[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-272":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},1223031,1620,"Chapter 272: War Drums and Disease Miasma Come One After Another","overthrowing-han-chapter-272",272,"\u003Cp>In the Later Han dynasty, scripture debates had what one might call a glorious tradition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At one New Year’s Day court assembly in history, Emperor Guangwu ordered the assembled officials to debate the scriptures, and moreover decreed that if a lower-ranking person defeated a higher-ranking one, he could “seize his seat.” In the end, a man named Dai Ping successively debated and defeated several dozen people, seizing over fifty seats, and made his way all the way to the first three rows. At this, Liu Xiu was overjoyed and on the spot appointed him Palace Attendant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that New Year’s Day, a folk ballad even spread through Luoyang praising this man — he could truly be called a paragon of reaping both fame and profit, both substance and show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Henei, being a top-tier commandery directly subordinate to the Sili Colonel’s jurisdiction, produced great clans and famous names in abundance. Add to that the fact that this scripture debate was officially sponsored, and that a noble who could confer official status was personally present, it was naturally and rightfully bustling beyond measure. The first two days were nothing much, but as word spread, in the last few days even scholars from neighboring Wei Commandery, Luoyang, Dong Commandery, Shangdang, Hedong, and Chenliu came hurrying over to take part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, at this moment, Gongsun Xun personally spotted an acquaintance — Liu Fan, the eldest son of Liu Yan. This young man, who in the past had personally driven his father’s cart, was now dressed in sumptuous clothes, with attendants before and behind him, already bearing himself exactly like a standard son of the ducal clans. Right now, he was gathered with several Luoyang scholars of similar age, heads together, whispering privately — clearly intending to wreck the home turf of the Henei locals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Han dynasty scholars never shied away from profit and utility, and were extremely combative — these were all very common sights during scripture debates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the matter at hand, since Gongsun Xun had arrived, the scripture debate would naturally begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a debate competition so clearly akin to a recruitment fair, Sima Zhi naturally would not lower himself to take the stage personally. In fact, the first to step forward, take the host’s seat, and set the stage was Yang Jun, a subordinate clerk from the General of the Guards’ headquarters. Though young in years, he was after all a disciple of Bian Rang, a famous scholar of Chenliu. One could say that, whether in skill, family background, official rank, or reputation, he was a very suitable person to be challenged, and an excellent touchstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But something about today’s situation seemed off. Before Gongsun Xun, sitting below and holding his child, could even mobilize his own token scripture knowledge along the lines of these people’s arguments, Yang Jun, who had posed the first question, was easily defeated on stage by a Luoyang youth who had come with Liu Fan. One answer, one question — in what you’d call a single exchange, he awkwardly yielded the host’s seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is to say, he was cleanly and crisply stripped of his seat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And next, the Henei youths were naturally unwilling to lose face on their home ground. Starting from Chang Lin and below, a host of local scholars stepped forward one after another to respond. Yet, aside from one Wang Xiang who managed to go back and forth with this man for a few exchanges, all the rest returned in defeat, losing battle after battle. Even Wang Xiang, whose learning was the best, only lasted a few rounds before he too was drenched in sweat and awkwardly withdrew from the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, who didn’t realize they had met an expert?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This young Luoyang scholar called Meng Guang was probably a specialist that Liu Fan had specifically brought in from Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, half-baked scholars like Lu Fan didn’t even dare to go up. And when Zhang Fan, the most prominent among the Henei scholars, was forced to go up and was also immediately driven down, the Henei scholars could be said to have suffered a complete rout… Of course, with such a thing happening, no one was willing to accept it. So everyone whispered and debated among themselves — it wasn’t that they cared so much about the books being taken by this man in the end, but rather they truly resented that a Luoyang scholar had stolen the prestige of the entire commandery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, with Zhang Fan, Chang Lin, Wang Xiang, and Yang Jun all defeated and retreating, what else could they do? Could they ask Sima Zhi, at his age, to go up and bully the young? Setting aside the question of face, if he went up and refuted the opponent, that would be fine — but if even Sima Zhi returned in defeat, then the loss of face would be enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene was momentarily deadlocked. Even those powerful local families of Henei Commandery who didn’t understand scripture studies and had only come to watch the excitement were now somewhat anxious and dissatisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun shook his head and smiled wryly. As the Governor of Henei, he too had to look after the feelings of the local scholars, didn’t he?