Chapter 84: The Memorial

Something major has happened in Luoyang.

The starting point of the matter actually came in the second month after Gongsun Xun accepted his appointment and left Luoyang. That was an intercalary month. Just as the court's order to suppress bandits in Yizhou Commandery reached the land of colorful clouds in the south, a memorial from Cao Luan, the Grand Administrator of Yongchang Commandery—also in that same southern region—arrived at the Luoyang court.

The content of the memorial was exceptionally simple and direct: it bluntly stated that the Partisans were all good men, and that the realm was now in such chaos entirely because the Son of Heaven had imprisoned these good men. Therefore, it formally petitioned for the lifting of the Partisan Prohibitions!

How should one describe this sort of thing?

Though somewhat shocking, it was not entirely unimaginable.

From Cao Luan's perspective, he was in Yongchang Commandery, right next to Yizhou Commandery, both situated in the far southwestern corner of the Great Han—a remote and desolate region. Seeing how the Grand Administrator of neighboring Yizhou Commandery was constantly getting kidnapped by barbarian tribes, he likely would rather resign and go home than continue staying in such a place.

Perhaps someone had even promised him something.

And from the Partisans' side, seeing that the Son of Heaven had come of age and was beginning to show some independent judgment and the "bearing of a wise ruler"—such as erecting the Stone Classics, honoring teachers and respecting the Way—they inevitably harbored some illusions. Or rather, even if there was no "bearing of a wise ruler," they still ought to test the waters, shouldn't they?

Therefore, Cao Luan's memorial could truly be described as unexpected yet within reason. Even Gongsun Xun had long known of this matter but paid it no mind.

However, the Son of Heaven's reaction was far less composed.

At first, it was merely an order to bring him to Luoyang in a cage cart. This was of course understandable—the Partisan Prohibitions were an extremely sensitive issue and the core contradiction at court. The eunuchs dominating the government would have been strange indeed if they hadn't had him thrown into a cage cart. As for coming to Luoyang, how could a discussion be sparked at the political center without coming to Luoyang? And without sparking a major debate, how could they discern the Son of Heaven's true stance and then take the next step?

Yet, from the intercalary month to the ninth month, from the land of colorful clouds in the south to Luoyang, what greeted Cao Luan as he emerged from the cage cart was the thunderous wrath of the young Son of Heaven!

The Son of Heaven did not even see Cao Luan, nor did he allow him to speak—at the very least, not directly. The man was escorted straight from the cage cart to prison, where he was harshly tortured and interrogated as to whether someone behind the scenes had put him up to it. No one knows the results of the interrogation. The only certainty is that the former Grand Administrator of Yongchang was beaten to death right there in prison.

Then, the Son of Heaven issued an edict ordering a renewed investigation into the Partisan Prohibitions, strictly guarding against any who slipped through the net. All disciples, former subordinates, fathers and sons, and brothers of Partisans—those holding office were to be dismissed together, and those not yet in office were forbidden from entering official service. Moreover, this time the scope of the prohibitions was further expanded: even clansmen within the five degrees of mourning were forbidden from holding office!

This was a clear proclamation to all under Heaven of his, Liu Hong's, position—the Partisan Prohibitions would continue, with increased severity at no extra cost. Certain people should stop their daydreaming!

Thus, one can imagine the panic, despair, and anger—all manner of negative emotions spreading outward from the Luoyang center throughout the entire Great Han. Before long, the whole realm would likely be utterly silenced. To put it bluntly, public opinion and the hearts of men were still largely dictated by the scholar-officials and local magnates, and the scholar-officials and local magnates mostly sympathized with the Partisans.

"What does Ziheng think?" Gongsun Xun asked, seeking confirmation after Lu Fan had finished reading the letter.

"The realm is entering a time of troubles!" Lu Fan replied candidly from atop the camp gate tower, folding the letter while seated on a small camp stool. "Although the Partisans mostly knew the Son of Heaven would not lift the prohibitions, such harshness—even intensifying them—was likely unexpected. I am from Runan and know better than anyone what those Partisans are thinking. The second prohibition has already lasted eight years, and the current Son of Heaven is in his prime. If it goes on another eight years, or even eighteen, by then an entire generation will have died out without ever holding office—can they still be called scholar-officials then?"

