Chapter 450: Old Favors, Once Spoken, Are Hard to Reclaim

Wang Ling saw Gongsun Xun smiling without speaking, so he rallied his spirits and once more questioned him sternly: "What kind of talk is this, my lord?! The Guard General's achievements are known to all under Heaven!"

"I am not skilled with words; these are merely honest truths." Lu Su cupped his hands frankly in reply. "The Guard General's achievements and benevolence are known to all under Heaven, but in times of chaos and separation, it was not the Guard General who suppressed Huainan, restored stability, and revived production there — it was our Liu Yuzhou. And at that time, it was not the Guard General who opened military farms in Yubei, sparing some in the Central Plains from starvation, but Cao Fenwu. As for driving out a scourge of the Central Plains like Yuan Shu, perhaps the banner raised was the Guard General's, but the one who wielded the blade before the battle lines, heedless of his own life, was the late Sun Polu. And these past two years, that the scholars and commoners of the Central Plains can travel and communicate, that merchants and travelers converge from all regions — this is even more the result of Cao Fenwu and my Liu Yuzhou jointly establishing merit at Nanyang... These matters are all laid out plainly — can they be false?"

Wang Ling was momentarily speechless. He instinctively felt something was amiss, yet he could not deny the sincerity and truth in the other's words. Even the many other ministers, scholars, and talented students on the platform looked somewhat unsettled; Sima Yi and Wang Can, in particular, seemed lost in thought.

"This County Magistrate Wang," Lu Zijing continued slowly, seeing the situation, "as the man ranked first in administrative achievement for an entire province, you must surely understand the thoughts and perceptions of the common scholars and people below. The realm has been in chaos for so long. For ordinary common folk, the greatest benevolence bestowed upon them is simply to avoid the chaos of war, to have enough to eat, and to work in peace — in short, to stay alive! At a time like this, the greatest benevolence one can bestow is to 'keep people alive.' All else is hardly worth mentioning. The Central Plains have been in turmoil for ten years. To my knowledge, apart from the area around Yingchuan, where people still remember that the Guard General once went there to pacify the Yellow Turbans and therefore feel some slight gratitude, few elsewhere even know of the Guard General. Even if they have heard the title 'Guard General' from somewhere, they do not necessarily know who this man is!"

The expressions of those on the platform varied, but Wang Ling grew increasingly flustered, for he knew that what Lu Su said might well be true in every sentence — the scholars and commoners of the Central Plains truly would not feel gratitude toward Gongsun Xun. In fact, when he instinctively turned back to look for help from Jiang Gan, a man from Huainan whom he had only recently befriended, he found that the other had kept his head lowered in silence all along, clearly harboring misgivings in his heart.

In other words, Jiang Gan, being from Huainan himself, probably understood in his heart that Lu Su was speaking the plain truth.

Not only that, but even Wang Can, who had stepped forward earlier, though still seething with indignation, now wore an anxious expression... Having been raised by Lady Gongsun for several years after his father's death, Wang Can had originally wanted to speak of epidemic prevention, moral edification, institutions, and the like. But Lu Su had firmly seized upon the supreme 'benevolence' of 'keeping people alive' from the perspective of the lowest scholars and commoners, and for the moment, Wang Can truly found it difficult to refute.

In fact, it was not only Wang Can — at this moment, many figures on the platform were also lost in thought, for in a certain sense, in a chaotic age, nothing under the vast heavens and the great earth was greater than 'keeping people alive'... No matter how skilled you were at war, no matter how many you could kill, it could not compare to keeping people alive... Surely one could not say that keeping people alive was inferior to killing them — what kind of reasoning would that be?

And if one were to argue from this standpoint, Liu Bei and Cao Cao indeed had deep roots and the heartfelt support of the people in the Central Plains, while Gongsun Xun was indeed hardly worth mentioning — the latter could also keep people alive, but those he kept alive were the people of Hebei and the Three Adjuncts, a point Lu Su had not denied.

"In my humble opinion, what the envoy has said is entirely honest." Just as the platform fell into a momentary deadlock, Sima Yi, the handsome-featured youth standing on the other side of Wang Ling, suddenly seemed to have a revelation. He stepped directly forward and spoke startling words. "To the scholars and commoners of the Central Plains, only Cao Fenwu and Liu Yuzhou are heroes of the age; the Guard General is not worth mentioning... But when the common scholars and people below, trapped in chaos and separation, judge solely by personal sentiment, and when an envoy such as yourself, who compares himself to Deng Yu, also clings to such a petty path and fails to see the grand and brilliant overall situation — is that not laughable?"

