[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-545":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},1223304,1620,"Chapter 545: Appendix 12: The Old Book of Yan","overthrowing-han-chapter-545",545,"\u003Cp>Appendix 12: The Old Book of Yan. Annals of the Martial Emperor, Grand Ancestor. Volume Two —\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Appendix 12: The Old Book of Yan. Annals of the Martial Emperor, Grand Ancestor. Volume Two — Ge San\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court deliberated changing the reign title to Zhongping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor opened his headquarters, appointing Han Dang as Commandant of the Guard General's Staff; Lu Fan as Chief Clerk to the Guard General; Lou Gui and Xi Zhong as Attendant Officers of the Guard General; Wang Xiu and Zao Zhi as Ordinance Officers of the Guard General; and Wei Yue as Commander of the Official Cavalry. At that time, Henei had repeatedly suffered bandit troubles. Hearing of the Grand Ancestor's arrival, the bandits fled into hiding, and the scholars and commoners danced with joy, greeting him along the roads with vessels of food and drink upon seeing the white horse. The Grand Ancestor had long heard that Sima Zhi of Henei had a reputation for worthiness, and immediately went to visit him; they conversed with great delight. Zhi recommended the three sons of the Zhang clan — Fan, Cheng, and Zhao — as well as Chang Lin, Han Xuan, Yang Jun, Wang Xiang, Han Hao, Fang Yue, Hao Meng, Zhao Zi, Sima Lang, and others; the Grand Ancestor summoned them all. For a time, outstanding talents gathered in full. Within the government offices, iris and jade were planted everywhere; inside the clerks' chambers, a dazzling array of brilliance filled the eye. The Grand Ancestor sat observing this and, overjoyed, said: \"The heroes of Henei have all fallen into my snare!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several months, Henei was on the verge of good governance. Then the Southern Palace in Luoyang suffered a fire, and Emperor Ling decreed that the realm pay a palace repair levy of ten cash per mu. The Grand Ancestor was displeased, yet still exerted himself to comply. Within days, another decree ordered each province and commandery to send timber and dressed stone, transporting them to the capital. The Grand Ancestor was furious and wished to resist this reckless command, when suddenly news came that the Yellow Turbans in Hebei had risen again, and the former Grand Administrator of Julu, Guo Dian, had died in battle. He also heard that the court was pressing Sima Zhi to become Grand Administrator of Julu; Zhi could not bear to accept, and upon reaching Mengjin, he took poison and died. The Grand Ancestor rushed to Mengjin, where he met Gongsun Fan by the river, who told him that Liu Kuan had passed away, entrusting all his final affairs to the Grand Ancestor, and had left a letter for him. The Grand Ancestor received the letter, wept, and then entered Luoyang to request resignation; Emperor Ling granted it. The Grand Ancestor thereupon sold all his properties in Luoyang, obtaining a thousand gold pieces, and spent it all on fine wine, saying that Master Liu had loved wine, and invited all who came to mourn to drink a goblet. Escorting the coffin to Mengjin, about to part, he shared bottles with the crowd and drank, swearing never to spend a single coin to buy office, and that he would eventually return to cleanse the court. At that time, Yuan Shao was at his side, and hearing this was greatly struck by it, and from then on regarded the Grand Ancestor as a formidable rival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor went to bury Kuan at the foot of Mount Wangwu. Once finished, he returned north from there to Liaoxi; Chang Lin and Han Hao asked to follow him. He left the Guard General's seal and cord in Luoyang, but Emperor Ling sent an envoy to pursue and give them to him. Only after three times did he accept. Traveling to Zhao, many refugees recognized the White Horse Volunteers, and so they trailed after him, until they numbered over ten thousand. The Grand Ancestor could not bear to abandon them, so he detached some Volunteers to protect them as they moved slowly north. Reaching Guangyang, the followers grew even more numerous. The Grand Ancestor, concerned that the old and weak among them were many and could not endure the hardship, changed course to Changping to open military farms. There he established the Guard General's headquarters, the White Horse Volunteers' garrison, and a private academy. Together with Lu Fan and those below him, he personally labored, hands and feet calloused, rising early and retiring late. He suppressed the powerful families, surveyed and measured the fields, investigated hidden households, and organized the people into squads and companies. Within three years, the region greatly flourished. Famous scholars such as Ju Zong, Du Ji, and Jing Ze all went to join him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the Grand Ancestor resided in Guangyang, he heard that Liangzhou had rebelled repeatedly and that Fu Xie had died a martyr, and often sighed with lament. Shortly after, the Inspector of Jizhou, Wang Fen, sent Xu You as an envoy to discuss deposing the emperor; the Grand Ancestor angrily rebuked him. After You departed, the Grand Ancestor stood by the Star River and sighed. Those close to him understood his intent and all urged him: \"The Son of Heaven is muddled and chaotic, thus making you, my lord, unacceptable at court. Now the realm has already revolted, yet our forces are insufficient for self-defense. The villages of Youzhou have received your grace and virtue, and will surely follow you. You should settle peacefully in Guangyang, lead the righteous followers, watch for one who possesses the Way and assist him, thereby delivering the realm.\" The Grand Ancestor sighed deeply: \"The Son of Heaven is indeed muddled, but in the chaos of Guanxi, what crime did Fu Nanrong commit? In Wang Fen's treachery, what hardship did the hundred officials of Jizhou deserve? Moreover, the common people of both regions are certainly much entangled and burdened; something must be done.