[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-393":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1223152,1620,"Chapter 393: The Wind Clears in Hebei, and One Knows Oneself (7k, Forced Effort, 2-in-1)","overthrowing-han-chapter-393",393,"\u003Cp>This world does not reason with you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night — and indeed ever since crossing the Yellow River north into Hebei — Yuan Benchu had, in truth, always acted according to so-called \"reason.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heeding his advisors' counsel, he chose political offensives after achieving military victory over Han Fu; heeding their counsel again, he chose strategic containment of Gongsun Zan rather than proactive attack; and because he held the overall advantage, he remained utterly conservative throughout the night's engagement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By contrast, Gongsun Zan, who abandoned Pingyuan City, abandoned the Yellow River defense line, and led five thousand cavalry across the old river course in a surprise raid, was without doubt a paragon of unreason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the result was this: the reasonable Yuan Benchu had his camp breached and his officers cut down, while the unreasonable Gongsun Bogui fought his way straight into the enemy's central command camp, sweeping away a decade of stifled resentment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, pushed to desperation, Yuan Shao simply learned from Gongsun Zan and abandoned reason himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And here lies the most interesting part — when Yuan Shao also abandoned reason, the situation reversed instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao ordered fires lit everywhere throughout the camp and commanded the entire army to meet the enemy... Braziers, fire pots, torches, even bonfires blazed up all at once, illuminating the rammed-earth command platform and most of the main camp as bright as day — and exposing Yuan Shao's own position beyond any doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Zan was naturally overjoyed and personally led his cavalry forward, attempting to close in on the command platform. To his surprise, however, he was far from the only one roused by the sight of Yuan Shao — troops all across Yuan's camp, seeing with their own eyes Yuan Shao standing on the platform with sword in hand, shouting commands, fought with redoubled valor, each unit resisting fiercely. And even more unexpectedly, the routed soldiers who had been driven ahead as path-clearing vanguards, now with clear visibility and the Regional Commander in sight, actually began gradually restoring order. Some hid among the tents, some seized the moment to flee toward the flanks, and some, still armed, simply obeyed orders and turned back to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a time, though Gongsun Zan could see Yuan Shao in the distance, he could not close the gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that — because the troops in Yuan's main camp were exceptionally dense, and the camp was cluttered with all manner of obstacles ill-suited for cavalry to trample through at will, the three thousand Youzhou riders, once their advance stalled, immediately found themselves locked in bitter combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To say nothing of the fact that Ju Yi in the rear camp and Zhang He in the front camp, seeing the state of the central command camp, were surely already on their way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, at this stage, Gongsun Zan had not only vented over a decade of pent-up resentment but had also, from a desperate position, achieved an absolute and resounding victory. And so, laughing aloud, he could hardly be bothered to press further. Instead, he ordered all his sworn riders to sound their horns and prepared to withdraw once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horns blared in succession. The three thousand Youzhou cavalry in the central command camp immediately wheeled their horses and turned back, orderly and methodical, fighting as they retreated. But how could Yuan Shao let them have their wish? He shouted orders in person, command after command, sending Yuan camp soldiers surging forward, trying to pin the enemy down. At the same time, Plumed Tiger Guards galloped to Zhang He and Ju Yi with orders for the two to circle around the camp and block Gongsun Zan at the breach on the right side of the central command camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet all this aside, the deadliest fighting was already unfolding at the camp gate where the right-side breach lay... Three thousand cavalry was not a large number, but men and horses were tall and massive, so the narrow camp gate and breach now became the greatest danger obstructing the cavalry's retreat. Ceaselessly, small bands of Yuan troops, their eyes blood-red with battle fury, squeezed along the palisades, trying to gamble their lives for a chance at unprecedented glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Yuan Benchu had just declared in person from the command platform: whoever could kill or capture Gongsun Zan would be immediately promoted to General of the Household and rewarded with ten thousand gold!