Chapter 191: No News of the Newcomer (Part 1)

Regardless of whether others acknowledged it or not, after the first year of Guanghe, Luoyang had actually entered a rare period of political stability.

There were certainly many reasons for this, but in essence, it was more because after the great political upheaval at the end of Xiping and the beginning of Guanghe, nearly every faction was unwilling, and also lacked the strength, to easily stir up waves again.

Wang Fu was dead, and the main power of the old eunuch faction had largely vanished like smoke, yet Cao Jie, instead of retreating, advanced further and still sat firmly as the leader of the eunuchs. Moreover, this returning power-holder had changed his former domineering ways, and in his conduct and handling of affairs, he actually displayed something of a chief minister's bearing, which was quite commendable.

Yuan Feng was dead, and the Yang clan seemed to dominate alone, but the leader of the ducal clans who now steadily occupied the position of Grand Commandant and was clearly accepted by the entire court was the universally beloved Liu Kuan, Granny Liu. With him and Cao Jie leading the court, there was indeed a sense that they complemented each other well.

Empress Song was also dead, and the old meritorious noble faction had also scattered overnight. Yet the Son of Heaven somewhat regretted his actions at the time, and recently had gradually relaxed the official proscriptions against the old meritorious nobles from that day. Furthermore, according to rumor, he had once dreamed that Empress Song and the Prince of Bohai, Liu Kui, questioned him in the dream, and after waking from this nightmare, he did not seek out the eunuchs, but instead found Xu Yong of the Yulin Guard, who was on duty outside the hall, to inquire about this matter...

Of course, although the situation was temporarily stable, any clear-sighted person could see that this stability and peace could not last very long.

First, Cao Jie's health had always been poor; the illness a few years ago had nearly sent him to meet the King of Youdu. How many more years he could hold on this time was uncertain. The eunuch faction would sooner or later be led by the avaricious Zhang Rang and the harsh Zhao Zhong, and the situation once the power of court administration fell into the hands of such men was also worrying.

Second, Liu Kuan seemed unassailable, but the positions of the Three Excellencies were inherently subject to constant rotation. A single solar eclipse or an outbreak of plague could lead to a reshuffling. His position as leader was never truly secure. Not to mention Yang Ci, even the next generation of ducal clan scions like Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and Yang Biao were rapidly maturing and growing increasingly unrestrained...

Beyond this, a new power was also steadily rising.

Perhaps unwilling to cause further chaos, or perhaps out of guilt towards Empress Song, the Son of Heaven was in no hurry to establish Consort He as Empress. But this was destined not to last long, because Consort He's elder brother, He Jin—once a butcher from Nanyang—had already been transferred from his post as General of the Gentlemen of the Household Rapid as Tigers to become the Grand Administrator of Yingchuan. Everyone knew that once Consort He was promoted to Empress, this Nanyang butcher would return to Luoyang, and according to the political traditions of this dynasty, would quickly become a pole of political power.

However, regardless of others, the most critical point was actually the Great Han Son of Heaven at the center of the world. After gaining political dominance, this young Son of Heaven, barely in his twenties, not only failed to rouse himself and accomplish anything of merit, as his former supporters had imagined, but instead increasingly indulged in pleasure and the accumulation of wealth...

Even on that occasion when he had the nightmare, when Xu Yong, Supervisor of the Left of the Yulin Guard, cried out the injustice done to the Empress, this Son of Heaven remained silent on the spot. Yet the next morning, he still went to the Western Garden for pleasure and sold offices as before.

To be fair, in a centralized state, no matter how hard others try or how stable the political situation is, as long as this one man continues to corrupt the state of affairs, the Great Han dynasty cannot possibly move in a good direction.

"The Inspector of Jizhou, Wang, has submitted a memorial, stating that he is old and frail, long afflicted by chronic illness, unable to attend to official duties, and fears betraying the imperial grace..."

In the afternoon, within the office of the Prefect of the Masters of Writing in the Central Pavilion, the white-haired Cao Jie was slowly recounting Wang Fang's letter of resignation, along with the man's final remonstrance within the letter against the Son of Heaven's sale of offices.

And around Cao Jie, as usual, sat the central power figures of this empire.