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, in full public view, this General of the Guards suddenly raised a hand and pointed at the son of Liu Yan, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, who was also the ringleader of these troublemaking Luoyang youths — Liu Fan, who just moments ago had been looking immensely pleased with himself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bodao (Liu Fan’s courtesy name)!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Fan jolted sharply, hurriedly put away the smug look on his face, and sprang to his feet with a bow: “General of the Guards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your father is my close friend, your younger brother is my student — I can be considered your elder, correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Fan, a man well into his twenties and not much younger than Gongsun Xun at all, could only hold his nose and nod at this moment: “What the General of the Guards says is entirely correct.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When an elder has a task, the young should labor for him…” Gongsun Xun said teasingly, holding his child. “Now that all the scholars of my commandery have been refuted, you go up and debate this Meng Xiaoyu in my name — consider it winning a bit of face for me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Fan was stuck there as if he had swallowed a fly, yet utterly helpless. He could only mount the stage and face his own companion… And the Henei scholars also broke into laughter and relief. It was, as they say, using the opponent’s own spear against his shield. Whether Liu Fan refuted Meng Guang, or these Luoyang men were also defeated by Meng Guang’s tongue, the Henei scholars were ultimately spared the embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, after Liu Fan went up, he hemmed and hawed through a few lines, and was promptly driven down by Meng Guang. Then Gongsun Xun named them one by one — those Luoyang scholars who had come with Liu Fan, such as Liu Fan’s brother-in-law Pang Xi, and Lai Min, the youngest son of the late Minister of Works Lai Yan (also a relative of Liu Yan’s family) — and sent them all up onto the stage, where they were all driven down one after another by Meng Guang alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once this pack of Luoyang young masters had thoroughly made fools of themselves, the Henei crowd’s embarrassment was also resolved. And in the end, Gongsun Xun had no intention of reneging on the deal. He formally judged this Meng Guang to be the day’s champion, and sent someone to fetch the books that served as prizes, preparing to present them to this young Confucian scholar well-versed in the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for this Meng Guang himself, it was said that despite his youth he had already become a Lecturing Clerk in charge of expounding the scriptures at the Imperial Academy. Otherwise, keeping him here as a teacher would presumably have been quite fitting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as the messenger sent to fetch the books had left, while Sima Zhi was on stage praising Meng Guang and the whole venue was suffused with a cheerful atmosphere, suddenly, a rider on a white horse came in haste. Without regard for anything, he galloped from the north straight to the site of the scripture debate. Only upon arriving did the sweat-drenched rider dismount and whisper a few words in Gongsun Xun’s ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone gradually fell silent. People like Sima Zhi and Zhang Fan were naturally calm and quiet, but the other young scholars, as well as the onlooking staff of the General of the Guards’ headquarters, commandery clerks, and local powerful families, could not help whispering among themselves… After all, this Spring Gathering at Shequan had been organized precisely to calm people’s hearts… What matter had arisen now that required reporting here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Gongsun Xun did not take it amiss. Holding his already sleeping daughter in both arms, he sat composedly on the ground and spoke frankly: “Gentlemen, there is no need for alarm. It is simply that neighboring Wei Commandery, imitating us in using the well-field system to pacify the common people, has run out of time and lacks seeds for the spring planting. Therefore, the Governor of Wei Commandery has asked the General of the Left Chariot and Cavalry, Lord Huangfu, to step forward and send a messenger here, hoping to borrow several thousand dan of seeds from our Henei, with the promise of returning double the amount in the autumn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Zhang Fan immediately rose to express his stance, saying that his family still had surplus grain that could serve as seeds, and he was willing to donate it to the people of Wei Commandery free of charge… This made the