\" Those around him then ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth year of Zhongping, winter, Grand General He Jin sent a letter to the Grand Ancestor, saying he had lost military authority, which might hinder the matter of punishing the eunuchs. Hearing this, the Grand Ancestor personally led his private troops and light cavalry to Henei. The Northern Army and Western Garden forces in Luoyang contained many of the Grand Ancestor's former subordinates, who came in droves to pay their respects. The eunuchs in Luoyang heard of this and spoke to Emperor Ling, issuing an edict to the Colonel-Director of Retainers, Zhang Wen, ordering him to summon the Grand Ancestor into Luoyang. When he arrived, the Grand Ancestor hung his sword at the camp gate. Zhang Wen saw this and sighed, and actually left in shame. In the tenth month, Emperor Ling reviewed the troops at the Pingle Observatory, but ultimately could not prevail; Jin thus regained military authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eleventh month, one hundred thousand Liangzhou rebels entered the Three Adjuncts, pressing straight toward Chang'an. Jin, believing the rebels were fierce and could only be defeated by a famous general, crossed the river on a snowy night to request the Grand Ancestor. Moved by his sincerity, the Grand Ancestor agreed. He was then appointed general, and an edict dispatched the Three Rivers and Five Colonels, assembling over twenty thousand troops for a western campaign. Hearing that the Grand Commandant's office's Military Section Clerk, Jia Xu, was skilled in strategy, he summoned him as Army Major, in charge of military law. Over half of the Five Colonels were sons and younger relatives of eunuchs; hearing the Grand Ancestor was their general, they were all terrified. Upon reaching Hangu Pass, Zhao Yan, a clansman of Zhao Zhong, gathered his troops but failed to arrive; the Grand Ancestor, bearing the imperial staff, immediately beheaded him. The army was shaken, and thereafter obeyed as if they were his own limbs. Reaching Yong County, he joined forces with Huangfu Song and Dong Zhuo, establishing camp on the Qian River. They strengthened their walls and ramparts, held fast without venturing out, and only sent out numerous scouts daily to probe the rebels' movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first month of the sixth year of Zhongping, the Grand Ancestor learned that the rebels had been thwarted at Chencang, unable to take it for over a month, and were thinking of retreating as their grain ran out. He then assembled his troops and marched to the east of Chencang to establish camp. At that time, an urgent letter from Lu Fan arrived, saying that the Wuhuan and Xianbei in Youzhou were in revolt, cutting off Liaodong, and that Zhang Ju had seized Guanzi City and presumptuously declared himself Son of Heaven; the Grand Ancestor kept this secret and did not disclose it. He arranged with Song and Zhuo to meet the rebel leaders Han Sui, Ma Teng, Wang Guo, and others, agreeing to do battle the next day. Before parting, he sent a letter to Sui, carrying out a stratagem to sow discord. On the tenth day of the month, with Xu Rong commanding the entire army's cavalry and Lu Bu leading the White Horse Volunteers as the vanguard, they broke the rebels in a single assault, beheading over ten thousand. He had also sent Han Dang ahead with two thousand cavalry to cut off the enemy's rear, driving the rebels to the Wei River. The rebels swarmed onto the ice to cross the river; the ice broke, and several thousand drowned. The remaining masses then surrendered, numbering over thirty thousand. Those who escaped by luck were fewer than ten thousand. The Grand Ancestor, deeming the rebels' nature vicious yet fearing authority, carried out a decimation punishment. He had the rebel leaders Wang Guo, Li Xiangru, Cheng Gongying, and others executed by hammering. Han Sui and the others, watching from across the river, were terrified to the point of bursting gall and liver, and for the rest of their lives dared not come east again. The matter concluded, the Grand Ancestor immediately entrusted the entire army to Song and hastened back to Youzhou with the White Horse Volunteers. Before departing, he asked Jia Xu about the future. Xu said: \"If you, my lord, arrive late, you may go from Jizhou to Henei; if early, why not travel through Bingzhou?\" The Grand Ancestor agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Guanzhong now pacified, the court, in recognition of his merit, bestowed upon the Grand Ancestor a staff of authority, placing him in command of military affairs for all the commanderies within the borders of Youzhou, as well as Zhongshan and Changshan commanderies. In the second month, the Grand Ancestor reached Fanyang, where he fully grasped the enemy's situation. He then mobilized the elite cavalry of the five commanderies of Youzhou in great force, personally leading the Volunteers to Lulong Fortress. On the day Bingchen, Emperor Ling passed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month, the Grand Ancestor sent Gao Shun with his own three thousand troops as the vanguard, with Wei Yue as his deputy, and personally led seven thousand cavalry as the central army out of the fortress. In one battle, they took Guanzi City, capturing Zhang Ju, and beheaded him, sending his head around Youzhou as a warning. Hearing that Liucheng was undefended, he left Shun to hold the city and personally led his army across the Daling River, intending to seize it quickly. Midway, an envoy from the Duan tribe of Xianbei suddenly arrived to report that the Wuhuan Chanyu, Qiuliju, had led twenty thousand troops to ambush them east of the Xiaoling River and was coming by starlight. At that time, the troops were warming themselves by campfires and sipping hot soup in the wilds; all turned pale and stood up in alarm, soup spilling across the ground. Only the Grand Ancestor remained unmoved, slowly sipping his soup, then raised his bowl and said: \"This bowl can trap the rebels!\" The troops were then calmed. The Grand Ancestor, seeing the enemy outnumbered his own forces, turned back across the Daling River, intending to join forces with Shun. The rebels pursued urgently, and they fought by the riverbank, at a slight disadvantage. Zhao Yun, then a Company Commander, seeing the crisis, led his own eighteen riders in a concentrated charge against the enemy formation, charging in and out seven times, slaying generals and seizing banners, unstoppable by any who faced him. When Fen Heita came to his aid, they routed the enemy lines. Wei Yue, Han Dang, Lou Gui, and others also came successively to the rescue. Qiuliju, judging he could not win, retreated back to Liucheng. Just then, heavy rain fell. The Grand Ancestor, anticipating the rebels would be off guard, led fifteen thousand cavalry to follow behind them, launching a night raid on Liucheng, capturing it, and taking Qiuliju prisoner before beheading him. Zhao Bao, the father of Empress Zhao, then serving as Grand