[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-270":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},1223029,1620,"Chapter 270: An Old Friend Stands Before the Gate (Part 2)","overthrowing-han-chapter-270",270,"\u003Cp>Ten years ago — to be precise, nine and a half years ago — Gongsun Xun had once met Han Sui in passing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, Gongsun Xun was merely a border-commandery youth who had not yet received his cap, traveling to Luo for study, while the other man had already finished his service as a court gentleman and was about to return home to take up office. Now, Gongsun Xun was General of the Guard, Marquis of Ji, and acting Administrator of Henei, while the other man was still a mere Provincial Retainer — the two were no longer on the same level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is not to say that the post of Provincial Retainer is poor, nor that Han Sui is incompetent. In truth, if a son of the border commanderies lacks special fortune, lacks exceptionally prominent political resources, and does not stake his life on it, this is roughly the level he will reach. One can look to Gongsun Zan and Sun Jian for comparison: had the former not basked in Gongsun Xun’s reflected glory, relying only on his father-in-law’s assistance, he would likely have struggled even to become a Commandant this time; and the latter, though he too had patrons who promoted him and was willing to stake his life, ultimately remains only a Thousand-Dan Major of a Separate Division. And if the realm had simply remained at peace like this, without Gongsun Xun’s influence within it, Gongsun Zan, Han Sui, and Sun Jian — all three of them — would probably have managed to reach a single term at Two Thousand Dan around the age of forty. In the end, they would not have failed their clans or their parents, but in the end, they would also have remained just that for a lifetime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it is not that Han Sui is too low, but that Gongsun Xun has been a little too outstanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten years of bitter toil, several times staking his life, plus the political resources of one clan, two teachers, and one father-in-law, along with a mother who never let her son lack for money and passed down many things that transcend the understanding of this age — these are things no one else can trade for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, whatever the inner reasons, when two men meet again after nearly ten years apart, the people remain but the circumstances have changed, and a certain wistfulness is unavoidable. And although Gongsun Xun, because he had some conjectures about the situation in Liang Province, harbored suspicions in his heart, he ultimately revealed nothing, treating it simply as an old friend’s visit and receiving him with cordial and warm hospitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thereupon, Gongsun Xun, that dignified Ten-Thousand-Dan General of the Guard, disregarding the snow still clinging to Han Sui’s person and the wooden clogs still on his own feet, joyfully stepped forward within the government office gate to raise the other man up, took him by the arm in greeting, and exchanged endless pleasantries; then, he instructed Sima Lang to summon people, having every official in the government office, from commandery clerks to members of the General of the Guard’s staff, come out in succession to welcome him; finally, Gongsun Xun even ushered Han Sui, together with his two companions, into the rear hall to be seated, and personally led Lu Fan, Lou Gui, and Xi Zhong — his three trusted confidants — in attentive hospitality… He truly gave him all the face one could ask for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The weather is cold and the ground frozen — Wen Yue, please sit at ease and rest a moment.” Seeing that the serving maids had brought up hot ginger broth and that the three men across from him had largely recovered, Gongsun Xun still refrained from raising any serious matters, instead pointing to the two who were clearly just Han Sui’s attendants and continuing with more polite pleasantries. “These two have braved the snow to come with Wen Yue — one older, one younger, both of uncommon bearing. Surely they must be heroes of Liang Province… May I venture to ask your names and origins?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These two are both colleagues from the province, accompanying me to Luo on official business.” Han Sui had no choice but to suppress his preoccupations for the moment, rise, and make formal introductions. “This older one bears the double surname Chenggong, given name Ying, courtesy name Shirong; this younger one, not yet capped, is a son of the Pang clan of Nan’an, currently gaining experience in the province… called Pang De.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun nodded slightly, but then suddenly froze: “Liang Province, Nan’an, Pang De?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sui answered offhandedly and sat back down, while Pang De and Chenggong Ying hurriedly rose again to bow… These two were both merely so-called mid-to-low-level provincial clerks — how would they dare to be remiss in courtesy before Gongsun Xun?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Gongsun Xun, seeing before him a Pang De verified by Han Sui himself, disregarded the fact that the other was still just an uncapped youth serving as a provincial clerk, thought only of how rare this opportunity was, and could not help but feel his collector’s impulse stir!