Chương 476: Establishing the Capital in Luoyang

"We must never exclusively uphold Confucianism, as that would lead to intellectual stagnation. These are lessons we must ingrain in our very being. We must not repeat the mistakes of our predecessors."

"For the first twenty years, I was an iron-fisted dictator, clearing away all obstacles. For the next thirty years, I was a strategist, guiding the country's direction. For the last fifty years, I was a facilitator, personally handing over power."

"This is the future I've designed for the Han Dynasty, for this land. Are you willing to walk this path with me?"

"We, your humble servants, are willing to serve you to the utmost!"

Everyone knelt on one knee at the same time, their voices strong and clear, carrying far and wide in the silent council hall.

Everyone's eyes were red, and everyone's heart was pounding.

Liu Ce reached out and helped them up one by one.

Then, Liu Ce said calmly, "These are just my initial thoughts. You should go back and discuss them carefully to see if there are any loopholes."

We'll gradually change and improve, and we must establish the best system so that all people in the world can live in peace. This is a burden I can't bear alone; I need your help.

"Yes, sir! I will obey your command!"

The crowd responded in unison, their voices filled with confidence and hope.

Sunlight streamed into the council chamber through the windows, illuminating the spirited faces of the attendees.

...

A few days later, in the council hall of the Prince of Yan's residence.

The group started discussing things again.

The topic of this discussion is the selection of the capital and the reign title, both of which are major events in the founding of the nation, and neither can be taken lightly.

When it came to deciding where to establish the capital, there were only three options in the discussion: Chang'an, Luoyang, and Zhuoxian.

The Chang'an faction spoke first.

Li Jing was the first to stand up, pointing to Chang'an on the map, his eyes shining:

"My lord! Chang'an is a country surrounded by natural defenses, making it extremely easy to defend and difficult to attack! Hangu Pass, Wu Pass, San Pass, and Xiao Pass are all natural barriers on all sides, making it very difficult for foreign enemies to break in!"

The Guanzhong Plain, with its vast fertile lands, is self-sufficient in basic food supplies and fearless of sieges. Even in times of widespread chaos, it can sustain itself for three to five years. Controlling the Northwest, Sichuan, and the Central Plains, it commands a commanding position over the entire country, exuding the strongest sense of legitimacy and imperial power!

"Chang'an is indeed a good place, but its water transport is inconvenient!" Du Ruhui immediately retorted.

"There isn't enough grain in Guanzhong, so we have to transport grain from Guandong. Water transport is too expensive, and land transport is even more expensive. Half a shi of grain is consumed en route from Luoyang to Chang'an."

Moreover, transporting grain from Guandong to Chang'an required passing through the Sanmenxia Gorge, a treacherous waterway that caused numerous shipwrecks and deaths every year. Furthermore, Chang'an's location in the west meant its control over Guandong, Hebei, and the Jianghuai region was weaker than Luoyang's. In case of trouble in the east, the response would be too slow!

"Luoyang is flat and indefensible! What if the enemy attacks?" Li Jing asked, frowning.

"Chang'an boasts the formidable Hangu Pass, a natural barrier that can hold off ten thousand men; this is truly the capital of emperors!"

"The terrain is flat enough to build city walls! Luoyang has strong city walls and a wide moat. As long as the garrison is capable, it will be as impregnable as a fortress!" Du Ruhui retorted.

The two argued back and forth, getting into a huge fight.

The Luoyang faction immediately took over the conversation.

Fang Xuanling cleared his throat, his face full of confidence: "My lord, Luoyang is in the center of the world, close to everywhere! It controls the Jianghuai region to the east, Hebei to the north, Guanzhong to the west, and Jingxiang to the south, making it convenient to control all directions."

The Grand Canal was much more convenient than the one in Chang'an; transporting grain was simpler and cheaper. Moreover, Luoyang's sense of legitimacy was no less than Chang'an's.

Tian Feng nodded and said, "That's right! Luoyang is surrounded by four rivers: the Luo River, the Yi River, the Chan River, and the Jian River, making water transport very convenient."