Administrator of Liaodong, also dispatched troops to smash the Liaodong Wuhuan, pursuing and beheading the enemy chieftain Su Puyan. The Wuhuan were thus pacified. The court deliberated and gave Emperor Ling the posthumous title \"Ling,\" and changed the reign title to Guangxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fourth month, Qiuliju's son Louban led ten thousand Xianbei riders under Kebineng to attack Liucheng. The Grand Ancestor crushed them, beheading Louban. The line of the Wuhuan kings was thus severed. He then relocated their various tribes, establishing the Three Garrisons of Liaoxi, registering them as households and commoners, and applying rewards and punishments to each. From then on, the Wuhuan gave their allegiance and served as the Grand Ancestor's vanguard for several decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crown Prince Bian ascended the throne, with the Empress Dowager presiding at court. Grand General He Jin plotted with Yuan Shao to execute the eunuchs, but the Empress Dowager would not listen. Jin then summoned three columns of border troops and recruited five columns of soldiers, and also wished to use the Grand Ancestor as rear support to suppress the situation and coerce the Empress Dowager. When the letter reached Liaoxi, the Grand Ancestor read it and laughed, saying: \"Eunuch officials have been proper from ancient times to the present, but rulers of the age should not grant them excessive favor and authority, allowing things to reach this point. To punish their crimes, one need only execute the chief villains; a single prison clerk would suffice. Why must one frantically summon outside generals? If you wish to exterminate them all, the affair will surely be exposed. I fear I will not arrive before seeing their defeat.\" Not long after, the Ten Regular Attendants indeed assassinated Jin in the Jiade Hall of the Southern Palace. Luoyang fell into great chaos, with factions attacking and killing each other; the events are recorded in the Book of the Later Han. Only Gongsun Yue led troops to escort Jin's family to Henei, preserving his descendants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor returned from beyond the frontier to Juyang, where he held a great banquet for the meritorious officials of Youzhou and the two-thousand-bushel officials, and also met with the Provincial Governor Liu Yu. Yu, considering himself weak and yielding, thereupon entrusted the provincial administration to the Grand Ancestor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh month, the Grand Ancestor heard that Dong Zhuo was cruel and tyrannical, had arbitrarily deposed and enthroned emperors, and had poisoned the Empress Dowager. He then convened a covenant at Changshan, swearing to punish him. Most of the commandery administrators of Hebei arrived, and they publicly elected the Grand Ancestor as the covenant leader. Tian Feng, hearing this, went to join him and offered a strategy to take Luoyang and Guanzhong via Bingzhou. The Grand Ancestor was pleased and appointed him General of the Household Gentlemen of the Right Army Advisor. He then left Lu Fan in charge, assisted by Cheng Pu, and personally led twenty thousand troops to campaign against Zhuo. At that time, Yuan Shao also convened a covenant at Suanzao to campaign against Zhuo, and most of the central plains lords joined him. Tao Qian convened a covenant in Xuzhou, and most of the Huaiyang lords joined him. Zhuo, hearing this, was terrified and entertained the idea of moving the capital to Guanzhong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commanderies of Wuyuan, Yunzhong, Yanmen, and Dingxiang in Bingzhou, hearing of the Grand Ancestor's arrival, were all as if clouds had parted to reveal the sun, and came in droves to pledge allegiance. Only the Xiongnu pretender Chanyu, Xubu Guduhou, let his troops plunder and blocked the roads. The Grand Ancestor crushed him at Mayi, capturing and killing Xubu Guduhou, and drove his remaining forces west of the Yellow River. In the twelfth month, he reached Taiyuan. The Grand Administrator, Yang Zhong, relying on the strong walls of Jinyang, wished to resist. The prominent clans in the city turned their spears at the critical moment, killed him, and offered up the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court deliberated changing the reign title to Chuping. In the first month, the Xiongnu Chanyu Yufuluo and others, trapped in Shangdang and grateful for the Grand Ancestor's righteous position, led their tribes to join him. The Grand Ancestor allowed him to continue commanding his own forces. The Grand Administrator of Shangdang, Zhang Yang, suddenly deprived of Xiongnu support, thereupon offered his commandery to the Grand Ancestor and went south to Henei. Gongsun Yue and others, originally trapped in Henei, then traveled through Shangdang to Jinyang to pay homage to the Grand Ancestor. The Grand Ancestor was overjoyed to see them, left Yue to defend Jinyang, ordered Qian Zhao to defend Shangdang, and personally assembled his troops to march out of Hedong to campaign against the Bobo Bandits. These bandits were remnants of the Yellow Turbans. The Grand Ancestor wished both to pacify them quickly and worried they would avoid battle. The Hedong notable Wei Ji offered a strategy: use momentum to press them, forcing the bandits to attack. The Grand Ancestor adopted this, engaged him as a staff advisor, established camp at Gaoliangting, and sent many scouts to harass the bandits' rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second month, the bandits indeed gathered a host of one hundred thousand to attack. The Grand Ancestor first sent out the entire army's cavalry, twenty thousand strong, to counterattack, completely annihilating the bandit cavalry, over ten thousand in number. He then had Gao Shun's division defend the camp, setting up numerous trenches and abatis. The bandits attacked from noon until dusk, their dead and wounded piled atop each other, yet ultimately could not take it. At sunset, the Grand Ancestor emerged from camp, leading the assembled cavalry of twenty thousand to personally form ranks in the east. His army's formation was strict and precise, their armor and helmets dazzling, catching the setting sun with a blinding glare, like celestial gods. The bandit army gazed upon them with dread. Seeing the bandits shaken, the Grand Ancestor ordered the entire army to cheer. Once they stopped, without drumming, he directly led the troops forward. The bandit lines wavered at the sight of the banners; before they had advanced ten paces, they halted abruptly. The bandits were then suddenly