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thereupon, he simply rose, personally helped the two men up, and then asked with a serious expression: “You two are indeed heroes of the Western Provinces. I have always admired men of valor — would either of you be willing to condescend to serve under my command? There are still quite a few vacancies among the Attached Officers of the General of the Guard on my staff…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang De and Chenggong Ying could not help but look at each other. How could they have imagined that the other party would try to recruit them at their very first meeting? Yet, unexpectedly, although transferring to serve as an Attached Officer of the General of the Guard clearly offered better prospects, these two both shook their heads in dejection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand.” Gongsun Xun had only asked on impulse because the name Pang De was simply too dazzling; if it didn’t work, it didn’t work. He promptly changed his expression to a smile. “You two are men of loyalty and integrity. I imagine your Provincial Governor is a man of considerable virtue and prestige, and so you are unwilling to abandon him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the words were finished, Han Sui, seated on the left-hand side, suddenly gave a cold laugh: “The General of the Guard is mistaken. Where does our Governor get any virtue or prestige?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Pang De and Chenggong Ying, who were standing in the hall performing their salutes, also wore complicated expressions, clearly harboring their own views about their immediate superior, the Inspector of Liang Province… And Gongsun Xun finally could not resist exchanging glances with the several confidants seated on his right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no helping it — Liang Province had always been a basket of troubles, something everyone in the realm knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does the General of the Guard know what official business brings me to Luozhong this time?” Han Sui finally seized the initiative in the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I would be glad to hear the details.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun turned around and raised his hand slightly, whereupon Chenggong Ying and Pang De withdrew to their seats as the situation dictated, and he himself returned to his seat at the head of the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our Grand Administrator Feng of Wuwei in Liang Province is the younger brother of Feng Fang, who was the son-in-law of the late power-eunuch Cao Jie. Relying on having someone at court, this man has been throwing his weight around in Wuwei, so the Provincial Retainer from Wudu, Su Zhenghe, investigated and prosecuted him in the province’s name… In the end, the prisoner was delivered to the provincial seat in a cage cart, yet our Governor did not dare to take him in, and instead wanted to kill Su Zhenghe to apologize to that Grand Administrator Feng!” Han Sui spoke indignantly. “General of the Guard, tell me — is there such a man fit to be Governor of a province anywhere under Heaven?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this account, from Gongsun Xun himself down to Lu Fan, Lu Ziheng — who had only emerged at the time of the earlier welcome — and all the way to Xi Zhong, Xi Zhicai, on the right-hand side, everyone was utterly speechless, and even Sima Lang behind them wore a look of some astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was very simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, as the august Inspector of a province, when your subordinate has already worked a case into an ironclad conviction (the man was already in a cage cart), no matter what, and regardless of whether it suited your wishes, you should never back down at such a moment — still less kill your own subordinate to make amends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this Retainer Su truly acted against your wishes, you could always find some excuse to kill him later to assert your authority. To kill a subordinate now to make amends — the entire province, high and low, will lose their loyalty and cohesion! No wonder everyone here, from Han Sui down to the still-uncapped Pang De, held such clear-cut attitudes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the second point… it was that the identity of this Grand Administrator Feng was somewhat awkward. Although he had never met him, Gongsun Xun at least knew the name of the father of Feng Zhi — the woman who had borne him a son — and who her uncle was. However, this was not convenient to say aloud; in any case, Gongsun Xun did not care about the life or death of that Feng person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I recall that the Inspector of Liang Province is Liang Hu, is it not?” Gongsun Xun was the first in the room to collect himself, and asked accordingly. “Is the man truly so worthless? How was the matter finally handled?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the end, another Retainer in our province, Gai Xun, Gai Yuangu, stepped forward to dissuade Inspector Liang, telling him that if he killed Retainer Su, it would be no different from making the whole realm mock him.” Han Sui continued with another cold laugh. “But our Master Liang did not dare to continue in office either, and actually took the initiative to hang up his seal and leave. We in the province had no choice, and since I had previously traveled back and forth to Luoyang, they sent me to Luozhong to deliver the official documents and report this matter in detail to the central authorities…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is the new Inspector?” Xi Zhong could not help his curiosity. “Is there any word yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The man is called Zuo Chang.” Han Sui’s expression grew increasingly dark. “We made inquiries in Luozhong and only then learned that this man was originally from the Censorate, and can be considered fairly experienced, yet he repeatedly fawned upon and attached himself to the eunuchs, and his greed knows no bounds. I hear… that in the recent imprisonment of Wang Zishi, he exerted great effort, and it was only for that that Zhang Rang rewarded him with such a post.