Chapter 390: Gazing North from the Central Plains, Spirit Towering Like Mountains

Gongsun Xun did not know that an old acquaintance of his had sunk beneath the waters of the Sui River.

In truth, with the Central Plains in such chaos, this news would likely remain sealed away locally for a very long time. Only when the situation stabilized one day, and as the people of Chen State communicated with the outside world, would anyone learn that there had once been such a State Tutor, and that this man had once done such a deed.

And then, it would have to wait until the entire realm was at peace before some scholar would record the matter, allowing later generations to know of it.

Returning to the present, at the end of the third month of this year—the final moments of spring—in the entire situation of the Central Plains, there was truly only one matter that drew Gongsun Xun’s concern: the joint memorial submitted by Sun Jian and Cao Cao.

In the memorial delivered by swift horses through Huanyuan Pass, the two men jointly expressed their recognition and respect for Liu Bei as Inspector of Yuzhou, and on their own initiative stated that the title of Yuzhou Inspector they had each previously held was a provisional measure under the circumstances of the campaign against Dong Zhuo. Now that Dong Zhuo had been executed, they voluntarily requested that these titles be abolished.

However, Sun Jian at the same time raised a point: since the post of Yuzhou Inspector was to be voided, should his title of General Who Smashes the Caitiffs also be voided? Moreover, what of his previous post as Grand Administrator of Changsha—could he now return to Changsha?

The subtext was very simple: he was, after all, a meritorious official who had made a positive contribution to the campaign against Dong Zhuo, and now he was being so sensible about the situation—surely he should at least retain a general’s title as a token, right? And since the Yuzhou Inspector title was being abolished, the corresponding post of Changsha Grand Administrator—that is, the political qualification permitting him to go south—became, by contrast, all the more indisputable.

And Cao Cao, correspondingly, offered some explanations in his memorial, though they seemed far more slippery and helpless. The man merely said that he had not been staying in his hometown in the capacity of Yuzhou Inspector; rather, during the latter phase of the campaign against Dong Zhuo, when he had been recruiting troops anew in his capacity as General of Valiant Arms, it was mostly men from Yanzhou and Yuzhou who answered the call, and so on and so forth… In any case, it was impossible for him to truly abandon his territory, and in his awkward position, he could not really rebel against Yuan Shao either.

This fellow was clearly being somewhat shameless, but he was also truly left with no other choice.

Of course, setting aside Sun Jian’s bargaining and Cao Cao’s awkward position of being fundamentally unable to truly break away from Yuan Shao behind him, no matter what, the situation in the Central Plains had now suddenly become clear.

The facts proved that Gongsun Xun’s decision that day to stake his bet on the chaotic Central Plains situation on Cao, Sun, and Liu was not only utterly correct, but the reactions and actions of men like Sun Jian and Cao Cao were even faster, fiercer, and more unbridled than he had imagined.

Now, looking back, one can only say that there truly are differences between people—just as Yuan Shu truly is a “dry bone in a tomb” (historically Kong Rong’s assessment, stolen by Cao Cao). Setting Liu Bei aside for the moment, at the very least, Cao and Sun were also truly men of ability, boldness, and decisiveness… Originally, they were each merely vassals of the powerful warlords behind them, forced into military confrontation. But once they resolved to join hands, they immediately, faintly, gained the momentum to contend against Yuan Shu.

Only…

“Only one matter.” In the main hall of the General’s headquarters, Jia Xu rose and spoke solemnly in remonstration. “Has my lord considered this? Sun Wentai, the Fierce Tiger of Jiangdong, has spent half his life in victory and defeat, yet he always presses forward irresistibly, his valor and ferocity surpassing others. Cao Mengde advances in both civil and military affairs, is thoroughly versed in the ways of the world, and his future prospects are immeasurable… If these two join hands, with Sun Jian leading the troops at the front and Cao Cao rallying hearts and supplying provisions at the rear, and we continue to let them be, might they not one day grow powerful in turn, their strength surpassing even Yuan Shu’s? The two commanderies of Nanyang and Runan together have a population of over three million. Whether in local talent, local armories, craftsmen, or even agriculture, they are the finest under Heaven. We must be on guard.”