Lu Su was inwardly speechless... He very much wanted to say that he had never compared himself to 'Deng Yu,' but with Gongsun Xun right beside him pretending to gaze at the setting sun, refuting this would only seem pointless.

And so, without changing his expression, and without dismissing the other simply because he had not yet come of age, Lu Su slightly cupped his hands in a gesture of seeking instruction: "I would ask the foremost scholar of Hebei to offer a little guidance."

Sima Yi laughed involuntarily and replied: "In truth, how dare a mere youth with bound hair like myself presume to instruct a hero of Huainan? It is just that I have a question stuck in my throat like a fishbone. If I do not ask it, I will feel stifled in my heart, and the good mood I had from the honor of ascending this platform today would be utterly ruined. Yet if I do ask it, I fear I might embarrass the envoy, and instead spoil your good mood today."

"No matter." Lu Su hastily shook his head, feeling even more speechless inside... To come as an envoy in the current situation was, to put it plainly, to observe Gongsun Xun's war preparations. Did he really expect to enjoy himself as if visiting relatives?

"May I ask the envoy," Sima Yi said, seeing this, as he solemnly cupped his hands in return, "everything you have said is true... However, is it not precisely because the Guard General's benevolence was bestowed upon him that Liu Yuzhou was able to bestow benevolence upon the scholars and commoners of Huainan? Without the Guard General, how could Liu Yuzhou have become Liu Yuzhou? To the scholars and commoners, the one who keeps them alive is a great hero, a great champion. Then may I ask, to Liu Yuzhou, what is the Guard General — the man who placed him in the position of a hero today — to him? Liu Yuzhou, whenever he speaks, never fails to say 'my elder brother'; whenever he acts, he always compares himself to his elder brother. Why is it, then, that when it comes to you, envoy, the Guard General has bestowed no benevolence upon Huainan?"

Lu Su was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Well said!" Wang Ling beside him also came to his senses. "The envoy truly argues with sophistry! Without the Guard General's success in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, how could Liu Yuzhou and Cao Fenwu have calmly carved out their territories? Without the Guard General granting official posts, titles, and ranks, how could Liu Yuzhou have managed affairs in the Central Plains? Without the Guard General's campaign to pacify Yuan Shao, how could the Central Plains have calmly dealt with Yuan Shu?" Wang Ling fired off a series of questions, and by the end, his contempt was unmistakable. "You, sir, are hailed as a hero of Huainan, comparing yourself to Deng Yu, yet in your eyes there is only Huainan, the Central Plains, Hebei, the Three Adjuncts — do you not understand that these are all but corners of the realm? When Deng Yu assisted Emperor Guangwu in accomplishing the affairs of the realm, was he a narrow-minded man who saw only Nanyang?"

Lu Su was just about to argue further when Wang Can also reacted and immediately stepped forward to press the questioning: "That is precisely the point. Envoy, you speak incessantly of the Central Plains, the Central Plains, Huainan, Huainan — in truth, this is nothing but a local posture, disloyal and half-hearted, as they say, pursuing local self-interest while treating the realm as nothing... To judge the Guard General by this standard — are you not afraid of being ridiculed by all under Heaven?"

"In fact, the two elder brothers Wang need not be so filled with righteous indignation." Sima Yi suddenly laughed again. "Did you not hear just now? This 'Deng Yu of Huainan' has harbored great ambitions since youth. Back then, he marked out his fields and sold his houses, distributed his wealth and gathered warriors — clearly a man of wild ambition, scheming for great undertakings... How could such an outstanding figure not know the difference between the realm and the localities, the distinction between the central and the peripheral? How could his vision be narrow? It is plainly that he sees the realm in great chaos, that the time is ripe, and that a hero such as himself can, for the sake of his own ambition, divide the realm..." Speaking to this point, Sima Yi turned sideways and bowed to the people behind him before pointing with his finger, his cold laugh hard to suppress. "In other words, the realm this gentleman wants is one where Liu Yuzhou accomplishes the deeds of Emperor Guangwu, and he himself occupies the position of Deng Yu. As for us people of Hebei and the Three Adjuncts — even if we follow the Guard General through this chaotic age, striving to maintain the situation and pacify the realm — why would they ever appreciate it?"

