Chapter 183: A Lamb Before the Cauldron Bleats

The riot of red and purple has already turned to dust; amid the calls of the cuckoo, the summer season is new. On either side of the road, mulberry and hemp stretch on without end — only then does one realize one is living in times of peace.

In the early summer season, the estate outside Handan City teemed with vitality everywhere — from the chirping of cicadas to the croaking of frogs, from the green trees to the young crops. If one could settle one’s heart, it would surely seem a rare scene of a flourishing age.

Only, how could the present situation allow anyone to settle their heart?

Having with great difficulty invited the most venerable and highest-ranking man in the domain, the former Chancellor of Lu, Wei Song, everyone had thought this gentleman would surely achieve success at once and persuade the Marquis of Wulu. And the result? He instead turned around and, on that Marquis of Wulu’s behalf, began urging the various clans of the domain to yield, to hand over all offices and authority, to wipe clean all account books and case files, in hopes of keeping their households safe.

Were they resentful? Of course they were resentful.

But, thinking of Wei Song’s standing in the domain, and then thinking of Zhao Ping, who earlier had taken the initiative to drag out Lu Bin and surrender him — to speak frankly, if these two were both so decisive, and then thinking further of the volunteer retinue the Marquis of Wulu had brought with him, the matter was truly beyond help.

In other words, the worthy men and officials of Zhao were, by and large, already in despair.

And so, they were by and large prepared to follow Wei Song’s urgings and, at this evening’s banquet, publicly and honestly admit their faults to this Marquis of Wulu, in hopes of keeping their households safe.

That day, Wei Song dismissed his students early, had his own residence tidied spotlessly, specially hired a cook, slaughtered two sheep, and prepared vegetables, fruits, and wine. Then from midmorning on, he instructed his son to stand at the gate and begin welcoming guests, while he himself kept them company in the hall… After all, not only had those who had previously come begging to the Wei family all arrived, but the Li and Qin clans, who had stayed out of sight, as well as a great number of prominent officials directly subordinate to the King of Zhao who had kept themselves aloof, had also come one after another to attend the banquet — something Wei Song could not afford to treat lightly.

In a daze, it seemed that aside from Chancellor Xiang Xu, who lay sprawled in the domain’s government office, and King Liu Yu of Zhao and the Domain Tutor Han Tuo, who by regulation could not easily leave the city, every person of influence in the entire domain of Zhao had gathered here in this Wei family estate.

And as evening came, with torches lit, tables arranged, and vegetables and fruits laid out, the sound of hoofbeats approached from afar. Without needing the Wei family guests or servants to announce it, everyone understood clearly: the principal personage was about to arrive!

After all, as the victor, and still somewhat young, deliberately dragging out the time a little and putting on a show of authority was entirely within everyone’s expectations.

Yet even with such mental preparation, even knowing that Gongsun Xun meant to assert his authority, when these worthies of Zhao saw with their own eyes several hundred cavalry and infantry, each bearing arms, escorting the Marquis of Wulu Pavilion — with his purple cord and gold seal — advancing proudly as if on a military campaign, their faces all changed color.

And that was not the end of it!

As they approached the estate, the volunteer riders on horseback and the county soldiers bearing halberds first detached a company to encircle left and right, sealing off the estate front and back so tightly that not a drop of water could leak through; then they detached another company to enter the courtyard and take up positions behind those tables; and even that was not all — in the end, a dozen or so burly, broad-waisted stout fellows surged into the center of the courtyard and, right before the dumbstruck eyes of these Zhao worthies, set up two wooden frames and a round brick-and-stone stove right in the middle of the banquet seating…

Only then did Gongsun Xun, leading that Wang Zhuanzhu and several fierce and valiant men, appear within everyone’s field of vision.

“What does the Marquis mean by this?” Wei Song pointed at the round stove still being set up, his voice actually trembling… It must be said that he was a man deeply read in poetry and books, and probably knew allusions like “eating from five cauldrons” and “being boiled in five cauldrons” better than anyone.

“Oh!” Gongsun Xun at once laughed and spoke from a distance. “Hearing that Lord Wei was hosting a banquet, I feared the food here might not be enough. As it happens, among my volunteer retinue are a few Xianbei men from Liaoxi who have been skilled at slaughtering sheep since childhood, so I specially had someone fetch the largest new-style iron cauldron from the trading house in Ye City — it can also be called an iron wok — and also bought two live sheep, to add a little amusement for you worthies of Zhao.”

Wei Song started to speak, then stopped, but in the end did not dare to object.

