[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-267":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},1223026,1620,"Chapter 267","overthrowing-han-chapter-267",267,"\u003Cp>The ward gatekeeper scrambled up from the ground and fled in panic, and the onlookers inside the ward gate scattered in all directions. In no time at all, Sima Lang, now fourteen years old, came hurrying over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun did not dismount, but laughed scornfully from horseback: \"You little rascal, I haven't seen you in years — how did you grow so tall and strapping? You don't resemble your father at all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Lang's face flushed bright red, but he simply raised his head and replied: \"General of the Guards, your words are mistaken. Two years ago, when I was barely twelve, I was already tall and large of frame. When I was selected as a Youth Candidate, the scholars at the Imperial Academy in Luoyang thought I was an impostor. In truth, the men of our clan have always been tall and large...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that's how it is.\" Gongsun Xun suddenly understood. \"So it's your father who doesn't resemble the rest of your clan!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young Master Sima was bullied to the point that tears were about to fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's set that aside for now.\" Gongsun Xun probably felt that bullying a child was unseemly, so he let the matter drop lightly. \"I only ask you this: I am the Grand Administrator of this commandery — why can I not even enter a ward gate under my own jurisdiction? I have long heard that the Sima clan is the preeminent family of Wen County, but I never imagined they would be so overbearing and lawless that they would even bar the commandery lord at the gate... Tell me, how many times has your Sima clan bullied your fellow villagers, how many times have you resisted the court's officials, that you have grown so imperious as to reach this point?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Approaching a renowned father's gate, one ought to...\" The topic had turned back on him, and Sima Lang, having such a heavy charge suddenly laid upon his head, found his eyes reddening as he spoke. Especially when he heard movement and turned to see a middle-aged man in plain cloth robes arriving belatedly from behind him — at that, the tears fell outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Greetings, General of the Guards.\" The middle-aged man in plain cloth was around forty. He smiled as he approached, then bowed in salute. \"Greetings to all you worthy gentlemen serving under the General. The children and clansmen here are all merely aping others with ludicrous effect — why should the General tease them so? They cannot withstand such fright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun observed that although this man's attire was exceedingly plain, his well-tended beard, his clean clothes, and his neither servile nor overbearing bearing all marked him as someone of standing. He immediately dismounted with his retinue and smiled as he clasped his hands in return greeting:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are too kind, sir. Sima Jiangong and I share a bond of life and death from the days when we slew Wang Fu and stood against Cao Jie,\" Gongsun Xun said with a hearty laugh. \"Moreover, my concubine, Lady Feng — it was Sima Jiangong who acted as matchmaker. Our son is already three years old now... With such ties between us, no jest could possibly go too far.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the newcomer had thought himself mentally prepared, these two sentences left him utterly bewildered... Could it be that his clansman Sima Fang had truly done such earth-shaking deeds alongside this man? Knowing Sima Fang's character, it hardly seemed likely! But with the dignified General of the Guards stating it so confidently, there was no reason to disbelieve it either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, though inwardly plagued with doubts, the man's face remained perfectly composed. He hastily nodded and murmured that he understood. And Gongsun Xun, seeing that someone truly capable of making decisions had appeared, set aside Sima Lang and carefully inquired into the man's background.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it turned out, this man was called Sima Zhi, courtesy name Shuyi. Although he was a member of the Sima clan, his family and Sima Fang's household had long since passed the five degrees of mourning kinship. According to local parlance, because the current Intendant of the Capital Sima Fang and his clansmen lived on the west side of this ward, the villagers had always called that branch the Western Sima; while Sima Zhi and his clansmen, having always lived on the east side of the ward, were called the Eastern Sima.