There was no helping it. No matter who it was, the position of Inspector of Jizhou was absolutely not one that could be easily relinquished... That place was the heartland of Hebei, and one of the two great foundations of the empire. With nine commanderies and kingdoms, vast lands and a dense population, the power of an outstanding Inspector of Jizhou was enough to make anyone wary, and enough to make any political faction covet it with salivating desire.

To be fair, Gongsun Xun had to thank Wang Fang. This man's resignation not only temporarily avoided the immediate handling of his unauthorized killing by the Inspectorate of Jizhou, but also forced certain exasperated individuals in the central government to temporarily set this matter aside.

After all, although the death of a guilty county magistrate, however severely it violated official norms and scholarly customs, was still not worth mentioning compared to the vacancy of the Inspector of Jizhou's post.

For an entire day, the disputes in the Central Pavilion did not cease. No one was willing to give up this position... Hebei had so many feudal princes and kings, making it an important source of wealth for the eunuchs, and even more so the hometown of many great eunuchs like Zhao Zhong. They naturally hoped to send a peacemaker. However, those who actually handled affairs in the Masters of Writing knew that it was precisely because of this that a resolute and decisive person was needed to clean up Jizhou. Not to mention, nearly every major figure also had their own selfish motives and ulterior thoughts...

"At a banquet, the Commandery Assistant of Wei Commandery declared himself willing to be a running dog for the Zhao clan. The Prefect of Fanyang is corrupt and lawless. The Prefect of Nanpi levied taxes thirty times in a single year, driving the people to revolt." Lu Zhi sat upright, expressionlessly stating his reasons. "Now, moreover, the Magistrate of Xiangguo County, Zhen Du, colluded with Mount Taihang bandits to slaughter the people, and the Prefect of Handan, Gongsun Xun, killed Zhen Du without authorization... The collapse of Jizhou's local governance is indisputable. This is precisely the time for a solemn Regional Governor to purge Hebei!"

Lu Zigan was the Minister of the Civil Office Section, and thus had great authority to speak on this matter. Moreover, the various incidents he cited were indeed somewhat shocking, so for a moment, the office fell silent.

"How about this," after waiting a long while, Zhao Zhong, the Supervisor of the Yellow Gate, suddenly spoke. "The sky is already dark. Why don't we cease deliberations and simply ask the Son of Heaven to make the decision..."

At these words, starting with Lu Zhi, most people's expressions dimmed, and then everyone shut their mouths... This was the most tragic part for these scholars. Your reasons were sufficient, you argued with sound logic, and the facts you presented left these eunuchs utterly speechless. But in the end, with a single sentence asking the Son of Heaven to decide, they could casually render all your efforts futile.

Was the Son of Heaven's decision correct? This was a matter of course, and for scholars and court officials, it was an option absolutely difficult to refute.

However, as the current Son of Heaven had been personally ruling for a long time, everyone knew that although this Son of Heaven was very intelligent, he was easily swayed, valued personal relationships, and was also very greedy. Thus, when the time came to decide, these eunuchs could calmly offer suggestions and express opinions from the side, influencing the Son of Heaven's judgment, while the court officials outside were powerless to do anything.

And this was the strength of the eunuch faction. They were trusted by the Son of Heaven and protected by him. They lived together with the Son of Heaven within the Northern Palace of Luoyang, as if they were one body.

As things stood, one could only hope that the Son of Heaven in the Northern Palace would be a bit more sensitive and a bit wiser today.

Grand Commandant Liu Kuan and the Grand Prolonger of Autumn and Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Cao Jie, exchanged a glance, each gave a helpless smile, and then rose together to dissolve the meeting.

"Zigan..." As Liu Kuan walked out of the office, he could not help but call out to his drinking companion, Lu Zhi. "Would you come to my home for a drink today? Wendian sent me a novel little thing yesterday, something for cooking."

"Wenrao, you go on ahead." Lu Zhi turned back calmly, his eyes and tone already devoid of the mixture of dejection and anger from before. "I wasted too much time here today. I still have the postings of a few court gentlemen to assign. I'll handle that briefly and come find Wenrao this evening..."

Liu Kuan immediately nodded, then casually tucked his sleeves together under the expectant and wary gazes of those around him, and walked out of the Central Pavilion with the others.