outcome even more gratifying to all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, as the clamor rose again, the object of everyone’s praise naturally shifted to the local scholars’ leader, Zhang Fan… Fortunately, Zhang Fan had a placid temperament and did not much care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, one wave had barely subsided when another arose. Just as Gongsun Xun, citing convenience for both public and private interests, had dispatched Zhang Fan’s own younger brother Zhang Cheng to handle this matter, suddenly another white-horse rider came without regard for anything, hurrying from the south, from the direction of the commandery seat. Like the previous rider, he whispered a few words in Gongsun Xun’s ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Gongsun Xun’s expression changed slightly. The crowd, adept at reading faces, fell silent as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is not something that cannot be shared,” Gongsun Xun sighed at the sight and shook his head. “Nor can it be concealed… Gentlemen, in the eleventh month, Liangzhou already rebelled. The Loyal Barbarians of Huangzhong and the bandits of Heguan banded together, Qiang and Han rising together, and pushed forward a barbarian named Beigong Boyu and a Han man named Li Wenhou as their leaders… At the time, because the location was remote and the unrest did not seem large, word did not spread in time. But just now I received word from Luoyang: the Colonel Protecting the Qiang, Leng Zheng, led Liangzhou troops to suppress them on his own, but was ambushed by the rebels. His entire army was wiped out, and Colonel Leng died on the field for his country… Only now has this shaken the court and the realm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd was momentarily speechless. After a long while, Sima Zhi shook his head slightly: “For a two-thousand-dan official to die so easily… and Liangzhou has always been a source of turmoil. I fear the situation will be difficult to resolve peacefully…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who says it isn’t?” Gongsun Xun shook his head slightly, having no desire to delve deeper into this issue. In fact, seeing that the several hundred scrolls of books serving as prizes had been fetched, he was already prepared to conclude this scripture debate gathering immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that very moment, yet another rider on a white horse came galloping over! The scholars, subordinate officials, and local powerful families present all changed color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Gongsun Xun smiled awkwardly and offered a brief explanation: “In truth, it is not that matters are suddenly erupting, but rather that the New Year’s holiday has just ended, and the commandery and provincial dispatches from earlier are only now being gathered and processed in the provincial offices and in Luoyang, and thus appearing one by one. Just like the Liangzhou affair a moment ago, which was clearly something that happened in winter… What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Gongsun Xun personally rose and, holding his daughter, walked far out to meet this rider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This retainer dismounted, his expression tense. He glanced at the many people around before cautiously reporting in a low voice a piece of news that had been urgently sent from the commandery office, and which could only be told to the Governor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing it, Gongsun Xun’s expression did not change. He merely nodded slightly: “Wait until I have bestowed the books, then I will return to the commandery office to handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So saying, he handed the A-Li in his arms to a serving woman who had hurried over, instructing her to help hold the child. But at that moment, whether because the voice was too loud or the movement too abrupt, A-Li rubbed her eyes slightly and, from the serving woman’s arms, took the opportunity to ask: “My lord, what is a great plague?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the girl’s milky voice sounded, everyone around was stunned and at a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Gongsun Xun, as if he hadn’t seen the expressions of those around him, simply bent down and answered with a smile: “A so-called great plague refers to when certain illnesses can be transmitted to others, causing many people to fall sick together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what is transmission?” A-Li continued to ask without stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An excellent question!” Gongsun Xun laughed and straightened up. “So-called transmission refers to the process by which disease miasma can pass through wind, water, insects, and other things, moving from a sick person to another person… For example, this typhoid fever currently spreading in the Central Plains is said to be spread through dirty water. The miasma of typhoid can survive in water for a long time without anyone knowing! However, the disease miasmas of the world are mostly yin and foul things, naturally fearing heat and light. Therefore, if in daily life you can wash your hands frequently, only drink water that has been boiled, and avoid direct contact with the sick, then you need not worry about falling ill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A-Li was dazed and confused, completely unaware of why her father was saying so much. Coupled with her lingering drowsiness, she immediately fell silent. As for the others present, although they understood in their hearts that this Governor was reassuring everyone, they were also somewhat calmed by his composure and that unreliable yet perhaps not unworkable popular science.