Chapter 420: A New Moon Above and Below

Inside Liangqi City, the Yuan army's high command gathered in one hall. Although Gongsun Xun had released a large number of captured civil clerks and military officers, leaving the place overcrowded, the atmosphere was even more unbearable than in the days after their defeat and retreat.

"This is how things stand." Beside Yuan Shao in the hall, Xin Ping held a dossier, his expression grim, 'substituting' for Feng Ji, who was still in Anping, in presiding over this military council. "In this moment of peril, we have three matters that must be dealt with... First, the White Horse bandits have dispatched troops on both flanks, actually intending to envelop the entire Wei Commandery and swallow us whole. Second, that scoundrel Ju Yi has suddenly turned traitor and seized Yecheng. The last arises from the first two: our army is newly defeated, morale is shattered — how can we restore it? And if we cannot restore it, what means do we have to respond to the first two matters?"

"As the saying goes, 'The strong wind reveals the sturdy grass; times of peril reveal the loyal minister.' Let everyone speak!" General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan Shao was dressed impeccably and splendidly, appearing quite spirited, yet for some reason he lightly supported his forehead. As soon as Xin Ping finished speaking, he pressed them curtly, as if rather impatient.

The saying 'The strong wind reveals the sturdy grass' originates from Emperor Guangwu, Liu Xiu, the Han Shizu, as praise for his meritorious official Wang Ba. At that time, after the Battle of Kunyang, Liu Xiu was sidelined and went north to Hebei alone. The old generals from Yingchuan around him left one after another; men like Deng Yu and Feng Yi had either set out early to scout the road or had not yet followed. Liu Xiu looked around him, his surroundings desolate to the extreme. Only Wang Ba, who had originally been recuperating at home, instead abandoned his family and father to come alone. Moved, Guangwu spoke these words to him.

Later, Wang Ba, from the status of a prison clerk, ranked among the founding meritorious officials of the Later Han. The world's consensus was that this man relied solely on 'serving his lord with sincerity and being loyal in his duties.'

As for Yuan Shao using this allusion at this moment, one purpose was to compare himself to Guangwu, to not let his ambition falter, to remind everyone that he still had capital and strength, and that the road ahead was still long — it was not impossible for him to turn the tables. Another was to encourage everyone: this was his most perilous moment, and he would never forget those who now upheld the integrity of a subject. Of course, there was also a layer of warning implied, which need not be elaborated... In short, this allusion was extremely apt for the moment.

And indeed, as soon as these words were spoken, in the previously stifled hall, the crowd found it difficult to remain silent any longer. Several men in the front ranks hesitated briefly and then prepared to step forward.

"All matters have an order; all actions have a priority." At that moment, someone outside the ranks, sitting in a corner at the front of the hall, suddenly spoke up directly. "These three matters have causality and weight; the sequence cannot be confused..."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw it was none other than Xu You.

"Ziyuan, feel free to speak plainly." Yuan Shao, eyes closed and supporting his forehead, spoke directly... Without needing to look, he recognized the voice of this 'friend in flight' who had followed him for sixteen years.

"The first matter, Gongsun Wenqi's grand pincer maneuver — we currently have absolutely no way to respond to it. This is because the officers and soldiers are all terrified and panicked, military morale is shattered, and fighting spirit is low; we simply cannot dispatch troops. And even if we wanted to send troops to respond, we cannot bypass Yecheng behind us as a base for maneuvering!" Xu You did not step forward or rise, but merely spoke to himself. "Therefore, this matter truly cannot be helped; we can only set it aside for now..."

"What about the latter two?" Receiving a signal from his elder brother, Xin Pi, standing not far from Xu You, suddenly turned his head to ask. "May I ask, Brother Ziyuan, which comes first and which second?"

"The latter two matters are actually a dead knot intertwined with each other." Xu You glanced coldly at Xin Pi and continued. "To deal with Ju Yi and retake Yecheng, whether by battle or intimidation, we must boost morale and dispatch a large army to accompany the action. Yet, not to mention that our army is now utterly defeated and morale is shattered, let me just say one thing: the families of most of the army's officers and the General of Chariots and Cavalry's staff have long resided in Yecheng. After the Yu Du rebellion, although they were temporarily relocated to Liangqi, only the family of Yuan Chariot-and-Cavalry himself remained stationed there; all the rest returned. In other words, Ju Yi not only holds a strong city but also holds hostages. If the General of Chariots and Cavalry's own family is safe, yet he forces his subordinates to retake the city regardless of their families' safety, is that not forcing the army's commanders to imitate Ju Yi and each seek their own way out?"