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, such small-scale units were nothing but suicide charges against massed cavalry maintaining formation and order — but even suicide charges seemed sufficient now, for they greatly delayed the enemy's withdrawal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the inherent danger of cavalry raiding a camp — easy to enter, hard to leave, as the saying goes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at this point, no matter how composed Gongsun Zan appeared, he still could not be said to have escaped danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now is the moment to fight for every breath!\" Xu You, seeing this from the command platform, was greatly heartened. \"Benchu, stay here and rally morale — give me a squad of your personal guard, and I will go forward to press the attack!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now Yuan Shao's eyes had long been bloodshot from the heat of battle. Without a word, he immediately thrust back the longsword he had earlier seized from the other man's waist. Xu You, without the slightest hesitation, took the sword, led a company of Yuan Shao's central command Tiger Guards, and personally advanced, attempting to rally a force to squeeze along the camp palisade from the flank and seal off the right-side breach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this not an old acquaintance from Luoyang?\" A moment later, on the battlefield, Gongsun Zan, whose eyesight was exceptionally sharp, spotted Xu You from afar personally leading an elite force to command the interception. He burst out laughing, still utterly composed. \"Brother Ziyuan, if I offer you a hundred thousand gold, might you let me leave?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Xu You sneered coldly, not bothering in the slightest to respond to the mockery — for one, his voice was not as loud as Gongsun Zan's; the other man could shout across the field, but he could not shout back. For another, he knew perfectly well that Gongsun Zan could not produce that much coin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet at the same time, Xu Ziyuan inwardly grew wary, because Gongsun Bogui was far too composed — this meant the man surely had a contingency plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, Xu You did not know at that moment that the enemy had left two thousand cavalry outside, nor was there time to find out, for the battlefield shifted in the blink of an eye. In mere moments, Gao Lan and Cui Yan from the right camp arrived! Leading over a thousand battered remnants, heedless of life or death, as if nursing some deep, irreconcilable hatred for Gongsun Zan, they personally came to the gap between the central command camp and the right camp, attempting to block him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this sight, Gongsun Zan was delighted rather than alarmed, while Xu Ziyuan was alarmed rather than delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter, in particular — being one of the keenest minds under heaven — understood the implications almost instantly. For Gao Lan and Cui Yan to throw themselves into the interception so recklessly, they could not be accused of shirking battle. But if they were not shirking battle, why had they not come to block him earlier? There must have been troops pinning them down. And if they were coming now, those pinning troops must have heard the ceaseless horn calls and already withdrawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the question was: if those pinning troops were so strictly commanded and tightly disciplined, how could they truly leave and never return? How could they truly abandon Gongsun Zan and three thousand comrades inside Yuan's camp? These cavalrymen all spoke with Youzhou accents — how could they, in a place like Jizhou, abandon over half their fellow townsmen and their own commander and flee?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this thought, Xu You instantly abandoned any thought of claiming that ten-thousand-gold reward — it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, just as Gao Lan and Cui Yan were straining to block Gongsun Zan and the morale of Yuan's troops was surging, suddenly, horns sounded in unison both outside and inside the camp, and the thunder of hooves came rolling in. The Youzhou army pulled the same trick again — in the gap between the right camp and the central command camp, they staged another masterful performance of cavalry trampling through linked camps, crushing everything like dry weeds and rotten wood. And this time it was a pincer attack: Tian Kai outside, Gongsun Zan inside. In nearly an instant, they shattered Gao Lan and Cui Yan's remnant force!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, not only was the path ahead completely open, but the pursuing troops everywhere were momentarily blocked by the routed soldiers and could hardly catch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having gained this reinforcement, Gongsun Zan took the opportunity to inflict yet another thousand or more casualties. Still in no hurry to leave the camp, he raised his lance from within the camp and pointed it from afar at Yuan Shao's command platform, declaring with a cold sneer: \"Four generations of Three Excellencies — nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, turning his head to Guan Jing beside him, he asked in a loud voice: \"Shiqi, Yuan Benchu once thought me not worth a single coin. Today he offers ten thousand gold for my head. Tell me — what is Gongsun Zan truly worth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Jing, drenched in blood, his heart surging with emotion beyond restraint, shouted back with all his might from horseback: \"My lord, today you could topple a kingdom!