Seated in the host’s position in the hall, Gongsun Xun slowly shook his head, then rose again and looked around, speaking: “What Wenhe says is absolutely right, and I do understand this principle… But matters have their order of urgency. The current situation is this: first, our army is still in the midst of rest and dispersal. If Guanzhong does not have an autumn harvest, I fear not only that people’s hearts will be unsettled, but I am even more worried that we will lack the strength to send elite troops from Guanzhong to Hebei for a decisive battle. Therefore, we truly cannot move lightly.”

At these words, Wang Xiu, seated in the first position on the left, could not help but nod.

“Second, whether viewed from the situation or from the grand strategy, all matters must always place Hebei first. The Central Plains need only be kept from becoming a quagmire.”

At these words, Tian Feng and Xi Zhong each made gestures of agreement.

“Third, Yuan Shu knows only plunder and destruction, and nothing of pacifying the people’s livelihood. And Sun Wentai, however inadequate, is still better than that evil ghost Yuan Gonglu, is he not?” Gongsun Xun came before Jia Xu, then suddenly laughed. “As for Cao Cao, who already began learning from our military farming methods this spring during the plowing season, he needs even less to be said. So let Sun Wentai go to Nanyang and Runan, and let Cao Cao go to Chen State and Yingchuan. The local gentry and commoners will be able to catch a few more breaths. This is what it means to preserve as much vitality as possible… In summary, we are now the central pivot, the focus of all hopes under Heaven. We cannot divide everything merely into friend and foe. We must have the awareness of taking the realm as our own responsibility, and act with the momentum of one who stands on high and pours down.”

“My lord’s vision is lofty and far-reaching. Your subordinate is ashamed,” Jia Xu hastily bowed his head.

“I am not speaking of you.” Gongsun Xun waved his hand. “In the final analysis, if we can win in Hebei, no matter how those few men thrash about in the Central Plains, how could it affect the overall situation? Unless they can completely eliminate their estrangement and merge into one family—only then would it be worth watching… But if that were to happen, merely sharing a drink and pledging to entrust one’s wife and children to each other would not be enough.”

At this, the assembled men all burst into laughter.

“Moreover,” Gongsun Xun suddenly grew serious again amidst the laughter, “Yuan Gonglu, though even Kong Wenju knows he is a dry bone in a tomb, still has some foundation in Runan and Nanyang, places where the Yuan clan has entrenched itself for four or five generations. And the treasuries and armories of those two places have not yet been exhausted. I always feel he should not be defeated too quickly… In truth, I am rather curious about everyone’s views. How do you all think the contest in the Central Plains will end?”

“The variables are too great.” Tian Yuanhao did not yield to others. “It depends both on the surrounding situation and on the individuals… Yuan Gonglu is indeed a greedy and extravagant sort, and we are well aware that Sun Wentai is incomparably fierce and brave. But as for what kind of men Cao Mengde and Liu Xuande truly are, we still need to observe a little. And how Tao Gongzu and Liu Jingsheng will act, we can only speculate in vain… But no matter what, once this memorial arrived, the Central Plains were pacified. We should be happy to see it succeed.”

The people around all nodded in agreement. Gongsun Xun had originally wanted to praise Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei, to say something about the heroes of the realm, but in the end, he did not open his mouth… because the excellence of these three men needed no words to express. And more importantly, facing these three men, Gongsun Xun, to his own surprise, no longer felt any fear or curiosity.

On the contrary, he now suddenly felt a marvelous sense of control over them—he knew how strong these men were, knew that the victor in the Central Plains would certainly be one or more of the three of them, and even knew that these men might transcend the limits of the Central Plains to seize Jiangdong and Jingxiang. Yet he was not afraid of them in the slightest.

Why should he be afraid of them?

If General of the Guard Gongsun Xun were afraid of Cao, Sun, and Liu, then every single person under Heaven, from Yuan Benchu to Liu Bei himself, would probably be unable to resist laughing out loud.

“What kind of men do you all think Tao Qian and Liu Biao are?” With this thought, Gongsun Xun naturally asked about two men he was not familiar with, but who would in fact have a major impact on the Central Plains situation, and even the overall situation of the realm.

“Tao and Liu each occupy a major province and possess formidable strength; we must be on guard against them.” In the hall, it was still Tian Feng who was boldest in speech. “But if even the General does not know what kind of men they are, how could we possibly know? We would need to see them in person, or inquire of knowledgeable men who have met them, to find out.”

