In 51 AD, in the political arena of the 27th year of the founding of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the frontier issue became the focus.
The annexation of the Southern Xiongnu was a major political achievement of the Eastern Han Dynasty in this year. The Southern Xiongnu chose to join the Han Dynasty not only because they saw the strength and stability of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but also because they were at a disadvantage in the struggle against the Northern Xiongnu and needed to seek external support.
For the Eastern Han Dynasty, this annexation move greatly consolidated its dominance on the northern frontier and laid a solid foundation for further counterbalancing and even attacking the Northern Xiongnu in the future.
In order to properly settle these attached Southern Xiongnu tribes, the Eastern Han Dynasty carefully planned, set up special counties in the Hetao area, and appointed the best people to carry out detailed governance.
This move not only effectively stabilized the social order in the border region, but also built a bridge of economic and cultural exchanges between the Han and Hungarian ethnic groups.
In the face of the annexation of the Southern Xiongnu and the frontier governance strategy of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Northern Xiongnu felt unprecedented pressure. In order to ease the tension with the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Northern Xiongnu chose to send envoys to Wuwei to express their intention to seek peace. This request for peace sparked a fierce debate within the Eastern Han court.
Some ministers thought that they should go with the flow and accept the peace sued by the Northern Xiongnu. They believe that this will avoid the resumption of war on the frontier and reduce unnecessary losses and losses.
However, the crown prince Liu Zhuang has a different view. He believed that this was a critical time to consolidate support for the Southern Xiongnu rather than make peace with the Northern Xiongnu. If the request for peace is easily accepted, it may shake the loyalty of the Southern Xiongnu and even affect the hearts of other ethnic groups to join them.
Liu Zhuang's concerns are not groundless. He knew that the annexation of the Southern Xiongnu was of great significance to the Eastern Han Dynasty, and that the Northern Xiongnu's request for peace could become a potential hidden danger. In order to safeguard the long-term interests of the country and ensure the stability and security of the frontiers, he resolutely advocated rejecting the Northern Xiongnu's request for peace.
After careful consideration, Liu Xiu finally adopted Liu Zhuang's suggestion. resolutely rejected the Northern Xiongnu's request for peace.
After Liu Xiu rejected the Northern Xiongnu's request for peace, some generals in the DPRK and China began to advocate a tougher military approach to the Northern Xiongnu. They believed that only by completely defeating the Northern Xiongnu could they ensure the long-term peace and stability of the frontier.
However, Liu Xiu was not swayed by these radical views, and he still adhered to his policy of "governing the country by virtue" and hoped to solve the border problem through peaceful means.
In order to illustrate his point, he quoted the wisdom of the "Huangshi Gongji": "Soft can control the strong, and the weak can defeat the strong." If you give up the near and try to go far, it will be in vain; On the contrary, if you give up the distance and seek the near, you can be comfortable and successful. ”
Liu Xiu believes that the real strength of a country does not only rely on military conquest, but should pay more attention to moral strength. He feared that an overly aggressive military strategy could bring irreparable disaster to the country.
Overall, in 51 AD, Liu Xiu and his courtiers resolved disputes over the frontier with their superior wisdom and diplomatic skills, laying a solid foundation for the prosperity and stability of the Eastern Han Dynasty.