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, since the two families ultimately shared common ancestors and even dwelt together in the same ward, their relationship was naturally especially close — it would be no error to speak of them as one clan, and there was ultimately no need to distinguish east from west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond this, Sima Zhi himself was a person of some distinction. In his early years he had been recommended as Filial and Incorrupt, had served as a county magistrate, and had been a Gentleman Consultant. Just as he was about to be transferred to a two-thousand-bushel post, his mother suddenly passed away, so he simply returned home to observe mourning. And like Yuan Shao, he observed mourning for six years, extending the mourning to include his father, who had died young. Only this year had he just emerged from the mourning period, and happening to encounter the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he had simply not yet taken office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exchanging a few pleasantries with the man before the ward gate and clarifying the situation, Gongsun Xun naturally showed even greater respect... In all honesty, with Sima Zhi's background, his seniority, and the sterling reputation earned by six years of mourning, he might well receive an imperial summons at any moment and leap to a two-thousand-bushel post governing a region — he naturally had to be accorded the necessary respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was more, from this encounter, Sima Zhi's speech was amiable and his manner simple and unadorned; he seemed to be a pragmatic, upright man of high virtue and genuine ability, not some vain and pretentious sort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For the General of the Guards to come to our village in his capacity as commandery lord, he truly ought to be well received. It is a pity that my clansman Sima Fang is away at his post in the capital, and the younger generation have not yet bound up their hair... Might I trouble you to sit a while in my home? Though there is no wine, there is clean hot broth to ward off the cold.\" After the round of courtesies, Sima Zhi took it upon himself without hesitation to act as host on behalf of the local Sima clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun naturally had no objection. He had come here precisely to take advantage of Sima Fang's absence and use their \"friendship\" to coax a few sensible members of the Sima clan into revealing the inner workings of Henei Commandery... Now that he had Sima Zhi, a man so much more amiable and capable, right before him, how could he be unwilling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is only that my home is cramped and humble, and with so many attendants of the General's, I fear I cannot properly receive them all,\" Sima Shuyi added helplessly just as they were about to set off. \"Perhaps you might follow this clansman's son of mine to his home to settle in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter. Only let my Chief Clerk Lu Ziheng and my Commandant's Aide-de-Camp Han Yigong accompany me to Master Shuyi's home; the rest will find their own places,\" Gongsun Xun said, wholly unconcerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, with Sima Zhi leading the way, Gongsun Xun went with Lu Fan and Han Dang to his residence. The rest of the party surged into the ward where everyone bore the surname Sima... Some were genuinely weary and naturally followed the struggling-to-stay-alert Sima Lang to his home to drink broth and rest; some, heedless of the winter wind and cold, scattered about to poke around and gather information; still others, seized by a fit of official zeal, simply summoned the ward chief and the township bailiff and village headman who had rushed over upon hearing the news, and began earnestly questioning them about local affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving the others aside for the moment, when Gongsun Xun, Lu Fan, and Han Dang followed Sima Zhi into the latter's dwelling, they could not help but exchange glances... It turned out that earlier, when Sima Zhi had said his home was cramped and humble, they had all thought he was making polite excuses, worried that too many soldiers would trample his courtyard or vegetable garden. After all, this was a man who had been a county magistrate and came from a gentry family — his house would have its proper dimensions; how could it be called cramped?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when they actually arrived, they discovered that Sima Zhi's home was indeed plain and simple, and what was more, the rooms in the courtyard were already packed with young children and youths. The former clutched primers like the Classic of Filial Piety and recited loudly; the latter were already studying texts like the Book of Odes and the Analects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was truly hardly any place to set foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this scene, it was no wonder that earlier Sima Lang had looked upon Sima Zhi as if seeing his own father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, jesting aside, Gongsun Xun, Lu Fan, and Han Dang were all filled with solemn respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, as the hot broth with ginger slices was served, Gongsun Xun, seated on an old couch in the seat of honor, showed this man a good three parts more deference in his speech:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Newly arrived to take up office in your esteemed commandery, and with Brother Shuyi being a man of pillar-and-beam talent and an elder deeply respected in the village — now that Sima Jiangong is far away in the capital, you must instruct me on how to govern!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Zhi, that is, Sima Shuyi, upon hearing this, offered not the slightest demurral. He simply set down his broth bowl and agreed at once: \"This concerns our native place. If the General has doubts, I will naturally answer whatever is asked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun found the man more and more agreeable and immediately inquired: \"May I ask Brother Shuyi, with the rebellion just quelled, what should take precedence now in taking over Henei?