Chapter 359: Lords and Commoners Alike Reduced to Mounds of Earth (2-in-1 Debt Repayment)

Those seated, especially the Hedong local officials and gentry clans who had endured a grueling journey alongside Wang Yi, as well as the former White Wave Army Hedong magnates who had just been released, were mostly already famished. Yet seeing Gongsun Xun adopt such a posture, they could only hold their breath and sit quietly in their places.

Even those who had no particular stake in this matter pricked up their ears to listen, curious as well — in the eyes of Gongsun Xun, universally acknowledged as the realm's foremost general, what exactly was an army?

"What is an army?" Gongsun Xun sat at the seat of honor, unhurried, yet his manner had grown considerably more solemn. "To sum it up in one phrase: it is the support of the state! What does that mean? It means the army is a tool to assist the state's function, to preserve peace across the realm, to root out the strong and aid the weak — not to exploit strength to bully the weak. It is to rescue from peril and quell chaos — not to disrupt governance and bring calamity!"

Wang Yi opened his mouth, ready to interject with sarcasm, but on second thought, he realized the other man had that scoundrel Dong Zhuo as a shield, so he thought better of inviting humiliation upon himself.

"I know many of you here harbor criticisms. After all, with Dong Zhuo right before us, every lord in the realm can preen and point at Dong Zhongying, claiming virtue, claiming to rescue from peril and quell chaos... and given the current state of affairs, that is indeed the case." Gongsun Xun seemed to read some minds, and did not shy away from it. "Even I, Gongsun Xun, separated by two thousand li, dared to bring twenty thousand troops here — was it not also because I saw that Dong Zhuo's brutality and excess would swiftly cost him popular support, and his power would swiftly weaken? And as for you all, especially the governors and clan leaders of Bingzhou's three commanderies and Hedong, you mostly believe it is merely because you are caught between two strong powers, Dong Zhuo and myself, and had no choice but to choose the lesser evil, rather than any failure of virtue or disruptive governance on your own part..."

"Is that not the case?" Wang Yi, Wang Wendu, could finally endure no longer and rose in indignation. "Does struggling to hold the situation together when we are too weak to affect the greater picture count as a failure of virtue? Does it count as disruptive governance?"

"Of course it does," Gongsun Xun replied loftily, not even glancing at his senior fellow disciple, remaining seated where he was.

"What kind of talk is this?" Wang Yi grew even more incensed. "After two years of bitter toil, have we now become traitors?"

"Why must my senior brother lose composure? What is so hard to understand? It is simply that one who does not hold the office does not plan its affairs, and one who holds the office must plan its affairs." Gongsun Xun remained unhurried. "In other words, the judgment of failing virtue or disruptive governance depends on the person... Is the disruptive governance and calamity wrought by lords and ordinary officials the same as that wrought by scholars and common folk?"

Wang Yi had a faint glimmer of realization. Though still somewhat indignant, he ultimately sat back down under the worried gazes of many in the hall.

"Take someone like you, Brother Wendu," Gongsun Xun gave a soft, mocking laugh, not letting the matter drop just because the other had sat down. "Ranked at two thousand shi, entrusted with a region, and after Dong Zhuo's rebellion, effectively a local lord in your own right — whether you have committed disruptive governance and brought calamity is not judged by whether you can hold the situation together, but by whether you could rescue from peril, quell chaos, and preserve the altars of state! In other words, once the great struggle has begun and every lord carves out his own territory, at such a time, for you as the master of a region to be too weak and incapable to affect the greater picture or support the state altars, yet still insist on carving out your own domain and maintaining your own system — that already counts as disruptive governance and bringing calamity!"

Wang Yi still wanted to argue, but seeing this, Gongsun Xun's expression changed first as he sternly rebuked him: "Setting everything else aside, I only wish to ask my senior brother one thing. Two months ago, Dong Zhuo began forcing a million officials and commoners from Henan to migrate to Guanzhong, and I heard from Wei Boyi that the roads are strewn with the dead, the starving, the sick, and the exhausted... Is this not true? You were in Anyi. Though your power was weak, in two months' time, could you not have found an opportunity to cross the river, fight a couple of battles, and rescue some people? If you could not rescue them, what of going to the roads to collect some corpses? With a hundred thousand White Wave bandits at your flank and my own arrival imminent, did you fear Dong Zhuo crossing the river for revenge? Yet did you do it?! It is only because you did not further go against the tide that I permit you to preserve your reputation. What more do you want? When I asked you to step down and dealt with Wei Gu and Fan Xian, did you truly think I only wanted to seize control of Hedong's governance? Did the three of you who presided over Anyi truly have a clear conscience?!"

Wang Yi fell silent, at a loss for words.

"In truth, how is it only you, Wang Wendu, who held office and failed to act?" Gongsun Xun, at this point, cast a sidelong glance at Liu Yu beside him. "There are some who, ranked above the Three Excellencies and bearing the mandate to assist the throne, faced with encircling tigers and wolves, did not take the initiative to root out chaos, but instead considered only personal reputation, gain, and loss, repeatedly feigning deafness and muteness, watching as the situation collapsed! And after the greater situation collapsed, they could neither quell chaos and rescue from peril, nor die in service to the state. Instead, they thought only of withdrawing to a remote corner, clinging to a wretched existence. And when a colleague could endure no longer and prepared to draw his blade and rise, they even sought to restrain him for personal gain... Such people call themselves virtuous, but in truth, they are precisely the ones who bring calamity to the realm."