This is how the world is. No one is the center of the world, and if there were, it would certainly not be Gongsun Xun at this moment.

However, perhaps having heard the silent prayers of the court officials, this time the Son of Heaven in the Northern Palace was finally not muddled. He exercised his intelligence and actually selected a candidate who left everyone with nothing to say.

Liu Yan, courtesy name Junlang, a man of Jingling in Jiangxia, exempted from paying official appointment fees due to his status as a member of the Han imperial clan.

It must be said, this Liu Junlang had made a name for himself twenty years earlier. He was summoned to court during the reign of Emperor Huan, but when serving as a court gentleman, upon the death of his teacher, the Minister over the Masses Zhu Tian, he chose to hang up his seal and abandon his post, going to teach and educate students instead. He stayed away for eighteen years... Of course, some say he foresaw the impending rise of the Proscription of Partisans and was unwilling to be embroiled in the conflict, thus voluntarily left his post... But regardless, now that the political situation was stable, this Han imperial clansman, who had taught and cultivated his reputation for eighteen years east of Luoyang, had finally accepted a summons last year and replaced Sima Fang, who had been promoted to Governor of the Capital, as Prefect of Luoyang.

Now, he had transformed yet again to become the Regional Governor of Jizhou. Moreover, the entire court praised the decision, and not a single person opposed it.

Ultimately, the four words "Han imperial clansman" were enough to silence all the eunuchs. Not to mention that Liu Junlang's family had lived in Jiangxia for generations, with their clan deeply entrenched in Jingzhou, and the man himself had cultivated his reputation for eighteen years east of Luoyang!

"Congratulations, my lord!" Liu Yan's eldest son, Liu Fan, just at the age of capping, had always attended upon his father. So when his father emerged successively from the Northern Palace and the Southern Palace, officially transformed into the Inspector of Jizhou, he could not help but beam with delight.

He could not be blamed for his joy... This was the Inspector of Jizhou!

According to the political traditions of the Han, as long as Liu Yan completed this term peacefully and safely, upon his return he would inevitably be the Grand Administrator of a major commandery. Upon returning again, he would likely be ranked among the ministers and excellencies... When that time came, if Liu Fan then entered official service, would it not be very easy for him to aim directly for the ranks of ministers and excellencies?

"A mere regional inspector, a petty six-hundred-bushel rank, what is there to be happy about?" Liu Yan, in his forties, had a ruddy complexion, a full beard and hair, and moved with the lightness of a man in his thirties. Hearing this, he was clearly somewhat pleased, yet constrained by being outside the palace gates, he had to put on an air of nonchalance.

"That is true." Liu Fan suddenly laughed in realization. "Father has cultivated his reputation for eighteen years, such rapid advancement is only to be expected..."

"Let's go, let's go!" Liu Yan, seeing the countless carriages and attendants of officials around him, repeatedly cut off his eldest son's flattery, and then directly mounted his family's donkey cart parked on Bronze Camel Street.

"Yes!" Liu Fan hurriedly took the driver's seat. "Father, shall we go home first or visit the Yuan residence first?"

Liu Yan's summons last year as a Worthy and Upright Gentleman had been at the behest of Yuan Kui. Both sentiment and reason dictated a visit.

"Neither, we will leave the city directly!" Liu Yan said crisply from within the cart. "I already saw Excellency Yuan and the other key central ministers in the Central Pavilion earlier. Everything that needed to be said has been said."

"But where would we go outside the city?" Liu Fan, holding the whip, was momentarily at a loss. "Should we not go home?"

"To Jizhou!" the newly appointed Inspector of Jizhou said calmly from within the cart.

"To... Father, do not jest with me." Liu Fan was utterly speechless. "Who goes to take up their post the moment they leave the palace gates?"

"Why not?" Liu Yan laughed and retorted from within the cart. "My son, are you worried that people will mock me for anxiously rushing to my post after obtaining an official position?"

"That's not quite it..." Liu Fan replied awkwardly. "Those people are mocked because after getting their posts, they immediately don fine clothes and spirited horses, with ornate carriages and full regalia. How could someone like Father, who makes his son drive a donkey cart in anxious haste to take up his post, be mocked? I just feel it's a bit rushed."

