[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-539":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},1223298,1620,"Chapter 539: Appendix 6: The Old Book of Yan — Annals of the Grand Ancestor, the Martial Emperor — Scrolls One and Two — Always Silen","overthrowing-han-chapter-539",539,"\u003Cp>Appendix 6: The Old Book of Yan — Annals of the Grand Ancestor, the Martial Emperor — Scrolls One and Two —\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Appendix 6: The Old Book of Yan — Annals of the Grand Ancestor, the Martial Emperor — Scrolls One and Two — Always Silent\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the title suggests, this new edition of the Old Book of Yan comes from A Bei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scroll One:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor, the Divine Yao, Great Sage, Great Radiant Martial Emperor, was a man of Lingzhi in Liaoxi. His surname was Gongsun, his taboo name Xun, his courtesy name Wenqi, and his family held the rank of two thousand shi for generations. His father Jun, who served as a minor commandery clerk in his youth, died young, leaving behind a posthumous son — this was the Grand Ancestor. His mother was the Xiaozhuang Wen Empress, née Liu. When pregnant, she dreamed of a divine dragon locked in a well, its mouth covered by a stone tablet. In the second year of the Yongshou reign of Han, when she gave birth, she again dreamed of the divine dragon breaking out of the well, emerging to play with a pearl. When the Wen Empress arrived in Liucheng, the Grand Ancestor was four years old. There was a fangshi who claimed skill in physiognomy; he paid respects to the Wen Empress and said, \"My lady is a person of nobility, and you shall have a noble son.\" Seeing the Grand Ancestor, he said, \"The bearing of dragon and phoenix, the countenance of heaven and sun — when he nears twenty, he shall surely set the age right and secure the realm.\" As he grew, he was handsome in appearance, imposing in bearing, his will and vision vast and expansive, unfathomable to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor was orphaned young and raised by his mother; his love and reverence were fully devoted to serving his parent, and thus his fame for filial piety spread throughout the commandery. The Grand Administrator of Liaoxi heard of this and recruited him as a commandery clerk, where he handled accounts; all his colleagues praised his ability. In the winter of the third year of the Xiping reign of Han, the Martial Emperor, then eighteen, encountered Xianbei raiders invading the border. Leading thirty riders, he sallied forth at night through Lulong Pass and routed them decisively, and from this his fame shook Hebei. The Grand Administrator grew ever more astonished by him. At that time, the Grand Ancestor's cousin Yue also achieved merit at Lulong Pass, and his elder cousin Zan served as a clerk in the commandery. Thus, together with the Grand Administrator of Youbeiping, they jointly recommended the Grand Ancestor and his two brothers to study the classics under the great Confucian Lu Zhi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor and his fellow students traveled to Luoyang. Passing through Jizhou, all the others rode in precious carriages, wore furs, and were attended by clamoring retinues before and behind, traveling by day on the official roads and lodging at night with powerful and wealthy families in the commanderies. Only the Grand Ancestor said, \"When traveling to and from different places, one must not fail to first inquire into local customs.\" He then traveled by minor roads, entering impoverished villages, and came to fully understand the true conditions of the land. On the road, he met Cui Min, Prefect of Nanhe in Julu, a celebrated scholar of Qinghe. Seeing the Grand Ancestor, he was greatly startled and said, \"I have seen many famous scholars under heaven, but none like you, sir! If you govern yourself well, you shall surely become a great vessel in the future. I entrust my wife and children to you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached Mount Goushi, it happened that Lu Zhi was appointed Grand Administrator of Jiujiang. With no one to govern them, the others gave themselves over to endless frivolity; only the Grand Ancestor and his brothers toiled at their studies as before. The later Han renowned official, Superintendent of the Imperial Household Liu Kuan, happened to see this and, delighted, accepted them as his own disciples. Several months later, Lu Zhi returned from Jiujiang to Luoyang and again resided on Mount Goushi. Thus serving two masters at once, the Grand Ancestor constantly traveled between Luoyang and Mount Goushi, observing ritual with utmost reverence and never once showing negligence. The scholarly circles of Wan and Luo all praised his virtue. In the fourth year of the Xiping reign of Han, when the carving of the Stone Classics was proposed and Lu Zhi was put in charge of the project, the Grand Ancestor presented Gongsun paper and the hook-identification method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first month of the fifth year of the Xiping reign of Han, the Grand Ancestor underwent his capping ceremony. Liu Kuan sat solemnly in the host's seat, Lu Zhi supported the cap, and Cai Yong intoned the rites. That same month, he completed his studies and returned home. Lou Gui, a celebrated scholar of Nanyang, heard of this and abandoned his family to follow him. Lu Fan, a fellow student of the Grand Ancestor who had long known his virtue and conduct, privately requested to serve as his minister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Yuankang years of the Former Han, Zhuo Commandery had the great clans of the Western Gao and Eastern Gao. Everyone from the commandery clerks down feared and avoided them; none dared oppose them. All said, \"Better to betray a two-thousand-shi official than to betray a powerful clan.\" When the Grand Ancestor returned north, passing through Hebei, he saw the people's livelihood was harsh. He then heard children reciting this old rhyme by the roadside. He halted his horse to the side and sighed deeply for a long time. Lou Gui and Han Dang were both at his side; they withdrew from his attendants and urged him, saying, \"The realm is crumbling — this is precisely the time for a hero to wield his might. My lord, you should exert yourself!\" The Grand Ancestor rebuked them, saying, \"The fields lie barren, the people have no means of livelihood. If you do not think of serving the state, what talk is there of yourselves?\" Gui and Dang were both ashamed and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his youth, the Grand Ancestor once evaluated figures of Luoyang with his clan brothers. Yue declared, \"Xu Ziyuan is a vicious and licentious man, impure in nature and conduct.\" Zan said, \"Fu Xie is so rigidly upright and immoderate that he will surely bring fatal disaster upon himself.\" The Grand Ancestor said, \"Why so harsh? All things and all affairs take humanity as their foundation. Talent is hard to come by. Though Xu You is greedy, his cunning and stratagems can still be used; though Fu Xie is rigid, he can still be entrusted as a confidant. That is all.\" Zan and Yue then apologized. Yue withdrew and said to those around him, \"My elder brother is open-minded as a valley, knows men and is good at accepting them, gathers heroes, and thirsts for the worthy — he is truly destined for great achievements!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the Xiping years, the commandery was suddenly invaded by ten thousand Xianbei riders. They seized the commandery administrator's mother at Liucheng and carried her off to threaten the commandery seat of Yangyue. The Grand Ancestor arrived at Lulong and gathered several thousand troops, ready to take action. But Liaoxi was vast — from Lulong to Liucheng was three hundred li, and to Yangyue five hundred li — and what he feared most was his own powerlessness. At that time, Lou Gui was at his side and offered a daring plan, proposing that the Grand Ancestor personally risk danger. All those around were enraged, and several drew their blades and brandished them. The Grand Ancestor overruled the crowd, saying, \"Zibo abandoned his family to come to me, following me a thousand li. I regard him as my thigh and arm — how can I suspect him?\" He then proceeded. He then, together with Gongsun Fan, Cheng Pu, Han Dang, and Lou Gui, infiltrated the Xianbei camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a Mohu tribal chief named Mohu Kou. The Kou tribe dwelt not far from Liucheng and had long known the Grand Ancestor to be a hero. At that time, the Kou tribe was also in the camp. Seeing the Grand Ancestor, they welcomed him into their tent and knelt, saying, \"The three hundred of the Mohu will all fight to the death for the noble one.\" The Grand Ancestor then planned with the Mohu tribe to obstruct the enemy, seeking a swift resolution. Fan refused, saying, \"The realm can do without Fan, but it cannot do without my elder brother. I wish to take his place.\" The Grand Ancestor, moved by his sincerity, agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the Grand Ancestor, wielding a double-bladed spear, charged out before the formation with Pu and the others, striking the bandits and killing or wounding over a dozen men. The captives, seeing this, feared his valor and none dared resist. After the Grand Ancestor, together with Cheng Pu and Lou Gui, rescued the commandery administrator's mother from before the battle lines and returned without a single wound, he stood with Gui and Pu atop a hill to watch the Han army attack the Xianbei. Twenty thousand riders, roaring like a tide, heaven and earth changing color — they broke them in a single strike. Pu, seeing this, was stunned speechless. Gui sighed deeply and said, \"To live in this world, a true man should command ten thousand troops just like this!