By this point, Liu Yu's face had long since turned ashen, yet he could not utter a word of rebuttal. And those seated were already trembling with fear, even less certain of what to say.

"Indeed." Gongsun Xun suddenly laughed. "I speak of men like Yuan Kui and Yang Biao! For generations they have received the state's grace, bearing the realm's expectations, administering governance in the court, yet they sat and watched as Dong Zhuo, right under their noses, wantonly carried out deposition and enthronement... When I said earlier that men like Yuan and Yang stood at the gate, though it was in jest, was it not also out of fury that they did not stop Dong Zhuo from the very beginning?"

A wave of understanding passed through the assembly, and many sighed in agreement.

"However," Gongsun Xun turned back to Wang Yi, "my senior brother need not be overly troubled. When I spoke of failing virtue and disruptive governance, it was only because you held office and failed to plan its affairs. Now that you have relinquished the post of local chief official, there is no need for self-reproach on that account... When the realm is at peace once more, it will still be people like you who are needed to go to court and replace those who abetted the tiger, to preside over the situation."

Though Wang Yi's expression remained unsightly, he ultimately offered a slight salute with clasped hands... The small disturbance stirred by the handling of the Hedong and Anyi official faction was thus brought to a close.

But Gongsun Xun seemed to have grown addicted to speechmaking, and despite everyone's growing hunger, he pressed on with his lengthy discourse:

"It was not without reason that I began with 'what is an army' and proceeded all the way to whether lords possess virtue or not... After all, in this time of turmoil across the realm, with lords rising on all sides, in this great age of struggle, military affairs take precedence, and military affairs are state affairs — the two are naturally intertwined. And if one continues along this line, one can, in fact, discuss all the way down to officials, officers and soldiers, gentry clans and magnates, and even the common people."

"For instance, below the level of lords, what takes precedence in military affairs?" Gongsun Xun sat at the head, looking left and right, discoursing with ease. "It is not generals, troops, or armor, but civil administration. When civil administration is in perfect order, when the people are prosperous and institutions are complete, then grain and fodder can be easily gathered, and strong soldiers easily summoned... Just as in this campaign, where we have broken through four commanderies in succession, there is often debate in the army over whether Yigong or Suqing rendered greater merit, who should be ranked first. But this question is wrong from the start. In my view, in this campaign so far, only Chief Clerk Lü, who maintained the situation in the rear, and Wang Shuzhi, who led the support troops and managed logistics along the way — only these two can contend for the foremost merit! Was the Emperor Gaozu's discourse on 'meritorious men and meritorious hounds' false?"

At these words, Han Dang and Gao Shun hurriedly stepped forward and knelt in public to apologize, while Wang Shuzhi also hastily rose to decline.

Gongsun Xun, seated high above, casually waved them back to their places: "This has nothing to do with you, nor is it a veiled reprimand. It is simply that earlier, at Gaoliang Pavilion, seeing Guo Tai take his own life, and these past few days, pondering much over the handling of prisoners, and today, questioned by my own senior brother and mindful that I am soon to face Dong Zhuo, I could not help but say a few extra words... Just take it as idle chatter born of boredom. If you find it worth heeding, listen; if not, pay it no mind."

Only then did the two generals bow their heads and withdraw... And those present, especially the Hedong locals, could not help but click their tongues in wonder. They were accustomed to seeing arrogant soldiers and fierce commanders in Hedong, and had not expected that the two chief officers, one of cavalry and one of infantry, under Gongsun Xun's command, would be so obedient. But on second thought, since Gongsun Xun had risen precisely through military affairs and held absolute authority in the army, this too seemed ordinary enough.

"And going further down, when it comes to the waging of war itself, it still is not the turn of the army's officers to take the stage, for military institutions are greater than military officers." After Han Dang and Gao Shun had withdrawn, Gongsun Xun continued to speak with eloquence. "For any army, institutions must first be perfected — the promotion paths for officers and soldiers must be unobstructed, the squads and companies must be complete, and discipline must be clear... For example, in that earlier battle at Gaoliang Pavilion, you all spoke of how awe-inspiring I was that day, how Yigong commanded with such composure in the thick of battle, and how Suqing fought as if he were worth ten men. But in truth, had the entire army's institutions not been complete, had command not been unobstructed, and had the troops not already been among the finest elite under heaven, what use would mere officers have been in battle? I fear they would have been just like the White Wave Army across from them — possessing brute courage, yet amounting to nothing more than a rabble."

These words indeed held some truth. In the hall, not a few young officers, clerks, and even scions of gentry clans were now sitting upright, listening with earnest attention.

However, there were also clever men like Tian Yuanhao, whose hearts stirred at this moment, suddenly awakening to some other reasoning.

It must be said, Gongsun Xun repeatedly emphasized institutions and logistics, repeatedly disregarding his own outstanding generals, as if entirely free of that suspicion and anxiety toward commanders so typical of rulers in the great ages of struggle recorded in the histories — even to the point of utter fearlessness. Tian Feng had long found this puzzling. Yet now, as he carefully calculated in his mind, he discovered an interesting fact: it turned out that every single one of Gongsun Xun's named and renowned claw-and-fang commanders was an utterly reliable person!