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun truly did not know what to say anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General of the Guard!” Han Sui suddenly asked again. “Now do you understand why Chenggong Shirong and Pang De disregarded their own prospects and were unwilling to remain here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun gave a light laugh. Knowing he could not evade it, he simply nodded slightly: “I imagine they are worried that the situation in Liang Province is unstable, and that you all have clansmen and fellow villagers there…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is already unstable!” Han Sui suddenly interrupted him. “With men like that Grand Administrator Feng and that Inspector Liang governing before, Liang Province was already exhausted… Add to that the court’s recent suppression of the Yellow Turbans, recruiting soldiers and requisitioning horses in Liang Province — there have long been those who could endure no more. As early as the tenth month, the volunteer auxiliaries from Huangzhong in Jincheng and the bandits from Heguan in Longxi had already gathered into large bands. And judging by past experience, I fear that by the time the three of us return, the bandits there will have naturally and as a matter of course begun killing officials and attacking cities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun grew increasingly cautious, unwilling to engage with this topic, yet utterly helpless to avoid it: “In truth, matters under Heaven are mostly like this — how many truly wish to rebel against the Han and set themselves up as rulers? It is nothing more than being driven first by poll taxes and forced labor, having no choice but to become bandits, and then as the bandits grow larger and larger, they find they are no longer their own masters… Wasn’t that exactly how it happened in Jiaozhou previously? It was only through Lord Jia’s conciliatory approach that it was easily pacified.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is precisely the problem.” Han Sui’s tone grew increasingly impassioned. “We too had hoped that Liang Province could get a good official like Lord Jia of Jiaozhou, yet the eunuchs have forcibly thrust such a character upon us! And Wenqi, do not forget the words we spoke in that carriage in Luozhong ten years ago… Is Liang Province the same thing as Jiaozhou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, he had not managed to evade it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun shook his head helplessly, but could not help adopting a serious expression: “Since Brother Wen Yue calls me by my courtesy name, I too cannot but speak from the heart… Do not let your thoughts grow too extreme, lest you stray onto the wrong path!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does Wenqi think I have come to urge you to rebel?” Han Sui suddenly spoke with mockery, causing everyone in the hall to change color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun alone kept his expression composed: “Brother Wen Yue, ten years ago you were already resentful and helpless to the extreme about the situation in Liang Province — how could I not worry about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does Wenqi also know that was ten years ago?” Han Sui grew even more resentful and mocking. “Ten years ago, today’s General of the Guard was still a commoner youth with bound hair, and after ten years of tempering, do you think that today’s Han Sui is still the same ignorant fellow of those days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what reasoning does today’s Han Wenyue hold to?” Gongsun Xun remained serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it can avoid chaos, it is still better not to have chaos.” At this question, Han Sui immediately deflated and could only answer helplessly. “I have seen clearly over these ten years that in Liang Province, high and low, while everyone is certainly dissatisfied with the central authorities, if matters truly come to a head, I fear there will still be many loyal ministers… When the time comes, it will inevitably still be Liang Province men killing Liang Province men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what do you want?” The fact that the other party had not come to beguile him into rebellion or to seek protection made Gongsun Xun even more serious, because he knew very well that this meant the other man harbored an even more definite purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did Wenqi see the name card from the Grand General’s office that I sent up?” Han Sui suddenly asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I was in Luozhong, just as Wenqi just now wished to recruit Chenggong Shirong and Pang De, the Grand General also wished to recruit me. Do you know how I answered?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I imagine you refused.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not so. I asked him then: can the Grand General execute the eunuchs?” Han Sui recounted calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Gongsun Xun could not help but be taken aback. Lu Fan, Lou Gui, and Xi Zhong in the room were also all momentarily stunned, and Sima Lang, who stood motionless behind his own Administrator, had by now actually begun to panic — Gongsun Xun could clearly hear the boy’s disordered breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how did the Grand General answer?” Gongsun Xun sneered inwardly, but his face remained utterly expressionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand General and the various famous scholars around him did not answer.” Han Sui spread his hands. “So Chenggong Shirong, Pang De, and I simply left Luo. When we reached the riverside and saw that the great river had frozen over, a thought stirred in our hearts, and we crossed the ice to visit Wenqi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And then?” Gongsun Xun grew increasingly impatient. “The Grand General would not answer — why would Brother Wen Yue think that I would answer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I feel that Wenqi can understand my intent.” Han Sui grew despondent again. “Wenqi, I know that to you all, these words must seem laughable, and carry the implication of driving you to pluck chestnuts from the fire for the sake of the realm… But this time I truly have no other way. After thinking it over, there is only one path: to execute the eunuchs!