\" Only the Grand Ancestor remained calm and composed. Smiling, he said, \"If that is so, should I gain power, how about I give the two of you ten thousand riders each?\" The Grand Administrator of Liaoxi, Zhao Bao, was at his side; both grateful for his kindness and stirred by his words, he grew ever more astonished by him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor lost his father in early childhood. In the turmoil of the late Han, when epidemics ran rampant, his mother constantly worried that the main family line would have no heir. The family was wealthy, so she secretly purchased a hundred beautiful maidservants and taught them letters, mathematics, music, and dance. When he came of age, she presented them to fill his rear chambers. The Grand Ancestor, being utterly filial, could not refuse and accepted them all. Yet until his marriage, though beautiful maidservants lined up before and behind him, warm, fragrant, and soft as jade, casting amorous glances, the Grand Ancestor still held a candle and toiled at his studies, sitting unmoved amid temptation, observing ritual propriety ever more strictly. From this, his reputation grew daily. Bao, hearing of the Grand Ancestor's conduct and recalling his earlier deeds, discussed with his mother and gave his daughter to him in marriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, after the Grand Ancestor had achieved extraordinary merit just after his capping, the Grand Administrator of Liaoxi gave his daughter to him in marriage. Someone said, \"My lord, you became famous in your youth, and your future path is smooth and open. Yet by marrying into the Grand Administrator's family, I fear that to avoid suspicion you will lose the path to recommendation as Filial and Incorrupt in the commandery!\" The Grand Ancestor, displeased, said, \"We choose our spouses based solely on virtue and conduct — how can we discuss the gains and losses of our future prospects?\" A few days later, the Inspector of Youzhou, Liu Yu, passed through Liaoxi. Seeing the Grand Ancestor, he was overjoyed and said, \"Meeting you is like finding a beautiful jade — how could one abandon it in the wilds?\" Discussions in the commandery all said the Grand Ancestor would be recommended as a Provincial Talent, and they all came in droves to congratulate and praise him. The Grand Ancestor remained calm and composed, taking no joy in it. Yet not long after, a messenger suddenly arrived from Luoyang — the Three Excellencies had jointly recommended him, and because the realm was in turmoil, he was specially summoned under the category of \"brave, fierce, and knowledgeable in military methods,\" to enter Luoyang directly by official carriage. The people of his hometown were shaken and again praised him, saying, \"An awl placed in a pouch — its point will emerge of its own accord. How could a Gongsun of Liaoxi worry about his future prospects?\" He was immediately appointed Commandant of a Separate Division and dispatched to Yanmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the age of twenty, the Grand Ancestor, as Commandant of a Separate Division, garrisoned Pingcheng. He once went hunting on Mount Baideng and returned with a white deer. While serving in the Bingzhou army, from the Inspector and the two-thousand-shi officials above to the commoners and black-headed people below, he treated all with utter sincerity and laid bare his heart. Within a few months, superiors and subordinates became one body, and heroes flocked to him. He once led a little over ten soldiers to escort more than a thousand relocated civilians across the Yellow River. There were bandits who knew his force was small and spied on the camp at night. The Grand Ancestor sat before his tent, directing affairs with perfect composure. The bandit chief raised his bow and aimed at him, but seeing his bearing and demeanor, could not bear to kill him, and instead shot the brazier at the camp gate and departed. Such was his ability to win the hearts of men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the Xiping reign, the Han army advanced in three columns beyond the frontier to engage the Xianbei. Tanshihuai ordered the chieftains of the three divisions to meet them in battle. The three columns were cut off from one another, and the military situation was confused and uncertain. At that time, the Grand Ancestor was in the right column under Xia Yu's command. With insight that illuminated ten thousand li, he perceived the true situation. He then urgently sought an audience with Xia Yu during the evening meal, volunteering to lead the vanguard, not shunning sword and arrow, and racing swiftly toward Mount Danhan! Yu granted his request. The Grand Ancestor immediately took his own fifteen hundred men and, in two days, covered a hundred li, reaching the banks of the Chuochou River. The Xianbei royal court had only five thousand troops; seeing him, they were terrified. They awaited the main army's reinforcements, intending to settle the campaign in a single battle. But the central column's envoy, the Colonel of the Xiongnu Zhonglang Zang Min, was suddenly defeated. He sent his subordinate officer Sun Jian to break through the siege and report this. When Yu heard, his courage utterly failed him. He abandoned his baggage and the Grand Ancestor and fled. The Grand Ancestor, learning of this late at night, looked up to heaven and sighed, \"Though Xia Yu is vile, the soldiers in the army are all innocent. Moreover, if Tanshihuai snaps at his heels and devours him, then the lands of Yan and Dai will be without troops, and the common people of several commanderies will suffer cruelty.\" He then made his decision: he would cross the Chuochou River by night, set Mount Danhan ablaze, and personally lure Tanshihuai to turn his army back!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they were about to cross, all the officers strove to be first, each seeking to be the vanguard and urging the Grand Ancestor to sit safely south of the river. The Grand Ancestor sternly demanded, \"When facing battle in the field, can a true man watch from across the river and hope to live?\" With these words, he sent a decoy force to harass the enemy near the bridge while he himself led the main army, secretly tying horses together with ropes to form a pontoon bridge. He then personally grasped a horse's head and crossed. Once across, before he could don his armor, he again displayed his divine might, leaping onto his horse and charging into the enemy lines. The officers, watching from across the river, were all roused and invigorated, and they vied to enter the water. The enemy forces were extremely numerous. As the Grand Ancestor fought at the very front and wore no armor, he was repeatedly struck by blades and arrows. For every wound he received, he did not bandage it; for every arrow that struck him, he broke it and cast it to the ground. Thus the three armies fought with desperate valor, and the bandits lost their nerve. At that moment, soldiers who lost their horses would grab the tails of their comrades' mounts to charge the lines; soldiers who ran out of arrows would search the Xianbei corpses to continue shooting. Thus, though the bandits were many, they were still swiftly defeated! The Grand Ancestor then pressed close to the royal court and set it ablaze. The summer night wind was strong, and the light and smoke reflected directly for a hundred li, shaking all of Monan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor and his Volunteer Followers all rode white horses, forming his left and right wings, and he named them the White Horse Volunteers. The Xianbei warned one another to avoid the White Horse General. They then painted the Grand Ancestor's likeness and shot at it while riding; those who hit it all shouted \"Long live!\" From this time onward, the captives fled far beyond the frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Grand Ancestor returned, he saw Yanmen ruined by the defeated troops. Moreover, the Grand Administrator Guo Yun sought provisions and funds to aid the people. At that time, the Grand Ancestor's camp had only three granaries of millet, each holding three thousand shi. He immediately designated two of them to be given to Guo Yun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor was appointed Zhonglang and passed through Mengjin in Henei. There he encountered a solar eclipse. The scholars and commoners panicked and fled, but only the Grand Ancestor stood towering and unshaken. He personally beheaded his own mount to steady the hearts of the crowd. In an instant, the eclipse passed, and Mengjin was calmed. Scholars, commoners, and officials all submitted to him in admiration! When boarding the boat, his attendants asked, \"My lord, what did you rely on?\" The Grand Ancestor said, \"The celestial signs follow their regular course — the noble man naturally does not fear them!\" After crossing the river, his younger brother Gongsun Fan personally welcomed him and came to report with worry, \"Our gracious teacher, Lord Liu, has been removed from his position as one of the Three Excellencies due to celestial signs and is now the Commandant of the Guards. I fear this may hinder my elder brother's future prospects.\" The Grand Ancestor's expression did not change. \"The noble man strengthens himself. Why report such trivial matters?\" Fan and those around him grew ever more in admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering Luoyang, he was appointed as a Zhonglang and assigned to the Imperial Secretariat. That evening, he paid his respects to Kuan. They talked until nightfall. As he was about to leave, Kuan, sensing that the Grand Ancestor was growing older and his heroic spirit gradually taking shape, clutched his sleeve at the gate and sighed, \"I am originally a minister of Han, but now I observe that the rise and fall of the House of Han will be wielded in Wenqi's hands. I hope you will be cautious!\" The Grand Ancestor did not understand his meaning, and, connecting it with their earlier discussion about punishing the eunuchs, slowly replied, \"Wang Fu's foundation has already been shaken. Those petty fellows will defeat themselves. My gracious teacher, simply sit at ease in the inner hall.