And next, a large, round, thin-skinned iron cauldron — the likes of which they had never seen before, but which was clearly meant for cooking, the very “large iron wok” Gongsun Xun had spoken of — was briskly and efficiently set upon the round stove. Water was poured in, firewood was added beneath, and it was lit…

Most terrifying of all, the two live sheep were indeed tied to the two wooden frames beside it! And the two Xianbei warriors, their hair loosened, were indeed stripped to the waist, holding several odd-looking small knives, standing beside the two bleating lambs.

At this, every Zhao worthy in the courtyard felt his legs go weak, and they even forgot to salute Gongsun Xun.

“Gentlemen, I have a word to say,” Gongsun Xun raised his voice only at this moment. “In this early summer season, I traveled from within Handan City to attend this banquet. Along the way, I saw mulberry and hemp unbroken by the roadside — truly a scene of peace and prosperity. For this reason, the pent-up frustration from these past days of touring the counties was momentarily swept away! In my opinion, today, having received Lord Wei’s generous hospitality, let us not discuss political matters, but speak only of the season and its customs… Therefore, gentlemen need not stand on ceremony; please take your seats as you wish.”

With that, Gongsun Xun paid no heed to the others. He simply took Wei Song by the arm and walked directly past the large iron wok, which had just begun to heat, and took the seat of honor that had been reserved for him and Wei Song.

The rest of the crowd were already utterly discomposed. The timid merely stared blankly at the wok and the live sheep, while even the bold feared that this Gongsun Xun, whom they were meeting for the first time, might be a martial brute at heart and would produce some shocking spectacle.

Of course, a few clear-minded individuals were not worried about that, for this was, after all, the Wei family estate. Surely Wei Song, even at the cost of his own life, would not permit Gongsun Xun to demonstrate some new culinary technique here… If that truly happened, the Wei family’s reputation would be utterly ruined!

However, if the Wei clan and Gongsun Xun were to fall out completely, did that mean the future situation in Zhao might still be up in the air?

Thus, amid a flurry of confusion, the crowd hastily took the seats arranged earlier, each harboring their own schemes, and for a moment no one spoke.

Gongsun Xun sat upright in the seat of honor and also remained silent. Behind him stood several trusted confidants. The crowd could see them clearly — the one with the full beard, for instance, was extremely easy to recognize: he was one of the men who had killed the three Shen brothers that day. And that Wang Xiu, Wang Zhuanzhu, did not take a seat either, but merely stood to the side holding a case, and no one knew what exactly was inside!

Such a scene made Wei Chang, who stood nearby holding a wine flagon, feel exceedingly awkward.

“The Marquis has rushed here from the county seat; the journey has been taxing. Please, have some wine.” After a brief pause, Wei Song, as host, suddenly raised his cup.

In truth, this former Chancellor of Lu had also thought it through. At this point, he, as the host of this banquet, could not extricate himself… Whether someone tried to take a desperate risk and fight to the death, or someone acted with arrogant tyranny and committed cruel and violent acts, he was absolutely determined not to permit it! Because this was his home!

Moreover, things were not as bad as imagined. From the look of it so far, Gongsun Xun was mostly just trying to intimidate people. So the best outcome was still as previously discussed: one side yielded, the other granted a way out, and all troubles would cease.

“Wait a moment.” Gongsun Xun raised a hand with a soft laugh to stop Wei Chang from pouring the wine. “An iron wok is not like a thick cauldron; the water in the wok is already steaming. Why not have my two attendants slaughter the sheep now, and when the water boils, it will be just the right time to put them in…”

At these words, the two Xianbei stalwarts in the center of the courtyard — one surnamed Duan, the other Mohu — naturally dared not delay. They directly seized the bleating lambs with one hand and drew gleaming small knives with the other, and could not even resist exchanging a glance, secretly competing with each other.

“Marquis!” Wei Song was frantic. “A gentleman keeps his distance from the kitchen… can this business of slaughtering sheep not be done in my rear courtyard?”

Gongsun Xun was about to answer with a helpless laugh when he suddenly caught sight, from the corner of his eye, of someone in the seats slapping the table and rising.

“I have something to say, and I cannot rest until I’ve said it!” This man spoke with a stern voice and harsh expression, nearly shouting his throat raw. A single glance showed it was none other than Zhao Ping, the Prefect of the Gentlemen of Zhao! “I beg the Marquis and Lord Wei to let me speak!”

