Chapter 246: The Southern Inspection Tour

From the moment he began the Heaven-weeping ritual at the southern suburb that morning, Wang Mang had remained at the Nine Temples southwest of Chang'an, not returning to the Shoucheng Chamber.

He wore the dark-blue ceremonial robe, the Imperial Heirloom Seal hung at his waist, and he held the dagger of Emperor Shun — fully equipped with all his ritual implements.

He also ordered the court astronomer to hold that bronze dipper-handle, cast several years ago, which Diwu Lun had nearly mistaken for a "firearm." The dipper-handle turned with the hours, as if marking the coordinates of Heaven's punishment for the August Emperor on High, calling down a meteorite to crush Diwu Lun to death.

Those who did not understand Wang Mang thought the Emperor was still trying to beseech the August Heaven and the Great One to reveal themselves, stubbornly refusing to see reason.

But Chen Chong, who understood Wang Mang rather well, knew that the southwestern suburb was the place farthest from the rebels north of the Wei and east of the Ba. He also saw that the Emperor had placed the thousand-odd dukes, ministers, grand masters, Palace Attendants, and Gentlemen of the Yellow Gate — those still loyal to him — nearby, and had ordered the giant Juwuba to guard the perimeter with the palace guard, with chariots and horses all prepared. By contrast, the Central Fortress Battalion, whose loyalties were suspect, had been dispatched to the north of the city.

"It seems that although His Majesty rebuked me in words, he has in fact taken my proposal to move the capital to heart."

Chen Chong understood this clearly. Taking advantage of a pause in Wang Mang's Heaven-praying, when the Emperor was eating abalone to fill his stomach, he came forward weeping and kowtowed, saying: "Your Majesty, the rebels have already taken the Five Tombs. They have gathered tens of thousands and are bearing down on the Wei River. The Archers Battalion and the Long River Battalion are fighting outnumbered — they likely cannot hold for long. The same is true east at Bashang."

"Once these two places fall, with the restless mood in Chang'an, I fear we cannot hold out until the Grand Minister of Works and the Grand Governor of the Capital Garrison arrive with their relief forces."

Wang Mang was very displeased and said: "The Northern Army has already received its rewards. They will smash the rebels within ten days!"

Though his words were fierce, Wang Mang knew in his heart that Chang'an was effectively surrounded and no longer safe. Hiding deep in the palace was useless, and the August Heaven and the Great One had still not responded — it was as if they had abandoned him.

But if he left Chang'an, where could he go? The idea of moving the capital to Luoyang was unreliable, because Diwu Lun's main army was right there to the east! Just as Gonggong Song Hong had said: abandoning a great city to linger in the wilderness — how was that different from binding oneself and handing one's life over to the rebels?

Chen Chong guessed Wang Mang's unspoken meaning and kowtowed, saying: "Although the auspicious moment to move the capital has passed, Your Majesty may still go on an inspection tour to the south!"

"You mean…"

"Yizhou!"

Chen Chong said: "The Grand Governor of Xincheng (Hanzhong), Wang Lin, is the son of the Marquis of Anxin, the younger brother of the Grand Preceptor Wang Kuang, an imperial kinsman, and a man of proven ability."

Wang Mang's hand touched the Imperial Heirloom Seal at his waist. This seal was the very one the Marquis of Anxin, Wang Shun, had helped him demand from Wang Zhengjun — though a corner had been chipped off in the process. This cousin had contributed greatly, and Wang Mang had treated his sons with great favor.

Wang Yi could not make it back in time, and there was no hope of relief from the six commanderies around the capital. Wang Mang began to look to loyal ministers farther afield: his cousin Wang Xiang, serving as Grand Governor of Anding, and the Wang Lin whom Chen Chong had mentioned.

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Longyou had gone silent — no one knew what had happened there — but Hanzhong was still in the court's hands. The edict should have already reached Wang Lin.