\" Kuan, realizing he had misspoken, released his sleeve and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Jiong, then serving as Grand Palace Grandee, fawned upon and attached himself to the eunuchs, acting as their claws and fangs. None dared oppose him, and the Grand Ancestor wished to crush him. Xia Yu and Tian Yan were both former subordinates of Jiong and had also committed many evils. The Grand Ancestor used a stratagem to kill them. Jiong, hearing of this, brought several dozen men to confront the Grand Ancestor alone. Brandishing his blade, he intercepted him before Bronze Camel Street and shouted, \"Do you petty fellows think my blade is not sharp?\" The Grand Ancestor's expression never changed. He said, \"Are you, Lord Duan, the only mighty man under heaven?\" As his words fell, the capital was greatly shaken; countless houses and government offices collapsed. Jiong, greatly alarmed, retreated, and from this lost his nerve. The Grand Ancestor then held his blade horizontally, made a deep bow, and walked straight out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Fu had his disciples illegally monopolize official goods and wealth worth over seventy million in the Jingzhao region. The Governor of Jingzhao, Yang Biao, exposed his crimes and reported them to the Sili Captain. At that time, Fu was on leave at his residence, and Jiong had also returned home. Qiu wished to feign going to the palace to express gratitude and thereby memorialize the crimes of Fu, Jiong, and the Regular Palace Attendants Chunyu Deng, Yuan She, Feng Yu, and others. But he feared that if Fu heard the news and entered the palace to resist, he would not dare to act. The Grand Ancestor, then serving as an Attendant Officer of the Capital, volunteered and led his Volunteer Followers to block Fu's residence! When they arrived, before Yang Qiu could obtain the edict, the Grand Ancestor immediately and personally engaged in blade-to-blade combat, leading his Volunteer Followers to attack and fight their way into the residence. He first captured Fu and his son Meng, then dragged them by their hair and caps to the gate to guard them. Fu, lying in a pool of blood, asked in terrified confusion, \"To kill a two-thousand-shi official without an edict is an unpardonable capital crime. What benefit is this to you, sir?\" The Grand Ancestor answered fiercely, \"You, your father and son, and your clansmen are replete with the five poisons, greedy, vile, and cruel. The realm has long suffered from you! Since we have already set this in motion, we advance and do not retreat. Even if I must live as an outlaw, I will still punish you wretches for the sake of the realm!\" As they attacked, the scholars and commoners of Luoyang lined the streets to watch. Hearing these words, they all leaped and cheered, knowing full well that Wang Fu would not live!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Grand Ancestor executed Wang Fu, he further had his body torn apart at Xiacheng Gate and erected a large placard reading \"The Traitorous Minister Wang Fu.\" All his property was confiscated, and his wife and children were exiled to Bijing. Cao Jie sneered, \"My lord, your actions are harsh and severe — sooner or later, you will surely suffer retribution!\" The Grand Ancestor sternly replied, \"Solar eclipses and earthquakes, hens turning into roosters — if we do not carry out harsh and severe acts of punishment, how can the Great Han have a 'sooner or later'? How can we, for the sake of our private selves, disregard the realm?\" Jie stammered, not knowing how to respond. After a long while, he said, \"Gentleman Zhonglang Gongsun truly possesses the spirit of the famous minister of this dynasty, Zhu Hui, who carried a blade within his childlike heart.\" At that time, the later Han renowned official Qiao Xuan was at his side and praised him, saying, \"Rigid within and sharp without, his edge is the keenest under heaven!\" From the execution of Wang Fu and the public rebuke of Cao Jie, the Grand Ancestor's fame grew daily, and he gradually came to be esteemed by the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month of the fifth year of the Xiping reign of the Later Han, a yellow dragon appeared at Qiao. Qiao was the hometown of the Grand Ancestor's own mother. Three years later, the Grand Ancestor went to visit Cao Cao and bathed with him in the Guo River at Qiao County. They again encountered a venomous flood dragon transforming into a dragon, and together they killed it. The Grand Ancestor took its head, and Cao took its tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first year of the Guanghe reign of the Later Han, the Grand Ancestor was appointed Prefect of Xiangping. Shen Pei of Henei and Wang Xiu of Beihai, both celebrated scholars, heard of this and followed him, not angered by his low rank. The senior clerks of Xiangping had accepted bribes and were greedy, relying on powerful connections, and had escaped investigation under previous prefects. When the Grand Ancestor arrived, he dismissed them all in a single day. Thus, governance and education were greatly implemented, and the entire county was clean and peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same year, Goguryeo encamped at Zuoyuan on the frontier and repeatedly raided it. The Grand Ancestor, troubled by this, summoned a multitude of Han and Hu troops. In the twelfth month, he crossed the Liao River, calling it a winter hunt. Arriving at Zuoyuan, the Grand Ancestor personally directed the battle with the White Horse banner. Lou Gui proposed a stratagem, and in a single night an ice fortress was raised; the enemy, seeing it, lost their defensive advantage. He then sent Xu Rong with cavalry, and with a single drumbeat they overwhelmed them, routing them decisively and thus destroying their kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the spring of the second year of the Guanghe reign of the Later Han, for his extraordinary merit in annihilating Goguryeo, the Grand Ancestor was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wulu Village. Wulu referred to Mount Yiwulu; it was a village near Lingzhi, matching his name and courtesy name, and people of the time praised this as auspicious. He was transferred to be Prefect of Handan, and then transferred again to be Grand Administrator of Zhongshan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor had always valued simplicity and frugality, and his governance was clean and strict. During the Guanghe years of the Later Han, when the Grand Ancestor served as a senior official and conducted administration, he often issued urgent orders. His attendants remonstrated with him. The Grand Ancestor then said, \"The realm is gradually coming to a boil, and the scholars and commoners are as if in a cauldron. When I observe this, it is as if I myself am in the cauldron — how can I not be urgent?\" He was transferred to be Grand Administrator of Zhuo Commandery. The powerful families of Zhuo Commandery were known throughout the realm for their extravagance without limit. When they learned that the Grand Ancestor was about to arrive, the powerful families were all terrified. Evildoers fled and hid, sneaking into other commanderies. The Grand Ancestor arrived swiftly and encountered them on the roadside. He sternly rebuked them, \"You wretches — will entering another commandery make you safe?\" The powerful families and cunning evildoers, knowing his divine might, were all terrified. They each returned to the commandery and, crawling on their knees, begged for punishment. The entire commandery was thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the Guanghe reign of the Later Han, the brothers Zhang Jiao led the Yellow Turbans in revolt. Thirty thousand Guangyang Yellow Turbans besieged Zhuo City. The Grand Ancestor, as Administrator of Zhuo Commandery, saw the enemy arrive beneath the walls and erect their camp. He then led Gongsun Yue, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Qian Zhao, Zhang Fei, Wei Yue, Lou Gui, and Yang Kai — twenty riders in all — out of the city. They pierced through the bandit camp and returned, and the bandits could not harm them. When they entered the city gate, the officers all boasted endlessly of their kills, but the Grand Ancestor alone said nothing. When the officers fell silent, the Grand Ancestor declared proudly, \"Having observed their true condition, I have already devised a plan to defeat the enemy. In five days, the bandits will be overthrown. Watch and see.\" He then employed a strategy to exhaust the enemy, and indeed, five days later, they were overthrown. The crowd then bowed in submission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, Zhang Jiao's brother Bao, with fifty thousand bandits, besieged Fanyang. Having just defeated the enemy before him, the Grand Ancestor wished to rush to its aid. His attendants said, \"Fanyang is a great city, and Inspector Guo resides within it — it will not fall quickly. We can rest the troops for a few days and then attack them.\" The Grand Ancestor replied, \"Precisely because the Inspector is there, the gain or loss of Fanyang is the crux of victory or defeat. How can we not save it?