[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-265":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},1223024,1620,"Chapter 265: A Bountiful Year, A Heavy Snowfall","overthrowing-han-chapter-265",265,"\u003Cp>In the tenth month, Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winter had just arrived, yet the weather was already bitterly cold, with snowflakes dancing in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Grandee of the Palace Gongsun Xun was in the rear residence, idly locked in a standoff with a calico cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, returning to the capital with the army, perhaps considering that Gongsun Xun had not been with a woman for over half a year and fearing he might take another concubine, the rear residence had sent Feng Zhi, who was originally from Luoyang, over to look after his daily life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, once Feng Zhi arrived in Luoyang, she became utterly unstoppable, spending every day dragging Gongsun Xun’s barely three-year-old second son, Gongsun Ping, around to visit relatives and friends... today to her own father Feng Fang’s place, tomorrow to her uncle Cao Ling’s, and the day after, seeing gifts delivered from the rear residence of the Grand General He Jin, she actually took her son and gifts to pay a personal visit there as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for today, the Cao clan relatives were holding a memorial sacrifice for the deceased Cao Jie, and she had taken the child there too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How to put it? Gongsun Xun was somewhat impatient in his heart, but considering her years of careful service, the fact that she had indeed been away from home for so long with no news, and that these social calls were ultimately beyond reproach from a human relationship standpoint, he could hardly stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that he himself would absolutely never go and put on a pleasant face to deal with Feng Zhi’s relatives again, so he could only stay home reading and teasing the cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this morning he had gone next door to visit Liu Kuan, who was confined at home with illness. Liu Kuan heard he had been reading the Taiping Jing lately, asked a few questions and grew very interested, then asked to borrow it... The old man was at this age, had been a heavy drinker for decades, and was now sickly and frail — how could Gongsun Xun refuse? He immediately gave away the entire set of the Taiping Jing he had with him, but as a result was so bored he couldn’t even read, and could only stay home bullying this skinny calico cat that Feng Zhi had brought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the calico cat was not its owner after all, and bullying it was not nearly as amusing. Gongsun Xun soon grew listless, until Lu Fan’s voice suddenly sounded outside the door:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wenqi, the Grand General invites you to his residence for a talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun knew in his heart that the real matter was at hand, and his spirits immediately lifted... After all, for He Jin to invite him at this time, nine times out of ten it was to reveal the contents of the rewards and appointments. And if he himself wanted to take the chance to make any adjustments, considering the Grand General’s own political weight, this was probably the last and only channel for adjustment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when he walked out the door, facing the snowflakes, sure enough, the private staff members who had followed Gongsun Xun to Luoyang — from Lu Fan to Wei Yue, from Lou Gui to Xi Zhong, from Wang Xiu to Zao Zhi — had also already gathered in the courtyard to wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn’t be helped; everyone more or less understood in their hearts that this visit by their lord would likely determine the rewards and postings after this campaign. How could they not care?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the other trusted subordinates who held official rank... regrettably, according to the nearly perfect political operating system of the Han dynasty, those who led troops were now split in two — half stationed in Yewang County in Henei north of the Yellow River, and half halted at Pingyin northwest of Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Gongsun Xun himself, the moment he crossed the Yellow River, had automatically been stripped of his seals of office, his staff of authority, and all military command, and was appointed Grandee of the Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To add a word, it was the same for Zhu Jun’s side. Now half his troops were at Wancheng in Nanyang, half at Goushi southeast of Luoyang, and Zhu Gongwei himself had also relinquished his military authority the moment he entered the pass, taking up the post of Grandee of the Palace Counsellor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Huangfu Song alone still retained military authority, and that was because he was tasked with mopping up the remnant bandits in Jizhou. Even so, more than half of the seventy thousand troops under his command had been transferred back — some disbanded on the spot, some returned to garrison Luoyang — leaving him only twenty thousand soldiers... It was said that even his trusted aide Yan Zhong had dejectedly returned alone to his hometown in Xiliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four hundred years of the two Han dynasties — who did not understand the importance of military power? How could there be any institutional loophole for the ambitious to exploit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, right up until Dong Zhuo Dong Zhongying, there truly had never been any general in Later Han history who tried to retain military power after a campaign... And the reason Dong Zhuo dared to gamble and defy orders at that time was also because Emperor Ling was already gravely ill, and Grand General He Jin, the legitimate representative of imperial authority, had given clear indications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the point that Gongsun Xun, entering Luoyang this time, in order to avoid drawing attention, had split his five hundred private troops into three, first bringing only three hundred volunteer followers across