[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-202":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},1222961,1620,"Chapter 202: A Man Comes from the River","overthrowing-han-chapter-202",202,"\u003Cp>\"Wenqi truly has the bearing of a renowned minister of old!\" From far off, Liu Yan couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile. \"He actually carries stones and materials himself, building the embankment and constructing the dam.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun merely glanced at the other man upon hearing this, then continued lifting a basket of 'stone material' weighing over a hundred jin with Lou Gui, heading back toward the great embankment without paying him any attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yan was not embarrassed, but instead threw his head back and laughed, then led a crowd of Zhao State local magnates and provincial officials who dared not make a sound as they waited beside the pile of stone material. Only when Gongsun Xun and Lou Gui returned with the empty basket did he step forward and grasp their carrying pole and ropes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wenqi...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could it be that the Provincial Governor wishes to try as well?\" Gongsun Xun finally spoke, but took the chance to thrust the carrying pole into the other man's hands, his expression inevitably turning teasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Junlang was momentarily frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As a son, one should share the father's burdens!\" As a filial son, Liu Fan rolled up his sleeves without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perfect, the worthy father and son can do it together.\" Lou Zibo was also one who enjoyed a bit of fun, and he promptly handed over the basket in his own hands as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Fan took the basket, and just like his own father, was instantly frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several provincial officials looked at each other in dismay upon seeing this... they were all Liu Yan's subordinate officers, and in this situation they naturally had to hurry forward to rescue him from the predicament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that very moment, Gongsun Xun suddenly pulled a stern face and rebuked them harshly: \"Are you people trying to ruin the Regional Commissioner's virtue?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These provincial officials were startled in their hearts, and every one of them stood frozen on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In ancient times, when Yu the Sage controlled the waters, his hands and feet were calloused, and he toiled with his own body; in the days when Emperor Wu of Han filled the embankments, everyone from generals down carried firewood and stones into the river; now I, a Ting Marquis of superlative rank, also labor personally — why is it that when it comes to the Regional Commissioner, someone must act in his stead?!\" Gongsun Xun's words grew increasingly vehement, as if he had suffered some great grievance. \"With so many people on the embankment watching, if word gets out, won't people mock your Regional Commissioner as a hypocrite?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The time was early to mid-afternoon. According to Gongsun Xun's arrangements, the laborers at this hour were entitled to return to the work sheds for a bowl of millet porridge... old millet, thin and watery, but even so, it was a rare 'benefit' in these times... At that moment, Gongsun Xun stood on the embankment, watching the stream of people, all smiling cheerfully — it was simply a crowd going to the work sheds to collect their porridge. And when Gongsun Xun went off alone with Lou Gui to carry crushed stones and spoke those words, it was also while everyone was drinking porridge, with no one around. But now, a bowl of porridge easily downed, the laborers swarmed back like ants, each returning to gawk at the newly arrived 'great nobleman'!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The provincial officials' faces all flushed red; some were even indignant, but in the end, none dared to bear the crime of 'harming the Regional Commissioner's reputation.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, however, the man involved, Liu Yan, was inwardly quite unconcerned by the sight, and was even somewhat pleased... Astute as he was, how could he not see that Gongsun Xun's display of petty temper and small tricks precisely showed that the other party had no intention of stopping him from sharing in the credit!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the major point of principle, the man had already conceded — what did such a trifling matter count for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, a dignified member of the imperial clan and hereditary nobility who had been a private tutor for eighteen years — if he knew nothing else, did he not know how to put on an act?