The hall was cold and silent. Yuan Shao supported his forehead without speaking; the other civil and military officials each harbored their own thoughts.

And Xu You continued his insolent speech from the corner: "As for not taking Yecheng, that is even more laughable... Yecheng is the largest city in Hebei, the capital of Wei Commandery, the seat of Jizhou's provincial government. Without Yecheng in hand, how can we speak of holding firm and counterattacking? Not to mention that tens of thousands of defeated soldiers are now huddled here, hemmed in by Yecheng and Handan, unable to advance or retreat. If we do not retake Yecheng, are we to let the entire army rot here in Liangqi City? Even setting all this aside, the third major matter that Xin Zhongzhi just mentioned — restoring morale and reorganizing military spirit... May I ask how to reorganize, how to restore? At the very least, the commanders and staff must see their families before they can reorganize with peace of mind, and the wounded and disabled soldiers must be able to return home in rotation before proper recovery can happen, right?!"

"If we follow your words, Xu Ziyuan, does that not leave only one path?" Guo Tu asked sternly. "For our lord to bow his head to a former criminal whose entire clan was once exiled, a rebellious martial ruffian utterly devoid of loyalty? Truly enfeoff him as Marquis of Pingyuan, Chancellor of Pingyuan, and General Who Guards the East?"

"In chaotic times, rites collapse and music is corrupted..." Yuan Shao was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke with his eyes closed. "Even Han Xin endured the humiliation of crawling between legs; how can I not endure? Moreover, in this matter, Ju Yi also has his own argument. I once promised him a marquisate, but before it was fulfilled, Gongsun Xun suddenly arrived, and we hastily met him in battle, resulting in utter defeat. His fear that I could not fulfill the promise after the defeat is probably genuine. And I fear there was also the factor of too many casualties among his soldiers, and being unable to restrain looting in the rout. So he simply went all the way, annexed Xue Fang's troops, seized Yecheng, and used it to coerce me... Actually, if there is truly no other way, what harm is there in granting it to him for a time?"

Guo Tu retreated sheepishly, and the civil and military officials in the hall mostly looked relieved.

"It cannot be done!" At that moment, it was again Xu You who raised his voice in opposition, though he still did not step forward, merely speaking from behind the crowd. "Under no circumstances can we agree to Ju Yi... First, although Ju Yi is a martial ruffian, ignorant and fearless, the Pingyuan region connects Qingzhou and Jizhou, has a population of a million, and is the foremost strategic town on our eastern flank. If he truly seizes it for a time by force of arms, how can we easily take it back later? Second, our army has suffered this great defeat, drawing the eyes of the entire realm, with internal and external parties harboring selfish motives. If we show weakness now, people's hearts will instead become uncontrollable... And if even this reasoning is insufficient, then allow me to ask General Yuan just one more thing, may I?"

"Ask!" Yuan Shao still had his eyes closed, supporting his forehead.

"If a scoundrel like Ju Yi, who takes advantage of others' peril, can obtain the posts of General Who Guards the East, Chancellor of Pingyuan, and Marquis of Pingyuan..." Xu You sneered from the corner. "Then may I ask, General Yuan, Li Tuizhi has fought diligently, his troops are even better, and his clan's influence spans Jiyin and Shanyang. His elder brother Li Qian even lost his eldest legitimate son for you, General Yuan. In the current situation, should you not give Li Tuizhi a general's title like General Who Guards the South to be appropriate? And also give his elder brother Li Qian an appointment like Grand Administrator of Jiyin or Inspector of Qingzhou to sufficiently calm people's hearts? And then grant them three marquisates in one family to show encouragement? But if so, Captain Cheng Wu should also have a Marquis of Cangting title, right? And General Cheng Yu, who is in the rear responsible for allocating military provisions, should also be given the post of Grand Administrator of Dong Commandery, shouldn't he?"

Yuan Shao slightly opened his eyes, while Li Jin and Cheng Wu both seemed about to speak but hesitated.

"And there is also Ju Gongyu!" Before Yuan Shao and Li Jin could react, Xu You continued sternly. "Compared to our territory south of the Yellow River, now that we have lost this battle, Hebei bears the brunt and is in extreme peril... At such a time, if we agree to the demands of someone like Ju Yi, may I ask where that leaves General Ju, who lost his own son and labored bitterly to support your rear in that day's battle? How will he face the scholars and commoners of Yecheng, who have been plundered twice in a single year? It may be simple for General Yuan to agree to one Ju Yi, but in doing so, do you not fear that the hearts of the entire army, from top to bottom, will be filled with discontent?!"

