Chapter 355: A Kind Uncle, a Filial Nephew

Time returns to the end of the twelfth month last year. Inside the Wei Commandery residence, Geng Chun toyed with an invitation, his expression deeply conflicted.

Geng Chun's current status was highly unusual. He was not only the "Left Chancellor" of the State of Wei, enfeoffed as Marquis of Liaocheng with a fief of four thousand households, but had also accepted the Chancellor's seal from Liu Ziyu, the Succeeding Prosperity Emperor of the Northern Han, and was enfeoffed as "Marquis of Songzi" with a fief of ten thousand households.

This was because the Three Lius of Hebei had eagerly sent a Chancellor's seal to Diwu Lun, but he had not accepted it. When news arrived that Liu Bosheng had died in battle after entering the pass, the Three Lius also understood that Diwu Lun had already grown too powerful and had no interest in restoring the Han, so they changed their strategy.

Wωω. T Tκan. ￠ ○

Whether it was the King of Zhao, Liu Lin, or Geng Chun's own maternal uncle, Liu Yang, the King of Zhending, both began sending people repeatedly to lobby Geng Chun, hoping he would abandon Wei and return to the Han.

Geng Chun was quite uneasy. Some time earlier, when Ma Yuan had rushed to reinforce Puyang against the Greenwood forces, Geng Chun had made a special trip to the Yellow River to see him and said to Ma Yuan with a bitter smile, "Before the King of Wei, the slanderous reports denouncing me must fill a whole basket by now, right?"

Ma Yuan, however, dismissed this. "Has the King of Wei dismissed you from your post and summoned you back to court?"

"That, he has not." Geng Chun had submitted several memorials requesting a transfer away from Wei territory, but Diwu Lun had never permitted it. Without him, no one else could hold this place.

Ma Yuan asked again, "The seal and cord you enclosed with your letter — after they were sent north of the Wei, what was the reply?"

"Returned untouched." Geng Chun now wore the Chancellor's seals of both Han and Wei at his belt.

"Then that settles it." Ma Yuan laughed heartily. "Our King founded his state within the passes, yet named it Wei. Does this Wei refer to the Western Wei east of the Yellow River? No, it refers to Wei Commandery in Hebei. This is the place where he first rose and established his foundation. He is using this state name to tell you and me that Diwu Boyu has not forgotten his roots!"

That was true enough, but as time passed, Geng Chun found it increasingly difficult even to maintain a pretense of cooperation with the King of Zhao. Liu Lin repeatedly demanded to send troops to take over Wei territory and grew more impatient by the day. Geng Chun could only find various excuses to stall. It was fortunate that the Three Lius of Hebei were not united in purpose, and with bandits like the Tongma threatening their flank, Liu Lin had not yet marched south to attack Wei.

Time would not wait — Geng Chun had to make his choice!

"Elder brother, why have you summoned me?"

His younger brother Geng Zhi came to pay his respects. Geng Chun handed him the invitation in his hand.

"Our maternal cousin is to be married."

"Is it Shengtong?" Geng Zhi felt somewhat surprised. After reading the invitation and Liu Yang's letter, it was indeed so.

Geng Chun's mother was surnamed Liu, a younger sister of Liu Yang, and another younger sister of Liu Yang had married into the Guo clan, a prominent family of Changshan Commandery. They had a daughter named Guo Shengtong, who had now come of age.

The Liu, Guo, and Geng families were bound by marriage alliances within the Hebei powerful-elite circle. The Geng brothers had often visited the Guo residence in Gaocheng in their youth and were on good terms with their cousin.

And now, Liu Yang intended to marry Shengtong to Liu Ziyu, the Succeeding Prosperity Emperor — yet another political marriage.

Geng Zhi felt this was pushing their cousin into a pit of fire. "But there are rumors that this Liu Ziyu is not a son of Emperor Xiaocheng at all, but an impostor..."

This rumor was one Geng Chun himself had had people spread. But this Liu Ziyu was a strange one — every former Han official who met him, Bao Yong included, believed him without doubt because his speech and bearing had a distinctly imperial manner.

Geng Chun shook his head. "Our uncle surely believes it to be true as well. Once he has made his decision, it cannot be changed."

He smiled. "Since it is Shengtong's wedding, how can we as relatives not go to lend our support? But with Ma Wenyuan locked in fierce battle on the great river right now, I cannot leave Wei territory. You go in my stead..."

He drew out a letter he had written after much deliberation, handed it to Geng Zhi, and whispered instructions to his younger brother. "This letter, you must deliver personally into our uncle's hands!"

The capital of the "Northern Han" had already been moved to Xiangguo (Xingtai).