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, Inspector Liu immediately put on an expression of diligent duty once more, scolded his subordinates one by one, and then lifted a basket of stone material weighing a full two hundred-plus jin with his son, gritting his teeth and bracing his back as he headed toward the great embankment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, many had already started work. This crowd of laborers had originally begun to lose their sense of novelty toward Gongsun Xun, this 'nobleman.' Now, hearing that yet another new nobleman had arrived, they naturally gathered around to watch on one hand, while on the other hand they all scrambled to get out of the way. Some of the more timid ones, hearing that this was the top official of the province, two ranks higher than the previous Gongsun Xun, even took the initiative to kneel and kowtow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group of provincial officials could attend to nothing else — including Lu Bu, who had remained silent all along — and now hurried to follow behind Liu Yan, ready to assist if needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun calmly put his clothes back on, and with the silent crowd of Zhao State magnates following at a measured pace, distinctly separate, ascended the great embankment. From that vantage point, he waited for Liu Yan, still in his official robes, to finish hauling this load of stones and return to engage in idle talk... Everyone understood that, barring the unexpected, with the embankment nearing completion, this very afternoon the Inspector of Jizhou and Gongsun Xun, who held sway over Zhao State, would formally discuss the matter of the memorial to the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which is to say, the matter of how to divide the credit!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And no matter what, even if it was a foregone conclusion, this was a very serious and very necessary matter... from every angle, it was so:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Liu Yan, an inspector's term was short — a year or two at most — and he, Liu Junlang, should then be appointed Grand Administrator of a major commandery. However, not all major commanderies were equal. Dong Zhuo was now Grand Administrator in Hedong, also a top-tier major commandery, but it certainly could not compare to Nanyang or Henei! In truth, the perfect end to Liu Yan's term should be Grand Administrator of Nanyang, the greatest commandery in the empire... that was the last posting of the current Grand Commandant and important imperial clan minister, Liu Kuan, before he transferred to the central government.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But precisely because of this, he probably needed the credit for this embankment even more urgently — even needed the credit for the Handan Public School to adorn his term of office... This 'diligent and dutiful' imperial clan minister tolerated so many things from Gongsun Xun not merely because he bullied the weak and feared the strong. Or rather, making certain investments because one sees profit to be gained is not contradictory to bullying the weak and fearing the strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, the magnates within Zhao State were also silently harboring their own expectations... Their originally dry land turning into irrigated fertile fields was naturally a tremendous good thing, but what about that stretch of marshland in Yiyang County that had always only produced wild ducks — suddenly, in a single winter, it was about to become top-grade fertile land? How should that be accounted for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be frank, even Wei Song and Cai Bojie were somewhat tempted... especially the latter. Cai Yong was, after all, merely exiled; his family's wealth and goods were still considerable. Now, unable to return home and unable to hold office, having finally settled down in Zhao State, teaching and discoursing while surrounded by a crowd of admirers — acquiring some land and settling down was probably also a scholar-official's instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there was also Zhao Ping, mentioned earlier. This fellow knew that his clan uncle would certainly make arrangements, but he, Zhao Ping himself, also wished for something more direct. If Liu Yan and Gongsun Xun's memorial could proactively mention him, then no matter where he went in the future, he probably would not suffer the same treatment as his other clan uncle, Zhao Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dignified two-thousand-dan Grand Administrator going to dance for Cai Bojie, a man just released after serving his sentence — and the man ignored him completely!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was more terrifying was that everyone took this for granted, simply because that Grand Administrator was the son of eunuchs!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the matter at hand, even Gongsun Xun could not claim to be entirely unruffled... because after the new year, when the great embankment passed its 'initial inspection' by the spring floods, he, Gongsun Xun, would barely be twenty-five years old. Based on the merits he had accumulated and the reality of this water conservancy project, he should then be able to be promoted openly and honorably to a two-thousand-dan rank, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two-thousand-dan, a Ting Marquis — at that point, who could still block his steps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even looking deeper, once Gongsun Xun was promoted to two-thousand-dan, many things would have chain-reaction interactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most obvious one: according to the Law of Mutual Exclusion, Gongsun Xun's father-in-law, Zhao Bao, would no longer be able to serve as Grand Administrator of Liaoxi... In fact, Zhu Ling's arrival earlier had already shown that both the court and Zhao Bao had noticed this situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be known that Gongsun Xun was unaware that this father-in-law of his was a man whose life he had extended against the heavens. But the fact was, the original Zhao Bao should have died of melancholy after the Battle of Liucheng due to losing his family, yet now he was perfectly well, occupying his position as the Han Empire's foremost minister beyond the passes, and growing ever more formidable in his official career.