the river, and then only a hundred men into the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no matter what, the court’s arrangements could not be considered harsh treatment of meritorious officials. Grandee of the Palace and Grandee of the Palace Counsellor were both the most prestigious and honorable posts before being assigned to a substantive position. In the past, when Yang Ci was dismissed from the Three Excellencies due to natural disasters, he became Grandee of the Palace; when Qiao Xuan lived idle in Luoyang, he also held this post... It could well be said that in peaceful times, with the prestigious and honorable post of Grandee of the Palace that Gongsun Xun now held, the Gongsun clan of Liaoxi ought to throw open their main gates, burn incense, and honor their ancestors, because the family was about to ascend to another level from this point on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again, having fought for over half a year only to come back to Luoyang, how could Gongsun Xun care about prestige and honor or the lack thereof?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s all go together!” After all, he was about to be promoted and ennobled, so Gongsun Xun could not help but beam with delight. “I hear the Grand General’s residence is brimming with talent — let’s all go broaden our horizons!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several private retainers immediately grew eager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter who they were, no matter how their individual thoughts differed, everyone wanted to know their lord’s future prospects at the very first moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snowflakes drifted down; the carriage and retinue proceeded without hindrance. Along the way, Luoyang city was visibly desolate, but this actually had little to do with the newly fallen first snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, Gongsun Xun had already noticed Luoyang’s desolation several days ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it made sense, when one thought about it. The warfare that had lasted over half a year, with mobilized troops from both sides numbering in the hundreds of thousands, had severely ravaged and battered the two heartlands of the Han Empire — the Central Plains and Hebei. Economic exchange had been cut off, and political and cultural circulation had been forced to stagnate as well. Add to that the fact that even the Luoyang treasuries, which had once served as the economic bedrock, were now completely emptied, and naturally the capital had grown bleak and quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene, contrasted with the grotesque prosperity Gongsun Xun had witnessed when he was summoned to court just as the Yellow Turbans rose in the third and fourth months, was particularly sigh-worthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In sum, with the Yellow Turbans pacified, although everyone breathed a sigh of relief, although everyone lamented that the realm had finally returned to stability, the irreversible, colossal wounds of war had already been left upon the heartland of the Great Han Empire... Clearly, it would need time to recover and heal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Grandee of the Palace Gongsun Xun only dipped shallowly into this question; after pondering it briefly, he could not help shaking his head repeatedly inside the carriage. After all, he had toiled bitterly, risking life and limb for the Great Han for over half a year, and his conscience toward heaven and earth was clear. At this moment, he naturally ought to relax a little and think about matters like his personal prospects... As for such profound yet laughable things, better not to dwell on them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the master’s thoughts wandered, the carriage and retinue soon arrived before the Grand General’s residence, which had now become one of the political cores of Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the current Grand General He Jin, whether because he was by nature courteous to the worthy, or mindful of their past personal friendship, or purely out of respect for Gongsun Xun’s battle achievements and rank... had, as a matter of course, led all the subordinate officials of the Grand General’s residence and personally appeared before the gate to await him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the two met, neither put on any airs; they exchanged a few pleasantries and then each settled down. It was instead their respective retinues who bustled about for a time before the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was hardly surprising!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One must know that the Grand General’s residence, as the universally acknowledged traditional political center of the Later Han dynasty, naturally had staff members who were all renowned scholars of great clans and scions of powerful families:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, Kong Rong Kong Wenju. He had done that outrageous thing of snatching away a name card and was forced to leave with Wang Yun, yet Gongsun Xun, with a single letter, had instead persuaded He Jin to take this fellow as a subordinate clerk in the Grand General’s residence. Both sides got what they needed, past grievances were dissolved, and at the same time they mutually elevated each other’s standing — it could be called a thoroughly happy outcome;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another was Chen Lin, styled Kongzhang, who had always been thoroughly versed in the Book of Changes and was a renowned scholar of Guangling, said to write superb essays, in no way inferior to Kong Wenju;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was also one called Wang Qian, whose family background was exceedingly lofty — his grandfather was Grand Commandant, his own father was Minister of Works, clearly on par with the Zhou clan of Runan, of that top-tier lineage moving from two generations of Three Excellencies toward three generations of Three Excellencies. He was now He Jin’s Chief Clerk and also a person of considerably high status among the subordinate officials here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what was particularly worth mentioning was that Wang Qian had a son called Wang Can, now just eight years old, already acclaimed as a child