I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 585: Royal Family Kings
Liu Bian looked at Yuan Shu and found that money was indeed a motivating factor. Yuan Shu had unexpectedly transformed himself into a representative of the industrial and commercial circles.

Under Yuan Shu's slightly nervous gaze, Liu Bian suddenly laughed and said, "I was just joking just now. I am not a thief. How could I covet the property of my subjects? Please don't take it seriously."

Yuan Shu breathed a sigh of relief, but still maintained his attitude of treating money as dirt, and continued to boast: "If I were not afraid of being misunderstood by outsiders and damaging your majesty's reputation, I really wouldn't care about a little wealth!"

After hearing this, Liu Bian just looked at Yuan Shu meaningfully and didn't say much.

But this look made Yuan Shu feel guilty. At this moment, he regretted why he didn't stop when he saw the good opportunity.

Liu Bian smiled secretly in his heart, then changed the subject and asked, "I know that you are not a person who attacks without a purpose. In your opinion, what is Xu Gongming's fault?"

Yuan Shu came here for this matter, and he said, "I have heard that 'all the people in the world are here for profit, and all the people in the world are here for profit'. In the past, trading with the Western Regions was profitable, and even without the Zhen and Mi families taking the lead, those merchants would still dare to take the risk and go west. But now, I heard that some merchants who originally planned to trade in the Western Regions have given up."

Sure enough, unless one adopts the method of overturning the table, which was extremely harmful to the people during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, it is still difficult to take food from the merchants.

Liu Bian was not too surprised by the backlash against Xu Huang's proposal. The businessmen's decision-making lacked foresight, or even if they saw the future of the Han Dynasty after taking root in the Western Regions, they were still unwilling to pay for it. Even from a long-term perspective, these were beneficial to them.

When there is profit, merchants flock to it, but once there is no profit, merchants will scatter. The pursuit of maximizing profits makes merchants naturally hate projects that require large investments and long payback periods.

Yuan Shu continued to speak. He probably felt a little embarrassed for speaking for the merchant, and he defended himself by saying, "Your Majesty knows me. I have never liked to associate with such villains. I just heard about them occasionally."

"These merchants' workshops all need manpower, and they won't give up easily..."

After listening to Yuan Shu's words, Liu Bian realized that Xu Huang's attempt probably would not achieve the results he wanted.

Liu Bian certainly understood the role of commerce in social prosperity, and knew that the existence of workshops was an improvement over the small peasant economy. But he also knew that merchants as a group were not necessarily reliable as a whole.

Moreover, merchants generally used slaves to work in their workshops, and their advancement value was limited.

But then again, the Western Regions trade route was ultimately a road opened up by the Han soldiers with great difficulty.

Liu Bian thought Xu Huang's attempt was completely acceptable. It was not to say that even a small mosquito is still meat, and it could identify those merchants who were willing to be patriotic. Liu Bian felt that merchants who could not even say "I can also be patriotic" did not need to appear on the trade route to the Western Regions.

Could it be that the commercial tax is too light?

As for the merchants in the Western Regions, they were unreliable, so Liu Bian had other plans.

So after meeting Yuan Shu, Liu Bian met another person - King Hejian Liu Xi.

Over the past year, Liu Xi has been in high spirits and has experienced a life he has never experienced before.

After tasting freedom, he finally realized how cramped the magnificent palace that had trapped him for half his life was.

If possible, he would like to leave his palace and see the wider world outside.

Before Liu Bian summoned him to Luoyang, Liu Xi even said to his princess: "Today I know how valuable a county official is! I would rather be a county official than a king!"

A county official with a salary of 100 shi either had a good family background or was very talented. Even if he could no longer do his job as a county official, he could go wherever he wanted.

This made Liu Xi very envious and he would not trade it even for the throne.

"It's been more than a year since we last met. How are you?" Liu Bian greeted him and further praised him, "I have heard a lot about your dedication and hard work when measuring the land. Today, I would like to thank you for your hard work on behalf of the people."

Liu Xi hurriedly expressed his gratitude. Although he believed that Liu Bian was a benevolent emperor, the discipline of the princes by the Han Dynasty for more than a hundred years still made Liu Xi feel instinctively frightened.

Liu Xi was quite busy with thanking and declining.

Seeing this, Liu Bian once again came straight to the point and said, "I heard that after your experience with the land survey, you no longer want to stay in Hejian State?"

Hearing this, Liu Xi's face changed. He didn't know whether this was a sign that the emperor was suspicious of him or wanted to use him. But after all, the last time the emperor was going to use him, he had the same attitude. Liu Xi thought about it and finally the emperor's previous kindness to him prevailed, so he said truthfully: "Your Majesty, I do have this thought."

