Chapter 344: The Old Dragon Sleeping Recognizes the Horse's Intent (Continued)

"General, how do you plan to deal with the Guo clan of Yangqu?"

Unexpectedly, after Wang Ze, Wang Jidao, recovered from his panic, he pondered for a moment, yet did not anxiously discuss the matter of his own clan members. Instead, he inquired about the safety of the Guo clan.

This time, it was clearly Gongsun Xun's turn to be caught off guard. He let out a scoff and could only force a question in return: "And what does Lord Wang think should be done?"

"Guo Yun's personal, selfish act is not enough to implicate his family," Wang Ze declared righteously before everyone. "Now, the Guo clan of Yangqu has just dedicated their entire clan to the public good, exhausting their coin, grain, and retainers to supplement military supplies. Moreover, the former Inspector of Youzhou and Chancellor of Pingyuan, Guo Xun, and the former Inspector of Liangzhou, Lord Guo Hong, both in Yangqu, are men who served the state selflessly... Therefore, I believe that since the General of the Guard is campaigning against Dong Zhuo and relieving the realm's troubles, he should make rewards and punishments clear, employing both grace and authority, and must not wantonly harm the innocent."

The officers in the army mostly remained silent, merely turning their gazes toward Gongsun Xun. Only Wei Yue once wished to speak, but was shot a glance by Han Dang and then kept his mouth shut as well.

Clad in full armor, Gongsun Xun also fell silent for a moment under the crowd's gaze, but finally nodded slowly: "Lord Wang speaks rightly. Guo Yun is Guo Yun, Guo Xun is Guo Xun, and the Guo clan is the Guo clan. How could I forget the merits of the entire Guo clan because of one man?"

"That the General can be so magnanimous—no greater good exists!" Wang Ze sighed softly. "It also means the Guo clan's utmost efforts were not in vain."

Gongsun Xun gave a dry laugh.

"However, I imagine it was precisely because he knew the Marquis was magnanimous that Guo Yun dared to act so willfully... He was certain the Marquis would not punish the Guo clan because of him alone," Xi Zhong hurriedly interjected from the side.

"Exactly!" Wei Yue finally seized his chance. "That Guo Yun has always been detestable! He always takes advantage of the Marquis's kind heart. Over ten years ago in Yanmen, under the pretext of aiding refugees, he swindled several granaries' worth of military supplies from our Marquis, yet left our Marquis to bear the blame! And now this man has actually turned traitor?! If I catch him, I will surely cut him down on the spot!"

Except for Tian Feng, who always wore a sour expression, the crowd could not help but burst into laughter.

"Enough," Gongsun Xun, however, had no mind for such thoughts and merely looked at Wang Ze again. "Lord Wang... if that is the case for the Guo clan, what of the Wang clan?"

"If the General can trust me, I request permission to make a trip home to Jinyang," Wang Ze proposed after a moment's thought. "Allow me to do my utmost... How does that sound?"

Gongsun Xun fixed his gaze on this Grand Administrator of Dai Commandery, but the other man showed no fear whatsoever, merely meeting his eyes frankly... After a moment, Gongsun Xun finally nodded slightly: "Lord Wang may go on his own, but if I receive no word here, I shall still advance the army as usual!"

"That is only natural. How could the great army be delayed because of my personal conduct?" Wang Ze cupped his hands in farewell, and without the slightest delay, turned around, took a horse from beside the hastily erected central army tent, and rode off southward alone.

"These great aristocratic clans cannot be trusted!" Wei Yue could no longer restrain himself. "My lord, this scoundrel surely will not return either!"

Gongsun Xun paid him no mind.

The next day, the great army continued southward, but this time, the local officials did not proactively open their cities and forts to welcome them... Clearly, no matter what, Yang Zhong, as the legitimate Grand Administrator of Taiyuan, and now with the support of Guo Yun and the Wang clan, possessed considerable rallying power regardless.

Of course, truly facing an elite army of twenty thousand, aided by over ten thousand auxiliaries and leading tens of thousands of warhorses and draft horses, no city fort, township, or settlement would genuinely resist... In fact, on this journey through Taiyuan Commandery after the snow had melted, there was only one instance of true resistance along the way, and after Taishi Ci shot the leader dead with a single arrow, they too hurriedly opened their gates.

