Chapter 280: Splitting Bamboo

Henei, one of the Three He regions, was a hub of boat and cart traffic, known as the "Land-Sea," and was quite prosperous. Its population was dense — eighteen counties, two hundred forty thousand households, over a million people, more than Wei Commandery and half of Shouliang combined. But its military readiness was extremely weak, and because Wang Mang had conscripted the Greenwood forces, the commandery's Grand Governor had marched south with the greater part of the commandery troops, leaving Henei's defenses even more hollow.

The commandery's second-in-command, the "Affiliated Rectifier" in charge of military affairs, thus became the de facto power-holder. Yet when it came to this Affiliated Rectifier Fu, the commandery's scholars could not praise him enough, while the powerful local clans shook their heads in dismay. Because for Fu Zhan, holding office was merely his side occupation — his true passion, his main vocation, was being a teacher!

The Affiliated Rectifier's residence in Henei had been turned into a great academy. Several hundred local scholars, braving the blazing sun, sat upright and solemn, heads raised as they listened to Fu Zhan expound the Book of Documents.

"Yu divided the Nine Provinces, followed the mountains to dredge the rivers, and set tribute according to the land."

From years of reading through the night, Fu Zhan's eye bags had grown so large they seemed to take up half his face. Though he had no idea how many times he had recited this line from the "Tribute of Yu," he still closed his eyes, deeply moved.

The several hundred scholars below were equally absorbed. To be accepted into the Fu clan's tutelage was their honor. Everyone in the world knew: without Master Fu of the Han, the Book of Documents would not have been transmitted, and transmitted without Master Fu, its meaning would not be understood. It was the elder Master Fu of the early Han who had rescued the Documents, one of the Five Classics, from the fires of the tyrannical Qin and passed it down to the world through oral recitation!

And this Fu Zhan was precisely his ninth-generation descendant, the true heir of the Fu clan's Documents tradition!

The Fu clan's Documents was even more orthodox than the prominent schools of the world — the Ouyang Documents and the Senior and Junior Xiahou Documents. Fu Zhan's father had been a renowned elder Confucian in the time of Han Emperor Cheng, had served as imperial tutor and as an Erudite, and Fu Zhan himself had entered the Imperial Academy early on.

When Wang Mang retired from office, Fu Zhan, who regarded him as a sage, submitted a memorial protesting the injustice. When Wang Mang supplanted the Han, Fu Zhan was sincerely delighted. Wang Mang liked to employ Confucian scholars and actually made Fu Zhan an Embroidered Uniform Enforcer, tasked with catching criminals and villains. But Fu Zhan was too soft-hearted — he simply let anyone he caught go. Wang Mang could not bear to punish him and merely let him advance slowly through the ranks. After five promotions, he was inexplicably given a military post: Affiliated Rectifier of the Rear Corps!

Entrusting a renowned Confucian with the military affairs of an entire commandery — this shows plainly how Wang Mang was adept at using men, and bold in using them.

After Fu Zhan became Affiliated Rectifier, his mind, as expected, was not on strengthening military readiness or training troops. Instead, he used the convenience of his post to open an academy, teaching his disciples the Odes and Documents, then sending them into the camps to tell Confucian tales to the soldiers of the Rear Corps and instruct them in rites and benevolence. Judging by the way things were going, he truly intended to forge an "Army of the Benevolent" here in the old lands of Yin-Shang.

Right in the middle of a lecture, Wei Sa, the County Magistrate of Huai, walked in anxiously, weaving through the students' desks to reach Fu Zhan, who still had his eyes closed, and said in a low voice: "Affiliated Rectifier Fu, a grave matter has arisen!"

Fu Zhan opened his eyes and glanced at Wei Sa: "Zichan, what matter could be more important than transmitting the teachings of the sages?"

Wei Sa, who normally held Fu Zhan in reverence and knew his habits, merely bowed and said: "It is a matter of war!"

Fu Zhan nodded: "The great affairs of state lie in war and sacrifice. Speak."

Wei Sa said urgently: "Ma Yuan, Grand Governor of Weicheng, has suddenly marched his troops south, seized Dangyin, crossed the Qi River, and arrived before Zhaoge. By now it should already have fallen!"

Relations between Henei and Wei territory had always been quite good. Because the commandery's own military readiness was so feeble, the local powerful clans and officials had even counted on Weicheng, strengthened by Diwu Lun's troops, to help block the Red Eyebrows and the many bandit gangs of Hebei. Yet Diwu Lun, who had been a smiling good neighbor when he marched south, had suddenly turned his blade against them — why?