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Central Plains warm up early, and typhoid has already broken out,” Gongsun Xun said solemnly, turning back. “But when you get to the root of it, it was last year’s warfare and the displacement of the common people that gave this great plague its opportunity. In other words, this great typhoid plague will sooner or later make its way north and sweep across Hebei! But gentlemen, there is no need to panic. You are all learned men and should understand: if our Henei maintains good order, if those above and below commit no acts of moral failing, and if we can handle this properly, then we can certainly suppress this great typhoid plague to the absolute minimum!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd was anxious and fearful, and could only hurriedly rise to bow, voicing their full agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time matters had reached this point, no one had the heart to discuss scripture studies anymore… After all, in the face of a great plague, it mattered not whether you were one of the Three Excellencies or a commoner. Given the medical standards of this era, if you fell ill, you truly had to resign yourself to fate. And after Gongsun Xun symbolically handed the key to the book chest to Meng Guang, he hastily took his beloved daughter and his subordinate officials and returned to the commandery seat of Huai County to handle and arrange this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most urgent thing was to immediately mobilize and publicize epidemic prevention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as for this mobilization and publicity, Gongsun Xun’s knowledge was merely the half-baked skills passed down from Lady Gongsun… The so-called four magic weapons: boiling water, building latrines, wearing masks, and filling in stinking ditches… That was all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, you wouldn’t believe it — while these measures might be just passable against other diseases, against typhoid they were truly right on the mark! Because the typhoid pathogens flourished precisely in places like latrines and filthy ditches, and spread mainly through unboiled water. It was just that spring planting had already begun. The people of Henei still had to busy themselves with spring planting, and also build latrines, and also chop firewood to boil water — this spring was destined to be especially toilsome and exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, even in the worst-case scenario, toil and exhaustion were still better than the great plague arriving and simply resigning oneself to fate and waiting for death, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, to put it the other way around, in the Central Plains and Hebei, even if they wanted to resign themselves to fate, it would be difficult… Over there, five out of ten homes stood empty — not because half the population had actually died, but because, in order to flee (or simply to actively join) the warfare, nearly half the population of both regions had chosen to migrate and become displaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive mobile population doomed sanitation to be terrible. Whether latrines or boiled water, to these people they were nothing short of a fantasy… They were destined to become mobile sources of typhoid transmission, and destined to die in droves, their corpses piled upon one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arduous discussion and arrangements need not be elaborated upon. As the messenger riders were sent off one after another through the night toward the various counties and towns, the sky had by now darkened. Gongsun Xun then dined together with the staff of his headquarters in the commandery office hall. What was brought out was braised fish, millet rice, accompanied by wild vegetables freshly picked in spring and stir-fried in an iron wok, plus a small pot of unfiltered wine for each person. This greatly whetted the appetites of everyone who had not seen anything green all winter, and their moods lightened somewhat along with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Xi Zhong was a man even more unrestrained and casual than Lou Gui had been back in the day, and he spoke his mind freely: “Actually, it’s not entirely a bad thing. At the very least, after the spring planting, Brother Yigong and the others won’t have to toil by going into the great mountains to the north to suppress bandits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the reactions of the crowd varied. Some who were rigid and adhered strictly to propriety had long been unable to stand Xi Zhicai’s usual carelessness and lack of manners, and had only tolerated it thus far because Gongsun Xun especially valued him — hence they responded with a cold snort. As for the other ordinary commandery clerks, the old hands not from Henei, as well as Han Hao, Fang Yue, Hao Meng, and other locals serving Gongsun Xun in military posts, they all burst into laughter along with Gongsun Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, what Xi Zhong said was an enormous truth — once an epidemic arrives, no matter what, those who previously gathered as bandits would rather starve to death in the mountains than dare come down and run about recklessly. In particular, most of the bandits in Henei were hiding in the Mount Taixing range along the borders of Jizhou and Bingzhou, where they would inevitably face the direct threat of the plague.