prodigy of Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Kong Rong and Chen Lin beside him — never mind that they now stood shoulder to shoulder beside Wang Qian, all smiles, looking perfectly amiable. Little did they know that in future historical records, Wang Qian would not even be ranked alongside them; instead, it would be this old colleague’s son who was grouped together with the two of them, acclaimed as the very embodiment of literary brilliance and talent of their time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, regardless of future matters, speaking only of the present, that people like Kong Rong, Wang Qian, and Chen Lin, with their family backgrounds, talents, and temperaments, could so contentedly serve as subordinate officials in the Grand General’s residence also indirectly illustrated the contemporary recognition of the authority of imperial affines — this was, after all, the legitimate agent of Han imperial power for a certain period to come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Lu Fan, Lou Gui, Wang Xiu, Han Dang, and the others, as Gongsun Xun’s fame shook the realm, had also gradually risen in renown. Now in Luoyang, there were few who did not know of these men. Even that fellow Wei Yue, because he had spent a relatively long time mingling in Luoyang with Gongsun Xun, had gained some modest fame and was often invited out drinking by Luoyang gallants with backing... It was said that just a few days ago, he had accompanied Wu Ju to meet Yuan Shao in person and had even accepted a cup of wine from the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two groups introduced themselves to each other before the gate, each with their own pedantry, each with their own complexities, and yet Grand General He and Grandee Gongsun were both masters who treated the worthy with courtesy, so they could hardly interrupt them. Thus they bustled about in the snow for half the day before entering, thoroughly wearing away Gongsun Xun’s good cheer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, when both sides entered the hall and took their seats, warming themselves with heated wine, Gongsun Xun was instead direct and to the point:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Suigao, what exactly is the word you’ve called me here for today? You and I are old friends of many years — why not speak frankly and openly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jin, who had grown somewhat stout, gave an embarrassed smile, then was the first to raise his cup: “Between you and me, there truly should be no concealment. Let us drink three cups first, and then I will speak plainly with Wenqi... The first cup, to the long life of the Son of Heaven!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None dared be remiss; all raised their cups and drained them in one draught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The second cup, to congratulate Wenqi on sweeping through north and south, returning in triumph!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd laughed heartily and naturally all raised their cups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The third cup, to congratulate once more on the realm’s return to peace and stability!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each person sighed with their own emotions, but none could refuse this toast either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, allow me to offer three cups as well before we discuss matters!” Gongsun Xun, after setting down his cup, was equally free and easy, directly pouring for himself. “First, to the eternal firmness of the Great Han’s rivers and mountains!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd was uniformly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next, to the long life of the Grand General!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jin laughed heartily and calmly accepted the well-wishes of all those seated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lastly, today I have unexpectedly had the chance to meet so many talents of literary brilliance — truly a rare occasion. To the long life of all you outstanding men here at the feast!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those seated all stirred, and quite a few broke into smiles, while many others hurriedly rose, holding their cups with both hands to express thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After drinking these six cups of wine and making merry for a while, the atmosphere in the hall immediately grew slightly tipsy, and He Jin, having let down his guard, naturally ceased any further concealment: “I won’t hide it from you, Wenqi. The reason I called you here is regarding the matter of your rewards and appointments. The Northern Palace and Southern Palace are momentarily undecided, and it’s proving somewhat difficult...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a detailed explanation, Gongsun Xun suddenly saw the light... To put it plainly, it all came down to those four words: merit too great to reward!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One must understand, in this campaign to quell the rebellion, six men held the imperial tally as commanders-in-chief. Among them, Dong Zhuo and Lu Zhi need no elaboration — they will surely be granted amnesty the moment their rewards are issued, then at the first opportunity be restored to their original offices and carry on as before. As for Guo Xun, he achieved no merit but endured great hardship; granting him a large or wealthy commandery plus a title of nobility will settle his case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Huangfu Song, Gongsun Xun, and Zhu Jun — these three are especially difficult to handle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because no matter what, however you calculate it, the entire rebellion was ultimately put down by just these three men; their merit is beyond question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, among the three, Gongsun Xun has the shallowest seniority yet fought the most brilliantly; Zhu Jun has solid seniority and an already formidable backing, yet fought the most clumsily; Huangfu Song has the highest seniority and also fought brilliantly, but with a touch of luck about it... In the end, from Changshe to Guangzong, though they were at odds with one another during the campaign, when facing the central government they presented a remarkably united front, yielding credit to one another everywhere and balancing each other out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, the court now needs to bestow high office and generous rewards on three men simultaneously, without favoring one over another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Titles of nobility are one thing!