\" He then swiftly dispatched troops and defeated them in ten days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After defeating Zhang Bao, the Grand Ancestor, deeming the altars of state of grave importance, volunteered to lead three thousand riders to sweep through Hebei. Emperor Ling approved, and issued an edict summoning the Grand Ancestor to Luoyang. The Grand Ancestor then assembled three thousand riders from You and Yan and headed straight south. Arriving in Luoyang, he was appointed General of the Household of All Purposes, with Cavalry Commandant Cao Cao as his deputy, bearing a staff of authority and garrisoning Henei, with overall command of the Three He and the Five Colonels. Within ten days, he marched out of Dong Commandery and immediately defeated Baima, Yan County, and Weixiang. When the Grand Ancestor campaigned against the Yellow Turbans as far as Dong Commandery, he heard that in Jiyin there was a scholar named Li Jin, who had long been versed in the Odes and Documents. He then traveled through the night to recruit him. Li Jin, moved by his profound virtue and seeing the Grand Ancestor's toil in capturing cities, generously offered his entire clan's support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month, he first defeated the Yanzhou Yellow Turban bandits Bu Si, Liang Zhongning, and Zhang Bo — forty thousand men — at Cangting, and then defeated another twenty thousand of their men at Dongwuyang. In total, he took over ten thousand heads, from Zhang Bo down, and accepted over ten thousand surrenders. Those who perished in the river numbered seven thousand, from Bu Si and Liang Zhongning down. Dong Commandery was thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Grand Ancestor entered Dong Commandery, he searched the bandits and obtained an enormous sum of money. Because his family was wealthy, he distributed all the military grain to the people and dispersed the wealth and silks to the army. High and low alike praised his virtue. The Regular Palace Attendant Zhao Zhong heard of this and, considering himself a paternal uncle, sent his household men to Dong Commandery to demand wealth and goods. The Grand Ancestor said, \"Not a single coin for the eunuch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pacifying the bandits of Dong Commandery, the Grand Ancestor hastened to Changshe. Within the city, General of the Household of the Left Zhu Jun and General of the Household of the Right Huangfu Song commanded forty thousand troops. The bandit Bo Cai, with a host of one hundred thousand, besieged them. The Grand Ancestor knew they could not be attacked directly, so he arranged with Jun and Song to use fire, and thus overthrew the one hundred thousand bandits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh month, he arrived at Xiaquyang. The bandits, led by Bao, held the line of the Hutuo River and faced off against the Grand Ancestor. The Grand Ancestor launched a three-pronged attack, personally leading one column across the Hutuo. With two hundred halberdiers under Zhang He as the vanguard, he was the first to cross the river. The enemy was fierce, and they could not advance. He then ordered his Volunteer Followers to shout: \"The General of the Household of All Purposes has advanced fifty paces!\" In a moment, they shouted again: \"The General of the Household of All Purposes has advanced one hundred paces!\" The Han army, hearing this, surged with spirit and pressed forward as one. The third shout: \"The General of the Household of All Purposes has advanced two hundred paces!\" The bandit formation collapsed with a roar. Thus they took Xiaquyang and obtained Bao's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth month, he arrived at Guangzong. That same month, Zhang Jiao died, and Nanyang was gradually pacified. He then joined forces with Song and advanced on Guangzong. Zhang Liang fled in panic. The Grand Ancestor dispatched cavalry to the Zhang River, defeated Liang, and took thirty thousand heads, from Liang down. The Yellow Turbans were thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the tenth month, for his achievements, the Grand Ancestor was promoted to General of the Guards, Marquis of Ji, and acting Grand Administrator of Henei. At that time, Henei had repeatedly suffered from banditry. Hearing that the Grand Ancestor was coming, the bandits fled and hid, and the scholars and commoners danced with joy. Along the roads, seeing the tracks of his white horse, they welcomed him with baskets of food and gourds of drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early Zhongping years, when the Grand Ancestor was Administrator of Henei, on the day of the Spring She festival, he ordered the commandery's celebrated scholars to debate the classics at Shequan north of the county, in observance of the season. Valuing frugality, he did not employ servants, but had Sima Lang attend him. The Eldest Princess was still young, so he personally carried her in his arms and walked along the road. When they arrived, he purchased pottery in the Shequan market, then sat on the ground at the place of the classics debate and placed the Eldest Princess on his knee. At that time, the Grand Astrologer memorialized: \"The true dragon travels north.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second year of the Zhongping reign of the Later Han, in the second month, the Regular Palace Attendants Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong persuaded Emperor Ling to levy a tax on all land under heaven, ten qian per mu, to repair the palaces. The Emperor approved, and thus increased the taxes. When the edict reached Henei, the Grand Ancestor said, \"In the tenth month, taxes were just remitted; in the second month, they are increased again. This is a chaotic command — it will cause chaos to arise anew in the realm!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the winter of the same year, his teacher, the former Grand Commandant Liu Kuan, passed away. Citing Kuan's last words, the Grand Ancestor resigned as Administrator of Henei to manage the funeral affairs and entered Luoyang. When he had an audience with the Emperor, he spoke exhaustively about the matter of the poll tax. His counsel was not heeded. He left and said to those around him, \"Only today do I realize that His Majesty is extremely intelligent and fully knows the true state of the realm. But he is greedy and vile beyond measure, knowing full well yet refusing to act. Truly, there is no remedy.\" He further said, \"The realm is in tumult, and nothing can be done. Today I understand what it means to have a heart drunk with worry!\" The Grand Ancestor then abandoned his post and departed, leaving behind the seal and cord of General of the Guards in Luoyang. Emperor Ling, following counsel, sent a messenger to pursue him and return them. This happened three times before he finally accepted. The Grand Ancestor's ambition arose from this point onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the road back to Liaoxi, the Grand Ancestor stayed in Guangyang. Shortly after, the Inspector of Jizhou, Wang Fen, sent Xu You as an envoy to discuss the matter of deposing the Emperor. The Grand Ancestor angrily rebuked him. After You left, the Grand Ancestor gazed at the starry river by night and sighed. Those around him, perhaps understanding his intent, all urged him, \"The Son of Heaven is muddled and chaotic, and thus you, my lord, are not tolerated at court. Now the realm has already rebelled, yet our troops are insufficient to defend ourselves. The villages of Youzhou have received your grace and favor, and they will surely follow you. You should settle peacefully in Guangyang, lead and encourage righteous followers, watch for one who possesses the Way, and act to succor the realm.\" The Grand Ancestor sighed deeply, \"The Son of Heaven is indeed muddled, but in the chaos of Guanxi, what crime did Fu Nangrong commit? In Wang Fen's treachery, what hardship did the hundred officials of Jizhou suffer? Moreover, the common people of both regions are certainly much entangled and burdened. How can I bear to harm them? A true man, living in this world, should act with purpose.\" His attendants then ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he was about to return, he saw refugees scattered and adrift along the road. He could not bear it, so he halted his journey and led his followers to settle at the Changping road junction. He personally cultivated dates and chestnuts on Mount Yan to feed the people, while also blocking the Hu routes. Over several years, those who came to join him numbered in the millions. Someone said, \"The virtue of Yan Wu began from this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor encamped at Changping, personally digging irrigation ditches to the west, and further appointed Wang Xiu to administer justice to the south, and Chang Lin to distribute grain to the north. Tao Qian, as Inspector of Youzhou, was stationed at Ji County in Guangyang. Hearing that the Grand Ancestor was encamped nearby, he dressed in plain clothes and a bamboo hat, drove a donkey cart, and left Ji. Traveling from south to north, he first saw Xiu, then saw Lin. When Lu Fan in the camp heard of this, he went out with great ceremony to welcome him, saying the Grand Ancestor was in the west, and earnestly requested him to stay. Qian said nothing, but turned his cart around and headed south, returning to Ji County. His attendants, puzzled, asked him about this. Qian then sighed and said, \"Wang Shuzhi is lenient yet strict in due measure; Chang Bohuai is meticulously exact; Lu Ziheng is refined and courteous. These three are all outstanding men. What need is there to see their master? The affairs of Guangyang should be left to Gongsun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Zhongping years, Liangzhou rebelled again. The bandit forces grew powerful and advanced on Chang'an. The Grand Ancestor's fellow student Fu Xie died in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the winter of the sixth year of Zhongping, Grand General He Jin confided to the Grand Ancestor that he had lost military authority, which might hinder the plan to purge the eunuchs. Hearing this, the Grand Ancestor personally led his private troops and light cavalry to Henei. Many of his former subordinates in the Northern Army and Western Garden of Luoyang came in droves to pay their respects. When the eunuchs in Luoyang learned of this, they were all terrified and spoke to Emperor Ling. An edict was issued to Colonel-Director of Retainers Zhang Wen, ordering him to detain the Grand Ancestor and bring him into Luoyang. Upon arrival, the Grand Ancestor hung his sword at the camp gate to demonstrate his