[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-403":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},1223162,1620,"Chapter 403","overthrowing-han-chapter-403",403,"\u003Cp>The rain had not completely stopped, and the Yuan army's main camp outside Handan City had sunk into a strange, desolate atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strangeness lay in this: the entire camp was actually bustling — collecting corpses, sorting weapons, digging drainage ditches, settling the wounded... and let's not forget, the fine rain overhead was still pattering against the tents. Yet, a camp so busy was at the same time utterly dejected and silent — it was truly unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And no wonder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two officials of the two-thousand-dan rank had fallen in battle, one thousand-dan Major had fallen, and counting those trampled by their own side or injured by friendly fire, the Yuan army had suffered over two thousand casualties in total... Of course, to be fair, this could hardly be called a crippling defeat for the Yuan army. Two thousand casualties against eighty thousand troops was truly a mere drizzle, and the losses were scattered — the unit structures remained intact and could be replenished at any time. The deaths of three commanders might seem excessive, but truth be told, Yuan Shao held nineteen commanderies and kingdoms; he was hardly short of scions of noble houses and local strongmen leaders who came here seeking glory and advancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With one Wu Anguo dead, there would surely be a Wu Anbang; with one Gao Lan gone, perhaps a Gao Yue was already waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing was this battle — it had almost been the work of Guan Yunchang alone, leading a thousand men. And this man, a military commander famed for his valor six or seven years ago, had actually grasped the timing of heaven, seized the moment of opportunity, and with his own strength toyed with Yuan Shao's eighty thousand troops and the heroes of three provinces in the palm of his hand, ultimately withdrawing almost unscathed. It was simply too humiliating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with the rain that the besieging side detested most, it was no wonder the morale of the entire Yuan army was exceptionally low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the central army tent, countless advisors, officers, and clerks had gathered. This place, usually a hotbed of red-faced, unending disputes, was now utterly silent — probably the most direct manifestation of this low morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has Mingqing's body been properly encoffined?\" After an unknown length of time, Yuan Shao, who had just pressed a hot cloth to his forehead, emerged from the rear tent supporting his sword. He asked this before even taking his seat, breaking the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In reply to my lord, it has been encoffined and sent to Bohai,\" Chen Gong, having no way to avoid it, could only answer with a dark expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I should have personally presided over Mingqing's funeral, but with the campaign in this state, I cannot easily leave.\" Yuan Shao sighed as he sat down. \"My eldest son, Yuan Tan, has just come of age and is now in Yecheng. I will send someone with a letter shortly, instructing him to make the trip to Bohai on my behalf, as a token of my grief...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord is so earnest. If General Gao could know from the netherworld, he would surely be grateful,\" Guo Tu, standing nearby, bowed slightly in praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is not earnestness,\" Yuan Shao, seated in the Grand Commandant's chair behind the high-legged desk, shook his head. \"It is clearly guilt. This battle...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Yuan Shao could finish, many prepared individuals around him stepped forward and bowed in salute. From Chen Gong, who oversaw the entire staff and bore responsibility by default, to Xin Ping, the architect of this plan, to Ju Shou, who had lost control of the eastern gate sector, and many commanders who had fought the previous day — it was obvious without thinking that these men were stepping forward now to plead guilty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yuan Shao waved his hand repeatedly, cutting off their rush to speak: \"Say no more. Regarding the battle the day before yesterday, if we are to assign blame, then everyone from myself down is guilty. But if we must find one person to bear this guilt, then let me bear it alone for all of you. This battle ends here. You have all done your utmost. It is I, the Regional Commander, who was incompetent in command, leading to this initial setback. I should accept the blame and apologize to the realm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tent was momentarily stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without haste, Yuan Shao, under the bewildered gazes of the crowd, simply removed his jinxian cap, then undid his topknot. With one hand holding his hair and the other producing a short knife from his bosom, he raised the blade and brought it down — clean and decisive — cutting off his full head of fine hair at the root.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Poor Yuan Shao, always renowned throughout the realm for his handsome appearance. Now, suddenly shorn of hair — bald on top, long on the sides — he looked exceptionally ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the act had been so sudden that no one could stop it. And now, having witnessed Yuan Shao cut his hair, who in the entire tent would dare laugh? In fact, within moments, no one in the tent remained standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eighty thousand troops besieging a thousand light cavalry, yet losing officers and men — by rights, I should be beheaded to uphold military law.