Yuan Shao closed his eyes once more.

"Xu Ziyuan." Xin Ping finally spoke directly to confront Xu You. "It is certainly easy for you to open your mouth and criticize wantonly like this, for under the shadow of defeat, who is without fault... But is now the time to speak of difficulties? We must act, we must make choices! If it is as you say, are we to simply wait for death here in Liangqi City?!"

Xu You gave a cold laugh but showed no intention of debating with Xin Ping. Meanwhile, Guo Tu, Xin Pi, and others seized the opportunity to begin loudly discussing whether or not to make peace with Ju Yi... However, with the powerful Yanzhou faction military commanders maintaining silence and the Hebei faction leader Ju Shou not uttering a word, their discussion remained like scratching an itch through a boot, fundamentally unable to play a decisive role.

"Ziyuan." After an unknown length of time, Yuan Shao suddenly opened his eyes and released the hand supporting his forehead, instantly silencing the hall.

However, perhaps because the clamor of argument had not yet ceased when this call was made, Xu You did not hear it and made no response to the summons.

Yuan Shao was momentarily stunned, then simply rose directly. Amid the solemn silence of the hall's civil and military officials, he walked slowly forward, directly to that corner at the front of the hall, and actually bowed to Xu You with clasped hands, bending fully at the waist: "Ziyuan, you are right... The domineering and treacherous actions of a martial ruffian like Ju Yi are indeed not worth mentioning, but at this moment we cannot ignore people's hearts... Yuantu has not yet returned, and Gongtai died in the battle. Please tell me, is there truly no way?"

Xu You sat in the corner, hands tucked in his sleeves, body turned sideways, staring fixedly at the short hair of the person bowing before him. He remained silent for a long time, while Yuan Shao actually maintained the posture of bowing with clasped hands and bent body.

The hall was utterly silent.

"Benchu should not be bowing to me." After an unknown length of time, Xu You finally let out a long breath, his tone trembling slightly. "There are only three people who can resolve this matter for Benchu. I already mentioned them just now... They are Ju Shou, Li Jin, and Cheng Wu."

Yuan Shao did not straighten his waist but was slightly startled, raising his head with a dawning realization.

"Now that we are newly defeated, only Ju Gongyu, a local man, can pacify the hearts of the people in Yecheng. And Li Tuizhi's troops are special... His core forces are all clan affiliates, his own clansmen. Although they have suffered losses in the recent defeat, as long as they are not immediately pitted against the Northern Raiders cavalry, they are absolutely capable of fighting again immediately." Xu You sat there, explaining rapidly. "As for Captain Cheng Wu, his father Cheng Zhongde is the heart of Dong'e's popular support. Xue Fang's troops will certainly waver upon seeing Cheng Wu. Therefore, Benchu should now go and bow to these three men. Ask Ju Gongyu to take the seal of General Who Guards the East and the seal of Marquis of Pingyuan to Yecheng, pretend to agree to Ju Yi, and use the opportunity to take control of Yecheng and lead troops to follow and attack. Then have Li Tuizhi set an ambush on the road east of Yecheng. And have Captain Cheng Wu accompany them, so that after the battle begins, he can recruit the recently annexed Xue Fang troops within Ju Yi's forces... Attacking from front and rear, with the three men working together, success is certain!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Yuan Shao turned and bowed to the nearest Cheng Wu. Cheng Wu turned pale with fright and immediately returned the gesture with a grand prostration on the ground. As for Li Jin and Ju Shou, each sighed while glancing at Xu You sitting in the corner, but then hurriedly bowed in return before Yuan Shao could do so.

The grand council in the hall thus concluded. Setting aside how Yuan Shao, seeing a glimmer of hope, acted without hesitation immediately, let us speak only of that evening. As the Registrar of the General of Chariots and Cavalry's office, wielding immense power in the army, Guo Tu came alone, carrying a jug of unstrained wine, to visit Xin Ping, the de facto administrator of Liangqi City.

Of course, after the defeat, chaos reigned inside and outside Liangqi City... Although this place, as the Yuan army's previous base camp, had ample preparations and stores, the resettlement of the wounded and routed soldiers, and the restoration of unit structures and organization, were all troublesome matters. Not to mention that Gongsun Xun's grand army was now enveloping them on both flanks, and Ju Yi was wreaking havoc in Yecheng — all done openly, impossible to conceal — so much so that the panic in the city grew increasingly evident.

