Chapter 240: Fu Nanrong Travels by Night, Bearing White Jade Gui

The setting sun gradually vanished, and the twilight grew hazy. Moreover, the summer wind these past few days had become unusually boisterous, seeming to somewhat dilute the unbridled heat that had lingered for days. But perhaps because they were still besieged by the Yellow Turban rebels, the atmosphere within Changshe City, which had already transformed into a massive military encampment, remained unbearably stifling.

At that moment, atop a tall platform hastily erected in the city for observing enemy movements, the two Bearers of the Golden Staff, Colonels Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, were dressed in thin single-layer robes and plain attire, fortunate enough to enjoy a bit of the night breeze.

"So, Brother Yizhen, you actually had a strategy to defeat the enemy all along?" After exchanging a few words, Zhu Jun, sitting on the platform and enjoying the wind, couldn't help but turn his head and ask seriously.

"Yes," Huangfu Song, seated to the side, answered frankly. "Although that Bo Cai has some natural talent, he lacks experience. In the summer, grass and trees grow thick and lush, yet when he set up camp, he didn't know to clear away the tall grass and trees beside it. Some minor commanders even privately moved their camps next to the woods because of the heat. Furthermore, our army is to the east and the rebels to the west... Heh, in summer the southeast wind is strong. With such a situation, if we could emulate the fire attack strategy Tian Dan used when he sallied forth from the city back in the day, wouldn't we be able to achieve total victory in a single battle?"

"Indeed!" Zhu Jun pondered carefully for a moment and couldn't help but nod repeatedly. "This situation is perfectly suited for a fire attack. Brother Yizhen, your plan is excellent, but why have you delayed so long in deciding, only telling me today?"

"Because there are two difficulties," Huangfu Song answered earnestly.

"I would like to hear the details."

"First, setting the fire requires borrowing the wind's force." Huangfu Song raised his hand and pointed far to the south. "The summer southeast wind rises, and the enemy camp is arrayed from north to south. Therefore, we need a brigade of elite, death-defying warriors to take torches and firewood, risk leaving the city, and circle around to the southernmost end of the enemy camp. Only then can the fire attack strategy be executed to perfection, and only then can the entire army advance to kill the enemy while the fire rages!"

"That is easy!" Zhu Jun immediately rose to his feet, full of spirit. "I..."

"Why would the General need to go personally?" Before Zhu Jun could finish, Sun Jian, who had been standing in attendance nearby, directly stepped forward and answered boldly. "Please, the two Colonels, allocate sufficient supplies to me. The thousand or so sons of Huaiyang under my command are enough to break through the enemy lines and fight our way to the southernmost side of the enemy camp to set the fire downwind!"

Zhu Jun made no effort to hide his admiration and pride: "What does Brother Yizhen think? Wentai is so brave and fierce, can he be entrusted with this mission?"

Huangfu Song also slightly stroked his beard and nodded: "If we use this plan, Wentai must be the vanguard! However, since the main task is setting fires, you should move stealthily whenever possible. Only if you have no other choice should you forcefully break through!"

Sun Jian, having received approval, was overjoyed and naturally agreed repeatedly.

"But aside from that," Huangfu Yizhen continued, "the reason I have hesitated repeatedly is actually a second difficulty. That is the force of the White Horse General, Colonel Gongsun, north of the Wei River..."

"What is there to say about that?" Zhu Jun sat back down, but couldn't help frowning and interjecting. "Now that we have such an excellent plan, what does it matter whether he is here or not?"

Huangfu Song shook his head repeatedly: "My initial hesitation was because his sudden arrival with reinforcements made Bo Cai somewhat vigilant, causing the rebels to become considerably more serious about their defenses in recent days..."

"Then there's no need to worry about that situation now." Zhu Gongwei couldn't resist interrupting again. "This White Horse General leads twenty thousand troops, yet all day he merely sits across the river watching success or failure unfold. Not to mention our entire army is utterly disappointed, even the rebels have grown much more lax!"