true intent. Zhang Wen saw this and sighed, then left in shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emperor Ling again ordered the Grand Ancestor to go to Liangzhou to suppress the rebellion there. The Grand Ancestor, bearing the realm's burden, accepted the command. The edict appointed Dong Zhuo as Front General and reinstated Huangfu Song as Left General, each leading twenty thousand men to resist the rebels. The Grand Ancestor was also given imperial authority to oversee the two generals, with each transferring five thousand of their own cavalry for the Grand Ancestor to command. Lu Bu was immediately sent as the vanguard, smashing the forces of Han Sui and Ma Teng head-on, then routing them completely. Over ten thousand heads were taken, including those of Wang Guo, Li Xiangru, and Huang Yan, and thirty thousand prisoners were captured. Han Sui and Ma Teng barely escaped with their lives. Liangzhou was thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Grand Ancestor annihilated the Liangzhou rebel army at the Wei River, he was appointed Governor of Jizhou, granted a staff of authority, and charged with overseeing military affairs in Youzhou and Jizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the Zhongping era, the Wuhuan of Liaoxi rebelled, raising tens of thousands of troops to breach Liucheng and cut off Youzhou. They also proclaimed the powerful Youyang clansman Zhang Ju as Son of Heaven. The central government deemed this a grave concern and appointed the Grand Ancestor with imperial authority to oversee the commanderies within the borders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month, he breached Guanzi City and beheaded Zhang Ju. In the fourth month, the Grand Ancestor engaged the Wuhuan, crossing the Dalinghe with over seven thousand men. Suddenly, envoys from the Duan tribe of the Xianbei arrived to report that the Wuhuan Chanyu Qiuliju was leading twenty thousand troops in ambush east of the Xiaolinghe, planning a night attack. At the time, the troops were gathered around campfires, sipping hot soup in the field. All turned pale and rose in alarm, spilling soup across the ground. Only the Grand Ancestor remained unmoved, slowly sipping his soup. He then raised his bowl and declared, \"This bowl can trap the bandits!\" The troops were thus calmed. That night, he launched his army in the rain. The Wuhuan were caught unprepared and suffered a crushing defeat. Liucheng was recovered, and the rebel chieftains Qiuliju and Tadun were beheaded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It happened that Emperor Ling passed away, and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, with Empress Dowager He presiding at court. Grand General He Jin plotted with Yuan Shao to execute the eunuchs, but Empress Dowager He would not consent. He Jin then summoned three columns of frontier troops and raised five columns of recruits. He also intended to use the Grand Ancestor as a rear guard to stabilize the situation and pressure Empress Dowager He. When the letter reached Liaoxi, the Grand Ancestor read it and laughed, saying, \"Eunuch officials have existed from ancient times to the present, but rulers should not grant them excessive power and favor, allowing things to reach this point. To punish their crimes, executing the chief villains would suffice — a single prison warden would be enough. Why summon outside generals in such numbers? To attempt to slaughter them all, the plot will inevitably be exposed. I fear I will not even arrive before witnessing his defeat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month of the first year of the Guangxi era, Grand General He Jin's plot to execute the eunuchs was not kept secret, and he was killed instead. Luoyang fell into chaos, and Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and others were also executed amid the turmoil. Yuan Shao then privately ordered Dong Zhuo to enter Luoyang. Once inside Luoyang, Dong Zhuo proceeded to depose and enthrone emperors, and also had Li Ru poison the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing of Dong Zhuo's usurpation of power, the Grand Ancestor issued a call to arms and formed an alliance at Changshan, seeking to swiftly march south to Hedong and strike directly at Dong Zhuo. In the tenth month, he raised his troops, marched out of Yanmen, passed through the Three Jin, crushed the Xiongnu, and beheaded Yang Zhong. He reached Hedong and approached Shangdang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, the White Wave Bandits of Hedong, led by Guo Tai, blocked the Grand Ancestor at Xiangling. The Grand Ancestor emerged from camp and personally led a force of twenty thousand cavalry, arraying them in formation to the east. Their ranks were strict and orderly, their armor gleaming, catching the setting sun and dazzling the eyes like celestial soldiers. The bandit army gazed upon them with dread. Seeing the bandits shaken, the Grand Ancestor ordered the entire army to cheer. When the cheering stopped, without beating the drums, he led the troops straight forward. The bandit formation wavered at the sight of the banners. Before they had advanced ten paces, they halted abruptly. The bandits were suddenly bewildered and alarmed, and their formation gradually crumbled. This was repeated two or three times, until the entire bandit army was shaken, scattering left and right. The bandit leader Guo Tai watched from afar, knowing the situation was hopeless and also understanding the Grand Ancestor's benevolence. He then took his own life and had his personal guards deliver his head in a box as a surrender. Hedong was thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Zhuo heard of this and was terrified. He then proposed moving the capital, driving a million officials and commoners west into the Guanzhong region. Hearing this, the Grand Ancestor swiftly entered Hongnong. With mighty passes ahead and strong forces behind, he was trapped amidst heavy troops, constrained between east and west. Some advised him to flee to Hedong. Gongsun Xun then raised his voice and replied, \"A journey of a hundred li is only half complete at ninety — this is precisely what the saying means. In times of hardship, true hearts are revealed. Let us strive and hold on; victory and defeat cannot yet be foretold.\" Soon after, he heard that Yuan Shao was leading the Guandong coalition to pacify Yanzhou and would then head to Hebei. His aides again urged him to return to Hebei to settle people's hearts. Gongsun Xun also sighed and replied, \"If others do not betray me, I will not betray others. A million officials and commoners in Guanzhong are looking up with hope — how can I abandon them? As for Yuan Benchu, who speaks empty rhetoric of righteousness and abandons the state, I am ashamed of him!\" He then broke through Shanxian, killing Dong Zhuo's son-in-law Niu Fu and Li Ru. He then captured Tongguan and Pujin. Later, hearing that Dong Zhuo was in Meixian, he bypassed Chang'an without entering, issuing the order: \"The enemy is but one man, and he is in Meixian.\" He drove straight on and besieged Wansuiwu, sending a blade into the fortress. Dong Zhuo saw it and stabbed himself to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The historian remarked: \"The Grand Ancestor lost his father in childhood and rose from a commandery clerk. Over several decades, he hacked through thorns and sharpened his blade, braving death and danger, relying on no other's hand, and thus achieved the imperial enterprise!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Volume Two:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first year of the Guangxi era of Han, the seventh month, after the Grand Ancestor had punished Dong Zhuo, he entered Chang'an on a white horse. He summoned the existing nobles and high officials of Chang'an to the eastern watchtower of Weiyang Palace to interrogate them. He charged Dong Zhuo with ten crimes: forging edicts to lead troops into Luoyang, arbitrarily deposing and enthroning emperors, poisoning the Empress Dowager, poisoning the young Emperor, forcibly relocating the capital, usurping imperial rites to build Wansuiwu, groundlessly executing the Grand Tutor and Grand Coachman, privately assuming the office of Chancellor, excavating the imperial tombs and various grave mounds, and torturing and plundering Henan and the Three Adjuncts while harming their soldiers and civilians without cause. These ten crimes were all unpardonable. He also ordered those who had followed Dong Zhuo to stand to the left of the three exit watchtowers, and those who had not followed Dong Zhuo to stand to the right. When the charges were finished, eight or nine out of ten stood on the left. The Grand Ancestor then burst out in fury: \"That the realm has fallen into such chaos is not Dong Zhuo's fault alone, but even more the crime of Emperor Ling and all you ministers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the Grand Ancestor, using the authority of General of the Guards, first handled the general affairs of the Three Adjuncts, comforting the people and restoring agriculture. He then took control of the Liangzhou forces and pacified Dong Zhuo's remaining troops. Next, he discussed merits and reorganized the army. He also issued the \"Edict to Summon the Worthy\" to fill the ranks of his staff. He sent Grand Master of Splendid Happiness Yang Biao as envoy to Yuzhou, Grand Master of Splendid Happiness Huang Wan as envoy to Jingzhou and Yizhou, Chang'an City Gate Captain Zhu Jun as envoy to Jiaozhou, and transferred Huangfu Song to be Inspector of Liangzhou. The realm was thus settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eighth month, he initiated water conservancy projects in Hedong and Hongnong, simultaneously implementing work-relief for disaster victims.