pappabearbooks Chapter 19 The First Hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period
Chapter 19 The First Hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period
The tense atmosphere in the tent froze the moment Zhang Quzhuo stood up.
He did not look at the two arguing rulers of Qi and Lu; his gaze, like a deep well, swept over the prostrate Duke Wusheng of Zheng before finally settling on the map.
With a soft clang, Zhang Quzhuo unfastened the sword from his waist and placed it flat on the table.
This action silenced the tent, as everyone feared he might do something rash.
"Gentlemen," Zhang Quzhuo began, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears, "Today our army is hunting in Xinzheng, not for personal grudges, but on the king's orders to punish the disloyal. The Duke of Zheng's crimes are unforgivable, however..."
He abruptly changed the subject, walked over to Zheng Bowusheng, and bent down to help him up.
"However, the State of Zheng was enfeoffed by King Xuan and is a descendant of King Wu, sharing the same origin and ancestor as the Son of Heaven! If we were to commit acts of destroying a state and eradicating its ancestral sacrifices, how would we be different from King Zhou of Shang? Wouldn't that chill the hearts of all the Ji-surname vassal states under Heaven? If we honor the King today, how will we conduct ourselves in the future?"
This question caused Duke Xiang of Qi, Jiang Zhu'er, to change his expression slightly.
Destroying a country is easy, but the chain reaction it triggers is something no one can predict.
Zhang Quzhuo walked back to the map, pointing heavily at Xinzheng. "The fault of Duke Zheng lies in his usurpation, not in treason. His state can be preserved, but his power must be diminished! His territory can be divided, but his ancestral temples must not be destroyed!"
He looked sharply at Zheng Bo Wusheng: "Zheng Bo, if you are willing to apologize to the emperor, relinquish your title, return the small towns you have invaded over the years, and pay tribute to the emperor to atone for your sins, the Liang state can guarantee that your Zheng clan's ancestral temple will not be destroyed and your state will be preserved."
Duke Zhuang of Zheng was no ordinary man; he instantly understood Zhang Quzhuo's intention: this was to give him a way out, but also a dead end that would force the State of Zheng to pull out its own teeth!
A mixture of humiliation and relief welled up in his heart, and he finally bowed and said, "Wusheng...I am willing to obey the order of Liang Bo. The State of Zheng is willing to offer land and tribute to the Son of Heaven to plead guilty."
"Very well!" Zhang Quzhuo turned to the feudal lords, "Since that's the case, the eastern and northern border states of Zheng can be divided according to merit and in accordance with propriety, to serve as a warning to others!"
Next comes the part that the feudal lords have been most looking forward to—ceding territory!
Under Zhang Quzhuo's leadership, the State of Qi acquired Linyan (north of present-day Yanjin, Henan), which bordered the State of Wei to the northeast of the State of Zheng, as well as several nearby towns.
This place is close to the Yellow River and has fertile land. Although Duke Xiang of Qi felt it was insufficient, he still gained real benefits.
The State of Lu received Fang (northeast of present-day Feixian County, Shandong) and Gao (southeast of present-day Chengwu County, Shandong) from the southeast of the State of Zheng.
These cities were located on the southwestern border of the State of Lu, and Duke Huan of Lu, Ji Yun, was quite satisfied with this arrangement.
The State of Wei, on the other hand, acquired part of the land north of Zhiyi (i.e., Hulao Pass) and south of the Yellow River in the northern border of the State of Zheng, including Yan (northeast of present-day Yanjin, Henan).
This move strengthened the southern defenses of Wei and also blocked the eastward expansion of the royal domain.
The Zhou emperor was too powerful to control, and Zhang Quzhuo didn't want him to cause trouble everywhere, so he always had to clean up his messes.
As for the State of Song, it acquired the former territories of small states east of Zheng, such as Dai (east of present-day Minquan County, Henan Province) and Ge (north of present-day Ningling County, Henan Province), which had previously been annexed by Zheng.
Song Zhuang Gongzi Feng had no objection to this and immediately expressed his obedience to Liang Bo's decision.
After the division was completed, all eyes in the tent once again focused on Zhang Quzhuo.
As is customary, Liang, as the leader of the alliance and the main force in the war, should receive the largest and most lucrative share.
After a moment of silence, Zhang Quzhuo made a decision that shocked everyone in full view of the crowd.
He walked up to Zheng Bo Wusheng and said in a deep voice, "Zheng Bo, the State of Liang does not want an inch of your land."
An uproar erupted instantly inside the tent!