Moreover, although the Luoyang Basin is not as large as the Guanzhong Plain, it is still large enough to support a million people. Besides, our lord is already in Luoyang, and his power base is firmly established. Why bother with further trouble?

"What about Zhuoxian? Zhuoxian is where we started!" Cheng Yaojin shouted, his eyes wide open.

"My lord, Zhuo County is the best place to defend against the northern barbarians. It can directly control Youyan, the grasslands, and the northeast. Its terrain has both mountains and sea, making it extremely stable for defending the north."

Moreover, the people of Zhuoxian are our most loyal supporters, and it's our hometown; we have a deep emotional connection to them!

"Zhuo County is too remote!" Xun You shook his head.

"Being too far north would weaken our control over the south. Moreover, the winters are too cold, and officials are unwilling to go there. Although Luoyang's winters are also cold, they are much better than Zhuoxian's. Establishing the capital in Zhuoxian would be tantamount to abandoning the Central Plains and the Jiangnan region."

Xun Yu stroked his beard and slowly said, "I support Luoyang. Luoyang is located in the center of the country, with people from all directions coming to pay tribute. It best fits the concept of 'the emperor ruling the country from the center.' Moreover, Luoyang has the foundation of an old capital. The palaces and city walls are still there. They can be used after some repairs, saving time and effort."

Jia Xu rarely spoke, but he only said four words: "Luoyang is the most stable."

Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, Xun You, Jia Xu, Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Shen Pei, Chen Gong, Xu Shu, Cheng Yu, Li Jing, Xu Da, Su Lie, Li Ji, and others had a very heated discussion about these three places.

The Chang'an faction said Luoyang was unsafe, the Luoyang faction said Chang'an was too remote, and the Zhuoxian faction said you've all forgotten your roots.

They argued for a full hour, spittle flying everywhere, neither willing to give in.

Finally, Liu Ce made the final decision: "Luoyang. It's in the center of the world, making it convenient to control all directions."

Liu Ce stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to the location of Luoyang:

"Although Chang'an is strategically important, it is too far to the west. Luoyang is centrally located, controlling Youyan to the north, Jianghuai to the south, Shandong to the east, and Guanzhong to the west. It is well-connected in all directions and can be used for both offense and defense."

"As for the problem of having no defensible terrain, it can be solved through institutional means. Establish important towns in the north, station elite troops there, and have generals directly dispatched by the central government."

In case of emergency, the Central Army can be mobilized within three days. Moreover, Luoyang has convenient water transport, and grain can be transported from Jiangnan at a much lower cost than that from Chang'an.

Why did the previous dynasty decline? A major reason was that there wasn't enough food in Guanzhong (the area around the Han River), so food had to be transported from Guandong (east of the Han River), and the cost of transporting the food was higher than the food itself.

He paused, then smiled and said, "Besides, we've been managing Luoyang for over a year now. The infrastructure is excellent, and all the officials are here. Moving would be too much of a hassle."

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

Fang Xuanling nodded: "What you say makes sense, my lord. Luoyang, being in the center, is indeed more suitable than Chang'an."

The decision to establish the capital has been made.

...

The discussion then turned to the reign title.

Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, Xun You, Jia Xu, Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Shen Pei, Chen Gong, Xu Shu, Cheng Yu and others all suggested reign titles, each praising their own and criticizing the others'.

Yongxi: May it be forever bright and prosperous, and may the world be peaceful and tranquil. Fang Xuanling said this was good, as it symbolizes peace and prosperity.

Taihe: Harmony between Yin and Yang in Heaven and Earth, and peace and unity throughout the world. Xun Yu said this was good, as it has a Confucian flavor.

Qian Yuan: The beginning of the Way of Heaven, the source of all things. Tian Feng said this was good, as it implies the creation of heaven and earth.

Jinghe: Light shines everywhere, and the world is in harmony. Xi Zhicai said this is good, concise and grand.