Gongsun Xun and Wei Song looked at each other in dismay. Both knew the other had not put him up to this… and even if someone had, they wouldn’t have picked this man. Yet this Zhao Ping was red in the face, panting like an ox, and seemed extremely agitated — it would hardly be good to refuse him leave to speak, would it?

After all, he was formerly one of the top figures wielding real power in the domain of Zhao, and a thousand-bushel Prefect of the Gentlemen at that.

“Hold your hands,” Gongsun Xun could only wave to stop the two Xianbei subordinates.

“Let the Prefect of the Gentlemen speak,” Wei Song also hurriedly seized the opportunity to back down. “Prefect of the Gentlemen, speak freely… could we possibly refuse to let you speak?”

“Gentlemen!” Zhao Ping made a full circular bow, then strode quickly to the space between the great wok in the center of the courtyard and the seat of honor, and pointed crisply at Gongsun Xun, who sat in the place of honor. “Gentlemen, do you recognize this man?!”

The vast estate courtyard was packed with the great figures of Zhao, but at this sudden question, for a moment no one knew how to respond. Even Gongsun Xun merely surveyed the crowd’s reactions with keen interest and did not interject.

“Commandery Adjutant Zhang,” seeing that no one answered, Zhao Ping simply called out a name.

At this, a man seated at the upper right could only force a dry laugh and rise to reply: “Though this is our first meeting, how could one not know the name of the Marquis of Wulu?!”

“You do not know!” Zhao Ping flared up in sudden anger, pointed at the man’s face, and rebuked him directly. “If you people truly knew the Marquis of Wulu’s background, how would you dare treat him with such contempt?! And still think of haggling with the Marquis of Wulu time and again?!”

For a moment, the courtyard fell utterly silent; even Gongsun Xun was stunned speechless. Only the crackling of the firewood beneath the iron wok made a faint sound in the flames, and even the two sheep no longer dared to bleat.

“You should all know that my clan uncle is the current Supervisor of the Yellow Gate, the Regular Palace Attendant Lord Zhao!” Zhao Ping cupped his hands in a distant salute toward the southwest, the direction of Luoyang. “And I previously resided for a long time in Luoyang with his venerable self!”

The crowd held their breath, waiting for this man’s words.

“At that time in Luoyang, my clan uncle was not yet Supervisor of the Yellow Gate. The previous Supervisor of the Yellow Gate was none other than the Marquis of Champion, Wang Fu! Have you heard of Wang Fu’s power and authority?” Zhao Ping, his emotions surging, spoke indignantly. “You’ve only heard rumors, never seen it with your own eyes, right? But I have! The most exalted person you have ever seen in this domain is no more than the King of Zhao. Yet Liu Kui, the King of Bohai, was the previous emperor’s own younger brother, and merely because a promised bribe was not delivered, Wang Fu pinned a charge of treason on him and slaughtered his entire family! The deposed Empress Song — she was the mother of the realm, and before her position as empress was even revoked, Wang Fu dared to have her entire family executed in the marketplace… That was an imperial prince, that was an empress’s clan! Do you country bumpkins of Zhao even know what an imperial prince is, or what an empress’s clan is?!”

Every face in the seats changed color.

“And there was Duan Jiong, Marquis of Xinfeng County — the famed general of the Western Provinces, who nearly exterminated the White-Capped Qiang to the last man. On the day of the Palace Gate Incident, it was he who acted and arrested every last student of the Imperial Academy! During the Second Proscription, it was he who was appointed Grand Administrator of Yingchuan to oversee the proscribed partisans… When this man walked the main streets of Luoyang, no one dared to look directly at his carriage!”

“And that Goguryeo you just heard about… I fear you didn’t even know what Goguryeo was before this, did you? Let me tell you: Goguryeo, like the domain of Zhao, had five cities… but it had a population of four hundred thousand — twice that of Zhao!”

“Commandery Adjutant Zhang, I ask you: does the combined power of all the so-called eminent clans in your entire domain of Zhao amount to the power of Wang Fu alone?” Zhao Ping remained agitated and indignant.

“Naturally it does not,” Commandery Adjutant Zhang replied meekly.

“Then are all you worthies seated here in Zhao, combined, as formidable as Duan Jiong?”

Commandery Adjutant Zhang lowered his head, not daring to speak.