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If someone else were asking,\" Sima Zhi said, stroking his beard with a smile, \"I would certainly say suppressing bandits. However, in the General's case, I imagine you have no need for my humble opinion on that matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun and Lu Fan and Han Dang behind him all broke into laughter, and offered no words of modesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Shuyi's words are quite right,\" Lu Fan said boldly after the laughter, speaking on his lord's behalf. \"Setting aside the fact that the Henei cavalrymen who have just returned home and been disbanded have long served under our lord's command and can be mobilized at any moment to sweep the countryside clean — even these five hundred Volunteer Followers are sufficient to maintain order in Henei. Moreover, our lord made other arrangements before coming. The newly appointed Prefect of Zhaoge, Guan Yu, Guan Yunchang, is the most valiant and capable general under our lord's command. And there is also Qian Zhao, courtesy name Zijing, a man of quiet demeanor but loyal and fierce in action, whom our lord has now recommended as Chief of Bo County... With one in the east and one in the west, the heartland of Henei is absolutely secure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Zhi, hearing this, was all the more impressed and offered repeated praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this round of courtesies, Gongsun Xun set down his ginger broth and asked directly: \"And beyond banditry, Brother Shuyi, what do you think should take precedence?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I believe the matter of refugees should take precedence,\" Sima Zhi said, his expression turning grave at the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun's heart tightened at these two words: \"Please instruct me, Master Sima.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When the Yellow Turbans rose, the whole realm was affected, and Henei was not spared. However, because the local chieftain Ma Yuanyi was arrested directly, and Ma Yuanyi's remnants were swiftly broken by the General here, it has not fallen to the state of Jizhou, where five out of ten houses stand empty,\" Sima Zhi explained methodically, as if he had long prepared these words, clearly having thought the matter through in detail. \"But from my observations and inquiries, one or two houses out of ten standing empty is still the case.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun nodded slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Moreover, Henei differs from other places. It has suffered a measure of warfare, and it also happens to border Jizhou, where the chaos is most severe. So aside from ten or twenty percent of the local populace fleeing, there are also many who have come from Jizhou seeking refuge.\" Sima Zhi finally brought out a core knot of the local situation. \"In other words, the current situation is this: on one hand, there are locals who abandoned their land at the start of the chaos and became refugees elsewhere; on the other hand, during the chaos, refugees from elsewhere came here with nothing to rely on... Naturally, in between, there is no shortage of local powerful families and great households seizing the opportunity to encroach. Of course, in all fairness, that is not necessarily a bad thing at this moment. As for how to handle it, with the General's prestige, I imagine you can act as you see fit. There will naturally be arrangements before the spring plowing next year, so I will not go into further depth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun let out a long sigh... How could he not know that Sima Zhi had struck at the heart of the matter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only say that he was fortunate not to have been sent to the worst-hit areas of Jizhou, where five out of ten houses stood empty. In those places, the scale of abandoned land and newly influxed refugees was so enormous that even to get the powerful families to take in refugees, one would likely have to force them at sword-point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, as Sima Zhi had said, Henei was, after all, directly under the Sili jurisdiction and had not suffered major warfare. This ten-percent loss of households and influx of refugees was something he, Gongsun Xun, was quite confident he could handle with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That said, Sima Zhi was indeed a rare talent in governance, hitting the nail on the head with a single phrase. It was only a pity that the man had already reached the level of an implicit two-thousand-bushel official and was not someone he could recruit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this thought, Gongsun Xun immediately nodded and spoke again: \"Brother Shuyi's words all strike at the heart of the matter — banditry, refugees, land... I will naturally set about addressing these at once. But Brother Shuyi, to accomplish things, one must employ men. Although I have some talents around me, Henei is a dignified commandery of eighteen counties. With only these men at my side, I am stretched thin! What is more, with the rebellion sweeping through, I have heard that when Zhang Jiao was at his strongest, many commandery officials abandoned their posts to flee the disaster, and now the commandery offices are full of vacancies... You have long resided here and must know the local talents thoroughly, do you not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Shuyi smiled slightly, showing no hesitation whatsoever: \"When a newly arrived senior official comes to a place, he must necessarily draw upon local talent — this is common practice. All the more so when following a man like the General is also their good fortune... How could I keep them hidden for selfish reasons?