Chapter 130: In the Past I Had No Choice

In times like these, only three kinds of people still remain utterly loyal to the Great Xin.

The first are those who feign loyalty, their cunning hidden from the world — no need to name them all here, but Diwu Lun is one. The second are those with vested interests, bound too deeply to Wang Mang, such as Zhen Fu, Grand Governor of the Vanguard Commandery. The third are simply brainless.

Cen Peng's mind was clearly sound. After Diwu Lun met this summoned, resolute-looking middle-aged County Commandant in Wancheng, he began by asking about his past.

"I heard that years ago, you helped suppress the Anzhong Marquis's rebellion, fighting fiercely and taking several heads?"

Cen Peng merely bowed his head and cupped his hands. "I venture to inform you, Grandee, that was merely my good fortune. The rebels passed by the precinct lodge where I was stationed. Striking down brigands was my duty; I dared not retreat."

This was why Cen Peng "had no choice" but to serve the Xin. Back when Wang Mang's regency revealed his ambition, Liu Chong, a Han marquis in Anzhong County, Nanyang, was so enraged that he led his clan in raising the first banner. He gathered just over a hundred men and dared to attack the major city of Wancheng — only to be put down by the County Commandant and a few Precinct Chiefs.

Cen Peng was one of those Precinct Chiefs who earned merit in that incident, gaining promotion to a commandery clerk, and now County Commandant. Though it could not compare to the one marquis and eight subsidiary lords who soared to high rank in the same incident through "artful memorials," for Cen Peng, a man from a humble, small-landlord family, this was already a class leap. Had the Han still ruled, he would have toiled his whole life and remained only a village official. Thus Cen Peng naturally supported the Xin Dynasty replacing the Han.

But times had changed in ten years. The hero who once quelled rebellion now had to bear the negative consequences of that reputation. The world was restless, hearts turning to change, and many clever men were quietly preparing escape routes — all except Cen Peng. Who knew how many imperial clan members in Nanyang bore him a grudge? Cen Peng could only cling to the Xin's swaying, broken ship and hope it held out a while longer.

Grand Governor Zhen gave Cen Peng the assessment "holds his heart and stands firm," so he passed the political vetting. Next came professional competence. After their exchange, it was clear Cen Peng spoke with clarity and knew the commandery's strategic points and roads like the back of his hand.

"You already know the purpose of our journey, Junran. If it were you, how would you choose the route back?"

Diwu Lun already had his own specific plan in mind; this was a test of Cen Peng's ability. Cen Peng did not flinch. Looking at the map Diwu Lun spread out, he pointed and said, "There are four places you must not enter."

"First, if you come to a county where a powerful clan resides, it is best to go around."

Diwu Lun was surprised. "Oh? Why? Does Junran know some inside information — that there are rebels among them plotting treason?"

"It is merely guarding against trouble before it happens." Cen Peng said, "Years ago, when the Son of Heaven forbade private brewing, it was not enough to confiscate the wine; those who secretly kept brewing vessels also had to hand them over to be smashed. Why? Because possessing such implements made it possible to break the law."

"By the same logic, Grandee, you travel with the Yue Cavalry Camp and several hundred commandery troops. By all reason, that should make petty villains tremble. The only potential threat is the commandery's powerful families. They command thousands of retainers and dependents; one shout from them and half a county answers. If you pass through their territory and someone harbors ill intent…"

Diwu Lun pondered. "You mean the Li clan of Wancheng, the Yin and Deng of Xinye, the Liu of Anzhong, and a few others?"

Cen Peng, to his credit, was open and honorable. He did not seize the chance to dig a pit for the Anzhong Liu clan, with whom he had a grudge, but simply said it was best to go around them all.

"County Commandant Cen is far too timid."

Cheng Zhong, the Major of the Yue Cavalry Camp who had been listening in, looked down on him and sneered. "By your logic, there would be barely a handful of places we could pass on the return journey. Can't we even pass through Wancheng?"

Diwu Lun made his decision. "Both of you have a point. Xinye and Anzhong can be bypassed, but Wancheng likely cannot. I met Li Ciyuan earlier; he treated me with respect, and his father still serves at court. How would the Li clan dare act rashly? Besides, Wancheng has commandery troops to protect it. There should be no major trouble."

Cen Peng acknowledged this and offered several more suggestions. "First, you must spend every night within a county seat. Ideally, have the County Magistrate and Commandant vacate their residences and set up proper sentry posts."