“And the key point is that men’s hearts change easily,” Xi Zhong interjected from the side. “For instance, my lord and I did indeed once meet Liu Biao in the army, but what was the situation then? Everyone under Heaven was still counting on Grand General He to eliminate the eunuchs and restore order to the court. How could anyone have imagined that a former Northern Army Hou would one day ride alone into Xiangyang and calmly seize control of an entire province?”

“In that case, let us go and see, or find someone to ask,” Xun You, who was always taciturn, suddenly suggested. “I have heard that my lord’s old acquaintance from the Imperial Secretariat, Wang Lang, Wang Jingxing, is now serving as an Attendant Official in Xu Province. Why not directly issue a summons from the Imperial Secretariat, calling him to Chang’an to serve as an official… First, to keep him for our own use; second, to conveniently inquire about Tao Qian’s true situation? In any case, given the current posture of Sun Jian and Cao Cao, the roads are naturally open. As for Liu Biao, Yuan Shu is careless, so the roads west of the Mian River are still open. Send a wise and perceptive advisor to Xiangyang to meet Liu Biao…”

Gongsun Xun slowly nodded, but remained silent for a moment.

“I will make the trip,” Jia Xu suddenly stepped forward amidst the hesitation of the other military advisors. “I will go on my lord’s behalf and see just what kind of man Liu Jingsheng is.”

“I must trouble you, Wenhe.” Gongsun Xun responded immediately. “But among all the wise men under Heaven, none surpass Wenhe. This matter can only be entrusted to you. While you are at it, inquire for me about what Liu Xuande, who is furthest away, is doing, and also assess the situation in Nanyang and Runan for me. Just return safely before the autumn harvest… Do you have any requests?”

Jia Xu immediately nodded and solemnly made two requests: “Jingxiang is full of old friends from Luoyang. Please write a few personal letters for me, my lord, to serve as introductions. And then, I implore my lord, under no circumstances grant me a staff of authority.”

Gongsun Xun did not hesitate in the slightest and immediately nodded his assent.

…………

Just as Gongsun Xun breathed a long sigh of relief at the sudden alliance of Sun Wentai and Cao Cao, and decided to continue maintaining a watchful stance toward the Central Plains, he was utterly unaware that the situation in Hebei, which weighed most heavily on his mind, had already begun to stir with great waves!

It must be said, the reason Gongsun Zan had submitted a memorial denouncing Yuan Shao’s crimes that day was precisely because Yuan Shao had, in fact, already made the first move against Gongsun Zan. Pingyuan, the largest commandery in Qing Province, had historically been divided in two by the Yellow River due to flood control efforts. And what Yuan Shao had done was to take advantage of the spring ice breakup to suddenly dispatch a small force of elite troops to expel Gongsun Zan’s officials from south of the Yellow River, and to appoint officials sent from the General of Chariots and Cavalry’s headquarters in their place.

Gongsun Zan had no recourse at all… He was no fool, and he had not been without any precautions against Yuan Shao. It was simply impossible for him to station his main army in southern Pingyuan. If he truly had done so, Yuan Shao would not have merely expelled his officials during the spring plowing season—he would have directly devoured that force of Gongsun Zan’s during the winter snows.

Thus, there had been the war of words during the spring plowing season, and the clash across the distance between the General of the Guard and the General of Chariots and Cavalry that had stirred the entire realm. And naturally, there was also the situation after the spring plowing, when Yuan Benchu crossed the Yellow River in force and proactively attacked Gongsun Zan.

However, although Gongsun Bogui had long known Yuan Shao would come, he was still caught off guard, to the point of being at a loss.

There were three reasons for this:

First, Yuan Shao crossed the river at Cangting in Dong Commandery, Yanzhou, and then openly and grandly traversed Han Fu’s territory of Qinghe State, before aiming directly for Bohai and Pingyuan. This grand maneuver of wide flanking and deep envelopment, so vast and sweeping in its conception, instantly rendered useless the river defense arrangements Gongsun Zan had painstakingly built throughout the winter and spring.

Second, Yuan Shao had too many troops. The man personally led a great army of forty thousand from Yanzhou (including twenty thousand auxiliary troops), proclaimed as fifty thousand, directly out of Dong Commandery and Qinghe, pressing Gongsun Zan. On the other side, the troops of the five commanderies of Qing Province also arrayed themselves along the Yellow River, eyeing the Lean and Pingyuan areas covetously, ready to cross the river at any moment and form a two-pronged pincer attack with Yuan Shao.

