[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-108":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1222867,1620,"Chapter 108: Inquiry","overthrowing-han-chapter-108",108,"\u003Cp>That suddenly appearing \"native mutant chicken\" left Gongsun Xun's heart rather flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's not that he, raised from childhood by a mother like that, actually believed in that evil nonsense like those people... To be honest, of all the many things that happened yesterday, from his perspective, most were understandable:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one mutant chicken could exist, why couldn't there be two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That city gate already had cracks after the earthquake, and it hadn't been repaired in decades — the report had even been delivered to his own office. So what if it collapsed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Jiaozhou's seven commanderies, with four rebelling at once... what the hell does that count? Do you know that in a few years, eight of the Great Han's thirteen provinces will rebel at once?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strictly speaking, the crux of this political storm was that the events happened in too concentrated a time and with too great an intensity, exceeding his original expectations... One could almost imagine that a great political storm, probably the strongest since the September coup, was about to sweep in — and how spectacular the Grand Court Assembly on New Year's Day would be!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, that day he had practically forced himself to stay composed and brought Yu She back to drink... and then merely gave him some goods and money under the name of New Year's gifts, perfunctorily sending him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when the next day a large batch of New Year's goods truly arrived from Liaoxi, Gongsun Xun instead regained some of his composure. He began to calm his mind and tried to sort out and verify the response methods and intensity of the various factions at court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eight pairs of bear paws, twenty jars of honey.\" The person reading the New Year's goods list in a rough voice was none other than a trusted aide of Lady Gongsun who had come to Luoyang with the convoy — the so-called Aunt Lin the Eighth. \"Ten urns of grape wine, twenty sable pelts, fifty eastern pearls, five hundred gold...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eighth Aunt, please pause a moment.\" Gongsun Xun, who had been standing with hands behind his back watching the snowfall outside the window, suddenly spoke up to interrupt. \"Setting aside the gold, silver, coin, and silk for now — are these all the noteworthy specialty goods?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As the Young Master says, that is exactly so,\" Aunt Lin the Eighth quickly replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then aside from those luxury goods, are the rarest items precisely this honey and the eight pairs of bear paws?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed they are.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Set aside two pairs of bear paws, and pair them with some other gifts. Have the Lady personally take them to He Zhonglang's residence. Tell Lady He that their household should quickly send someone to Nanyang to see whether it has snowed there. If it has not, then after the Grand Court Assembly on New Year's Day, the court will likely dispatch someone to Nanyang to pray for rain — Suigao can pay attention to this.\" Gongsun Xun continued speaking while still gazing out the window. \"Just say this: if Suigao can successfully undertake this mission, it means the Son of Heaven has already made a decision in his heart, and the He clan can rest easy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I shall follow the Master's words exactly. I will go this afternoon,\" Zhao Yun rose and slightly bent her body in a curtsey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then, not a single jar of honey needs to be kept. Distribute all of it to the two teachers. A pair of bear paws can also be sent to Teacher Liu. No need to stand on ceremony — just tidy things up and send them over directly.\" Gongsun Xun continued speaking without turning his head, completely oblivious to the inexplicable extra formalities his wife was displaying in front of his mother's trusted aide. \"The remaining five pairs of bear paws should all be prepared properly — I need to give them as gifts... Just pair them with some assorted ordinary gifts, don't add anything particularly extravagant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood,\" Zhao Yun continued to answer. \"I will arrange it immediately. But to which households should they be sent?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yigong and Ziheng share one pair; the Censorate's Wang Yun, Wang Zishi, and Tian Feng, Tian Yuanhao, each get one pair; one more pair I will personally deliver this afternoon — you needn't worry about that; the last pair... have A'Fan deliver it on his behalf to the newly appointed Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Lord Yang Qiu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood. Does the Master have any other instructions?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Gongsun Xun finally turned his head back. \"Those dozen or so beautiful concubines from the Three Han — apart from the five that Mother specifically designated for A'Fan, Yigong, Ziheng, Zibo, and that fellow Wei Yue — you must quickly consult with Eighth Aunt and distribute the rest among those outstanding volunteer followers before the New Year... If you don't know their merits, you can first ask Ziheng.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood!\" Zhao Yun's voice finally rose in pitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Also, Eighth Aunt...\" Gongsun Xun turned his head again to look at Aunt Lin the Eighth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Master, please speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take out some money and goods and give them to the volunteer followers in the form of New Year's gifts,\" Gongsun Xun instructed seriously. \"Then, Teacher Lu is alone in the capital — you personally go invite him to spend the New Year here with me. And also... also pick out a concubine with a good temperament to warm his bed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aye!