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Zan laughed aloud once more, and only then did he spur his horse away, taking the route through the now-empty right camp and withdrawing with perfect composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Gao Lan and Cui Yan fled in panic; Zhang He and Ju Yi could not catch up in time; Xu You returned with a sigh; Yuan Shao and Feng Ji stared dumbfounded; and Chen Gong had only just now turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, this battle — regardless of causes and consequences, regardless of all its twists and turns, judged purely on its own terms — saw Gongsun Zan, with only five thousand Youzhou shock cavalry, attack Yuan Shao's encampment of over forty thousand men. He not only breached two of Yuan Shao's main camps in succession, killed Left Camp Commander Cui Juye, wounded Right Camp Commander Cui Yan and Central Command Deputy Commander Gao Lan, but also fought his way into Yuan Shao's main camp, once shook the enemy's central command, and in the end withdrew with his entire force intact!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what was even more terrifying: at dawn the next day, a rough tally showed that, whether dead by blade and arrow, under horses' hooves, in the crush of friendly troops, or simply burned alive in the great fires, the Yuan army's own corpses collected numbered no fewer than three to four thousand. Add to that six to seven thousand wounded and several thousand Qinghe local auxiliary troops who had fled, and the cumulative losses from this single battle exceeded ten thousand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By contrast, the bodies of Gongsun Zan's Youzhou cavalry found on the battlefield numbered only three to five hundred!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The facts were plain before their eyes. No matter how one looked at it, this battle was an indisputable, resounding victory for Gongsun Bogui — and an unprecedented, catastrophic defeat for Yuan Benchu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only today do I understand that in these chaotic times, one must never underestimate the men of this world!\" Unexpectedly, after such a crushing defeat, Yuan Shao showed little sign of dejection. Instead, he sat atop the command platform, personally directing the reorganization of the camp and the gathering of the dead and wounded. Only after a long while did he reveal a trace of weariness to Xu You and his other confidants, but he simply took the blame upon himself. \"Today's defeat is entirely due to my arrogance after the Battle of Jieqiao, thinking Hebei was already in my grasp. That is what allowed Gongsun Bogui to seize the initiative and inflict such a disastrous defeat...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Yuan Shao adopting such a stance — and moreover, having been virtually the only one the previous night who stood firm in the face of danger, turning the tide almost single-handedly, the sole bright spot — even someone as unyielding as Chen Gong, or as wild by nature as Ju Yi, who had grown up in Xiliang, whether advisor or general, all lost their temper at this moment and came forward one after another to beg forgiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao, in turn, consoled each one individually. Then he personally led the group to visit the wounded Gao Lan and Cui Yan, to set their minds at ease — which only deepened the latter two's shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, as the sun gradually slanted westward, having finished these tasks, Yuan Shao still did not rest. On the contrary, he urgently needed a formal military council to discuss how to handle the situation going forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Things having come to this, our army has suffered grievous casualties. Should we withdraw for now to avoid the enemy's sharp edge?\" Since the main tent had been damaged in the battle, Yuan Shao led his officers back to the rammed-earth command platform to confer. As soon as he took his seat, he came straight to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We cannot withdraw!\" Chen Gong, having long since thought this through, responded immediately, his bloodshot eyes wide open. \"If we withdraw now, we cannot hope to make any gains in Hebei before the autumn harvest. And if we cannot take the five commanderies of Jizhou before the autumn harvest, how will we face the General of the Guards?