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I would be glad to hear the details.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten years ago, I once said to Wenqi that the grandees and officials of Luoyang do not take our Liang Province seriously at all, and that it is they who will truly throw the realm into chaos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The words still ring in my ears.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today, I still see it the same way.” Han Sui spoke slowly. “But after ten years in office, I have also understood one truth: that if the realm is to be stable, it ultimately cannot do without these central scholars and officials; it must still rely on them. At the very least, if Liang Province is to be stable here, it must still depend on them… The reason is very simple: Liang Province ultimately cannot separate from the central authorities, and the central authorities cannot possibly abandon Liang Province. And here in the central authorities, these scholars, no matter what, are always a cut above those eunuchs, are they not?! Among the former, three in ten are still men of talent and virtue; among the latter, nine in ten are men of plunder and extortion!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun nodded slightly, but in his heart he already understood the other party's logic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wenqi, the problem now is that the scholars and the eunuchs have become irreconcilable. I'm not saying that if the scholars held power everything would be fine — I don't really believe that either! But if the eunuchs cannot be eradicated, they will keep fighting endlessly, unwilling to do even half a bit of proper business! When that time comes, we in Liangzhou will have only a dead end!\" At this point, Han Sui's eyes nearly reddened. \"The region is in such dire straits, yet the court only cares about power struggles, treating us frontier men as nothing... And after all my thinking, the only way to break this deadlock is actually to help one side in their power struggle, to help them win a complete victory... Wenqi, this is the tragedy of us Liangzhou scholars, and it is also why, knowing full well that neither the Grand General nor you are likely to eradicate the eunuchs at this moment, I still must beseech you... Wenqi, I beg you, please, you must save us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these words, Han Sui rose and came to the center of the hall, bowing deeply before Gongsun Xun in a grand salute. Pang De and Cheng Gongying, who had remained silent all along, also rose once more and followed Han Sui in bowing deeply before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the hall fell utterly silent. Even Lu Fan and the others merely exchanged glances, then each subtly shook their heads at Gongsun Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun picked up the now gradually cooling ginger soup and took a light sip, then asked softly, \"Is Liangzhou certain to fall into chaos?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sui raised his head, clasped his hands, and asked in return: \"At the end of the second month, the Yellow Turbans revolted across seven provinces. Then in the sixth month, Jiaozhou and Yizhou also revolted. May I ask Wenqi — Liangzhou, the poorest, most suffering, most exploited and discriminated against region, why would it not revolt?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun gave a sardonic laugh and set down the ginger soup in his hands. \"Brother Wenyue speaks truly... why would Liangzhou not revolt? But Brother Wenyue, if the Grand General cannot eradicate the eunuchs even at court, how could I, in Henei, possibly eradicate them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is indeed a way!\" Han Sui said through gritted teeth. \"I have heard that the cavalry of Henei were originally Wenqi's former troops. Taking advantage of the winter farming lull, if gathered for a time, they could easily form a force of over ten thousand. Then, while the Great River is frozen, it is not impossible to lead this host straight into Luoyang...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That cannot be done!\" At that moment, Sima Lang, who had not yet undergone his capping ceremony, could not help but loudly interject from behind. \"Leading troops into Luoyang without an imperial edict is the act of a traitorous minister! If you did such a thing, how could the Son of Heaven tolerate the Commandery Lord? I fear the very first decree would be to throw the Commandery Lord into prison!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun said nothing, merely fixing his gaze on Han Sui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sui continued through gritted teeth: \"Wenqi is General of the Guards, with the inherent duty to support governance. Why could you not, after eradicating the eunuchs, join hands with the Grand General to support Imperial Prince Bian's ascension, and then recruit the realm's scholars as allies? We in the provinces would certainly echo Wenqi's cause!