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just imagine, at a time when all the empire's horses were silent, a two-thousand-dan official with a powerful backer (Zhao Zhong), rich experience (years of postings, moving through various regions, renowned in both civil and military affairs), enormous prestige (the drama of teaching his son before the battle array could practically be a model opera), and who was also a Township Marquis — what ripples would he cause in this era? It's probably hard to say, isn't it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a small scale, perhaps nothing would change; on a large scale, perhaps someday some future warlord would be unconsciously blocked dead in his tracks by this fine father-in-law of Gongsun Xun's.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that, once Gongsun Xun became a two-thousand-dan official, he could openly and on a large scale recruit talents, and could also provide unprecedented assistance to his own Anli Company and his own mother... For instance, if he were sent to Xuzhou, believe it or not, the Mi family of Xuzhou would be acquired by Anli Company on the spot? Another example: if he were sent to Yangzhou or somewhere, wouldn't Anli Company be able to produce the tea that his aunt so persistently longed for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet another example...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is all that clamor?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Gongsun Xun watched Liu Yan and his son bracing their backs as they walked up, his thoughts drifting wildly, suddenly a chorus of startled cries rose from the riverbed not far away, causing both him and Liu Yan to turn their heads and look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Officer Lu, go and see what has happened!\" Whether intentional or not, Liu Yan's Administrative Advisor casually gave the order, dispatching Lu Bu to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in a short while, Lu Fengxian promptly returned to report: \"Reporting to the Provincial Governor and the Marquis, the riverbed mud softened in the afternoon. At that spot, some laborers dug up an auspicious omen — an old soft-shelled turtle with strange and wondrous patterns on its shell, appearing extraordinarily profound and subtle!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yan was immediately astonished, not even bracing his back anymore. Even Cai Bojie and Wei Song were uncertain and doubtful, let alone this crowd of local bumpkins from Zhao State... Gongsun Xun, however, could not help but sneer inwardly at these words!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of joke was this? Was it strange to dig up an old soft-shelled turtle from riverbed mud that hadn't been cleared in centuries?! As for the patterns on the shells of creatures like turtles and soft-shelled turtles — you say they're profound and subtle, so they are? I've seen a yellow dragon and slaughtered a venomous flood dragon in the Guo River with Emperor Wu of Wei! Especially the latter — killed it with a single palm strike!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After what I experienced on the Guo River, you dare speak to me of such divine wonders... isn't this just showing off one's slight skill before an expert?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I never expected was that Lu Bu, a country bumpkin from Bingzhou, after only a few days in the provincial administration, had already become so slick... and 'profound and subtle'?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fengxian, quickly assist those laborers in fetching this profound and subtle creature!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun did not believe it, but plenty of others did. Liu Yan pondered briefly, then straightened his back, his face showing delight. \"Brother Bojie, if my memory serves me correctly, the appearance of a turtle or soft-shelled turtle in the river should be an auspicious omen, is it not?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah... indeed!\" Cai Yong opened his mouth, tilted his head back in thought for a moment, and then gave an affirmative reply. \"However, to be specific, the auspicious omen is not the turtle or soft-shelled turtle itself, but the patterns on its shell... The Book of Changes says: 'The River gave forth the Chart, the Luo gave forth the Writing, and the Sage took them as the model.' The River Chart was borne out of the Yellow River on the back of a dragon-horse, and this Luo Writing was borne out of the Luo River on the back of a divine turtle... Some say that this Luo Writing was not an actual book, but that there was writing on the turtle's shell itself... It is said that some have seen such turtle shells bearing script...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Lady Gongsun were here, she would certainly snort: \"That's called oracle bone script!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, leaving Lady Gongsun aside, Gongsun Xun, though he did not believe it in his heart and even dismissed it entirely, merely stood to the side and said nothing, allowing these Zhao State magnates and provincial officials to be duped by Liu Yan and Cai Yong's duet into stunned, wavering fascination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it plainly, what harm did this matter do to him, Gongsun Xun? Back in the day, didn't Chen Sheng and Wu Guang also hide a writing in a fish's belly to make everyone resolve their will? As long as these people didn't blow the matter out of proportion and invite ridicule, he cared little either way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was indeed a very large soft-shelled turtle, as big as the millstones that had only become widespread in the last few years, used for grinding flour!