alarmed and bewildered, and their formation gradually crumbled. This was repeated two or three times, until the entire bandit army was shaken, its left and right wings scattering. The bandit leader Guo Tai watched from afar, knew nothing could be done, and also understood the Grand Ancestor's intent. He then took his own life and had his personal guards send his head in a box as a token of surrender. The Grand Ancestor inspected the surrendering officers: those who had plundered the villages were killed, the arrogant and lawless were punished, and those of upright conduct were comforted. The hearts of the masses were thus settled. He then incorporated their troops, approached Maojin Ford, and spied across the Yellow River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, when Zhuo heard the Grand Ancestor was coming, he thereupon burned all palaces, temples, government offices, and homes, forcibly relocating the millions of inhabitants of Luoyang to Chang'an. Driven and pressed by infantry and cavalry, they trampled each other; starving and plundered, piled corpses filled the roads. Within two hundred li, not a single soul remained. By the time the Grand Ancestor reached Maojin, Zhuo had also arrived. The Grand Ancestor, from across the river, posted a reward, saying: \"Whoever kills Zhuo shall be rewarded with a thousand gold pieces and enfeoffed as a full Marquis; whoever preserves his intact corpse shall receive an additional ten cash.\" Zhuo was furious, but ultimately could do nothing, and so entered the pass westward. He left Lu Bu and Jia Xu to defend Taolin Fortress, Zhang Ji to defend Pujin, and Niu Fu and Li Ru to defend Shan County. The Grand Ancestor crossed the river himself and incited his former subordinates Xu Rong, Zhang Liao, and others to revolt, killing Fu and Ru.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month, the Grand Ancestor divided his forces: Lou Gui, Tian Feng, Han Dang, and others attacked Pujin, while he personally led a detached force to Taolin Fortress. Gui and the others fought bitterly all day, relying on Xu Huang's stealthy crossing at Caisang, a six-day forced march covering two hundred forty li, breaking through three cities, capturing Pujin, and beheading Zhang Ji. Jia Xu, hearing of the battle at Pujin, lured Lu Bu to go to its aid, then himself offered the pass to the Grand Ancestor. He further advised that light troops should be sent on a rapid strike against Meiwu to capture Dong Zhuo first. The Grand Ancestor agreed, left infantry to guard the pass, and personally led seven thousand cavalry in a swift advance, passing Chang'an without entering, reaching Meiwu in five days, and besieging it. He appointed Zhang Liao as Major of a Separate Division, leading two thousand cavalry to establish camp at Wuzhang Plain to block reinforcements. Zhuo's subordinate general, Wang Fang, returned to the rescue from Sanguan; Liao raided his army at night, killed Fang, and sent his head into the fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Zhuo besieged, the hearts of the people in Guanzhong turned to the Grand Ancestor. Within a mere ten days, they came vying to join him. The various generals also each defeated enemy reinforcements. Cheng Lian, Wei Yue, and others beheaded Zhuo's younger brother Min, sending his head in a box into the fortress. In Liangzhou, Ma Teng and Han Sui, hearing of Min's death, sent a memorial requesting surrender and offered their sons as hostages to serve as Volunteers; the Grand Ancestor accepted. Zhuo observed the siege lines outside the fortress growing thicker by the day, and also heard that the Grand Ancestor had sent the Hegemon-King's broken blade into the fortress — the very one he had gifted in Bingzhou in years past. He realized he could not escape death, and that the Grand Ancestor wished to preserve his family. He then had Diaochan stab him. The Grand Ancestor entered the fortress, saw her, and was struck by her, and so took her in; she became Lady Ren. He also arranged the marriage of the Prince of Liangkang, Wang Ping, with Zhuo's granddaughter Bai, and had Zhuo's head transmitted throughout the Three Adjuncts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His campaign against Zhuo concluded, the Grand Ancestor returned with his army to Chang'an. The hundred officials welcomed him along the road, and an edict summoned him to an audience with the Han Emperor. The Grand Ancestor then, before the Weiyang Palace, castigated the realm, enumerating Emperor Ling's lack of the Way, the eunuchs' ruin of the state, the corruption of the high ministers, the hypocrisy of the established clans, the annexations of the powerful families, and the insubordination of the border generals. All were ashamed, and none dared to resist. The Grand Ancestor declared: \"From this day forward, to castigate the realm, to comfort the soldiers and settle the people — I shall do it myself!\" He resided in Chang'an for several months, issuing the \"Order to Seek Worthies,\" appointing Xun You as General of the Household Gentlemen of the Rear Army Advisor; recalling the debased coinage minted by Dong Zhuo and recasting new coins; surveying fields and investigating hidden households, curbing annexation; providing relief through public works, aiding the common people; and cutting redundant officials and reducing military expenditures. The atmosphere in Guanzhong was renewed. Cai Yong's daughter, Zhaoji, had long admired the Grand Ancestor. Observing the new policies, she said: \"This is truly a hero!\" She then eloped by night to offer herself; the Grand Ancestor took her in, and she became Lady Cai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first month, the court deliberated changing the reign title to Jian'an. An old acquaintance, Tian Kai, went to Chang'an to pay his respects to the Grand Ancestor. The Grand Ancestor was overjoyed, appointed him Commandant of Cavalry, and invited him to stay at the Guard General's residence, sharing the same couch to sleep, and presented him to Empress Xiaozhuang. Kai was initially cautious, but gradually relaxed, and then became overly familiar, dispensing with the propriety between superior and subordinate, even addressing the Grand Ancestor by his courtesy name. Pang De, as Captain of the Volunteers, was angered and requested permission to kill him. The Grand Ancestor refused, saying: \"Gongzhi is indeed an old friend from my youth, a fellow villager and old acquaintance, a colleague in the same commandery. How could it come to that?\" De left and spoke with Zhang Ji, Jing Ze, and others. Ze said: \"You should show him the dignity of ritual.