"This makes communication all the more necessary!" Huangfu Song patted the other man's knee and spoke earnestly. "Gongwei, I said before, observing this White Horse General's past, he is absolutely not someone who dares not fight, nor someone incapable of fighting... Let me finish... I still had some doubts before, but seeing the Yellow Turban rebels become lax again these past few days, I am now convinced he is deliberately lulling the enemy into complacency and is about to employ a surprise strategy! Tell me, our forces are divided into two. If each side has its own ingenious plan but fails to communicate with the other, then not only might we miss opportunities in battle, but what if our efforts clash and we trip each other up? If something goes wrong, whose fault would it be? You and I being sent to Luoyang in a prisoner's cart would be one thing, but I fear the situation would collapse and the rebels would sweep straight through Heluo!"

Zhu Jun fell silent for a moment.

"The General is absolutely right." At that moment, a Fu Xie suddenly stepped out from behind Huangfu Song. He slightly cupped his hands toward the two seated men and spoke directly. "The situation on the battlefield right now is extremely complex—there is the city, the river, the summer wind, the blazing sun, and we must execute a fire attack... One misstep, and in the chaos of one hundred sixty thousand troops fighting, what wouldn't be ground to dust? Therefore, communication is essential. And though I, Xie, am unworthy, I am willing to make a trip to the north bank of the Wei River to serve as a liaison for the three Generals!"

Zhu Jun finally nodded with some effort: "I am not someone who fails to understand the bigger picture. If Nanrong is willing to go, it is naturally excellent. You were originally a fellow student of that White Horse General, so presumably it will be easier to talk once you are there. But... going there and back is so far. Is there still time? Won't we miss our chance in battle?"

"Please rest assured, Lord Zhu." Fu Xie immediately cupped his hands and said, "To prevent delaying military intelligence, I will not take the detour by crossing the river behind us. I will simply leave the city directly tonight and head north!"

At these words, not only did Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song both freeze for a moment, but even Sun Jian couldn't help but reassess this tall Army Major who usually followed behind Huangfu Song, looking more like a scholar than a military officer, and his opinion of him changed greatly. After all, "leaving the city directly tonight and heading north" undoubtedly meant he intended to abandon the safer but more remote route behind them to the east, and instead risk crossing directly between the two armies' front lines, then swimming across the Wei River to find Gongsun Xun... The latter route, though very fast, would undoubtedly entail great risk, and losing one's life would be entirely ordinary.

One must understand, as the saying goes, a man of wealth does not sit beneath the eaves. Unlike Sun Jian, who came from a powerful local family, Fu Xie was born into a prestigious clan in Liangzhou with a bright future ahead of him, yet he dared to disregard his personal safety for the sake of the battle situation. It was no wonder the other three present all looked at him with newfound respect.

However, Sun Wentai had just stepped forward boldly and volunteered to be the vanguard. At a moment when heroic spirit was in the air, Huangfu Song found it difficult to dissuade him further. After a long pause, he could only nod reluctantly: "In that case, why not take a few more men with you?"

"No need." Fu Xie, who was extremely tall, remained composed in the night. "Sneaking past between the two armies' front lines, bringing too many people would actually draw the enemy's attention more easily. I can do it alone!"

The Left Colonel was even more speechless.

Seeing this, Fu Xie no longer delayed. He actually cupped his hands and took his leave directly, preparing to go down and get ready to leave the city that very night.

However, Sun Jian, witnessing such demeanor, felt admiration in his heart for this scion of a prestigious family. He immediately stopped the other man: "Major Fu, your heroic spirit is such that I should not say anything more. But on this journey, Major, I fear you will have to swim across the Wei River. I have a trusted hero by my side, named Jiang Qin, style name Gongyi, a man from Jiujiang. His skill in the water is superb... How about taking him with you?"

Fu Xie thought for a moment and found no reason to refuse. He directly expressed his thanks and agreed. Then he arranged with Sun Wentai that half a shichen later, Jiang Qin should meet him at the east gate of Changshe City, and they would leave the city under cover of night.

With that said, the two men descended the platform and returned to their respective quarters to prepare. And with the conversation reaching this point, the two generals also lost the mood to enjoy the breeze and dispersed separately.

Thus, Fu Xie returned to his lodging to prepare. However, "preparation" merely meant having his two personal soldiers help him organize his armor, weapons, and horse. There was nothing else to be done, yet it was still early, so he could only sit dryly in the courtyard of the civilian house where he was staying, gazing at the sky and waiting quietly.

However, shortly after he sat down, he heard a commotion at the gate, and then a familiar voice suddenly rang out:

"Is Nanrong here?"

