Chapter 544: Appendix 11: *The Old Book of Yan* — Biographical Annals of Empress Xiaozhuang Wen — sduyi

Appendix 11: *The Old Book of Yan* — Biographical Annals of Empress Xiaozhuang Wen — sduyi

Appendix 11: *The Old Book of Yan* — Biographical Annals of Empress Xiaozhuang Wen — sduyiyi

*The Old Book of Yan* — Biographical Annals of Empress Xiaozhuang Wen

Empress Xiaozhuang Renxuan Chengxian Gongyi Zhide Chunhui Yitian Qisheng Wen was the birth mother of the Grand Ancestor. The Grand Ancestor lost his father in childhood, so she raised him by selling silks. She was skilled in trade, understood goods and wealth, delighted in charity, and was revered by the clan, who all called her: Lady Gongsun.

It is said that earlier, Emperor Wen, while serving as a minor official, was returning from the prefecture when he suddenly saw a great radiance of rainbow light beside a well. Approaching, he saw a woman of striking beauty, who said she was from Qiaoxian in Peiguo, had fallen into a well, and in a daze arrived there. The Emperor found this most extraordinary, judged that this woman was of great nobility, and took her as his wife. This woman was the future Empress.

Upon returning to Lingzhi, her husband died not long after. The Empress mourned deeply for a long time, then left the clan, traveling secretly hundreds of li by day and night back to the old place, intending to throw herself into the well. A child saw a golden snake dancing beside the well and reported it to the authorities, who found her there and stopped her. That night as she slept, she again heard her husband's words: "My own fortune was thin, but our son is destined for great nobility; raise him well." Upon examination, she was indeed with child. The Empress then cut her hair to show her resolve, swearing never to remarry. When the village heard of this, all revered her fortitude.

At first the family was poor and without support, so the Empress established trading houses far and wide, named "Anli," dealing in foodstuffs and goods, opening trade routes beyond the frontier, and spreading operations throughout Youzhou and Jizhou, until the family wealth reached hundreds of millions. Younger kinsmen such as Yue and Zan all depended on her support. Then there was Zhang Jian, a fugitive who sought shelter at their gate; countless families had been ruined, but he ultimately found refuge under her protection. In her spare time she wrote books and established teachings to instruct the Grand Ancestor. She also personally undertook civil projects, full of ingenious ideas: she introduced methods of channeling water for irrigation to combat drought, and strategies for catching and eating locusts to counter plague, bringing peace to the people of the two Liao regions. At that time, Lu Zhi of the same province had first earned a reputation for worthiness in his home district; hearing of her deeds, he sighed and said: "None of us are equal to a single woman of Liaoxi." Such were her actions. In commerce, within twenty years the Anli trading house circulated throughout the realm; in writing, she authored a solid million words, touching on history, literature, fiction, and poetry; in civil affairs, she pacified and comforted the two Liao regions, creating prosperity beyond the frontier. The age called her extraordinary even before the Grand Ancestor rose to prominence.

In the third year of the Xiping era, the Grand Ancestor was eighteen and serving as a minor official in the commandery. The Empress summoned him and said: "Liaoxi is a remote frontier, where culture and learning do not flourish; it cannot compare to Luoyang with its many renowned scholars. Now there is Master Lu, whose talent spans both civil and military arts, currently teaching at Mount Goushi; you should go and seek him out. Moreover, it is said: reading ten thousand scrolls of books is not as good as traveling ten thousand li of road. Along your journey, you must first inquire into local customs to broaden your knowledge and experience." She then dispatched the Grand Ancestor, his elder cousin Zan, and his younger cousin Yue together to Luoyang. When they reached Luoyang, it happened that Lu Zhi had gone out to Jiujiang, and they met Liu Kuan, teacher of the Emperor. Kuan observed that the three brothers were all extraordinary and accepted them all as disciples. When Zhi returned, the Grand Ancestor respectfully served both teachers without any difference in attitude, and thereby gained renown among the scholarly circles.