\" Aunt Lin the Eighth replied, though her expression could not help but turn slightly odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Make the arrangements quickly.\" Gongsun Xun spoke as he walked out. \"I'll eat a little something, then I have to go visiting at someone else's home this afternoon...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aye!\" This time, even Zhao Yun hurriedly answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pondering repeatedly, Gongsun Xun said no more. He pushed open the door and walked out into the snowflakes, but after only a few steps he turned back: \"One more thing — take out a hundred gold now... plus ten large eastern pearls!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?!\" Zhao Yun and Aunt Lin the Eighth, who had just relaxed, were both startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give them to Yigong,\" Gongsun Xun added, standing at the doorway. \"Tell him to deliver them immediately to... Xu Ziyuan's place. Deliver them now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, Gongsun Xun did not wait for the two inside to reply. He immediately turned and walked into the snow, heading toward the kitchen to find food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snowflakes fell unceasingly. By afternoon, the ground already had snow two or three fingers thick. And if the snow continued falling at this rate, one could imagine that by the next morning, inside and outside Luoyang, the houses of the poor might well be crushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, to prevent just such a thing, as Gongsun Xun and his household servants, bearing bear paws, books, colored silk, small ingots of gold and silver, ginseng, and other items, rushed about the streets visiting people just like the other nobles, many poor folk, under the leadership of their wardens, were ceaselessly sweeping the accumulated snow from the roofs within their wards, to avoid dying inexplicably in the middle of the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this scene, although Gongsun Xun understood it clearly in his heart, he could not help but feel a slight pang of emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having no alternative, he could only summon an attendant and tell him to immediately go back and inform Aunt Lin the Eighth to buy more charcoal, along with some grain and rice, and give them as New Year's gifts to the surrounding neighbors, ensuring that absolutely no incidents of freezing or starvation occurred near his own home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And not long after giving these instructions, Gongsun Xun had already arrived at the destination of this trip — the front gate of Cai Yong, Cai Bojie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, a melody of immortal music had just finished being played!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gentlemen,\" in the hall, warmed by burning charcoal, someone could not help but shake his head and intone, \"Regardless of how rude that Gongsun Xun was that day, that single line, 'Plain zither, golden scriptures fill the embrace; none who hear do not call it immortal music's grace,' truly captured the elegance of Lord Cai's household... Thinking of it now, I cannot help but feel rather moved.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who could say otherwise?\" another person picked up the thread. \"Even the two lines that followed, though they seemed a bit wild, looking back now, that man truly possesses a certain heroic spirit. In the northern campaign's battle lines, when ten thousand soldiers all fled, only this son advanced alone; before the Bronze Camel Street, when the hundred officials were terrified, only that man stood with his blade drawn in confrontation...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed!\" Cai Yong, pressing both hands down on the zither strings, finally exhaled a long breath through his upturned nose. \"No matter what is said, when the affairs of state were in dire straits, this lad did not, in the end, disgrace the names of his two esteemed teachers. That is at least better than us, who can only spend our days at home playing the zither and drinking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, seeing that the guests were about to say something, Cai Bojie could not help but smile wryly: \"There is only one matter that I still hold a grudge over. That day he seized far too many of my books — my household's collection was reduced by nearly a small half. And over the past year or two, with so many matters in Luoyang, I have had no heart to re-transcribe them from memory, so that the eastern pavilion of my home remains largely empty to this day... For this matter alone, I can absolutely never again share with him the sentiment of 'high mountains and flowing waters'!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd all expressed their understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just at that moment, a burst of laughter suddenly came from outside the hall, followed immediately by someone's resonant voice drawing near from afar, startling everyone in the hall:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Cai! From what you mean, if I were to return the books to you, would you then share 'high mountains and flowing waters' with me and become kindred spirits?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the voice first arose, the people in the hall could not yet see anyone's figure, but by the time these words were finished, Gongsun Xun, draped in a fur coat, wearing a brown-feathered martial cap, gripping his saber, his shoes full of melted snow, had already arrived in the hall, causing the guests to whisper and discuss among themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yong was dumbstruck, but still mustered the courage to rise and question him: \"How did you enter my family's gate? I long ago gave orders not to allow you in!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Cai's gatekeepers have even less courage than Lord Cai himself. The moment I drew my blade, they clutched their heads and scurried away like rats. With such gate defenses, am I not free to come and go as I please?