Fu Xie knew immediately it was Huangfu Song. He dared not be negligent, rose directly to open the main gate to welcome him, and addressed him repeatedly as General.

"I knew Nanrong would have nothing much to prepare." Huangfu Song entered the courtyard and couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"It is merely to convey a message so the other side does not misjudge the situation. What is there to prepare?" Fu Xie also answered with a rueful smile.

"You can't put it that way." Huangfu Song waved his hand, and a guard immediately stepped out from behind him, holding a tray. "Since that White Horse General is your fellow disciple and senior brother, why not take this with you?"

Another guard pulled off the cloth covering the tray, instantly revealing four large and four small—eight pieces in four pairs—of crystalline, translucent white jade gui tablets.

Fu Xie was momentarily stunned, but then it dawned on him—these were gifts for Gongsun Xun.

"Two pieces in my name and Zhu Gongwei's, two pieces in your name and Sun Wentai's... Since Sun Wentai is sending a trusted subordinate with you, we must prepare a share for him too, otherwise it would look bad." Huangfu Song explained thus. "And when gentlemen associate, they exchange gifts of jade. It can neither be called bribery nor shabbiness. However, if you encounter rebels on the road, don't hesitate to throw the jade gui to the ground. It might actually delay them for a moment."

Fu Xie thought for a long time, and in the end could only sigh inwardly at how meticulously thorough Huangfu Song was. He immediately gave a wry smile, first thanked the other man, then personally and carefully took the four pairs of jade gui and placed them under the corridor.

On the other side, after delivering the jade gui, Huangfu Song showed no intention of leaving. Instead, he took the opportunity to sit down in the courtyard and waved his hand to dismiss his attendants.

"Nanrong." After dismissing his attendants, Huangfu Song rarely became serious. "I served as Grand Administrator in Beidi for several years. In the entire commandery, you alone deeply won my heart, and I have always regarded you as my trusted confidant... This time, I didn't even bring my own sons or nephews, but recommended only you to accompany the army. Do you understand my intentions?"

Fu Xie was silent for a moment, then suddenly bowed respectfully to the other man in the courtyard: "How could I not know Your Excellency's care and protection? But with the state affairs so troubled, how can I not devote myself fully?"

"I'm not telling you not to devote yourself fully!" The usually composed Huangfu Song spoke with rare exasperation. "But what meaning is there in such an act of crossing alone through the battle lines of over a hundred thousand troops? Couldn't you just send some other messenger? Must you imitate that Sun Wentai and always fight at the very front?"

"Sun Wentai is also a hero!" Fu Xie answered stubbornly, stiffening his neck.

"I knew it! You were afraid of losing my face, so you volunteered to go!" Huangfu Song grew even more agitated. "Was it necessary?"

"I do also wish to meet that senior brother of mine." Fu Xie lowered his head awkwardly. "Counting the days, the last time I met him was when the Xiping Stone Classics were first completed... At that time, I was with the three Gongsun brothers and Wang Wendu of Taiyuan, all under Lord Liu's tutelage. I studied tirelessly day after day, while the three brothers were socially adept and spent much time on social engagements... And in the blink of an eye, it has been nearly ten years. My heart is full of emotion. I truly do wish to see him, to see how he accomplished so many great deeds over these years, how he became renowned throughout the land, and how he left all of us behind!"

"Let's not speak of that for now." Huangfu Song said sternly. "Ultimately, there's a bit of a competitive spirit with Sun Wentai, isn't there?"

Fu Xie remained silent.

"That is wrong!" Huangfu Song grew even more helpless at this. "Nanrong, are you and I the same as that Sun Wentai and Zhu Gongwei?!"

Fu Xie suddenly looked up at the man before him upon hearing this: "General, I know what you mean. You mean to say that we are frontier generals who study, and they are frontier generals who do not study. Back then, the Three Luminaries of Liangzhou, including your late uncle Lord Huangfu, parted ways precisely because of whether they studied or not. But in my view, both Sun Wentai and Lord Zhu are men who hold great righteousness in their hearts..."

