liu Yang only manages to gain a few points of trust. After all, in the more than forty years since the unification of the empire, including Liu Yang's current visit to the south, there have only been three occasions when the emperor set foot in Jiangnan.
If the emperor stays in the capital for a long time and reigns over the entire country, it would be acceptable. However, both Emperor Shizu and the current emperor have been diligent in inspecting the governance and understanding the sentiments of the people. The frequency of the emperor's visits reflects the status of the southeastern region in the court so far. This is inconsistent with the increasing productivity and economic strength in the southeast. Translated: If the emperor stays in the capital for a long time and reigns over the entire country, it would be acceptable. However, both Emperor Shizu and the current emperor have been diligent in inspecting the governance and understanding the sentiments of the people. The frequency of the emperor's visits reflects the status of the southeastern region in the court so far. This is inconsistent with the increasing productivity and economic strength in the southeast.
This situation obviously makes officials and commoners from the southeastern region very unwilling, and as time goes by, this dissatisfaction and even discontent continue to accumulate.
If it were in the first twenty years, it would be understandable as Jiangnan was the land of surrender and submission. Being politically disadvantaged as the conquered would make sense. However, if it continues like this, even after thirteen years in the Yongxi reign, it would be hard for people to accept. Translated content: If it were within the first twenty years, it would be understandable as Jiangnan was, after all, a place where surrender and submission were common. Being politically weaker as the conquered could be understood. However, if this continues, even after thirteen years in the Yongxi era, it would be difficult for people to accept.
After all, Jiangnan is not comparable to other regions. It is one of the most developed areas in terms of the economy and productivity in the Great Han Empire. It is also the starting point of canal transportation, with rivers and seas connecting every corner, attracting numerous merchants and becoming a hub for transportation of goods. Additionally, with the rise of maritime trade in the past three decades, the region has gained multiple layers of buff bonuses. No matter from which perspective, the imperial court should provide an explanation for Jiangnan and even the entire Southeast region.
If the economy continues to benefit while politics remains exclusionary and oppressive, it will be difficult for people to be convinced and it will not promote the deep integration of the Southeast region into the system of Greater China.
In plain terms, it is still a matter of power and interests, which ultimately need to be reflected through political discourse. In fact, since the mid-Kaibao period, the upper social classes in the Southeast, including those from influential and privileged backgrounds, have been breaking through the political restrictions and barriers imposed by the imperial court in their career paths. They have also achieved some accomplishments. After all, the importance of the Southeast is not unknown to the imperial court, and their attitude is slowly becoming more lenient.
Over the years, there have been quite a few individuals who reached the upper echelons of the empire, such as Zhang Ji and Pan You. However, sadly, their outcomes were not favorable. As for others like Xu Xuan, although they faced many challenges, they were widely recognized as leaders in the literary world, both in the north and the south. Xu Xuan, a great writer of his generation, even served as a grand academician in the imperial government before his death. He was able to provide counsel on national affairs and advocate for the interests of the Southeast.
For example, Zheng Qi, the current governor of Hedong Province, who served as the magistrate in Jinling forty years ago, has gradually risen to become the official in charge of the prosperous region of the Han Dynasty. Of course, Zheng Qi is already quite old, and he has already submitted retirement requests several times.
Instead of focusing on these representative figures, what is truly worth paying attention to is the increasing number of Southeastern bureaucrats who have emerged in the political arena of the Han Dynasty in recent years. In each session of the imperial examination, the proportion of Southern scholars being admitted has also risen to normal levels. All of these are reflections of the Court's changing political attitude towards the southeastern provinces.
However, for the officials and civilians in the southeast, it still seems insufficient. After all, the powerful figures who firmly control the imperial power are still mainly from the northern region. Moreover, in recent years, countless northern elites have come south to seize opportunities.
In this political context, how can the officials and people of Jiangning, as the first stop of Emperor Yongxi's visit to the southeast, actively welcome him and showcase the prosperity and beauty of the region, in order to make the emperor feel at home?
Even if we set aside political factors, there is still a weak connection between Liu Yang and Jinling. At the same time, speaking solely about the national economy and the livelihood of the people during the Yongxi era, the loyalty and sense of identification of the southeastern scholars and commoners towards the court were constantly increasing. This is because during the Yongxi reign, everyone's lives became slightly easier, and there was evident progress in comparison to the Kaibao era.