\" He Jin raised his cup slightly, narrowing his eyes. \"All three of you are certain to be enfeoffed as county marquises. I came from the Northern Palace and saw with my own eyes that the titles have already been drafted... General Huangfu is to be Marquis of Huaili, with a fief of eight Battalion Commander; General Zhu is to be Marquis of Qiantang, with a fief of six thousand five Company Commander; and you, Wenqi, are to be Marquis of Ji, with a fief of six Battalion Commander.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, He Jin glanced briefly at Gongsun Xun. Seeing the other man merely nod slowly, he had long anticipated this: \"I know Wenqi does not care much for such things; reaching the proper tier of nobility is enough for him. Still, I must add — the five Company Commander less than Zhu Gongwei is to account for his seniority, and the reason General Huangfu receives eight Battalion Commander is that the court intends to make him provisional Governor of Jizhou, to clear out the bandits there somewhat and pacify the people of Jizhou... Those extra two Battalion Commander are, in effect, an advance reward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun answered boldly: \"When I came, I saw General Huangfu still commanding twenty thousand troops garrisoning Jizhou, so I had long anticipated this... After all, a post like Provincial Governor, commanding one province and nine commanderies and kingdoms — how could they let someone in his twenties like me take it? Brother Suigao, do not trouble yourself over it; I understand perfectly. Marquis of Ji, six Battalion Commander — that is more than enough to bring honor to my elders at home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Grand Master of Splendor is truly a gentleman of modest and noble character!\" Kong Rong sighed, stroking his beard, managing to wedge a remark right between the Grand General and the Grand Master of Splendor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, Wenqi truly has the character of a gentleman.\" He Jin's manner remained genial, but his tone grew serious. \"However, there is some discussion regarding your official post... Wenqi, Huangfu Yizhen is to be Governor of Jizhou, and Zhu Gongwei was already slated to be one of the Nine Ministers before the rebellion, so he will naturally revolve among the high ministers this time. Only you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is just as I said that day at the Pavilion Beyond the City,\" Gongsun Xun said bluntly. \"I seek only a great commandery to take up office. Otherwise, surely I am not to be demoted from Grand Master of Splendor to serve as a mere Regional Inspector?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is only natural.\" He Jin laughed at once. \"With Huangfu Yizhen as Provincial Governor, even if you wanted to be a Regional Inspector, the court would not have the face to send you... Would they not, otherwise, make the whole world say the House of Han treats its meritorious servants harshly? However, the realm's top great commanderies number only a few. Where do you wish to go? Could it be you are thinking of Nanyang? As far as I am concerned, I could speak on your behalf — it would be fitting for you to go there and hunt down the remnant Yellow Turban villains.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Suigao, I appreciate your kind intentions, but I am a man of Hebei...\" Gongsun Xun hastily shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a joke! Nanyang is the greatest commandery under heaven — its population and wealth in one commandery match an entire province. The Grand Administrator of Nanyang is, of course, an excellent post. Yet precisely because of this commandery's special status, the position carries extremely high political significance in the Later Han. It is normally an essential stepping-stone for a major regional official to transfer into a weighty court post, and therefore the tenure is extremely short!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How short? Never mind three or four years — one year is commonplace, and half a year is not at all rare! It rivals the tenure of a Regional Inspector.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What use is a post like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time you fetch your wife here, you would already have to leave — not even enough time for a cat to raise a single litter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Hebei is still best! Didn't Cheng Yu say as much? The Lord Marquis's authority and virtue naturally hold sway in Hebei!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for Hebei... places like Bohai and Pingyuan are certainly great commanderies, fine commanderies,\" He Jin said with a faint smile. \"But how could they possibly match the merit Wenqi has rendered in once more supporting the state altars?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun was just about to say that Bohai and Pingyuan were both perfectly fine, Nanyang was out of the question, and to please help arrange one of those two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unexpectedly, He Jin, seated in the place of honor, suddenly brought up a place no one had thought of: \"Wenqi, what do you think of Henei?