Thus, Xin Ping was busy until after midnight before returning, utterly exhausted, to his residence in the city.

However, Guo Tu seemed to know that only at this hour could he meet Xin Ping privately, and had remained perfectly composed. One jug of unstrained wine, accompanied by a full two meals' worth — four bowls — of shredded meat noodles, had already been drunk dry by him, instead making the accompanying Xin Pi somewhat uneasy.

"Does Gongze have some matter for this visit?" Seeing Guo Tu, Xin Ping merely acted as if it were nothing of concern. He first went to wash his face and hands, then slowly ate a bowl of shredded meat noodles, tidied up again, had the bowls and chopsticks removed, and only then composedly sat opposite the other man across a desk in the rear hall.

And Xin Pi sat down to the side to accompany them.

"It is precisely because there is no matter that I came seeking an old friend... Speaking of which, counting from when we first met as teenagers at Master Chen's place in the commandery, it has been nearly twenty or thirty years of friendship. In these chaotic times, with over twenty years of old acquaintance, both strangers in a strange land — does Zhongzhi intend to drive me away?" Guo Tu's face was full of jest.

Hearing this, Xin Ping also sighed: "Gongze may come seeking me at any time, but in this critical period, military affairs are heavy. You are the Registrar of the General of Chariots and Cavalry's office. Rather than sitting here all evening, it would be better to have joined me in reorganizing military affairs at the time... It would also save us from idle gossip!"

"What idle gossip?" Guo Tu, who had been stroking his beard and smiling, suddenly became stern. "Today in the hall, Xu Ziyuan all but openly cursed us Yingchuan men as useless wretches in the current situation! Under such circumstances, are we still afraid of idle talk?! And what meaning is there in your blind busyness here? Are you not just making wedding clothes for others?!"

Xin Ping remained silent. Xin Pi had originally wanted to speak, but seeing his elder brother's silence, he could only swallow his words back.

"Xin Zhongzhi, stop pretending!" Guo Tu grew increasingly agitated. "Everyone knows that in the current situation, here in Wei Commandery, we Yingchuan men no longer have any place to display our talents! No matter how hard you labor today, it is absolutely impossible for you to truly seize the authority of directing affairs... Feng Ji is resolute but useless, destined not to control the overall situation. The lord uses him merely to block the mouths of the Yanzhou men. Once Yecheng is retaken, it will inevitably be Ju Shou, with his great merit and status as a Hebei native, who takes over the office of Chief of Staff!"

Xin Ping finally spoke, yet remained composed: "Ju Gongyu is surpassingly talented, loyal and measured, and possesses ambition. Moreover, as you say, he is the natural leader of the Hebei natives now, and is precisely suited for this role. So if he comes to oversee the General's staff office, I am sincerely and willingly convinced."

"You have omitted one reason." Seeing the other man finally speak, Guo Tu felt relieved but then sneered again. "He also has Chen Gongtai's 'dying testament'! Not only the Hebei men, but the Yanzhou men also acknowledge him! It's just that Chen Gongtai's 'dying testament' also said that you, Xin Zhongzhi, are, like me, Guo Tu, a useless wretch unworthy of being entrusted with great matters!"

Xin Ping finally clenched his fists, visibly moved.

"Zhongzhi." Guo Tu resumed his normal expression and spoke with emotion. "Matters have reached this point; let us truly no longer deal with each other with false courtesy... The current situation is that we, this group of Yingchuan men, have labored for our lord for years — you have even labored for over a decade. We have achievements to our merit and toil to our hardship, yet today we are being pushed aside by these locals! Everyone says Ju Shou is a man of both talent and virtue, with surpassing intellect, and harbors great ambition to accomplish a grand enterprise. I do not deny it. But are you, Xin Zhongzhi, not exactly the same? Did you not, from youth, harbor great ambition and desire to accomplish a grand enterprise? Zhongzhi, I will speak frankly: I believe you will absolutely not be resigned to this. Just as I will absolutely not be resigned to it!"

"What use is it not to be resigned?" Xin Ping finally let his emotions show and spoke directly. "How can this situation possibly be overturned? Right now, it is indeed true that we are of no use to our illustrious lord; only men like Ju Gongyu and Li Tuizhi are useful!"

"Then we shall overturn heaven and earth, make them useless and ourselves useful..."

