Chapter 2194: Renzong Chronicles 3: The Great Scholar Ouyang

The official vessel moored at the Xiangyang docks. As a famous city with a long history and abundant resources, Xiangyang had been, without question, the foremost city of the Western Capital Circuit since its founding.

The Jing-Xiang plain, rich in fish and rice, had sounded a glorious ode to agrarian civilization with the most advanced productive forces of the age during its long years of peace. Though in recent decades, with the further development and rise of the Liang-Hu plain, Xiangyang's position in the central-south region had suffered no small impact.

Yet thanks to its status as the hub of water and land transport in the central-south, and its important transshipment role in conveying tax revenue from the Huguang region and part of the Chuanshu region to the capital, Xiangyang's prosperity had been further promoted.

By the sixth year of Zhengtong, the Great Han Empire had stood for a full century. Xiangyang's city walls had only doubled in size compared to a century ago, but the area it directly radiated to had expanded more than fivefold. One could tell just by looking at the rows upon rows of houses and buildings spread along the city walls and the Han River, and the streets of varying widths but all flat and passable.

Having come this far and stopping to replenish supplies, Fan Zhongyan had originally wanted to disembark and experience the prosperity and bustling human life of this great city of Xiangyang, to release his anxious mood. But this idea was quickly dashed.

When a servant presented a stack of visiting cards before Fan Zhongyan, he "shrank back." Over a hundred name cards were delivered at once, each with an extraordinary provenance—all were high-ranking officials of the Western Capital Circuit, from the great officers of the circuit administration down to Prefectural Administrators and Prefects (due to differences in promotion paths, by the Zhengtong period the Great Han still retained the office of Prefect, though far fewer in number than the court-appointed Prefectural Administrators)—not a single one was simple.

They were waiting respectfully on the shore, having prepared banquets and wine to welcome him and wash away the dust of travel, and while fulfilling their duties as hosts, they also requested that Master Fan offer guidance on the governance and affairs of the Western Capital Circuit's prefectures...

Fan Zhongyan's northward route could not possibly be hidden from the eyes of those who cared to watch, and in the current Great Han court, from the central government to the localities, the gazes following Fan Zhongyan numbered well into the hundreds.

The reason these powerful nobles and bureaucrats were so assiduous and respectful was naturally because of the wind blowing from the imperial center regarding his return to the capital this time. As time passed, it had long since blown across the north and south of the land. Though no final decision had been made, the chance of it falling through was not great—after all, the political principles and rules the court had formed over decades or even a century were not so easily broken.

While flipping through those visiting cards, Fan Zhongyan's expression gradually turned serious. In the end, he sighed with melancholy, put the name cards away one by one, and had his servants go ashore to return them to the Western Capital officials.

Of course, there had to be some explanation—roughly to the effect that he, Fan, was a man who had left office, bearing the imperial edict, and could not stay long; he was deeply grateful for the warm hospitality of the Western Capital officials, but as for meeting and offering guidance, it was truly inconvenient, and he begged their forgiveness.

It wasn't just the ordinary circuit officials—even Wang Deji, the Administration Commissioner of the Western Capital Circuit, Fan Zhongyan had no intention of meeting. Wang Deji was no ordinary man; he was the sole son-in-law of Duke Wu Mu of Cao (Cao Wei).

The Cao clan of the Great Han, through the vigorous development of two generations under Cao Bin and Cao Wei, had come from behind to become a member of the empire's top noble circles. Especially seven or eight years ago, after the Yang clan fell into decline, the Cao clan's position had gradually come to the fore.

And this was marked by the Cao clan's daughter being brought into the Eastern Palace to become the Crown Grandson's Consort—this was the Shizong Emperor's carefully chosen match for Liu Weizhen from among the various noble families. It must be said that to ensure Liu Weizhen, this Crown Grandson, could succeed to the throne smoothly, the Shizong Emperor had done many things openly and covertly, in all aspects, both good and bad.

By the time Liu Weizhen ascended the throne, the Cao clan had smoothly risen to Empress. With Empress Cao in the palace and numerous Cao clan relatives and old subordinates outside, even if not as imposing as the Yang clan in their heyday, there was no doubt that the Cao clan had become the empire's first-rank distinguished family.

Fan Zhongyan had politely declined to meet even Wang Deji, the Cao family's son-in-law, but there was one person for whom he made special arrangements, having his servant convey a message in secret.

Not daring to linger, he quickly set sail northward, with something of the air of "fleeing in panic." Standing at the ship's rail, Fan Zhongyan could only lean on the railing and secretly observe the scenery along the Han River at Xiangyang.

Gradually receding into the distance, people and scenery slowly disappeared from view. Thinking of this matter, Fan Zhongyan couldn't help but mock himself. He, Fan Xiwen, had lived a life of openness and integrity, candid and loyal—yet now, in his twilight years, he was here in Xiangyang, frightened into not daring to disembark, still unable to escape the two words "fame and fortune."

The Han River originates in the Qinling Mountains, gathers many tributaries, and flows through the Western Capital Circuit and Hubei before emptying into the Yangtze. Sailing north

was also a journey of tracing the source. After traveling more than twenty li, as they turned toward the direction of the South Seas, they moored at the Guanghua town docks to rest.