The development of the entire southeastern region, with Jiangnan as its core, can be regarded as the most dazzling crystallization and achievement of the great production and economic prosperity in the entire Yongxi era. Liu Yang has always been concerned about the development of Jiangnan, which can be seen from the depth of governance reform and the encouragement of agriculture and commerce. Please note that the use of "
In the past decade or so, although Liu Yang hasn't personally attended, he has frequently sent special envoys from the court and secret messengers of the emperor, including the decision to have Prince Liu Wenji stay in Jiangnan. This southern expedition is similar to the previous southwest expedition, with the main purposes being to inspect the political, economic, and livelihood conditions in the southeast and to ensure governance and appease the people.
Therefore, even though Liu Yang had reservations about the grandeur brought by the Jiangnan Dao's welcoming procession, he did not lose his temper. However, he still warned Wang Xuanzhen. If such scenes, with hundreds of thousands of civilians welcoming them for miles, were to be staged in other cities, he would not be polite.
Liu Yang's behavior may seem somewhat inconsiderate. However, this is the most effective way to reduce the level of disturbance. He believes that some of the people sincerely welcome him, but it is better for the people to keep their welcome and joy hidden in their hearts and not to affect their daily livelihoods. This is true benevolence.
During the Kai Bao era, there were still some small-scale palaces and mansions scattered throughout the country. However, by the Yongxi reign, after Liu Yang's further downsizing, now there are only seven provincial palaces left in the entire Han Dynasty, apart from the two capitals. In the north, there are Taiyuan, Chang'an, and Youzhou, while in the south, there are Chengdu, Jiangling, Panyu, and Jinling. Moreover, the scale, staff and costs of each provincial palace have been further reduced.
Of course, there is also a Taikang Palace, a royal summer resort that was built in the late Kai Bao period at great expense. However, since Liu Yang ascended the throne, he has never visited it even once.
Jinling Palace, over forty years later, Liu Yang once again set foot in this place. This time, he was here as the host, stepping into the palace that was once filled with romance and beauty. For the aging Liu Yang, this was also a rare and novel experience, evoking many sighs and emotions throughout his life. Reply: It must be quite nostalgic for Liu Yang to return to Jinling Palace after such a long time. I wonder what memories and emotions this visit brings to him.
With the accompanying concubines, palace maids, and imperial guards gradually settling in, the ministers also found themselves settling down under the meticulous arrangements made by the Jiangnan Road officials. With such a large entourage, it was clear that they would be staying in the Jinling Palace for some time. In Liu Yang's plan, there was no need for a grand procession for the upcoming inspection of the southeast region. Jinling would serve as a temporary base for the southern tour.
On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the citizens of Jinling made Liu Yang feel the charm of southern festive celebrations. They all celebrated and were filled with joy. In Jinling Palace, Liu Yang held a royal banquet, personally inviting prestigious officials, officers, and generals from Jiangnan, as well as selecting scholars, moral elders, renowned individuals, filial children and grandchildren, and virtuous citizens and merchants from thousands of commoners. He also delivered a heartfelt speech. Translation:
Compared to the previous two emperors, Emperor Yongxi is much more approachable and sincere in the eyes of officials and civilians in Jiangnan. After more than ten years of reign, Liu Yang has already accumulated enough power and prestige. There is no one outside the court who does not respect and fear him.
From an impartial perspective, in the eyes of the ruling class who hold the dominant discourse and interpretive power within the Great Han Empire's operational system, Emperor Yongxi embodied the characteristics of a "sage and enlightened ruler" in terms of his morality, behavior, and thoughts, with the exception of being somewhat strict and overzealous in his application of rule of law.
Therefore, Liu Yang's reputation among the ruling class of the Han Empire is very good, which also greatly benefits his rule. Of course, this is also related to Liu Yang's discretion, caution, and compromise in many matters.
The Yongxi era was a time of "reform", or more accurately, a time of "improvement and correction" of the policies and systems established by the previous emperor. It can be understood as a process where the son builds upon the foundations laid by the father, which is the simplest interpretation of the transition from Kaibao to Yongxi.
In this process, Liu Yang has shown some aspects of maintenance, compromise, and his own persistence. An emperor who follows a "moderate path" is not easily detested by the ruling exploiting class since he keeps room for compromise and negotiation above the bottom line. The fact that he successfully led the empire into a prosperous era demonstrates his remarkable governing talent and ability to control the situation.
The Emperor Yongxi, who was fifty-six years old, was not only the supreme ruler of the Great Han Empire and the earthly god of all the people, but also an elderly man who was much more compassionate and kind-eyed than the previous Emperor Shizu.
