Chapter 5216 The Policy of Establishing a State

Chapter 5216 The Policy of Establishing a State
The feudal system originated in the Zhou Dynasty, but the Zhou Dynasty's enfeoffment of the world was tantamount to the division of a country and the fragmentation of territory. Within the fiefdoms, people only knew the feudal lords and not the Zhou king. The system varied from place to place and person to person, and the degree of autonomy was too high. Naturally, the Tang Dynasty could not inherit its system.

The most relevant examples are the Han Dynasty, especially the Western Han Dynasty.

During the Chu-Han Contention, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu and gained control of the country by relying on his many generals and the vassal kings who had betrayed Xiang Yu. After the war, he had to enfeoff the group of generals with the highest merits as vassal kings, but he was suspicious of the vassal kings of different surnames and feared that they would rebel. He gradually eliminated the vassal kings of different surnames by means of execution or reduction of their territory, and enfeoffed the Liu clan members instead.

He also killed a white horse, swore an oath of blood with his ministers, and made a vow that "anyone who is not of the Liu family will be attacked by the whole world," thus consolidating the central government of the Western Han Dynasty.

Therefore, when Emperor Taizong granted the "feudal system" to members of the imperial clan and allowed meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era to hold "hereditary governorships," it was met with fierce opposition from his ministers. It was easy to establish a "king of a different surname" today, but if the emperor became suspicious in the future, it would not be as simple as just taking back the title of "king of a different surname"...

……

Ma Zhou shook his head and said, "The policies of the Han Dynasty in establishing the country can certainly be learned from, but they cannot be generalized or copied blindly. They must be adapted to local conditions and different times, otherwise there will be endless troubles."

At that time, the vassal states enfeoffed by the Liu clan occupied half of the territory of the Han Dynasty, and most of them were wealthy and populous regions, such as Qi, Chu, and Wu. They could appoint their own officials, collect taxes, and even have their own armies, which led to the rapid formation of a situation of "weak trunk and strong branches" and directly triggered the Rebellion of the Seven States during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han.

"Establishing fiefdoms and creating states" was meant to protect the country from external threats and safeguard its stability, not to cultivate traitors who would turn against the central government...

Li Ji, who had rarely participated in court affairs, spoke up at this time: "The king may have a private guard, but the army of the fiefdom shall be under the control of the central government. Its commanders and generals shall be appointed by the Ministry of War, and the army shall be dispatched from the local area. The military system shall be based on the 'recruitment system', and the military pay shall be collected from the local area and then withheld and distributed in the name of the central government."

At present, the military system of the Tang Dynasty still consisted of both the "Fubing system" and the "recruited soldiers system," with the vast majority of the army still following the "Fubing system." However, the "Fubing system" was more suitable for chaotic times and the early days of the dynasty. As the country stabilized and the population increased, the shortcomings of the "Fubing system" began to be magnified infinitely, and it was inevitable that it would eventually be completely replaced by the "recruited soldiers system."

However, the biggest limitation of the "volunteer army system" is military pay.

How did the army under the "Fubing system" dare to fight fearlessly?

Because its implementation was based on the "equal-field system," military merits could be converted into land. Not only could they be granted land, but they were also "exempt from taxes and corvée labor." They cultivated the land during farming seasons and went to war during wartime. The outcome of the war was closely related to their own interests, so they fought "until their blood ran dry and they died," which could unleash extremely strong fighting power.

The advantage of the "volunteer system" lies in "payment". As long as one joins the army, one can receive a monthly salary. If one person in each family is in the army, the salary can support the family's livelihood more than enough.

However, this is also the drawback. Having experienced the chaos of war, Li Ji understood the nature of soldiers better than anyone else: "Whose money they take and whose orders they obey" was the rule. The central government could not bear the military pay of many vassal states, but military pay should absolutely not be allowed to be directly distributed to soldiers by the vassal states.

He participated in the "Military System Reform Committee" initiated by Fang Jun, whose main purpose was to prevent the Zhechong Prefectures, which were spread throughout the Tang Dynasty, from being influenced by local officials and powerful families, thus creating the problem of the army being dependent on local authorities.

By then, will the army still be the nation's army?
They all became local warlords, or even private armies...

Ma Zhou added: "The power to levy taxes should also be returned to the central government. Once it is delegated to the fiefdoms, it is inevitable that scandals of excessive taxation and layer-by-layer levies will occur. If this causes public outrage and resentment, it will violate His Majesty's original intention of 'establishing fiefdoms and kingdoms'."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Don't be fooled by the fact that these princes seem harmless like lambs in Chang'an, obedient, sensible, and clever. Once they leave Chang'an and arrive in their own lands, they become true "chosen ones" and "bloodlines of the emperor," with incomparably noble status. They might not dare to plot rebellion, but they are absolutely capable of oppressing the people and plundering the land...

Some even harbored resentment and complaints about His Majesty's policy of "feudalism." Why not just maintain the status quo? Why must these princes be released?

At best, they will bring disaster to the world and oppress the people; at worst, they will seize power in a region and endanger the country. They are truly asking for trouble...

However, everyone understands His Majesty's intention in doing this: to demonstrate to the world his "benevolent" and "generous" nature. This is the most important source of His Majesty's prestige now. Whether it is true or not, everyone is willing to see such an emperor.

So even though they disagreed with the policy of "feudal rule," they reluctantly accepted it.

It's better than a cold-blooded, ruthless emperor who kills countless people, isn't it?

Li Chengqian recalled Fang Jun's advice and warned him: "The right to mint coins must belong to the central government. No vassal state or local government has the right to mint coins."