"Second, better to travel the main roads than mountain paths. On a mountain trail, no matter how many escorts you have, you will be strung out in a long line. It is very easy for a smaller force to attack a larger one and cut it into segments."

"Third, do not enter any forested land. The Vanguard Commandery is not as bad as Nan Commandery, but several bands of major bandits are active. The most powerful are the Mount Yu bandits in Champion County. Their leader is surnamed Jia."

"What is this bandit chief called?"

"No one knows. The common folk just call him Jia the Great Bandit."

"'False' Great Bandit? Is there a 'True' Great Bandit too?"

Cheng Zhong muttered again, "Cen Junran makes it sound easy, but as the Grandee saw on the way here, aren't the roads from the Vanguard Commandery back to the capital all forested mountain trails? And this Champion County is the unavoidable route from western Wan to Xi County and Wu Pass. To bypass it, you'd have to go north to Luyang, take a long detour, and enter Hangu Pass from Luoyang to return to the capital."

Diwu Lun nodded. Champion County truly could not be bypassed; it was the riskiest point on the return journey. Yet when they came with over three hundred men, the Mount Yu bandits had not dared harass them, and they would be even more numerous on the way back.

After this exchange, Diwu Lun was quite satisfied with Cen Peng. His insight far exceeded that of an ordinary County Commandant, and he paid great attention to detail.

Later, as they marched south, Diwu Lun observed Cen Peng commanding the troops. Their discipline, in advance and retreat, was actually better than that of the arrogant soldiers of the accompanying Yue Cavalry Camp, which made Diwu Lun regard him with even greater respect.

On this journey south, while Diwu Lun spoke of "sightseeing," his real aim was to get acquainted with local talents of middling status — men neither too high nor too low. After all, the powerful clans had nearly lost interest in serving as Xin Dynasty officials.

Diwu Lun thought to himself, "If I can complete this mission, my rating in Wang Mang's eyes should rise another level. Since resigning at this stage is difficult, I must find a way to seek an external appointment and see if I can serve in a commandery office."

A commandery chief had the authority to appoint his own subordinate staff. If he identified the right men early and gathered them together when the time came, they would be the core team for his rise.

"Ren Guang of Wancheng is seasoned, prudent, and adept in human affairs — he could serve as Master of Records. Cen Peng of Jiyang knows military matters, is resolute and firm — he could be Commandery Military Officer, in charge of the troops."

Diwu Lun recalled, one by one, the Nanyang men he knew. "Right — that Liu Jiao, Liu Wenshu, who once helped me with the Imperial Academy students years ago, is also a man of talent. Calm, seasoned, yet quick-witted. It's a pity I asked both Ren Guang and Cen Peng, and neither knew him. Where could he be?"

"If he could be used by me, serving as Chief Clerk of Records and my chief strategist, he would be more than capable!"

…

From Wancheng they went south, passing Jiyang County — the strategic gateway between north and south, the entrance to the commandery seat — then quickened their pace for two more days. When the murmuring sound of the Tang River reached their ears, they had arrived in Xindu.

This area belonged to the ancient Tang domain. The Sushuang horses ridden by the Yue Cavalry Camp were bred here. In the Han Dynasty, this was Du Township of Xinye County. During the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, a maternal relative's son named Wang Mang was enfeoffed here as a marquis, with an income from fifteen hundred households.

When Wang Mang fell from power under Emperor Ai of Han, he came here to his fief and lived for several years. In later generations' terms, Xindu was the "land where the dragon rose," and it still enjoyed privileges like tax and labor exemptions.

Of course, during those years in Xindu, aside from forcing his second son, who had beaten a slave to death, to pay with his own life — prompting the whole realm to submit petitions every few days proclaiming his innocence — Wang Mang was not idle. He fathered two sons and two daughters with several serving maids.

The two imperial sons by concubines were named Wang Kuang and Wang Xing — common as dirt names — and there were two imperial daughters by concubines as well, both in their early twenties, yet still unmarried.

But a moment's thought explains it. Wang Mang was extremely harsh with his children and grandchildren, beating or killing them at the slightest provocation. Even the imperial sons by the empress had to keep a low profile, let alone sons of concubines. As far as Diwu Lun knew, these two pairs of siblings had never left Xindu in over twenty years. In name, they were the bloodline of the Son of Heaven; in reality, they were prisoners in Xindu. And with the realm growing restless of late, they could not even leave their city manor.

It seemed Wang Mang intended to raise his surplus imperial sons like pigs, until the day they could be put to use.