"That is the truth," Gongsun Xun said with a smile from the side, finally unfolding his own camp stool and sitting down on the gate tower. "In our Great Han, whether pursuing office or scholarship, the first thing that matters is family background. If a family goes a generation without holding office, that family will likely decline and fall. So?"

"So," Lu Fan could not help but shake his head and sigh, "the Partisans will likely abandon their illusions and gather strength for a desperate struggle. I estimate that within a few years, the Son of Heaven and the scholar-officials, the eunuchs and the Partisans, will likely have several spectacular clashes. Incidents of families being destroyed and clans exterminated are also very likely. What does Wenqi think of this matter between the Partisans and the eunuchs?"

"Me?" Gongsun Xun shook his head with a smile. "I've long held a fixed opinion."

"Let's hear it," Lu Fan said casually. "Are you afraid of being overheard here?"

"I believe... though the eunuchs are detestable, the Partisans are not necessarily innocent," Gongsun Xun said thoughtfully. "And though the eunuchs are arrogant and currently hold the upper hand, the Partisans' strength is ultimately greater. After all, while the hearts of men under Heaven may not all be with the Partisans, not a fraction of them is with the eunuchs. In the end, it still depends on the Son of Heaven—whether he has the skill and prestige to suppress the hearts of men."

Lu Fan suddenly tilted his head back to look at the sky: "And what does Wenqi think of the Son of Heaven?"

"Judging from this recent conduct, he likely falls far short of the late Emperor," Gongsun Xun said, for some reason also tilting his head back to gaze at the sky.

Having said this, the two men looked up at the sky together and remained silent for a long time.

"Surely it won't spread to affect border defense?" After an unknown length of time, Gongsun Xun suddenly twisted his neck and laughed wryly. "We needn't keep staring at the sky. Let's just watch the fire from across the river."

"I hope it will be as Wenqi says," Lu Fan also laughed, rubbing his neck. "Let us watch the fire from across the river."

Just as Gongsun Xun and Lu Fan were craning their necks in thought over this matter, the intensified storm of the Partisan Prohibitions had already begun to ripple outward. Just think about it—there were so many Partisans and so many famous scholars across the realm, and the ethos of the Han era was precisely to esteem reputation and social connections. Now, with a single person branded a Partisan, their entire clan, disciples, and former subordinates were implicated. Amidst the universal panic, public opinion was inevitably shaken, to the point that everywhere people were networking up and down, wavering left and right.

Under these circumstances, the great eunuchs who controlled the court and were rich in political struggle experience immediately became vigilant. And here, let us add a word: who exactly were the top great eunuchs at court nowadays?

Setting aside the loosely defined "Ten Regular Attendants" and the like, it was generally acknowledged that there were four:

Cao Jie, Wang Fu, Zhang Rang, and Zhao Zhong.

To be even more precise, there were distinctions among these four.

Among them, Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong were probably younger and held somewhat weaker power. The reason they were considered very powerful was merely because their relationship with the Son of Heaven was relatively close. They could not yet be called the dominant forces in court politics. Cao Jie and Wang Fu were the ones—these two were the men who had assisted the young Son of Heaven in managing the Imperial Secretariat and dominating court politics in recent years. In fact, during the September Coup back then, the leaders and directors on the eunuch side were precisely these two.

Of course, there were also distinctions between Cao Jie and Wang Fu, mainly because the former's status was exceptionally prominent.

It must be said that Cao Jie was not only the eldest among the four but also the current Grand Prolonger of Autumn, a position that was the official nominal head of the eunuch faction. At the same time, he also had the merit of enthronement—he was the very person who had gone to the Anguo Principality to bring the then-young child, the Son of Heaven, to Luoyang. Beyond that, although it was only because he was gravely ill at the time, he actually served as General of Chariots and Cavalry—a eunuch!

And what is General of Chariots and Cavalry? It is a position second only to the Grand General, which the outer relatives assume when dominating the court. That he, a eunuch, could receive this appointment... it can only be said that his personal power and the current Son of Heaven's trust in him had reached a certain level.