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun hesitated for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said that for a very long time in later ages, the administrative region of Henan always included a small piece of land north of the Yellow River, which seemed utterly inexplicable. In fact, the initial reason is quite simple: after a regime established its capital south of the Yellow River, in order to better control the powerful local forces of the North China Plain, and also to directly command the natural barrier of the Yellow River, it forcibly carved out a piece of prime territory from the Hebei region and placed it directly under the central government. A similar case is Hedong, which was forcibly carved out from the Jin region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And these deliberately engineered administrative divisions were indeed passed down from generation to generation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the originator, it was none other than Emperor Wu of Han, who inaugurated the great unification. This piece of land that later ages would assign to Henan Province is precisely today's Henei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, just as most of Qingzhou's commanderies and counties are actually south of the Yellow River yet are administratively treated as part of Hebei, Henei is actually part of Hebei, yet falls under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the matter at hand, whatever the case, this could not exactly be called a bad place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Henei's registered population is eight hundred thousand, and in reality it is estimated to exceed a million — it counts as a top-tier great commandery. Moreover, geographically speaking, this place is still in Hebei after all: it borders the Taihang Mountains to the north and connects to Wei Commandery to the east. Its northern stronghold of Anyang is a mere hundred li from Handan, where Gongsun Xun once served.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A more important point is that although this place is directly subordinate to the Metropolitan Region and thus carries some additional political prestige, it ultimately does not change hands every year like Nanyang or Yingchuan, which is deeply frustrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for what made Gongsun Xun hesitate, it was the worry that this place, facing Luoyang just across the river, would inevitably constrain his actions... Of course, this was not a reason one could voice aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could even say that, with the realm currently having only a single provisional Provincial Governor, and that post already taken by Huangfu Song, this commandery was undoubtedly the best the court could offer, apart from Nanyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment's thought, though still somewhat hesitant, Gongsun Xun finally resigned himself inwardly and outwardly nodded decisively: \"Henei is excellent. A county marquisate, a great commandery, and I can also...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was what was said that day.\" He Jin suddenly interrupted him. \"Today, it is not enough... The rebels raised troops totaling four to five hundred thousand. It was entirely thanks to the three generals, who did not shrink from blade and arrow, that the state succeeded in quelling the chaos. The Secretariat, the Censorate, and the public deliberations of the Three Excellencies are certain to bestow general's titles upon the three of you, in order to reward your merit and display honor and favor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, not only did Gongsun Xun involuntarily exchange glances with several of his trusted aides, but even men like Kong Rong, Wang Qian, and Chen Lin grew solemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For no other reason than this: in the Later Han dynasty, a general's title was of the utmost weight and value!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gongsun Xun, Huangfu Song, and the others swept through the Yellow Turbans earlier, they did so merely as Generals of the Household holding the imperial tally, and General of the Household is essentially a military rank between Captain and General — it is not a true general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, setting aside the Former Han, which had Emperor Wu who liked to mess around, in the Later Han dynasty there were only two permanently established heavy-weight general posts: one was Grand General, which He Jin currently held; the other was General of Chariots and Cavalry, which Cao Jie had once held before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From these two men, one can see that those able to hold these two posts were either imperial affines or the leaders of the eunuch faction — essentially agents of imperial power, and holding the post itself carried the implication of assisting in governance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the rest, the Former Han vaguely still had General of Agile Cavalry, General of the Guard, General of the Van, General of the Rear, General of the Left, General of the Right, and so on, which enjoyed the treatment of heavy-weight generals. But the Later Han dynasty placed an extreme, extreme emphasis on the significance of military authority and guarded against it very deeply. Thus, only Grand General and General of Chariots and Cavalry were ever permanently established heavy-weight titles; everything below those were, in truth, all miscellaneous-titled generals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even among miscellaneous-titled generals, there was only General Who Crosses the Liao, which appeared frequently due to the military situation on the northern frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, at this time, a general's title was truly and genuinely precious and weighty! According to the regulations of this era, a heavy-weight general was fully equal in rank to the Three Excellencies, if not surpassing them — it was inherently a top-tier military post that ran parallel to civil offices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is not the same as the period when warlords contended for supremacy, when anyone could petition to appoint themselves a general... the prestige of a general's title back then was far too debased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So for Gongsun Xun, a general's title was something he absolutely had to have — indeed, it was precisely what he most looked forward to from this campaign... Because apart from its prestige, a general could also open his own office and establish a personal staff!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this certain person, that was the most important thing of all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never mind General of Chariots and Cavalry — even if it were some respectable miscellaneous-titled general, he could still openly and honorably recruit talent, appoint a Chief Clerk of one thousand dan, appoint a Major of one thousand dan, appoint Attendant Gentlemen of six hundred dan, appoint subordinate officials, appoint clerks... and he could also slightly increase the number of his \"household troops,\" to display his \"dignity and authority.