Chapter 276: Better to Hold a Single Cup of Wine

Unlike Guo Dian, when Sima Shuyi — or rather, Sima Zhi — died, Gongsun Xun understood perfectly well what had happened. He even had a sense that it was only to be expected.

Earlier, when Jizhou was in utter chaos and Guo Dian went missing in the Dalu Marsh, word reached the court and they immediately selected Sima Zhi to be Grand Administrator of Julu… Understandable — the standard price for a Grand Administrator was twenty million cash, and wasn't the Northern Palace short of money?

Of course, the situation in Julu at the time was truly dire, so the central government's selection this time wasn't purely for money; they had to balance profit with pacifying the region. And Sima Zhi, ever since his mourning period ended, had been repeatedly recommended by various people, so the court thought of this outstanding candidate right there in Henei.

The Western Garden, considering Julu's situation and Sima Zhi's reputation, also gave him the most favorable price as circumstances allowed — discount upon discount, settling it at five million cash.

But Sima Zhi refused… He couldn't come up with five million either.

The Western Garden was very displeased. By the old rules, if you lacked money you could buy on credit — once you got to your post, couldn't you just squeeze it out of the place?

Of course, considering Julu's chaos once more, especially the fact that the Julu commandery seat was under siege at the time, the Western Garden slashed the price again — three million… no more haggling!

But Sima Zhi still refused, and simply claimed illness and would not go.

The reason was simple: it wasn't really a question of the price. If the times were still decent, three million cash — he could borrow from his clansmen, borrow from people of his commandery, and always manage to scrape it together. Then, in due course, he could reasonably use the authority of a commandery administrator, have his family bring along some local specialties to resell as middlemen, or selectively contract out some projects, and earn it back reasonably while preserving his unsullied reputation… But wasn't Julu in utter chaos? And didn't he still have to hand over the palace repair levy?

The common people of Julu — one didn't need to think to know they were already at the extreme of hardship. To take up this Grand Administrator post now, besides wringing out money to repay the debt, he would inevitably have to keep collecting the palace repair levy. Would such conduct be anything other than the behavior of a predator who ravages the people?

Sima Zhi was a gentleman of pure integrity; he could not bring himself to do such things.

In fact, after his second refusal earlier, he had said directly to several of his students: "To act as father and mother to the people, yet instead flay and strip the hundred surnames to meet the demands of the moment — I cannot bear it."

Yet just two days ago — Gongsun Xun had not known before, but now knew — the palace flew into a great rage at Sima Zhi's evasions and directly issued an edict demanding he report to Luoyang immediately and then proceed to Julu to assume office.

During this period, with Gongsun Xun's own evasions regarding the palace repair levy, the Western Garden envoys coming and going through Henei had been far from few, so it was no wonder Gongsun Xun had overlooked it — especially when Yu Du had led his horde across the border at that time and there was a battle to fight ahead.

What he now knew was that the messenger had brought an edict couched in extremely harsh terms. Sima Zhi, who took loyalty to the sovereign as his guiding principle, was cornered and had no choice but to set out, and thus came today's event — he reached Mengjin, truly lacked the courage to cross the river, and swallowed poison to kill himself.

One can imagine how agonized this pure scholar, both loyal to his sovereign and loving toward the people, was when he discovered that to be loyal to his sovereign he could not love the people — and then how despairing, and finally how grief-stricken and indignant.

And when, that evening, Gongsun Xun saw at Mengjin the things Sima Zhi had entrusted to him upon his death, he understood his state of mind with perfect clarity. It was a posthumous memorial — in the posture of remonstrating with his death, from a Confucian perspective, he exhaustively chronicled the failings of the age… Not only the eunuchs wielding governance, not only the selling of offices and titles, not only the blunt assertion that the Son of Heaven's additional levies had broken faith with all under Heaven, but also the corruption of the present great clans, the excesses of the powerful houses, the extravagance of the merchants, and the arrogance of the frontier generals.

In all honesty, from the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Gongsun Xun had learned a great many things and understood a great many things — he had grasped the inevitability that the Great Han was finished. Yet some doubts still remained… Namely, given the situation at the time, why could there not be a few loyal ministers and filial sons to come forth and save this empire? Why, "historically," did the situation become utterly irretrievable within just a few short years after the Yellow Turban Rebellion?

In fact, when he had said to Lou Zibo that day that loyal ministers and filial sons would all die off one after another within two or three years, it had mainly come from the "prophecy" spoken by his own mother, not from personal judgment.

But today, seeing such a living example laid before him, Gongsun Xun had no further doubts… A Son of Heaven, a dynasty, that could drive such a minister to death for the sake of money — deserved to perish!

And at the same time, Gongsun Xun grew ever more troubled… For he realized this empire was too vast. Just around him alone there were so many loyal ministers willing to die for the Great Han, and also so many ambitious sorts who could not endure the situation and directly turned rebel. The most terrifying point was that those willing to die one after another for the virtue of the House of Han and those utterly disillusioned with the House of Han existed side by side.

In other words, in the coming years, if one stood in the middle and failed to grasp the balance properly, one would have to shoulder all manner of chaotic burdens.

Guo Dian died, merely leaving him a few family members… That was completely manageable;

Chu Yan rebelled — a mere county magistrate, at most drawing some puzzled looks… Endure it and it would pass;

Now Sima Zhi was also dead, yet it compelled him to deliver such a death-remonstrance testament to Luoyang — this could hardly be called good fortune or misfortune!

If this went on, who knew what else was waiting for him!

"I grant you and Zhao Zi one month's leave. Go assist his family in handling Brother Shuyi's funeral affairs." Gongsun Xun, with effort, instructed Sima Lang, who had suffered a tremendous blow. "I must go deliver the posthumous memorial on his behalf, and then pay my condolences."

