Happy 300th chapter!!!! ♡⸜(ˆᗜˆ˵ )⸝♡ 🥳 ヾ( ˃ᴗ˂ )◞ • *✰
Thank you to Nora7 for the ko-fi~ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
In the yet-to-arrive first month, the weather remained bitterly cold. Within the palace chambers, braziers burned, not with the currently fashionable auspicious charcoal but with ordinary wood charcoal. Even if the charcoal burner was of the finest quality, the room still carried a hint of smoky atmosphere.
Liu Yuan leaned against the desk, sipping warm wine from a shallow cup. After recovering from his illness, his daily habit of consuming two pots of wine had returned. However, what filled the cup now wasn’t the crystal-clear spring wine from Shangdang, but a concoction of spring wine mixed with a bit of thick liquor. The remnants floated in the cup, resembling a thin layer of floating cotton.
The taste of this wine was naturally not as exquisite as the Shangdang fine brew. However, it still had a spiciness to it. In a few days, it might be that such a lesser-quality wine would be unavailable.
With a ‘sip,’ another cup of wine went down his throat. He set down the wine cup and turned to the person seated beside him, saying, “Do you think I shouldn’t have allowed the marriage proposal for the Princess to be accepted by the Governor of Bing County?”
Liu He nodded, “Your son thinks that the one surnamed Liang will not accept. If His Majesty spreads this matter, it might… not be advantageous for the Han Dynasty.”
Though the phrase “to bring disgrace upon oneself” was not explicitly stated, the meaning was clear. Now that Liang Feng held the positions of Grand General and Grand Commander, commanding three provinces, and was even granted the title of Duke, following the customs of the Jin people, he would never marry a low-born Xiongnu woman as his principal wife. So, going all out to propose, only to be rejected later, would it not be a loss of face?
“He won’t accept,” Liu Yuan chuckled, “But this marriage matter is not about whether he accepts or not.”
Liu He blinked, “Is Father thinking of using this as a scheme?”
Rumors had just spread about the Emperor of Han and the Governor of Bing County intending to form a marital alliance as soon as the Jin Emperor left Luoyang. From a thousand miles away, the young Emperor of Jin might erupt in anger, and subsequently, never trust Bing County again. In this way, it could be considered a successful attempt to sow discord between the sovereign and his minister.
Yet, Liu Yuan shook his head, “The young Sima doesn’t trust Liang Feng from the start; otherwise, he wouldn’t have appointed him as the Duke of Shangdang. However, this move might reveal the Jin court’s true feelings about Bing County and how much they truly fear it.”
This is clearly a test from the father. Liu He thought carefully for a moment before saying, “If the young Sima believes in Liang Feng, he should ignore it and not take this matter to heart. If he doesn’t believe…”
Reducing the title? Dismissing from office? Dividing authority? Liu He pondered over various possibilities, not knowing how the young Emperor would act. After all, with the Emperor far away and him being a young sovereign with limited military power, how could he punish a regional lord like Liang Feng?
Liu Yuan didn’t intend to make it difficult for his son and directly stated, “If he doesn’t believe, he will agree to send a daughter of the Sima family to Bing County.”
Ah! Liu He suddenly understood. Right! In a clearly refused marriage proposal like this, if the young Emperor still harbors doubts, he would personally intervene in the marriage, arranging for Liang Feng to marry again. This is a common method used by the Sima family to unite powerful ministers. Although the young Emperor doesn’t have a daughter, he does have sisters. Marrying a Sima family daughter into the Liang clan would indeed be a favorable move. But, is it so easy to marry a daughter of the Sima family?
Once married, if she bears offspring, the issue of Liang Feng’s successor would immediately arise. Moreover, would the Sima family women cause trouble in the Liang residence, secretly informing the court and becoming the eyes and ears placed by the young Emperor in the Liang household? No one could guarantee!
As long as Liang Feng harbors even a hint of disloyalty, he should consider rejecting the marriage proposal. And if he truly rejects the imperial marriage proposal, can he be relied upon? At that time, the Emperor of Jin might harbor deep suspicions and refuse to involve himself in Bing County affairs.
Of course, there is another possibility. Liang Feng might temporarily marry into the Sima family, preventing the Sima daughter from bearing children, and when the time is right, grant her death.