Men like Cheng Pu and Han Dang were both from the same home region. Moreover, the former had started as a commandery clerk, a former subordinate of the Gongsun clan from the very beginning, while the latter had risen from a common soldier, a personal retainer of Gongsun Xun from the very start.

And men like Guan Yu and Gao Shun — the former was merely a fugitive murderer from Hedong, the latter merely a convicted penal conscript in the army of old.

Then there were Wei Yue and Cheng Lian, both rootless wanderers from the border commanderies who had lost their homelands.

As for Tian Chou, Tian Yu, Zhao Yun, Zhang Nan, Jiao Chu, Wen Ze, Yuwen Heita, Zhang Fan, and others — though they came from gentry clans, magnate families, respectable houses, and foreign tribes, their origins varied, but all were local men who emerged from Gongsun Xun's own power base after he had firmly established himself in Changping.

The sole exception was Qian Zhao, of a great clan in Anping and also a wandering knight, but this time he too had been transferred to a local post, and he was no ordinary claw-and-fang figure either.

In other words, speaking solely of these army-leading officers, these men who served as claws and fangs — which one of them would dare put on airs before Gongsun Xun? Or rather, which of these men had any backing with which to stand tall before Gongsun Xun?

Of course, having realized this, Tian Feng was not particularly alarmed... After all, when it came to Gongsun Xun's deliberate scheming, others might not know, but did he, Tian Feng, not know? Was it not he, Tian Yuanhao, who had cursed the man for over a decade as one who harbored treacherous designs?

It was only that, recalling the historical records of chaotic times, where generals betrayed and switched sides as routinely as eating and drinking, and how countless heroes had been left in pitiful straits by such events, Tian Yuanhao could not help but feel a touch of sorrow for the other lords of the realm.

"And by this reasoning," Gongsun Xun, unaware that Tian Feng was once again inwardly disparaging him, suddenly laughed again from his seat, "the acts of failing virtue and disruptive governance by those local officials and officers become readily apparent... In my view, ordinary officials below the rank of two thousand shi need not labor their hearts and minds over the greater situation of the realm, but if they cannot pacify the scholars and people of one region and secure peace in one locality, then they too must be called to account. And those magnates and military chieftains who command thousands of troops and dominate a region — when they clash on the battlefield, beyond the application of military law, in these chaotic times, I will not hold their acts of self-preservation against them. Only, if they plunder without restraint, encroach upon and harass the localities, and commit indiscriminate slaughter and outrages, then they too deserve to be dealt with!"

Among those seated, several Hedong magnates who had just arrived from the prisoner-of-war camp — from Yang Feng to Cheng Yin, from Li Le to Han Xian — showed changes in expression... though some were relaxed, others tense.

"As for going further down..." Gongsun Xun sighed with even greater feeling. "In the army, these are the common soldiers; in governance, the common people of respectable families... In my view, they are all utterly blameless! As the saying goes, those above are the boat, those below are the water. In peaceful times, the water is naturally clear; in chaotic times, the water becomes turbid — is this not because we boats have stirred and muddied the water with our reckless movements? Why should we harshly blame and vent our hatred upon the water itself? This principle — not just I, Gongsun Xun, but all of you, from the highest two-thousand-shi official down to the lowliest village and hamlet clerk — must engrave it upon your hearts... Otherwise, every last one of you, why bother coming to fight Dong Zhuo? You might as well stay with me in Changping planting chestnuts!"

In the courtyard of Yao's Shrine, a momentary silence fell.

"Therefore," Gongsun Xun's lengthy discourse was finally drawing to a close, "common people of respectable families and ordinary soldiers must be treated with the utmost care... Speaking solely of the army: if they are soldiers in your own ranks, you must ensure they are well-fed and warmly clothed, that they receive their pay, and guarantee that merit is rewarded and crimes are punished without fail. And for enemy troops, except when unavoidable, preserve them whenever possible! This is also why I previously released forty to fifty thousand Hedong White Wave bandits. These people were merely struggling to survive in chaotic times. What little guilt they bore was taken upon himself by Guo Tai alone on the brink of battle. Why be harsh? As for ordinary common folk, they must be treated with even greater compassion and must not be lightly harassed!"

Once these words were finished, seeing that Gongsun Xun had laid out his principles for handling all parties, from top to bottom, in both military and civil affairs, the crowd rose one after another to declare their stance... Those taking the lead were naturally Wang Xiu and Lou Gui, while Xi Zhong, Han Dang, Gao Shun, and others — even Tian Feng did not stir up trouble — all lined up behind the two of them. The vast majority of the entire assembly, led by these two-thousand-shi grandees of the Youzhou army, bowed in unison and voiced their assent, signaling their approval. And although Wang Yi and Liu Yu remained silent, they too rose and raised their hands, not disrupting the greater situation.

Thus, with everyone declaring their stance, it served both as Hedong's formal submission and pledge of allegiance, and as a provisional unification of thought among the old and new figures of Bingzhou, Youzhou, and Hedong before the imminent confrontation with Dong Zhuo... All in all, it was ultimately a passably satisfactory assembly.