Chen Chong urged strongly: "When Emperor Gao of Han destroyed Qin, he was the first to enter the Pass. He should have remained in Guanzhong as King of Qin, but Xiang Yu sent him away to Ba and Shu, and with the resources of Yizhou he overthrew the Three Qin."

"And Your Majesty's rise began with the white pheasant of Yizhou and flourished with the white stone of Xinguang Hamlet (Wugong County)."

Chen Chong had personally been involved in orchestrating both of these events, so he was quite familiar with the Shu region.

"It was ultimately fulfilled by the golden plan submitted by the Shu man, the State General Ai Zhang. Your Majesty has deep ties to Yizhou."

"Now that the rebels are growing powerful, it would be better to go west to Xinguang, take the Baoye Road, and make a southern inspection tour to Xincheng. With the support of Wang Lin's relief army and the natural barriers of Ba and Shu's mountains and rivers, we can firmly hold out. We need only wait until autumn, when the Grand Minister of Works Wang Yi crushes the Greenwood rebels, turns his army back to annihilate Diwu Lun, and then the imperial chariot can naturally turn north and return to Chang'an."

This so-called "southern inspection tour" was, bluntly put, fleeing south to Hanzhong and Ba-Shu. In Chen Chong's mouth, it had become Wang Mang's only way out. He detailed the fertility of Shu's lands and the full strength of its arms — yet Yizhou had long been seething with popular resentment from Wang Mang's three campaigns against the Gouding, and bandits were everywhere. But the Emperor did not necessarily know these things.

Wang Mang fell silent for a long time. He did not rebuke him as he had the night before. After a long while, when he finally spoke, his attitude remained resolute: "I will stay right here in Chang'an and wait for the rebels to be destroyed. I will not go anywhere! Heaven has implanted virtue in me — what can the rebels do to me!"

Chen Chong was horrified. If the Emperor insisted on staying to "die for the dynasty," then he — a man Diwu Lun would absolutely never forgive — would probably have to slip away on his own.

But just then, Zhang Han, the man who had given the Emperor the brilliant idea of the Heaven-weeping ritual, came hurrying over and told Wang Mang a piece of shocking, disastrous news.

"Your Majesty, Diwu Lun has begun crossing the Ba! The Rapid Cavalry Battalion has collapsed, and the rebels have set foot on the west bank of the river!"

Although they had not yet received word of Wang Sheng's death in battle or Shi Chen's surrender, the fact that the rebels had broken through the Ba River defense line had touched Wang Mang's bottom line. He stood up in agitation, no longer able to sit calmly and wait for Heaven to unleash its wrath and a miracle to appear.

Wang Mang, who had always firmly believed the Northern Army could sweep away the rebels, was deeply disheartened. The Xin dynasty's generals had disappointed him yet again. All the collapse had begun with the failed offensive against Gouding in the Shijianguo era. From that point on, the army had only obstructed his plans.

Whether in the Western Regions or against the Xiongnu, every outcome had run counter to Wang Mang's expectations, which baffled him. And men like Han Wei, Lian Dan, and Wang Kuang only ever found ways to drag him down!

It seemed the Ba River truly could not be held. After that, how long could Chang'an hold out under Diwu Lun's assault?

Wang Mang had already lost all hope in his foolish generals and had no confidence in defending Chang'an. Victory in this battle would belong to Diwu Lun. Should he stay and suffer humiliation at the hands of a traitorous minister, or leave with this last shred of hope? Even if it deeply shamed him.

This decision was agonizingly difficult for Wang Mang. He had always thought himself extraordinary, wanting everything to proceed exactly as he planned. Once he set his mind on something, he would cling to it stubbornly, even if the whole world said he was wrong.

But unlike in history, today Wang Mang was not utterly without hope. He still looked forward to Wang Yi's army of hundreds of thousands. What he felt more was unwillingness:

Unwilling that the cause he had struggled for all his life should end like this.

Unwilling that this cause should perish at the hands of the rebel Diwu Lun, who had seized the chance to strike by stealth.