"I didn't say they weren't heroes." Unexpectedly, Huangfu Song actually calmed down. "Moreover, the difference between us and them doesn't lie in studying or not studying, but in whether we can preserve ourselves, or rather, what it is we seek! Let me ask you, Zhu Gongwei comes from a humble background, Sun Wentai acts like a local strongman, and both are reckless and disregard their own lives, just like desperate men. Is that a coincidence?"

Fu Xie was slightly taken aback and also calmed down.

"Whether from a humble family or a powerful one, how difficult is it to wear the purple and gold of high office?" Huangfu Song also sighed with some emotion. "So, in pursuit of a future, they are somewhat heedless of their lives, even heedless of their reputations... But such conduct, I fear, will sooner or later harm them, and they will die without a burial place!"

Fu Xie lowered his head and said nothing.

"And what of us? We have long passed the stage of seeking fame and a future." Huangfu Song continued. "As the saying goes, 'East of the Pass, ministers; west of the Pass, generals.' We are from military families, prestigious clans. As long as we don't cause trouble, we will naturally rise to the rank of two thousand shi. When war comes, we will naturally be enfeoffed as marquises and bring glory to our ancestors... But this realm ultimately belongs to the Son of Heaven and the scholar-officials. We military men cannot compare to them. Therefore, what we seek is to find a balance between the Son of Heaven and the scholar-officials! We must make the Son of Heaven use us, and make the scholar-officials esteem us! Mencius said, 'In success, one benefits the whole world; in hardship, one cultivates one's own virtue.' This is the true and perfect maxim!"

Huangfu Song, rarely so agitated, had spoken for a long while, but Fu Xie still lowered his head and said nothing.

"Nanrong." Huangfu Song couldn't help but grasp the other man's hand. "Liangzhou is desolate and plagued by turmoil. We have too few scholars, and outstanding scholars like you are even rarer. Add to that the Duan Jiong faction turning against us, and it can be said that people's hearts are unsettled. And at this very moment, strife is clearly about to erupt again at court... Nanrong, I am already fifty years old. This time, by gritting my teeth and speaking up for the Partisans, I have already incurred the secret resentment of the Son of Heaven. The reason I couldn't wait to bring you out now is that I hope you can shoulder the burden! The military families of Liangzhou will rely on you to sustain them in the future. How can you be so reckless on the battlefield, imitating that Sun Wentai?"

“General.” Fu Xie suddenly raised his head, his eyes gleaming bright in the darkness. “I understand everything you have said. But now the Great Han totters on the brink, the Son of Heaven cannot rest or eat in peace, and the scholars and common folk are panicked and unsettled. At a time like this, should we not learn from Sun Wentai and the others and first fight with our lives for the state? If this campaign goes badly, then what use is all that you have spoken of?”

Huangfu Song met the other’s gaze for a long moment, but in the end he had no words to reply. He patted the other on the shoulder, heaved a long sigh to the heavens, and walked away.

The moment the other left, Fu Xie shed his earlier awe-inspiring expression. Somewhat hesitant, he sat back down under the corridor, clearly troubled by what Huangfu Song had said. Yet when his gaze flickered over the pure white jade gui tablets beneath the torchlight and he picked one up, his expression suddenly turned solemn.

It is said that when Fu Xie underwent his capping ceremony, his original courtesy name was Youqi. But one day, while reading the *Book of Songs*, he came across a poem that read:

A flaw in a white gui tablet,

Can still be polished away;

The meaning of this poem is that if a white jade tablet has a stain, you can polish it away, but if a person does something wrong, it can never be taken back.

At the time, Fu Xie was moved by these words and recited them repeatedly without stopping. Then he suddenly connected it to a historical allusion — it was Confucius's disciple Nangong Kuo (courtesy name Nanrong) who, when reading this poem, likewise could not help but recite it repeatedly, which immediately earned Confucius's great admiration, and he married his niece to him... At this thought, Fu Xie immediately changed his courtesy name to Nanrong, using it to spur himself never to commit even the slightest act against his conscience or virtue.

The meaning of this poem is that if a white jade gui tablet has a stain, it can be ground away, but if a person does something wrong, it can never be taken back.

At the time, Fu Xie was deeply moved by these words and recited them aloud repeatedly without stopping. Then he suddenly made a connection to a historical allusion: it was none other than Confucius’s disciple Nangong Kuo (courtesy name Nanrong) who, upon reading this very poem, likewise could not help but recite it over and over. This immediately drew great admiration from Confucius, who then betrothed his niece to him… At this thought, Fu Xie promptly changed his own courtesy name to Nanrong, using it to spur himself never to commit even the slightest act against his conscience or virtue.