Of course, that some among them paid lip service while harboring dissent in their hearts was probably inevitable... But with the grand cause of punishing Dong Zhuo ahead, and Gongsun Xun holding a powerful army in hand, these things were of no consequence:

Gongsun Xun might be harsh toward the gentry clans and magnates, true, but was that not ten thousand times better than Dong Zhuo, who would slaughter entire families at the drop of a hat? And with a powerful army right here, its momentum at its peak, who would step forward to be a fool who dies in vain?

Thereupon, each harboring their own thoughts, they returned to their seats... And now that matters had reached this stage, it should have been time for Gongsun Xun, as the host here, to raise his cup in response. Yet he remained seated motionless, showing not the slightest intention of beginning the feast, which left everyone uneasy.

And this unease soon turned to shock and dread.

"Gentlemen!" Gongsun Xun suddenly spoke with a stern face. "Since I have laid my heart bare to you, and you have all just declared that you understand my intent and bowed to me, then certain matters need no longer be concealed... Attendants, bring out Prefect Wang!"

No sooner had his voice faded than several armored soldiers pushed in a man with a wretched expression yet clad in magnificent attire, stumbling in panic. Many among those seated recognized this man, and could not help but whisper among themselves, so that the entire hall soon knew — it turned out to be the Prefect of Henei, Wang Kuang, Wang Gongjie!

The question was, how did Wang Kuang come to be here?

As it happened, earlier, Zhang Yang, having heeded Xi Zhong's persuasion, had abandoned Shangdang and sold out Yufuluo, and had then rather easily seized Wang Kuang's jurisdiction in Henei, capturing Wang Gongjie in the process... but had not known how to deal with the man!

Keeping him in Henei and supporting him to win popular support? The man had always had only a vile reputation in Henei; keeping him might instead provoke public resentment. Killing him? A lord who had taken part in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, a legitimate, proper two-thousand-shi official — Zhang Yang simply did not dare kill him!

So, the only option was to send him away.

But sending him to Yuan Shao? Yuan Shao simply did not want him! What use did he have for this waste of a man? To be a nuisance?

Sending him back to his home region? Also impossible, because Zhang Yang feared he would raise troops in Taishan and come storming back!

After much deliberation, Zhang Yang decided, under the pretext of exchanging Shangdang for Henei, to send this man to Shangdang as part of that earlier collaboration.

Qian Zhao, bound by 'commercial credibility,' had no choice but to take this man off his hands, and was vexed to the point of a headache... For one, he was in no position to deal with a two-thousand-shi official; for another, Wang Kuang had once been Qian Zhao's 'Commandery Lord.' So, left with no alternative, Qian Zhao used the name of his teacher, Yue Yin, to send the man to the army's front lines and hand him over to Gongsun Xun, the tall one, to deal with!

Reckoning the time, he had only arrived a mere two or three days ago.

"Gentlemen!" Gongsun Xun gave a brief introduction, then pointed a casual finger, direct and decisive. "I have spent half the day just now speaking of what constitutes disruptive governance and bringing calamity! In the case of our Prefect Wang here, it is all too evident... This man, in Henei, campaigned against Dong Zhuo and suffered defeat, carved out a domain and brutalized the people. He could not even protect his own brother-in-law who came as an envoy, leaving his two nephews with no one to rely on, and his home village and old associates all abandoned him! Even his old friend Cai Bojie actually wrote an essay calling him a wicked scoundrel! Gentlemen, seeing such a man, do you still wish to speak to me of whether I can tolerate others? Let me speak plainly to you all today: I have come on this campaign against Dong Zhuo not because the opponent is Dong Zhongying, but because Dong Zhuo committed disruptive governance and brought calamity first! As for others, do not think that just because you have not thrown in your lot with Dong Zhuo, you are somehow beyond reproach. If there are acts of bringing calamity, I will absolutely not let them pass lightly! And what others dare not do, I, Gongsun Xun, dare to do; those others dare not deal with, I, Gongsun Xun, dare to deal with!"

At this, Gongsun Xun simply turned his head and demanded boldly, "Lord Wang, do you have anything else to say?"

Wang Kuang's face was haggard; under the firelight he was helpless and at a loss. Several times he opened his mouth to speak, yet no sound came out.

"What is he trying to say?" Gongsun Xun grew somewhat impatient.

Wei Yue was quick to seize the moment. He hurried forward to Wang Kuang's side, listened for a few sentences, then cupped his hands and reported back: "My lord, he says his younger sister died early, and although his brother-in-law hated him to the bone before death, he had no choice but to entrust his two nephews to him. Now they have followed him to Shangdang... He is too ashamed to raise his two nephews, yet does not know who else should raise them!"

"I understand!" Gongsun Xun nodded slightly. "Hu Wuban ranked among the Nine Ministers and was one of the Eight Chefs of the partisans. Since his two orphans have come to me, I cannot ignore them... Very well then, my clansman Gongsun Yue is in Jinyang, and his household has many children. Let him take them in and raise them! Is there anything else?"

Wang Kuang's face was pale, but in the end he spoke no more.

Seeing this, Gongsun Xun did not hesitate. With a wave of his hand, Wei Yue led several armored soldiers and, amid the shock and doubt of most in the hall, escorted the man out.

A moment later, Wei Yue came in person to report: "My lord, Governor Wang, knowing his guilt, has already hanged himself. I await your instructions..."