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun raised his head to think, but before he could speak, Sima Lang behind him had already turned deathly pale. \"Is this not arbitrarily deposing and enthroning? Is this the kind of talk befitting a subject and minister? The Son of Heaven has committed no excessive or immoral act!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sui paid no heed to this junior clerk with bound hair, only raising his head to fix his gaze on Gongsun Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Son of Heaven has committed no excessive or immoral act!\" Gongsun Xun sighed at once. \"Brother Wenyue, I shall pretend I never heard what you said today. Rest at ease during your stay...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In that case, I will not delay Wenqi further.\" Han Sui was greatly disappointed. Pang De and Cheng Gongying also rose with regret. \"We must hurry back to Liangzhou. Who knows what might happen if we are late...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun nodded again. \"Allow me to see you off!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he actually rose directly, his intent to hasten the other party's departure obvious, without the slightest hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sui grew even more disappointed, but could only turn away helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun led Lu Fan, Lou Gui, and the others to see them to the gate. Naturally, someone brought over several fine horses, along with many travel necessities, all presented as gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Han Sui sighed for a moment, but could only clasp his hands in farewell before the government office, then took Cheng Gongying and Pang De and departed directly... coming in haste, leaving in haste, as they say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those people are truly laughable!\" The moment they were gone, Lou Gui, who had held back for a long time, erupted in fury. \"Empty words and hollow talk, and they want you, my lord, to pull chestnuts from the fire for them? Even that boy Sima Lang knows what fate awaits one who leads troops into Luoyang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There was actually some sincerity there,\" Xi Zhicai could not help but shake his head with a sigh. \"At the very least, that earlier speech was certainly not false... On one side, the realm is in upheaval; on the other, the struggle between the court scholars and eunuchs grows fiercer by the day. At this moment, apart from eradicating the eunuchs, there truly is no other way to resolve the situation before us... To set the court in order, the only method really is to wield the knife at the very center!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun stood with his hands clasped behind his back before the government office, gazing at the gradually brightening street, and spoke slowly: \"I too believe that final speech of his. Tempered over ten years, he has after all changed his thinking, understanding that Liangzhou cannot survive apart from the central authority. It's just that he truly cannot act on his own...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Half and half!\" Lu Fan said in a deep voice. \"There is both the selfish desire to use your lordship's hand to build his own power, and genuine helplessness... the two are not contradictory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone voiced their agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But if that is so...\" Just as everyone was preparing to turn back, the young Sima Lang could not help but ask again. \"Are the affairs of the realm truly without solution? Hasn't the rebellion just been quelled? Isn't the realm just about to see peace? How can it be without solution?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not so!\" Gongsun Xun looked at the boy and shook his head with a smile. \"In truth, there is still one person who could solve it. It's just that, observing his words and deeds, that person may not be willing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Lang grew even more bewildered. \"If neither the Grand General nor you, Commandery Lord, can solve it, how can there be anyone else who can? And if he can solve it, why would he not?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I already told you, he doesn't want to solve it!\" Gongsun Xun's expression suddenly changed. He flung his sleeves and strode sternly inside... The realm seethed; one wave had yet to settle and another was already rising!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yellow Turbans were indeed only the beginning!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—————I am the dividing line that says there is actually still a solution—————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Taking advantage of the Yellow River's freezing, he advised the Grand Ancestor to lead the Henei troops into Luoyang to eradicate the eunuchs. The Grand Ancestor rebuked him. About to return to Liangzhou, he again said to the Grand Ancestor: 'The realm's upheavals are yet unknowable. Though we now have a small disagreement, the greater unity must come. I wish to share one final word.' The Grand Ancestor silently withdrew, and firmly presented him with fine horses.\" — New Book of Yan, Volume 1, Annals of the Grand Ancestor, the Martial Emperor\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sui's entry into Luoyang to request that He Jin eradicate the eunuchs is clearly recorded in history; similarly, Pang De is also recorded as having served as a provincial clerk in his youth, and he did rise to the rank of Attendant Officer... His background was actually far higher than that of Ma Teng's family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4437,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","4aba6a951225c4980bd2a4c92cc5b7f9f91c0bc9f481d9b20d032322950bc453","overthrowing-han-chapter-271","overthrowing-han-chapter-269",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]