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if it were General of Chariots and Cavalry, a title recognized by over a century of Later Han political tradition, that would naturally be even better... But therein lay the problem: the Grand Generalship was on He Jin and could not possibly be taken off him, so there was only the single post of General of Chariots and Cavalry — how was it to be divided among three meritorious officials?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty... ah, and the Intendant of the Yellow Gate and the Secretariat, their thinking is,\" He Jin said, seeing the entire hall grow solemn, but when he reached this point his face suddenly reddened somewhat, \"since there are three meritorious officials, why not divide the single post of General of Chariots and Cavalry into three, and establish Left, Center, and Right Generals of Chariots and Cavalry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun did not react for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Kong Wenju, who had been brilliant as a child and remained just as sharp, who reacted first, and immediately struck the table: \"How can the Son of Heaven be so petty?! To actually have three men share it? With such dazzling military merit, is the Grand Master of Splendor not worthy of a single General of Chariots and Cavalry?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jin's face grew even redder, and he did not refute it. This man, who still had seven parts of honesty left in his heart, clearly felt that what his brother-in-law had done was far too shameful. Had the man not risked his life on the front lines, crossing the river with a thousand troops to face thirty thousand — was that false? He had toiled bitterly to quell the rebellion for your Liu family, and in the end, a single general's post had to be torn into three pieces like splitting a flatbread... Truly the behavior of someone impoverished from childhood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet He Jin had his own frustrations. What else could be done? Was he supposed to yield the Grand Generalship? Even if he yielded it, it still wouldn't be enough to go around!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this was precisely why He Jin absolutely had to summon Gongsun Xun for a private talk beforehand — not only was he revealing this personally, but he also had the intention, in the Son of Heaven's name, of pacifying and persuading him in advance. After all, the Son of Heaven himself felt that what he was doing was rather shabby, yet he was also petty by nature and could not think of a good solution... heavy-weight general posts were simply too important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One had to admit, this thing the Liu family had come up with was far too creative. A few days earlier, even as far back as Guangzong, Gongsun Xun had already discussed and analyzed all sorts of possible scenarios with Lu Fan and the others, yet they were still caught completely off guard by this divinely inspired stroke of creativity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Rong struck the table and rose, but no one paid him any attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jin awkwardly raised his cup and drank alone, while Gongsun Xun, who had drunk a great deal of wine, pondered for a long time and still felt somewhat dazed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? What kind of arrangement was this? How much authority could one-third of a General of Chariots and Cavalry possibly hold? Would it even be enough to be useful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Allow me a moment to relieve myself.\" After thinking for a long while, Gongsun Xun had no choice but to rise and go consult his own advisors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jin understood and merely nodded without speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun first went out into the snow to use the privy. Presently, Lu Fan, Lou Gui, Wang Xiu, Xi Zhong, and Zao Zhi — the five civil officers who had accompanied him today — came in turn to the small path before the privy to discuss matters with their lord... and they too were all utterly baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because no matter how clever or perceptive these men were, they could not possibly make a clear judgment about a newly emerged thing — just how much authority this three-way-split General of Chariots and Cavalry still held, and whether it would work well, none of them could know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after much discussion, it is worth noting that both Lu Fan and Xi Zhong believed the Son of Heaven merely wished to divide the \"majesty and virtue\" of the three commanders in this campaign, making them equal and checking each other to prevent any from growing too powerful, and had no intention of deliberately weakening the office of General of Chariots and Cavalry itself in terms of protocol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, accepting this weakened version of the heavy general's title should still work quite well. At worst, Gongsun Xun could use the excuse of wine to ask He Jin directly — could he open a private staff office or not?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as his trusted advisors were urging him to turn back, and after Gongsun Xun had stood stiffly in the snow for a while and decided to grit his teeth and accept the appointment — suddenly, an unexpected person appeared before him in the snowy field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grandee of Splendid Fortune.\" Wang Qian, past thirty, swayed unsteadily and hastily cupped his hands in salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Attendant Wang.\" Gongsun Xun also hastily cupped his hands, for the other man's family status was there for all to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged a bow and each stepped aside, but just then Wang Qian suddenly turned back, stroked his beard, and asked with a smile: \"The Grandee of Splendid Fortune has been gone long without returning, and just now was clearly frozen stiff in the snow — could it be you are hesitating over the matter of the general's title?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly... it is truly... unheard of.