"Hang his head before the camp gate. Tomorrow, after the sacrifice to the sage sovereign, bury him together with the fallen soldiers by the Yao Shrine." Amid utter silence, Gongsun Xun spoke bluntly, then turned and pointed at two others in the hall. "Do not leave yet... These past few days, Shuzhi has already questioned them thoroughly. Li Le and Hou Xuan, these two men, have long plundered the countryside and shown no regard for law. Take them out immediately and behead them. Then confiscate all their family property and their troops!"

Wei Yue at once led armored soldiers forward to seize the men. Generals Li Le and Hou Xuan, in their shock and terror, were about to burst out cursing, but suddenly remembered that their clansmen were still in the army and their kin were still in Hedong. Eyes wide, they dared not speak further, and were then dragged straight out by the armored soldiers, vanishing from sight just as Wang Kuang had before them.

Pitiful these two generals — in another time and space, one would have risen to General Who Conquers the North and died of illness in his hometown; the other would have seized Guanzhong amid chaos, eventually surrendered to Cao Cao and been enfeoffed as a marquis, guarding Weikou until a peaceful end... But this time, they were summarily beheaded. The former was thirty-nine years old; the latter was only twenty-eight this year.

As for Wang Kuang, had Lady Gongsun not come into this world, he would originally have soon died at the hands of Hu Wuban's relatives and Cao Cao, who was acting on Yuan Shao's orders — but that needs no further elaboration.

Having just executed a warlord who once commanded over ten thousand troops, and then killed two surrendered generals, the hall had long fallen deathly silent. The remaining White Wave commanders — Yang Feng, Cheng Yin, Han Xian, and the rest — dared not be negligent. They could only tremble with fear, one after another rising from their seats, kowtowing and confessing their crimes, each willing to offer up their family property and troops, begging only for a chance to survive.

Gongsun Xun paid it no mind: "I have my own measure in handling affairs. Why beg for mercy? Han Xian, Cheng Yin, Hu Cai — though you have committed no great evils in daily life, you have ultimately been quite arrogant and caused harm. Moreover, since you seized territory, raised banners in rebellion, and met us with blades, there must be a proper punishment... Confiscate the retainers and dependents of your three households, but keep your ancestral homes and one hundred qing of land. You yourselves shall serve as Acting Majors, leading your troops and remaining in the army to prove yourselves!"

Cheng Yin, Han Xian, and Hu Cai were half-startled, half-delighted, yet hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude.

"Yang Feng," Gongsun Xun then pointed at another man. "You have many good reputations in your village, and the commandery also says you have talent. But since you joined the rebellion, you should know this outcome... Confiscate half your family property and land. No retainers, dependents, or private soldiers may be kept. I appoint you as a Major of a division — continue to serve in the army!"

Yang Feng was truly overjoyed beyond all expectation!

"For the remaining White Wave surrendered officers below him, all shall be judged by the same standard as Yang Feng!" Gongsun Xun continued his orders. "But remember well — the reason you can keep your lives today is that Guo Tai gave his life first, and I now bestow both grace and severity upon you. As surrendered officers, if you make the slightest misstep, within a short time, you will face especially harsh punishment without mercy!"

Yang Feng and the other surrendered minor commanders and junior officers below him naturally kowtowed without pause.

"Which one is Xu Huang?" Gongsun Xun suddenly called out another name.

"This guilty officer is here!" Xu Huang immediately stepped forward and kowtowed specifically.

"The punishment has passed — there is no need to call yourself a guilty man." Gongsun Xun looked at this square-faced, heavy-jawed man and spoke with slight solemnity. "In truth, Yun Chang has spoken of you to me, and Ziyi and Zilong have also praised your martial skill. As it happens, you are also a local man, and I cannot let others always say I treat people harshly. Today I give you a chance... Take the rank of Acting Major and go take command of the remnants of Li Kan, Li Le, and Hou Xuan's forces. Reorganize them with care... Do not disappoint me!"

Xu Huang was inwardly stunned, his face wooden, but he dared not be negligent. He could only hurriedly kowtow and assent.

"That boy over there!" Just as everyone thought this display of grace and severity was about to end, Gongsun Xun suddenly raised his hand and pointed at someone. "I have endured you for a long time. From the Wang Kuang affair just now until now — what have you been doing?"

The person singled out was merely a minor clerk with bound hair, who had come along with Wang Yi. Hearing this, he was not flustered at all. He merely wiped his mouth, then rose from his seat to beg forgiveness: "In reply to General of the Guard, this boy was stealing food..."

"Why were you stealing food?" Gongsun Xun questioned sternly.

"This boy's family is poor. The dry rations on the road were insufficient, and I was hungry for a moment — I truly could not bear it!" The man remained composed.

"Even if you were hungry, how could you be unable to endure for just a moment?" Gongsun Xun sneered repeatedly. "You managed to endure before, yet the moment we began dealing with people, you could not. Could it be you disapprove of my punishments as unjust?"

"That is not my meaning." The minor clerk was finally somewhat flustered. "I am but a mere clerk, one of those 'innocent people' the General of the Guard spoke of. Whatever happens to these men, what does it have to do with me? In truth, I was terribly hungry from the very start, and could hardly bear it from the beginning. Only, earlier when I heard the General of the Guard discuss military and administrative affairs, I was so absorbed that I used words as a meal and forgot my hunger. When the General of the Guard turned to other matters, my hunger redoubled..."