No matter how inwardly refined and outwardly Confucian Lu Su was, he could endure it no longer at this point. His expression finally changed as he sternly rebuked: "The realm is, of its own nature, the realm of the House of Han! If Liu Yuzhou cannot claim it, can the Guard General then claim it? For me to speak only of Liu Yuzhou and ignore the Guard General is indeed narrow vision and harbored ambition. Then what of you, who speak only of the Guard General and ignore the Son of Heaven in Chang'an — what does that count as? Take County Magistrate Wang — though you hold a seventh-rank post, do you not also wear a thousand-dan seal and ribbon to show your status as a Han subject?"

Sima Yi froze in place. That hand of his was neither appropriate to keep pointing forward, nor dared he casually withdraw it. Along with Wang Ling and Wang Can, he could not help but break out in a cold sweat of shame... The three of them were, after all, young. Absorbed in the verbal sparring, they had forgotten that when such a topic was pursued to its end, it would sooner or later touch upon this immense dispute and taboo.

And as it happened, the Guard General himself was still standing to the side, leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance at the vast Zhang River!

For a moment, as the assembled ministers on the platform all turned in unison toward Gongsun Xun, Lu Su also felt embarrassed... In the end, bringing up the Son of Heaven was, after all, a sign that he himself had run out of arguments. Moreover, as an envoy from one side, to have argued to such an extent with a county magistrate and two youths with bound hair — even if he had made them run out of arguments too, what was there to be praised about it?

Besides, the Guard General was right beside him... His mission on this diplomatic visit was nominally to convey Liu Yuzhou's regards to the Guard General; privately, it was to observe the situation and see Hebei's military preparations. But in any case, it was not to declare war.

Bickering back and forth here — what meaning was there in winning or losing?

The last rays of the setting sun were fading. Gongsun Xun, who at some unknown point had been standing with his hands behind his back observing the scenery, remained oblivious to the commotion behind him, silently watching the sunset over the Zhang River without a word.

After a long while, as the early autumn evening sun gave a slight leap, the last distinct sliver of the sun vanished, leaving only a stretch of rosy clouds still lingering.

"Falling clouds and a solitary wild duck fly together; autumn waters share a single hue with the vast sky. Fishermen's songs echo into the evening, resounding along the shores of the Zhang; wild geese, startled by the warmth, cry out, their calls fading over the shores of Tongque." Gongsun Xun suddenly began to chant slowly, causing everyone on the Bronze Sparrow Terrace to be visibly moved. "I strain my vision to the zenith of the heavens, and take my utmost pleasure in these idle days. The heavens are high, the earth vast — I sense the boundlessness of the universe. When joy reaches its limit, sorrow comes — I recognize the fixed laws of waxing and waning. I gaze toward Chang'an beneath the sun, and look toward Heluo among the clouds. The terrain reaches its extreme, and the southern seas are deep; Mount Taihang towers high, and the North Star is distant..."

Chanting to this point, Gongsun Xun suddenly turned his head: "Gentlemen, are these lines of prose good?"

"Superb!" Most people were still in a daze, but Wang Can alone blurted out, "Words of unparalleled excellence! With a little polishing, they could become a peerless masterpiece!"

"In terms of literature, they are superb." Gongsun Xun looked at Wang Can and slowly nodded. "But I am a general — what use is it to me to leave such fine phrases to posterity? Besides, these are not my words. And there is yet another piece..."

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

"As for when the incessant rain drizzles on and on, the skies refuse to clear for months; the gloomy wind howls, and turbid waves surge to the heavens; the sun and stars hide their radiance, the mountains and peaks conceal their forms; merchants and travelers cannot journey, masts topple and oars shatter; at the dim twilight of dusk, tigers roar and apes cry. Ascending this terrace, one feels the sorrow of leaving one's homeland, of longing for one's village, of worrying over slander and fearing ridicule — all before one's eyes is desolate, and one is moved to the extreme of grief." Gongsun Xun spoke as if reciting from memory, not composing. "Then when spring arrives, the scene is bright and clear, the waves are calm and unruffled; the sky above and its light below merge into a single expanse of emerald stretching for a thousand li; sand gulls soar and gather, brocade-scaled fish swim to and fro; orchids on the banks and on the islets, fragrant and lush. And sometimes, when a long trail of mist vanishes entirely, and the bright moon floats in the sky, its floating light dances like gold, its still reflection is like a submerged disk of jade; fishermen's songs answer one another — what joy could surpass this! Ascending this terrace, one feels the heart expand and the spirit soar, favor and disgrace alike are forgotten; holding a cup of wine in the wind, one is filled with boundless delight."