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun found himself liking this man more and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well... first of all, there are three men — three brothers. These three may not necessarily accept recruitment, but the General must, regardless, seek them out, and must do so with great fanfare and earnest summons,\" Sima Zhi said after a moment's thought, stroking his beard with composure. \"I ask the General to be prepared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Gongsun Xun could react, Lu Fan beside him had already understood: \"Is Master Shuyi saying that Henei, being under the Sili jurisdiction, has its own top-tier great families? I wonder which family it is, that its gate is even higher than the Sima clan's?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun also suddenly realized and looked back at Sima Zhi... He too was somewhat curious about this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although my Sima clan has long been established in Henei, and on the west side, Jiangong's ancestor served as General Who Conquers the West, making us a leading family in the county — what is that in Henei?\" Sima Zhi said bluntly. \"Does the General not know that the descendants of the Marquis of Liu, Zhang Liang, Zhang Zifang, have been passed down for centuries in Xiuwu in Henei, holding office generation after generation, never once losing the glory of their ancestors?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun could not help turning back to exchange a glance with Lu Fan and Han Dang. He was truly speechless... So Zhang Liang's descendants were in Henei?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a face he truly had to give!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The current head of the Zhang family is the Grand Coachman Zhang Yan, Zhang Gongwei — he, of course, needs no elaboration. His eldest son Zhang Fan, second son Zhang Cheng (sharing a name with the one in Eastern Wu), and third son Zhang Zhao (also sharing a name with the one in Eastern Wu)... are all still young and have not yet been recommended for office.\" Sima Zhi continued with a sigh. \"No matter what, the General should send someone to summon these three brothers. Only, as I said earlier, these three may not necessarily accept the summons. One reason is their family background; the other is that the eldest brother, Zhang Fan, Zhang Gongyi, is by nature tranquil and unambitious, with quite the air of a Daoist recluse. In the past, when Excellency Yuan Wei of the Minister over the Masses office took the initiative to offer his daughter in marriage to him, he refused outright. From this, one can see that he truly has little interest in an official career or worldly pursuits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun was even more speechless... This Zhang Zhao was surely just a case of a shared name, not worth mentioning. But if Zhang Fan truly had such an attitude, then he really had even less recourse — he could only hold his nose and go through the motions with this man symbolically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter what, I must do my utmost to invite them,\" Gongsun Xun said, his thoughts reaching this point, and he could not help urging, \"And beyond that? Beyond the Zhang brothers?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Zhi smiled slightly at this, then turned to ask a question that seemed utterly unrelated: \"General, earlier at the gate, you were blocked by the ward gatekeeper and remonstrated with by my clansman's son... and I said they were merely aping others with ludicrous effect. Do you know what that was about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun thought for a moment, then suddenly understood: \"Could it be that they were all imitating someone? I had thought Sima Jiangong's eldest son was a genuinely upright and principled child — was he too merely putting on an act learned from others?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Zhi, hearing this, shook his head with even greater amusement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leaving that aside for now,\" Gongsun Xun hastily shook his head as well. \"Then who is this truly proper and upright person?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This man is a native of our Wen County, surnamed Chang, given name Lin, courtesy name Bohuai. His home is actually not far from here — General, you might as well go meet him.