In summary, Cao Jie could truly be said to wield overwhelming power over the court. Wang Fu was next, more like his deputy. Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong came after them, but they were younger and had a somewhat closer personal relationship with the Son of Heaven.

Returning to the matter at hand, it was naturally Cao and Wang who first became alert. With their incredibly rich experience in political struggle, how could they not know what to do?

Thus, just a few days later, Duan Wei, universally acknowledged as a famous general within the realm and also universally acknowledged as a pawn of the eunuchs—a man with an extremely close relationship with Wang Fu—was summoned to court from his post as Grand Administrator of Yingchuan and appointed Grand Palace Grandee.

This was an unmistakable warning: if people didn't behave, Duan Wei would be transferred to Colonel-Director of Retainers, overseeing the hundred officials of the court. Then they had better be careful, lest the region between Wan and Luo once again flow with rivers of blood!

The effect was immediate. Duan Wei's awe-inspiring reputation was there for all to see. As perhaps the man currently alive in the Great Han who had killed the most people, though he was a bit older now and could no longer be said to stop children from crying at night, he could still stop famous scholars from opening their mouths.

And so, peace immediately returned to the realm—at least, Luoyang was at peace.

But while the surface of Luoyang remained unruffled, the comings and goings of chariots and riders in the outer commanderies and kingdoms seemed to grow increasingly frequent. At the very least, Gongsun Zan, far away in Shanggu Commandery in You Province, saw quite a bit of it.

"Wang Men, how many times is this just in this ten-day period?" Watching several fierce riders gallop past along the official road of Shanggu Commandery, Gongsun Zan, who had reined his horse to the roadside to yield, could not help but turn and ask his deputy.

It should be noted that Gongsun Zan currently held a petty post with a rank of two hundred dan, called Imperial Carriage Driver. Well, this position certainly did not mean he was specifically assigned to drive his own father-in-law's carriage, just as the work of the Public Carriage Office certainly did not mean helping the Emperor drive his carriage. In fact, the duties of this post were indeed very similar to those of the Public Carriage Office.

First, Gongsun Zan was responsible for transmitting and receiving administrative information for the commandery office. Second, he often had to serve as a kind of honor guard leader to welcome scholars summoned by the Grand Administrator's public carriage. Finally, the job also vaguely carried the flavor of being the head of the Grand Administrator's personal guard.

Therefore, this post was already considered a very good and desirable assignment, one that only the Grand Administrator's most trusted man could hold. Of course, it was only good in comparison to other commandery posts; Gongsun Bogui's goal was still proper entry into official service.

As for Wang Men, who followed behind Gongsun Zan, he was precisely a son of a local magnate family whom the former had recruited for his father-in-law. Because of his excellence in archery and horsemanship, he had been taken on as a subordinate in the Imperial Carriage office, with a rank of one hundred dan.

"It must be four or five times now," Wang Men replied, equally puzzled. "Could it be that a major military campaign is about to be launched? But they don't look like official court envoys—no staff of authority, and I haven't seen any document boxes carried on their backs..."

"How could a major campaign be launched?" Gongsun Zan immediately dismissed the idea. "If the court had decided to dispatch troops, they would certainly send official documents to our Grand Administrator. How could you and I not know? And besides, Xia Yu, the Colonel, has only been here for a year. How could he have already won over the Wuhuan people here? There are a full nine thousand-plus households of Wuhuan here. Without the Wuhuan shock cavalry, how could this war be fought?"

Wang Men nodded repeatedly: "Indeed. Not to mention the Wuhuan, I doubt he's even finished preparing the commandery troops of Shanggu and Dai Commanderies."

"And there's been no movement on provisions, rewards, or civilian laborers either," Gongsun Zan concluded. "So this matter is definitely unrelated to any troop deployment. It's Colonel Xia's personal correspondence. He rose from the Qiang rebellion, so his old friends and comrades are all in military posts. It's understandable that his messengers are mostly fierce warriors."

"Brother Bogui's reasoning is very sound," Wang Men nodded again in agreement. "Then shall we... do as we did last time?"

"Same as last time," Gongsun Zan nodded. "We'll take our time. Let Colonel Xia receive his private letters first. As for these official documents, it's fine as long as they're delivered today."

