Chapter 253: Iron Blades, Lean and Dark, Set the Northern Camp

Zhang Chun’s alarm was not without reason.

First, of course, was that Gongsun Xun’s pressure was far too urgent — it came fast and struck fast, giving no one any time to react.

Second was the collective appearance of these commandery clerks, county clerks, and commandery army officers outside the door, which without a doubt further laid bare the gap in strength and influence between the two men… Even within Zhongshan, their respective power was utterly disproportionate.

And finally, there was this mourning attire…

Zhang Chun, Zhang Shuren, was after all a son of an established family; though he had not read the classics extensively, he still understood some of the famous allusions from the nearly four hundred years of this dynasty.

And for subordinates to come together wearing mourning clothes — there was indeed a similar story in history.

Bo Zhao was the sole blood uncle of Emperor Wen of the Western Han. In the early days, he was naturally a key minister who helped his own nephew ascend the throne and secure it. But as the Emperor’s sole uncle, his lawless excesses in later years were also imaginable. Once, however, this fellow finally went too far: he actually killed an envoy who represented the authority of the Han house, provoking Emperor Wen’s utter fury.

Still, since he was his blood uncle, Emperor Wen wished to “execute him in secret”… This was a Han dynasty custom — not to punish you openly, but to have you take your own life, so that disaster would not extend to your family, who would even continue to enjoy whatever treatment they were entitled to. For face-conscious Han people, this sort of thing was a very common method, and it never ceased throughout the four hundred years of the two Han dynasties.

However, Bo Zhao, with wealth, rank, and glory upon him, and with the Empress Dowager Bo as his immense backer, how could he bear to die? So on one hand he clung stubbornly to life, and on the other he bitterly begged his elder sister to pressure her son, to see if he could be fished back out again!

But as the saying goes, there is always a stronger hand. Emperor Wen gave a wave of his hand and immediately ordered his ministers to don mourning clothes, call at the man’s gate, and wail for his death… At this, Bo Zhao truly could not hold out, and had no choice but to take his own life.

So, returning to the present, when Zhang Chun heard that all the civil and military officials and subordinate clerks of the city had come to pay a mourning visit, his first reaction was naturally that this crowd had come today to force him to his death! How could he… how could he not be alarmed?

Consider this: although Zhang Chun was already nearly forty, life was still so pleasant, was it not… Why must he die?

“My lord!” In the midst of his dazed bewilderment, a household servant came to report for the fourth time. “Military Clerk Xu has arrived.”

“Call him in!” Zhang Chun said urgently, as if grasping at a life-saving straw, and hurriedly rose to welcome him.

“My lord!” Xu Zhan, for his part, was not wearing mourning clothes, but the moment he arrived before the lodge he could not help but kneel directly. “Your servant is guilty. Last night, after leaving the city and returning to camp, I was placed under house arrest and had no way to communicate with you, my lord.”

“This is not the time for that!” Zhang Chun hastily helped him up before the lodge. “My mind is in turmoil. I must ask you, Xu Jun, to clarify the situation for me…”

Xu Zhan rose awkwardly, yet without the slightest hesitation he spoke these words: “My lord, no matter what, Zhongshan is no longer a place that can accommodate you!”

Zhang Chun gave a long sigh and sat numbly under the eaves outside the lodge… He actually acquiesced.

One must understand that whether it was the civil and military officials of the court going in mourning clothes to see Bo Zhao, or the city’s clerks coming one after another in mourning clothes to see him, Zhang Chun, it was the same scheme… It was telling you plainly that from top to bottom, from left to right, everyone could no longer tolerate you! Moreover, the former had Emperor Wen, who could steel his heart and directly take action, as backing; the latter had Gongsun Xun, who came bearing a tally and could truly steel his heart leaving you nowhere to flee, as backing — so don’t think of trying any tricks!

In other words, once Xu Zhan had spoken it plainly, Zhang Chun abandoned his illusions and recognized the situation… In such circumstances, resorting to force would only hasten his death, and resorting to softness had already driven him to a certain dead end.