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gongtai is right,\" Feng Ji also stepped forward at once to voice his stance. \"After this battle, we can no longer hope to storm Handan before the autumn harvest. But no matter what, we must do our utmost to take Yecheng for self-preservation. Therefore, the overall situation must not be thrown into chaos — we must grit our teeth and hold on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao slowly nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, then, was the crux of the matter. Why did all of Yuan Shao's strategists believe they had to strike at Handan, and why did Gongsun Xun also believe the enemy would attack Handan? It was not merely because Handan was the necessary corridor for attacking Mount Taixing, Shangdang, and Taiyuan — the weakest points of Gongsun Xun's power — but also because the intersection of the two sides' strategic red lines lay precisely there, forcing both to engage in offensive and defensive operations at that spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What does that mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is simple. Do not forget that Handan and Yecheng actually belong to the same urban cluster. Handan and Yecheng are only a few dozen li apart, on flat, open terrain with no defensible positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Gongsun Xun, it was naturally because Bingzhou was his fatal vulnerability that he regarded Handan, that outer screening position, as critically important. For Yuan Shao's camp, Yecheng was likewise a vital fulcrum for controlling Hebei — a strategic red-line node that had to be held.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think about it. Yuan Benchu's current base is Qingzhou and Yanzhou. Going forward, he might add these five southeastern commanderies of Jizhou. At the several points where his sphere of influence borders Gongsun Xun's: in the far north, near Zhuo Commandery and Hejian, there are several large rivers — the Yishui, Zhangshui, and Hutuohe — providing ample strategic buffer. In the middle, around Anping and Julu, there is the vast Julu Marsh, which can also be set aside for now. Only here at Yecheng — this truly cannot be conceded, because if it is conceded, not only will Henei and Wei Commandery be indefensible, but even Yanzhou will be directly threatened!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So do not ask why Yuan Shao had to storm Handan. By the same logic, if Gongsun Xun recovered his strength after the autumn harvest and still held Handan, he would certainly attempt to storm Yecheng!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the inevitable result of overlapping strategic red lines. On the map, Yecheng and Handan are two sides of the same coin... And to the eyes of the wise, the entire realm is truly as clear as a chessboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the two gentlemen say is absolutely correct,\" Yuan Shao said slowly, resting his hand on the saber now properly rehung at his waist. \"I think the same. No matter what, we cannot retreat! If we retreat now, we hand Hebei to Gongsun Wenqi on a platter. At that point, with only Qing and Yan provinces, how could I stand against a man who holds You, Ji, Bing, and Si? In those days, Emperor Shizu raised the shock cavalry of Youzhou's ten commanderies, utterly crushed the Jizhou Tongma bandits, and gained over a hundred thousand infantry. With that, he could proclaim himself emperor and establish his regime, earning the name 'Tongma Emperor'... Now the Youzhou shock cavalry are all in the hands of the Gongsun clan. We witnessed their ferocity last night. So the elite infantry of Jizhou truly cannot be allowed to fall to the Gongsun clan as well! However, after such a major defeat, adjustments must be made. What do you think should be done?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If Benchu feels this place is difficult to sustain, you may tackle the hard after the easy,\" Xu You said, cupping his hands first. \"Set aside Han Wenjie for the moment. First, redeploy the elite troops from Jieqiao here and continue to pin down Gongsun Zan. If Gongsun Zan is defeated and retreats, we then continue northward, taking advantage of the situation — while attacking Bohai, we can conveniently seize Anping and Hejian as well. At that point, Wei Commandery will be isolated and helpless, and it will naturally fall like ripe fruit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That can be done!\" Yuan Shao was suddenly invigorated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is indeed a sound and practical strategy,\" Feng Ji also sighed. \"Since we have suffered a great defeat here, the psychological offensive against Han Wenjie over there may no longer be effective. Rather than that, it is better to recall those troops for now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But if we do that, we must guard against desperate measures at Yecheng. When we move to take Anping and Hejian, what if Han Jizhou, powerless and furious, simply surrenders directly to the General of the Guards?\" Chen Gong suddenly interjected, raising a possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then let Xin Zhongzhi, Guo Gongze, and the others toil a little longer — keep them in place to watch and win people over.\" Yuan Shao narrowed his eyes and answered. \"If the worst happens, we dispatch a surprise force to strike Yecheng… blooming flowers inside and out at once!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That seems the only course.\" Chen Gong pondered briefly, then sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In that case, the matter is settled.\" Yuan Shao nodded at once. \"Send men to Jieqiao to summon the troops back, and dispatch letters to Xin Zhongzhi and the others… Now, gentlemen, instruct me further — before the Jieqiao reinforcements return, how should we guard against Gongsun Zan's shock cavalry in these coming days?