Gongsun Xun found this amusing and turned to Wei Ji: "Boguan, judging by this man's appearance, could he be that Jia Kui you mentioned — the one with no trousers to wear?"

"Exactly so." Wei Ji nodded slightly.

"Still too young, a belly full of clever tricks, not yet fit for heavy responsibility." Gongsun Xun shook his head for a moment. "Still, since he is someone you, Boguan, recommended, he must be a talent worth shaping... Very well, let him leave his post and join the army. Do not be a clerk — come serve as a voluntary retainer!"

Wei Boguan thought nothing of it, while Jia Kui was overjoyed beyond measure.

After this small interlude, the company finally took the chance to begin the feast — no need to elaborate. The next day, under Gongsun Xun's leadership, everyone performed the morning sacrifice to Sage Yao together, and in the afternoon performed the sacrifice to the fallen soldiers of Gaoliang Pavilion together... After that, Gongsun Xun appointed Du Ji, who was still on the road, as Grand Administrator of Hedong, had Wang Xiu temporarily manage various affairs in Hedong, and so on. Then he appointed and dismissed officials, reorganized the army — naturally, no need to elaborate further.

At this time, Wei Ji, who should have played an enormous role, suddenly requested leave... Gongsun Xun had originally thought he was going back to handle matters concerning Wei Gu's household, but only when they approached Anyi did he suddenly realize the truth. Wei Boguan's younger brother, Wei Zhongdao, had been gravely ill for some time, and in early February, a late spring cold snap had taken his life. It was precisely because his own brother had died and he could not have him buried in the ancestral graves north of the Fen River that Wei Boguan had made up his mind and traveled north alone to welcome Gongsun Xun.

This truly made one sigh with extra poignancy.

However, with Hongnong Commandery ahead, Gongsun Xun could not attend to these matters. While continuing to reorganize and rest his troops, he sent Cheng Lian to lead troops to Fengling Ford, attempting to hinder Dong Zhuo's relocation of the capital.

But Dong Zhongying was, after all, a seasoned commander — how could he not know to take precautions? From Fengling Ford to Pujin, the opposite bank of the river had long been heavily garrisoned!

Moreover, what made Gongsun Xun unsure whether to admire or curse was... only when he reached the river did he learn that Dong Zhuo, that scoundrel, had actually, in just over two months, essentially completed the relocation of a million people!

In the first ten days of the third month, the Son of Heaven's carriage had already entered Guanzhong ahead of schedule. And after arranging the military deployment in Luoyang, Dong Zhuo personally led troops to cover the rear, while simultaneously driving the million commoners of Henan and the hundred officials of the court westward into the Pass!

By now, they had already passed Hangu Pass and were advancing steadily along the Hongnong road.

"The Guandong lords are fighting among themselves! Zhang Yang swallowed Wang Kuang, and Yuan Shao has personally gone to Suanzao to try to control the various generals!" West of Hangu Pass, on the great east-west road, Dong Zhuo sat in an enormously proportioned, magnificently adorned carriage, his face beaming with delight. "In the future, Guandong will surely descend into chaos, utterly beyond remedy! As for Gongsun Xun, though he has reached Hedong and won a great victory, I have ultimately gotten a step ahead of him and entered Guanzhong first... If we hold Taolin Fortress (the ancient name for Tongguan), Pujin, and Maojin, then Gongsun Wenqi, for all his martial might, can do nothing!"

"Not only that," a mounted man beside the carriage stroked his beard and smiled — it was Dong Zhuo's Chief Clerk, Liu Ai. "Our army can deploy heavy troops at Pujin and Maojin, while placing slightly fewer troops at Taolin Fortress... In this way, if he truly crosses the river from Pujin or Maojin to attack, we can drive his forces back, giving him no foothold. And if he takes the Fengling Ford route toward Taolin Fortress, we can take advantage of the situation and let him come ashore. At that point, Taolin Fortress, the world's most formidable pass, cannot be taken in haste, while our forces east of the river in Henan can easily turn back to reinforce, combining with the Maojin troops to strike westward — a pincer attack right between Taolin Fortress and Fengling Ford. We might even win a great victory against General of the Guard!"

"That is precisely my meaning!" Dong Zhuo nodded as he listened, and by the end he was practically roaring with laughter. "This is why I wanted to move the capital to Guanzhong... In a place like Guanzhong, even if the situation deteriorates to the worst — to the point of abandoning Maojin — as long as we block Pujin and Taolin Fortress, we can be free of all worry! Not like Luoyang, with eight passes, impossible to defend against every threat. Even with repeated great victories, surrounded on three sides, people's hearts would gradually grow panicked and waver!"

The attendants hurriedly joined in the laughter.

At this moment, Dong Zhuo turned to look at a person seated on a small side seat in his carriage and spoke bluntly: "Lord Cai, I will not hide it from you — your disciple Lu Bu has considerable military talent, and I am especially fond of him. When he finishes wrapping up matters in Luoyang, he would be perfect to serve as the defender of Taolin Fortress, to be my man facing the enemy directly... My only concern is that he was once a subordinate of Gongsun Xun. I wonder if he might waver at the critical moment?"

"Absolutely not!" Cai Yong smiled bitterly repeatedly. "However, although this student of mine is brave, his temperament is careless. Chancellor of State, you need not entrust him with such heavy responsibility entirely... Even this 'Luoyang aftermath,' you need not let him handle it!"