Wei Sa said: "There are rumors that Diwu Lun has revolted in Guanzhong, and that Wei territory is his old base. This invasion southward is likely long premeditated!"

Fu Zhan furrowed his brow, looking deeply troubled. Wei Sa thought he was worrying about how to resist the enemy, but instead Fu Zhan recited a poem on the spot.

"Look to the bends of the Qi, lush and green grow the bamboos. There is a gentleman of fine character, as if cut and filed, as if carved and polished."

"The Qi Garden lies right at Zhaoge, stretching back continuously from the state of Wei in the Spring and Autumn period. In the time of Han Emperor Wu, to block the Yellow River's waters, the Qi bamboos were all cut down. After I came here as an official, I ordered them restored, slightly reviving the scene from the Odes of old. I only hope that the soldiers under Ma Yuan's command will not cut them down for firewood and arrow shafts."

So he was worried about bamboo! Wei Sa was dumbfounded and could only urge Fu Zhan to immediately marshal the defenses, hold the line of the Qin River, and at the same time send south for help, waiting for Wang Yi and Wang Xun to dispatch troops — this was mid-sixth month, and they did not yet know of the great defeat at Kunyang.

However, after Wei Sa, on Fu Zhan's orders, opened the commandery granaries and prepared the provisions, a baffling scene unfolded. Fu Zhan inspected the city and found that because so much of Henei's grain had been requisitioned by Wang Yi, many common folk had a famished, pallid look. In that moment, his heart softened again.

"When a single grain fails to ripen, the ruler of a state forgoes full meals; now the people are all starving, how can I, an old man, eat my fill alone?"

So Fu Zhan took the military provisions and distributed them as famine relief to the people of Huai County, and he did not lead troops to set up defenses at the Qin River. Meanwhile, Ma Yuan's vanguard had already reached the north bank of the Qin. Meeting no resistance, they leisurely built pontoon bridges and prepared to cross south.

It was just at this moment that the man sent south to report the emergency returned. He brought back not a single imperial soldier, but instead conveyed to Henei the news that Wang Yi had been defeated and had gathered a mere thirty thousand men back to Luoyang.

Coupled with the confirmed facts that Diwu Lun had taken Chang'an in the west and that Wang Mang, having fled south, was now missing and his fate unknown, Henei was instantly thrown into an uproar. People led by the recluse Cai Mao began urging Fu Zhan to simply surrender to Ma Yuan.

Yet Fu Zhan turned a deaf ear. He did not, like Tian Kuang, proclaim himself a loyal servant of the Great Xin, nor did he, like Yan You, feel he had sinned against the world and must die for the Xin. He simply would not declare his stance.

And Ma Yuan had already crossed the Qin River and was bearing straight down on Huai County. The whole city was terrified. Fu Zhan alone, though caught in this sudden crisis, still stressed literary virtue, believing rites and music to be the foundation of governance and moral transformation, not to be abandoned even in the direst chaos. He continued teaching his disciples the Odes and Documents as before.

But his disciples' hearts were already in turmoil. At today's lecture, the number attending had dropped from several hundred to just over a hundred, and people kept growing uneasy. At every little sound from outside, they would turn their heads in shock, utterly terrified.

At this moment, news arrived that the recluse Cai Mao — the man Diwu Lun had visited when passing through Huai County — had led the city's powerful families and scholars to open the city gates, left unguarded under Fu Zhan's policy of non-resistance, and welcome Ma Yuan into the city!

"Master! When Confucius passed through Song and practiced rites with his disciples beneath a great tree, Huan Tui felled the tree, and Confucius thereupon departed. Now that Ma Yuan comes with such fierce momentum, Master may also depart!"

A disciple rose trembling, weeping as he begged the teacher to leave by the south gate. Though they were Confucian scholars, they also wore swords and were willing to stake their lives to escort Fu Zhan to safety.

Fu Zhan, however, laughed and said: "Heaven has begotten virtue in me — what can Huan Tui do to me?"

The last sage and Son of Heaven who kept saying "Heaven has begotten virtue in me" had already fled, but Fu Zhan was even more unflappable than Wang Mang. His stance was: "Neither fight, nor surrender, nor flee; neither die, nor make peace, nor defend."

He comforted his disciples, saying: "Confucius was trapped between Chen and Cai for seven days. Cut off from the outside world, with not even greensoup to fill them, his followers all fell ill. Yet Confucius grew ever more impassioned in his recitations, his singing to the zither never faltering. To say nothing of blades not yet upon us — even if they were at our throats, we should do likewise."

"We must learn from the Qi bamboo. The gentleman of old was firm as bamboo within, warm as jade without. Though assaulted by autumn and winter, he does not change his green."