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Bu led the way in front, while two sturdy laborers carried it behind, one on the left and one on the right. The patterns on the turtle's shell truly did appear somewhat profound and subtle under the sunlight... The crowd looked at each other, then could not help but look toward the two leaders, Liu Yan and Gongsun Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun did not stand on ceremony, and together with the impatient Liu Yan, stepped forward to meet it, the crowd following closely behind and swarming forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet at the very moment he lifted his leg, as Gongsun Xun walked slowly forward, he suddenly felt that something was amiss — if it had just been dug out of the river mud, why was the turtle's shell so clean and glossy, with mud only on its limbs and underside? It looked as if it had just been placed into a mud pit. And thinking along those lines, compared to ordinary laborers, the two men carrying the turtle were far too sturdy, and their clothing seemed unusually clean and thick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it arranged deliberately by Liu Yan, or by someone like Zhao Ping?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun’s first reaction was exactly that… because the former needed such things for embellishment, while the latter needed to curry favor with him and Liu Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But looking more closely, whether it was Liu Yan, Zhao Ping, and the others, or those Zhao country bumpkins, or the provincial clerks, everyone seemed genuinely curious and was truly marveling in admiration… Even Cai Bojie was badly startled by the thing’s sheer size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was wrong!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, just as the enormous live softshell turtle met the descending party of Liu Yan and Gongsun Xun, the two men suddenly hurled the giant turtle at Lu Bu, who stood to the side with the tallest and most powerful frame, and in an instant drew daggers from their waists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While everyone else was still dazed, Gongsun Xun, who had sensed something earlier, grabbed the carrying pole from Liu Fan behind him and swung it viciously at the man in front. But this only drove one man back, and the man quickly seized the pole and casually flung it aside, then still hurled himself recklessly toward Liu Yan! Not to mention, the other man had already rushed to the side of Liu Yan, the Inspector of Jizhou!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun reached behind him to Liu Fan again for something, but only came back with a basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when he turned back, ready to hurl the basket, he was stunned to find that while everyone else was still bewildered, both sturdy assassins had already been subdued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them had been smashed to the ground by the enraged Lu Bu using the live old turtle with a backhand blow — it looked as though neither man nor turtle had any breath left. The other lay face down on the ground, and beside him lay the carrying pole that should have been casually tossed aside by this man?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the confusion, the people around came to their senses one after another and surged forward, surrounding the ‘bodies’ of the two assassins on one side, while on the other hastily shielding Gongsun Xun and the still-shaken Liu Yan, Liu Junlang, retreating all the way back!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, when the group returned to the well-equipped ‘work shed’ where the dignitaries stayed, Liu Yan and the others finally regained their composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why would it come to this?” Liu Junlang clutched Gongsun Xun’s hand, half putting on an act, but more genuinely grief-stricken and bewildered. “Wenqi, tell me, who would want to kill me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun was equally baffled — in fact, everyone around was completely baffled… Yes, heaven have mercy, why would anyone want to kill this diligent, dutiful, bully-the-weak-and-fear-the-strong Liu Junlang?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had only come to be an official! Shouldn’t everyone love him on sight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it really had to be an assassination, why not kill Gongsun Xun instead? Just like Shen Hu before… Gongsun Xun had done far too many rotten things and deserved to be assassinated! Yet, just now, everyone had seen clearly — although the two men shouted no slogans, they were plainly targeting only Liu Yan. And judging by the preparation of such a huge turtle, they had planned this well in advance, clearly having scouted the Inspector’s movements and arranged it beforehand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fangbo, please rest easy.” After pondering a moment but arriving at nothing, Gongsun Xun could only offer what comfort he could. “Since this happened within Handan’s borders, I will certainly give you an accounting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can only rely on Wenqi now.” Liu Yan spoke a genuine word at this moment… Right now, it seemed he truly could only trust Gongsun Xun. Setting aside Gongsun Xun’s ability, if the other man had not thrown that carrying pole just now, he would likely have been stabbed in that instant of unpreparedness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, Liu Yan was Liu Yan after all, and by now he had thought it through. Although this matter was baffling and everyone seemed suspect, Gongsun Xun alone was the least likely culprit… Not only because of Gongsun Xun’s actions just now, but because the great embankment was nearly complete — after a year of bitter toil, with the harvest about to come, the other man had no reason to stir up trouble. And besides, if Gongsun Xun truly wanted to cause trouble, he would not do it here… This was Handan, the worksite under Gongsun Xun’s control. As the saying goes, in a melon patch or under a plum tree, one avoids suspicion. With himself still alive, Gongsun