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth month, he issued a prohibition on alcohol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the tenth month, he registered the millions of relocated commoners under the Director of Retainers, who had accumulated in the Three Adjuncts. Using the land survey precedent of Emperor Shizu, he cleared the lands of Guanzhong to settle them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early Jian'an era of Han, Tian Kai went to Chang'an to pay respects to the Grand Ancestor. Kai was an old friend of the Grand Ancestor from his youth. The Grand Ancestor was overjoyed, appointed him Commandant of Cavalry, and invited him to stay at the General of the Guards' mansion, where they shared a bed, and he was brought to the main hall to pay respects to the Grand Ancestor's mother. Kai was initially cautious but gradually relaxed, eventually becoming overly familiar and disregarding the proprieties between superior and subordinate, even addressing the Grand Ancestor by his courtesy name. Pang De, as Chief of the Volunteer Retainers, was angered and requested permission to kill him. The Grand Ancestor refused, saying, \"Gongzhi is truly an old friend from my youth, a fellow villager and old acquaintance, a colleague in the same commandery. How could it come to this?\" Pang De left and spoke with Zhang Ji, Jing Ze, and others. Jing Ze said, \"You should demonstrate authority and ritual to him.\" The next day, the Grand Ancestor held a grand assembly at Mingguang Palace for all the generals and officials of the Three Adjuncts to discuss the war in Hebei. Kai had not been summoned, but was falsely invited to attend. Upon entering Mingguang Palace, he saw countless nobles and high officials, all seated solemnly in rows. Pang De led the Volunteer Retainers, and Jing Ze led the Tiger Guards, all arrayed in full armor inside and outside the palace. Kai's seat was placed in a corner. Kai was greatly shocked and then understood the Grand Ancestor's magnanimity. From then on, he served with increased respect and caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first year of the Jian'an era of Han, spring, Rear General Yuan Shu attacked the Inspector of Jingzhou, Liu Biao. General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan Shao attacked the Administrator of Bohai, Gongsun Zan, and also petitioned to appoint Zhou Ang as Administrator of Jiujiang, blocking the path of the Inspector of Yuzhou, Liu Bei. With the two Yuans acting thus, beacon fires rose on all sides, and the realm was once again thrown into turmoil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao pacified Qingzhou and Yanzhou, entered Qinghe, first defeated Gongsun Zan, then crushed Han Fu. He then grew arrogant in his military might, disregarded court decrees, and privately assumed the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry. He became increasingly reckless and unrestrained, even usurping imperial rites, occupying Yecheng, and attacking Handan. At the time, the Chancellor of Zhao, Shen Pei, was defending Handan. Yuan Shao sent Pei's nephew, Shen Rong, to persuade him. Shen Pei replied, \"I follow the General of the Guards as a fish finds water. How could I be a subject to a private individual?\" It happened that the Prefect of Zhaoge, acting General of Inspiring Might, Guan Yu, arrived with reinforcements, and together they defeated him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao, panicked and disoriented, then heard that the Heishan bandit Yu Du had taken Yecheng. Even more alarmed, he abandoned his subordinates in his panic and fled. When Yecheng was recovered, he reverted to his former recklessness, further plundering the Taihang region and causing bandits like those of Zishan to proliferate. He then drove refugees southward, hoping to throw Guanzhong into chaos. Hearing this, the Grand Ancestor said, \"Yuan Benchu comes from a line of four generations of Three Excellencies, yet he is truly incapable of accomplishing anything!\" He then dispatched troops to suppress the bandits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early Jian'an era of Han, the Grand Ancestor went to Jingxing to suppress the Zishan bandit Zhang Yan, with five thousand troops against the bandits' twenty thousand. After crossing the river and setting up camp, night scouts returned, reporting that cooking smoke rose continuously from Zhang Yan's main camp, frequently visible under the moonlight. The Grand Ancestor thus knew the bandits intended to use the old strategy of Han Xin dividing his forces for a sneak attack. He summoned his military advisors to discuss, but the matter was urgent, and none of the officers knew what to do. The Grand Ancestor then laughed, claiming he had a plan and would reveal it the next day. His aides left in anxious uncertainty. The next day, the Grand Ancestor assembled the entire army, destroyed his own camp, cut the pontoon bridge, and proclaimed it a case of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats. He launched the entire army forward. When they met in the valley, Zhang Yan had split his forces in half, leaving only ten thousand troops, and those were a motley crowd. They were thus annihilated in a single battle. Zhang Yan's head was taken, and Zhang Cheng surrendered. The bandit threat in the Taihang Mountains was thus pacified. Everyone then understood and praised him profusely, saying, \"My lord's strategy was truly using King Xiang's old strategy to counter the old wisdom of the Marquis of Huaiyin.\" The Grand Ancestor laughed again and replied, \"Gentlemen, you are greatly mistaken. Zhang Yan dividing his forces was actually a desperate gamble, so while it appeared to be the Marquis of Huaiyin's old strategy, it was actually King Xiang's old plan. I abandoned camp and advanced, breaking cauldrons and sinking boats, but in truth, I knew the enemy's plan and attacked his weakness. So while it appeared to be King Xiang's old plan, it was actually the Marquis of Huaiyin's old strategy. Moreover, how could Han Xin ever betray Xiang Yu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eighth month of the first year of the Jian'an era of Han, Yuan Shao forged an edict and raised a hundred thousand troops to attack the Grand Ancestor in Jizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth month, the two armies faced off at Liangqi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the tenth month, the Grand Ancestor arrived at the front and immediately dealt Yuan Shao's army a setback. He then proposed a set date for a decisive battle, fixed for three days later. When the day came, both sides massed several hundred thousand troops and arrayed their formations across the open field. Following the customs of the Spring and Autumn period, they first conducted the ritual inspection of troops. After the inspection, they performed the ritual of champions. Wen Chou of Yuan Shao's forces and Zhao Yun, the Separate Division Major of the Youzhou Changshan Raiding Cavalry, dueled before the formations. They fought for dozens of bouts, and Zhao Yun won. Wen Chou died of shame and rage. The rites concluded, the battle began. With the Grand Ancestor having experienced more campaigns, he seized the opportunity and routed them utterly. Yuan Shao abandoned his baggage and troops and fled in panic back to Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first month of the second year of the Jian'an era of Han, the Grand Ancestor led several thousand troops into Qinghe. Xu You set an ambush with fifty thousand men and trapped him. At that time, Emperor Taizong the Benevolent was twelve years old and also with the army. The Grand Ancestor placed Taizong on his knee and directed operations with perfect composure, undisturbed by the crisis. He said to Taizong, \"Watch your elders defeat the bandits!\" The troops were moved and fought fiercely, thus breaking the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second month, Yuan Shao fled to Pingyuan, where he was again defeated. He fled east to Le'an and was defeated once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month, Yuan Shao fled to Liaocheng. The Grand Ancestor sent troops to besiege it, and Yuan Shao died of shock and terror. Hebei was thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Grand Ancestor had crushed Yuan Shao, he entered Jinan. Due to the incident at Jieqiao, he had no choice but to execute Xu You alone. All others were spared the death penalty and sentenced to three years of penal labor in Shanzhou. The hearts of the people in Qingzhou were thus settled. Soon after, he elevated Zheng Xuan of Gaomi to Grand Master of Ceremonies, established the Imperial Academy, implemented the imperial examinations, and set up the Three Chiefs system. He also converted the military colonies of Youzhou into civilian households, granted them equal land allotments, and re-established agricultural colonies in the four provinces of Jizhou, Yingzhou, Qingzhou, and Shanzhou. He consolidated the poll tax into the land tax. The age called this rescuing the people from misery, and all within the seas praised it as good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh month, having destroyed Yuan Shao and pacified Hebei, the Grand Ancestor moved his headquarters to Yecheng, dividing provinces and appointing governors, all under the authority of the General of the Guards' office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the twelfth month, the feudal lords of the Central Plains gathered at Nanyang to discuss forming an alliance to resist the Grand Ancestor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month of the fifth year of the Jian'an era of Han, the Grand Ancestor, wishing to overawe the Central Plains lords and taking advantage of Yecheng's prosperity, began constructing the Bronze Sparrow Terrace, placing both the administrative and military headquarters there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh month, the Governor of Yuzhou, Liu Bei, sent Lu Su to pay respects to the Grand Ancestor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the Son of Heaven came of age and returned to Chang'an. When the Grand Ancestor arrived in Chang'an, the vile faction was terrified. Wang Yun conspired with various traitors to plot against the Grand Ancestor, reaffirming their old oaths. Before long, of the eight who attended the meeting, four turned informant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, news arrived of a rebellion in Xiliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the autumn of the fifth year of the Jian'an era of Han, on the twenty-third day of the seventh month, the Grand Ancestor passed through Chang'an on his western campaign. The nobles and high officials petitioned for him to become Grand General, but he declined. As they were about to petition again, the outer relative and City Gate Captain Dong Cheng, Left General of the Household Fu Wan, and Right General of the Household Wang Bin grew fearful. They conspired to rebel, raising troops to attack the arsenal but failed. Their plot was exposed, and they were executed. His aides again petitioned to kill the two sons of the Wang family and to enter the palace to deal with the two honored ladies, Dong and Fu. The Grand Ancestor sighed and replied, \"I have borne the burden of the Han house for several years to reach this point. Though I began well, I cannot end well, and I am already deeply ashamed. How can I violate the duties of a subject for a trifling sense of grievance?