\" The next day, the Grand Ancestor held a grand assembly at the Mingguang Palace for all the generals and officials of the Three Adjuncts, discussing the war in Hebei. Kai originally had no summons; Ji falsely invited him in. Upon entering the Mingguang Palace, he saw countless high ministers, all seated solemnly in rows. Pang De led the Volunteer Army, and Jing Ze led the Tiger Guard Army, both fully armored and arrayed inside and outside the palace, while Kai's seat was placed in a corner. Kai was thus greatly alarmed and then understood the Grand Ancestor's magnanimity. Thereafter, he served the Grand Ancestor with increased respect and caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, Yuan Shao, on the pretext of the campaign against Zhuo, had styled himself General of Chariots and Cavalry, forming a covenant at Suanzao, rallying many of the central plains lords. Shao was outwardly generous but inwardly jealous; he did not focus on the western campaign but concentrated solely on annexation. Within the span of a year, Bao Xin died, Liu Dai was coerced, Kong Rong was expelled, Zhang Miao and Zhang Chao were imprisoned, Qiao Mao and Zang Hong were killed, and their lands and subordinates were swallowed up, thus allowing him to grow powerful. He then expelled the Governor of Jizhou, Han Fu, defeated the Grand Administrator of Bohai, Gongsun Zan, and recruited the civil and military talents Ju Shou, Xin Ping, Xin Pi, Xun Chen, Guo Tu, Yu Jin, Zhang He, and others, setting his sights on Hebei. The court issued an edict denouncing him as a traitor to the state. Shao, upon hearing the edict, did not change in the slightest, and also besieged Shen Pei and Guan Yu at Handan. The Grand Ancestor was enraged, and thereupon led his army back from Bingzhou to Hebei to campaign against him. Shao's army besieged Handan, but could not take it quickly, while Yu established a fortified camp with its back to the city, achieving kills every time he sallied forth, inflicting heavy casualties. Shao's army's morale was somewhat dampened. Shao then left twenty thousand troops to contain Handan and took the remainder to Liangqi to rest and regroup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eighth month, the Grand Ancestor personally led two thousand White Horse Volunteer cavalry ahead. Reaching Jingxing, a Purple Mountain bandit named Zhang Yan blocked the road with a force of over twenty thousand. The Grand Ancestor then mobilized three thousand commandery troops, combining them with his own five thousand to attack. As they crossed the river and established camp, night scouts returned, reporting that cooking smoke rose continuously from Zhang Yan's main camp, repeatedly visible under the moonlight. The Grand Ancestor thus knew the bandits intended to use the old stratagem of Huaiyin, dividing their forces for a stealthy raid. When he summoned his military advisors to confer, the matter was urgent, and all the officers were at a loss. The Grand Ancestor then laughed, claiming he had a plan, which they would know the next day; his attendants departed in unease. The following day, the Grand Ancestor assembled the entire army, destroyed his own camp, cut the pontoon bridge, and proclaimed this as \"breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats.\" He sent the entire army forward. Meeting in the valley, Zhang Yan had split his forces in half, leaving only ten thousand troops, and those a motley host; thus they were annihilated in a single battle. Yan cut his own throat, and the remaining forces all surrendered. The Grand Ancestor showed them the arrangements in Yan's camp, and the troops finally understood. They praised him profusely, saying: \"My lord's strategy was truly to use the Hegemon-King's old stratagem to counter the Marquis of Huaiyin's former cunning.\" The Grand Ancestor laughed again and replied: \"Gentlemen, you are greatly mistaken. Zhang Yan divided his forces — that was actually a desperate gamble. So what is called Huaiyin's old stratagem was in fact the Hegemon-King's old plan. I abandoned camp and advanced, breaking cauldrons and sinking boats — that was actually knowing the enemy's strategy and attacking his weakness. So what is called the Hegemon-King's old plan was in fact Huaiyin's old stratagem. And besides, how could Han Xin betray Xiang Yu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the month, the Grand Ancestor reached Zhending and ordered the elite cavalry of Youzhou to assemble. Observing that Handan was very secure, he did not rush to its relief, but focused on gathering as many troops as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth month, Shao heard that the Grand Ancestor was coming east, and again raised an army of three hundred thousand, urgently besieging Handan. After six days, Handan was in dire straits. Zhang Fei led five hundred cavalry to its aid, slaying Shao's subordinate general Lu Kuang in formation. Xu You, hearing that Fei's force was all cavalry, knew the Grand Ancestor had arrived and strenuously advised Shao to retreat and defend Ye City. The Grand Ancestor waited until the bulk of Shao's army reached Liangqi, then sent twenty thousand cavalry to raid his rear army, Chen Gong's division. Shao's entire cavalry force, some eight thousand strong, fought desperately to cover the retreat, suffering near-total casualties. Gong's division relied on this to escape. The Grand Ancestor then withdrew his troops and arranged with Shao to array their forces for a decisive battle in three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On that day, Shao's army formed its lines, placing the remnants of his cavalry at the front of the formation, intending to lure the Grand Ancestor into a trap. The Grand Ancestor was unmoved; instead, he used himself as bait, luring Shao's army into a sudden charge. Once their formation scattered, he used the White Horse Volunteers as the vanguard, ten thousand cavalry charging the formation, breaking it in a single strike. Shao's army was routed. From Chief Clerk Chen Gong down, the battle dead were countless. Shao, along with Ju Shou, Xu You, Guo Tu, and others, abandoned their chariots and fled by night. On the road, they encountered Wei Yue; You persuaded Yue to let them go with the argument of \"nurturing the enemy.