\" Having reached this point, Sima Zhi paused briefly, then spoke again with a solemn expression. \"Among the younger generation, whether in moral integrity or scholarly talent, he is the finest in our county. When the General seeks men of ability, he is in fact the first who came to my mind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun said nothing, but immediately took out a sheet of paper from a brocade pouch at his waist, and then fished out a handful of already-crumbled charcoal fragments. Han Dang, beside him, rose at once upon seeing this, and actually went over to the charcoal brazier on the floor, picked through it, and produced a piece of fine charcoal of relatively good quality, which he offered up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, this General of the Guard simply bent over right there on the couch and roughly jotted down this Chang Lin's name and information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this age, small pouches made of leather and brocade already existed, roughly equivalent to the purses or handbags of later times, but this series of actions still left Sima Zhi staring in bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who else?\" Gongsun Xun held the fine charcoal in one hand and pressed down the paper with the other, and could not help looking up to press for more. \"Brother Shuyi, though you are forthright, do not hold back — be a bit more thorough. Talents such as these, the more the better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Zhi gave a rueful smile: \"Does the General intend to sweep every last talent in Henei into his pouch?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that not permissible?\" Gongsun Xun spoke with righteous confidence, and while at it, smoothly added the names of the three Zhang Fan brothers, then pressed again. \"Brother Shuyi, speak quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is a man, surnamed Han, given name Xuan, courtesy name Xiangyou, who can serve as a policy advisor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gongsun Xun wrote, his mind stirred slightly, but he quickly realized — this was probably not a case of a shared name... And besides, he now understood clearly in his heart: anyone who could sit securely as a commandery governor in chaotic times — how could such a person be useless? He only wondered where Wei Yan and Huang Zhong were at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are two more, both in this county. One is called Yang Jun, courtesy name Jicai, a student of the Chenliu notable Bian Rang and a scion of a prominent family in this county. The other is surnamed Wang, given name Xiang, courtesy name Xibo... This man's family is very poor, and he could only make a living herding sheep for others. When he secretly read books and was discovered by his master, he was beaten publicly. But he was discovered by Yang Jun, who then bought his freedom, and even arranged a wife and established a household for him. I will not hide it from the General — though these two are young, they are both thoroughly learned scholars. The General might as well take them on for clerical and literary work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun nodded slowly, his hand never stopping... After all, a student of Bian Rang — his literary standard could not possibly be too poor no matter what. And as for that servant who herded sheep and studied in secret, that made one believe in his talent all the more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are three more men in the commandery, but they are known for martial affairs... The General does not know this, but that day when you led your light cavalry south from Zhuo Commandery into our Henei, before that, the remnants of Ma Yuanyi's forces were running riot everywhere among the troops. The commandery had enjoyed peace for so long that for a time it could not resist. Only two men rallied forces and came forth, protecting their home districts. One is called Han Hao, one is called Fang Yue, and there is yet another called Hao Meng.\" Sima Zhi continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun's charcoal moved as if divinely guided, for he actually knew two of these three directly — he just had not expected that Hao Meng was not a man of Bingzhou but of Henei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after writing down the three names, Gongsun Xun could not help but look up and ask one more question: \"Why does Brother Shuyi not offer a word or two of appraisal? Among these three, who is superior and who inferior?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Men who practice the martial arts — what need is there for me to appraise them?\" Sima Zhi at once smiled and shook his head. \"The General is a renowned commander of the realm!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Martial affairs are also connected to civil affairs,\" Gongsun Xun was unimpressed. \"To be a general, one must of course be judged on courage and steadiness, but one must also be judged on personal virtue... Brother Shuyi, just tell me which one you hold in highest regard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I believe Han Hao possesses considerable integrity of character. He is no mere man of brute valor, and perhaps may be of great use.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This name was unexpected, for it happened to be the one Gongsun Xun had not heard of — that is, a person Lady Gongsun had never mentioned... Nevertheless, having by now developed a certain trust in Sima Zhi's personal character and judgment, Gongsun Xun used the black charcoal to lightly draw a line beneath the name Han Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who else?\" Gongsun Xun pressed on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The General is about to empty me out completely.\" Sima Zhi grew helpless as well. \"Though I have always been in the commandery, because of my mourning obligations I have not left home for six years. The people I know in the commandery are truly not many — these are already the utmost limit...