Liu Bian clearly felt the change in Liu Xi, which was much better than the first time they met, when he was "timid and nervous, either knowing nothing about anything, or just saying "yeah, yes, yes, yes".

He realized that Liu Xi might be able to achieve his expectations - "Over the past hundreds of years, the rear of the Cheshi in the Western Regions has repeatedly colluded with the Xianbei, been fickle, and not interested in the king's rule. I want to send a royal prince to the Western Regions to open up Han territory. I wonder if you are willing to do so?"

After hearing Liu Bian's words, Liu Xi even thought he was dreaming at first, and then he suddenly woke up and realized that this was real - Liu Xi was shocked like never before, even more than the last time he met Liu Bian.

Seeing that Liu Xi was so shocked that he couldn't speak for a while, Liu Bian also knew that Liu Xi needed time to digest this sudden event. He immediately said to Liu Gai: "This matter involves a wide range of people. The Western Regions are not like Hejian State. It is far away from Luoyang. Brother, you don't have to give me an answer now, and think about it carefully!"

Liu Xi did not refuse. He did need to consider this matter carefully.

……

In the State of Chen, King Liu Chong of Chen seemed like a different person after he had been imprisoned in the imperial prison in Luoyang. He stayed at home all day long and rarely went out. He was no longer like the man he used to be when he led archers and crossbowmen to guard against the Yellow Turban bandits under the indulgence of Chen State Prime Minister Luo Jun, and intimidated the people of Chen State so that no one dared to disobey.

However, one day, Liu Chong received an envoy from Luoyang.

"Your Majesty, I am the envoy Chen Lin, and I have come here on Your Majesty's orders to deliver something to Your Majesty, along with a letter from Your Majesty."

"Thank you, angel!" Liu Chong took the things brought by Chen Lin calmly on the surface, but he was thinking in his heart - the emperor released him not long after he ascended the throne to reassure the people. Now that the emperor's prestige can no longer be shaken, he probably has lost his role.

But he didn't expect that the emperor still hadn't forgotten him.

Thinking of this, Liu Chong, relying on his old age, had no intention of greeting Chen Lin, and immediately asked his son to invite Chen Lin to go and have a rest.

Chen Lin was somewhat confused. He suspected that Liu Chong might have misunderstood him, but thinking that Liu Chong would understand everything as long as he opened the emperor's handwriting, and that he was also tired from the journey to Chen State, he simply did not say much.

Liu Chong, who was already wearing a king's crown, slowly held the things in his hand and said to his wife, children and grandchildren present with sorrow: "God's will cannot be violated. When I was in Luoyang Prison, I looked forward to seeing you again day and night. Now that I have returned to Chen State for these years, I am satisfied. God has treated me well!"

His wife, Princess Chen, came up to him and said, "When you came to the capital last time, I did not follow you. Today I will go with you!" Liu Chong looked at his children and grandchildren present, feeling quite reluctant to let them go.

At this moment, a childish voice suddenly came: "Where are grandparents going? Your grandson wants to go too!"

"Fool, you can't go this time!" Hearing this, Liu Chong felt even more sad.

At this time, another voice came: "Grandfather, why don't you take a look at your Majesty's letter? Why have you made a preconceived conclusion at this time?"

Liu Chong was stunned when he heard this.

Then he hurriedly opened the emperor's letter, and saw eight words written on it - Lian Po is old, can he still eat?
Liu Chong was stunned, then he couldn't wait to open the other sealed package brought by Chen Lin. He looked carefully and saw a thick stack of papers inside, which recorded the geography of the Western Regions and the affairs of various countries.

Liu Chong suddenly burst into laughter.

Liu Chong was not a fool. He understood the emperor's intention as soon as he saw it. Although he had lived in seclusion in recent years, he was still a local vassal king after all, and was very sensitive to some news. Moreover, the State of Chen was in a strategic location in the Central Plains, and many things could not be bypassed by the State of Chen.

When Liu Chong was asked to measure the land, he was afraid that it was a test from the emperor, so he did not take the initiative. But now, the emperor was willing to give him a chance. If he did not seize it, he would never get another chance.

Mixed between sadness and joy, Chen Chong thought, is he willing to die in mediocrity, or does he want to fight before he dies?
Finally, after a night of deep contemplation, Chen Wangchong personally approached Chen Lin and said, "I am already past the age of knowing my destiny. The emperor has a will, and I am willing to sacrifice my life to follow him. But my children and grandchildren may not be able to endure such hardship..."

After all, he was old. When he was young, if there was such an opportunity, he would dare to bring all his descendants to the Western Regions to show his determination. But now, he didn't dare to take such a gamble.