And at Guanghua town, a great literary figure renowned throughout the world was waiting here as agreed—Ouyang Xiu, the current Prefectural Administrator of Fangzhou.

Ouyang Xiu was forty-one that year. As a bureaucrat, he was still young; as a civil official, he had long been famous throughout the realm. The Zhengtong era was not only a springtime for literati, but also an age of remonstrating ministers. Officials such as Ouyang Xiu, Cai Xiang, Yu Jing, and Yin Zhu were all known for speaking frankly and daring to remonstrate, with Ouyang Xiu and Cai Xiang being the most famous.

Ouyang Xiu in particular had been successively promoted by famous and important ministers such as Yan Shu, Cai Qi, and Du Yan. The halos of the Politics and Law Academy and the jinshi degree—things that scholars across the realm yearned for but could not attain—he had easily gilded himself with.

As early as the Shizong era, the young and spirited Ouyang Xiu had attracted attention with his piece "Ode to Mount Tai." It was a magnificent essay; those with discernment, while admiring his literary talent and force, were even more concerned with Ouyang Xiu's veiled commentary on the Shizong Emperor's Fengshan sacrifices. This man truly had audacity, and truly dared to speak...

At the time, Ouyang Xiu, who was still studying at the Politics and Law Academy, had "fortunately" landed on the Palace City Office's key observation list, and thereby entered the Shizong Emperor's field of vision. It was only because the Shizong Emperor did not take offense, and later specifically summoned him during an inspection of the academy, that he was truly safe.

After entering the Zhengtong period, Ouyang Xiu had at one point risen to Academician of the Grand Secretariat and Drafter of Edicts, staying long at the court's center. And whether politically or literarily, he easily reminded one of a famous minister of the Kaibao and Yongxi eras: Wang Yucheng.

Loyal, upright, and daring to remonstrate were their common traits. In poetry and prose, Ouyang Xiu carried on the legacy of Wang and Liu (Wang Yucheng and Liu Kai), and developed it further. By the age of forty, he had formally become a leading figure in the Great Han Empire's poetry and prose reform movement, and had once again launched a "Classical Prose Movement" in the empire's literary world.

Ouyang Xiu held great contempt and dissatisfaction for the flashy and vulgar style of the Xikun School, just as he could not abide a sovereign's missteps or the corruption of the powerful. Of course, in temperament, he was not as overly fierce as Wang Yucheng, which also contributed to his great reputation.

Even so, being demoted for remonstrance was an ordinary matter for Ouyang Xiu. His demotion to Fangzhou had come almost simultaneously with Fan Zhongyan's, because at the time he had submitted a memorial speaking up for Fan and insinuating that Director of State Affairs Li Zhaoxian was abusing public office for private ends and stirring up factional strife.

The result—being demoted—was not at all surprising. Many people had spoken up for Fan Zhongyan at the time, but Ouyang Xiu's words had been the sharpest, and had pointed directly at the "core."

This time, after news of Fan Zhongyan's return to the capital spread, Ouyang Xiu's thoughts were stirred. After much hesitation, he ultimately risked the danger of abandoning his post and specially rushed to Xiangyang, hoping to meet Fan Zhongyan.

When the two met, there was not much talk. Fan Zhongyan first stated that he was burdened by the influence of reputation—if it had been anyone else, he would never have dared to meet in private, but Ouyang Yongshu was worth it, and he believed that Ouyang Xiu absolutely had no intention of flattering him.

Thinking of Ouyang Xiu's great talent in poetry and prose, Fan Zhongyan was delighted at the prospect and proactively asked about new works. To this, Ouyang Xiu said with admiration that Master Fan's "Record of Yueyang Tower" had made his name known throughout the realm; before such a magnificent essay, he dared not lift his brush.

During his time in Hubei, his fellow examination-year friend Teng Zongliang had governed Yuezhou with outstanding results—governance was smooth, the people were harmonious, and both officials and commoners praised him. When Fan Zhongyan heard of this, he personally went to inspect, and after ascending the tower to take in the splendid view, he wrote a "Record of Yueyang Tower" that differed somewhat from the original circumstances but whose core theme remained unchanged.

Once this essay was published, it drew the attention of the entire realm. Not to mention that scholars across the land were greatly inspired and their blood boiled—even among the court and the countryside, many people of benevolence and resolve, sovereigns and ministers alike, were moved by it. The Emperor summoning him back to the capital was not without the contribution of this essay.

In total, Fan Zhongyan and Ouyang Xiu conversed for only about a quarter of an hour. Ouyang Xiu's purpose in coming was also very clear—he had brought a jar of wine, but what was inside was not wine; it was a bowl of clear water.

After drinking together, Ouyang Xiu sincerely and solemnly stated that he knew Master Fan's return to the capital this time was certain to involve undertaking great deeds, and would certainly pass through great hardship. Moved by his resolve and convinced by his sincerity, he had specially come to see him off.

Having spoken, he bowed again. Ouyang Xiu did not linger, and taking a single attendant with him, he spurred his horse and galloped west, back toward Fangzhou.

Clearly, people like Ouyang Xiu held great expectations for Fan Zhongyan's journey, and within the realm, those harboring such expectations were beyond counting. This made Fan Zhongyan

feel profoundly heavy...