Even Zheng Bowusheng looked up in disbelief.
Duke Xiang of Qi said urgently, "Lord Liang! You have made the greatest contribution in this battle, how can you return empty-handed? Do you look down on us?"
Zhang Quzhuo raised his hand to silence the murmurs, his voice resounding: "It is not that I look down on you gentlemen, nor that the Liang Kingdom is arrogant! The Liang Kingdom has guarded the western border for generations; taking Zheng would be meaningless to me!"
He turned to Duke Zheng, his gaze piercing: "Duke Zheng, the State of Liang doesn't want your land, but it wants three things from you!"
"Firstly, the State of Zheng must immediately release its citizens who have been captured and plundered by other states in past conflicts, and allow them to return home with their belongings! The State of Zheng must not obstruct those who wish to migrate to the State of Liang!"
"Secondly, Zheng will grant Liang's merchants and envoys permission to travel freely within Zheng's territory, ensuring their safety! At the same time, Zheng must compensate Liang with 100,000 shi of military provisions, to be paid within three years!"
"Thirdly, and most importantly," Zhang Quzhuo's voice suddenly rose, "Zheng Boxu must send your son Hu to the State of Liang as a hostage, and Zheng will dispatch scholars from all walks of life, well-versed in rites, music, agriculture, and crafts, to Liang to teach for ten years! This is to atone for your crimes of offending the emperor and killing the royal army!"
These words shocked everyone present!
We don't want land, we want people, we want transportation, we want food, and even more so, we want talent and culture!
What a far-sighted strategy this is!
This not only immediately strengthened Liang's manpower and resources, but also gave them control of the strategic passage to the Central Plains. In particular, their demand for hostages and scholars from various schools of thought was a decisive move, both restraining Zheng and introducing Liang with valuable advanced culture and technology from the Central Plains.
In comparison, the cities acquired by Qi, Lu, Wei, and Song suddenly seemed short-sighted.
Zheng Bowusheng's face turned pale. He would rather cede a large area of land than send away his eldest son and talented people from within the country. This was simply shaking the foundation of the country!
But under Zhang Quzhuo's sharp gaze and the menacing eyes of the other lords, he could only kowtow with difficulty: "Wusheng... obeys the orders of Marquis Liang!"
Zhang Quzhuo then surveyed the assembled lords, his tone softening yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Gentlemen, you have all gained something, which is a relief to the soldiers' hard work. I hope you will remember that what we have done today is to honor the King, not to indulge our own desires. Liang's actions are solely for the purpose of securing peace and stability for the people, and consolidating the western border of the Zhou Dynasty. I hope the world understands my earnest intentions, and that it is not a sign of Liang's cowardice!"
He carefully fastened his sword and declared loudly, "From this moment forward, proceed according to this plan! All armies must restrain their troops and not disturb the people! Once Lord Zheng fulfills his promise, the allied forces will lift the siege!"
The feudal lords looked at each other, then all bowed and agreed, "We will obey the orders of Duke Liang!"
Their awe of this young Uncle Liang deepened even further.
He not only won the war, but also won morality and the future.
[Ding~ You (and your descendants) led and completed the historical milestones—the alliance of cities and the reduction of Zheng's territory. You adopted a more far-sighted strategy.]
Your descendants have gained immense prestige among the feudal lords, demonstrating exceptional political wisdom and long-term strategic vision. Clan reputation +1200.
With the acquisition of a large population, strategic access routes, food supplies, and the introduction of Central Plains culture and technology, the Liang Kingdom's national strength has seen significant potential growth.
You have obtained a new item—Mystic Rank: Popular Support Talisman
Mystic Rank - Popular Support Talisman: After use, it can slightly increase the sense of identity and belonging of the people in a designated area to a specific target (such as a family or country), with the effect lasting for one generation. The specific increase depends on the local situation.
Your clan reputation has successfully surpassed 20000 points, allowing you to unlock the Inheritance - Confucianism.
Zhang Zhao, who was in the void, finally smiled with satisfaction when he saw Zhang Quzhuo's move of "taking the real thing instead of the ground".
"Abandoning short-term gains for a foundation for lasting prosperity. My child, I never misjudged you!"
Gaining the support of the people, the support of the principles, and the support of the authorities is far better than gaining a piece of land that may be lost at any time.
Thus, under the leadership of Zhang Quzhuo, the State of Liang became the first hegemonic state in the Spring and Autumn Period.
Zhang Quzhuo himself replaced Duke Zhuang of Zheng in history and became the first hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period!