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Xin Ping rose angrily, his countenance changing dramatically. "What do you mean, 'overturn heaven and earth, make them useless'?! Do you want me to harm our illustrious lord's grand strategy for personal gain?! Guo Gongze, we may face a thousand, ten thousand difficulties, but we cannot become men who betray their lord, can we?! You always call him 'lord,' while I merely say 'illustrious lord,' but everyone under heaven knows that General Yuan is our sovereign, and we are General Yuan's subjects. A scholar... We have studied since childhood. The Book of Rites says: cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, bring peace to the world. If we become men who betray our lord, then we collapse from the very foundation of self-cultivation! Moreover, our families are also in Yecheng. If we truly ruin their affairs, then regulating the family also becomes a laughingstock!"

"When did I ever tell you to betray our lord?!" Guo Tu also retorted sternly. "I merely thought of a brilliant stratagem that can allow our lord to regain his vigor while also allowing us Yingchuan men to gain power... And why must you lecture me on the Book of Rites?! Our Yingchuan Guo family tradition is the Xiao Du Code, which teaches the Legalist concepts of power, technique, and law! It is a heterodox path, yet it has its unique merits. Do you want to hear it or not?"

"Speak!" Xin Ping scrutinized the other man for a moment, then ultimately sat back down.

"This matter is simple..." Guo Tu calmed down, then smiled easily at the uneasy Xin Pi and spoke composedly. "We are not actually useless in Hebei; we are useless in Wei Commandery, or rather in Jizhou. This is the karmic consequence sown when we Yingchuan men plotted against Han Fu on behalf of the General of Chariots and Cavalry."

Xin Ping was slightly startled, then also stroked his beard and nodded: "Gongze, continue."

"And the reason Ju Shou can be of use, Xu Ziyuan has already explained very thoroughly — it is not only his ability but also because he is the leader of the local scholars and has local renown..."

"Brother Gongze means to change location?" Before Xin Ping could speak, Xin Pi beside him had already grasped the idea. "But where to go? Yecheng is the capital of Hebei, a natural strategic center. As long as we are at war with Gongsun Xun in Hebei, it cannot be lightly abandoned, can it? And if we abandon Hebei, not to mention the implications for the overall situation, if we truly retreat to Yanzhou and face Gongsun Wenqi across the river, will the Yanzhou men let us fare any better? Forgive my bluntness, but Ju Gongyu is ultimately a gentleman of talent, morality, and great ambition. But those Yanzhou men — if another figure like Chen Gongtai appears, we will truly have no place to stand!"

"Yanzhou absolutely cannot be our destination. With Chen Gongtai's dying words, going there is seeking our own death!" Guo Tu could not help but roll his eyes. "Nor can we lightly speak of abandoning Yecheng... But we can go to Qinghe or Pingyuan, and the opportunity is right before us!"

The Xin brothers stood frozen on the spot.

“I will speak of four matters.” Guo Tu said with a grave expression. “First, Xu Ziyuan’s plan today is indeed formidable. Ju Shou, Li Jin, and Cheng Wu, these three, on this mission will inevitably annihilate Ju Yi and recapture Yecheng — do you agree or not?”

The Xin brothers nodded in unison.

“Second, because of the delay caused by this affair, by the time Yecheng is retaken, the army catches its breath, and mobility is restored, I fear Gongsun Xun’s great army will have already completed its encirclement. At the very least, on the western front, Guan Yu, leading thirty thousand elite troops, absolutely has the ability to link up with Shangdang and thrust back toward Zhaoge!” Seeing the two nod, Guo Tu grew animated. “Third, compared to Guan Yu’s western route, which has Bingzhou at its back for support, Shen Pei’s eastern route is clearly cut off by the Zhang River, making logistics difficult. Moreover, once he crosses the Zhang River, he has no reinforcements and will face enemies on three sides. Therefore, I estimate that with Gongsun Xun’s cunning, he would never commit too many troops to this route, lest a great victory be followed by a great calamity… At most, it will be ten thousand weaker troops, seizing the critical city of Guangzong to press against our flank and waist, nothing more…”

“Hold on.” Xin Ping suddenly grew curious. “I find these three points quite convincing, but these military details are so precise — thirty thousand elite troops, ten thousand weaker troops — how do you know all this? Liangqi City is clearly an isolated city, a dead city right now. The officers who returned only know that something of the sort happened.”

“I have my own sources of intelligence… Zhongzhi, you need not ask further.” Guo Tu spread his hands in reply. “In any case, in a few days, you will inevitably learn of these military details sooner or later, will you not?”