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our army's morale is already broken, and the enemy has the advantage of Youzhou shock cavalry besides — we absolutely must take precautions.\" Chen Gong had long since thought this through, and now, standing atop the command platform with a commanding view, he pointed all around him. \"In my humble opinion, we should immediately repair the main camp, avoid battle and stay behind our walls, while abandoning the left and right auxiliary camps as well as the rear camp. The dismantled materials can be used to reinforce the main camp. When the time comes, we keep only two camps, one large and one small, positioned like horns… The small camp will be under General Ju Yi with five thousand men; the main central camp will hold ten thousand plus some support troops, personally commanded by Your Lordship, with General Zhang He as deputy. The remaining wounded, new recruits, and the two gentlemen Cui and Gao, who need to recover from their injuries, should all be sent to Shucheng to escape the fighting!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is a sound proposal as well.\" Yuan Shao immediately nodded. \"I saw clearly last night's defeat — if veteran generals like Ju and Zhang lead crack troops in a cautious defense, cavalry cannot easily break the camp. It was the new troops and new commanders in the flanking camps… that dragged down the whole situation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yuan Benchu finished, he faltered for a moment, and everyone knew perfectly well why — he had once again recalled Cui Juye and his miraculous prophecy about taking Pingyuan within ten days. All kept their faces expressionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of which, Cui Zhong, Cui Juye, had still carried himself with an immortal's grace last night, so much so that even men like Ju Yi and Zhang He marveled at him — only for one battle to reveal his true colors. This revelation was not in comparison to men like Zhang He, for he was after all a new commander with new troops, but rather in comparison to his clansman Cui Yan. Both were scholars leading new troops, both suffered crushing defeats, yet Cui Yan's cautious defense early on, and his courage in later marching out with Gao Lan to intercept the enemy, were genuinely admirable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cui Juye? Everyone had long since learned from the routed soldiers that last night, before Gongsun Zan finished him off, the wretch had never even dared to leave his camp!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, disgraceful as Cui Juye's conduct was, his deeds inevitably reflected on Yuan Shao. Yet from last night until now, the staff officers and commanders in the tent all held Yuan Shao's courage in high regard… truly, he lost the battle but not his standing as a man!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That being the case, everyone naturally chose to ignore the clown Cui Juye and his jokes about reading the stars and knowing within ten days he would surely take Pingyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Death absolves all, after all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Taking Pingyuan within ten days is no longer realistic.\" Unexpectedly, Yuan Shao showed no intention of avoiding the subject. \"Before, I failed to recognize true heroes. But if you gentlemen can set aside your misgivings and strive together with me, we can still grasp the larger situation, maintain our stranglehold, and then seize Pingyuan…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men on the command platform grew ever more reverent. Led by Chen Gong, they bowed and voiced their assent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet before they could rise, and before Yuan Shao could continue, a feathered-tabard Tiger Guard suddenly hurried up, bearing a letter in both hands, saying it had just been delivered by a Pingyuan messenger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Benchu forcibly suppressed his anger, snatched the letter himself, and with only a glance at the two characters \"Gongsun\" on the cover, ground his teeth in fury and tore it open… then stood there stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord?\" Chen Gong asked curiously. \"Does Gongsun Bogui have some provocative words?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is not Gongsun Bogui, but then again, perhaps it is.\" Yuan Shao blankly handed the letter to Chen Gong, still hesitant and uncertain. \"Is Gongsun Bogui toying with me? Does he think I would fall for such a crude scheme?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one understood his meaning. Chen Gong gave it a quick glance, and his expression too grew hesitant and uncertain. Without a word, he passed the letter to Xu You beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ziyuan looked at it only once — at first equally stunned, then suddenly enlightened, the first to react. \"Benchu, do not doubt! This is not Gongsun Zan mocking you — this letter is absolutely genuine!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao gave a cold laugh. \"So absurd — how can it be believed? Has Cui Juye's spirit manifested or something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This has nothing to do with stargazing — it is tributaries flowing into the great river!