And now, Fu Nanrong, stroking the jade gui once more in the night, had his conviction renewed… Right is right, wrong is wrong. What should be done, must be done; what should not be done, must not be done… With the state in peril, is this the time to spare oneself?

“I never imagined that Fu Nanrong would have such heroic spirit!” At Sun Jian’s encampment, this hero of Jiangdong was actually in private conversation with Zhu Jun, and he held Fu Xie in considerable esteem.

“Fu Nanrong is a straightforward man.” Zhu Jun could not help but voice his admiration as well. “Far better than General Huangfu with his bellyful of crafty schemes.”

Sun Wentai was immediately exasperated. “What is the matter with you, Lord Zhu? In my view, General Gongsun and General Huangfu are both rare heroes. Why do you look down on every single one of them?”

“And what if I do look down on them?” Zhu Jun spread his hands and asked with righteous defiance. “I haven’t impeached them, nor have I scolded them to their faces, nor have I secretly tripped them up. Am I not even allowed to look down on them in my heart?!”

“That’s not what I meant.” Sun Jian grew even more exasperated. “It’s just that I think both of them are… truly outstanding… General Huangfu treats his subordinates extremely well and is deeply strategic. As for that White Horse General, I wasn’t lying either. That day at the Battle of Mount Danhan, the man was truly a hero of the highest order. I, Sun Jian, still feel admiration to this day!”

“And then what?” Zhu Jun sneered. “And then now, one of them, to avoid offending a colleague, would not hesitate to delay a battle opportunity. The other, having achieved fame and success, wears double seals and double ribbons at a young age, yet still thinks only of monopolizing his achievements and refuses to coordinate with us… How can I not look down on them?”

Sun Jian felt a rare stir in his heart and could not help asking, "May I ask, General, what should people like us care about then?"

“Wentai.” Zhu Jun let out a rare long sigh, then clasped his hands behind his back and took a few steps forward into the night. “Every one of them comes from a prestigious family. Someone like Huangfu Song or Fu Xie never had to worry about their future prospects from the moment they were born. Someone like Gongsun Xun may have had to struggle fiercely in his youth because he lost his father, but by now he no longer needs to toil so hard… But you and I—one from a humble family, one a local strongman—what do we have besides risking our lives to fight for a future? And since we must constantly risk our lives, why should we care in the slightest about the opinions of outsiders?”

Sun Jian felt a rare stir in his heart and could not help but ask, “May I ask, General, what then should people like us care about?”

“Care about the Son of Heaven, care about the central authority, care about Luoyang. Then, do not fail your patron, do not fail kindness and duty, do not fail your homeland… And if one day you truly rise to prominence, then do not fail the realm!” Zhu Jun stopped walking, turned his head, and stared at the subordinate he admired most, speaking with utter candor. “That alone is enough to look down upon all the heroes under heaven with pride!”

Sun Jian pondered for a moment, then stepped back several paces and bowed with deep respect.

“It’s really not that profound.” Zhu Jun helped him up and then sneered again. “In my view, while we toil and risk our lives, never knowing which day we’ll die in some unknown place, those people, with all their painstaking calculations, may not necessarily be able to grasp the situation either. In the future, they might well be swallowed up by the great currents of the realm! Better that you and I can live with a bit more abandon! So, Wentai, truly don’t overthink it. Fight this battle well. Once the fire is lit, you will have the highest merit… I refuse to believe that with your valor, Sun Wentai, you cannot reach the rank of two thousand shi or be enfeoffed as a marquis in this lifetime!”

Sun Jian bowed his head and prostrated himself once more. When he rose again, his heart was already brimming with fighting spirit.

A short while later, Sun Wentai escorted Jiang Qin to the east gate to meet with Fu Xie. With only a slight cupping of hands, he turned and strode away with an air of ease. Fu Nanrong and Jiang Qin then rode out of the city under cover of night, their two horses galloping side by side, heading straight north.