He would not admit that he had completely failed. It was all his ministers who had failed him! Especially Diwu Lun, who could have been a pillar of the Xin, supporting the realm — yet he had chosen to turn his blade around and strike! That blow had wounded old Wang Mang's heart and dealt the court a devastating blow.

He still wanted to see with his own eyes the Grand Minister of Works sweep through the lands east of the Pass, turn his army back, and strike down the traitor Diwu! To see Diwu Lun kowtow before him and confess his crimes, drowning in his own blood. Once the realm was cleansed, he would spend ten years restoring peace to the world, and then raise a worthy successor…

After a fierce internal struggle, Wang Mang's gaze wandered among his terrified, trusted ministers, finally resting on Chen Chong. The old Emperor pursed his lips, struggling for a long time, then gave Chen Chong a slight nod.

Chen Chong understood. He immediately left, limping on his cane, to make the final preparations!

"I shall personally lead the campaign!"

Wang Mang suddenly announced this, stunning his trusted followers, who all kowtowed and tried to dissuade him.

But this was something Wang Mang had already thought through repeatedly. He even went through the motions of appointing officials to stay behind and guard Chang'an — who would maintain order in the city, who would hold the keys to the palace, and so on. Everything was arranged.

But Chen Chong was urgently mobilizing the Gentlemen Guards, loading the chariots and horses, making all the preparations for flight. Only then did he step forward before the assembled ministers — who had been terrified by Wang Mang's talk of taking them on a "personal campaign" and were already planning to scatter — and propose: "Shun occupied the imperial throne for thirty-nine years, then went on a southern inspection tour."

"Your Majesty is a descendant of Yu Shun. You should follow your ancestor's precedent and make a southern tour!"

"Approved." Under the shocked gazes of his ministers, Wang Mang agreed to this proposal. And Wang Mang's diehard loyalists, given the choice between a "personal campaign" and a "southern tour," naturally chose the latter.

The people Wang Mang took with him included his diehard trusted followers Cui Fa, Zhang Han, Liu Die, the Grand Mentor Tang Zun, and over a thousand others. Juwuba served as a personal guard at his side — the giant gave Wang Mang a small added sense of security. The rear guard had over a thousand Gentlemen Guards as escorts.

The several hundred thousand catties of gold in the palace and the Twelve Divine Artifacts were too cumbersome; there was no time to take them. Wang Mang chose only the golden casket with the mandate and held it to his chest. The 120 consorts he had just appointed were left in the palace. The Empress-to-be of the Shi clan… Shi Luo was still at Duling, waiting for the palace to send someone to fetch her! Wang Mang could not be bothered with her. He only called for his four children by concubines to come along.

As for the person sent to the Ding'an Lodge to summon the Princess of Huanghuang, they returned empty-handed and reported to Wang Mang: "The Princess of Huanghuang has shut the Ding'an Lodge tight. This humble one could not enter. Shouts and messages sent in have gone unanswered."

"So be it. Let her be." Wang Mang could not be bothered with his own daughter. His eyes were always fixed on grand, distant goals, and he had never taken the lives of his children seriously. The rebels had already set foot on the west bank of the Ba, barely a few dozen li from Chang'an. By tomorrow morning, their vanguard could touch the city walls.

Wearing the Imperial Heirloom Seal and holding the dagger of Emperor Shun, Wang Mang boarded the chariot. He looked back at the city of Chang'an in the night. The wind blew his hair wildly. In that moment, the old Emperor's face was covered in tears.

Over twenty years ago, Wang Mang, as Grand Marshal and Grand General, had lost a political struggle and been driven out of the capital by Emperor Ai of Han, returning in disgrace to his fief at Xindu.

Six years later, through his own maneuvering and reputation-building, he had returned to the center of the court, coming back like a sage! Longed for by all the people under Heaven.

And today, Wang Mang was about to leave once more the city where he had lived for over thirty years. He had once wanted to make her the Central Capital of Confucius, the sage-city of Confucian governance. Now he could only leave her to the rebels, while he himself embarked on a southern tour with no clear future.

But this time, he would not wait six years.