\" Gongsun Xun spoke while laughing, and behind him several household servants carried gifts and set them down in the hall. \"But let's not speak of that. Lord Cai, today I have truly come to return the books and offer my apologies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yong's gaze swept over the enormous pair of bear paws, and he could not help but ask in bewilderment: \"The apology I can roughly understand, but where are the books?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right here.\" Gongsun Xun turned around and placed his hand on one of the chests, which was half a man's height.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why must you deceive me like this?\" Cai Yong could not help but sit back down in disappointment. \"That day you clearly hauled away over a thousand scrolls of my books, using a full dozen or more carts. Now you point to a single chest and claim you are returning the books...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only Cai Yong, but the other guests also shook their heads repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Gongsun Xun did not mind in the slightest. Instead, he let out a great laugh and then suddenly drew his blade. Instantly, these Luoyang celebrities were so startled that they all shut their mouths and sat up straight... Sure enough, when dealing with these people's mouths, nothing was more satisfyingly effective than drawing a blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after drawing his blade, Gongsun Xun did not utter any threats. Instead, he easily sliced open the wooden lock on that chest. Immediately, two robust household servants understood his intent and stepped forward directly to tip the chest over, spilling its contents onto the floor of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aiya!\" Cai Yong was the first to react, and he lunged down from the dais. \"Your family actually managed to make them?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assembled celebrities in the hall looked closely and also understood. It turned out that this chest full of items was indeed all books, but they were all made of Gongsun paper... Gongsun paper had always been renowned for being dense, white, and clean, which was why it could be bound so tightly. No wonder this one chest of paper books contained the text that had previously been carried on nearly a thousand scrolls of bamboo and wooden slips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, watching Gongsun Xun put away his blade, the crowd also came down into the hall to pick up and examine the books. And this examination revealed something else — the script in the books was actually the very same \"single-style script\" that Cai Yong himself had used when carving the Stone Classics, though no one knew how it had been transferred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, with black characters on white paper and precious-blue hard covers, they appeared exquisitely beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, needless to say, while everyone was full of praise, saying that Cai Bojie had gained a great bargain, some even secretly tucked the books they had picked up into their sleeves, causing Cai Yong's expression to darken, though he could not openly object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, after a good deal of bustling commotion, once Cai Yong had called his household servants to carry all the paper books on the floor into the eastern pavilion and had the gifts put away, a seat slightly toward the upper end of the banquet had an extra place added, and Gongsun Xun sat down there openly and with great dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does Wenqi still have any poems?\" After everyone had been seated once more, Cai Yong, in excellent spirits, actually took the initiative to stroke his beard and jest about past events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Never mind those few clumsy lines from that day — they didn't suit the mood, nor did they match the proper form.\" Gongsun Xun immediately raised his cup and said with a laugh. \"But if Master Cai does not play his zither, where would my literary inspiration come from?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not quite right.\" Someone below gave a slight bow with clasped hands. \"If Physician Gongsun had not first stirred his literary thoughts, where would Court Consultant Cai have found the mood to play such heavenly music? As for form and mood... are not the literary trends and proper forms of the realm decided precisely by Court Consultant Cai and all you gentlemen seated here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly so.\" Another person laughed. \"Just now we were saying — that short poem by the White Horse Colonel from back then had quite a bit of spirited vigor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun laughed again. \"If that is the case, then I beg you all not to scorn me for overestimating myself before so many eminent gentlemen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the crowd grew even more intrigued, and each waited in anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today the winter snow has just begun to stir,\" Gongsun Xun said, pointing to the snowflakes beyond the hall. \"Let me take this as my theme and cobble together a couple of verses...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assembled luminaries immediately fell silent, holding their breath. Even Cai Yong swiftly sent someone to fetch paper and brush, ready to transcribe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Gongsun Xun offered not the slightest polite demurral, but opened his mouth and delivered at once:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The ten-mu courtyard half pure white; bare branches all gone, snow blossoms bloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why should the zither-playing Master Cai sigh? The Xun lad who came before now comes again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yong set down his brush, and before the other luminaries could savor the flavor, he was the first to burst out laughing. \"Setting aside your continued self-satisfaction, and leaving aside how the two poems echo each other in delightful contrast — I have only one question. Wenqi, why are you haughty to my hall guests before and deferential now? That poem of yours back then paid no regard to the people in this hall, yet today you compare the guests in the hall to snowflakes. And do you truly not realize — the 'bare branches' in my Cai residence that day and the 'snowflakes' today are in fact the very same people!