Therefore, whether he marries or refuses, as long as the young Emperor raises this matter, the relationship between the two sides will immediately become tense, possibly even rupturing. This is the crucial step to undermine mutual trust between the sovereign and his ministers!
It may seem like a move on the chessboard, but in reality, it is a carefully calculated plot. Liu He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly; experience indeed makes a difference. Compared to his father’s political acumen, his own thoughts seemed too superficial.
Seeing his son enlightened, Liu Yuan nodded. His eldest son, though young, was not foolish. He would eventually learn these political tactics.
Taking a breath, Liu Yuan continued, “Regardless of how the Jin Dynasty responds, rejecting the marriage might not be disadvantageous for our Han Dynasty. The extravagant goods from Shangdang have been persistently prohibited these past two years, and there aren’t many effective measures in the court. After Bing County rejects the marriage, issuing a strict decree will naturally fall into place.”
Not to mention the white porcelain, glass, paper, and other items from Shangdang, even alcohol alone could drain away countless amounts of salt. Liu Yuan saw through it; those Xiongnu nobles, after taking over Jin territories, were eager to emulate the Jin people, indulging in extravagance. However, salt, grain, fur, and even livestock—all of these were crucial to the lifeline of the nation.
Leading by example, Liu Yuan refrained from using porcelain and wearing silk, yet he still couldn’t curb the extravagance of his people. This time, taking advantage of the “rejected marriage proposal,” he could decisively put an end to this wayward trend. Unfortunately, he couldn’t even enjoy the Shangdang’s Jade Dew Spring. However, there are always substitutes for alcohol. How to smoothly weaken Bing County’s strength and stabilize the political situation before the capital relocation is the essence.
This Pingyang, it probably won’t be inhabited for much longer.
As if the regret in his heart triggered an ailment, Liu Yuan gently coughed. Liu He quickly got up, massaging his father’s back and pouring a cup of warm wine from the nearby silver tin jug.
This wine jug was a New Year’s gift previously presented by his cousin Huyan You, and it was the only item his father accepted. As the ruler of a nation, he still avoided using porcelain and jade, preferring earthenware and silver. For the sake of the Han Dynasty, his father had spared no effort and thought of every possible means. How could he not empathize?
“Father’s painstaking efforts, the clansmen will surely understand. With the grand undertaking still uncertain, how can we forget our roots? Archery and horsemanship are the foundation of our Han.”
The respectful attitude of his son eased Liu Yuan’s heart. Raising the wine cup, he drank it all in one go. The warm wine seemed to soothe the pent-up emotions in his chest.
Bing County was challenging to deal with, but Liang Zixi was not without weaknesses. In some time, when the summer harvest arrived, it would be the opportune moment to raise a substantial army. Compassion, however, couldn’t replace the reality that without countless dry bones, how could one grasp the nation? His displays of mercy toward women would eventually bring trouble to Bing County.
Looking at the silver jug on the side, the goddess holding a flower with a smile, it seemed like a pearl of wisdom in hand. A faint cold smile appeared at the corner of Liu Yuan’s lips. Most importantly, it was about the bigger picture. Only when Bing County was preoccupied could he find some opportunities.
※
The official banquet on the Ren ri was extremely grand, no less than the Yuan Festival. Each state and county gradually entered a regular order, showing promising prospects. However, after the banquet, troubles came knocking at the door.
After years of confrontation with the Xiongnu, countless battles and casualties, even Liu Yuan’s own son had fallen. It should have been an endless feud, but unexpectedly, the Xiongnu sent an envoy to visit, seeking an alliance through marriage! Anyone who heard about it would be stunned for a moment. The documents presented by the envoy were truly tempting.
Apart from his biological daughter still in the family, Liu Yuan also promised titles of nobility to those of different surnames, control over the four provinces of Bing, Ji, Yan, and You, promotion to Grand Commandant, and other generous rewards. It could be said that as long as Liang Feng nodded, nearly half of the northern territories would immediately be under his control.
Such generosity far exceeded what the young Emperor of the Jin Dynasty was willing to offer. Liu Yuan also did not attempt to conceal his intentions, coming openly with the hope of reconciling with Bing County, urging him to change sides.