"Chang'an, Chang'an!"

"Half a year — within half a year, I shall return here!"

But before Wang Mang could finish his vow, a horse in the rear unit transporting supplies, gold, and silks took fright and suddenly began to buck wildly, throwing the solemn, desolate convoy into disarray.

It was now the zi hour on the thirtieth day of the fifth month. Inside and outside the city, all was dim and dark. For a time, men ran and horses neighed, and the chaos gradually spread, finally turning into panicked cries where truth and falsehood could no longer be told apart.

"The Diwu army is here!"

"The rebels have arrived!"

Wang Mang's southern procession instantly fell into utter disarray, everyone believing that Diwu Lun had come to kill them. Up ahead, Juwuba could no longer spare a thought for the imperial relatives and high ministers; he could only shield Wang Mang's carriage and desperately flee forward. In the end, those who followed the Emperor numbered no more than a few hundred.

The rear of the procession collapsed on its own without cause. The families of the officials began fleeing wildly, each seeking their own way out, jamming together into a single mass south of the city. The palace guards and soldiers, already uneasy and unwilling to leave the city where they were born and raised, now seized the chance to loot, tearing silk and other goods from the baggage carts.

The cleverer palace guards, however, had their eyes fixed on only one man.

After his foot was severed, Chen Chong could no longer ride a horse and could only travel by carriage, which was hard to turn and ponderously slow. Suddenly trapped among the chaotic crowd, his driver also jumped down and fled, leaving the lame Chen Chong with nowhere to go. He could only look around in shock.

Then he saw, in the distance, several Palace Gentlemen parting the crowd and asking everywhere: "Where is the Marquis of Tongmu?"

Chen Chong's wife thought that Wang Mang up ahead had not forgotten this meritorious official of the southern hunt and had sent men to fetch them. She excitedly stood up in the carriage to answer, but the cunning Chen Chong sensed something was wrong and tried to pull her down — yet it was already too late.

The Palace Gentlemen now knew Chen Chong's location and were overjoyed. At once they shoved through the chaotic crowd and charged toward the carriage. They pinned down Chen Chong, who still tried to draw his sword and cut his own throat, and bound him tightly with rope, all exclaiming in delight: "We've captured Chen Chong alive! If we present him to Grand General Diwu, we will surely be richly rewarded!"

Two shichen later, as the sky was about to brighten, Wang Mang had fled to who knows where under the escort of Juwuba and the others. Chang'an, too, had learned that the Emperor had fled, and instantly fell into turmoil.

People from the palace rushed out of the palace gates, jamming together with the citizens fleeing wildly through the main streets. The princes, nobles, and officials of every rank whom Wang Mang had abandoned also scrambled over one another, fleeing in all directions. The curfew existed in name only, and the twelve city gates stood wide open.

Some petty criminals, seeing an opportunity, fished in troubled waters, pouring into the grand mansions of the northern watchtowers' elite quarter to steal lacquerware, jewels, and valuables. Amid the chaos, a storehouse was set alight, and flames blazed high within Chang'an.

And just at this moment, lines of torches also advanced from the east, shrouded in hazy mist. The surrendered cavalry of the Rapid-as-Leopards Camp rode as guides, leading the way, while behind them came the elite troops of the righteous army, jogging to a halt beneath the walls of Chang'an.

As the vanguard unit, Qin He, a junior officer under Wan Xiu's command, stretched out his calloused hand and touched the thick city wall of Chang'an.

He was a man of Guanzhong, but in the past he had been only a small tenant farmer, burying his head in his tiny plot of land. He had never had the chance to come to the capital, let alone enter it.

Qin He ignored the soldiers' questions about whether they should charge into the city or wait outside for the main force.

He merely stepped back a few paces, removed his helmet, and tilted his head back by the firelight to gaze at this great city. His ugly face showed an expression of awe and yearning, and he could only sigh with deep feeling:

"The Emperor's walls... are truly high!"

PS: Phew, made it back. Tomorrow's update will be at 13:00.