Emperor Zhaolie of the late Han Dynasty: Rising to power in Liaoxi

Chapter 73 Liaoxi is too limiting

Even so, Liu Bei still observed the proper etiquette.

Then, he bowed and asked Hou Chong, "My lord, of the five thousand cavalrymen under my command, most are Xianbei loyalists, with only a little over a thousand Han soldiers!"

"Now that we have returned to our prefecture, the imperial decree has not yet been issued, and we do not know how to make our way. Please give us your instructions, sir."

Hou Chong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke slowly with a calm expression: "Xuande need not worry. In border regions, practicality is always the priority."

"Until the official appointment is issued by the court, these five thousand troops will remain under your command. They will not be divided or registered in the county or prefecture's military register. They can be stationed in the camp outside Yangle City."

"Firstly, with this elite force stationed outside, it can deter the remnants of the Xianbei tribes beyond the Great Wall and ensure the safety of the Liaoxi border."

"Secondly, with troops gathered in your hands, morale will not be low, combat strength will not be diminished, and you will be able to deal with unexpected changes. This is a foolproof plan."

Liu Bei nodded slightly and continued, "What you say is absolutely right, sir."

"But once the imperial edict arrives, Yan Gang will go to Liaodong to serve as governor, and Zou Dan will also go to Shanggu to serve as commandant."

"As the generals go to their new posts, I have a plan for the division and relocation of this army, and I would like to hear your opinion, sir."

"Tell me your thoughts, and I will offer my advice," Hou Chong said, gesturing with his hand, his eyes full of expectation.

Liu Bei spoke frankly and clearly: "The border region of Liaodong is bitterly cold and surrounded by the Xianbei. Yan Gang will find it difficult to establish himself alone when he takes up his post. We must send some of our elite troops to accompany him in order to stabilize the situation in the border region."

"In my humble opinion, eight hundred men would be more appropriate!"

"Shanggu is the throat of the northern frontier, directly facing the Xianbei in the central region. When Zou Dan took office as the commander, he also needed to take a group of trusted soldiers with him to guard the pass and consolidate the defense line."

"These two must split up their forces."

Upon hearing this, Hou Chong stroked his beard smugly and said, "Shanggu is unnecessary; this is the Hou family's ancestral home!"

"I have a good relationship with Prefect Gao Yan, and I believe he will support Zou Dan!"

Liu Bei praised, "The Hou family is of high standing and learned; this makes things much simpler for Zou Dan!"

"As for Cheng Pu, Han Dang, Xu Rong, and Tian Yu, I believe that their final fate depends on where they are enfeoffed."

"If it is within the territory of western Liaoning, the prefecture does not need to keep too many troops; a thousand men will suffice!"

"The remaining elite soldiers were all given to the four men to lead and dispersed to various counties in western Liaoning."

He raised his eyes and revealed the deeper plan: "This arrangement has two major benefits."

"Firstly, the prefectural government has limited funds and resources. Supporting five thousand elite troops would be extremely costly. Deploying the main force to other areas would greatly reduce the burden on the prefectural government, avoid disturbing the people's livelihood, and prevent depletion of the treasury."

"Secondly, now that the refugees in western Liaoning are gradually settling down and people are looking forward to stability, we can recruit able-bodied men from among them, reorganize and train the local county troops, expand them to three thousand, and strengthen the city's defenses."

"In this way, with battle-hardened cavalry on the outside and newly formed county troops on the inside, the combination of real and feints will not only not reduce the strength of the troops truly under Liaoxi's control, but will become even stronger."

Upon hearing this, Hou Chong clapped his hands and sighed deeply, his eyes full of approval: "Excellent! What a far-sighted plan!"

"Xuande's plan takes into account military power, people's livelihood, treasury, and border defense, covering all aspects."

"I was worried that splitting up the troops would shake morale, but now it seems I was overthinking it."

"You are in charge of this matter. Once the imperial edict is issued, you are free to make all the necessary arrangements. The prefecture will not interfere and will fully support you."

Liu Bei bowed and thanked him, feeling a great weight lifted from his heart.