"Also a piece of exquisite prose!" Wang Can said earnestly. "Though it is indeed slightly inferior to the earlier lines about the falling clouds and the solitary wild duck flying together..."

"It is not yet finished." Gongsun Xun, his back to the lingering light of the setting sun behind him, looked at the many important ministers and talents of Ye City before him, his face expressionless. "Alas! I have once sought the hearts of the benevolent men of old — perhaps they differed from these two states of mind. Why is that? They did not rejoice over external things, nor grieve over personal sorrows. When occupying a high position in the court, they worried for the people; when dwelling far away among the rivers and lakes, they worried for their sovereign. Thus, in advancing they worried, and in retreat they worried. Then when did they find joy? They would surely say, 'Be the first to bear the worries of the realm, and the last to enjoy its pleasures.' Alas! Without such men, with whom should I take my stand?"

A warm breeze drifted across the terrace, and the distant sounds of farmers, artisans, and merchants hurrying home could be faintly heard. Yet a silence so profound that one could hear a pin drop hung over the scene... This was because the many people on the terrace were all utterly silent, their spirits transported and their hearts deeply shaken.

"Gentlemen." Gongsun Xun said with his hands behind his back. "Neither of these two pieces was composed by me... I merely heard them from my mother. The former is exquisitely beautiful in diction, reaching a certain ultimate perfection — just by reading it, by reciting it, one can understand what literature truly is. The latter may be somewhat emptier in its scenic descriptions, but once the line 'Be the first to bear the worries of the realm, and the last to enjoy its pleasures' appears, what man who cherishes the realm in his heart would not be stirred by it? Zijing!"

"I am here... I am ashamed!" Lu Su hurriedly bowed in salute.

"You should be ashamed, but you are ashamed of the wrong thing." Gongsun Xun stepped forward and spoke. "And also Yanyun, A-Can, A-Yi — the four of you have been arguing here about Huainan, the Central Plains, the realm, yet you fundamentally do not understand what the realm truly is... You merely circle around within the scope of the state. But the state and the realm are not the same thing at all!"

"Please, General, grant us your instruction!" Hearing the other address him as 'A-Yi' — the same treatment as Wang Can, who was raised in the Guard General's residence — Sima Yi could not help but feel invigorated.

"What is the state? The state is the hegemonic enterprise built by a single family, a single surname — it is sovereign and subject, laws and statutes, armies, households, and territory. What is the realm? It is the collective term for all within the Four Seas and the universe — it is the inheritance of Huaxia, the canons of civilization, the common people and all living things, the customs and the hearts of men. Yet it is even more than that." Speaking to this point, Gongsun Xun's pace grew increasingly slow. "And it is precisely because of this that there is the discourse on the fall of a state and the preservation of a state, and the discourse on the fall of the realm and the preservation of the realm... but they are not the same thing."

"Please, General, elaborate." Lu Su interjected at the appropriate moment.

"The so-called fall of a state refers to the changing of the ruling surname and the alteration of the dynastic title, the replacement of the old by the new — just as the Han replaced the Qin. The fall of the realm, on the other hand, refers to the collapse of order within the Four Seas, where morality and law alike become useless, to the point where men lead beasts to devour men — just as in the time from Emperor Ling to Dong Zhuo, such was the situation." Gongsun Xun spoke calmly. "And preserving the state means, having received the benevolence of a single surname, a single man, and holding power, one schemes on his behalf. As for preserving the realm... let alone preserving the realm, there is but one phrase: in the rise and fall of the realm, even the commonest man bears a responsibility! Zijing!"

Lu Su let out a long breath, hastily stepped past Chen Deng — who had long since been utterly entranced — and bowed once more in acknowledgment: "I am here!"

"Do you think that I, Gongsun Xun, have merely been preserving the state, and have never preserved the realm?" Gongsun Xun asked with a solemn expression, but without waiting for a reply, he turned his gaze back to the three men, Wang Ling. "Yanyun, A-Can, A-Yi!"