So when the court envoy arrived bearing the imperial credential and summoned the two imperial sons to meet him, the two brothers reacted in completely opposite ways.

The imperial son named Wang Kuang trembled in terror, afraid that what was being delivered was poisoned wine. After all, the Emperor had already achieved a four-kill, five-kill streak against his own children and grandchildren — two more would be nothing. After Diwu Lun finished reading the edict stating that the King of Xinqian had petitioned for titles for the two, and the Son of Heaven summoned them to Chang'an, Wang Kuang collapsed to the ground, his face ashen. He would rather live a life of plenty in Xindu forever.

The younger one, named Wang Xing, could barely contain his excitement. As he prostrated himself on the ground, the veins bulged on both hands. He was the first to rise and take the edict, holding it in his hands and reading it once more. Then he helped up his weak-kneed elder brother. "Imperial Brother, why are you crying? This is good news."

Wang Xing turned back and smiled at Diwu Lun. "Do not take offense, honored envoy. My Imperial Brother has always been timid. He has probably been shut up in the manor too long; he's even afraid of mice on ordinary days. I hope the honored envoy will prepare a curtained carriage for him, or else my Imperial Brother may not be able to make the journey."

If this man had covered for his elder brother, saying he was "weeping from extreme joy," Diwu Lun might have thought a little better of Wang Xing.

But Wang Xing was truly impatient — desperately impatient. The moment he received the edict, he began stabbing his brother in the back. He probably thought that with both elder brothers dead, the future position of Crown Prince could only fall between the two sons of concubines.

It seemed that in the days to come, alongside "the father is kind, the son filial," they could add "the elder brother friendly, the younger brother respectful."

Though Diwu Lun had expected something like this, the degree to which the Sixth Imperial Son, Wang Xing, was swelling with arrogance far exceeded his imagination. That night, when Diwu Lun went through the motions of briefing the two brothers on the return route, Wang Xing was already treating himself as the future master of all under heaven and began ordering Diwu Lun around. His form of address also changed from "honored envoy" to Diwu Lun.

"This return route is wrong."

Wang Xing found many faults. "Why bypass Xinye County and go directly through Yuyang and Jiyang? And traveling so many li in one day — have you not considered that my Imperial Brother is frail, and the two Imperial Sisters cannot endure a long journey either? Lastly, when we pass through Wancheng, can we not rest there a few more days?"

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Wang Xing had been shut up in Xindu for over twenty years and was long since stifled beyond endurance. With the bustle of Wancheng so close, of course he wanted to go and properly experience it. As for demanding that the envoy party must pass through Xinye, he had his own selfish desire in mind.

Diwu Lun insisted on his own view, citing safety. Wang Xing was very displeased. That night, after drinking a bit of wine, he came to bother Diwu Lun again.

After dismissing the attendants, Wang Xing pointed at Diwu Lun. "Does Boyu know who is in Xinye?"

Just as Cen Peng had said, there were two powerful families there that posed a potential threat to the envoy party. This mission concerned Diwu Lun's future plans, and he wanted no mishaps whatsoever.

Wang Xing laughed. "Boyu, you are young — don't be so dull. I'll speak plainly with you. Though I am in Xindu, I too have heard of the fair reputation of the virtuous daughters of the Yin clan of Xinye…"

Diwu Lun laughed. "A fine name — what is she called?"

Wang Xing said regretfully, "How could I know a fair maiden's name when only her brothers would? But on this trip, I will find out."

"I have long admired the daughter of the Yin clan and yearned to see her. Once I leave for Chang'an, who knows when I might return — Boyu, help me with this. When we pass Xinye, summon the head of the Yin clan…"

Watching Wang Xing, suddenly risen in fortune, swell with arrogance until he forgot all restraint, Diwu Lun felt extreme disgust. If it did not bear on the future, he would have been tempted to do away with the wretch halfway along the road.

Yet on second thought, given Wang Mang's character — one who could not tolerate a speck of dust in his eye — would sending a son like this to Chang'an to be soundly thrashed by his old father not be far better? Diwu Lun therefore said, "The Sixth Prince wishes to present betrothal gifts and inquire her name? An imperial marriage surely requires His Majesty's consent."

Wang Xing burst into loud laughter. "Betrothal gifts? How could the Yin clan be worthy of a prince? I mean to raise her family up — by taking her as a concubine!"

"If you can help me accomplish this, I will always remember Boyu's goodwill, and one day you shall be repaid!"

……

PS: Chapter 2 at 18:00.