“As for Goguryeo, I have already said it has twice the population of Zhao. A kingdom that large, with a heritage of nearly two hundred years, no shorter than your great clans — yet it was destroyed in an instant, its ashes scattered to the wind.” At this point, Zhao Ping suddenly lost control and wept. “Tell me, with Wang Fu’s power, Duan Jiong’s might, and Goguryeo’s deep roots, all perished at the hands of the Marquis of Wulu… What do you think you are? A bunch of country bumpkins, that’s all — understanding nothing, knowing nothing, accustomed to throwing your weight around in this domain until you think yourselves something… Do you even know that the oddly shaped short blade at his waist was a gift from Dong Zhongying, the former Governor of Bingzhou, personally appraised by Cai Bojie, and is the broken blade of Xiang Yu? Do you know that in the Secretariat, the Grand Commandant, Lord Qiao, once sighed in person and said that this blade’s edge is the finest under heaven? I ask you, if this blade is drawn, do you truly think you’ll keep your lives?!”

At this point, Zhao Ping forced himself to wipe away a handful of tears, then wept even harder: “A man like this — if he wants to take back authority, you should just accept it; if he wants to overhaul the local administration, you should just resign; if he wants to suppress the powerful families, you should just kneel… Why be so ignorant? Why repeatedly stir things up, seeking out this person and that? And even if you sought out others, why must you drag me into it time and again? Do I not wish to live on? Do you have any idea how many beautiful concubines I have at home, a full dozen or more?! Do you think this wok is truly meant for boiling sheep?! When I saw Wang Fu’s corpse that day, I was so terrified I vomited. I never imagined that today, because of being dragged down by you, I would die an even uglier death than Wang Fu… I beg you, admit your faults to the Marquis of Wulu, and let him have this wok taken away!”

The courtyard remained silent as before… There was no helping it — from Gongsun Xun on down, for a moment no one knew what to say.

In truth, after that fellow had kicked up such a fuss and laid things out so thoroughly, most people had actually come to understand something: Gongsun Xun had no need whatsoever to engage in any culinary artistry. That great cauldron of his was, more likely than not, just a bit of malicious amusement meant to frighten people.

Yet everything has two sides. Zhao Ping’s utterly craven and pathetic display had, in fact, given these heroes of the Zhao domain and the great clans of the state a far more direct and sober understanding of Gongsun Xun.

To put it plainly, Gongsun Xun had arrived too quickly, which had left these people unprepared in the first place. After he got here, he was set to leave the very next day, and then that Wang Zhuan immediately began consolidating authority… It truly caught many off guard. Even when they later inquired and learned a good deal of information, they were all already feeling guilty, and the Shen clan affair had stirred a sense of shared dread — they had, so to speak, already adopted a preconceived stance.

And once a person adopts a preconceived stance, the mind easily becomes inflexible.

Of course, even so, when they gained some insight through the shift in attitude of Zhao Ping and Wei Song, hadn’t they also decided to swallow their pride?

And today, Zhao Ping’s complete loss of control in the face of a single cauldron had saved quite a few people a great deal of trouble.

“This old man was ignorant!” After a moment of reflection, the Commandery Assistant Zhang Shu — who was also the Zhang clan patriarch — let out a long sigh and immediately knelt before Gongsun Xun, who was seated at the head, to beg forgiveness. “Before, I did not recognize my lord’s awe-inspiring name, and was even deceived by others, which led me to gather many friends and kin from the domain and recklessly come seeking Lord Wei…”

“So this whole situation was actually your doing?” Gongsun Xun remarked indifferently.

“It was.”

“Commandery Assistant Zhang,” Gongsun Xun rose abruptly and stepped forward, “you must have guessed by now. After Lord Wei went to see me, he learned that the common people, oppressed by you powerful families, are as if trapped in a boiling cauldron; and that the county, too, is rife with unbearable abuses because of the lawlessness of you powerful families and officials. For this reason, he and I have long since reached an accord and resolved to help me purge this small patch of Handan… That being the case, how do you think this matter should be concluded?”

“In the present circumstances, this old man has no other request. I only wish that my lord will allow my clan to continue its ancestral rites,” the Commandery Assistant Zhang said, bowing low. “I am willing to resign this post, and willing to have my clan cooperate with the county in auditing the account books and case files. Whatever is found lacking, our Zhang clan is willing to make full restitution. Whatever offenses are found, our Zhang clan is willing to accept punishment. Even if my lord feels that I, as the deputy head of the domain, cannot escape blame, I am willing to make an example of myself and submit to my lord’s judgment… What does my lord think of this?”

At these words, many of the notable clans of Zhao and prominent officials of the domain stepped forward and knelt, clearly adopting the most humble posture possible.