\" Yuan Shao, his hair disheveled, put away the knife and rose, walking to the center of the tent. He spoke slowly to the crowd kneeling before him. \"But the three provinces and nineteen commanderies and kingdoms have all entrusted the campaign against the rebels to me. I am compelled to preserve this useful body for the future, and so can only cut my hair in place of my head, to set the record straight. The army judge is Yuantu, but he has gone to Qinghe in Gongtai's stead to deal with the Ji clan and has not yet returned. So, Gongtai...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subordinate is here!\" Chen Gong finally raised his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here is my hair. After today, I ask you to hang it upon the command platform and proclaim clearly throughout the army: the guilty commander Yuan Shao has been punished. Let the entire army no longer treat military discipline as nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Gong, half-kneeling, rose to receive the hair, nearly in tears: \"My lord, why go to such an extreme? We, your subjects, are the incompetent ones...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can be incompetent, and the enemy commander can be both wise and brave, but you cannot be incompetent!\" Yuan Shao, hair disheveled, leaned down and spoke sternly. \"If you are all incompetent, what do I have to contend with Gongsun Wenqi for the realm?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A collective gasp filled the tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This man Guan Yunchang — I had thought him merely a man of brute courage, with the valor of a Fan Kuai or Ying Bu. I never expected him to understand the signs of heaven and grasp the moment of battle...\" Yuan Shao stood up and continued, looking around. \"Such a man already rivals the famed generals of old! And there is Shen Zhengnan — ardent, fierce, loyal, and resolute, he too has the bearing of a famous minister of antiquity. Even the earlier case of Gongsun Bogui — his defeat at Pingyuan was by no means proof that he could not fight! As for Gongsun Wenqi himself, even before the campaign against Dong Zhuo, he was already acknowledged as the foremost commander of troops in the realm. And what of me, Yuan Shao? Born of a noble house, raised amidst the splendors of Luoyang, spending my adulthood in filial piety and study — when have I ever fought a battle? If I do not rely on you, do I have even half a chance of victory?! Emperor Gaozu could defeat Xiang Yu because he had Xiao He, Zhang Liang, and Han Xin — not because of himself! If Emperor Gaozu and King Xiang had each led a hundred thousand troops to decide the outcome, he would have died ten thousand times over! Therefore, the blame for this battle rests entirely on me. You, my lords, are without fault!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant thanks you, my lord!\" Hearing these words, Chen Gong, holding Yuan Shao's hair, led the others in thanking Yuan Shao for his grace — but he had already changed his form of address.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others, though not pledging fealty as Chen Gong had, also kowtowed in gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All of you, rise!\" After speaking at length, Yuan Shao paused for a moment before returning to his seat and gesturing for them to stand. \"No more thanks. The responsibility for this battle ends here; let it not be mentioned again. Today, I will only hear useful words...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord!\" Xin Ping gritted his teeth and stepped forward. \"The forward scouts report that yesterday, Handan openly opened its western gate. Guan Yunchang and his troops swaggered out with supplies from the city and returned to the western camp, just as before. At this point, a decision must be made.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What decision?\" Yuan Shao, still with disheveled hair, asked seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reflecting on the battle the day before yesterday, I believe the root cause lay in the lack of smooth command within the army. The troops are half the private property of their commanders, so that once a camp loses its leader, it loses its will to fight...\" As Xin Ping spoke, his gaze swept bluntly past the assembled military officers, finally resting on Li Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Li Tuizhi and the other commanders all maintained their composure. For one, Yuan Shao had already shouldered all responsibility. For another, setting aside the fact that Li Jin had also lost a nephew the day before yesterday (unknown at the time), most of those who had fought had also paid a price in casualties to some degree, so their backs were, in a sense, straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xin Ping also knew that assigning blame now would undermine Yuan Shao's larger strategy, so after just a glance, he bluntly laid out his full proposal: \"My lord, I am not speaking of pursuing responsibility, but of the need to reform the military system. For instance, whenever a commander is designated to lead a force into battle, he must be given a tiger tally, a command banner, and even a staff of authority — granting him the power to make decisions on the battlefield and the authority to discipline even two-thousand-dan officials. My lord holds nineteen commanderies and kingdoms, a quarter of the realm, and has many two-thousand-dan officials under his command. There must be a clear hierarchy. Therefore, my suggestion is this: since our army has been thwarted and is now beset by rain, and we can do nothing about Guan Yunchang for the moment, why not withdraw the main army to the area between Yecheng and Liangqi and first carry out a reorganization?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao hesitated. \"I have had the same thought, but what of Handan? Do we simply abandon it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is no issue,\" Guo Tu stepped forward and said calmly. \"My lord need not worry. It is only mid-July, the turn of summer and autumn. The autumn harvest has not even begun; the General of the Guards cannot arrive that quickly. Once we finish reorganizing in Wei Commandery, the skies clear, and the army's morale recovers, it will not be too late to suddenly strike back!