Xin Ping looked thoughtful but said no more.

“Then may I ask, Brother Gongze, what is the fourth matter?” Xin Pi pressed with curiosity.

“The fourth matter is that our lord, Yuan Cheqi, though outwardly calm and composed, sincere in his dealings, has in truth been frightened out of his wits by Gongsun Xun in a single battle! He is dazed! In his heart, he already fears that General of the Guards in Handan to the north like a tiger!” Guo Tu answered solemnly. “Therefore, once Yecheng is retaken, we should seize the moment to urge him not to personally hold this place, but instead invite Ju Gongyu to take overall charge of the headquarters and garrison Yecheng, and then request that he, Yuan Cheqi, openly attack Guangzong to break the stalemate, while actually shifting to Pingyuan as a retreat! He will certainly agree! Of course, this cannot be stated directly. We need only ask him to personally lead troops eastward to attack Guangzong, so as to restore military prestige… And once he goes out, arriving at that junction of three commanderies at Guangzong, even if it is not a formal transfer of headquarters, it will be one in effect. At that point, with Ju Shou left behind to guard Wei Commandery, will not the true power over the overall situation fall to you, Xin Zhongzhi?”

Xin Pi understood in his heart, yet something still felt off. And when he looked toward his elder brother, Xin Ping merely remained silent.

“Brother Zhongzhi, let me add one more word…” Guo Tu rose with emotion. “This is no petty scheme, but a move that serves two ends. We have labored for two years, only to suffer a great defeat. In the current situation, we ought to withdraw to a place of safety, carefully manage our rear, and then plan a counterattack. Compared to Yecheng, Pingyuan — with Bohai to its north, Qinghe and Wei Commandery to its west, and Anping and Hejian to its northwest — is the natural foundation for a defensive posture north of the Yellow River! I have said my piece. Farewell!”

Xin Ping sat motionless, unresponsive, but Guo Tu paid no mind and left on his own. Only Xin Pi hurried to see him off.

A moment later, Xin Pi returned hastily, only to find his elder brother still sitting motionless beneath the lamplight, his expression stern yet indifferent. He could not help but forcibly suppress the questions in his heart.

“If there is something you wish to ask, ask it directly.” As if sensing his younger brother’s doubts, after a long while, Xin Ping instead spoke first.

“Guo Gongze spoke extremely well, yet I feel there is something amiss in this stratagem.” Xin Pi inquired gravely. “I beg my elder brother to resolve my confusion.”

“Of course it is amiss.” Before his own brother, Xin Ping permitted himself a rare cold laugh. “To do this is to sell out Wei Commandery and Ju Gongyu. If the main army defends the various cities of Wei Commandery, and our illustrious lord remains here to command, then with troops burning for revenge and strong cities and great fortresses, the General of the Guards may not win quickly. We might well wear him down until his strength fails, or until the greater situation in the realm shifts. But if the main force goes off to attack some Guangzong, and our illustrious lord extricates himself from the encirclement of Wei Commandery and goes east of Guangzong… then whether he goes to Pingyuan or Qinghe, or truly wastes away beneath the walls of Guangzong, Wei Commandery will in substance become a discarded piece! I ask you, is Ju Gongyu an immortal? Give him Wei Commandery alone, and can he withstand the envelopment of eighty or ninety thousand northern troops?!”

Xin Pi suddenly saw the light, but then hastily asked again: “And the matter my brother asked about just now… where did Guo Gongze’s military intelligence come from?”

“Where could it come from? It must have been sent specially by those released officers at the behest of his clansman Guo Jia.” Xin Ping’s sneer grew even more pronounced. “And in truth, it is not only their Guo clan. Among the Xun clan, Xun Gongda is also trusted and favored by the General of the Guards. Ju Gongyu’s younger brother, Ju Gongtiao, is simply an old associate of the General of the Guards. Shen Zhengnan only broke his nephew’s leg, yet instead allowed Shen Rong to gain a secure foothold in Wei Commandery. And then there is Xu Ziyuan himself — to think he could rely on old ties with the General of the Guards to persuade an enemy commander to spare him on the battlefield is simply unimaginable… Every last one of these men has arranged a path of retreat! As it is said, cultivate the self without neglecting the family, govern the state, and naturally one can bring peace to all under heaven… Our Xin clan, by contrast, has been rather too honest until now.”

Xin Pi finally understood completely. And though he still wished to ask whether his elder brother intended to accept Guo Tu’s plan to shift headquarters, he felt for the moment that the question was too sensitive, and so he inevitably fell silent.

