readytorunbook Chapter 625 Hereditary Succession, Sharing the Same Fate as the Nation
Chapter 625 Hereditary Succession, Sharing the Same Fate as the Nation
When it came to choosing a person to permanently govern Funan, Liu Bei had another headache.
This matter requires a duke to be sent over; a marquis would not be able to handle it. But the question is, would someone who is already a duke really go to such a poor and remote place to do such a hard job?
Zhang Fei said in a gruff voice, "Why bother with that? Isn't Mi Wei in Funan? Just let him garrison it directly, won't that be enough?"
Liu Bei shook his head and said, "Mi Wei is absolutely not an option. Mi Fang has already basically taken control of Lin Yi. If Mi Wei were to take control of Funan as well, it would mean that one family would control two countries. Doing so would pose too great a risk and is not advisable. Besides, Zi Zhong (Mi Zhu) only has one son, Mi Wei. We can't just send him to the border. I'll discuss this with Xian He (Jian Yong) later. It's getting late, so everyone should go back and rest."
Jian Yong couldn't possibly go. Liu Bei still needed him, so he couldn't be sent to that remote corner of Funan. Besides, Jian Yong was too old and his health couldn't handle it.
However, Jian Yong has a son. It should be fine to transfer Jian Yong's title of Duke to his eldest son, Jian Huan, so that Jian Huan can replace Jian Yong as the hereditary governor of Funan.
Previously, when the emperor was enthroned and lavishly bestowed titles, the civil and military officials had reservations about Jian Yong and Sun Qian being granted the title of Duke. They felt that the two men's merits were too small and that it was inappropriate for them to be granted the title of Duke based solely on their seniority. Now, let their descendants contribute to the court.
First, throw away Jian Yong's title of Duke, then find another place to throw away Sun Qian's title of Duke as well. This is equivalent to abolishing the titles of the two in a roundabout way. At least their descendants will no longer stay in the court and consume the resources of the Han Dynasty's core territory. After all, the salary and privileges of a Duke are very high.
Wouldn't it save money and power by sending the two dukes abroad?
After a night of contemplation, Liu Bei realized that with so much land on Earth, the imperial court simply couldn't manage it all.
Moreover, he had many brothers who followed him in conquering the world. If all of them were granted titles, the court's finances would not be able to support it. But not granting titles was not an option either. This created a situation where there were many titles of duke, marquis, and earl within the Han Dynasty, and a lot of unclaimed land outside the Han Dynasty. Isn't that a coincidence?
These generals who were granted titles were considered shareholders who started the business with him. If the business succeeded, they would receive dividends. But what if Liu Bei didn't want to receive dividends and wanted to keep all the shares? He sent these shareholders abroad to start a second business.
perfect!
Therefore, at dawn, Liu Bei summoned Jian Yong to the palace to discuss the issue of Funan. Jian Yong could not resist the temptation of the eight words "to govern Funan for generations and share the fate of the country" and immediately agreed on behalf of his son.
Subsequently, Liu Bei issued an edict abolishing Jian Yong's title of Duke of Yan and passing it on to his son Jian Huan. After inheriting the title, Jian Huan immediately went to Funan to serve as the ruler of Funan. He could learn from the Three Departments and Six Ministries and establish the Three Offices and Six Halls to build his own governing team.
At the same time, an imperial edict was issued to Qu Lian and Mi Fang, naming Mi Fang's unborn son Mi Zhong and bestowing upon him the title of Marquis of Xianglin. Qu Lian was to continue serving as the King of Linyi, and after his death, he was to be buried with royal honors. Then, the kingdom was abolished and inherited by his grandson, Mi Fang's son, Marquis of Xianglin, Mi Zhong. The title of Marquis of Xianglin was to be hereditary and perpetual, lasting as long as the kingdom remained.
Liu Bei had even chosen a name for Mi Fang's son, but naming him Mi Zhong was somewhat ironic.
But this indirectly reassured Qu Lian and Mi Fang, telling them to work hard because they were working for their descendants.
But the prerequisite is that Mi Fang's unborn child must be a boy; it would be awkward if it were a girl.