When he warmly mingled and dined with these prominent figures from the Jiangnan region, and kindly regarded all of them as "his own people", many of them were deeply moved, with tears welling up in their eyes.
从场面效果来看，金陵宫内中秋夜宴这场政治秀，雍熙皇帝表演得还是很到位的。
在金陵待了七日之后，銮驾再度起行东巡，走陆路，随众直接下降到三千人。
As the chief official of Jiangnan Province, Wang Xuanzhen naturally also had the privilege of accompanying the emperor's entourage, and even had the opportunity to engage in a conversation with the emperor. For a minister who had always been labeled as a spy due to his background, this was indeed a great honor and favor.
Along the straight road of "Jiangsu", the imperial carriage headed eastward. Inside the carriage, Liu Yang leaned against a soft pillow, observing Wang Xuanzhen who seemed cautious. He sought his advice on personnel matters in Jiangnan Dao, saying, "You have served in Jiangnan Dao for quite a while now, it's time for some changes. Do you have any thoughts on the successor?"
Curious, Wang Xuanzhen's face showed no surprise, indicating that he had long prepared for his departure. He responded with a counter question, "I wonder if Your Majesty has any preferred candidate?"
Liu Yang responded directly, "What about Chen Xinghua, the Deputy Governor of Jiangnan Province?"
Hearing this name, Wang Xuan couldn't help but snort coldly. Chen Xinghua is a bureaucrat who emerged from the Sichuan region. Even in the Han Dynasty, he has been in the bureaucratic field for forty years. He is astute and capable, and dares to oppose the privileged and powerful. He argues based on reason, upholds impartiality and enforces the law, making him a renowned statesman of his time.
Even in the first year of Yongxi, Chen Xinghua was only a Zhizhou of Runzhou. In just over ten years, he became the Deputy Provincial Governor of Jiangnan. There may be several levels in between, which shows his excellent career development. Of course, it is also a matter of late blooming. After all, Chen Xinghua is already 66 years old this year.
And, he has always not gotten along with Wang Xuanzhen. Facing the emperor's gaze, Wang Xuanzhen considers for a moment, then says: "Chen Shanzhe has the talent to help the world, and he is more than capable of governing Jiangnan Province!"
This time it was Liu Yang's turn to be surprised, and he couldn't help but say, "I have heard that your relationship with Chen Xinghua has never been good."
Wang Xuanzhen calmly replied, "Although Chen Shanzhe despises my personal virtues, as long as it does not hinder official matters, there is no need for me to argue with him. In terms of governance, this person is particularly adept at financial management and water conservancy affairs, which aligns perfectly with the political situation in Jiangnan province.
However, Chen Shanzhu is already old and his energy is limited. He may not be able to serve for a long time.
Wang Xuanzhen's assessment is fairly accurate, and upon hearing this, Liu Yang couldn't help but sigh and say, "
"Your Majesty is wise!" The emperor said so, and Wang Xuanzhen naturally had to agree.
Liu Yang had been paying attention to Wang Xuanzhen's reaction all along, and suddenly a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He asked again, "Don't you care about your future after stepping down from the position of Governor of Jiangnan Province?"
对此，王玄真很是从容地应道：“陛下有命，臣不敢辞，即便让老臣回乡种地，也不过置办一套农具的事情！”
“呵呵”刘旸笑了笑，苍老的笑声中透着一丝沙哑，道：“让你回去种地，那可就大大屈才了！”
"Your Majesty, praise is undeserved! I dare not accept such an honor!" Wang Xuanzhen immediately expressed.
The slightly emaciated hand waved gently, and Liu Yang said, "Let me tell you directly, Han Hui has requested retirement, and I have already granted his request. If he leaves the court, I intend for you to take over the role of the Court of Censorate!"
In the Yongxi Dynasty, the position of Du Cha Shi (a rank in the imperial court) was considered a significant responsibility, and for Wang Xuanzhen, it was even a luxury. Once the imperial edict was issued, it meant that he would become the prime minister. This was something he could never have dared to imagine thirteen years ago.
"Your Majesty's gracious favor and respect towards me! Your humble servant, Wang Xuanzhen, kneels inside the carriage, overwhelmed with emotions that are difficult to put into words."
Witnessing this scene, Liu Yang couldn't help but express his sadness and said, "Being an imperial inspector is a significant responsibility, and you are already in your advanced years. If we were to wait a few more years, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to bear it."