Sima Lang and Zhao Zi were so overcome with grief they could barely speak. Left with no choice, Gongsun Xun also dispatched Yang Jun, a fellow man of Wen County, to stay behind and watch over the situation. Only then, holding the testament, did he leave the public lodge at the Mengjin ferry and come to the Yellow River crossing where the southern wind blew fiercely.

The setting sun sank in the west, the great river rolled on. Though the boats on the river were gradually thinning due to the fading light, Mengjin, as the northern gateway to Luoyang, still bustled with activity at the crossing. This was all the more so because many traveling officials, scholars, and commoners had heard that in the public lodge here, a gentleman of purity, unwilling to burden the people's livelihood, had been driven to death by his own sovereign.

Gongsun Xun, with his retinue, avoided the many people going to pay their condolences and went directly to the very edge of the crossing, standing facing the river. A sense of desolation fell over all who accompanied him. Everyone seemed to want to say something, yet everyone merely stood in silence… Confucius said to achieve benevolence; Mencius said to choose righteousness. Sima Zhi's actions seemed to need no extra words to adorn them.

After gazing for a long while, with no alternative, Gongsun Xun finally untied the seal and cord from his bosom and had Wang Xiang use the official quarters at the crossing to prepare the explanatory memorial and sealed documents to submit the posthumous memorial on his behalf. Yet, just as the sealing was finished, and Gongsun Xun was still hesitating whether to send it across the river that night or wait until the next morning, a white-sailed boat on the now gradually thinning great river suddenly hurried to the northern bank, seizing the very last ray of the setting sun.

The people disembarking from the boat were all, astonishingly, dressed in white mourning garb.

Gongsun Xun glanced at them from afar and could not help but feel agitated and disturbed. He simply turned around, holding this posthumous memorial, preparing to rest first and send it tomorrow.

But just as he turned back, an extremely familiar voice came with the wind from behind: "Elder Brother!"

Gongsun Xun turned his head instinctively, and then for a moment was dazed and lost, standing stunned on the spot — the person in mourning garb was none other than Gongsun Fan.

The others looked at each other, but could only cautiously attend to Gongsun Xun's every move and expression.

"Elder Brother!" Gongsun Fan walked slowly forward, then bowed and knelt to the ground in obeisance to report. "Teacher Liu has passed."

Gongsun Xun's mind went completely blank. He could only nod in acknowledgment with effort: "I could more or less guess… His health was poor in winter. Though he survived the winter, at his age… When did he pass?"

"This afternoon." Gongsun Fan, prostrate on the ground, spoke frankly. "At noon he drank a great deal of wine, said the spring days were warm, and fell asleep again in the courtyard — then never woke."

"How could you let him drink so much?" Gongsun Xun frowned and questioned.

"In truth, Teacher Liu was already beyond help last month. He only said that before he died he wished to be drunk once. Wenchao and I, and our senior brothers, have been drinking freely with him all these days…"

"Why was I not told?"

"Teacher Liu gave special instructions." Gongsun Fan raised his head and spoke candidly. "A month ago he left final words… saying there was no need to inform you. But when he died, his funeral affairs were to be entrusted entirely to you."

Gongsun Xun tried to speak but stopped.

"He also left a letter." Gongsun Fan again took an object from his bosom. "It was written after the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. He had me wait until today to give it specifically to you… I hope Elder Brother will not blame me for deliberately concealing this."

Gongsun Xun hastily handed the other man's posthumous memorial to Wang Xiu behind him, then stepped directly forward to take the letter. Yet, just as his hand was about to touch this letter, he recoiled abruptly as if scorched by fire. Clearly, at this point, this General of the Guard, Marquis of Ji, Grand Administrator of Henei, actually felt something akin to fear — he was deathly afraid the other party would show him no quarter, just as Sima Zhi had shown none to the reigning Son of Heaven.

But very quickly, in the twilight, Gongsun Xun snatched the testament with a swift grab… For he ultimately came to his senses at once — his teacher, even in death, would never make another person feel embarrassed or put upon.

Much less himself.

Yet, having taken the thin letter, before he could even open it, Gongsun Xun was suddenly tears streaming down his face, unable to control his emotions… They all say life and death are ordinary matters, but until it touches one's own person, who can truly understand the feelings within?

It was the end of the third month, just at the turn of spring and summer. In the twilight, by the banks of the River of Stars, the constellation Shen had already sunk in the west, and the Northern Dipper hung high overhead.

——————I am the dividing line of uncontrollable emotion————————

"In the second year of Zhongping… the Inspectors and Grand Administrators again increased private levies, and the hundred surnames cried out in lament. He further ordered the Western Garden outriders to divide into routes to press and urge, terrorizing and stirring up the provinces and commanderies, and many accepted bribes and gifts. Inspectors, officials of the two-thousand-bushel rank, and those recommended as Abundant Talent or Filial and Incorrupt, upon transfer or appointment, all had to go to the Western Garden to negotiate a price before they could depart. Those who kept to purity begged not to take office, but all were coerced and dispatched. At that time, Sima Zhi of Henei was newly appointed Grand Administrator of Julu. Because he had a reputation for purity, the demand was reduced to three million. Zhi received the edict and said despondently: 'To act as father and mother to the people, yet instead flay and strip the hundred surnames to meet the demands of the moment — I cannot bear it.' He declined on grounds of illness, but was not permitted. Traveling to Mengjin, he submitted a memorial exhaustively setting forth the failings of the age, then swallowed poison and killed himself." — Book of the Later Han, Biographies of the Eunuchs

(This chapter is complete)