Once the superior had spoken, the others naturally said no more.

Several hours later, as the sky was darkening, Gongsun Zan and his party finally arrived unhurriedly at Ningcheng, the garrison of the Colonel Protecting the Wuhuan, located on the border of Shanggu and Dai Commanderies. There, in the main hall of the city, they presented the official documents sent by the Grand Administrator of Shanggu to Xia Yu.

Xia Yu was not yet forty this year, fair and clean-cut, looking at first glance like a scholar. Yet everyone knew he was one of the few battle-hardened famous generals remaining in the Great Han. Starting as a subordinate in the army, he and his old partner Tian Yan had assisted Duan Wei, and the three had won battle after battle in the Qiang rebellion, enduring countless bitter and desperate fights before finally pacifying the Western Qiang. He himself had risen through the ranks to the two-thousand-dan level and was relied upon as a pillar of the Great Han court on the northern frontier.

Previously he had been Grand Administrator of Beidi; now he was Colonel Protecting the Wuhuan—and the Wuhuan Colonel bore a staff of authority.

However, at this moment, this pillar of the northern frontier had a look of unconcealed weariness and vexation on his face. Only when he saw Gongsun Zan did he break into a smile: "Bogui has come to deliver documents again?"

"Reporting to the General, it concerns the previous matter of the Shanggu Wuhuan demanding rewards. My Grand Administrator holds the same view as the General — he also believes we should not exceed the regulations, overstep the quotas, and grant them extra rewards. Therefore, he is willing to jointly sign with the General to reject this matter!" Gongsun Zan bowed and then stood below the hall. He cut an imposing figure, spoke clearly, and his voice was resonant, immediately recounting the gist of the official document with perfect clarity.

"Excellent!" Xia Yu slapped the low table and immediately rose to his feet. "I knew Grand Administrator Hou was well-versed in border affairs, far better than that fellow over in Dai Commandery. Now that I have Grand Administrator Hou's official document, let's see what else he can say!"

Gongsun Zan smiled and bowed slightly. This was not a topic on which he could easily interject or express an opinion.

"By the way, Bogui." Xia Yu clasped his hands behind his back and paced two circles behind the low table, then involuntarily sized up the Shanggu Grand Administrator's carriage officer below once more. "What have you decided about the matter I mentioned last time? Would you like to come serve as a subordinate officer in my army? With your martial skills and character, remaining a clerk in the commandery is truly a waste of your talents."

Gongsun Zan immediately gave a bitter laugh. His thoughts about his own future had now gained yet another fork in the road... Lately, even this Colonel Protector of the Wuhuan, bearing the imperial tally, had taken a liking to him! And if he wanted to achieve merit in battle, then this place was undoubtedly more suitable.

Yet, was this something he could figure out in a moment? Why not go back and write a letter to ask his clansman Gongsun Xun? Who else could he ask? In any case, he was a carriage officer, so sending letters cost him nothing.

"I understand." Seeing this, Xia Yu could not help but laugh. "You too come from a great Liaoxi clan with a two-thousand-bushel hereditary stipend, so naturally you have your own considerations for your future. And this matter is not urgent. Whenever you have thought it through, just come directly to find me. In Xia Yu's military tent, there will always be a vacancy kept for you."

"Many thanks for the General's understanding." Gongsun Zan hurriedly bowed in gratitude.

"Very well, Bogui, you may take your leave now. The day is already late; rest here in Ningcheng for the night and depart tomorrow," Xia Yu instructed calmly.

"Yes!" Gongsun Zan then formally took his leave.

And as soon as Gongsun Zan had left the main hall of the Colonel's residence in Ningcheng, Xia Yu could not help but put away his smile. He sat back down behind his low table, and from beneath the Shanggu Commandery Grand Administrator's official document, he drew out a private letter, then once again carefully scrutinized the words upon it.

It had to be said that since Lady Gongsun had improved the papermaking technique, no one knew how much it had promoted the spread of books over this past year, but it had certainly made the exchange of letters between people far more convenient, and the contents of letters had become increasingly detailed.

And Xia Yu now utterly detested this Lady Gongsun who had improved papermaking... because if not for her, he would not have been placed in such a dilemma! It must be understood that in the short span of just over ten days, he had actually received five letters from Luoyang, each one thicker than the last, each one more explicit than the last!