In other words, this march through enemy territory was actually more composed and smoother than the previous advance through allied lands in the snow.

If one had to name a difference, it could only be said that before, everyone was allies, and opening forts and cities counted as a victorious rendezvous; from this point onward, opening cities and forts could only be counted as surrender... Since it was surrender, though it did not mean life and death were at their whim, the Youzhou Army nonetheless gained the authority to dispose of the cities and forts along the route. At every stop, they could calmly incorporate the local magnates' retainers as auxiliaries, seize local storehouses, and demand that the local aristocratic and wealthy households provide provisions and logistics.

Interestingly, however, since moving south from Langmeng County, they had entered the part of the Taiyuan Basin close to Jinyang—the northern core of what is called the Jinzhong Plain. Half of the land, population, and wealth here was under government jurisdiction, but of the remaining half, eight or nine-tenths existed around the Taiyuan Wang clan. Even the officials in these places were mostly scions or clients of the Taiyuan Wang clan.

To speak of dealing with the local magnates along the way was, rather, to speak of confiscating the Wang clan's property along the way!

It must be said, Gongsun Xun's earlier words to Guo Yun were quite earnest... In this era where aristocratic clans and local strongmen each took what they needed, with clear-cut barriers between them—an era where some aristocratic clans were so poor they had no trousers to wear yet could hold high office, while some humble households were the richest in the land yet could only serve as minor clerks—the Taiyuan aristocratic clans were indeed a peculiar bunch!

They were a fusion of aristocratic clan and local strongman; they simultaneously held the highest level of political power and the lowest level of economic power; they cared about both reputation and wealth; they were the origin of the later gate-clique politics... And what was more frightening was that their way of existence seemed to be the direction history was heading.

As for why Gongsun Xun, seemingly going against this historical tide, was so wary of these people—even though at this time, every single one of these Taiyuan aristocratic elites, to a man, truly placed public interest above private gain, and truly possessed both talent and virtue?

This, one probably had to ask a certain boss-lady of the Anli Trading Company, who had by now reached Pingcheng in Yanmen.

It was precisely the malicious indoctrination of this Lady Gongsun that had made this General of the Guard, who held heavy troops, believe from childhood that gate-cliques were great villains harming the realm and the greatest obstacle threatening his personal ambitions. This malice was so full that it drove Gongsun Xun to the point of using underhanded schemes unfit for the public eye to discipline the Taiyuan aristocratic clans.

"Why has the vanguard halted?" Almost by instinct, Gongsun Xun, beneath his canopy, immediately reined in his horse and inquired. "Could it be that Yang Zhong has come out of Jinyang to give battle?"

"My lord!" Soon, a scout rider returned from the front. "Ahead, a young boy of twelve or thirteen, with his hair hanging down, leads a few riders and blocks the road. He claims to be the lineage heir of the Wen clan of Qi County, here on behalf of his father, the former Grand Administrator of Zhuo Commandery, Wen Shu, to pay respects to the Marquis, and has military intelligence to report."

Well-traveled and experienced as Gongsun Xun was, he could not help but feel somewhat bewildered at this moment.

In fact, it was not just Gongsun Xun; the many officers and clerks around the central army were also startled and puzzled, and when that young Wen was led before them, they all began whispering among themselves.

Indeed, this youth truly looked only twelve or thirteen, and to hasten his journey, he had actually been seated in the arms of an attendant!

"I, Wen Hui, pay my respects to the General of the Guard!" After being helped down from the horse, the youth bowed in salute right there on the road under countless gazes, showing not the slightest timidity. "Back when my father and Lord Cui were handing over duties in Zhuo County, I had the fortune to see the General of the Guard once at the banquet. Several years have passed, and I had not expected the General's radiant bearing to remain unchanged."

"Oh, is your father well?!" Gongsun Xun felt his scalp tingle for a moment and could only reply offhandedly.

After all, how could he possibly remember the son of the Grand Administrator of Zhuo Commandery who preceded Cui Min? And by his reckoning, when this Wen Shu left Zhuo Commandery back then, the boy before him was probably a child not yet ten years old.

"To be honest with the General, my father is in poor health, otherwise it would not have fallen to me, a mere boy, to come pay respects to the General." The youth named Wen Hui cupped his hands in salute once more. "General... I have come to report matters to you."

"Speak," Gongsun Xun finally collected himself.