“This time, Xu You’s stratagem is indeed brilliant; Yecheng will certainly be retaken.” After another long wait, Xin Ping suddenly spoke again of his own accord. “When that time comes, your foolish elder brother will recommend you, Zuozhi, to our illustrious lord as the defending commander of Liangqi City. Take half the clan’s dependents and remain here to guard it; be earnest and devoted to duty… And when the situation becomes untenable, you may then honorably request to surrender, and seek a chance of survival for our Xin clan with the General of the Guards… The clan’s heritage spans a hundred years; it cannot be destroyed in the hands of us brothers. But remember, you must only surrender after the greater situation in Wei Commandery has truly collapsed and there is genuinely no way out. Before that, you must defend with all your heart, demonstrate your ability, and absolutely must not lightly betray Lord Yuan, lest you become a laughingstock.”

Xin Pi’s heart shook violently. He slowly rose and bowed to Xin Ping.

Xin Ping’s mood was utterly foul, and he was exhausted to the extreme. He tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and accepted the bow, then waved his hand to dismiss him.

Xin Pi took his leave carefully, and in the end did not ask whether his elder brother had accepted Guo Tu’s suggestion… for his elder brother’s choice was already self-evident.

…………

The night was deep and far-reaching, the autumn wind rustling. Gongsun Xun was in the main camp beneath the walls of Handan, writing obituary notices — or rather, what passed for death notifications in this age. This was only natural. Although it was a great victory, death, injury, and maiming were unavoidable in Gongsun’s army. And while in most cases the origins of a soldier’s life were in truth untraceable, ever since the battle in Liaoxi, whenever it was possible, Gongsun Xun always had his personal guard do this, and he participated personally as much as he could.

“Gongda, what is it?” When he finally set down his brush for a moment, preparing to rest, Gongsun Xun looked up and only then realized someone had been waiting for quite some time — it was Xun You, who had the right to enter the tent without being announced.

“There is a matter that suddenly came to mind, so I came to ask you, my lord.” Xun You quickly stepped forward with a serious expression.

“Speak.”

“My lord, Shen Zhengnan serving as bait at Guangzong certainly looks tempting, but will Yuan Shao truly fall for it? If he remains in Wei Commandery to defend to the death, will our army truly have to assault cities and storm fortresses in hard fighting?”

“Of course not. Assaulting strong cities and fighting hard for fortified camps — unless it is a matter of life and death, I will avoid it if I can.” Gongsun Xun answered frankly.

“Then my lord must have a stratagem to make Yuan Shao go east to Guangzong?” Xun You was uncharacteristically puzzled.

Seeing this, Gongsun Xun could not help but laugh: “Is there also a time when Gongda does not know?”

“Men are not divine sages; how can one know all?”

“You are simply blind to what is right under the lamp.” Gongsun Xun pointed at the candle on the desk and smiled. “Let me ask you, Gongda — what sort of man is Guo Tu? Do you know?”

Xun You was half enlightened, half permitting himself a rare soft laugh, yet a trace of doubt still remained.

“And what sort of man is Xin Ping? Do you know?” Gongsun Xun pressed on.

Xun You still nodded with a smile: “I will not hide it from you, my lord. These are all old acquaintances from the commandery. Moreover, Guo Gongze and I once served together in the commandery office… However, my lord, if you intend to use a stratagem of sowing discord, then Guo Gongze might perhaps be somewhat maneuverable. But Xin Zhongzhi, after all, still retains some of the bearing of a scholar. And as for Ju Gongyu, I have heard from Tian Yuanhao that he is a man truly possessed of both talent and virtue.”

“Not just talent and virtue, but also great ambition.” Gongsun Xun sighed, then laughed even more. “Like Yuanhao, and like you, Gongda — all can be called talents worthy of a state… Speaking of which, Gongda, do you still remember when we first met?”

“Before the Weiyang Palace, my lord displayed heroic bearing and lashed the realm. This subordinate dares not forget.”

“Then do you know why I, knowing full well that all the realm’s outstanding talents come from the great clans, still insisted on publicly berating them and laying the blame for the realm’s collapse upon them?”