"I am here!"

"Your student is here!"

"This youth is here!"

"You see only that Xuande and Mengde are men who contend with me for the state. But have you ever considered that these two are also comrades who together with me preserve the realm?" The light of the setting sun gradually faded, and Gongsun Xun's words were like a blade. "I know that in recent years, as the realm has gradually stabilized, there are always those who think I have lost my edge, that I am content with peace and have forgotten to advance. But have you ever considered that between me and Cao and Liu of the Central Plains, not a single day has passed these years without us advancing together with one heart and one mind for the sake of the realm? Without such men, with whom should I take my stand? Not only must the scholars and commoners of Huainan and the Central Plains be grateful to me — you should also be grateful to Cao and Liu."

"I am ashamed!" Wang Ling took the lead in bowing low.

"There is no need for shame." Gongsun Xun nodded slightly with a sigh. "Preserving the realm and preserving the state do not conflict with one another. Striving for hegemony is not some base and shameful matter that cannot be spoken of. It is just that you young men, while seeking to establish merit and make your careers, must understand this principle clearly in your hearts... Let us end here for today. The envoy has come from afar. Let us light the torches and hold a banquet!"

Only then did everyone come back to their senses. Harboring their own complex thoughts, they once again saluted in unison and voiced their assent.

That night, after the banquet ended, everyone lodged at a temporary resting place beneath the Bronze Sparrow Terrace. It was not until the following day that they returned to Ye City in a grand procession.

And after Gongsun Xun returned to the city, before he even had the chance to formally receive Lu Su and inquire about official matters, he suddenly received a piece of news at his residence, delivered personally by Xi Zhong.

"Huangfu Song... has requested to resign as Minister over the Masses and asks to come to Ye City to teach military texts?" Gongsun Xun sat behind his desk, lost in thought. "Has he sensed something?"

"Not necessarily sensed, but rather become wary?" Xi Zhong, standing to the side, stroked his beard and answered calmly. "After all, he is a veteran general of many years — he has seen much and thought much."

"What of Liu Yu?" Gongsun Xun asked again.

"The Grand Commandant has made no move," Xi Zhicai replied swiftly. "He merely follows the conventional path. However, even if it is just the conventional path, this is already the fourth time he has joined with the Three Excellencies and the Nine Ministers to urge you, General, to make a trip to Chang'an to discuss the various important matters following the Son of Heaven's coming-of-age ceremony."

"It cannot be avoided." Gongsun Xun shook his head and smiled. "Just as when Xuande sent Lu Zijing to probe Hebei's attitude, he probably understood in his heart that some things can never be avoided."

Xi Zhong seemed about to speak but then hesitated.

"Zhicai, you needn't put on such an act. I understand..." Gongsun Xun grew ever more emotional, yet smiled. "Since we've come to this point, there are things that must be done, and I will never be soft-hearted. It's just that I spoke some bold words yesterday, so I can't help but reflect — why is it that so many people, who clearly understand in their hearts, still stake everything for the sake of some past kindness?"

"That is not what I meant." Xi Zhong sighed. "It is only that, although my lord's words yesterday were thunderous and enlightening, they were perhaps spoken a little too soon... If you ask me, some people are entangled too deeply. Better to let them muddle-headedly be buried in sacrifice for their so-called past kindness! My lord is far too merciful."

Gongsun Xun was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, he had regained his composure. "So be it. If Huangfu Song wishes to come to Yecheng, let him come. And as for Chang'an — they have invited us so many times. After we see Lu Su off this time, we shall make the journey there ourselves."

Xi Zhong bowed low and said nothing.

—————— I am the silent dividing line ——————

"When Xun had gained Langye, the strategic heartland of the Central Plains, Liu Bei was shaken with fear and sent Lu Su of Dongcheng to pay respects at Yecheng. Upon his arrival, Xun received him at the Bronze Sparrow Terrace. Su debated the Great Righteousness with the various scholars, and neither side could gain the upper hand. It was early autumn, at sunset. Xun leaned upon the railing and sighed: 'The rise and fall of the realm is the duty of every common man. This Great Righteousness you speak of, gentlemen — is it for the realm, or is it for this man here?' Su was ashamed." — Records of the Heroes of the Late Han, by Wang Can

(End of Chapter)