In the fifth year, the Empress, concerned that the Grand Ancestor had lost his father young and often worried that his own branch would lack heirs, summoned him back home. The Grand Ancestor, being extremely filial, wished to resign his commandery post to serve his widowed mother, but it happened that he heard the commandery governor Zhao's mother had been abducted by bandits, and he hesitated, unable to decide. The Empress told the Grand Ancestor: "As a son, one must be filial to one's parents; as a subject, one must also be loyal to one's lord. His mother is the same as your own mother. Now the matter is urgent; go quickly, and do not worry about me." The Grand Ancestor then rode with only five horsemen into the enemy camp and rescued the commandery governor's mother. When Governor Zhao heard of this, moved by the lofty righteousness of the Grand Ancestor and his mother, he gave his daughter in marriage to the Grand Ancestor. That same year, the Grand Ancestor was entrusted by Cai Yong with ten thousand scrolls of books for safekeeping. The Empress experimented with woodblock printing techniques, printing them on Gongsun paper, and in a short time they became bound volumes, greatly enriching the book collections of the Liao region. At that time, Lou Gui, a renowned scholar of Nanyang, first entered the Grand Ancestor's service; marveling at the Empress's talent and virtue, he said: "Observing the mother, one may know the son!" He then pledged himself as a private retainer, volunteering to enter the Anli trading house as an accountant. After more than a year, he was taught bookkeeping and mathematics.

In the sixth year, the Grand Ancestor entered Luoyang for his achievements in defeating the Xianbei. At that time, eunuchs were disrupting governance. The Empress encouraged him, saying: "The chaos in the court all stems from the eunuchs. My son is brave and resolute; you should swiftly reform these ills." The Grand Ancestor followed her advice, and indeed executed Wang Fu and others, then confronted Cao Jie at court, shaking the entire realm.

In the early second year of the Guanghe era, the Grand Ancestor was appointed Prefect of Xiangping and defeated Goguryeo. Some of his troops privately dug up abandoned graves. When the Empress heard of this, she rebuked him: "You lost your father young and were able to grow to manhood entirely relying on the customs of the Han. Now you allow your soldiers to wreak havoc and destroy those very customs — is this permissible?" The Grand Ancestor apologized, severely punished those troops, and military discipline was thereby tightened.

During the Guanghe era, the people's livelihood withered, the common folk had nothing to fill their bellies, and there were even cases of exchanging children to eat. Yet the houses of the rich and powerful vied in extravagance, spending a thousand gold pieces at a toss without the slightest restraint. The Empress observed this and was deeply troubled, saying: "Behind the vermilion gates, wine and meat rot; on the roads lie the bones of those frozen to death. How can such wealth and honor endure?" She then curbed her own household's luxury and precious playthings, and instead stocked up on cloth, grain, and fodder. When the Yellow Turban rebellion erupted, she opened the storehouses, provided disaster relief and aid to the distressed, and took in refugees; countless common people survived because of this. Some say: the Empress in the two Liao regions, the Grand Ancestor in Changping — this was the very foundation of Yan.

In the sixth year of the Zhongping era, the Xianbei threw Youzhou into chaos. At that time, the Grand Ancestor was campaigning in Liangzhou. When he received the news, his face showed no worry; he directed operations with perfect composure, defeated Han Sui within three days, and returned. His aides asked: "A fire has broken out at your rear; are you not worried?" He replied: "My mother is there; I have no worry." Upon his return, he quelled the Xianbei rebellion. The Grand Ancestor, troubled by the fickleness of the Hu tribes, asked the Empress for a strategy. The Empress said: "The Hu tribes' people have not yet awakened in wisdom; it is fitting to apply education and transformation. Those barbarians who come to China should be treated as Chinese." She then organized the Murong, Yuwen, and Duan clans into three divisions, which became the Three Garrisons of Liaoxi. She also built strong fortresses at strategic points and spread the Buddhist Dharma beyond the frontier. The people and the tribes, moved by the Empress's virtuous transformation, called her the "Guanyin Bodhisattva Who Saves from Suffering and Hardship," and the borders were thus pacified.

In the first year of the Jian'an era, the Grand Ancestor achieved his triumph over Dong Zhuo. The Empress relocated to Chang'an, where she managed farmland, promoted industry, facilitated trade, and resettled refugees migrating westward, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. At that time, Yuan Shao rose in revolt. The Grand Ancestor, troubled by this, asked the Empress for a strategy. She said: "Build high walls, amass grain widely, and dispatch troops early — then the great matter can be settled." The Grand Ancestor deeply agreed. In the seventh month, about to campaign against Shao, he left Jia Xu, Wang Xiu, and Zhong Yao to jointly manage the affairs of Chang'an, saying: "If deliberations reach an impasse, seek counsel from my mother in the inner chambers; that will suffice." Some aides remarked: "Can a woman understand matters of governance?" The Grand Ancestor replied: "If my mother were a man, there would be no place for us to wield our martial skills."