\" Xu You stamped his feet repeatedly, unable to contain his urgency. \"These two men appear to be offshoots of the Gongsun clan, but they are also your natural tributaries. If Gongsun Xun were still here, it might be different, but how can Gongsun Zan compete with you for this path? Take General Zhang He — he was Wenqi's former subordinate, true, but when great matters arise, he stood between you and Han Wenjie. Whom could he follow but you?! Send troops at once — do not let this great matter slip!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang He was utterly baffled, while Yuan Shao rose in startled doubt, half-believing and half-skeptical, and finally turned his curious gaze toward Zhang Junyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Junyi, more bewildered than ever, still cupped his hands in salute. \"My lord, instruct me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If, back then, the General of the Guards had not taken the Three Adjuncts but had taken Jizhou instead…\" Yuan Shao asked with a serious expression. \"Junyi, tell me frankly — at that time, when you were under my command in Henei, would you have followed me, or the General of the Guards?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang He was painfully embarrassed, but still bowed his head and answered, \"This subordinate truly does not know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I do not know\" — that in itself was already an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then in the days to come, when I meet the General of the Guards in battle on the field, whom will Junyi follow?\" Yuan Shao pressed relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once the bond of lord and vassal is set, old kindness from former days only warrants a retreat of three stages,\" Zhang He answered solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There it is.\" Yuan Shao burst into relieved laughter. \"Just like the talents in Luoyang and the Three Adjuncts — if I had gone to contend with the General of the Guards back then, most would have been willing to follow me. But since it was the General of the Guards who went to the Three Adjuncts, those old friends must now meet on the battlefield. This is the principle that once streams merge, they can no longer be divided… Junyi!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your general is here!\" Zhang He was still utterly bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take five thousand troops and go to Pingyuan at once!\" Yuan Shao's manner turned abruptly stern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from Chen Gong, who had already grasped the situation, Feng Ji, who was still reading the letter, and Yuan Shao and Xu You, Zhang He and the rest of the men on the command platform all paled in shock and confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Gongsun Zan, who had toiled through a night of battle and then labored most of the day crossing the old channel back to the outskirts of Pingyuan City, was also staring up at the battlements with a face full of bewilderment. \"Uncle, A'Du — you two bear the name Gongsun. Why would you turn against me?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know perfectly well that my surname is Gongsun.\" Gongsun Fang — Cui Yan's close friend, disciple of the great Confucian scholar Zheng Xuan, and head of the Qinghe branch of the Gongsun clan, a distant uncle to both Gongsun Zan and Gongsun Xun — now stood atop the walls of Pingyuan, speaking with righteous conviction. \"Were it not so, why would I have declined Yuan Shao's invitation to come see you in the first place? It was precisely because you and I share the name Gongsun, and I thought I could persuade you, a thief of the state, to walk the proper path! Yet in all these months here, every time I urged you not to rely on your own strength and act recklessly, you turned a deaf ear and only grew worse, wantonly destroying institutions. I recommended to you many Confucian scholars and talented men of Pingyuan, but not only did you refuse to employ them, you repeatedly insulted them, while merchants, diviners, and such were given important posts by you! A man like you sees only soldiers, horses, wealth, and territory, but understands nothing of morality or custom, still less how to show compassion for the hearts of men… When I came to you then, it was because we share a surname. Today I turn against you because we do not share the same Dao!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well said, Uncle!\" Before Gongsun Zan below the walls could reply, Gongsun Du, standing nearby with shield raised, suddenly chimed in. \"Brother Bogui, I too have a word for you — not only do you not show compassion for men's hearts, you do not show compassion for men's strength! In your half year and more in Pingyuan, your conscriptions have known no limit, yet you refuse to grant rewards or rank to anyone outside your Youzhou cavalry… The common people of Pingyuan have long been at the end of their patience!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shut your mouth!