Fu Zhan's words grew fervent and impassioned: "An age of chaos is coming, just like the end of the Qin. In the times ahead, the world will not lack for hegemons, kings, and generals. What it will lack are men who can preserve the lost learning of the past sages. Listen to me finish this last lesson. If tomorrow brings the Qin fires and the burial pits, I shall go to meet them with fervor. But you must take the learning I have imparted, preserve your lives, and await the return of peace."

His finger pointed at his disciples: "When that time comes, every one of you shall be a Master Fu!"

These words set his disciples' blood surging. They bowed their heads and said: "Aye!"

They began to ignore the neighing of horses and shouting of men outside, each returning to his seat, and continued to follow Fu Zhan in studying the "Tribute of Yu."

"Yu delineated the land, following the mountains to mark the trees, and established the great mountains and great rivers!"

Just as they recited this line, amid a clamor, fully armed Wei territory fangtooth soldiers burst fiercely into the Affiliated Rectifier's residence. The guide Cai Mao was in front, and Ma Yuan, in full battle dress, followed close behind, the short-statured Huang Chang at his side.

Fu Zhan's disciples sat trembling in their seats. Were blades truly about to be upon them now? Ma Yuan, wearing leather boots and a ring-pommel saber at his waist, strode step by step toward their teacher. Arriving before Fu Zhan's desk, he suddenly drew his blade!

"Master!"

The disciples immediately rose, terrified that their teacher would be harmed by this crude warrior Ma Yuan and die a martyr. But Ma Yuan's men leveled their weapons at them, and they were forced back into their seats.

Yet what Ma Yuan lifted with the tip of his blade was merely Fu Zhan's bamboo slips. He took them in his left hand and held them, and thus, in full armor, he began to read, utterly absorbed, with keen enjoyment.

Warrior and Confucian, sword and verse — it was a bizarre scene. The disciples were baffled, the soldiers were baffled; only Huang Chang suddenly had a flash of understanding.

After a moment, Ma Yuan shifted his gaze and looked at Fu Zhan.

"The Heng and Wei rivers having followed their courses, the Great Land was then cultivated... No matter how many times one reads the Documents, one always gains something from it. I have long heard of Fu Huigong's name — dare I ask, am I right?"

"What the General says is correct." From beginning to end, Fu Zhan remained seated upright behind his desk, looking up at him with those large eye bags, utterly without fear.

"The Han High Emperor, in his old age, also said: 'I encountered an age of chaos, when the Qin banned learning, and I was pleased, thinking reading was of no benefit.'"

"'Since ascending the throne, only now have I found time to read, and it has made me understand the intent of the authors. Looking back on my past actions, I see how many were wrong.'"

"'To hear the Dao in the morning and die in the evening — that is enough.' General, it is not too late for you to read."

Ma Yuan shook his head: "Would Fu Huigong be willing to teach?"

"The Master said: 'In teaching, there should be no distinction of classes.'" Fu Zhan bowed to Ma Yuan: "So long as one has the heart to learn, anyone may read the Documents."

"Good. It is settled." Ma Yuan laughed heartily. With that, he sheathed his blade, turned, and led his soldiers away. He even had them close the main gate of the Affiliated Rectifier's residence and ordered Huang Chang to guard the place well, letting no disorderly troops trespass.

The subordinate clerks and officers accompanying him were baffled. They had thought they were following General Ma to the Affiliated Rectifier's residence to denounce him and demand punishment — how had it ended so anticlimactically?

Huang Chang, however, clicked his tongue in wonder, feeling he had gained much from this lesson: "Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

First, that Fu Zhan — you thought him wooden and rigid? Inept he certainly was, but after careful thought, Huang Chang realized this was a man of supreme intelligence.

"He does not fight, because he knows the Henei troops are weak and no match for the strong soldiers of Wei."

"He does not surrender, because too many officials have already surrendered; if he surrendered too, he would not receive particularly good treatment."

"He does not flee, because the Xin Dynasty's cause is already lost. Across the river the Red Eyebrows run rampant — he cannot even return to his old home, so he might as well stay safe in Henei."

"He does not die, because dying now would make him a martyr buried with the Xin and Wang Mang. Later he would surely be slandered, and a dead man cannot defend himself."

"He does not negotiate, because he has no leverage whatsoever. Men like Cai Mao sold out Henei long ago — does he think Fu Zhan does not know?"

"He does not defend, because he does not wish to cause bloodshed, bring disaster upon the common people, and earn a vile name."

Fu Zhan had given away his entire salary to the people of the city, and with the gentle, accommodating way he had always governed the commandery, he held a very high place in the hearts of the Henei people.