At the same time, all these letters were written by Xia Yu's old superior, who could even be called his former master — Duan Jiong!

It must be said that this former Grand Commandant, now Grand Palace Grandee, had written a great many things in these letters, expressing many layers of meaning:

There were concerns about the current situation. For example, the atmosphere at court was actually not very good. As an old general, he keenly sensed that while the scholar-officials appeared calm on the surface, they were secretly gathering strength for a counterattack. Regarding this, as the foremost enforcer of the eunuch faction, he was deeply worried.

There were also laments about his personal prospects, saying that no matter what, he was a man who had served as Grand Commandant, yet had previously been tossed aside to be Grand Administrator of Yingchuan. It was not that Yingchuan was bad, but rather that having already reached the Three Ducal Ministers, how could he possibly value such a post? And this time, entering the court as Grand Palace Grandee was likely his last chance, after all, his 'close friend,' the Regular Palace Attendant Wang Fu, was still in control of court affairs!

Moreover, Duan Jiong also said that he was now over fifty years old. In this age, one could be called decrepit at forty. And at over fifty, who knew when he might naturally go to meet the King of Youdu? Therefore, he hoped Xia Yu could tolerate the ramblings of an old man!

Of course, the letters also contained some words concerning Xia Yu's own prospects... roughly meaning that you too are nearly 'decrepit,' so you must find a way to achieve great merit, and then he, Duan Jiong, would maneuver at court. Then perhaps you could obtain a prominent position and bring glory to your ancestors!

It must be said that Xia Yu had shared life and death with his old superior for so many years — how could he not understand the meaning of these letters? In truth, he had understood from the very first letter. Wasn't the other party simply urging him to dispatch troops as soon as possible, achieve military merit, and echo the situation at court? And if the echo was appropriate, it would also help his old superior, allowing him to stand tall at court and prove his worth. The eunuchs dominating court affairs, in their pleasure, would naturally reward the deed with high office and prominent rank — it was just that he did not know exactly what position had been promised.

However, returning to the present, Xia Yu had only been here in Ningcheng for a year. As Gongsun Zan and Wang Men had discussed on the road earlier, he had yet to establish any real authority or favor with the Wuhuan! And there was not even a shadow of the armaments, provisions, or civilian laborers needed to respond to a major campaign beyond the frontier!

It was not that he could not fight. After all, Mount Danhan was a mere three hundred li from the Han border. Leading cavalry in a direct strike might indeed achieve extraordinary merit... but was Tan Shihuai on the other side truly so easy to provoke, that he could just pounce like that? In his current situation, he could certainly fight with the momentum, but what if he fell into a disadvantageous battle?

Before considering victory, one must always first consider defeat, right?

Yet, to return to the point once more, Duan Jiong was his former master, akin to a sovereign! With five letters in just over ten days, how could he, Xia Yu, possibly sit idly by?

Just as Xia Yu was utterly vexed, a close subordinate officer suddenly strode quickly into the main hall: "General!"

"What is it?" Xia Yu, already in a foul mood, demanded impatiently.

"There is trouble outside," the subordinate officer hurriedly lowered his head to explain. "That Gao Heng, Gao Xuanqing, who came from Bohai leading a band of youxia to enlist, heard that the General has repeatedly tried to recruit the Shanggu Commandery's carriage officer Gongsun Zan, yet the man has not accepted. So, feeling indignant, he has led his men to the gate to shout abuse. At this moment, both sides have drawn blades and are at a standoff!"

"Bastard!" Xia Yu erupted in fury, his scholarly demeanor instantly vanishing. "Does that Gao Heng also know that the man has not accepted the recruitment? Does he also know that the man is still the carriage officer of Shanggu Commandery? He came to deliver official documents, yet Gao Heng leads men to surround and block him, and even draws blades! What does he take the army for?! Does he truly think he is still a youxia roaming Bohai?"

The subordinate officer hurriedly bowed his head again.

Xia Yu flung the sword from his low table directly onto the floor: "Take my sword. Go now. Tie up that Gao Heng and give him twenty lashes!"

"Yes!"