“However, my lord, do not be overly alarmed.” Xu Zhan hastily stepped forward again to counsel. “There is still a sliver of hope… Did not those people come in mourning clothes under the pretext that the General is unwilling to go on campaign? Why not go along with the current, comply with their wish, and swiftly lead the troops out to the Hutuo River?”

Zhang Chun turned his head back in shock, but for a moment he was dazed… He seemed to have vaguely grasped something, yet it remained indistinct.

“The reason my lord fears marching to the Hutuo River is nothing more than the thought that within that army, the General of the Household of All Purposes holds even greater authority, and entering it would be a death trap.” Xu Zhan explained urgently. “But in reality, it is not so.”

“Xu Jun, explain it to me in detail.” Zhang Chun hastily grasped the other man’s hands.

Xu Zhan looked down at his own grasped hands, gritted his teeth, and spoke his insight: “To be frank with my lord, I believe there is a sliver of hope at the Hutuo River camp… Consider this: there are soldiers of the Three He and Five Colonels from Luoyang, there is Grand Administrator Guo of Julu, and there is Colonel Zong, the Colonel Protector of the Wuhuan! And once my lord arrives, it is likely that Chancellor Feng of Changshan will also come… At that time, three Grand Administrators and one standing Colonel will all be present, and my lord will be within the main army. While it may seem like falling into the palm of this General of the Household of All Purposes, in fact he will have to think twice before acting!”

Indeed!

Hearing this, Zhang Chun’s heart could not help but stir… With so many Two-Thousand-Bushel officials packed together, if Gongsun Xun resorted to force, would he not fear that the others would feel the grief of the fox when the hare dies, grieving for their own kind? And he himself could, upon arriving there, immediately contact and befriend these men!

And the most crucial point was that going along with the current seemed to be the only way to break the present impasse of the mourning-clothes scheme!

As for the future… after the campaign there would surely be rewards; he could then maneuver a bit and simply not return to Zhongshan!

“This truly is… truly a case of ‘you cannot catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger’s lair,’ and also seeking life within death.” Once this thought occurred to Zhang Chun, he immediately saw everything clearly. “Xu Jun is truly a man of great talent!”

As he spoke, before Xu Zhan could react, Zhang Chun actually released his hands and rose, and right there under the eaves, he bowed deeply to his own Military Clerk, saying he thanked him for the grace of saving his life.

Xu Zhan also hurriedly bowed deeply in return. When he raised his head again, tears were already streaming down his face, and then, right there under the eaves, he swore an oath: “A scholar dies for the one who knows him. My lord first showed me the grace of recognition, and now has bestowed this great rite of prostration. On this journey to the Hutuo River, I, Xu Zhan, will surely gird my armor and take up my spear, going through fire and water for my lord!”

Zhang Chun was naturally also deeply moved… In the morning light and dew, lord and vassal shared a moment of mutual appreciation under the eaves, which could indeed be called a fine tale.

And so, a short while later, Zhang Chun himself donned armor and wore a sword, then put a plain white garment over it, and strode out proudly. Before the many mourning-clad clerks before him could speak, he drew his blade and rose, fervent and impassioned, declaring bluntly that he must swiftly dispatch troops to requite the state with his death!

Then, he actually went directly out of the city and urged the commandery troops to march south.

This, of course, had been within Lou Zibo and Xi Zhicai’s plan all along… In fact, had they not had a sudden thought and deliberately let things slide, it was hard to say whether Xu Zhan could have extricated himself from the military camp outside the city this morning.

It must be said, Zhongshan was a large commandery of six hundred thousand people, and this commandery army had been planned and established by Gongsun Xun himself, with Guan Yu, Han Dang, Qian Zhao, and others heavily involved; its quality was not bad. So for a time, having received orders openly and covertly, the great army practically roared into motion, heading straight for the Hutuo River, quite decisively. By the second day, the military camp outside Wuji City was already empty. The only thing in all of Wuji City that still drew people’s eyes was naturally the funeral of Zhen Yi, the current head of the main lineage of the Wuji Zhen clan.