Seeing Liu Chong's statement, Chen Lin immediately responded, "Your Majesty, rest assured. Your trip to the Western Regions is for the sake of the country. I will never let your Majesty down. The prosperity of the Chen Kingdom will naturally continue to be passed down in Chen."

"It's just that the Western Regions lack Han people after all, so Your Majesty needs to bring more people. But Your Majesty is capable, and governing a country will surely be a piece of cake by then!"

"Moreover, Your Majesty is already an elder of the royal family and has great prestige among them. If you raise your arm and call for action, why worry that all the descendants of the Liu family in the world will not gather in the Western Regions?"

Liu Chong understood that the emperor’s promise was already very clear; once they arrived in the Western Regions, they would be the true kings of a country.

Liu Chong was also very decisive. Since he had made up his mind and wanted to make use of his remaining energy, he gathered his descendants that day and announced his decision.

Just as he expected, his children and grandchildren were addicted to the wealth of the palace and unable to extricate themselves. Instead, the two grandsons who expressed their willingness to go with him last night were the ones who were willing to go. The former was young, which was fine, but the latter had already made Liu Chong look at him differently yesterday, and today he decisively agreed to their request to follow.

At the same time, Zhang Rang, who was still staying in Youzhou, was asking Liu Duan, the Marquis of Hefei, "Does your Excellency have any interest in the Western Regions?"

As the lord of a marquisate, Liu Duan had dreamed of ruling the marquisate when he was a child.

But after the Hefei rebellion, Liu Duan knew his own abilities very well. If he were to go to a place like the Western Regions, he would only dare to try it in his dreams. Here, most people would take his identity into consideration, but that might not be the case in the Western Regions.

Liu Duan immediately replied: "Don't be ridiculous, sir. With my ability, going to the Western Regions would only add to the joke."

Although he was no longer willing to be a marquis with only a nominal title in the Marquisate of Hefei and wanted to make a name for himself, he did not want to die before achieving his goal.

Zhang Rang thought about it and agreed with Liu Duan's self-judgment. After being together for such a long time, Zhang Rang had developed some feelings for Liu Duan. Seeing that Liu Duan was not arrogant enough to dare to go to the Western Regions, he was also very satisfied with Liu Duan's self-knowledge.

He kindly reminded: "Although the Western Regions are far away, there are places nearby."

Liu Duan was very puzzled after hearing this.

But Zhang Rang pointed to the east.

Liu Duan hesitated and said, "What you are referring to, are you referring to the north and south of Xuantu and Lelang counties?"

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, he led his army to destroy Wei Man Joseon and established four counties in its old territory: Lelang, Xuantu, Lintun, and Zhenfan. During the reign of Emperor Zhao, Lintun and Zhenfan counties were abolished and merged into Xuantu and Lelang counties.

Later, Xuantu County moved all the way inland to Liaodong, and finally waited for Zhao Yun to return to his homeland with Xuantu County.

However, Xuantu and Lelang counties did not completely occupy the peninsula, and there were still vast tracts of land in the south and north.

Zhang Rang said, "That's right!"

But Liu Duan was still a little hesitant. In his opinion, the best thing for him was to stay in the prefectures and counties and serve as an official. As long as he could stay in Han territory, he would be willing to be an official of two thousand stones.

"Mr. Zhang, is there any way without going out of the border?" Liu Duan asked tentatively.

Zhang Rang sneered when he heard this: "Of course there is!"

Liu Duan was overjoyed when he heard this and bowed, "Please teach me!"

"Go back to your Marquisate of Hefei! This is a title that many people dream of!" Zhang Rang said sarcastically. Even he was only a Marquis of Duxiang, one level lower than a Marquis of Xian.

When Liu Duan heard this, he panicked and immediately spoke well of Zhang Rang. However, Zhang Rang had no intention of arguing with Liu Duan. He was just a little angry because Liu Duan was unwilling to follow his advice.

Then he said to Liu Duan: "Immigration to Youzhou is of utmost importance, and it is also the focus of your attention. If this matter can be done, what you ask for may not be impossible. Not to mention that your majesty is determined to reform, even in the old system of our Han Dynasty, there are stories of royal princes not serving the country but serving as officials in the court."

Liu Duan thanked him immediately.

Then he followed Zhang Rang out.

As Zhang Rang said, they have the responsibility to supervise the immigration of Youzhou. If they do well, their contribution may not be great, but if they do not do well, their fault will definitely be great.

However, during this process, Liu Duan discovered that many talented people were involved in immigration matters and they spoke very nicely. Liu Duan really liked talking to them.

That day, Liu Duan came to another place. Looking at a strong man who came to greet him, Liu Duan pursed his lips. He didn't like talking to this man named Dian Wei because Dian Wei spoke unpleasantly.

(End of this chapter)