The subordinate officer took the sword and left. Here, Xia Yu could not help but sigh mournfully and slump down onto the rush mat... It turned out that his own response just now had suddenly reminded him of Duan Jiong's kindness toward him.

In those years, when Xia Yu served in Duan Jiong's army, he had received his fair share of lashes. But whether it was lashes or arrow wounds, whenever he was injured, Duan Jiong, as the commanding general, would always personally come to dress his wounds and then inquire after him with care. Following him on the frontier for over ten years, he had never once seen Duan Jiong sleep soundly, because the man always shared the hardships of the common soldiers.

And then Xia Yu could not help but recall the Battle of Fengyi, the battle that had made his name resound throughout the empire. That battle was divided into two offensives, in spring and summer.

The first time, Duan Jiong led over ten thousand men, including Xia Yu, in an urgent sortie, carrying only fifteen days' rations. They won battle after battle, then suddenly encountered a Qiang force several times their size at Mount Fengyi. The enemy was numerous and they were few, and their strength was exhausted, but the Han army was united in purpose, high and low as one, and actually defeated the larger Qiang force with their smaller numbers! In that battle, Qiang blood flowed like a river; the severed heads alone numbered over eight thousand, stirring the entire realm.

The second time, it was again a pursuit with light cavalry, covering over two hundred li in a single day and night. When battle was joined, the Han army had already run out of food and water, weary and hungry, yet under Duan Jiong's command, they still pressed forward, and instead seized the Qiang's food and water sources! In the end, the Qiang forces collapsed utterly. He, Tian Yan, and the others ate as they pursued, chasing for three days straight, and finally wiped out the enemy's military strength completely.

So, returning to the present, Xia Yu could not help but show a look of shame on his face. Had he forgotten Lord Duan's kindness to him? What he could accomplish eight years ago, could he truly not do now?

With this thought, the Colonel Protector of the Wuhuan, bearing the imperial tally, finally hesitated no longer. He brought out paper and brush, cleared his low table, and was clearly about to personally draft a memorial on the spot, petitioning to go beyond the frontier and strike directly at the Xianbei royal court at Mount Danhan!

After finishing the memorial, should he follow Lord Duan's example and go out to apply medicine to that Gao Heng who had just been lashed? Just as Xia Yu was about to set brush to paper, he lost focus for a moment.

And when he came back to his senses, he had already forgotten the mental draft he had just composed.

Right, back when Lord Duan submitted a memorial volunteering to pacify the Eastern Qiang, he had spoken a certain passage to the late Emperor, something like: "Now, with five thousand cavalry, ten thousand infantry, and three thousand chariots, in three winters and two summers, it will suffice to crush and settle them." And then, he truly did crush and settle them. Even now, recalling this matter still made one's blood boil.

Why not simply imitate that? It would also let the realm know that he, Xia Yu, fought for Lord Duan!

With this thought, Xia Yu lifted his brush and began to write.

"Those of the Faction are either venerable in years and profound in virtue, or eminent worthies of officialdom, all fit to be the arms and legs of the royal house, aides to great state plans; yet they have long been proscribed, disgraced in the mire. Even heinous treason receives amnesty and pardon — what crime have the Faction committed, that they alone are not granted forgiveness? Thus, calamities and portents appear repeatedly, floods and droughts arrive in succession, all stemming from this. A great amnesty should be granted, to accord with the will of Heaven." — "Memorial Petitioning for Amnesty for the Faction." Han Yongchang Grand Administrator Cao Luan. Intercalary month, fifth year of Xiping.

"The Xianbei raid the borders; since spring, there have been over thirty incursions. I petition to levy troops from the various commanderies of Youzhou to strike beyond the frontier. In one winter and two springs, they can surely be captured and exterminated." — "Memorial Petitioning for a Campaign Against the Xianbei." Han Colonel Protector of the Wuhuan Bearing the Imperial Tally, Xia Yu. Winter, fifth year of Xiping.

PS: Thanks to Nai Ba for another lavish reward... Speaking of which, I only discovered a few days ago the big recommendation package Nai Ba sent me during the new book period... How embarrassing.

Also, here is the new book group. Interested readers can join: 684558115.

(End of Chapter)