Xun already bore responsibility; had he actually died, Gongsun Xun could jump into the Gelu River and never wash himself clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After comforting Liu Yan and the other badly shaken old men such as Wei Song and Cai Yong, Gongsun Xun hurried out of the work shed to investigate the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the story?” Beside the corpses of the two men and one turtle, Gongsun Xun’s face had rarely turned so grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, I am ashamed!” Lu Bu cupped his fists and knelt to beg forgiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This has nothing to do with you.” Gongsun Xun hastily waved for him to rise. “You have merit, not fault! In that situation just now, it was fortunate that Fengxian could react in time…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord,” Lou Gui suddenly stepped forward from the side and reported a finding. “Just now, Shuzhi and I were questioning among the laborers, and someone seemed to vaguely recognize these two as notable figures among the lake bandits of the Great Lu Marsh in Julu downstream…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Gongsun Xun’s scalp instantly went numb. Far from relaxing because the matter had so quickly found an explanation, his heart tightened instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let…” The moment the words ‘Great Lu Marsh’ were spoken, Gongsun Xun already had a guess about the matter in his heart, but glancing back at the corpses at his feet, he suddenly recalled another issue. “This… of these two assassins, one was slain by Fengxian’s backhand blow, but how did the other die? I seem to recall that the carrying pole I threw was easily deflected away by this man?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui was also dazed and unaware.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In reply to my lord,” at this point Ju Zong bowed and provided an answer. “I saw it clearly at the time. That man tossed the carrying pole backhanded into the crowd of laborers, but one of them — a man of extremely large build — reached out and caught it, and with a single backhand swing struck this assassin on the neck, killing him on the spot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun slanted westward. Gongsun Xun looked up, lost in thought. After a moment, he suddenly asked again, “Extremely large build?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In physique, not inferior to Fengxian,” Ju Zong replied frankly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where is this man now?!” Gongsun Xun grew even more curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This man is from out of town. He and a few companions, encountering the river works, made some money by hauling stone to the worksite. Just now, after receiving his reward money from me, he directly pushed his cart and left.” Wang Xiu, holding a register, answered from a distance. “My lord, your subordinate is ashamed to have allowed lake bandits…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Set that matter aside for now.” Gongsun Xun raised a hand to cut him off. “That man is from out of town, and has already left?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!” Wang Xiu replied candidly. “I will not deceive my lord…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What accent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bingzhou… northern Bingzhou, but also somewhat like Jingzhao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So-called out-of-towner, doing only this kind of manual labor… presumably he has troubles he cannot speak of?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most likely a fugitive with some integrity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That fits. What of his appearance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tall and large, not the least bit weaker than Fengxian. Ruddy complexion. Though young, he has already begun to grow a beard…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun felt a dazed sense of loss. After a pause, he turned to look at Lu Bu beside him, still vexed and looking utterly discomfited, and suddenly shouted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bring my mount at once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—————I am the dazed-and-lost dividing line—————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the Guanghe reign of the Later Han, the Great Ancestor built the Gelu River. When the work was done, a divine turtle emerged from the river. The crowd all took it as an auspicious omen, but Cai Bojie alone, standing by, saw it and was afraid. The crowd did not understand, and Yong then said: ‘The divine turtle bears a writ, the writ upon its shell; whether the omen is auspicious or baleful lies in the text of the writ. Looking upon it now, it is a writ of war and calamity! It foretells that a general of rebellion and disorder shall cross this river!’ The crowd laughed at him. At year’s end, a star transgressed against the Heavenly Wolf and the Heavenly Bow, and gradually they grew fearful… According to the records, at that time, the Great Ancestor, Liu Yan, Lu Bu, Lou Gui, Wang Xiu, Dong Zhao, and Guan Yu were all at the river. Some say the Gelu River flows straight into the Great Lu Marsh in Julu, and the Zhang Jiao brothers were also at the river. Was not Cai Bojie’s words thus fulfilled?” — New Book of Yan, Treatise on the Five Elements\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, there is a new book group 684558115 that everyone can join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4278,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","6c6a855e6374a42b4dce0e2f4bbc321e9899a0c50aad55a60bb1b8b93316fbca","overthrowing-han-chapter-203","overthrowing-han-chapter-201",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]