"What is there to be rushed about?" Liu Yan's voice from within the cart suddenly turned serious. "I have already had an audience with the Son of Heaven, the Three Excellencies, the Prefect of the Masters of Writing, and the Minister of the Civil Office Section. I have received the imperial edict and taken the official documents. If I do not go to take up my post now, what am I waiting for? If we lack money or clothing, we can pick them up on the way at Mount Yangcheng. Why must we stay in Luoyang? Could it be that you want to use this opportunity to show off to those new friends of yours that your father has become the Regional Governor of Jizhou?"

"That's not it." The weather was scorching, and Liu Fan was drenched in sweat. "No... Fine, whatever Father says, goes. We will leave the city for Jizhou right now..."

With the crack of a whip, the donkey cart started moving. Only then did Liu Yan inside the cart let out a scoff and fall silent.

Of course, he was his own eldest son after all; a lesson was enough. When father and son set out from Bronze Camel Street, toiling for the better part of the day, and only reached the foot of Mount Yangcheng, where they had lived for eighteen years, by midnight, Liu Yan finally told his son the truth.

"Father intends to make a private inspection?" In the gentle night breeze, Liu Fan, who had just washed his father's feet and was gnawing on a peach, finally learned the reason. "Why is that?"

"Why else?" Liu Yan sighed, sitting barefoot on the mat. "It was entrusted to me by Lu Zhi, Lu Zigan, the Minister of the Civil Office Section. His student serves as the Prefect of Handan, yet acts recklessly in Zhao Kingdom, a county prefect killing a county magistrate. Lu Zigan is worried this student will cause trouble and wanted me to go warn him. But I had already heard about the affairs in Zhao Kingdom before; the matter is complex and likely not easy to handle. Even the former Inspector Wang's sudden resignation and departure was partly due to this matter. So, I had you drive the donkey cart to take me directly to Zhao Kingdom, to first secretly investigate the area, so as to handle the matter impeccably..."

"This has truly been hard on you, Father." Liu Fan finally understood. "This Lu Zigan has been the Minister of the Civil Office Section for many years, steady as Mount Tai, and not easily offended. Yet he wants to use Father's hand to discipline his own student, so the punishment must be both sufficient and leave some leeway, just enough to deal with the situation... No wonder Father was in such a hurry; you must want to catch that Prefect of Handan off guard."

"Indeed." Liu Yan nodded gently in the night breeze, but could not help reaching out to stroke his eldest son's topknot. "However, you have also worked hard on this journey, my son, driving the cart in such sweltering heat..."

"Father, why do you say such a thing?" Liu Fan could not help but laugh awkwardly, then tossed the peach pit in his hand away. "Do you truly think your son understands nothing? The reason you have acted this way, in the end, is it not so that my brothers and I might have an easier time when we become officials in the future? I cannot speak for my younger brothers, but when Father lamented the state of affairs here back then, I was already old enough to understand."

"Indeed!" Liu Junlang also laughed again, no longer putting on airs before his son. "But our family has finally seen fortune turn. The Son of Heaven is young, the political situation is stable — it is precisely a good time to serve as an official... I, Liu Yan, will absolutely not let you four brothers waste your best years in these mountains as I did in my youth!"

————— I am the dividing line of a loving father and filial son —————

"Liu Yan, styled Junlang, a man of Jingling in Jiangxia, descendant of Han Prince Gong of Lu. During the Yuanhe reign of Emperor Zhang, his fief was moved to Jingling, where a cadet branch of the family settled. In his youth, Yan served in the provincial and commandery administration, and was appointed Palace Attendant by virtue of his imperial lineage. Later, he resigned his post to mourn his teacher, Master Zhu. He dwelt on Mount Yangcheng for eighteen years, accumulating learning and teaching disciples. Recommended as Worthy, Good, Upright, and Correct, he was summoned to the Minister Over the Masses' office and became Prefect of Luoyang. The following year, he was transferred to become Inspector of Jizhou. Because the governance of Jizhou was in disrepair, he departed through the Southern Palace Gate, had his son drive a donkey cart, and traveled incognito." — New Book of Yan, Volume 64, Biographies, Chapter 14

(End of Chapter)