\" Yue returned to camp, drank until drunk, and spoke words of resentment. The next day, the Grand Ancestor learned of Yue's words and deeds, assembled the generals in great number, and had him executed by dismemberment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Shao returned, he still forced himself to rally, appointing Feng Ji as Chief of Staff and Xin Ping to manage the city defenses, intending to lure the Grand Ancestor into attacking the city and fight like a cornered beast. The Grand Ancestor heard this and laughed scornfully, regarding Liangqi as a cast-off sandal. He ordered Guan Yu, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, and others to lead thirty thousand elite troops to attack Wu'an, seize Zhaoge, take Liyang, and cut off Shao's southern route. Shen Pei led ten thousand weak troops across the Zhang River to garrison Guangzong, luring Shao to attack. The Grand Ancestor himself led the main force to confront Shao. Shao waited a long time for the Grand Ancestor, who did not come, and then retreated to defend Ye City. Hearing that Guan Yu had already taken Liyang, he was greatly afraid. Adopting the strategy of Guo Tu and Xin Ping, he appointed Ju Shou as Chief of Staff to defend Ye City, and personally led the main force to attack Guangzong, intending to escape to Pingyuan. However, with an army of eighty thousand, he besieged Guangzong for over ten days without taking it, and his morale sank further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first month of the second year of Jian'an, the Grand Ancestor personally led sixty thousand troops to attack Shao; Yu also led twenty thousand troops to assist. Shao, hearing the Grand Ancestor was coming, abandoned Guangzong and fled east; the Grand Ancestor pursued urgently. Xu You proposed setting an ambush at Jie Bridge by the Qing River. The Grand Ancestor met the brunt of the attack head-on, holding the Grand Ancestor Emperor Renzong peacefully seated on a high platform, watching as Gao Shun's shielded ambush heavily mauled Shao's army and killed Feng Ji. Shao's army then collapsed completely; the various divisions fled far in all directions, and many surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having destroyed Shao's army, the Grand Ancestor divided the five provinces of You, Ji, Si, Bing, and Qing into nine provinces: You, Ping, Ji, Ying, Qing, Yong, Si, Bing, and Shan. He appointed Gongsun Yue, Gongsun Fan, Cheng Pu, Guan Yu, and others as governors. He then entrusted the military campaign to Lu Fan, with Shen Pei, Lou Gui, and Han Dang as his deputies, and personally took the Grand Ancestor Emperor Renzong north to inspect the spring plowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shao fled east from Qinghe and Pingyuan. In the second month, he reached Liaocheng at the mouth of the Yellow River. Seeing Zhu Ling and Taishi Ci leading the Liaodong fleet across the sea, besieging Liaocheng with extreme severity, his mind and body collapsed, and he died atop the city walls. You and the others all surrendered. Ju Shou, hearing of Shao's death, killed himself. Shao's son Tan offered Ye City and surrendered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third month, the Grand Ancestor reached Gaoyang. He wrote to summon Zhang He to surrender, and sent him to receive the forces of Gongsun Zan, appointing Zan as Commandant of the Guards and sending him to Chang'an. In the fifth month, he entered Jinan. Because of the Jie Bridge affair, 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. Shortly after, he again elevated Zheng Xuan of Gaomi to the position of Grand Minister of Ceremonies, established the Grand Academy, implemented the imperial examinations, and set up the Three Chiefs system. He also converted the military colonies in Youzhou into civilian households, granting them equal land, and re-established military colonies in the four provinces of Ji, Ying, Qing, and Shan, consolidating the poll tax into the land tax. The age called this rescuing the people from mire and coals, and all within the seas praised it as good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third year, the central plains were in turmoil. Jian, Cao, Bei, Biao, Shu, Bu, and others attacked each other in all directions, leaving the people with no means of livelihood. The Grand Ancestor, in Hebei, promoted industry and production, converting military colonists into registered households; the people largely rejoiced in this. In autumn, he sent Gongsun Yue and Gongsun Fan out of the frontier in two columns to jointly hunt the Xianbei at Yin Mountain, capturing over twenty Battalion Commander and beheading over ten thousand. Kebineng fled far into the Mobei; from then on, there was no Chanyu court in the Monan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fourth year, the Bronze Sparrow Terrace was built by the banks of the Zhang River at Ye City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh month of the fifth year, when the Han Emperor came of age, the Grand Ancestor went from Yecheng to offer congratulations. Upon reaching Chang’an, the vile cabal trembled in fear. Wang Yun allied with the various traitors to plot against the Grand Ancestor, renewing their old oath. Before long, eight men joined the conspiracy, and four turned informant. The high ministers 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 anxious, conspired to rebel, raised troops to attack the arsenal but failed, and were executed when the plot was exposed. His attendants again urged him to kill Wang Yun’s two sons and 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 years to reach this point. Though I achieved a good beginning, I cannot secure a good end, and already feel much shame. How could I violate the duty of a subject over a trifling grievance?” His attendants agreed outwardly, but most disapproved. The Grand Ancestor pardoned Wang Yun, left Gongsun Zan to guard Chang’an, and personally led the army to conquer Shu. Reaching Chencang, he sent Liu Fan, eldest son of the Governor of Yizhou Liu Yan, as an envoy to persuade his father to surrender. He appointed Zhao Qian of Chengdu as Minister Over the Masses to recruit and pacify the officials of Yizhou’s various commanderies. He appointed Cavalry Commandant Zhao Yun as the vanguard to march out of San Pass and block the Wudu road. He appointed General Who Guards the West Gongsun Yue as the rear army, coordinating grain transport with the Governor of Yongzhou, Zhong Yao. Before long, before the envoy returned, before the rear army arrived, and before the grain was ready, Pang Yu of Wuwei, a subordinate official from the four western commanderies of Liangzhou, arrived. He spoke of the chaos in the Western Regions, the harassment by the western Xianbei tribes, and the misery of the people in the four commanderies. His words were earnest, his heart bled, and many at the gathering shed tears. The Grand Ancestor was moved by his loyalty and sighed at his sincerity. He then struck