Setting the funeral aside for now, the only thing Gongsun Xun was worried about was Gongsun Yue’s attitude.

But fortunately, Gongsun Yue was an honest lad after all. To have him marry a widow, yet with so many benefits attached, was not out of the question… After all, in this era, marriages were about practical gain, and matters of beauty and the like could be entirely sought from concubines or even maidservants, without delaying important affairs.

Of course, at the root, there were two other reasons.

First, just as Gongsun Yue reached adulthood and was about to arrange a marriage, his own mother passed away, so he observed three years of mourning. Then, as soon as the three years were up, he was hastily summoned by Gongsun Xun, and now his military career had lasted another half year. By the nominal count, he was already twenty-four or twenty-five, and by the time the war ended and he went to marry, he could be considered an old bachelor dog… What more could he be particular about?

Second, and crucially, Gongsun Xun’s current power and status had reached a certain point where he faintly assumed the manner of a family patriarch. The relationship between the two at this time was not merely that of brothers, but also carried a sense of personal vassalage mixed with clan and lord-vassal overtones. Thus, the marriage Gongsun Xun designated and the arrangements he made already felt, to Gongsun Yue, like an order in the sense of ritual law.

In short, since Gongsun Yue had no objections, Gongsun Xun naturally had no hindrances either.

He first properly handled Zhen Yi’s funeral on his behalf, and also made gestures on the other’s behalf such as distributing wealth to the clansmen and remitting rents to the tenant farmers. He then met with Lady Zhang’s father, who had come from Changshan, and also wrote a letter to Zhen Ju in Luoyang… Once these matters were done and the affair was thoroughly settled, Gongsun Xun handed over the local matters to Lady Zhang’s father and the Zhen clan elders to conclude, while he himself removed the hempen mourning clothes and returned to the Hutuo River main camp with Gongsun Yue and the others.

And even before this, just as everyone had thought, after Zhang Chun was forced to move, Feng Xin, Chancellor Feng of Changshan, over in Zhending could no longer sit still either. He stopped carving steles and reciting poetry, and directly led the ten thousand-odd commandery troops of Changshan Principality to the banks of the Hutuo River.

In other words, by this time, at the Han army camp on the northern bank of the Hutuo River, there were cumulatively one General of the Household of All Purposes bearing a tally, two Colonels, three Grand Administrators and Principality Chancellors — six Two-Thousand-Bushel officials — with a gathered force of seventy thousand troops, facing over a hundred thousand Yellow Turban troops across the river.

Moreover, both sides could be said to be “fighting on home ground,” with no worries about logistics… Thus, for a time, as the south wind howled and armored horses stood ready, everyone knew that a great battle was inevitably about to arrive.

“Cross the river!” In the central army tent, officers below the Thousand-Bushel rank increasingly had no room to speak. They watched as Grand Administrator Guo Dian of Julu smashed his helmet fiercely onto the ground, making Chancellor Feng Xin opposite him twitch. “Our army now has seventy thousand troops; we should swiftly cross the river and destroy the rebels!”

Gongsun Xun withdrew his gaze from Zhang Chun, who was playing dead in a full set of mourning clothes, and from Xu Zhan behind him, and unhurriedly looked toward Guo Dian: “Crossing the river also requires strategy. With a hundred and seventy thousand troops, enemy and our own, facing off across the river, if we try to force a crossing, the slightest misstep and the vanguard crossing force will be annihilated on the riverbank… Does Brother Junye have a strategy?”

“I have no strategy!” Guo Dian responded loftily, his somewhat dusty topknot bristling. “However, you and I have received imperial edicts to chastise the rebels — should we still fear death? If you must ask my strategy, it is that I, with the dignity of a Two-Thousand-Bushel official, will personally lead troops across the river, and then on the southern bank break the rebels and establish a rampart!”

At these words, Gongsun Xun, the other Two-Thousand-Bushel officials, and the group of proud, fierce officers below who had followed Gongsun Xun through many campaigns — nearly all of them turned their heads to look.