"First, Yang Zhong overestimates his own ability and has arbitrarily raised troops to oppose the General, violating the great cause of righteousness. My father, though bedridden at home in Qi County, has already resolved to hold Qi County for the General... Before I left, my father had already exhausted our family wealth to purchase provisions and military equipment, and mobilized our retainers and slaves as soldiers. He has already seized the small town south of Qi County and only awaits the General's great army to arrive there to directly capture the Wang clan of Qi County, who are holding out in the county seat." Wen Hui spoke methodically and calmly, his words containing astonishing information. "Second, I have come from Jinyang and personally witnessed Yang Zhong's defensive arrangements there. I am willing to serve as a guide and explain them to the General."

Tian Feng, listening nearby with interest, could not help but interject a question, even though Gongsun Xun had long instructed him not to interfere in this matter: "Since your father is in poor health, why exhaust the family wealth to purchase provisions and military equipment for the General of the Guard? Should he not have left some for you?"

Wen Hui did not recognize Tian Feng and merely cupped his hands and replied: "To be honest with you, sir, my father did originally intend to leave me some assets and servants as a reserve. It was I who advised him to keep only enough for basic necessities..."

"Why?" Gongsun Xun finally spoke again.

"Because I feel that with Dong Zhuo usurping the government and dozens of regional lords rising up, the realm is already in a state of chaos. At a time like this, for us, father and son—one frail, one young—to cling to family property would instead be a path to disaster." Wen Hui was unflustered. "If we truly wish for our family to be safe, we should instead exhaust our family wealth to aid a hero... Thus, upon hearing that the General was coming from the north, my father and I immediately felt that this time, our Wen clan of Qi County could finally be at peace."

Gongsun Xun burst into prolonged laughter, yet shook his head with a sigh: "The aristocratic clans of Taiyuan truly cannot be underestimated!"

With that, he asked no further questions. He turned directly around and borrowed a brush from Wang Xiang, who was in charge of documents behind him. Then, he actually dismounted, and heedless of the freezing cold, removed his outer robe in public, bent over his horse's back, and wrote down this youth's name inside the robe—namely: Wen Hui of Qi County, Taiyuan!

After this bit of fuss, Gongsun Xun had Wen Hui remount and sit in his attendant's arms, and they rode side by side, chatting idly while continuing to urge the great army southward toward the city of Jinyang.

However, they had traveled no more than a few li when someone else came to report that Linghu Hua, the son of the head of the Linghu clan—a renowned clan of the Jin region for a thousand years—had personally arrived ahead to welcome the General of the Guard.

Gongsun Xun grew ever more overcome with sighs!

Thus, after receiving quite a few scions of Taiyuan's famous families along the way, on the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, Gongsun Xun finally led his troops to the outskirts of Jinyang, the ancient and mighty capital!

"No wonder Yang Zhong could be so easily persuaded by Guo Yun, and no wonder even Lord Wang could not persuade his own clan..." Lou Gui stood atop his horse, stunned for a moment. "With such a firm city and such defenses, who would dare speak lightly of breaching it? And if this drags on for long, with us weary troops on a distant campaign, I fear we will simply disintegrate without a battle!"

Beside Lou Gui, Wang Ze, Wang Jidao, who had just ridden back alone from the opposite side, wore a calm expression and kept his hands tucked in his sleeves, silent.

———I am the dividing line of sighing at the city from afar———

"Wen Hui, styled Manji, was a man of Qi County in Taiyuan. His father, Shu, once served as Grand Administrator of Zhuo Commandery. The Wen clan of Qi County was an aristocratic clan, renowned throughout the province and commandery, and wealthy at home. When the chaos of Dong Zhuo arose, the Grand Ancestor passed through Taiyuan. Grand Administrator Yang Zhong, relying on Jinyang as an impregnable city under heaven and rich in arms and armor, wished to resist and act on his own. Hui, at thirteen, advised his father: 'The world is now in chaos; what use is wealth for safety? We should aid a hero!' His father followed his counsel and further sent him to travel secretly past Jinyang to pay respects to the Grand Ancestor. The Grand Ancestor, upon seeing him, found him remarkable, and thus removed his robe and wrote his name on the lapel to show he would not forget." — From the "Dianlüe," annotated by Pei Songzhi of Yan

(End of Chapter)