"No!" Dong Zhuo suddenly changed his earlier expression and sighed. "In the current situation, if even he cannot be trusted, who else can be? It's just that we must have Jia Wenhe continue to assist him and watch over him. That way, I can be at ease, and he himself can exert his full strength..."

Mid-sentence, an armored rider suddenly galloped up from the side: "Reporting to the Chancellor of State, we have captured several more people attempting to flee!"

"Bring them forward!" Dong Zhuo signaled the carriage to stop while immediately changing his expression to one of severity.

Cai Bojie also hurriedly lowered his head.

A moment later, several riders drove a group of people to the spot. Pushed forward were actually two young men.

As for Dong Zhuo, who had just been seething with rage, when he saw the tall young man at the front, for some reason his expression dimmed: "Boda, when your grandfather was Grand Administrator of Yingchuan, my father served as a county magistrate under him. When you were recommended as a Child Prodigy, my deceased son happened to be recommended as a court gentleman the same year. Moreover, you two were similar in appearance and build, so I have always looked after you especially... Why would even you betray me?"

The two arrested men, one Zhao Zi and one Sima Lang, were already trembling with fear.

At this moment, hearing Dong Zhuo's question, Sima Boda could only steel himself and offer flattery: "Chancellor of State, you swept away the eunuchs — your achievements surpass the age, your virtue extends to the four seas..."

"I asked you why you betrayed me?!"

Sima Lang grew even more helpless and could only force himself to cup his hands and reply: "Chancellor of State, now that the capital is moving west, a million commoners of Henan have abandoned their homes and livelihoods, driven by armored soldiers like cattle and sheep. So everyone wants to flee — how could it be only my family? And the reason everyone flees is the same: they all long for home! Chaos has broken out in Henei, and as the eldest son of my family, I merely wanted to take my younger brothers back to Wen County to deal with our old family residence."

Dong Zhuo let out a long sigh and did not answer.

"Chancellor of State," Sima Lang, seeing this, mustered his courage and urged, "with your virtue and achievements, if you could slightly reduce the punishments and show some leniency to the common people, it would be enough to rank you alongside the Duke of Zhou and Yi Yin! I beg you to forgive us!"

"These words do have some reason." Dong Zhuo finally spoke, but he seemed somewhat listless. "Very well, let this matter end here. But you are not permitted to flee again..."

Sima Lang was overjoyed beyond expectation. He tugged his good friend Zhao Zi, bowed repeatedly in farewell, and then hurriedly departed with his family.

Watching the other party leave in such haste, Dong Zhuo’s carriage resumed its journey. But after traveling only a few steps, Dong Zhongying let out another long sigh and abruptly said to Cai Bojie, “Before we pass Shanxian, that boy will definitely try to flee again!”

“Then…” Cai Bojie was momentarily flustered and at a loss.

“But he is far too much like my eldest son who died,” Dong Zhuo shook his head with a bitter smile. “I cannot bear to deal with him. If he wants to leave, let him leave!”

Cai Bojie also fell into a moment of despondency.

“Speaking of which,” Dong Zhongying, as if suddenly recalling something, clutched his belly and asked curiously, “I remember that Lord Cai did not lose his sons early, but rather has no sons at all — only two daughters?”

“Yes!”

“How old are they, what are their names, and to whom are they betrothed?”

“One is still in her infancy, called Cai Wan, childhood name Zhenji, raised in Handan. The other is already past twenty, called Cai Yan, childhood name Zhaoji… not yet married…”

“Why is that?” Dong Zhuo was momentarily curious. “A woman of that age still unable to marry? Does even your daughter, Cai Bojie, have trouble finding a match?”

“This child is simply ill-fated!” Cai Yong, fearing Dong Zhuo might stir up trouble, hurriedly explained. “While in Handan, she was betrothed to the youngest son of Lord Liu, Chancellor of Zhao. But when he passed through Heishan in Henei on his way to Handan for the betrothal formalities, he was killed by the Heishan bandit Yu Du! Later, after coming to Luoyang, another match was arranged with a family from Hedong, a son of the Wei clan… but with the current turmoil, it has truly been difficult to hold the wedding.”

“So that is how it is,” Dong Zhuo suddenly understood. “I once served as Grand Administrator of Hedong and am familiar with the Wei clan’s standing — it is a fine match indeed! In truth, as far as marrying off a daughter goes, you need not worry about the situation. After all, the one in Hedong now is Gongsun Xun, whom you also know. How could he obstruct this matter?”

“The Chancellor speaks rightly!” Cai Bojie only wished to end this conversation, so he forced himself to reply haphazardly.

“Very well!” Dong Zhuo then said decisively. “Go now and make preparations. Once we pass Shanxian ahead and reach Maojin, take advantage of the lull before battle to send your daughter across the river! I shall also bestow upon you some goods and wealth, as a gesture of an elder’s proper duty!”

Cai Yong naturally thanked him profusely, then hurriedly descended from the carriage. But when he left Dong Zhuo’s carriage and reached his own family’s procession, guarded by soldiers, his face became blank and dazed. He spoke not a word, merely ducking into his own carriage to escape… It turned out that along the entire way from before Dong Zhuo’s carriage to the Cai family’s procession, as far as the eye could see, corpses were piled by the roadside, and if one listened closely, all one could hear were wails of misery!