In all fairness, everyone could understand Guo Dian’s rash advance… After all, he was the Grand Administrator of Julu, and had the duty to defend his territory. Yet everyone also assumed that Guo Dian’s rash advance was merely a posture and a pretense.

After all, for so many years, most people had grown accustomed to the arrogance and hypocrisy of these high officials — this was what was meant by “the meat-eaters are base.” So when they suddenly discovered that this man was truly prepared to requite the state with his death, they could not help but feel something unusual.

“Guo Jun wishes to personally lead troops across the river to build a rampart?” After his impression of the man changed, Gongsun Xun could not help but change his form of address as well. “That is far too dangerous. Why must you personally brave such peril?”

“Indeed!” Guo Dian replied in a deep voice. “Since one serves as a minister and shepherds a region, one has the duty to defend the territory. When Zhang Jiao rose up in arms, nearly the entire commandery of Julu fell. As Grand Administrator, I was driven out of my seat of governance, and long ago lost the will to live. That I have clung to life until now is firstly because the court is magnanimous, and secondly because I wish to use this still-useful body to sweep away the rebels as much as possible… How could I be concerned with life or death? General of the Household of All Purposes, you are a renowned commander of the realm, and bearing the tally you chastise the rebels on behalf of the Son of Heaven. In name, you and I are both Two-Thousand-Bushel, but in reality you are the Regional Commander here. I beseech you to give the order and grant me this!”

“Since Guo Jun has such courage and loyalty, how could I hold you back?” Gongsun Xun suddenly slapped the table and rose. “Take three days to prepare and arrange the river-crossing affairs. In three days, Guo Jun will lead troops out from the east side, and Grand Administrator Zhang will lead troops out from the west. You two will be the first to cross the river and establish ramparts… Then the two Colonels will each lead troops as follow-up forces, Chancellor Feng will supervise the rear camp, and I will dispatch cavalry to cross downstream beforehand, seeking a pincer attack. As long as you two can hold your ground for a time, we will surely break the Hutuo River line! What say you?!”

As soon as his voice fell, Guo Dian, greatly stirred, immediately came to the center of the tent, picked up his helmet, and bowed deeply. Following that, Feng Xin, hearing that he was only to supervise the rear camp, was actually the second to leap out and express agreement. Cheng Pu and Zong Yuan naturally had no superfluous words to say either.

For a moment, everyone in the tent clamored for battle, and there was somewhat of a heroic spirit. Only Zhang Chun felt as if sitting on a cushion of needles. In his heart, he naturally knew that Gongsun Xun harbored ill intentions, but how could he oppose the atmosphere before him? Even more so, according to his earlier plan, his path to survival lay with the other Two-Thousand-Bushel colleagues, so he could not go against the collective will at this moment.

And just as Zhang Chun hesitated, not knowing what to do, Gongsun Xun, over on the other side, did not even glance at him. Instead, he directly drew out that famous broken blade from his own waist and thrust it straight into the low table before him.

“Since none of you oppose this.” Gongsun Xun looked around, his expression solemn as he addressed them. “Then let this matter be settled. In three days, the entire army will force a crossing of the Hutuo River… This battle is of grave importance. The whole army must unite as one. We must first break the Hutuo River line to boost our military prestige! From this moment on, let anyone who dares speak of not fighting be executed without mercy!”

Seeing the gleaming blade thrust into the ground before him, Zhang Chun steeled his heart, and a fierce, vicious spirit surged up within him… As a scion of a border commandery aristocratic family, he had been raised from childhood to seek wealth and rank through bow and horse. Did he truly believe his life would end here on this river shoal?! And if he was not fated to die here, would the other party really dare to push him so far as to force him to scale those city walls?!

With this thought, Zhang Chun, still clad in his mourning white, also drew his blade and thrust it into the table before him: "I understand the meaning of the General of the Household of All Purposes, but you, General, are a renowned commander of the realm—why must you look down upon me so? Lord Guo does not fear death; should I, then, show fear? I, Chun, have gone to war in mourning white precisely with the intent to repay the state with my death. This is the moment for a desperate battle, to repay the nation and to seek merit and glory!"