Third, Yuan Shao’s approach from Qinghe forced Gongsun Zan to worry that Han Fu had already submitted to Yuan Shao. And if that were the case, then to the north, in Hejian, troops might at any moment cross the Zhang River and strike his rear.

Thus, Gongsun Bogui, though he held twenty thousand crack troops, including four to five thousand cavalry, was forced to huddle in Pingyuan County, Pingyuan State—a corner position—just to barely maintain the Yellow River defense line while simultaneously facing Yuan Shao’s great army to the west in Qinghe… The situation could be said to have been at its worst from the very start.

And it is worth mentioning that this strategy, which allowed Yuan Shao to seize the full advantage in a single move, along with the earlier plan to contact Yuan Shu, had all come from the hand of Chen Gong of Dong Commandery… In fact, Yuan Benchu, both surprised and delighted, had long since appointed Chen Gongtai as Chief Clerk of his General of Chariots and Cavalry’s headquarters, the so-called “Chief of Staff.”

The situation grew worse and worse. Yet, interestingly, at the end of the third month, war suddenly erupted—at Jieqiao, west of Qinghe Commandery. And the combatants turned out to be Han Fu and Yuan Shao.

It turned out that Yuan Shao had entered Qinghe without obtaining any permission from Han Fu. And once he had occupied this large state of Qinghe, he had, on the grounds of inadequate provision of supplies, immediately expelled Yao Gong, the Chancellor of Qinghe, and appointed Cavalry Commandant Cui Yan, a man of local gentry background, to temporarily administer the state’s affairs. Not only that, he immediately recruited a large number of local talents: Cui Zhong, Cui Juye of the Qinghe Cui clan, and Ji Yong, of powerful local family origin, were all selected as commanders… In any case, he showed no intention whatsoever of giving it back.

At this, no matter how foolish Han Fu was, he understood that the one wanting to swallow his Ji Province was not only the Gongsun brothers—Yuan Shao was also firmly set on this idea. And Yuan Shao had already bitten down right at his doorstep; he was the most dangerous one!

Even a clay figurine has a spark of temper. Since taking office, when had Han Fu ever failed Yuan Shao in the slightest? And now he was instead falling victim to him.

Thus, at the suggestion of loyal subordinates like Liu Hui, Geng Wu, and Min Chun, this Governor of Ji Province finally resolved to grit his teeth and fight! He first sent envoys to Yuan Shao’s camp, attempting to recall former Ji Province officers like Zhang He and Gao Lan. Then he assembled troops from Wei Commandery and Anping to converge at Jieqiao, and sent men to contact Gongsun Zan, attempting a two-pronged pincer attack.

However, whether it was Yuan Shao’s foresight, or whether Han Fu’s side was already riddled with holes, just as Ji Province had assembled its troops, Yuan Benchu suddenly dispatched reliable commanders like Wen Chou, Li Jin, and Yu Jin to counter-cross Jieqiao and launch a surprise attack on Han Fu’s army… The precision of the timing and the accuracy of the troop strength calculation were nothing short of perfect!

A failed sneak attack met with a counter-sneak attack; Han of Ji Province suffered a crushing defeat.

And with this, within Pingyuan City, north of the Yellow River and less than twenty li from the Qinghe border, Gongsun Bogui was finally forced by the situation into a position where he had to make a choice.

————I am the dividing line of great advantage————

“At the end of Han, Yuan Shao pacified Qing and Yan, entered Qinghe, held Gongsun Zan at bay on the left, and crushed Han Fu on the right; his prestige and might were greatly shaken. Shao, feeling pleased with himself, turned to his attendants and said: ‘The Gongsun clan toiled bitterly for ten years to build their power in the north. I have matched it in one autumn and one spring. How about that?’ Chen Gong, standing beside him, replied sternly: ‘The Yuan clan toiled bitterly for five generations, from Shao Gong (Yuan An) onward, serving as the Three Excellencies for a hundred years. The General of the Guard matched it in ten years. How about that?’ Shao was greatly startled and broke into a sweat; he covered his face and withdrew, and remained silent for a long time outside the hall.” — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Admonitions and Warnings

PS: My mistake. I didn’t ask for leave, but I got greedy for holiday fun, got hooked reading “Returning,” and didn’t get around to updating. Come flame me for eight hours straight tomorrow during the day! I absolutely won’t resist!

(End of Chapter)