And seeing a great swath of people kneeling on the ground — from Wei Song at the head, to Zhao Ping with tear stains still on his face, to Wei Chang awkwardly clutching the wine flagon — they all breathed a sigh of relief… If you were going to swallow your pride anyway, why not do it sooner?!

However…

“I find it unsatisfactory,” Gongsun Xun said, walking up to Commandery Assistant Zhang Shu and, to everyone’s shock, shaking his head and rejecting the unconditional surrender.

At this, every face in the courtyard changed color. Not to mention the kneeling men who looked up in a mix of shock and fury, or Wei Song at the head and Zhao Ping at the side, who nearly fainted from breathlessness… Even the onlookers who had been drinking and watching the show — men like Wang Pu, Chen Li, the Li clan patriarch, and the Qin clan patriarch — all showed expressions of indignation.

The man had offered such complete and utter submission, and yet he still intended to exterminate a clan to make an example?! Were frontier warriors truly all this cruel and savage?!

“What words does my lord have to say?” Zhang Shu raised his head and demanded indignantly. “Does my lord truly wish to see us nearly wiped out like the Shen clan before he is satisfied? Could it be that our power and influence cannot compare to Wang Fu’s, yet our crimes are greater than his?”

“What is Lord Zhang saying?!” Gongsun Xun exclaimed with a sigh, then suddenly bent down and helped the man to his feet. “Does Lord Zhang think I am a man who only knows how to draw his blade and kill? Just as Zhao Ping said, it is true that I hold the blade of Xiang Yu, and that Lord Qiao described me as hard outside and tough within, my edge the keenest under heaven. But what Zhao Ping failed to consider is that I am also a disciple of the current Grand Commandant, Lord Liu, and a disciple of the renowned Confucian scholar of the realm, Lord Lu… I, Gongsun Xun, besides the knife at my waist, am also a man of reason. I have learned a smattering of Teacher Liu’s benevolence and Teacher Lu’s regard for law. Besides, speaking from the heart, if I truly exterminated all you notable clans of the domain, would there be anyone left in the entire Zhao domain fit to serve as officials? Would there be any order left in the villages? I fear there wouldn’t even be a handful who could read. When order collapses, whose responsibility would that be?”

The crowd in the courtyard was first speechless with bewilderment, then immediately overjoyed beyond measure.

“Lord Wei,” Gongsun Xun said, still supporting the Zhao Commandery Assistant Zhang Shu, as he turned his head back to look at the former Chancellor of Lu, Wei Song, seated at the head, “do you still recall the geography of Zhao we discussed a few days ago on Mount Mafu — the one about the staircase?”

“I… naturally remember,” Wei Song, also overjoyed at this moment, blurted out.

“Then Lord Zhang,” Gongsun Xun asked amiably, still supporting the man, “are you familiar with the geography of your Zhao domain? From west to east, first the peaks of Mount Taihang, then the hilly country, and finally a stretch of flat open land — just like a staircase, each tier pressing down upon the next.”

“The geography of my homeland — how could I not know it?” Zhang Shu replied, baffled, but the situation left him no choice but to answer. “Not only I, but I fear everyone seated here knows it clearly… What my lord and Lord Wei say is absolutely correct.”

“That settles it, then,” Gongsun Xun said, looking at him with a faint smile. “Then let me ask you further: in the Zhao domain, the Wei, Handan, and Li clans are established gentry clans. Your Zhang, Wang, Lu, and Shen clans are powerful local houses. Further down, clans like the Qin are considered great households, and below the great households are commoners and the impoverished… Tell me, why is it that when officials arrive at their posts, they do not touch the gentry clans, nor the great households, yet invariably strike at the powerful houses?”

Zhang Shu fell silent.

Gongsun Xun paid no mind. “Allow me to say it, then. It is because, compared to the gentry clans, the powerful houses lack virtue; and compared to the great households, the powerful houses are lawless… Am I right? When I assigned Wang Shuzhi to take sole charge of county affairs, that man is meticulous to a fault and would never engage in indiscriminate implication. That he so easily implicated you can only mean that you are indeed lacking in virtue and lawless, can it not?”

Zhang Shu remained silent.

“But these officials only know to strike at the powerful houses, never pausing to consider why the powerful houses become lacking in virtue and lawless,” Gongsun Xun continued, still amiable, but now releasing Zhang Shu’s sleeve and raising his voice to address everyone in the pavilion. “I won’t hide it from you all — that day, when Lord Wei and I stood atop Mount Mafu and saw the distinct tiers of Zhao’s geography, we discussed it with one another and suddenly arrived at an insight…”

Wei Song stroked his beard in bewilderment, momentarily at a loss, but the crowd was listening intently and paid him no mind.