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao was momentarily swayed. He truly wanted to thoroughly reorganize his troops — not just in terms of institutional authority and responsibility, but also to place reliable men within the army to oversee each camp, so that the absurdities of the battlefield would not recur: a deployment of two thousand men scattering the moment Wu Anguo died, or three thousand of the Li clan's soldiers not daring to move once Li Zheng was captured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, simply withdrawing the army like this felt somehow wrong...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subordinate has a word to say.\" The one who suddenly stepped forward was Ju Shou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gongyu, please speak!\" Yuan Shao still held Ju Gongyu in high regard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The sudden rainstorm the day before yesterday has weighed heavily on my mind, so yesterday I specifically sought out some elderly local farmers serving as auxiliary troops in the camp to inquire about the weather signs.\" Ju Shou replied earnestly. \"There is more to be said about this rain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao immediately became serious. \"Speak quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to the local old farmers in the camp, what seems like one rain is actually two,\" Ju Shou answered solemnly. \"The day before yesterday was a summer thunderstorm, while from yesterday until now, it has connected into a continuous autumn drizzle. In other words, from today onward, not only will the rain continue unceasingly, but the temperature will also gradually drop. Forcing the entire army to remain here would be unwise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao suddenly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not all,\" Ju Shou continued. \"Those old farmers also said that while this kind of rain pattern occasionally appears in other years, every time it does, it causes waterlogging before the autumn harvest. Moreover, in past years when millet was more commonly planted, such waterlogging was manageable — as long as the fields were drained promptly and the weather cleared before the harvest, the millet could still be salvaged. But in recent years, wheat-based foods have become more common, and more wheat is being planted. Wheat stalks are fragile and easily flattened by the wind and rain before the autumn harvest. And since the wheat harvest comes earlier than the usual autumn harvest, I fear considerable damage has already been done...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao had been listening in confusion at first, but upon hearing this, he suddenly had a flash of understanding: \"Are you saying there will be a grain shortage in Hebei after autumn?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not the entirety of Hebei — Changping has a Yanshan climate — but rather the region east of the Taihang Mountains, from Henei to the Changshan area. I fear the wheat crop there will suffer damage.\" Ju Shou finally explained everything. \"This kind of loss will affect both the enemy and ourselves equally, and it can only be considered a localized disaster in specific areas. But in any case, Handan lies right within this zone. I do not know how much grain is stored in Handan City, but consuming one dou of the enemy's grain is better than harvesting one dan of your own. We must always guard against him coming out to seize the millet and wheat harvest! That being the case, why not leave behind a truly elite force — no need for many, twenty thousand men — here, not seeking to take the city, but only to secure our main camp and prevent Shen Zhengnan from venturing out? This way, it cannot be considered lifting the siege. And when we finish reorganizing in Wei Commandery, the skies clear, the army's morale recovers, and we have even gathered the autumn grain, we can suddenly strike back — perhaps with unexpected effect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Yuan Shao nodded emphatically, his disheveled hair swaying with the motion. \"Gongyu, having known shame in defeat and still able to foresee the opportunity — perhaps my Zifang is none other than you, Gongyu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ju Shou hurriedly declined the praise with embarrassment, under the expressionless gazes of the other advisors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let one matter not trouble two masters!\" Yuan Shao could not be bothered with too much else. He took the short knife he had just used to cut his hair from his bosom, rose, and personally handed it to him. \"I will make Han Meng your deputy commander. Leave twenty thousand men here. You shall have full authority over the entire army. Whoever dares disobey, you may use this blade to execute them on the spot without further ado.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ju Shou was moved for a moment, then without the slightest hesitation, immediately bowed and received the blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Ju Shou was accepting this great responsibility, suddenly, the lowered tent flap was violently thrown open. A feathered armored soldier, drenched in rain, hurried in with a gust of damp, cold air and knelt before Yuan Shao, presenting a military report sealed in oiled paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao ignored it, first completing the presentation of the blade to Ju Shou. Only then did he take the report, tear open the seal, and briefly scan it. After reading, he returned unhurriedly to his seat and spoke calmly, his expression unchanged: \"All two-thousand-dan officials and advisors of the General of Chariots and Cavalry's staff remain. Everyone else, withdraw.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd did not understand his intent but could only comply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lords.\" Yuan Shao handed the letter to Chen Gong beside him, then looked around and spoke evenly. \"Pack up tonight and withdraw the army tomorrow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why such haste?