\" Gongsun Zan flew into a towering rage. \"I can believe that Gongsun Fang has read himself stupid, but what face do you have to speak to me of men's hearts, of morality, of the common people?! When Liu Xuande was in Pingyuan, he wrote to me saying you were a cancer on this place. I did not believe it then, and after taking Pingyuan, for the sake of our shared surname, I even entrusted you with heavy responsibility! Little did I know that was the very thing that truly harmed me! And only a local strongman like you could have rallied the masses to rebel successfully, no? Why drag Gongsun Fang, a pedantic scholar, along as your raft?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The deed is done, Elder Brother — say what you will!\" Gongsun Du continued, shield still raised. \"The world will have its fair judgment… Is it false that you knew only how to conscript and demand in Pingyuan, without a shred of grace or virtue? Is it false that General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan governs with leniency throughout Qing and Yan? I have abandoned darkness for light with a clear conscience. Only, for the sake of our bond as brothers, I urge you to withdraw at once. Otherwise, when General Yuan's troops arrive tonight, you will not even have a foothold left! Your sworn brother Liu Weitai and the several concubines you took here are of no importance — in a few days, I will naturally beseech General Yuan to release them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Zan was beside himself with rage, but looking around, though his cavalry were numerous, nearly every man was wounded and utterly exhausted. Now they hung their heads in dejection — how could they possibly assault such a formidable city with a moat? He grew ever more helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, let us return to Bohai!\" Guan Jing urged helplessly. \"If Yuan Benchu truly has the nerve to send a force by night, we will indeed be caught off guard… The soldiers are even out of arrows, to say nothing of having no grain, no water, and every man wounded.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bogui, let us return to Youzhou!\" Tian Kai gripped his horse's reins and gave a long sigh, even more direct. \"You and I should wake up… In this age of great contention, warriors like us, no matter how skilled in battle, cannot compare with men like the General of the Guards and the General of Chariots and Cavalry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Bogui, shaken and fearful, hung his head in silence for a long while, then finally pointed at the battlements with a cold sneer. \"Gongsun Du… you may find it easy to betray me and go over to Yuan Benchu today, but in the future, I would like to see how Gongsun Wenqi can tolerate a man like you! I fear he will have you flayed and drowned in the sea!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, without even looking to see how Gongsun Du's face paled and went blank atop the wall, he led his troops northward and departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Worthy Nephew, do not be overly troubled.\" As the sun set in the west, Gongsun Fang watched the great army below the walls turn back and head north, and solemnly comforted his clansman-nephew from the neighboring commandery. \"He who has the Dao gains many helpers; he who loses the Dao gains few. Gongsun Zan himself forfeited his virtue in Pingyuan, while General Yuan honors the worthy and humbles himself before the learned — men's hearts turned to him, leading to today's events. What has this to do with the General of the Guards? This world, after all, does follow reason.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Du was speechless. He could only gaze at the shimmering waves of the old channel in the distance and force an awkward laugh. \"Indeed, Uncle, you are absolutely right. This world does follow reason.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——————I am a speechless dividing line——————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zan was a man of handsome appearance, with a great, resonant voice, eloquent and astute in discourse. He once mocked Yue, saying: 'Younger Brother, your voice is soft and pleasing, warm and generous to hear — only it is so small one cannot catch it.' Yue replied: 'A ruler of one foot can gauge the workings of the celestial sphere; a tube of one inch can measure the cyclical flow of energy. Therefore it is said — why must a voice be loud? Ask only whether what is spoken is worth hearing!'\" — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Speech\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: A bit late, barely managed a two-in-one chapter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Gongsun Fang and Gongsun Du are both genuine historical figures from the late Han. The former was Cui Yan's classmate and close friend, a man of Qinghe; the latter was a subordinate of Yuan Shao who, as a General of the Household, once harassed Cao Cao in the Taishan area and was defeated by Lu Qian — both are recorded in the histories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, thank you all for your enthusiastic participation in the fan song project… I've been too busy lately, and even now I don't know whether it was an official event or one organized by the moderators… but no matter — I've seen many of your works, and they are all excellent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",5671,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","999a295d727b89f0fe647d6bc8ae15120322767efaa9023afa975c65537f1253","overthrowing-han-chapter-394","overthrowing-han-chapter-392",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]