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guests below, hearing that the poem, while asserting itself, also contained praise for them, immediately clapped their hands repeatedly, each roaring with laughter. And once the laughter had passed, they all fixed their eyes on Gongsun Xun, ready to hear him explain why he was \"haughty before and deferential now\" toward people like themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is not that I am haughty before and deferential now, but that I judge each matter on its own terms.\" Gongsun Xun was unperturbed. \"Back then, I looked down on you all because I was about to go far away to the frontier, to fight to the death for the realm, while you gentlemen were occupied only with wind, flowers, snow, moon, fine wine, and heavenly music. At that time, I naturally regarded you all as nothing. But today, when I come here again, though you gentlemen still have fine wine and heavenly music, there is not one among you whose heart is not troubled by the affairs of the realm, who does not lament the current state of things. In the present circumstances, though you are the same group of people, you are now worthy of my praise as lofty and pure gentlemen!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yong, hearing this, could not help but sigh with emotion. \"Well said, Wenqi! The realm's affairs are fraught with difficulty, and foul demons spring up everywhere. We Confucian scholars and literary men truly find it hard to still our hearts, to play the plain zither and read the golden scriptures.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall fell silent and speechless for a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, someone actually covered his face and wept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gentlemen.\" Gongsun Xun fixed his gaze on the weeping man and could not help but sneer. \"I just praised you for being troubled by the realm's affairs and living up to the stature of luminaries, and in the blink of an eye you put on such a display — truly, it makes me look down on you. Since you all know the realm is in dire straits, why do you not think of contributing your strength to the realm and the times, instead of sitting here covering your faces and sobbing? Do you imagine that by weeping a few times like this, you can cry those who bring ruin upon the realm to death?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wenqi, there is no need to goad us further.\" Cai Yong, seated at the head, suddenly stroked his beard and gave a bitter smile. \"I understand now what you have come here to do. These days, you have been in close contact with Wang Yun, Wang Zishi of the Censorate, and Tian Feng, Tian Yuanhao, and others. You must have been entrusted by them to come here and sound us out, am I right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun neither confirmed nor denied it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go back and tell Wang Zishi this.\" Cai Yong suddenly spoke with a solemn expression. \"Though we do not hold remonstrance posts, now that the realm has come to such a pass, we will absolutely not cling to our ranks and peace for our own sake!\" At this point, Cai Bojie could not help but sigh softly. \"After the new year, I will be forty-six, and I have accomplished nothing. It has been nearly two years since His Majesty appointed me Court Consultant, and I have done nothing but sit and engage in empty talk. That being so, how could I set aside the realm's affairs and pay them no heed? At the grand court assembly on the first day of the new year, we will surely denounce the ills of the age with all severity and speak plainly on the realm's affairs!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun said not a word. He immediately rose, performed a salute, took his leave, and departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when he walked out the gate, Gongsun Xun discovered that someone had long been waiting in front of Cai Manor. He could not help but be startled. \"Was A-Fan's errand so swiftly done?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Elder Brother.\" Gongsun Fan bowed formally. \"At the residence of the Prefect of the Masters of Writing, there were too many people delivering gifts, so that Yang Qiu, Yang Fangzheng, did not show his face at all. He merely had servants accept the gifts, record the names, posts, and gift lists, and then sent everyone on their way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With such a manner, I hardly know whether to praise him for not being bound by petty formalities or to mock him for his utter recklessness!\" Shaking his head, Gongsun Xun boarded the carriage together with his clansman brother and headed home. \"But I have also gleaned some sense of the truth... This man is indeed relying on something.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elder Brother is right.\" Gongsun Fan replied quietly. \"The Secretariat oversees all government affairs, and the Prefect of the Masters of Writing is akin to a Chancellor. Naturally, this Yang Fangzheng has something to rely on... In truth, Elder Brother, since your arrival in Luoyang, your star has been at its zenith — is that not also because you are in the Secretariat and held in high regard by the central authority?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun laughed in spite of himself. In truth, the \"reliance\" he spoke of was that Yang Qiu must have received some promise from the Son of Heaven and been given some task... Of course, there was no need to explain this to Gongsun Fan, his naive and innocent clansman brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, Elder Brother, how did things go at Master Cai's residence?\" After finishing the account of his own errand, Gongsun Fan continued to ask earnestly. \"I feared disturbing your important business, so I did not dare enter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everything went smoothly.\" Gongsun Xun shook his head with a sigh. \"This political storm is far too fierce. Even this group of so-called luminaries, the most timid of all, cannot help but submit memorials discussing governance — and they seem to have considerable momentum...