“…”

“Because those were nothing but the truth.” Gongsun Xun sat upright behind the desk, heedless of Jia Kui, Yang Xiu, Fa Zheng, and the others doing clerical work nearby stealing glances, and heedless of Xun You standing before him. He raised his voice and declared: “That the realm has fallen to its present state, that the House of Han has fallen to its present state, is the sin committed by them, the Son of Heaven, and the powerful and privileged. I do, in fact, understand what you all mean. You wish to say that among the great clans there are paragons of morality — is not Xun Gongda here just such a one? Their faults are not as universally known as Emperor Ling’s folly, nor as visible everywhere as the lawlessness of the local strongmen. But have you considered this? The realm was originally shared by you great clans, the strongmen, and the Son of Heaven. If the realm has decayed to this extent, and it is not their sin, could it be the sin of these common folk, whose very names are carelessly strung together with Bo, Zhong, Shu, Ji, or three, four, five, six?”

“…”

Having said this, Gongsun Xun could not help but shake his head: “I do not deny that the realm’s finest talents come from the great clans. But their greatest flaw is this: they clearly are, like the strongmen, masters of the provinces and commanderies, and like the Son of Heaven and the powerful, masters of the realm. They clearly believe in their hearts that both the localities and the central authority should be under their sole control, and they consistently strive for power and profit. Yet when trouble arises, they say the localities were ruined only by the strongmen, and the central authority was ruined only by the Son of Heaven and the powerful — that they themselves bear no responsibility! Is this not laughable?”

Xun Gongda could only bow and offer his apologies.

“I am not speaking of you.” Gongsun Xun continued to smile. “Your morality, Xun Gongda, I admire to the utmost… I am not speaking of any single individual. Your fellow townsmen Xin Ping and Guo Tu, and Chen Gong before them — they may appear to differ in purity and corruption, in virtue, in temperament, but in truth they are all the same! Those in the localities all feel that local affairs should be decided by themselves; those at Yuan Shao’s side all feel that central affairs should be done their way!”

Xun You sighed: “This subordinate understands… With Chen Gong dead, the positions of power and responsibility beside Yuan Shao lie vacant. The various factions — Yanzhou, Jizhou, Nanyang, Yingchuan — whether they wish to or not, they must contend. This has nothing to do with whether their leaders can value the greater picture. It is just like the matter of Ju Yi: even setting aside the defeat and the collapse of army morale, even without Ju Yi the unruly warrior, other generals would gradually lose their fear and reverence. In short, once defeated, Yuan’s army will lose control and scatter. This naturally creates cracks through which a stratagem of sowing discord may be applied.”

“Quite so. Before I even heard of Ju Yi’s conduct in Yecheng, I had already sent someone, in Gongda’s name, to deliver our military dispositions to Guo Tu.” Gongsun Xun looked at the visibly stunned Xun You and smiled faintly. “Because I knew that the moment internal rifts appeared within Yuan’s army, no matter who gained the upper hand, the one to spoil things would inevitably be Guo Gongze. That man would certainly lend me a hand… I hope Gongda will not blame me for acting without authorization.”

Xun You came back to his senses and gave a bitter smile.

“How many obituary notices are left to write?” Gongsun Xun suddenly turned his head and asked the several young men, who were similarly stunned over there.

“Six hundred remain in total. They will be finished by tomorrow,” Yang Xiu blurted out.

“Give a hundred of them to Gongda.” Gongsun Xun sighed quietly. “Gongda’s writing is not something you can match…”

Xun You bowed and accepted the order.

————I am the dividing line that bows and accepts orders————

“At the end of Han, before the Great Ancestor of our dynasty had executed Wei Yue, his heart dwelt on the past, and he was gloomy and ill at ease. At that time, Jia Kui, Yang Xiu, and Fa Zheng were all in the army and discussed this matter privately. Kui said: ‘The Lord Marquis is one who does great things; he does not let personal feelings sway him, but uses heavy rewards to establish grace and authority.’ Zheng replied: ‘The Lord Marquis is indeed one who does great things, but it is not necessarily a matter of sentiment. With a hundred thousand troops massed and the various generals at his side, if he did not punish General Wei today, how could he preserve the various generals in the future?’ Xiu sneered: ‘You are mistaken. Yesterday, while sorting military reports, I saw the Lord Marquis personally writing a letter of condolence to Captain Jiao’s family. If he did not kill General Wei, how could he face Captain Jiao?’ All fell silent. That evening, Zheng came forward and reported Xiu for spying on military documents. The Great Ancestor was angered, had both flogged ten times, and ordered them to write condolence notices for the entire army.” — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Slander and Peril

PS: Thanks to the 109th Alliance Leader, the lad Ma Ta Cang Feng… Today, Total War: Three Kingdoms… I’m actually a little excited.

(End of Chapter)