“Have you ever considered why the gentry clans are gentry clans? It is because they produce officials generation after generation. And since they can produce officials generation after generation, they can naturally cultivate virtue and refine their character, pursue scholarship and regulate their families. But if a powerful and influential clan cannot produce officials generation after generation… what can they do? They can only turn to seeking local power and economic wealth. And so they engage in rampant annexation and expansion, and then become lacking in virtue and lawless! Thus they become powerful houses! As for the great households… they are merely suppressed by the powerful houses, unable to seize local power or annex land on a large scale — otherwise, they too would become powerful houses!” At this point, Gongsun Xun suddenly clasped his hands behind his back and smiled. “Gentlemen — gentry clans, powerful houses, great households… tell me, is it not just like the geography of Zhao, tier upon tier, each layer pressing down on the next, each boundary sharply defined, leaving no path for others? And this principle is precisely what Lord Wei and I came to understand.”

Many nodded in agreement, but Wei Song was suddenly struck with alarm.

“Lord Zhang!” Gongsun Xun suddenly dropped his smile and asked with a solemn expression. “Let me ask you this: if a son of your family could obtain a recommendation as Filial and Incorrupt, would you still allow your clansmen to be so lawless and lacking in virtue?”

Zhang Shu stared blankly at the lord before him, then suddenly began to tremble violently. “If my son could have a future, who would be unwilling to cultivate virtue? If my son could be recommended as Filial and Incorrupt and then enter the court as a Gentleman, I would surely spread virtue throughout the villages as the Wei clan does! My lord, I…”

“That familiar-looking Qin clan elder over there…” Gongsun Xun ignored him and instead called out to another person. “When I was in your ward, I saw the impoverished living in dire straits, yet you claimed your clan had committed no unlawful acts. Then let me ask you: if a son of your clan could once again serve as a Domain Merit Evaluator, overseeing the performance assessments of all the domain’s officials, would you still haggle so fiercely with your neighbors and fellow villagers?!”

The Qin clan elder, upon hearing this, immediately rose from his seat and prostrated himself. “My lord’s grace and virtue — if such a thing were possible, I would certainly not disappoint my lord’s expectations!”

At his side, Commandery Assistant Zhang Shu suddenly saw the light and hastily prostrated himself again. “My lord’s grace and virtue — if you would grant my son a legitimate and honorable path to officialdom, the entire Zhang clan is willing to follow my lord’s lead!”

“How could I casually point at someone and make them Filial and Incorrupt?” Gongsun Xun, allowing the man to clutch at his trouser leg, laughed again. “It is only that, according to what Lord Wei and I discussed on Mount Mafu, since the situation in Zhao is currently unusual, and the Filial and Incorrupt nominations are publicly recommended, why not have the Wei, Handan, and Li clans forgo their nominations for the next two years? Let everyone publicly recommend candidates from the Zhang, Wang, and Lu clans, and then seek the Chancellor’s final decision… Moreover, your post as Commandery Assistant must also be resigned. Otherwise, the other great households in the commandery will, firstly, be resentful, and secondly, have no place to go. The unlawful matters must also be compensated for and settled; otherwise, not to mention me, even this Wang Zhuan behind me will not be pleased.”

“I will follow my lord’s every instruction!” Zhang Shu hastily shuffled backward several steps and performed a grand ceremonial bow, then turned to Wei Song at the head and bowed profusely as well. “Many thanks for Lord Wei’s lofty virtue!”

And the Wang and Lu clans, along with seven or eight other so-called great households of the domain like the Qin clan, also stepped forward in succession, loudly expressing their gratitude for the lord’s grace and the Wei clan’s virtue!

The two clan patriarchs of the Handan and Li clans both looked toward Wei Song with expressions of utter incomprehension, only to find this son of a former Superintendent of the Imperial Household, younger brother of the current Master of Writing, and former Chancellor of Lu, simply sitting upright at the head, facing the dozen or more clan patriarchs and elders bowing in thanks to him below, and the Marquis of Wulu — who had his back to him and was holding that broken blade of Xiang Yu — and forcing out a dry laugh, speechless.

—————I am the speechless, dry-laughing dividing line—————

“Thus, when capable officials were transferred to new posts, they would often use other matters as a pretext to kill the powerful houses of provinces and commanderies, thereby establishing their authority through terror.” — Book of the Later Han, Biographies of Cruel Officials

(End of Chapter)