[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-271":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},1223030,1620,"Chapter 271: Soft Words and Gentle Speech to Welcome the Spring Society","overthrowing-han-chapter-271",271,"\u003Cp>Han Wenyue came in haste and left in haste, putting forward an absurd proposal that required no consideration at all, yet it kept Gongsun Xun sleepless the whole night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no other reason — in the end, Gongsun Xun knew very well in his heart that Han Sui's counsel was a desperate act born of being cornered, and it carried a measure of genuine sincerity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this man's intelligence, could he not know that as long as the Son of Heaven existed, it was impossible to execute the eunuchs?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he not know that forcibly leading troops into Luoyang would only make one a universally condemned rebel?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he not know that neither He Jin nor he, Gongsun Xun, could possibly agree to it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Han Wenyue still came, and after first failing to persuade He Jin, he directly turned his horse and crossed the river because of the laughable reason that the Yellow River had frozen over, then turned to persuade him instead...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To what degree of despair over the situation in Liangzhou must he have sunk, to make such a desperate, flailing move?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the one who could resolve the situation, naturally it could only be the Son of Heaven. In truth, the Son of Heaven did not necessarily need to truly kill all the eunuchs and sever his own arms; he only needed to make a gesture — kill the Ten Regular Attendants, or kill just a few among them — and that would be enough to control the situation in the short term, rally hearts, and devote himself to pacifying the regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the eunuchs being an extension of imperial power and a force to balance the outer court... did the Northern Palace lack such people? Kill Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong, and naturally Zhang Long and Zhao Hu could be promoted. Kill a few who bore the heaviest resentment, slightly swallow his pride to put on a show, and retreat a few steps — was that not possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer was no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer was that even during the great chaos of the Yellow Turbans, this Son of Heaven could still cry out, \"Among the Ten Regular Attendants, there is surely always one who is not wicked,\" let alone now, when the great chaos had been settled and the reign title changed to Zhongping?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this Son of Heaven, who indulged his own might and pleasure, he was unwilling to part with even a single eunuch, because these eunuchs served him very comfortably... When he lacked money, the eunuchs helped him rake it in; when he sought pleasure, the eunuchs helped him feel at ease... These were things the scholar-officials outside were unwilling to do!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it bluntly, this Son of Heaven was by no means a fool, but he simply wanted his own pleasure first!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, perhaps, is what is called a despot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun, groggy and muddled, could not help but curse aloud, causing Feng Zhi in his arms to tremble. At this moment, in his dazed state, Gongsun Xun had an even deeper realization — even if he merely tossed and turned, even if it was only toward the wife and concubine sharing his bed, skin touching skin, it was enough to make those beside him feel as if facing a great enemy... To be a proper ruler, how difficult it truly was!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the night, snowflakes drifted down one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a state between dream and waking, Gongsun Xun seemed to return to ten years ago. The Han Sui sitting opposite him then, though indignant, was still full of spirit, speaking with fervor and assurance — a stark contrast to the hurried, helpless departing figure of today, truly making one sigh with emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knows what he will be like the next time they meet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The great tide surges, and one cannot help oneself. Yet just as the great tide pushes people before the storm, people too can become a force and stir the waves... The road ahead still requires caution and decisiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first year of Zhongping, winter, the realm was peaceful and without incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In mid-eleventh month, Zhao Yun arrived in Henei with a massive convoy that included the family members and concubines of Lu Fan, Guan Yu, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They first rested for a day at Zhaoge, where they left Guan Yu's wife Lady Hu and his child Guan Ping, and then after another day, they finally reached Huai County, the administrative seat of Henei Commandery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In early twelfth month, Qin Luofu, who had lingered for over ten days at the Zhao family home, also arrived in Huai County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also in early twelfth month, Wang Xiu and Han Dang, having concluded their arduous official garrison duties, returned to Huai County to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By late twelfth month, just before New Year's Day, Yang Kai, serving as an aide to the General of the Guards, arrived after a hard journey, having safely escorted Bian Yu and Gongsun