The ministers suddenly realized what was happening and exclaimed, "Your Majesty is wise!"

The root causes of the chaos in the vassal states are threefold: the military, finance, and governance. If these three powers are centralized, the vassal kings, residing in the localities and establishing their own states, can only serve to stabilize the morale of the army and live a life of leisure and wealth. However, if they harbor any wicked intentions, they will be powerless to act.

Ma Zhou said, “When vassal kings are granted fiefdoms and establish states, the court should make regulations. While the position of their ruler shall be inherited by the crown prince, other sons should also be granted fiefdoms, thereby demonstrating Your Majesty’s original intention of loving your brothers and protecting your blood relatives.”

The "Decree of Grace" was a well-known strategic move that targeted the "establishment of fiefdoms" and aimed to prevent vassal states from becoming too powerful and to prevent them from becoming internally divided.

In this way, the feudal states are bound by layers of restrictions, ensuring absolute safety.

Li Chengqian readily agreed, "That's exactly right!"

Then he said to Liu Ji, "Draft a policy on the enfeoffment of the state according to this procedure, and then submit it to the Council of State Affairs for the prime ministers to check for omissions and deficiencies. It must be completed within this year."

"Here."

Liu Ji accepted the order.

Li Chengqian then said to Li Xiaogong, "While the Council of State Affairs is drafting the regulations, Uncle, don't be idle either. Let's start the selection of officials within the fiefdom at the same time. After all, personnel are the foundation of all affairs. Only by selecting the right people and enabling them to prepare and take up their posts as soon as possible can the construction of the fiefdom be stable."

All the territories of the fiefdoms are outside the national territory. Establishing a fiefdom is like starting from scratch. Only after the local area is stabilized and everything is on track can the princes be appointed and sent to the fiefdom.

"Here..."

The already frail and elderly Li Xiaogong raised his eyelids and responded weakly.

The others looked at Li Xiaogong with envy. The matter of the officials of the fiefdom was making a great fuss, and countless families were manipulating the selection process openly and secretly. Holding the power to select officials of the fiefdom, they were bound to gain countless favors and benefits.

Li Chengqian asked with concern, "Your Highness does not look well. Are you feeling unwell? I will have the imperial physician come and examine you later to ensure your well-being. Your Highness is a meritorious official of the Tang Dynasty and a pillar of my state. You must take good care of your health."

Li Xiaogong said gratefully, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. However, I am in good health. It's just that the weather turned cold today and I caught a cold. I have already consulted the imperial physician and received some medicine. I will recover in a few days."

"Very well. Let's leave this matter here for now and discuss it again after the Council of State has drafted the specific regulations. My dear ministers, please go about your business... Grand Secretary, please wait a moment, I have something to tell you."

"Yes, Your Majesty. We take our leave."

After everyone had left, Li Chengqian asked Liu Ji with a smile, "What official position does your son hold now?"

Liu Ji's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, my son is dull-witted, neither good at literature nor martial arts. Relying on my patronage, he is now serving as the Director of the Ministry of Personnel. Although he is diligent, he has made no achievements and is extremely ashamed."

"Hey, why be so harsh, my dear minister?"

Li Chengqian waved his hand, took a sip of tea, and said casually, "Mountains have different heights and waters have different depths. The same rice can feed a hundred different kinds of people. How can everyone be a hero? I have heard that your two sons are brothers who are friendly and respectful, loyal and filial. That is enough. Look at the ministers in the court. They are all outstanding figures of their time, but how many of them have good but useless children? It is not necessarily a bad thing if they can honestly protect their family business and rely on their fathers' wealth and security."

Liu Ji was suspicious. Was this implying something?

If so, then who are you referring to?
"Your Majesty flatters me; I am unworthy of such praise!"

"My dear minister, as the Grand Secretary, overseeing all affairs and holding the position of prime minister, you refuse to seek a high-ranking official position for your own son. I deeply admire such a pure and simple heart. However, as the Son of Heaven, ruling over the world, I should treat everyone equally, but how can I allow my ministers to suffer injustice? But if I were to grant favors to your son and seek a position in the capital, it would inevitably attract the attention of the censors and officials of the Censorate. At that time, impeachments would be rampant, creating a chaotic and troublesome situation. Fortunately, this time, we are selecting officials for the fiefdoms. Let your second son go to Japan with the Prince of Wei to serve as a Grand Secretary."

Liu Ji was terrified and said, "My son is foolish and dull-witted; how could he be qualified for such an important position? I beg Your Majesty to rescind your decree!"

According to the official system of the feudal states in the Han Dynasty, the "Langzhongling" was the head of the military officers responsible for guarding the palaces of the feudal lords. Although his rank was not prominent, he was actually extremely important.

While he was grateful to His Majesty for his consideration in offering to help his subjects obtain official positions, he dared not entrust his own son with such an important task.

Li Chengqian didn't take it seriously and said, "I will inform the Prince of Hejian directly about this matter. There is no need for you to say anything. As for your eldest son, he will be wronged for a few years while serving as the Director of the Ministry of Justice. When you retire in the future, I will reward him accordingly."

What else could Liu Ji say?

He rose from his seat, knelt on the ground, and said in a choked voice, "Your Majesty is kind and benevolent, a wise and virtuous ruler rarely seen throughout history. It is my great fortune to be able to serve Your Majesty with my frail body. I will repay Your Majesty with this body, devoting myself to the utmost and dying without hesitation!"

At that moment, he was truly moved.

With such a compassionate and caring ruler, one would be willing to sacrifice one's life even at the cost of one's life.