\" Xin Ping was greatly puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yecheng has been lost,\" Chen Gong, reading the letter beside him, said with a calm expression, uttering words that struck like a thunderbolt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire tent was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gentlemen, there is no need to panic.\" Yuan Shao, seeing their reaction, was unhurried and even laughed in spite of himself. \"Now that it has come to this, what use is panic? In my view, if it is lost, it is lost. We shall turn the army around and retake it — it does not jeopardize the overall situation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\" Chen Gong pondered briefly, and could not help but sigh with emotion. \"Fortunately, the autumn grain has not yet been harvested, and the rest of the provisions are all at Liangqi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But…\" Xin Ping, standing to the side, was drenched in sweat. \"My lord, did you not send Gao Yuancai (Yuan Shao's nephew Gao Gan) to Henei to stabilize Zhang Zhishu? How then was Yecheng lost? From where did the General of the Guard dispatch his troops?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If they were the General of the Guard's troops, you and I would already be dead!\" Chen Gong, his face dark, answered from the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhongzhi, why such a loss of composure? Think on it and you will understand — how could Gongsun Wenqi move troops so swiftly?\" Yuan Shao once again laughed from his seat. \"He cannot fly… The ones who took advantage of the heavy rain the day before yesterday to suddenly seize Yecheng were tens of thousands of Mount Taihang bandits, divided into over ten divisions. Their leader is called Yu Du… the Heishan Bandits!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd first showed dawning comprehension, but then grew even more alarmed — mountain bandits might be easy to drive off, but their families were inside the city! From this perspective, it would have been better if Gongsun Wenqi's regular army had come!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My family is also in Yecheng…\" Yuan Shao seemed to understand their thoughts. \"Yet you do not see me so utterly discomposed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd abruptly fell solemn. This day's Yuan Benchu truly commanded heartfelt admiration and submission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one is permitted to leak military secrets — violators will be executed!\" Yuan Shao once again gave orders calmly from his seat. \"As just discussed, Ju Gongyu shall remain here commanding twenty thousand troops to keep watch over Shen Zhengnan and Guan Yunchang — merely hold the position securely! The remaining divisions are to pack up through the night and prepare to withdraw… Generals Wen and Ju shall serve as the vanguard. Depart at once; you can still reach Liangqi City by evening to rest, and by tomorrow you must be back beneath the walls of Yecheng!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The generals roared their assent and each took their leave. Even those with their own responsibilities, such as Guo Tu and Xin Ping, immediately went to prepare, while Chen Gong even left and returned… he had nearly forgotten to take Yuan Shao's hair from the table and hang it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as Chen Gongtai turned back, grabbed the hair, and was about to turn and leave, he was called to a halt by Yuan Shao: \"Gongtai, wait a moment… help me stand!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Gong suddenly understood. He turned back again, set down the hair, and then helped his lord to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gongtai, you must think me a laughingstock.\" Yuan Shao, barely able to rise, clung to Chen Gong's arm, his face full of desperate anxiety, his earlier composure completely gone. \"But several of my sons are not yet of age, and my youngest is barely two years old… If they were to fall into the bandits' hands and come to any harm, what then? Gongsun Wenqi's scheme is vicious indeed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these words, Yuan Benchu was nearly in tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Gong remained silent in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>————I am a dividing line more heroic than Yuan Shao————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shao had just besieged Handan for several days when he was routed by Guan Yu. He then encountered unceasing rain and was meeting with his generals to discuss retreat when he suddenly heard that the Heishan bandit Yu Du, under Chang'an's orders, had taken advantage of the rain to overturn Yecheng and kill the Grand Administrator, Li Cheng. The bandits, in over ten divisions numbering tens of thousands, gathered within Yecheng. Among the guests seated there, those with families in Ye were all stricken with worry and terror, some breaking into sobs. Shao alone remained unchanged in countenance, sitting upright and composed. He gave verbal directions and orders, arranging the rearguard and the vanguard in full detail, whereupon those around him were set at ease.\" — New Book of Yan, Hereditary Houses, First Scroll\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Earnestly recommending a book, Back to the Ming Dynasty as a Tyrant. The tyrant is about to finish. It is only 57 average subscriptions away from the ten-thousand-subscription badge (here I envy those 57s). Those interested may take a look — this is a standard ten-thousand-subscription premium historical novel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, the fact that Yecheng was taken by Yu Du the year after Yuan Shao obtained it is historical fact — do not say it is unreasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3654,"2026-06-04T19:42:52.587Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","909461f4a7fcc2f83d077350a615203d3a07f17532dfbbe2ab0ecaa52cbd477c","overthrowing-han-chapter-404","overthrowing-han-chapter-402",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]