Xun's two daughters, whom he had met in Changshan, to Huai County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun was overjoyed. On New Year's Day of that year, he was able, for a rare occasion, to spend it together with his wives, concubines, and children, from whom he had long been parted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And once New Year's Day passed, it was the second year of Zhongping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It should be said that the calendar of this era was naturally the lunar calendar, so once New Year's Day passed, it was genuinely spring, and the weather began to show a warming trend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, with everything going smoothly and spring bringing all things to life, Gongsun Xun one day specially took his wife and children across the thawing Qin River to watch a cuju match at Sheju Settlement north of Huai County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called Sheju Settlement was a famous military fortress, long a place for drilling and stationing troops in Henei. Due to Henei's unique geographical position, two large-scale battles recorded in history had occurred here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was when Han Gaozu Liu Bang personally crossed the Yellow River to Henei and annihilated the Yin King Sima Ang in a single battle here; the other was when Han Guangwu Liu Xiu shattered one hundred thousand Red Eyebrow troops in a single battle here... Of course, what Gongsun Xun did not know was that in another time and space, Cao Cao, to stop Yuan Shao's expansion, had also personally led troops to breach the fortifications here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, however, aside from the Henei Commandery troops, Gongsun Xun had temporarily stationed part of the White Horse Volunteers and the gathered private troops of families like Han Hao, Fang Yue, and Hao Meng at this place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this time it was not merely a cuju match among soldiers. According to the arrangements of Lu Fan and the headquarters staff, the cuju match was only the prelude to this \"Spring Society\" event. Next, a grand spring sacrifice would be held here, and before the temperature reached the right point for spring plowing, a large market fair lasting several days would be held... For this purpose, Gongsun Xun not only had the powerful and merchant families of the commandery bring their stored goods and surplus grain here to trade, but also required the young scholars of the commandery to come here for a spring outing and scriptural debate. At the same time, he had the Anli Trading House urgently send several thousand volumes of books from Ye City as rewards for the debate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To even encourage spending, Gongsun Xun had previously bestowed the New Year gifts given to him by the powerful families directly upon the soldiers stationed here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it nicely, these actions were called a project to win hearts, called sharing joy with the people; to put it bluntly, this was a so-called vanity project, a hollow political achievement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as the remonstrating Lu Fan had said, and just as Gongsun Xun had considered... After nearly a year of war and chaos, from top to bottom, people's hearts were anxious and unsettled. Now, having barely endured the winter, there truly was a need for such a laughable vanity project to adorn the peace and whitewash the current situation, so as to let people's hearts settle completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once hearts were settled, the spring plowing would begin, the busy farming season would follow, and Henei would be at peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, even Sima Zhi, living idle at home, and Zhang Fan of the Xiuwu Zhang clan both agreed, and personally came to Sheju to support the new Grand Administrator and participate in the scriptural debate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, over the course of several days, the first two days of cuju and sacrifices were tolerable, and Zhao Yun and the others naturally had nothing to say. But later on, having seen the bustling markets of Luoyang and Handan, the inner household members of the General of the Guards quickly lost much interest in this wild-field Spring Society market. Only Gongsun Xun himself still repeatedly brought his headquarters staff to attend the \"scriptural debates\" and \"occasionally\" accompanied a certain someone to browse the market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, why do the houses here all have an opening like this?\" The one who spoke was a four or five-year-old little girl draped over Gongsun Xun's shoulder. Her eyes were clear and bright — she was none other than the General of the Guards' eldest daughter, Gongsun Li, and the very reason Gongsun Xun had tirelessly come here day after day. \"A circle on top, and a triangle below...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is a gui yu...\" Gongsun Xun followed the direction of his precious daughter's finger and spotted a pottery house model on a stall, then gave a somewhat uncertain answer. \"The triangular hole below should be a place for livestock and poultry to enter and exit, and the round hole above might be a low window from before tall furniture became common, convenient for someone sitting on a rush mat to look outside...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why don't they have them in Liaodong?\" A-Li pressed on with her questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Probably because it's too cold in Liaodong,\" Gongsun Xun answered helplessly. \"It would easily let in the wind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But it's cold here in winter too,\" little A-Li continued, still hanging onto her father's neck. Her hair, tied into tufts, brushed across the General of the Guards' cheek as she turned her head. \"Why do they still have openings?