Chapter 60 Abolishing Private Militias

Liu Chan sat on the cushioned couch in the inner chamber of the Bronze Sparrow Palace. Morning light filtered through the carved lattice window, casting mottled shadows across his slightly bloated face. He had just finished washing up with the assistance of an attendant, and a bowl of warm broth was still held in his hands when the announcement of Liu Chen requesting an audience reached them from outside the hall.

"Let him enter." Liu Chan’s voice carried a trace of imperceptible fatigue and hoarseness; he seemed not to have slept peacefully all night.

Liu Chen strode into the hall. The slaughter of the previous night had left few marks upon him, save for the hem of his dark royal robe stained with a few drops of long-dried, congealed dark red, and his eyes, which were sharper and deeper than usual, seeming to harbor lingering frost and the glow of blood. He paid his respects according to ritual, his movements crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

"Your son pays respects to Your Majesty."

Liu Chan did not immediately bid him rise, but slowly stirred the broth in the bowl with a silver spoon. For a moment, the only sound in the hall was the faint clicking of the spoon against the bowl. After a long while, he raised his eyes, fixing his gaze upon Liu Chen. His tone was flat, yet heavy with unspoken weight:

"Last night, Chengdu was restless throughout the night, with fires reflecting in the skies. I heard that Bronze Sparrow Street ran with blood, the weeping of various noble and official residences shook the heavens, and imperial secret agents rode in all directions, crowding the prisons with those they locked away." He paused, looking straight at Liu Chen, and said with slight dissatisfaction, "Chen'er, you... was the slaughter not too excessive?"

Liu Chen raised his head to meet his father's gaze without the slightest avoidance. He knew that Liu Chan was not truly entirely ignorant; the Son of Heaven within the palace must have had some inkling of Xu You and the others' rebellion, and perhaps even tacitly permitted his actions, otherwise the imperial palace would not have been so quiet last night.

Of course, it was also possible that the other party knew that no matter what actions were taken, the outcome could not be altered, and therefore simply chose to pretend ignorance.

At this moment, the inquiry was less about placing blame and more about a posture—a concern that excessive slaughter might trigger turmoil throughout the court and the realm.

"Replying to Your Majesty," Liu Chen's voice was steady and powerful, echoing clearly through the hall as he said dismissively, "People like Xu You and Linghu Sheng colluded with the Eastern Palace, secretly harboring loyal retainers, and openly assassinated your son on Bronze Sparrow Street. This is an act of treason with conclusive evidence! Last night's actions were not mere slaughter, but rather the purging of rebels and the elimination of national pests. Traitors and wicked ministers deserve to be put to death by all. If one does not employ thunderous methods while displaying the heart of a compassionate Buddha, where would state law reside? How could the state survive? Everything your son has done is in accordance with the law; not a single name on the list is misplaced. Any resistance that led to execution was brought upon themselves by their own undoing."

He paused slightly, observing Liu Chan's expression. Seeing that the emperor was not enraged and merely listening quietly, he continued, "Your son understands Your Majesty's benevolence, but toward such treacherous and ill-intentioned factions, only with the momentum of a thunderbolt can we deter the petty and secure the stability of our Great Han empire. Your son is willing to bear all blame alone."

Liu Chan put down the silver spoon and sighed softly. That sigh contained complex emotions—helplessness, a trace of lingering fear, perhaps even slight discomfort at his son's iron-fisted methods, but more than anything, it was a form of tacit approval. He understood the deep-seated ills within Shu Han, where powerful aristocratic families had entrenched roots, and he also understood that although Liu Chen's approach was harsh, it was the fastest and most effective way to clean house. Especially since it involved the Eastern Palace, it was an extremely sensitive matter.

"Forget it." Liu Chan waved his hand and sighed, "Things have come to this; further words are useless. Now that the ringleaders have been eliminated, subsequent matters must be handled steadily to avoid stirring up major turmoil again. What... do you intend to do next?"

Liu Chen stood up, his gaze burning bright. He knew this was the crucial point of today's audience. He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping a fraction yet becoming even clearer:

"Father, although the ringleaders of the rebel faction have been executed or captured, their roots have not been removed. The various noble and powerful clans, relying on generations of accumulated wealth, widely hoard private militias, conceal population numbers, and defy the court's decrees—this is the source of chaos! The reason Xu You and Linghu Sheng dared to commit this treason is precisely because they each command hundreds, if not thousands, of private soldiers and assassins who fear no royal law!"

His tone grew passionate as he said, "Therefore, your son earnestly petitions Your Majesty to issue an imperial decree, seizing this opportune moment to strictly order all aristocratic and powerful clans in Chengdu and throughout Shu to disband their private militias within a strict deadline, and surrender all armor and weapons to the government! At the same time, command the heads of each clan to truthfully re-register the servants, tenant farmers, and retainers in their households, to be verified by the prefectural and county offices, and liberate commoners who are not truly dependent, incorporating them into the court's official household registries!"

Liu Chan's hand holding the bowl of broth paused slightly, a flash of genuine astonishment crossing his eyes. He had not expected his son's goal to be so grand and so thorough! This was not merely settling accounts with a rebellion, but a move to sever the very foundation of military power upon which the powerful clans in Shu relied most heavily, while further seizing the hidden population to enhance the court's tax revenues and troop sources!

This stroke surpassed yesterday's bloody purge in its ability to shake the foundations of the powerful aristocratic families, and its impact would be far deeper and more violent.

Liu Chan carefully scrutinized the son before him, looking at that young yet resolute and powerful face.

He suddenly understood. The bloody slaughter of the previous night was not merely for revenge and the elimination of political enemies, but rather to create sufficient terror and coercion to pave the way for today's chess move.

While everyone was still frightened out of their wits by the massacre of the previous night, the resistance to this decree would be reduced to its absolute minimum.

"You..." Liu Chan spoke slowly, his gaze complex as he inquired, "You had all of this planned long ago? Last night's events were merely a pretext and a new excuse for you to take action."

Liu Chen did not directly admit it, but instead bowed and said, "Everything your son has done is for the eternal stability of the Great Han empire. Subduing the powerful, strengthening the trunk while weakening the branches, is the only way to concentrate national strength and plot toward the Central Plains! This is the foundation of a strong nation, and also Your Majesty's wish. May Your Majesty discern the truth!"

Liu Chan fell silent. He leaned back against the couch, his gaze drifting out the window as if piercing through the palace walls to look upon the city of Chengdu, which had just experienced fire and blood and was now shrouded in fear and stern silence.

He knew that once this decree was issued, it would inevitably cause even greater waves. How would the surviving aristocratic families react? What kind of storm would erupt within the imperial court?

Yet he also clearly knew that his son was right. The chronic illnesses of Shu Han indeed required drastic medicine to treat. And Liu Chen had already demonstrated sufficient capability and determination to push all of this forward.

After a long while, Liu Chan withdrew his gaze, the lingering indecision on his face gradually fading, replaced by a rare and resolute decisiveness. He gently placed the soup bowl on the table, producing a crisp "clack."

"Very well!" Liu Chan's tone was calm yet carried unquestionable finality as he snorted coldly, "Proceed exactly as you have said. Have the cabinet immediately draft an imperial decree and promulgate it to all prefectures and counties. Anyone who dares to defy it shall be dealt with as a traitor."

"Your son obeys the decree!" Liu Chen bowed deeply, the sharp light in his eyes blazing brilliantly.

He did not care whether Liu Chan did this willingly or out of compulsion. It did not matter to him, so long as the result met his demands.

Furthermore, once the imperial decree was issued, Liu Chan would be sitting in the very same boat as him.