The two imperial edicts caused an uproar in the court. This was no longer a disguised form of enfeoffment, but a genuine granting of fiefdoms to princes, with hereditary succession and the fate of the state intertwined. From now on, Jian Huan would have to be treated with the respect due to a monarch.
Although Funan is remote, as long as the benefits are sufficient, the Han gentry are not afraid of difficulties or remoteness.
It is important to know that the Han Dynasty also originated from the Zhou Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty has fallen, the Zhou rites still influence all aspects of life. The Han Dynasty's weddings, funerals, sacrificial ceremonies and other rituals still bear the shadow of the Zhou rites.
The Zhou rites were designed for the rulers and feudal lords. It's important to know that many of the feudal lords of the Zhou Dynasty were included in the Imperial Annals. Even if Jian Huan, the ruler of Funan, wasn't included in the Imperial Annals, he would still have his own biography in the future. That's quite tempting...
Although the vassal states of the Zhou Dynasty have all been destroyed, they were once glorious. Some of these vassal states even lasted for more than five hundred years, while the Han Dynasty has only been established for four hundred years.
What does it mean that Jian Huan has now been enfeoffed as the ruler of Funan? It means that the Jian family will be glorious for at least several hundred years. Several hundred years! That's a long time that any aristocratic family would risk their lives for.
There's also Xianglin Marquis Mi Zhong. His father, Mi Fang, was stripped of all his official positions after becoming a traitor, but he was not only unaffected but also became the hereditary Marquis of Xianglin. What kind of world is this?
The thought of becoming a king filled the court officials with envy, their eyes practically red with jealousy. After their envy subsided, they almost instinctively set their sights on the territories that had not yet been granted territory, such as Japan and the Kushan Empire.
All the officials in the court knew that the core territory of the thirteen provinces of the Han Dynasty could not be sealed off; the only place that could be sealed off was the territory outside the capital.
But overseas land is still land. Once it's in the area, with the advanced agricultural tools of the Han Dynasty, it can be developed in just a few decades, after which all the profits will come from it.
More importantly, even if the vassal state is destroyed in the future, descendants can still proudly say when talking to others, "I am a descendant of such and such a ruler, and my ancestors were such and such..."
Therefore, Liu Bei's imperial edict of enfeoffment was like a depth charge exploding in a lake, instantly creating a huge wave and making officials in the court look at foreign countries with a green light.
At the same time, Jian Yong's residence became bustling with visitors, with officials, gentry, and wandering knights coming to see him.
Liu Bei's imperial edict stated that after Jian Huan arrived in Funan, he should learn from the Three Departments and Six Ministries and establish the Three Offices and Six Bureaus. This would have created so many jobs out of thin air!
Therefore, scholars and wandering knights who believed they had some talent but felt their talents were not recognized set their sights on these positions, trying to follow Jian Huan to Funan to make a name for themselves and secure a future.
Scholars and wandering knights from humble backgrounds wanted to go to Funan to make a living, and the major aristocratic families were no exception. They all brought their illegitimate sons to the Jian family for selection, hoping to contribute to the development of Funan.
The aristocratic families have always liked to invest in multiple sectors, and with so many members that the families simply can't manage them all, they naturally want to seize any opportunity that comes their way.
While everyone was busy trying to curry favor with the Jian family, Jian Yong brought his eldest son, Jian Huan, to visit Guan Xing at the Shence Marquis's residence.
Jian Yong was a shrewd old fox. After the plowing ceremony yesterday, he saw Liu Bei summon Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhuge Liang, and Guan Xing to the palace for a discussion. This morning, Liu Bei appointed his son as the ruler. What does this mean? It means that Liu Bei had already discussed this matter with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhuge Liang, and Guan Xing last night.
So after bidding farewell to Liu Bei, he went to find Zhang Fei and showered him with compliments until Zhang Fei was completely flattered. Soon after, he revealed to Jian Yong that the enfeoffment was Guan Xing's suggestion and asked him to go and discuss it with Guan Xing.
So Jian Yong brought his son to see Guan Xing. The purpose of the visit was simple: he wanted Guan Xing to give him some advice on how to govern Funan.
Jian Huan has never been a ruler before, and now that he's been forced into this position, he's somewhat at a loss. It's always good to listen to other people's opinions.