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the end, it still comes back to that one saying.\" After the laughter died down and conversation began to flow, Lou Gui could not help shaking his head and sighing with emotion. \"Whether Wei Commandery lacks seeds, or there are too many refugees, or the typhoid plague is unavoidable... when you get to the root of it, the troubles in the Central Plains and Hebei must still be chalked up to last year's war. Back then, when Cheng Zhongde strode right up before you, my lord, and mocked me, he said that the troubles of war would only gradually appear after the war was over. Looking at it now, he wasn't wrong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zibo is rarely so magnanimous.\" Gongsun Xun smiled at the recollection of that past incident, but then his expression suddenly turned solemn as he brought up another matter. \"Leaving aside the Central Plains and Hebei for now — regarding the Liangzhou rebellion, A-Fan and A-Yue mentioned some other things in their letters. I only just saw them after returning and forgot to discuss them with you in detail... Han Wenyue has revolted, and what's more, he has become the bandit chief!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the hall was momentarily stunned, but except for the few trusted confidants who had entertained Han Sui that day, the rest were soon bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Han Sui was so earnest that day — why would he revolt?\" Xi Zhicai could not help setting down his wine flask and speaking with a serious expression. \"In my view, there must be complications behind this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\" Gongsun Xun nodded with feeling. \"According to the speculations and inquiries my two younger brothers made in Luoyang, it was probably because Han Wenyue had already expressed dissatisfaction with the newly appointed Inspector of Liangzhou, Zuo Chang, while in Luoyang, which made Zuo Chang deeply resent him. Then, as soon as Zuo Chang arrived in Liangzhou and heard of the rebellion, he halted in Hanyang Commandery at the easternmost edge and refused to advance further, instead sending Han Sui to act on behalf of the province and cooperate with the Colonel Protecting the Qiang, Leng Zheng, to suppress the rebellion...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He was defeated and captured?\" Lu Fan immediately caught on. \"And then Han Wenyue, being a renowned scholar of Liangzhou who had served in the province for ten years and enjoyed considerable prestige, was coerced by the rebels into becoming their leader? Or they simply raised his banner to win over the people?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is the private speculation in Luoyang.\" Gongsun Xun nodded after taking two mouthfuls of rice. \"They all say that whether it was Han Wenyue or the other captured renowned scholar, Bian Zhang, they may indeed have clung to life, but they did not necessarily truly surrender, let alone become bandit chiefs. But Zuo Chang detested him, didn't he? So he directly submitted a memorial confirming Han Sui as the rebel ringleader, and the court, needing to placate the regional governor on whom they must rely at the front, formally put a bounty on him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then there is one more matter.\" Gongsun Xun continued expressionlessly. \"I don't know if it's true or false... it's only a rumor from minor channels. I heard that the reason the Colonel Protecting the Qiang was completely annihilated was because Zuo Chang, during the winter, was reselling tens of thousands of hu of military grain in Hanyang... This was mentioned in a letter from the Liangzhou Retainer, Gai Xun, to my junior fellow apprentice, Fu Xie. Presumably, he wanted Fu Nanrong to exert some effort in Luoyang to have Zuo Chang transferred away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If this news came from Fu Nanrong, then it is nine-tenths certain to be true.\" Lu Fan gave a rare cold laugh. \"It's just that unless there is another major defeat, even if this matter is verified, Zuo Chang will be extremely difficult to transfer...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"May I ask the Chief Clerk, why is that?\" Sima Lang could not resist asking out of curiosity. \"Embezzling military grain and framing a subordinate... should he not be arrested and dealt with immediately?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can the affairs of the world be so black and white?\" Lu Fan sternly lectured. \"The Inspector tours the regions on behalf of the central authority and is inherently the embodiment of that authority. If he were removed from office just two months after arriving, who would guarantee the central authority's prestige? And if a group of Liangzhou people could, with a single word from above and below, expel an Inspector, how would that be any different from rebellion? In our dynasty's four hundred years, an Inspector reselling military grain and framing a subordinate has only been heard of in this one instance, yet it is a common occurrence for powerful local magnates and great clans to band together and force Commandery Administrators and Inspectors to abandon their posts and flee! Therefore, not to mention that there is still no evidence or conclusion, even if the various lords in the central authority know it in their hearts, they can only feign ignorance at this moment and wait until after the military campaign to deal with it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then what if there is indeed another defeat?