\" His aides responded in agreement, but many did not truly agree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth month, he passed through Hanyang. The scholars and commoners of Liangzhou mostly came over to him of their own accord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, he crushed Ma Teng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the tenth month, Han Sui surrendered. He was ordered to go beyond Yumen Pass to manage the Western Regions. The twelve provinces of Liang and Zang were thus pacified. The Grand Ancestor then proceeded to attack Hanzhong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eleventh month, the Son of Heaven fled, traveling east from Qingming Gate. Grand Commandant Liu Yu stopped him before the gate, prostrating himself on the ground and begging him to return, exhaustively explaining why he could not leave. The Emperor would not listen. Liu Yu stopped him again, and the Emperor ordered arrows shot at him. He was hit, and then the Emperor hastily departed. Three days later, Liu Yu left a final message for his son, saying: \"I have heard that when the late Lu Zigan was dying, he told his son: 'Do not commit an evil act because it is small; do not neglect a good act because it is small.' I deeply agree with this. Now I also have words to leave my son, saying: 'Do not forget your integrity when times are desperate; do not let rising power corrupt your nature.' Mark this, my son!\" That evening, his wound festered, and he passed away. His concubine, Lady Mei, also burned herself to death as a martyr. The realm discussed this, and all said the Son of Heaven had lost virtue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the twelfth month, with the Son of Heaven having fled to Nanyang, Guanzhong was in turmoil. The scholars and commoners all looked to the Grand Ancestor's return. There were even memorials urging the Grand Ancestor to assume the title of Prince of Yan to reassure the people. Citing the White Horse oath of Emperor Gaozu of Han, the Grand Ancestor firmly declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the Administrator of Hanzhong, Zhang Lu, came alone out of the Xie Road and surrendered. Zhao Yun was ordered to garrison Hanzhong and take command of the two commanderies of Hanzhong and Wudu. Yang Qiu was also dispatched with a thousand cavalry as support. However, Zhang Lu was retained as Administrator of Hanzhong. Hanzhong was thus settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the Grand Ancestor returned to Chang'an and first arranged the funeral for Liu Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first month of the sixth year of the Jian'an era of Han, he again ordered Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Liu Biao to petition the Son of Heaven to return to Chang'an to discuss this matter in detail. They did not comply and instead condemned the Grand Ancestor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the various officials repeatedly petitioned him to assume the title of Duke of Yan. Only after three refusals did he accept. In the position of Duke of Yan, he assumed the responsibilities of the Crown Prince in governing the people, overseeing the military and administrative affairs of eleven provinces. He also petitioned the Son of Heaven and again requested his return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Grand Ancestor assumed the title of Duke, he honored his mother as Empress Dowager of Yan and decreed the investiture of his wife as Duchess of Yan. All his other ladies were titled Consorts. He appointed Lu Fan of Runan as Prime Minister, Shen Pei of Wei Commandery as Left Chancellor, and Lou Gui of Nanyang as Right Chancellor. Below these three chancellors were four more chancellors: Tian Feng of Julu, Wang Xiu of Beihai, Han Dang of Liaoxi, and Xi Zhong of Yingchuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three Departments were established. The first was the Department of the Secretariat, which handled confidential matters and issued government decrees, led by the Prime Minister. Next was the Department of State Affairs, which handled confidential matters, oversaw the documents received by all ministries, courts, bureaus, and offices, and reviewed and annotated them, led by the Left Chancellor. Finally, there was the Department of the Chancellery, which handled confidential matters and was specifically responsible for oversight and rejecting or amending government decrees, led by the Right Chancellor. Below the Three Departments, six ministries were established: the Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Works, Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Revenue. Each ministry had one Minister and two Vice Ministers of the Left and Right, directly overseeing each province, commandery, county, district, and village. Twelve Courts were also established, still subordinate to the Three Departments: the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Court of State Ceremonial, Court of the Imperial Clan, Court of Judicial Review, Court of the Privy Treasurer, Court of the Imperial Stud, Court of the Grand Minister of Agriculture, Court of the Palace Architect, Court of the Yellow Cabinet, Court of Printing, Court of Astronomy, and Court of the Palace Garrison. Four Commissions were also established: the Censorate, the Finance Commission, the Privy Council, and the Pacification Commission. The Censorate oversaw surveillance, led by Tian Feng of Julu. The Finance Commission oversaw finances, led by Wang Xiu of Beihai. The Privy Council oversaw military deployments, led by Han Dang of Liaoxi. The Pacification Commission's authority and responsibilities were unclear, but it was led by Xi Zhong of Yingchuan, with Guo Jia as deputy. It was further decreed that the three chiefs of the Three Departments and the heads of the Four Commissions would all have seats at the Bronze Sparrow Terrace in Yecheng and be collectively called the Terrace Officials. When extraordinary matters arose, the seven seats would deliberate together and could decide state affairs!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month, Jiang Gan was ordered to go as an envoy to Shu. There he saw a white bear, and a white bear is an auspicious omen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fourth month, the famous Later Han minister Zhao Qi observed the Purple Tenuity star at night and told his attendants, \"The Azure Heaven is dead; the Vast Heaven is not yet established. When the year is in Bingzi, great fortune will come to the realm!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Cao Cao sent a declaration of war to Yecheng, claiming to command seven hundred thousand troops and desiring to hunt with the Grand Ancestor at Baima. The Grand Ancestor read it and replied, \"Were my host to cast their whips into the river, it would be enough to stem its flow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, a military review was held at the Bronze Sparrow Terrace. The army's appearance was majestic, and all shouted \"Ten thousand victories!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the policy of selecting officers through archery examinations was established, which was the imperial examination system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Xu Huang and Zhang He were ordered to launch a surprise attack on Baima, taking it in a single battle. The Grand Ancestor then personally led ten thousand infantry and cavalry from Yecheng to Baima.