To Gongsun Xun, this man Zhang Chun was, in private terms, a foe entrusted to him by a friend; in public terms, a classic dissident within the army… From any angle, he was someone who had to be eliminated.

Yet, when this man was pushed to a dead end and bared the fangs and claws befitting a scion of a border commandery aristocratic family, Gongsun Xun was not angered but instead delighted, and even clapped his hands and laughed.

That evening, Gongsun Xun was in his tent with Wang Xiu and Zao Zhi, checking the army muster rolls, when Lou Gui and Xi Zhong suddenly arrived together to visit.

Wang Xiu and Zao Zhi tactfully paused their work, and Lou Zibo immediately cupped his hands and asked: "May I venture to ask, my lord, have you taken a notion to lightly let Zhang Chun off?"

"Where does such talk come from?" Gongsun Xun looked up from the muster roll in his hand, dismissing the idea. "With private grudges and public enmity both at play, how could I lightly let him off?"

"Then why have we yet to see you make any arrangements, my lord?" Xi Zhong also could not help but ask out of curiosity. "Just now, the two of us were sorting out the military assignments, and we saw no indication that you have held anything back in the military plans… Or is it that you have already made arrangements, and the two of us are simply unaware of them?"

"I have indeed made no arrangements on the military side," Gongsun Xun answered frankly.

"Then…" Xi Zhicai glanced at Wang Xiu and Zao Zhi, who stood silently in attendance to the side, and asked with some helplessness, "Then how should we eliminate him? You must understand, trapping him in a fatal situation is the cleanest method."

Gongsun Xun hesitated, as if wanting to speak but stopping himself.

It was Lou Zibo who, at this moment, sighed slightly and could not help but voice the question: "My lord, could it be that you are recalling the battle at Mount Danhan, and feel that you and Zhang Chun are now like Xia Yu and yourself back then, with the roles reversed, and therefore feel a certain reluctance?"

"Indeed," Gongsun Xun set down the muster roll and raised his head, still as frank as ever. "I do have such a sentiment…"

Lou Gui immediately sighed again, and then opened his mouth to offer counsel.

However, before the other could speak, Gongsun Xun had already said: "Zibo, there is no need to persuade me… When ordinary men eliminate dissidents and contend for power, there is fundamentally no morality to speak of. Since I have made up my mind to contend, how could I show the mercy of a woman? Therefore, my intent to kill this man has not been extinguished. But killing a man need not implicate the innocent. What crime have the common soldiers committed? Why must they be dragged into this? If, for private reasons or out of incompetence, I were to abandon soldiers to their deaths, what difference would there be between me and the man I most despised back then? You two should devise a good method—one that can kill this man, yet minimize the impact on the battle and the soldiers, and also vent this ill humor for me, your lord."

Lou Gui and Xi Zhong looked at each other, speechless, and could only bow deeply and take their leave.

———————I am the dividing line of being delighted rather than angered———————

"…When they reached the Hutuo River, the bandit chieftain Zhang Bao, with a host of one hundred thousand, held the riverbank and defended the city. The Han army numbered seventy thousand, and among them were over a dozen officials of the two-thousand-dan rank, all of whom were mere armchair talkers, daring not to fight. When Chun arrived at the command tent and saw this, he was greatly enraged. He threw his helmet to the ground and said angrily: 'We have received imperial edicts to punish the rebels; this is precisely the time for a desperate battle. Why speak of mysteries and profundities? I wish to personally lead my own troops to cross first, establish a rampart beyond the river, and thus repay the imperial grace.' At that time, Emperor Taizu Wu was serving as General of the Household of All Purposes, bearing the imperial tally in camp. Hearing this, he alone admired Chun's resolve and promised to follow in support. The Grand Administrators, State Chancellors, and Captains present were all ashamed, and thereupon followed him one after another." — *Miscellaneous Records of the Scholarly Grove*, recorded by an anonymous author of Yan.

PS: I've been in a bit of a slump these past few days… my head's been aching. Also, there's a reader group, 684558115, feel free to join if interested.

(End of Chapter)