the table and swore an oath, turning his army westward. Han Sui and Ma Teng were terrified at the news. Teng’s son Chao, a commander of the Volunteer Corps, knelt to plead with Teng and firmly urged him, so they surrendered. Chao was appointed Bearer of the Gilded Mace. Sui wished to flee westward, but before he could move, he heard that Zhao Yun had already pierced through Wushan and established a camp at Didao, cutting off his escape route. Sui had no choice but to turn east and offer surrender. The Grand Ancestor appointed him General Who Pacifies the West, acting Protector-General of the Western Regions, stationed at Tegan City to maintain the Silk Road trade routes. He promoted Zhao Yun to Champion General, with an increased stipend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Liangzhou was pacified, the Grand Ancestor divided it into Zang and Liang provinces, each with its own governor. He then turned south again to conquer Shu. Reaching Hanzhong, the Grand Administrator Zhang Lu came alone to submit. The Grand Ancestor kept him as administrator and ordered Zhao Yun to lead an army stationed at Wudu to hold the region. Just as he was about to advance further, he suddenly heard that the Han Emperor, deluded by the Yang clan, had abandoned the high ministers and imperial tombs to travel east. General of the Household Rapid as Tigers Jing Ze followed him. Grand Commandant Liu Yu blocked them at Qingming Gate, but the Han Emperor ordered Attendant Yang Qi to shoot and kill him, then fled to Nanyang. The Grand Ancestor had no choice but to abandon Shu and return to Chang’an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first month of the sixth year, the assembled ministers submitted a memorial, citing the precedent of the Duke of Shao, proposing to bestow upon the Grand Ancestor the title Duke of Yan, with military authority over the eleven provinces north of the Yellow River, and actual enfeoffment of the five commanderies of Liaoxi, Youbeiping, Yuyang, Guangyang, and Zhuo. The Grand Ancestor declined three times before accepting. The state of Yan was founded, establishing three chancellors, four departments, six ministries, and twelve courts. The honor of seven chancellors had not been seen since the time of Emperor Wu of Han. The realm buzzed with the news, and the scholarly circles looked on with suspicion. Ambitious men flocked to him in droves, so much so that the roads around Ye became impassable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fourth month, the Grand Ancestor sent three memorials to Nanyang, remonstrating with the Han Emperor to return to Chang’an, hoping against hope, but ultimately achieved nothing. Having no alternative, he raised his troops. Cao Cao and Liu Bei also joined forces to resist him. Cao Cao drilled the troops, and Liu Bei prepared the grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fifth month, the Grand Ancestor sent Xu Huang and Zhang He as the vanguard to cross the river and seize Baima. Cao Cao also dispatched Xiahou Yuan with five thousand cavalry to advance to Yan Ford. The Grand Ancestor observed this, personally led the main army to encircle and hunt them, and Zhang Liao killed Yuan in formation. Cao Cao retreated south of the Pu River to establish camp, and the Grand Ancestor advanced to the north bank. Each commanded a host of a hundred thousand, with linked camps facing off. After ten days, pondering a plan to defeat the enemy, he ordered Lou Gui to command the infantry to guard the camp while he himself led forty thousand cavalry westward, intending to enter Sizhou, march through Zhongmou, and strike directly at Chenliu to take Cao Cao from the rear. Reaching Guandu, he found that Cao Cao had already built fortifications and was holding firm in wait. The Grand Ancestor sighed, and seeing that his troops were few, ordered his generals to attack swiftly. Before the battle ended, Cao Cao had already led his main army by double-time march to the rescue. They fought until dusk, and the Grand Ancestor’s army gradually gained the upper hand, then routed them, inflicting countless casualties. Among Cao Cao’s army, Cao Chun, Cao Xiu, Lu Dai, Chen Dao, Xu Chu, Wang Bi, and others all died in battle. Yet he still could not take the fortifications. By daybreak, Cao Ren arrived with thirty thousand troops, and the Grand Ancestor also withdrew his forces, building fortifications north of the river opposite him. Cao Cao assessed his military strength and abandoned everything north of the Bian River, holding fast at Guandu. The Grand Ancestor also moved his camp to Guandu, and the standoff continued as before. Since the Grand Ancestor took command of the realm, rooting out the vile, his conduct of military campaigns largely followed the methods of Sun Wu and Wu Qi, yet he adapted to circumstances with marvelous stratagems, deceiving the enemy to secure victory with transformations like a spirit. In the heat of action, he personally issued directives; those who followed orders triumphed, and those who disobeyed his instructions suffered defeat. When facing the enemy in formation, his demeanor was calm and leisurely, as if unwilling to fight, but when the moment came to seize victory, his momentum overflowed. Thus, every battle was a certain victory, and his army never won by luck. In a lifetime of warfare, he had absolutely no match, save that Cao Cao could slightly oppose him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By mid-ninth month, the battle grew ever more intense. Lu Fu, the eldest son of Prime Minister Lu Fan, died in the fighting. The Grand Ancestor heard of it and said nothing. At that time, the future Emperor Ren had not yet come of age and was laboring at Baima with his close attendants. The next day, they were all sent to Guandu, and his attendants were all terrified. Suddenly, news came that Guan Yu, dressed in white, had crossed the river, taken Xiapi, and defeated Zhou Yu. Cao Cao was greatly alarmed. Seeing no chance of victory, he resorted to a desperate gamble, accepting Huang Gai’s plan and sending him to feign surrender. He himself led eight battalions to set an ambush at Wuchao and dispatched seven armies to march covertly to raid Yecheng. The Grand Ancestor saw through his scheme completely, counterattacked and crushed it. Of the seven armies marching north, not a single horse returned. At the nine camps of Wuchao, the dead and wounded lay piled upon each other. The famous generals of Cao and Liu were nearly all wiped out. Cao Cao had no choice but to abandon Guandu and flee south. Betrayed by Lu Bu, he cut his own throat outside the White Gate Tower of Wancheng. The