Add to that the posture he maintained even with troops at the city walls — still singing to stringed instruments and passing letters as usual — under such circumstances, if Ma Yuan dared harm him, he would certainly be condemned in speech and writing by those several hundred disciples, and at the same time lose the people's hearts entirely. Then the Wei soldiers' claim of coming to "protect" Henei, and the banner they raised of Diwu Lun the General Who Pacifies the People, would have their effect greatly diminished.

And so Ma Yuan could not use force against Fu Zhan. He could only use their dialogue of picking passages from the Book of Documents to read as a pretext to recruit Fu Zhan on Diwu Lun's behalf. This man was a renowned elder scholar of great standing among the literati. If he could stand on the platform for Diwu Lun and serve as an ornament, that would be rather fine.

And Fu Zhan, neither servile nor overbearing, gave his assent. A bargain was thus struck, and both sides preserved their elegance and dignity.

Huang Zhang was still savoring this contest of wits. The subordinate clerks had not quite understood it. In any case, among them Huang Zhang was the cleverest — if he said it was formidable, then formidable it truly was.

Someone else remarked, "That is because they encountered General Ma, who may seem rough but is in truth meticulous in thought, learned in letters and observant of rites. Had they run into a brute like the Seventh Biao, with Fu Zhan putting on such airs, would he not be certain to die?"

"That is precisely his greatest brilliance."

Huang Zhang turned his head. From within the governor's residence, the sound of reciting texts had risen once more.

"This Fu Zhan has guts. He truly does not fear death."

"If he really were killed, dying a martyr to the texts and the Dao would sound far better than dying a martyr to the Xin and Wang Mang. Unless they slaughtered his disciples too, the story would spread sooner or later. A hundred years from now, scholars might even cry out against the injustice done to him!"

…

In late June, Geng Chun, who was stationed at Yecheng with three thousand soldiers left to hold the city, received Ma Yuan's report of victory.

"Wenyuan took Henei in seven days — truly swift!"

After Ma Yuan captured Huai County without shedding a drop of blood, the nearly ten counties in western Henei, with Cai Mao's help and Fu Zhan's endorsement, also enjoyed the luxury of "being settled by a single proclamation."

And the two world-shaking tidings — Diwu Lun taking Chang'an, and the Xin army's defeat at Kunyang — were by now known throughout the Three He region. So the Wei soldiers rarely needed to storm cities and seize territory; they pushed all the way to the foot of the Taihang and Wangwu mountains and took control of the eastern side of the Zhi Pass Road: Zhi County.

Yet the Zhi Pass Road, stretching several hundred li, was not so easy to travel. Scouts sent to reconnoiter reported that on the other side of the narrow path, at the Ekou Pass in Jiang County east of the river, troops were already massing — Wang Xun, having crossed the river and occupied Hedong, had dispatched soldiers to guard it.

With Henei to consolidate, Henan to guard against, and Hedong to advance into, the six or seven thousand soldiers Ma Yuan had brought were stretched thin. Moreover, with frequent torrential rains at the time, the offensive was paused, and Ma Yuan halted his troops at Yewang County to rest and regroup.

"A pause is indeed in order."

Geng Chun did not want them to attend to one thing and lose another, for with the two great upheavals — one in the west at Chang'an, one in the east at Kunyang — the entire situation under Heaven had undergone earth-shaking change. Powers that had been watching from the sidelines now began, one after another, unable to wait any longer, to surface and climb onto the stage.

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As it happened, Geng Chun was at this moment receiving an envoy from Handan right there in Yecheng. The man was named Du Wei, a retainer of Liu Lin, the Prince of Zhao.

Because the roads were blocked and information traveled poorly, they had neither seen Diwu Lun's proclamation, nor did they even know of the recent establishment of the Hu Han and Western Han. But that did not stop these local powers from pursuing their own schemes.

"Thanks to Diwu Boyu driving out Wang Mang, and with the Xin army's great defeat at Kunyang, the grand cause of restoring the Han is now set. In Hebei, the Prince of Zhao, the Prince of Zhending Liu Yang, the Prince of Guangyang Liu Jie, Bao Yong of Shangdang, and several dozen Liu clan descendants and marquises, together with Julu and ten other commanderies, have raised a hundred thousand troops, all wishing to change banners and restore the Han. May I ask what Lord Geng thinks?"

"I…"

Geng Chun slowly raised his hand. The attendants in the room were ready at any moment to draw their blades and cut down this Du Wei.

But Geng Chun, with his thick brows and large eyes, slapped the table and laughed heartily:

"That is exactly what I desire! My heart has long yearned for the Great Han!"

…

PS: A bit late today. Extra chapter tomorrow.