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Fan nodded repeatedly. \"If that is the case, then surely His Majesty will also be moved... Will Master Cai also submit a memorial?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is only natural.\" Gongsun Xun could not help but laugh. \"Cai Bojie is not only the foremost of the Luoyang luminaries, but also a man whose official career has been fraught with setbacks. When he was promoted to Court Consultant before, he thought he would immediately soar to great heights, yet two years have passed without the slightest advancement. Whether to offer loyal counsel for the realm's sake, or to make grand pronouncements for the sake of his own future prospects, he will not sit idly by and watch this political storm pass.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that is how it is.\" Gongsun Fan was immediately enlightened. \"I had not expected it to serve both public and private ends — I was thinking too narrowly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But speaking of this matter,\" Gongsun Xun suddenly said, leaning against the side of the carriage and continuing with a smile, \"A-Fan has also been in Luoyang for over a year now. Do you have any thoughts about your own future? What I mean is, you must not imitate these luminaries, spending all day sitting around whistling and talking idly, wasting your life in vain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What does Elder Brother think I should do?\" Gongsun Fan asked with a serious expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think it would be better to return home and serve as a local official.\" Gongsun Xun answered frankly. \"It is best to handle some practical matters... From A-Yue's letters these days, one can clearly sense that he has matured considerably, evidently having been tempered in the commandery office.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Fan hesitated for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reluctant to leave the splendor of Luoyang?\" Gongsun Xun's expression was half-smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\" Gongsun Fan did not hide it from him. \"In over a year in Luoyang, what I have seen and experienced is truly far more than what I experienced in many years in Liaoxi...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But A-Fan,\" Gongsun Xun said, pointing again toward Cai Manor behind the carriage, \"though Luoyang is fine, there are also people here like Cai Yong who waste their lives away. Let me put it this way — would you rather be like this Cai Yong, spending all day in his Luoyang residence strumming the zither and playing with ink, or would you rather emulate my father-in-law, winning a marquisate on horseback out on the Liaoxi frontier?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Fan pondered for a moment, then grew even more honest and candid. \"I would rather be like Elder Brother, feeding chickens and chatting idly in the Secretariat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun was rendered speechless, and then fell into a long silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, he had other serious matters on his mind to consider, and at this moment he truly could not be bothered with such trifles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For it must be understood that by this point, Gongsun Xun had already gained some sense and made some conjectures about the general threads concerning the ruthless officials, the luminaries, the censors, the outer relatives, and even the Son of Heaven. And if he could further probe out the thoughts and movements of the Yuan and Yang families through Yuan Benchu, then no matter how fierce this political storm became, he could face it with composure — first securing an invincible position, then watching for an opportunity to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only, he did not know whether Xu You, for the sake of his generosity, would give him some straightforward answers. After all, ever since Tian Feng and Shen Pei had appeared before him at the same time, he had suddenly become sharply vigilant... The court and the provinces were in uproar, all sides were locked in contest — so why had that paragon of the realm, Yuan Benchu, kept silent and made no move at all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention that his own father, Yuan Feng, had remained all along at the very center of the court, ingratiating himself with all sides, yet his thoughts remained utterly inscrutable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four generations of Three Excellencies — setting aside their skill in warfare, how could their skill in court struggles be mere empty reputation?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—————————I am the dividing line wishing everyone a score of 700—————————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the beginning, the Grand Ancestor once spoke privately with his various brothers, each sharing his aspirations. Gongsun Zan, at eighteen, serving as a local official in Liaoxi, declared of himself: 'I shall command ten thousand troops, galloping across north and south, and achieve renown by my own efforts.' The Grand Ancestor stood beside him, clapped his hands, and praised him. Gongsun Yue, at seventeen, wrote in a letter: 'I seek to pacify and guard a corner of the realm, to hold the rear, and to support and protect my elder brother.' The Grand Ancestor, at Yanmen, read this and nodded slightly, moved by his sentiment. Later, in Luoyang, riding in the same carriage and conversing with Gongsun Fan, Fan spoke plainly: 'Fan has no other ambition. In this life, to follow at my elder brother's side — that is enough.' The Grand Ancestor found this amusing and laughed, but said nothing more.\" — The Old Book of Yan, Volume 67, Biographies, Chapter 17, Biographies of the Various Gongsuns\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: It's been a month since this went on the shelves, and it's rare for me to ask for subscriptions like this... I'm still 45 short of 3000 average subscriptions... my heart is uneasy. Also, the book friend group is 684558115, everyone can join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4706,"2026-06-04T19:42:03.441Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","6c610fc170601ec842772f947d504f20ec9e0d9012d0ecb02915ba9778cccc77","overthrowing-han-chapter-109","overthrowing-han-chapter-107",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]