Some had lost their children, some had lost their parents. Some had their wealth and goods, their wives and daughters, seized by armored soldiers in public. Some were left utterly alone, yet had lost all their provisions… And if anyone paused even briefly, they would be publicly executed as a warning! Even the high ministers and noble clans were mostly in dire straits. Some fled alone and were casually slaughtered like pigs and dogs by the roadside or riverbank. Some who delayed even slightly were also publicly dealt with.

The trees along the road, bursting with spring growth, were mostly nourished by flesh and blood.

It must be said, at the very moment Dong Zhuo was showing the kindness of an elder, the common people of Henan, because of his two-month-long relocation of the capital, were suffering death and injury beyond measure! Yet at the same time, the Guandong coalition army still lingered before Hulao Pass, while Sun Jian was thwarted at Yingchuan — they could hardly advance a single step! No hope could be seen anywhere. Faced with these things, what could the honest man Cai Bojie do, other than pretend to be deaf and mute?

No matter how well Dong Zhuo treated him, it was only to use him for writing calligraphy and composing essays.

Once inside the carriage, Cai Yong took a long time just to catch his breath, yet still felt at a loss. Finally, he could only ask the five- or six-year-old girl in the carriage who was holding a small white cat, “Zhenji, where is your elder sister?”

“Elder sister said, if Father asks, tell Father that the Wang family of Shanyang just came to request grain. Because there was no time to report it, and they are old family friends, she personally put on a veiled hat and took people to deliver grain,” the little girl said haltingly, holding the small white cat.

“Why does she keep running about recklessly?” Cai Yong sighed. “This is not Luoyang — with soldiers rampaging and chaos everywhere, for a young woman to run around wildly is bound to lead to trouble…”

“Elder sister also said,” the little girl continued haltingly at that moment, “if Father sighs, then tell Father that if she did not go deliver it, Father would again be wiping tears in the carriage, worrying that old friends would regard the Cai clan as jackals serving a tiger!”

Cai Yong grew even more helpless. He rose and embraced his youngest daughter, sighing repeatedly, “Ah Wan, Ah Wan, when you grow up, do not learn to be as clever as your elder sister. In times like these, the clever ones are the first to die!”

“Elder sister also said,” the little girl looked up at her father and continued earnestly, “if Father says something about clever people dying first, tell Father that in times like these, the foolish die just as quickly! Everyone under Heaven is dying quickly!”

Cai Yong was speechless. He became even more resolute: as soon as they passed Shanxian, he would seize the chance to send both his daughters to the Wei clan to seek refuge from disaster.

Yet when they reached Shanxian, in the thin morning mist of that day, just as Cai Bojie had finished his preparations and was about to send his daughters away at Maojin in Shanxian, he was abruptly informed that no one was permitted to cross the river from Maojin without authorization! Violators would be executed without mercy!

Of course, since Cai Bojie held an unusual position before Dong Zhuo, the subordinates of Zhang Ji, the defender of Shanxian, still allowed him to go alone to Maojin to seek Dong Zhuo’s clemency.

And when he arrived at Maojin and ascended a small slope beside the ferry crossing, Cai Yong finally understood why Dong Zhuo had sealed the crossing again — Chancellor Dong, in full ceremonial regalia and surrounded by countless military officers, was arrayed in strict formation on the hillside, gazing far to the north. And on the opposite riverbank, beside the Maojin ferry crossing outside Dayang City in Hedong Commandery, on the hillside, a familiar yet strange White Horse Banner also stood facing them from afar through the thin mist!

As the sun gradually rose higher and the thin mist slowly dispersed, the upper reaches of the Yellow River had no golden embankments. Henan and Hebei were visible at a single glance, both sides completely exposed to each other. Under the spring sunlight, Dong Zhuo clearly saw the man riding beneath the White Horse Banner, and Gongsun Xun also saw from afar the enormously fat man upon the carriage on the opposite side… From the summer days of last year until now, nine months in all, Gongsun Xun had marched fifteen hundred li, fought his way through four commanderies, and was finally separated from Dong Zhuo by only a single river!

—————I am the dividing line of successfully repaying debts once again—————

“Xun arrived at Dayang, just as Dong Zhuo was relocating the capital to Shanxian. The two stood on opposite banks of the great river. Zhuo, arrogant and overbearing, turned to his attendants and said: ‘Their army is few. If I seal Tongguan, Pujin, and Maojin, then those fellows can do nothing! My only concern is that they are difficult to restrain in open battle, and since we are old acquaintances, perhaps I could offer a marriage alliance and cede Hebei to him!’ Before he finished speaking, Xun sent several dozen envoys by boat to the middle of the river, who proclaimed along the banks: ‘General of the Guards has decreed: whoever acts as a jackal for the tiger and beheads the villain Dong, their crimes shall be pardoned, they shall be further rewarded with a thousand gold, and enfeoffed as a full marquis. Only, since the man is an acquaintance of ten years, if one can preserve his corpse intact, an additional reward of ten cash shall be added, as a gesture of preferential treatment!’ Zhuo flew into a violent rage.” — Records of Han’s End Heroes, by Wang Can

PS: 2 chapters in 1, making up for last night’s chapter, plus tonight’s chapter… Next chapter will be tomorrow night! Debt-free and light as a feather…

(End of Chapter)