As the land of the ancient state of Xing, this place was bordered by Shangdang to the west and controlled Changshan to the north. It was Wang Lang, impersonating Liu Ziyu, who had urged the King of Zhao, "Xiangguo is the strategic throat of Hebei, nestled against mountains and protected by natural barriers — a land of strategic advantage. I have observed the qi and found that if you can take it and make it your capital, it will be the foundation of a hegemon's enterprise!"

This place was indeed safer than Handan, but over these past months, the King of Zhao, Liu Lin, had grown increasingly uneasy at heart.

The Northern Han had been established on the first day of the eighth month, essentially a joint regime of the three Lius: the King of Zhao, the King of Zhending, and the King of Guangyang. In the months since, the one whose territory had expanded most explosively was Liu Yang, who had seized Taiyuan, Yanmen, and Dai Commandery in one stroke. Added to his base territories of Changshan, the Zhending Principality, and Zhongshan, his strength had swelled dramatically.

By contrast, the King of Zhao, Liu Lin, controlled only Handan, Guangping, and Julu. He merely had the advantage of a larger population, placing his strength second.

Ranked third was Liu Jie, the King of Guangyang, who controlled Guangyang Commandery (Beijing) and Zhuo Commandery.

Those nominally subordinate to the Northern Han — Geng Kuang, Governor of Shanggu; Li Zhong, Governor of Xindu; Pi Tong, Governor of Hecheng; and Bao Yong, Governor of Shangdang — were all former Xin Dynasty officials retained in their posts. Apart from Bao Yong, who was steadfastly loyal to Liu Ziyu, the rest paid little heed to Liu Lin's commands.

So the King of Zhao now found himself in an awkward position. He was the founder of this regime, holding the Son of Heaven to command the feudal lords, yet his orders did not travel beyond a hundred li.

Liu Lin had originally planned thus: "Once I crush the Tongma and absorb their army, all lands north of Zhao and west of Liaodong will bend like grass before the wind. I shall then hold the Son of Heaven to command the various kings, and with the armored troops of Ji and You provinces, march south to take Wei Commandery and Henei, and so peer into the Central Plains."

But now he could not even accomplish the first step. The Tongma, joining forces with other bandit groups, controlled the vast regions of Qinghe, Hejian, and Bohai, numbering over a hundred thousand. The Hebei powerful families were sufficient for defense but inadequate for attack.

So the plan had to be changed — strike first at Wei Commandery and Henei, seize their grain and wealth to strengthen his own power. Yet he feared he could not defeat Ma Yuan, and attacking Geng Chun would further draw the displeasure of Liu Yang, the King of Zhending. Wavering back and forth, he had wasted several months.

Liu Lin had finally made up his mind. This political marriage was of paramount importance.

But Wang Lang, who had always been utterly submissive to Liu Lin, had ideas of his own...

"You want to go to Gaocheng to personally welcome the Empress?"

Liu Lin looked at Wang Lang, who knelt at his feet when no one else was present, and frowned. "In common marriages, the groom does indeed go personally to welcome the bride, but an Emperor need not do so. Do not forget that your identity is Liu Ziyu, the Succeeding Prosperity Emperor!"

Wang Lang would naturally never forget. He bowed again to Liu Lin. "That is true, but this marriage is of vital importance to Your Majesty. Liu Yang is suspicious by nature — it would not be easy to lure him and the entire Zhending royal house to Xiangguo and place them under house arrest so that Your Majesty can control all of Hebei. Your humble servant has recently read some ancient texts which say, 'If one wishes to contract it, one must first expand it; if one wishes to take it, one must first give it.'"

"Better to let your humble servant make a full display of deference and go personally to welcome her. In this way, Liu Yang will be pleased and can hardly slight me, the Emperor. He will naturally have to follow back to Xiangguo. Then, when Your Majesty seals the city gates, Liu Yang will become a fish trapped in a cauldron!"

Seeing Liu Lin still hesitating, Wang Lang wept and said, "Your humble servant is the one who hates Geng Chun and Diwu Lun most of all. My father was killed at Yecheng by the conspiracy of those two villains. Your humble servant dares not forget this enmity day or night, and only wishes for Your Majesty to swiftly absorb Liu Yang's forces and march the army south, first killing Geng Chun to avenge my father. If this could be so, your humble servant's life would be fulfilled."

These heartfelt words moved Liu Lin, and he nodded slightly. "Gaocheng is, after all, Liu Yang's territory. That being the case, I will dispatch trusted ministers to accompany you. Remember — be profound and unfathomable, speak little and with ease, only then will you appear inscrutable and reveal no flaws. You need not converse with Liu Yang; let the ministers handle everything on your behalf."

"Aye, your humble servant understands!"

Wang Lang pressed his head to the ground. Only after Liu Lin had left did he rise to his feet and seat himself back upon the imperial couch.