Having military power is the foundation for survival in chaotic times. Hou Chong's delegation of power demonstrates his trust and cultivation of him.

With the matter of the troops settled, Hou Chong changed the subject and spoke of the 60,000 Xianbei elderly, weak, women and children, his expression solemn.

"Xuande, the army is easy to manage, but foreign tribes are difficult to subdue."

"What are your plans regarding the 60,000 surrendered Xianbei outside the city?"

"According to the old practice of the Han Dynasty, when the border counties captured Hu people, they were mostly enslaved in various counties and forts and forced to do hard labor. This served both to punish their crimes and to replenish the labor force."

"You've been fighting far from home and are unaware of the hardships faced by the people of this region. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this."

Without hesitation, Liu Bei shook his head in rejection, his tone firm and his vision far-reaching: "My lord, you must not demote him to a servant."

"In my opinion, these 60,000 troops are not a burden on Liaoxi, but rather the foundation for Liaoxi's future. They should be gradually absorbed and incorporated into our own forces, rather than treated harshly as slaves and sowing the seeds of future trouble."

"Today they may seem to be nothing but the old, weak, women and children, with no fighting power, but as time goes by, in two or three years, the children in the tribe will grow into strong knights, who will be the best source of soldiers for our army."

"Women are good at herding, and the elderly are good at raising livestock. With them around, the cattle, sheep, and warhorses of Liaoxi will surely be plentiful and fill the treasury."

"If we demote them to servants, they will harbor resentment, which will inevitably lead to internal strife in the future, and the losses will outweigh the gains."

He slowly revealed his conciliatory strategy: "My plan is to allocate a portion of the cattle, sheep, and warhorses we have previously captured to return to the various tribes."

"Then, along the banks of the Liao River, we designated areas with abundant water and grass suitable for farming and grazing, and allowed them to settle there, combining farming and animal husbandry to achieve self-sufficiency."

"There is no system of slavery, no harsh policies, only a clear law: each year a fixed amount of cattle and sheep shall be paid as tribute to the prefecture, and all other produce shall be kept as private property."

"By providing them with a livelihood and restraining their actions with laws and regulations, and by combining kindness and severity, within three years these 60,000 people will be completely won over and become citizens of Liaoxi, rather than captives with ulterior motives."

Hou Chong listened intently, nodded slowly, and approved of the plan, but still earnestly instructed, "Your plan is far-sighted and in line with the way of governing the border regions. I agree with it."

"But remember this: those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts. We must not be excessive in our kindness, and we must not neglect education."

"After settling down, the Han dynasty's rites and laws, as well as the regulations of the prefectures and counties, must be implemented throughout the entire territory."

"Make sure they know their place and follow the rules. Never let them run wild and raise a tiger that will eventually harm them. You must remember this."

"Your son-in-law will remember your teachings, sir. We must use both laws and moral education to guide and discipline, and we will never tolerate any wrongdoing," Liu Bei solemnly replied.

Hou Chong sighed softly, looked at the map, and said with regret, "What a pity that the three counties of Tuhe, Bintu, and Changli in western Liaoning were once placed under the jurisdiction of the Liaodong Dependent State."

"Those three places have fertile soil and vast pastures, which were originally excellent places to settle the Xianbei herdsmen, but now they cannot be used by us."

Then, he changed the subject and pointed out a way out for Liu Bei: "However, Gongsha Mu, the Commandant of Liaodong, is a wise and virtuous man who is skilled in the art of pacifying and governing the people. He is broad-minded and has always valued the stability of the border regions."

"If you wish to use the Tuhe River area to relocate and resettle the Xianbei people and alleviate the pressure on Liaoxi, this is a very worthwhile endeavor."

"Wang Lie and Gongshamu have a long-standing friendship, and he is eloquent. If this matter is entrusted to him to mediate, it will surely be successful."

Liu Bei felt a sudden sense of relief, but he also muttered to himself.

Liaodong was the place where Gongsun Zan rose to power.

Liaoxi is too limiting; after all the twists and turns, we still need to seize Gongsun Zan's opportunity.