\" Chang Lin suddenly interjected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then he should be dismissed as he deserves, punished as he deserves, and a new Inspector sought to go to Liangzhou and take charge of the overall situation.\" Lu Fan replied dismissively. \"Could there be a second path?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But... Chief Clerk.\" Chang Bohuai set down his bowl and chopsticks and continued. \"That place, Liangzhou, has already had two extremely poor Inspectors in a row — the former was weak and incompetent, this one is greedy, petty, and stingy. If yet another bookish pedant is sent, will the situation in Liangzhou not collapse entirely?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is Bohuai trying to say?\" Lu Fan frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I mean to say that the central authority and the regions are in a mutually complementary relationship. It is not merely that the regions should obey the central authority; the central authority should also not lose its virtue.\" Chang Lin answered calmly. \"Speaking strictly to the matter at hand, regarding the handling of Zuo Chang at this moment, my view is actually the same as the Chief Clerk's. No matter the faults, no matter how unbearable, the central authority must first endure it. Not only that, it must also support him to the fullest, putting the suppression of the rebellion above all else... But thinking in reverse, if the central authority had not chosen the wrong person from the very start, how would today's situation have come about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\" Sima Lang also said in sudden realization. \"If the central authority had not previously appointed a muddled and perverse Inspector, and also appointed a lawless Administrator of Wuwei, perhaps the unrest would not have arisen in the first place... let alone today's situation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then Bohuai believes the source still lies with the central authority?\" Lu Fan waited until Sima Lang finished before pressing further. \"The regions bear not the slightest fault?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not what I meant.\" Chang Lin immediately shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, everyone had detected the edge in Lu Fan's words, especially since Chang Lin was the foremost of the locally recruited scholars from Henei, while Lu Fan was Gongsun Xun's de facto chief of staff... In this situation, with the two debating such issues as the regions versus the central authority, most of them found it awkward to interject and could only look toward Gongsun Xun, seated at the head, gauging his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun ate and drank without pause, but inwardly he was utterly speechless — the regions and the central authority, centralization and decentralization, is there an answer to this kind of question? There won't be one even if you wait another two thousand years!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That said, for the Great Han, one important reason this problem had emerged and was growing daily more severe was none other than the blocked channels for official advancement. The mobility between local clerks and the senior officials dispatched by the central authority was extremely poor, which led to a fixed pattern of opposition that gradually became unbalanced... So, the solution was still to perfect the mechanism for selecting talent, to allow communication between above and below, to allow communication between the regions and the central authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was absolutely not the time to speak of such things, and these two had certainly not thought so deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me ask you,\" Gongsun Xun set down his half-eaten bowl of rice, picked up a piece of silk cloth and wiped his mouth, and then asked with curiosity, \"Leaving aside the regions and the central authority, speaking strictly to the matter, where do you think one should start to resolve this situation in Liangzhou?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Naturally, by selecting capable officials!\" Before the words had faded, Yang Jun bowed with clasped hands and spoke directly. \"If there were fierce ministers and good governors to pacify the region, why fear a mere rebellion? Back when the Yellow Turbans shook seven provinces, were they not also swept away by you, my lord, and the two Generals of the Chariot and Cavalry on the left and right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is not only that.