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh...\" Gongsun Xun was immediately stumped, but fortunately, he was not ashamed to ask questions, so he immediately cast a pleading look toward the group of learned men following behind him on foot... These people had either come to participate in the scriptural debate themselves, like Lu Fan, Wang Xiu, and Chang Lin, or had come under the pretext of the debate to accompany Gongsun Xun, like many local powerful figures from Henei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In reply to the Marquis,\" Chang Lin said crisply and decisively, stepping forward boldly to answer. \"The term 'gui yu' is correct. The round hole as a peephole for those seated and the triangular hole as an entrance for dogs and fowl is also correct... However, these two are not very practical and are mostly abandoned. The reason they must be connected and have persisted to this day is that the common people believe the two linked together resemble the jade sheng ornament worn by the Queen Mother of the West, possessing great divine power, able to ensure peace, avert disasters, and dispel illness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So it's for warding off evil,\" A-Li, though listening in a daze, grasped the general meaning and immediately clapped her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his daughter happy, Gongsun Xun, while suddenly enlightened, did not forget to repeatedly praise Chang Lin, Chang Bohuai, for his extensive knowledge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can we buy one?\" Having gotten her answer, A-Li quickly shifted her attention and pointed at the pottery wares on the stall, making a new request. \"I have my own money, given by Grandmother when we left.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's not a good idea!\" Gongsun Xun laughed awkwardly. \"These are mingqi, funerary objects...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What does 'funerary' mean?\" A-Li continued, endlessly curious. \"And what does 'mingqi' mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun, his head aching and his heart soft, simply gritted his teeth and gestured with his chin toward Sima Lang behind him, signaling him to go buy one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sima Lang, looking pitiful but not daring to resist, could only leave the group to buy it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, not only was the stall owner already frightened out of his wits, but even Lu Fan and Wang Xiu could not bear to watch and led the others to remonstrate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A general either campaigns on the frontiers or meets his end wrapped in horsehide — how could he care about such things?\" Gongsun Xun, holding his child, was quite open-minded. \"And when a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. It's merely an object of sentiment...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others wanted to remonstrate further, but Gongsun Xun grew increasingly impatient: \"This was clearly just fired in a workshop, not dug out of a grave. What's unlucky about it? Even if there are some taboos, I've personally faced battle and exterminated over a hundred thousand rebels without any taboo — can I not suppress a mere pottery piece? I say, once this pottery piece has been close to me, perhaps, like that gui yu, it can now guard the home and ward off evil...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others had no choice but to say no more, allowing Sima Lang to ask the price, throw down the money, and bring back a pottery house funerary object... And what was even more interesting was that as soon as Gongsun Xun carried his child away from this spot, the pottery made by this stall owner was immediately bought up, including by some of the prominent officials and powerful figures of the commandery who had earlier spoken to dissuade him, who secretly sent people to buy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the stall owner actually kept several pieces, refusing to sell them no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took half a shichen for the group to finish browsing the market. Sima Lang, as usual, was already overburdened. Gongsun Xun then carried his child swaggeringly to a clean open area east of Sheju, where they sat on the ground and began to watch Sima Zhi expound the classics... If he did not come, this scriptural debate would not begin — otherwise, for whom would they debate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———I am the divider that appears after a while———\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the early Zhongping era, the Grand Ancestor served as Governor of Henei. On the Spring She Day, he ordered the county's renowned scholars to debate the classics north of the county seat at Shequ, in observance of the season. So frugal was he that he brought no servants; he had Sima Lang attend him. The Eldest Princess was still young, so he personally carried her in his arms and walked along the road. When they arrived, he purchased pottery in the Shequ market, then sat on the ground at the place of the classics debate, placing the Eldest Princess upon his knee. At that time, the Grand Astrologer reported: 'A true dragon journeys northward.'\" — Old Book of Yan, Volume 1, Annals of the Grand Ancestor Martial Emperor\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ate too much, a bit stuck on the writing...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2549,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","9b6cc152ce084939e820801c1f5fbe1ca4314d502efb09aa5987f0c24aa8c070","overthrowing-han-chapter-272","overthrowing-han-chapter-270",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]