Chapter 29: The Xiongnu Attack

The two men walked slowly into the side hall of the Lin-Hua Palace, entering Lu Xuan’s room.

Lu Xuan’s injuries had mostly healed by now. The external wounds caused by the car accident had closed, and although there is a saying that it takes one hundred days for bones and tendons to mend, Lu Xuan felt his body was in excellent condition, save for the fact that he still could not see the outside world.

He lay quietly on the bed, humming a song from his past life, feeling quite content. In two months, his sight would be restored! He counted the days silently, never missing one; since the physician had explicitly stated recovery would occur within three months, he chose to believe it. In two months, he would finally be able to see the Great Emperor Hongwu.

Feeling at ease, Lu Xuan sighed at the passage of time. It had gone by in a flash. From confusion, despair, and helplessness to the warmth provided by Uncle Ji and Uncle Fang, and the hope for the future—sometimes, people grow through the experiences they endure.

As he pondered these things, he heard footsteps. He smiled, sat up, and straightened his posture. "Uncle Fang, Uncle Ji, you’ve come."

"Yes, Master Lu. We were just considering a question."

"You said that in the future, the Fourth Prince will ascend to the throne."

"What if the Emperor were to learn of this in advance? If the Fourth Prince were incompetent after taking the throne, that would be one thing, but the Fourth Prince is remarkably talented in both civil and military affairs. If, at that time, you have also cured the Crown Prince’s illness, the 'Jingnan Campaign' of the future will not occur. How then should the Emperor treat the Fourth Prince?"

"If we let the Fourth Prince study military strategy, I fear history will repeat itself. If we force him to focus solely on literature, the capital is clearly the best place for that, which could easily lead him to harbor rebellious ambitions. We cannot demote him to a commoner, nor can we heavily invest in his training, as that would grant him the power to seize the throne..."

Liu Bang spoke slowly. When he had jokingly told Lady Bo earlier that he would send the fourth son, Liu Heng, to the frontier to gain military experience, it was merely a jest. According to Lu Xuan, Liu Heng possessed significant leadership abilities. If he were to send Liu Heng to the frontier, wouldn't he be fostering the very power to command armies from a young age? He was struggling with how to arrange things for Liu Heng; he was truly at a loss.

Hearing this, Lu Xuan’s expression turned serious. He had been pondering this very matter for some time; the Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, was indeed difficult to place.

After a long silence, an idea suddenly struck Lu Xuan. "Why not provide the Fourth Prince with sufficient elite troops and let him venture beyond the borders to establish his own state?"

"And promise him that any land he conquers will belong to him alone."

"Uncle Ji, Uncle Fang, what do you think?"

In truth, Lu Xuan did not know the best way to settle Zhu Di, but this was his preliminary thought.

It was inspired by history. It was the Zhou Dynasty that truly forged the "Huaxia" ideology and defined the initial borders of the future Chinese territory. Throughout history, the greatest contributor to the vast land of China was the Zhou Dynasty. Although they did not invent the feudal system, they utilized it to make a massive contribution to Huaxia. Because the Zhou policy allowed feudal lords to keep the lands they annexed from surrounding foreign tribes, the territory of the Zhou grew ever larger.

Why was the State of Chu so powerful during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods? It was also due to this policy of enfeoffment. It was an ideology of constant outward expansion that did not require the central government to provide much support or expend excessive effort. However, with the establishment of the unified Qin and Han dynasties, a new ideology emerged, and the old feudal system vanished. From then on, expanding territory became much more difficult, constrained by too many factors.

Lu Xuan felt that if he applied this feudal system to Zhu Di, it might lead to a different outcome. What if Zhu Di actually broke through all of Southeast Asia? Perhaps these lands would eventually become part of the nation's territory. He was borrowing from the expansionist models of the Zhou and Chu, though this was just an idea—he was unsure of its feasibility, which was why he was asking Uncle Fang and Uncle Ji for their opinions.

"This..." Liu Bang’s eyes brightened. It seemed like a very good idea.

Currently, the Han Dynasty utilized a "commandery-kingdom system," employing both enfeoffment and the commandery-county system. Under this dual system, while the commanderies were under direct central control, the kingdoms had a certain degree of independence. Nominally, however, the Emperor remained the supreme owner of all land. For instance, if the states of Chu or Qi annexed foreign land, that new territory belonged to the Han Dynasty, not to the states themselves. Since there was no benefit in doing so, only the expenditure of their own strength, the feudal lords were naturally unwilling to expand.

But if the new land belonged to the lord himself? Then Liu Heng’s talent for leading armies would actually serve a purpose.

"I think this suggestion is excellent," Liu Bang said with a smile. However, Zhang Liang shook his head. "If the Fourth Prince’s kingdom adopts such a system, over time, another dynasty similar to the Han might emerge, and the two would inevitably clash."

Zhang Liang’s concern was valid. If the feudal states kept new lands for themselves, their power would swell, eventually threatening the central authority. The Han Dynasty would gradually become like the Zhou, where the Emperor could no longer restrain the lords.

"Wouldn't we just use the 'Edict of Grace' at that point? Uncle Fang, are you not familiar with the Edict of Grace?"

"Once the Fourth Prince passes away, we begin implementing the Edict of Grace."

Lu Xuan wondered aloud. The Edict of Grace was proposed during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han; surely Uncle Fang would know it. Historically, when Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty attempted to reduce the power of the princes, he did not use the Edict of Grace because the Ming princes were supported by stipends but had no actual land or authority over the people. However, if Zhu Di were to obtain a kingdom with actual territory, subjects, and armies—much like the lords of the Han—then once Zhu Di died, the Edict of Grace could be implemented to divide his land, and the problem would be solved.

"I know of the Edict of Grace. Yes, indeed, that would be the time to use it," Zhang Liang nodded. In his heart, he had no idea what this "Edict of Grace" was, but it seemed like a brilliant policy. He would need to find a way to learn more about it from Lu Xuan.

Liu Bang also realized the importance of this "Edict of Grace." What was it? It sounded incredibly useful. Perhaps he should take this opportunity to ask?

Liu Bang suddenly pinched Zhang Liang, signaling him with a look. Zhang Liang understood perfectly and said, "Master Lu, I must return for a moment."

"Very well, Uncle Fang, goodbye," Lu Xuan waved.

Once Zhang Liang had left, Liu Bang patted Lu Xuan on the thigh and smiled. "Master Lu, I don't know much about history, not as much as old Fang. What exactly is this Edict of Grace?"

"Is it very useful?"

"Why don't you tell me about it?"

Liu Bang beamed, feeling smug. Look at that—the wisdom he had just displayed was surely no less than that of the Marquis of Liu! Asking about the Edict of Grace this way was perfectly natural and wouldn't reveal anything.

"The Edict of Grace? If you want to hear about it, Uncle, I can certainly explain it to you." Lu Xuan was a grateful person; Uncle Ji had saved his life, so he would not refuse such a request.

"The so-called Edict of Grace is..." Lu Xuan had just begun when Liu Bang saw Zhang Liang rushing back, looking flustered. Zhang Liang pulled out a bamboo slip and placed it in Liu Bang’s hands.

Zhang Liang’s expression was grave and heavy.

Liu Bang opened it immediately, and his face turned deathly pale.

The bamboo slip read: *The Xiongnu Chanyu Modu has led an army of two hundred thousand to attack Mayi.*