\" Zao Zhi could not help adding a remark. \"Everyone turns pale upon hearing of the Liangzhou affair, as if facing a great plague, because past Qiang rebellions were extremely costly. In truth, even now, though the Colonel Protecting the Qiang has died in battle and the rebels have won one engagement, they still have not seized any commanderies or provinces — it is not yet as severe as last year's Jiaozhou rebellion. And the Jiaozhou rebellion was quelled precisely because the court dispatched an impartial and law-abiding Inspector Jia. Once Lord Jia arrived at his post and pacified the region, the rebellion subsided on its own... And when they later questioned those rebels, they all said they had no intent to rebel; it was only that the poll taxes were too heavy and the corrupt officials' demands knew no bounds, so they became bandits, until gradually they grew into a force and killed officials and seized cities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well said.\" Yang Jun immediately nodded in praise. \"If there could be such an Inspector sent there, perhaps Liangzhou could also be pacified... Who, unless driven to the last resort, would willingly truly kill officials and rebel? It's clearly a dead end!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun paid it no mind and merely asked again: \"Then do you think the court can currently select an official of Lord Jia's caliber?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the hall fell silent as a crow and a sparrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Lou Gui finally stroked his beard and sneered: \"The Western Garden sells offices — to become an official, one must pay money, and after paying, upon arriving in the region, one naturally wishes to recoup the money paid. This is human nature. And the authority over promotions and appointments is largely in the hands of the eunuchs... Under such circumstances, for someone as upright as Lord Jia to emerge is a stroke of luck; for someone like Zuo Chang to emerge is the norm!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The eunuchs bring ruin to the state!\" Someone suddenly shouted, drawing a continuous chorus of nodding agreement from everyone in the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When all was said and done — the regions and the central authority, centralization and decentralization, the foreign tribes and the scholars... a thousand threads and a hundred strands converged into a single phrase: the eunuchs must still be exterminated! It was not that exterminating the eunuchs would solve the problem, nor that the eunuchs were the source of all the realm's calamities. Rather, it was that the deep-seated contradictions of this empire had been suppressed too much, too fiercely, too chaotically, and a common target was needed to unite the people of the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Son of Heaven could not be killed at this moment, nor did anyone dare to, so this imaginary enemy — or rather, one of the genuine primary responsible parties — could only be the eunuchs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, how could this principle need to be taught by these aides before him? Gongsun Xun had understood it many years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this thought, the General of the Guards, Marquis of Ji, and Administrator of Henei, Gongsun Xun, expressionless, threw down his half-eaten meal, rose directly, and left, returning to the rear hall to hold his child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He left behind a group of aides looking at each other in dismay, who could only hurriedly lower their heads and finish their meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Ziheng.\" Once most people had left, Wang Xiu, Wang Shuzhi, who had deliberately stayed until last, stepped forward and apologized to Lu Fan on behalf of his deputy. \"Chang Bohuai did not mean to be deliberately confrontational, still less to lead the local Henei aides in stirring up disputes within the staff. From my interactions with him these days, it is simply his nature... Or rather, the entire scholarly ethos of Henei esteems purity and strictness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's no matter.\" Lu Fan rose proudly and said, \"I am the chief of staff; Bohuai is not only Shuzhi's deputy but also my subordinate... Why would I take issue with him? This debate was entirely out of each person's public-mindedness. It is you, Shuzhi, who are overthinking it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Xiu bowed his head and saluted once more, and said no more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>————I am the dividing line that says no more————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Second year of Zhongping, spring, first month, great plague.\" — Book of the Later Han, Annals of Emperor Xiaoling\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A note on the classical text in the previous chapter: I did not fabricate it myself... It is an adaptation of a historical allusion in which certain people praised Chen Qun's grandfather, Chen Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Shi went to visit the Xun family of the same commandery, placing the young Chen Qun in a small cart, while Xun Shu across from him placed the underage Xun Yu on his own lap... Later, the Grand Astrologer at court submitted a memorial saying that the celestial signs showed a True Person traveling east.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",5736,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","48191435dc95a1dbd62cdb29d1ea0d754366667c890149e22e53d5e85ae03b0d","overthrowing-han-chapter-273","overthrowing-han-chapter-271",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]