\" Gongsun Xun turned back helplessly and said. \"General of Chariots and Cavalry was already unexpected, but Left, Center, Right...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have a word — a private opinion — which the Grandee of Splendid Fortune may simply hear and let pass.\" Wang Qian, clearly drunk, suddenly clasped his hands behind his back in the snow and spoke. \"In truth, the crux of this matter does not lie in the division of power among Left, Center, and Right, but in the heart of the Son of Heaven.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun's heart stirred, and he hastily cupped his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I may speak bluntly.\" Wang Qian, carrying the scent of wine, calmly accepted the other's bow before continuing with his hands behind his back and a smile. \"The Grandee of Splendid Fortune has long been absent from Luoyang and probably does not know that our current Son of Heaven has always been extremely selfish by nature. General of Chariots and Cavalry has always been the exclusive preserve of imperial in-laws and eunuchs, used solely for assisting in governance. This time, the Son of Heaven, constrained by your three great achievements and renown that shakes the realm, had no choice but to bring it out for you gentlemen... Dividing it into Left, Center, and Right is not only to divide power and create checks and balances, but also carries the implication of reluctance and distrust... Since there is reluctance and distrust, even if it is given today, sooner or later it will be taken back!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One word roused the drunken man — Gongsun Xun was suddenly jolted awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rather than laboriously seeking a three-part General of Chariots and Cavalry that is bound to be reclaimed on some pretext, why not take the initiative to settle for the next best thing? While the Grand General is here, ask him to help you request a General of the Guard or General of the Front, a title of slightly smaller scale.\" Wang Qian lowered his voice, his breath reeking of wine, and leaned in to speak softly. \"That way, it would be neither awkward nor improper, not quite a proper heavy general's title, and perhaps you could even use it a bit longer. After all, many covet General of Chariots and Cavalry, but no one fights over General of the Guard or General of the Front!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun was thoroughly awakened, and actually bowed formally in the snow, head lowered... He had indeed drunk too much. Lu Fan, Lou Gui, Xi Zhong, and the others were limited by their perspective and did not know what sort of creature the current Son of Heaven was — but how could he himself have forgotten this point?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides, if he voluntarily avoided the position of General of Chariots and Cavalry, he might even take the opportunity to arrange some additional futures for a few of his subordinates. Presumably, at that point, neither the Son of Heaven nor Grand General He Jin would quibble over such matters anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would be the optimal solution for today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He owed the other man thanks for this reminder! This bow, Gongsun Xun gave willingly and wholeheartedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Wang Qian had never imagined that Gongsun Xun, with the pure and honored status of Grandee of Splendid Fortune, about to receive a general's title, be enfeoffed as a county marquis, and take up the post of Administrator of Henei, would actually bow to him. He hastily set aside his airs and bowed in return:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Grandee of Splendid Fortune truly lives up to his reputation for treating worthy men with courtesy! I had previously thought Kong Wenju only wrote the memorial for the Grand General detailing your merits because he had received your favor... Under such great renown, there are indeed no hollow scholars!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these words, the man turned drunkenly and departed toward the privy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By evening, the sky had darkened, yet the snow was bright as day. Gongsun Xun, his heart clear and lucid, gave a sigh of emotion, shook out his robes, and returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night need not be elaborated upon. A day later, the Son of Heaven personally summoned Gongsun Xun and Zhu Jun to the Hall of Excellent Virtue, praising and encouraging them with kind words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately thereafter, Minister of Works Yuan Kui personally bore the imperial tally and conferred the honors:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandee of Great Centrality Zhu Jun appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry of the Right, Specially Advanced, acting Intendant of Henan, enfeoffed as Marquis of Qiantang, with a stipend estate of 6,500 households, to mop up the remnant Yellow Turban forces in Nanyang;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandee of Splendid Fortune Gongsun Xun appointed General of the Guard, Specially Advanced, acting Administrator of Henei, enfeoffed as Marquis of Ji, with a stipend estate of 6,000 households, to mop up the remnant Yellow Turban forces in Henei!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thereafter, an envoy bearing the imperial tally was naturally dispatched to Huangfu Song, appointing him General of Chariots and Cavalry of the Left, Specially Advanced, acting Governor of Jizhou, enfeoffed as Marquis of Huaili, with a stipend estate of 8,000 households, concurrently mopping up the remnant Yellow Turban soldiers in Jizhou!