To play the part of a Liu-surnamed Son of Heaven well, Wang Lang was a diligent student. Now he had not only perfected courtly ritual to the point of mastery and sorted out the complex relationships among the various branches of the Liu clan, but had even taken to reading miscellaneous books like the Laozi.

Plotting this journey to personally welcome the bride, Wang Lang thought to himself:

"If one wishes to weaken it, one must first strengthen it; if one wishes to depose it, one must first raise it up!"

Geng Zhi's party did not travel through Handan, but took a long detour through Shangdang. Because they had set out relatively early, they still arrived at Gaocheng before Wang Lang's grand and imposing bridal procession.

The time was now the first month of the second year of Succeeding Prosperity. Ice melted, snow thawed, and all things began their spring. In the Warring States period, this Gaocheng had originally been territory of the state of Zhongshan, later annexed by Zhao. The largest local clan was the Guo family.

Liu Yang, the King of Zhending, had also learned that their Emperor was coming to personally welcome the bride. This was unexpected, and inevitably set off a flurry of frantic preparations.

Liu Yang had earlier harbored doubts about "Liu Ziyu's" true identity, but as time passed and he met Liu Ziyu in person, he found that this man indeed possessed considerable knowledge of palace ritual, spoke with elegance, and bore himself with uncommon grace.

He had also sent envoys to probe from multiple angles, and all who returned spoke with admiration, saying that conversing with His Majesty the Emperor was like being bathed in a spring breeze — Wang Lang, after all, came from a background in divination, a trade that relied entirely on deceiving people, and he had deeply studied the human heart. The envoys sought to draw him out, unaware that they themselves were being drawn out instead.

Liu Yang gradually came to believe somewhat. This marriage alliance was still necessary. The Three Lius of Hebei needed a common figurehead, or they would immediately fall apart!

"But our Emperor has always been under the control of the King of Zhao, who casually issues orders to us in his name. That is still somewhat improper."

Now, hearing that Liu Ziyu was coming to his territory, Liu Yang was overjoyed and also came here in person. He was practicing striking the fou, intending to perform personally when sending his niece off to her wedding, to show his delight.

As for where the wedding would take place after the Emperor's personal welcome, and whether the capital of the "Northern Han" would remain in Xiangcheng thereafter — was that not now for him to decide?

Just then, someone reported that Geng Zhi had arrived.

Liu Yang's face instantly darkened. "Geng Chun still refuses to come? Between Diwu Lun and me, who is closer to him?"

He had not only forced Liu Lin to abandon any southward attack, but also secured for Geng Chun the posts of Chancellor and Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, urging him to serve the Northern Han and break with Diwu Lun — yet Geng Chun still wavered, hedging his bets and delaying his answer.

This invitation for Geng Chun to help arrange the wedding was also Liu Yang's final ultimatum, but Geng Chun had disappointed him once again.

In his fury, the great tumor on Liu Yang's neck flushed redder and purpler. When Geng Zhi entered and paid his respects, he dared not look at his uncle's goiter. He merely stated his purpose and presented Geng Chun's letter.

"Let this old man see what excuse he has found this time."

But when Liu Yang read the silk letter, a look of considerable astonishment crossed his face.

"While your nephew was destroying Wang Mang's ancestral tombs and temples in Wei, the soldiers camped at Shalu. Suddenly they heard a woman singing: 'Mang and the Fifth, both rose from Wei, all shall fall and perish; the house of Han is not ended; after the Red Nine, the Goitered Yang shall be lord!' We went to investigate, but there was no trace of anyone!"

"According to this prophecy, Wang Mang and Diwu Lun both rose from Wei, but neither can win the realm."

"Red is the virtue of Han."

"Your uncle is a ninth-generation descendant of Gaozu."

"Goitered Yang..." Liu Yang could not help touching his own tumor. He had always felt this growth of his was extraordinary, and had secretly sought out a physiognomist in Changshan. That man had said he had the face of one who would sit upon the realm. At the time, Liu Yang had just been stripped of his title as King of Zhending by Wang Mang and paid it no mind, but now, as his power surged to first place in Hebei, he secretly entertained the thought.

And no one knows an uncle better than his nephew!

Geng Zhi relayed Geng Chun's thoughts: "My elder brother says: As the maternal relatives of the Liu clan, we have received the grace of Han's virtue and dare not forget it. But Liu Ziyu's identity is a mystery; there are rumors that he is an impostor, a puppet propped up by Liu Lin. We fear the realm would be usurped by a different surname. My brother is willing to pledge allegiance to the Great Han and offer the three territories of Wei, Henei, and Dong Commandery, but the prerequisite is..."

"That you, Uncle, are the true Son of Heaven of Han whom we shall serve!"