Grand Ancestor heard the news at Xu. It was as if his own liver and gall were lost; grief pierced his heart. He entrusted full authority over the Central Plains to Lu Fan and returned to Yecheng himself. The Han Emperor, hearing of Cao Cao’s death, fled south to Jiangxia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh year, Xu Shu’s mission to subdue Shu succeeded, and the land of Shu surrendered. At that time, Jia Xu was Prime Minister. He and the Grand Ancestor conducted the Seven Questions and Seven Answers at the Bronze Bird Terrace, later known to posterity as the “Bronze Bird Dialogue.” This became the eternal guiding principle of Great Yan, and Jia Xu became renowned for a thousand years as a famous minister because of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eighth year, third month. The Grand Ancestor arrived at Luoyang. On the twenty-seventh, Lu Fan commanded the entire army and defeated Liu Bei’s forces. Bei died in battle. His head was boxed and sent to Luoyang. The Grand Ancestor buried him with commoner’s rites at North Mang. Liu Biao, Sun Quan, and Shi Xie all surrendered. The Han Emperor returned from Jiangxia to Luoyang. General of Chariots and Cavalry Jing Ze drowned himself in the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the gengyin day of the fifth month, the Grand Ancestor accepted the abdication of the Han at the northern outskirts of Luoyang. The edict read: “We have reigned for ten years, encountering the overturning of the realm. Fortunately, relying on the spirits of our ancestors and the loyal ministers who gave their lives, we survived danger. Yet looking up to observe the heavenly patterns and down to examine the hearts of the people, the fate of the Fiery Essence has ended, and the course of fortune rests with the Gongsun clan. Therefore, the Duke of Yan has not only established divine and martial achievements but also radiated brilliant virtue to answer the season. The calendar’s mandate is clear and manifest, truly knowable. The Great Way’s practice makes the realm a commonwealth, selecting the worthy and capable. Thus, Tang Yao did not show partiality to his own son, and his name spread boundlessly. We admire and envy this. Now we follow the Canon of Yao and abdicate the throne to the Duke of Yan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor received the mandate, ascended the imperial throne, and proclaimed a new reign era. He admonished the assembled ministers: “The foundation of Yan has just begun, and my heart is truly comforted. Ascending to the great treasure, glory and favor are at their peak. For the person of a single man, what more can be added? I bow my head in thanks to you all, who shed blood to follow me. Ten years of warfare, never turning back from death. The hundred officials have merit; the ten thousand surnames have virtue. My imperial father and mother aided me, giving their all. The profound kindness of my two teachers imparted virtue and strength. My brothers, never leaving, never abandoning. My enemies and friends, sharpening each other. Heaven’s mandate is fulfilled by man; man’s determination overcomes heaven. The thread of rule of the Three Dynasties has been opened for their descendants. The territory of Qin and the land of Han, no achievement rivals this glory. Heroes rise vigorously; champions raise their arms. Thus is Hua Xia perfected; the rivers and mountains endure forever. Spirits of the heroic dead, return! O souls, please feast!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ancestor occupied the imperial throne for two ji, then abdicated to the Benevolent Emperor Taizong, becoming Retired Emperor himself, and took daily pleasure in playing with cats. After ten years, he passed away. He was buried at Tailing. His temple name is Grand Ancestor, and his posthumous title is “Wu” (Martial).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Appraisal says: Huan and Ling lacked the Way, cruelly harming the realm. Han lost its deer, and all under heaven chased it. The Grand Ancestor lost his father in childhood, rose from a commandery clerk, and as a military man from a border commandery, over several decades he hacked through thorns and whetted his blade, going through life and death, relying on no other’s hand, and thus achieved the imperial enterprise. How so? Some say the Grand Ancestor excelled in military strategy and diligently exerted himself in martial affairs, thus he was invincible. Yet Dong Zhuo and Sun Jian had elite troops and fierce generals; it was not that they could not fight, but they ultimately died at the hands of women and children. Without the Grand Ancestor’s benevolence, they could not preserve their families. Some say the Grand Ancestor gathered heroes, thirsted for worthies, and thus accomplished his deeds. Yet Cao Cao and Liu Bei were both generous and courteous to scholars, praised by the realm. Their acquisition of talent was comparable to the Grand Ancestor’s. Xun Yu and Lu Su were not inferior to Lu Fan and Shen Pei; Cao Ren and Zhou Yu could compare to Han Dang and Cheng Pu. Zhang Fei’s valor and strategy were similar to Guan Yu’s; Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan’s loyalty and diligence resembled that of Yue and Fan. Yet when they opposed the Grand Ancestor, they were defeated once, and then again, and by the third time, the heroes were helpless, the outstanding perished. This is truly lamentable! As for Liu Biao, Liu Yan, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and the like, they were even more incapable. Alas! The world knows the Grand Ancestor’s wisdom and courage, but not his benevolence. The Grand Ancestor’s benevolence did not favor the great clans but was extended to humble families, as with the imperial examinations; it was not for the officials but fully benefited the common people, as with the equal-field system. And the loftiness of his court strategies, the profundity of his institutions, cannot be understood without a hundred years of gradual influence. With order established and merit achieved, he instituted rites and composed music. He greatly promoted culture and education, disseminating science. Passed down to his descendants, there are models and principles for the ages. That the fortune of Yan is far longer than that of Han, could it be accidental?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",8591,"2026-06-04T19:42:52.587Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","48a56851b7e37aeb827992bac138766f47d8387b458e81fff0689433d4666ce5","overthrowing-han-chapter-546","overthrowing-han-chapter-544",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]