Chapter 211: Renaming To Chu
News of the Lord having a son has already spread. Along the way, people congratulated him.
Entering the outer room of the courtyard, Lu Xun and Ma Liang both stood up together, smiling and offering congratulations.
“Congratulations, General, on having a son!”
“Congratulations, General!”
Gan Ning also laughed and said, “You two need to hurry up and get married. Marry soon and have a son, and we’ll send you to serve as officials in the localities!”
In fact, both had already been betrothed; they just had not yet married.
Gan Ning returned to his official residence. Just as he sat down, Lu Su arrived.
“Congratulations, General, on the birth of your noble son. I heard mother and child are safe—truly wonderful!”
Gan Ning smiled and nodded, saying, “Strategist, help me with something!”
“Please speak, General!”
“My eldest son has been born. I want to celebrate and share the joy with everyone. I have no experience. Does the strategist have any good suggestions?”
Lu Su laughed and said, “Follow the way Sun Bofu celebrated his eldest son’s birth back then. First, exempt this year’s poll tax. Second, reward the soldiers and give the army three days off. Third, give each official and clerk one hundred cash and two red eggs. Fourth, a general amnesty. Though this is a Jiangdong practice, I think it suits us too. This way, everyone can bless the young master.”
Gan Ning gladly said, “These four suggestions are all good. I can copy the homework. Arrange it just like this!”
Lu Su thought for a moment and then said, “Additionally, now that the General has a son and successor, many things need to be done.”
“Such as what?”
“State name. It doesn’t have to be too explicit; it can be vague. Like Sun Wu—everyone knows its state name is Wu. And Liu Bei; I hear his commander’s flag says Shu. And Cao Cao; he was enfeoffed as Duke of Wei, and his banners are Wei. Ma Teng’s state name is Liang, called Western Liang Army.”
Gan Ning nodded. “I’ll consider it. Everyone consider it.”
Lu Su gave a salute and left. Gan Ning paced back and forth in the official residence with hands behind his back. Nanchang was anciently called Hongdu, or Chang. To the east, it was called Yu. But these names were all too narrow. He now controlled nine commanderies, with territory spanning a thousand li. How could he remain limited to Yuzhang Commandery?
Gan Ning sat down, took up his brush, and wrote a large “Chu” character. This should be his state name. Apart from Nan Commandery, most of Chu State’s land was in his hands. He was truly the Chu State in name and reality.
To distinguish from Eastern Wu, it could be popularly called Western Chu.
That afternoon, Gan Ning issued the Marquis of Wuchang’s order. To celebrate his noble son’s birth, he wished to celebrate with the people and share joy with the army, thus issuing four commands.
Command one: Reward the three armies. From now on, the army is on holiday for three days.
Command two: All officials and clerks of the nine commanderies, each receives a red pouch containing fifty cash and two red eggs.
Command three: Cancel this year’s poll tax. Poll tax is head tax. Gan Ning only levied on adults; children’s head tax had long been exempt. This year was special—even the poll tax was exempt.
Command four: General amnesty in the nine commanderies controlled by the Yuzhang Army. But not all criminals are pardoned. Apart from nine major crimes like murder and rape, all light crimes are pardoned.
The news spread, and first Chaisang City boiled over. It was now late November; next month was poll tax collection time. Every household was preparing tax money. Unexpectedly, at this critical moment, the government office posted a notice exempting the poll tax. How could the citizens not be ecstatic?
Gan Ning then convened a military and political affairs meeting. The three strategists, the two chief clerks (primary and deputy), and the two simas (primary and deputy) participated in the meeting.
“Let’s discuss the state name issue. After all, we now control nine commanderies. The Imperial Court won’t give us any title, just as it gave none to Jiangdong. But Jiangdong calls itself Eastern Wu, its army is formally the Eastern Wu Army, and its political power is the Sun Wu regime. So we must give ourselves a title, starting with a state name. I suggest Chu as the state name. Does anyone object?”
The hall buzzed with discussion. Jiang Wan said worriedly, “Without the Court’s approval, if we declare ourselves Chu State, it’s openly rebelling. Cao Cao would then have just cause to attack us. General, I suggest we not give Cao Cao a handle for now.”
Gan Ning smiled faintly. “I’ve considered this issue. We can learn from Jiangdong’s approach, using indirect means. Because Wuchang County and Wuchang Commandery are always confused and inconvenient, I plan to rename Wuchang County to Chu County. Wuchang County will disappear, and my Marquis of Wuchang County will become Marquis of Chu. Once we have Marquis of Chu, Chu State forms, and our banners will formally become Chu.”
Bu Zhi laughed. “General, this intention is a bit too obvious. Cao Cao may not agree!”
Lu Su also smiled faintly. “On the contrary, Cao Cao will definitely agree.”
“Oh? How so?” Bu Zhi asked puzzledly.
“Two reasons. First, if Cao Cao disagrees, we’ll rename and appoint ourselves. Of course Cao Cao won’t agree to us breaking from the Court—otherwise, what meaning is there in his using the Son of Heaven to command the vassal lords? He definitely won’t allow us to set this precedent, so he can only approve the name change in the Court’s name.
Second, if we rename to Chu, doesn’t Cao Cao then have an excuse? He can follow this precedent and rename his army to Wei Army. Cao Army is familial rule; Wei Army is national rule.”
Lu Su’s words convinced everyone. All agreed to Gan Ning’s plan: rename Wuchang County to Chu County, change Gan Ning’s Marquis of Wuchang to Marquis of Chu, and submit a memorial to the Court requesting approval of the name change.
The day after Gan Ning’s son was born, the embryonic form of Chu State was also born. Gan Ning’s title formally became Marquis of Chu.
In the afternoon, the wet nurse arrived. The wet nurse was surnamed Wang, introduced to Gan Ning by Chaisang County Magistrate Yang Jing. She was the wife of Yang family’s coachman and had just given birth to a son, but the son did not survive.
Wang Shi and her husband also had two daughters to raise. Her husband earned little as a gardener, and the family badly needed money to make ends meet.
Wang Shi had ample milk. She picked up the crying baby and nursed him. The loudly crying child quieted at once, sucking desperately at the milk. Clearly he was hungry.
Da Qiao was truly grateful. She had Wang Shi sit, asked about her family situation, then thought and said, “There are several courtyards next to the marquis residence for the butler and physician. There should be extras. I’ll have the butler arrange one. You bring your family to live there—it will be convenient. Additionally, I’ll give you ten guan cash per month. The child is entrusted to your care.”
Ten guan cash! Wang Shi never dreamed she could earn ten guan per month. She trembled with excitement. Her husband earned only five hundred cash a month, yet her income was twenty times his, and they even got a courtyard to live in.
Wang Shi said gratefully, “Please rest assured, Madam. I will care for the young master with utmost attention. I will be there day and night.”
Da Qiao said worriedly, “What about your two daughters at home? They are still young!”
“No problem. My mother-in-law can care for them, and my husband can too. When the young master is sleeping, I can go back to check on them. It won’t affect anything.”
Da Qiao nodded. “Later, have your husband come to my residence as coachman! That way it’s convenient for everyone.”