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that same day, envoys went out in an unbroken stream to every place where troops were stationed, issuing rewards and simultaneously disbanding and reassigning units:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Cao Cao, transferred to Chancellor of Jinan;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Xu Rong, restored as Colonel of the Garrison Cavalry of the Northern Army, with increased rank, stationed at Luoyang;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Lu Bu, transferred to Colonel of the Archers Who Shoot at a Sound of the Northern Army, stationed at Luoyang;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Cheng Pu, transferred to Commandant of Yanmen;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Dong Zhao, transferred to Commandant of the Principality of Zhao;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Shen Pei, transferred to Commandant of Qinghe;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Gongsun Zan, transferred to Commandant of Bohai;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Gongsun Yue, transferred to Gentleman Attendant at the Yellow Gate;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Fu Xie, transferred to Gentleman Consultant;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Guan Yu, transferred to Prefect of Zhaoge in Henei;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Liu Bei, transferred to Prefect of Pingyuan in Pingyuan Principality;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Li Jin, transferred to Prefect of Yingyin in Yingchuan;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Cheng Lian, appointed Major of a Separate Division, stationed in Zhao Principality;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Gao Shun, appointed Major of a Separate Division, stationed at Yanmen;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Zhang Fei, appointed Major of a Separate Division, stationed at Qinghe;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Sun Jian, appointed Major of a Separate Division, stationed at Nanyang;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Zhang He, appointed Major of a Separate Division, stationed at Wei Commandery;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Chu Yan, transferred to Chief of Yingtao in Julu;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Qian Zhao, transferred to Chief of Bo County in Henei;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Wang Xiu, resigned from office, rewarded with 300 bolts of silk;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Yang Kai, resigned from office, rewarded with 100 bolts of silk;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Wei Yue, resigned from office, rewarded with 100 bolts of silk;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Yue Jin, resigned from office, rewarded with 100 bolts of silk;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Lu Zhi, pardoned and reduced to commoner status;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Dong Zhuo, pardoned and reduced to commoner status;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Wang Yun, pardoned and reduced to commoner status...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The various rewards were too numerous to list. However, because bandits sprang up everywhere in the aftermath of war — not only in the border commanderies but in many inland commanderies and principalities — the post of Commandant (called Commandant in commanderies, Commandant in principalities) at the full two-thousand-bushel rank, specifically in charge of military affairs, was established. This position seemed tailor-made for those who had rendered merit in suppressing the rebellion, and it ensured that Gongsun Xun had not given up the office of General of Chariots and Cavalry for nothing, exchanging it in one breath for two and a half commandant posts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The rest is fine, but why has that kid A-Bei become Prefect of Pingyuan?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having just returned from fetching Dong Zhuo, Lu Zhi, and Wang Yun out of prison, Gongsun Xun, three official seals hanging from his person, pushed away the skinny calico cat that approached and then drunkenly pointed at the copied list of rewards, somewhat baffled. \"Didn't I order him to lead troops and station in Henei, still under my command? A-Fan, did you make a mistake?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No mistake.\" Gongsun Fan, back from the Imperial Secretariat, smiled at his side. \"In the Personnel Section of our Imperial Secretariat, there is a newly appointed Secretary Pei. His younger brother happened to have served under you, elder brother, and reportedly had some battlefield friendship with this Liu Bei. So he secretly exerted his utmost effort to help, changing the thousand-bushel Major of a Separate Division into a thousand-bushel county prefect... This is a great thing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun tilted his head and looked again at the densely packed list of official appointments in his hand, then broke into a laugh and slowly nodded, his breath still carrying the scent of wine: \"True enough, this is a good thing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———————I am the dividing line where things are always good———————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Grand Ancestor once remarked during a banquet: 'Among the literary men of today, there are Kong Rong Wenju of Lu, Chen Lin Kongzhang of Guangling, Wang Can Zhongxuan of Shanyang, Xu Gan Weichang of Beihai, Ruan Yu Yuanyu of Chenliu, Ying Yang Delian of Runan, and Liu Zhen Gonggan of Dongping. These seven masters leave nothing unlearned in scholarship, borrow nothing in their phrasing, each galloping a thousand li on their own fine steeds, racing neck and neck on equal footing.' All present agreed. After a brief pause, the Grand Ancestor suddenly added: 'Yet Wang Can especially captures the essence, worthy to stand like a crane among chickens.' All again agreed.\" — New Book of Yan, Biographies of the Literary Garden\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Book recommendation — \"The World Has a Killing Aura\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This chapter was written last night. If there are proofreading issues, let me know... Also, reader group: 684558115, feel free to join if interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A side note: historically, Emperor Ling of Han did split the General of Chariots and Cavalry into two, making them Left and Right and giving them to Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",7349,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","fdd958e01ac6c6c817ce8898c20689ddaa03f1fdbda2066b077fe80b9a62948f","overthrowing-han-chapter-266","overthrowing-han-chapter-264",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]