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Shuyi, why be overly modest? Speak freely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Zhi was pressed until he had no choice, and could only continue speaking as best he could: \"In truth there is one more — he is my student, just recently capped. The General might as well employ him as a commandery clerk and give him some tempering. This is a bit of personal favoritism on my part...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Shuyi, just say the name.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This man is called Zhao Zi, courtesy name Junchu. He too is from a prominent family of the same county... In truth, in our county there are only the four families of Sima, Chang, Yang, and Zhao. However, the General need not go to formally invite him with gifts — I shall have someone call him over presently, and that will suffice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun laughed and shook his head: \"Who else?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There truly are no more!\" Sima Zhi said helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir Shuyi just said that in your county, the Sima, Chang, Yang, and Zhao are the four leading clans.\" Beside them, Lu Fan could not help but make his lord's intent explicit. \"Why is it that Chang Lin, Yang Jun, and Zhao Zi are all present, yet there is no one of the Sima surname?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Zhi suddenly understood, and simply raised his hand and pointed westward: \"In that case, that nephew of my clan is already fourteen. After the new year he may bind up his hair. I shall make the decision — let him bind his hair today and follow the General as a clerk. How about it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun laughed heartily with satisfaction... For a scion of a great clan to bind his hair and serve as a commandery clerk, so long as it was not some menial post of no standing, generally did not hinder one's proper career path — it was also a common political tradition. But no matter what, to have Sima Lang come serve as an attendant was an unexpected delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Lu Fan nodded with satisfaction, for from his perspective, though he might not know the special significance the Sima surname held in his lord's heart, Sima Lang himself was the direct-line eldest grandson of the Sima clan's main branch. For him to come serve as a gatehouse clerk for his lord was enough to express the Sima clan's sincerity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, everyone was thoroughly pleased. Gongsun Xun tossed aside the charcoal in his hand, now only the size of a fingertip, and carefully examined the list in his hand. It contained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan, Zhang Cheng, Zhang Zhao;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chang Lin, Han Xuan;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Jun, Wang Xiang;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Hao, Fang Yue, Hao Meng;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Zi, Sima Lang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A full twelve men in total!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And according to what Sima Zhi had said, among them were men of letters, men suited for policy consultation, men who could serve as claws and fangs, prominent and renowned families who could elevate one's prestige, and also youths like Zhao Zi and Sima Lang who were just barely ready to be of use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, among them were several figures who could be cross-referenced with the stories told by Lady Gongsun — it was clear this list was by no means fabricated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In particular, that Sima Zhi had placed Chang Lin, whom he especially esteemed, even before Han Xuan, and Han Hao even before Fang Yue and Hao Meng — this made Gongsun Xun all the more eager with anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—————I am the dividing line of eager anticipation—————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xun, having quelled the Yellow Turbans, his might and virtue were illustrious, extending across the four seas. He was appointed General of the Guard and took command of Henei as its governor. When the scholars and commoners heard of this, most were stirred with enthusiasm. He crossed the river to Wen County and met the notable scholar Sima Zhi, seeking information on the talented and virtuous of Henei. Zhi then spoke of them from his sickbed. The Grand Ancestor took paper and brush from his pouch to record them. When the ink ran out, he simply took charcoal from the brazier and wrote without stopping. Zhi, seeing this, sighed deeply and said: 'The General holds high rank and wields great authority, yet still seeks the worthy as if thirsting for them. Now he has gathered all the scholars of Henei into his pouch — what affair could possibly remain unsettled?' He then rose and bowed, pouring forth all the heroes of Henei from his heart.\" — Records of the Heroes of the Late Han, by Wang Can\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Barring the unexpected, there will be another update tonight to make up for yesterday's shortfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",5018,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","f4d55c4249ddc6d09dbf5e1d245259adb6a9b59daa117f7ce82ad102197d1320","overthrowing-han-chapter-268","overthrowing-han-chapter-266",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]