In winter, Cao Cao entered Chang'an and, under the pretext of being an old friend of the Grand Ancestor, visited the Empress. The conversation touched upon the story of Sun Jian taking Lady Wu as his wife. The Empress sighed and said: "A married couple should be joined by mutual affection. Conduct such as that — how can it endure?" She then composed the "Song of the Yushui River" to satirize him. Not long after, Jian indeed greatly lost the people's trust and was assassinated in Nanyang.

In the second year, Yuan Shao was defeated by the Grand Ancestor and fled east to Liaocheng, where he saw several hundred ships afloat on the Eastern Sea; shocked and terrified, he died. The Liaodong navy thereby became renowned throughout the realm. This navy was precisely the one the Empress had prepared during her time in Liaodong. In the fifth month, she relocated to Yecheng. There she promoted culture and education, established the Grand Academy, appointed Zhang Jian as Libationer, and Zheng Xuan, Cai Yong, Liu Hong, and others all taught there. Scholars, admiring her reputation, flocked to join.

In the fifth year, the Bronze Sparrow Terrace was raised. Some remonstrated, saying it harmed the people's strength. The Empress said: "This is the way of economy." She did not heed them. Before long, the armory within the terrace was fully stocked, trade flourished, and there were also grounds for horse racing and cuju; the scholars and commoners delighted in it, and all marveled at her foresight. That same year, a great earthquake occurred, and the virtue of the House of Liu gradually waned. In winter, the Empress resided in Yexia. She once invited Lady Cai's father, Yong, to ride with her in a carriage to the Grand Academy to observe a debate. It happened that the Han Emperor had just killed the Grand Commandant and fled to Nanyang. A student of the Grand Academy blocked the Empress's carriage on the road and presented a memorial requesting that the Grand Ancestor be made Son of Heaven. The Empress read the document, smiled, and passed it to Yong, asking what should be done. Yong trembled with fear and dared not speak. The Empress then smiled, pointed at the petitioner, and said: "Does this boy wish to set my son upon a fire to roast?" She then burned the memorial and did not pursue the matter, observing the debate and the cuju match as usual. When Yexia heard of this, all praised her wisdom!

In the sixth year, the multitude petitioned to establish the Grand Ancestor as Duke of Yan and to honor the Empress as Empress Dowager of Yan. Together with the Grand Ancestor, she established the Three Departments and Six Ministries system and the policy of selecting scholars through martial examinations. That same year, the Grand Ancestor campaigned against Cao Cao and routed him. Cao, faring poorly in battle, secretly ordered his son-in-law Sun Ce to lead seven armies in a raid on Yecheng. At that time, Yecheng was undefended; upon receiving the news, the people were all shocked and fearful, but the Empress alone showed no sign of worry. As the situation was urgent, she issued an edict ordering the Privy Envoy Han Dang to temporarily assume military command and relieve Neihuang, and further gave Taishi Ci five hundred fully armored cavalry of Yexia, called the Iron Pagodas, to cut off Sun Ce's rear. It happened that the Grand Ancestor had also discerned Cao Cao's plot and dispatched troops from Yingzhou to assist, and within a single day, the seven armies were annihilated. Not long after, Cao Cao was defeated and perished; his remaining forces all surrendered and were relocated to Yexia. At that time, Guo Tu had just returned to Ye and offered counsel, saying: "The Cao clan are all wolves and tigers. They recklessly resisted the heavenly troops on the front and secretly raided Yecheng from the rear, leaving corpses strewn in heaps. Their hearts are unfathomable. It would be fitting to follow the old system used for the Yuan clan and settle them on the frontier to strengthen the borders." When the various Cao forces heard this, they grew uneasy, and disturbances broke out repeatedly. The Empress then ordered the Cao clan's surrendered general Xiahou Dun to assist Wang Xiu in military agricultural affairs, had Cao Cao's son Ang and Li Jin's younger brother Dian separately pacify the troops, and further permitted surrendered ministers such as Xun Yu to each return to their native villages. The people were thus pacified.