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Cao Cao arrived at Pingqiu, and the two armies faced off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the time the Grand Ancestor took command of the realm, he eradicated the vile and the unruly. In his deployment of troops and direction of campaigns, he generally followed the methods of Sun Wu and Wu Qi, but adapted to circumstances with ingenious stratagems, deceiving the enemy to achieve victory, his transformations seemingly divine. When facing a situation, he personally issued directives. Those who followed his orders triumphed; those who disobeyed his teachings suffered defeat. When confronting the enemy in formation, his demeanor was calm and relaxed, as if he had no desire to fight. Yet when the moment came to seize the decisive opportunity and press the victory, his momentum overflowed. Thus, every battle was a certain victory, and his army never won by mere luck. In a lifetime of warfare, he was virtually without peer; only Cao Cao could slightly match him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sixth month, he broke through Suanzao, taking the heads of Xiahou Yuan and Ding Fei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the Grand Ancestor drove straight for Guandu. Cao Cao was encamped south of Pu, so he combined his forces and moved west to provide support, first sending Cao Chun with ten thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry bearing imperial authority to advance. The Grand Ancestor spotted the gap and immediately attacked, routing them. Just as Cao Cao arrived, he attacked again and routed him utterly. In this battle, the heads of Cao Chun, Cao Xiu, Xu Chu, and Shi Huan were taken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eighth month, Guan Yu took Xuzhou, and Xu Shu beheaded Zhou Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In early September, the Grand Ancestor repeatedly challenged Cao Cao to battle, but Cao Cao stubbornly refused to come out. He therefore had several dozen sets of women's headscarves and ornaments collected and launched them into Cao Cao's camp with catapults to mock him. Cao Cao then gave battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By mid-September, the fighting grew increasingly intense. The eldest son of Prime Minister Lu Fan, Lu Fu, died in battle. The Grand Ancestor heard of it and said nothing. The next day, Emperor Ren, not yet capped, had been laboring at Baima with all his close attendants. At this time, they were all sent into Guandu. The aides were all terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the end of the ninth month, Taizu set an ambush at Wuchao Marsh with tens of thousands of cavalry. Cao Cao also committed all his troops, and Taizu routed him utterly — Cao Cao escaped with his life alone. The heads of Xu Sheng, Xiahou Shang, Zhou Tai, and Mao Jie were taken; Du Xi surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Sun Ce attempted a surprise attack on Yexia. At the time, Cheng Yu was defending Neihuang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the tenth month, he blocked and defeated him, taking the heads of Sun Ce, Cao Hong, Yue Jin, Li Jin, Gao Gan, Zhang Chao, and Dong Xi. Huang Zhong surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Taizu descended upon Cao Cao's camp. Cao Cao fled to Wancheng. At the time, Lu Bu was in Wancheng. Cao Cao, citing that they both served the Son of Heaven, sought entry, but Lu Bu refused him. Just then the pursuing riders caught up. Cao Cao laughed and said to the one who had first spoken: \"Young sir, I grant you a state-founding marquisate!\" Then he stabbed himself and died. The Central Plains were thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the spring of the seventh year of Jian'an of Han, Taizu advanced into the Two Huai region. He dispatched General Who Guards the West Gongsun Yue, Governor of Yizhou Tian Feng, Champion General Zhao Yun, and Administrator of Hanzhong Guo Jia to campaign against Shu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month, Yue and Tian Feng halted at Sword Pavilion. Xu Shu, having received Guo Jia's request, entered Shu bearing a sword to plot the assassination of a state policy. The deed was accomplished. Taizu, hearing of it, praised: \"I never imagined a single sword could slay a dragon!\" Shu was thus pacified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth month, Jia Xu questioned and answered Taizu at Bronze Sparrow Terrace — seven questions and seven answers, fully expressing Taizu's will and intent, and the text was circulated throughout the realm. From this, the hearts of the people grew ever more attached, and the realm gradually settled. Taizu's Mandate of Heaven also issued forth from this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the twelfth month, Jiaozhou surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the Han Emperor met with Liu Biao and Liu Bei at Xiling. Liu Bei then volunteered to march out from Nanyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month of the eighth year of Jian'an of Han, Taizu arrived at Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, he dispatched Lu Fan to the Yu River, where he smashed Liu Bei's army. Liu Bei fled to Zhouju.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Han Dang besieged Zhouju and took Liu Bei's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fourth month, Han Dang captured Shaxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, the Han Emperor accepted the surrender of Han Rui, Administrator of Lujiang, and returned to Luoyang. The renowned Han minister and General of Chariots and Cavalry Jing Ze drowned himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Jingzhou surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same month, Wu Commandery surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month, the Han Emperor, seeing that the hopes of the people lay with Yan, abdicated, saying: \"We have reigned for ten years, encountering the realm's upheaval and collapse. By fortune we relied on the spirits of our ancestors and the loyal ministers who gave their lives, so that peril was met and survival restored. Yet when we look up to observe the celestial signs and look down to examine the hearts of the people, the count of Yan's essence has reached its end, and the course of fortune rests with the Gongsun clan. Thus the Duke of Yan has already established divine and martial achievements and further radiated brilliant virtue to answer the season. The calendar's mandate is clear and manifest — truly it can be known. The Great Way in practice makes the realm a commonwealth, selecting the worthy and capable. Thus Tang Yao did not favor his own son, and his name spread without end. We admire and yearn for this. Now we follow in the footsteps of Yao's canon and abdicate the throne to the Duke of Yan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Han Emperor performed the sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, then issued an edict to \"invest the Son of Heaven.\" Taizu received the edict, went to the northern abdication altar and declined — three times in all he declined — then bowed upon the altar. The Han Emperor assisted in placing the Son of Heaven's crown upon him. The Han Emperor entrusted the imperial crown to him, then descended the altar and walked back. When it was done, the abdication was complete. Taizu then girded on his blade, mounted a white horse, and reviewed Luoyang at the head of tens of thousands. He sacrificed to Heaven and Earth, announcing to the August Heaven and Sovereign Earth. When the rites were complete, the transition from Han to Yan was thus settled. Taizu then said: \"The Han Emperor has said that my current position was built by my own doing, and therefore I may take pride in it! These words miss the mark! How could the strength of one man overturn heaven and earth, establish Yan and overthrow Han? My deeds this day were accomplished together with enlightened lords! As for this crown before me — it took several skilled craftsmen a month to make, but it took you lords ten years of toil, shedding blood together with me, to fashion! Therefore I say: as I now don this crown, I must thank the Han Emperor, but even more I thank the lords before me today! And I thank the hundreds of thousands of officials and soldiers of Yan stationed across the four corners of the realm! I thank all those who, over these ten years, drove their horses beneath me and died without looking back! Naturally, I also thank my mother, who gave her family's wealth! I thank my two teachers who imparted virtue and strength! I also thank my enemy Yuan Benchu! I thank my old friend Meng De! I thank my sworn brother Liu Xuande! And further I thank all the spirits who, since the chaos began, have died for integrity, died for the Way, died for virtue over these ten years! And indeed, I further thank the heroes who, since the Three Dynasties, opened heaven and earth and established Huaxia! With my words today, I wish to borrow the mouths of you lords to spread across the four seas and the realm — this is precisely what is meant by 'Heaven's mandate is fulfilled by men,' and thus men determine what surpasses Heaven! Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Yan — the mountains and rivers, the altars of state, succeed one another unbroken. Relying on this, in times of chaos and collapse, there are always heroes who rise up, never retreating in the face of death! My lords, because the sacrifices of the valiant are so many, we dare declare that the sun and moon shall change the sky anew. Today I do not bow to the Han Emperor, but bow to the scholars and commoners of the realm; I do not sacrifice to Heaven and Earth, but only announce to the heroic spirits! Thus it is, and nothing more!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Taizu assumed the imperial throne, he set the dynastic name of the realm as Yan and established the reign era Hongwu. He posthumously honored his great-great-grandfather as Emperor Xuan, with the temple name Dezu; his great-grandfather as Emperor Heng, with the temple name Yizu; his grandfather as Emperor Yu, with the temple name Xizu; his late father as Emperor Wen, with the temple name Renzu — their consorts were all honored as empresses. He established his consort Lady Zhao as Empress and his heir apparent Ding as Crown Prince. All meritorious ministers were advanced in rank according to distinction. He issued an edict of enthronement to the realm. He posthumously enfeoffed his late imperial uncles and all below as kings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The historian remarks: \"The two Han dynasties had a prophecy: 'He who replaces Han shall be Dang Tu Gao!' Who is he who treads the path on high? All are of the Gongsun line! Thus Taizu, the Martial Emperor, rose from a single commoner of Liaoxi, and in the end, with Yan he supplanted Han — how could this not be the count of Heaven?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",12771,"2026-06-04T19:42:52.587Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","d49f27c8c29cea29c4008d6486eb65c720fabdfcb68d0a812c7ac0bf09444fae","overthrowing-han-chapter-540","overthrowing-han-chapter-538",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]