It must be said that this Jiang Qin, courtesy name Gongyi, a hero from Jiujiang, was indeed outstanding. On the road, the two encountered a squad of Yellow Turban scout riders, but Jiang Qin killed three of them single-handedly and scattered the rest. When they reached the Wei River, Jiang Qin, an excellent swimmer, easily found a convenient fording spot in the darkness. They crossed the river with ease and headed straight for the Han army’s main camp on the northern bank.

This man’s presence allowed Fu Nanrong to easily meet Gongsun Xun, whom he had not seen for many years. But he was immediately struck dumb with astonishment, momentarily wide-eyed and speechless.

“Nanrong, it has been many years. You’ve come at just the right time today.” Gongsun Xun, seated on his horse, could not help but laugh at the sight of the visitor. “And this Jiang Qin, Jiang Gongyi, has also come at an excellent moment. Why don’t you both accompany us?”

“Brother Wenqi, what are you about to do?” Fu Xie, recovering his senses, had no time for pleasantries. He first grabbed Gongsun Xun’s reins in alarm.

It was not that Fu Xie was making a fuss over nothing. The truth was, at that moment, the front of the Han army’s main camp was pitch-black and quiet as usual. But in the melon fields behind the camp, nearly ten thousand cavalrymen and several thousand pack horses had already assembled. Under the torchlight, these riders were all fully equipped and ready. The pack horses were laden with bundles of firewood and unlit torches.

It was obvious that this White Horse General was about to undertake a great endeavor!

“As you can see,” Gongsun Xun sat atop his white horse, looking down from his elevated position and answering with a forthright smile, “we are about to move stealthily through the night, cross the river upstream, then circle around to the enemy’s southern flank and set fire with the wind…”

“This…” Fu Xie hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping.

“There’s no need for you to go back and report either!” Gongsun Xun leaned down and grasped his junior fellow disciple’s hand. “I have already sent men across the river to Changshe City. They should have arrived by now… And you need not tell me the plans of the two generals in the city. In such a situation, if they haven’t thought of using fire, wouldn’t their reputations be hollow?”

Fu Xie immediately fell silent.

Gongsun Xun patted the other’s hand, then let go. Turning back to the commanders around him, he declared with heroic confidence, “Let us go. The entire army is to advance slowly and in silence. Toil through this one night, and tomorrow we shall see a hundred thousand rebels destroyed in a single stroke!”

With those words, he actually spurred his horse and took the lead. The commanders, each filled with awe, urged their respective units to proceed with gags in mouth and horses muzzled, following closely behind.

Fu Xie stared blankly at this senior fellow disciple whom he had not seen in nearly a decade, speechless for a long while… Only one thought filled his mind: Huangfu Song had analyzed everything so thoroughly—the frontier general who studied, the frontier general who did not study, the military family seeking balance between the Son of Heaven and the scholar-officials, the humble family and the local strongman fighting desperately for a future… Yet, could any of this truly be applied to this senior fellow disciple of his?

What category did this White Horse General actually fall into?

Fu Xie was lost in confusion for a long moment. But as he watched the great army flow forward like a torrent, advancing without pause, he finally exchanged a glance with Jiang Qin behind him. Then, rallying his spirits, he remounted his own still-damp steed and joined this cavalry army that surged onward like a mighty flood.

—————I am the late-night floor-scrubbing dividing line—————

“Zhu Jun, courtesy name Gongwei, was a man of Shangyu in Kuaiji. Orphaned young, his mother once traded in silk for a living. Jun earned a name through filial piety and support of his mother, becoming a clerical assistant under the county office. He loved righteousness and scorned wealth, and was respected by his fellow villagers. At that time, Zhou Gui of the same commandery was summoned to the public office and was about to depart. He borrowed a million coins from the commandery treasury to cover the cost of his official cap and robes, but then was suddenly pressed for repayment. Gui’s family was poor and could not provide the sum. Jun then secretly took his mother’s silk and settled the debt on Gui’s behalf. His mother, having lost her property, was deeply angered and rebuked him. Jun said: ‘A small loss will bring great gain. To be poor at first and wealthy later is an inevitable principle.’” — *Book of the Later Han*, Biography of Zhu Jun

[103] PS: As always… don’t stay up late; be sure to read during the day… Also, recommending the book *Azeroth Buwu*… I’m reading it myself… a personal recommendation.

[104] (End of Chapter)