In the seventh year, the Grand Ancestor swept across the realm, and Liu Bei was also defeated in battle and died. Bei had lost his father young, and his family had always been poor and humble. The Empress had often sent him gifts and regarded him as a son or nephew. Even after they later divided into north and south, their correspondence never ceased. When Bei perished, his attendants spoke of his betrayal of righteousness, but the Empress only sighed for a long time and said: "Bei, as a kinsman of the imperial house, sought to uphold the Han dynasty; his aspiration was pitiable. That he fell into unrighteousness, advancing and retreating without a foothold — that was my fault."

In the eighth year, the Han Emperor abdicated, and the Grand Ancestor ascended the throne, changing the era name to Kaiyuan and honoring her as Empress Dowager. The Empress then returned the Anli trading house to the state and retired to the rear palace, where she compiled teaching materials, nurtured orphans and the weak, and no longer inquired into political affairs. Her learning was extremely broad, encompassing astronomy and mathematics, classics, histories, masters, and collections. She was also skilled in educating people and often admonished her descendants, saying: "Do not neglect a good deed because it is small, and do not commit an evil deed because it is small," and "Only worthiness and virtue can win the allegiance of others." Thus, the Grand Ancestor had the civil and military mastery to pacify the realm; the Grand Exemplar had the benevolence and love for the people to secure the state; and the State-Protecting Grand Princess had the fortitude and resolve to quell peacetime disturbances. It is said she taught according to each student's aptitude: thus Zhuge Liang obtained her governance, Wen Hui her benevolence, Ma Chao her valor, and Wang Can her literary skill. It is said she provided education for all without discrimination: thus her civilizing influence spread beyond the frontier, and her grace extended even to enemies. Men such as Murong Bo, Duan Zhixing, Yuwen Tai, Yuan Xi, Cao Chong, Zhou Xun, and Sun Shao — whether they won renown on the battlefield or displayed talent in the ministries — all depended on her nurturing. Women of the age also mostly admired her name. Earlier, Lady Cai often attended her, broad in learning and strong in memory, and together with Wang Xiang compiled the *Encyclopedia*, and was called the Great Mistress Cai. Later, there was Huang Yueying, skilled in mechanics, and Lady Han (note: namely Sun Jian's youngest daughter, Sun Ren, whom Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang bestowed the courtesy name Shangxiang), who possessed valor and strength, and as women stood side by side in the court.

In the eighteenth year, she passed the throne to the Grand Exemplar, changing the era name to Zhenguan and honoring her as Grand Empress Dowager. Though the Empress was advanced in years, she was skilled at applying cosmetics, so that even her attendants did not perceive her aging.

In the tenth year of the Zhenguan era, there was a solar eclipse, and the Grand Ancestor passed away. The Grand Exemplar, being extremely filial, grieved deeply for a long time, and not long after also passed away. The Empress was wounded by this and fell ill. At that time, the Grand Exemplar's sons and heirs were young, and the various younger brothers contended among themselves, nearly ruining the affairs of state. The Empress then elevated the Grand Princess Li as State-Protecting Grand Princess, entrusting her with overseeing the state, and made the Commandant-Escort Zhuge Liang the Prime Minister. When her illness became critical, she summoned Li and Liang to her bedside and entrusted them with the affairs to come, saying: "Your talents are ten times those of the various younger brothers; you will surely be able to secure the state and ultimately settle the great matter. If the heir can be assisted, assist him; if he proves unworthy, you may take the throne yourselves." Li and Liang wept and said: "Your children and servants dare to exert the strength of our limbs, fulfill the integrity of loyalty and devotion, and follow it even unto death!"

In the early eleventh year, a yellow dragon was seen dancing at Jixian, and a phoenix cried mournfully in the wilds. She passed away. The entire nation mourned together. In accordance with her last wishes, no mound was raised and no tomb sealed; her bones were scattered upon the grasslands, with white horses trampling them as the ritual. Her posthumous title was "Wen."

When the Generational Ancestor personally took up governance, he bestowed an honorific title upon the Empress Dowager, and whenever the state had celebrations, he would invariably add to it. By the time the Sagely Ancestor pacified Rinan and reported victory, the honorific title was fixed as Zhaosheng Cishou Gongjian Anyi Zhangqing Dunhui Wenzhuang Kanghe Renxuan Hongjing Grand Empress Dowager. The Empress was also posthumously honored with accumulated titles, becoming Xiaozhuang Renxuan Chengxian Gongyi Zhide Chunhui Yitian Qisheng Wen, Empress.

(End of Chapter)