Faced with these tempting conditions, Liang Feng gave only one sentence, “Bing County is under the jurisdiction of the court, and the Xiongnu rebels should not be considered.”
Envoys couldn’t be killed, so they were sent back exactly as they came. However, the provincial governor’s office couldn’t easily overlook this matter. The timing of the envoy’s arrival was truly malicious.
“The Emperor has just relocated the capital, and Liu Yuan acts like this. It seems he intends to sow discord between our lord and the court,” Duan Qin said with a furrowed brow, expressing his concerns.
“The matter of rejecting the marriage proposal will soon reach the Emperor’s ears. This scheme is too straightforward,” Liang Feng couldn’t quite fathom Liu Yuan’s purpose.
This Han Emperor was not a shallow-minded person. After fighting against Bing County for so many years, he should understand Liang Feng’s temperament. How could he recklessly come out and invite humiliation?
Zhang Bin snorted, “This move by the Han is indeed meant to sow discord, but not in our lord’s response, but in the Emperor’s thoughts. If the Emperor becomes suspicious, he might propose marriage and send a Sima family daughter to Bing County!”
Now, everyone suddenly understood! Zhang Bin’s words were not wrong at all. If the Emperor indeed harbors doubts about Bing County, the first thing he would do is to show goodwill, attempting to control the important matter of marriage. Bestowing a marriage from the Emperor could be a troublesome affair. Once agreed upon, it would have a significant impact on both Bing County and the Liang family. Yet, if refused, this poisonous thorn would deeply embed itself in the heart of the young Emperor, and in the future, if Bing County were to go to war with the Xiongnu, it would be challenging to find any reinforcements.
Even more serious was that if the marriage was refused, it might lead those scholars who were loyal to the court to doubt Liang Feng’s loyalty. This was not the time for self-establishment. Once internal chaos occurred in Bing County, things would become troublesome!
Duan Qin reacted swiftly, “My lord, you should proactively engage in an engagement!”
The news would take at least several days to travel from Luoyang to Shou City and then back to Luoyang. If they could take advantage of this opportunity, selecting a noble girl from Bing County’s scholar families, and proposing marriage, it would resolve the dilemma. In this way, even if the young Emperor wanted to propose a marriage to the lord, it would be impossible. Although a Sima family daughter had a noble status, a marriage contract with a scholar family was not to be violated. Moreover, the lord was regional, and no one dared to find faults in this matter.
And once the marriage was settled, it would greatly assist in the internal unity of Bing County. If possible, marrying a few more would be even more beneficial. It could be said that with a simple move, all conspiracies would be broken.
“Unfortunately, Wang Zhongzheng has passed away; otherwise, marrying a Wang family daughter wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Zhang Bin said regretfully.
At the end of last year, Wang Wen died in Yan County. After a year of serious illness, this news was not unexpected. However, after Wang Wen’s death, Liang Feng’s little connection with the Taiyuan Wang family was completely severed. Thinking about marriage again, it would be difficult for anyone to face.
“Sun, Gao, Pei, or even choosing from a lower-ranking scholar family could be backup options. With the lord’s current status, there’s no worry about not being able to marry a noble girl,” Duan Qin didn’t favor the Taiyuan Wang family much now, after all, the matter of Wang Jun exterminating his family still lingered. Better to have fewer troubles.
“The family background is secondary. If the lord chooses, he should prioritize character,” Zhang Bin said more straightforwardly. When choosing a wife, one should choose the virtuous. If he marries someone like Empress Lu, it would be better not to marry at all. Now that Liang Rong, the legitimate eldest son, is the lord’s rightful heir, one must not create complications due to the character of the stepmother.
The two spoke candidly, and Liang Feng had yet to respond. After a while, he said, “This is a major matter. Allow me some time to carefully consider it.”
Duan Qin felt a bit uneasy in his heart, sensing something wasn’t right. This wasn’t the first time the lord had rejected a marriage proposal. However, today was different from usual. If the young Emperor indeed proposes a marriage first, then it would be a big problem. Indecision might lead to chaos. The Lord has never made such a mistake before!
It seems that it’s time to find that person and advise the lord. Duan Qin silently clenched his fist, suppressing the worries deep within his heart.
