Chapter 382: Abandoning the Land

After reporting the list of corrupt and law-breaking officials in the counties north of the Wei River during the summer harvest, along with proposed punishments, Xuan Bing took his leave and withdrew. Suddenly, his mind went blank and he nearly fell in the hall.

"Palace Assistant Censor-in-Chief?"

Diwu Lun hurriedly had someone support him. Xuan Bing bowed apologetically. "Your servant has lost his composure. I have made a fool of myself before Your Majesty."

Because Xuan Bing had once refused to serve the Xin Dynasty, he was arrested by the Master of Fates of the Five Majesties and imprisoned in the commandery jail, where he developed a rheumatic leg ailment that has not healed to this day.

Taking pity on his age, Diwu Lun issued an edict: "Henceforth, when the Palace Assistant Censor-in-Chief enters court for an audience, he may ride a small horse-drawn carriage."

Xuan Bing firmly declined. "How can I compare myself to Che Qianqiu? The Grand Preceptor Lord Zhang, the Metropolitan Governor Lord Chen — there are many in court of a similar age to your servant. How dare I accept such a special privilege?"

This back-and-forth of refusal took some time, and the men Diwu Lun had summoned to the Xuan Room Hall for questioning had already arrived outside the door.

Diwu Lun saw that Xuan Bing was distracted and knew he was worried about his son Xuan Biao's safety. His heart softened, and he said, "For the informal court session to follow, let the Palace Assistant Censor-in-Chief remain as well."

"That is against protocol," Xuan Bing said. "Your servant is only responsible for overseeing the hundred officials. I dare not interject in military and state affairs."

Only such an upright father could raise such an upright son. Diwu Lun did not yet know that Xuan Biao was already dead. The news from Chang'an was still stuck at the urgent report Xuan Biao had sent immediately after learning of the Xiongnu incursion.

Diwu Lun smiled. "I am not asking the Palace Assistant Censor-in-Chief to overstep his bounds. I merely wish for you to supervise the informal court session on my behalf, lest the ministers begin quarreling and breach decorum."

Today's deliberations did indeed carry the risk of blows being exchanged, given that the two live wires, the civil official Feng Yan and the military man Diqi Biao, were both participating — and held completely opposite views.

Only then did Xuan Bing assent. He stood solemnly in the middle of the hall, watching as the attendees — Privy Treasurer Song Hong, Grain Transport Colonel Ren Guang, Minister of Guests Feng Yan, and Commandant of the Capital Diqi Biao — arrived one by one, scrutinizing their every movement and expression as they performed their obeisances.

"Today we shall discuss only the urgent reports from the border commanderies of Bing Province. Around the summer solstice, Xihe Commandery and New Qinzhong both sent word of crisis simultaneously. The court must deliberate on how to respond. You lords each stated your views that day, and after returning home, you submitted written memorials. I have read them all."

Diwu Lun stopped Diqi Biao, who was impatiently bursting to speak, and called on them one by one.

"Minister of Guests Feng, you speak first."

Diwu Lun had discovered that while Feng Yan was not suited to making concrete decisions and handling affairs, he was quite good when left to speak in the council hall. Moreover, this man was the opposite of the shrewd Ren Guang: he was bold, dared to stick his neck out on any matter, and often made startling remarks, which could enliven the court atmosphere.

For instance, this time, Feng Yan swam against the current and put forward a proposal he knew would offend the King of Wei and a great many founding veterans: "Your servant believes we should abandon New Qinzhong!"

This was not a notion Feng Yan had dreamed up on a whim; it was a conclusion he had reached after deep reflection.

Ignoring Diqi Biao, who was glaring at him with knitted brows, he simply continued: "In those years, your servant followed the late General of Renewal, Lian Dan, and lived for a long time in Shuofang. I have also been to New Qinzhong, and thus I know the local conditions."

"The rise of New Qinzhong can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty, but most of the settlers came during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. After Wei Qing crushed the Xiongnu in the Battle of Henan and seized this land, the ministers debated building cities and establishing counties there. Chancellor Gongsun Hong opposed it, arguing that in Qin times, three hundred thousand men were often dispatched to build fortifications on the northern bend of the Yellow River, but in the end it could not be accomplished and was abandoned. But Zhufu Yan insisted on establishing commanderies there. He argued that the land was fertile, that the river to the north formed a barrier, that Meng Tian had built cities there to expel the Xiongnu, and that it would save on internal transport and garrison supply costs. This, he said, was the root of expanding the Central Realm and destroying the barbarians."

"As Zhufu Yan said, New Qinzhong did indeed become a Guanzhong beyond the frontier, producing grain and fodder and linking Liang Province and Bing Province. This is something everyone knows."

"However, times have changed. Now the Hu-Han alliance is in league with the Xiongnu. They have not only cavalry but also infantry, and the threat is far greater than the barbarian incursions of Han times. They have split their forces into two routes: one army strikes Xihe, the other attacks New Qinzhong. General Geng is currently in Shang Commandery. Defending Xihe is easy enough, but if he must also rush to relieve New Qinzhong, I fear he will lose one while attending to the other."

Feng Yan drew an analogy with the court robes he wore: "It is like having two garments, both torn. If you cut up one to patch the other, at least you will still have one whole garment. Otherwise, you end up with two tattered garments that are both unwearable. Therefore, it would be better to abandon New Qinzhong and concentrate our strength on Xihe and Shang Commandery in the north!"

Before Feng Yan had even finished, Diqi Biao could bear it no longer. He pointed at Feng Yan and erupted in a torrent of abuse: "Preposterous nonsense!"

"How dare you compare His Majesty's dragon-rising homeland to a tattered garment?" Diqi Biao believed that a man like Feng Yan could never understand the feelings the old Boar-Rush Braves held for New Qinzhong.

Brother Biao was a man who valued loyalty, and now he was visibly moved. "His Majesty led us far beyond the northern frontier back then, to open up farmland and garrison New Qinzhong. That was the very foundation for our settling of Wei Commandery and our conquest of the realm. Now New Qinzhong is in peril, and many of our old comrades-in-arms are still there. How can we abandon them and refuse to go to their aid?"

Feng Yan cut him off. "Commandant of the Capital Diqi, the 'abandonment' I speak of means abandoning the land to preserve the people — relocating the common folk of New Qinzhong to Beidi or Shang Commandery to man the borders. It is not that we would never return. We would simply toss these indefensible borderlands to the Hu-Han alliance for now. Once His Majesty has swept the Central Plains and the realm is divided into three, with us holding two parts, he can free his hands and send troops and generals to retake those counties."

He had a scale in his mind: to hold those few counties would require a massive investment of manpower and resources. Would it not be better to use those same resources to take Hanzhong, seize Hebei, and gain several rich and fertile commanderies?

Moreover, according to Feng Yan's thinking, once the Hu-Han alliance and the Xiongnu took New Qinzhong, they would be separated from Wei's Beidi and Shang Commanderies by a thousand li of desolate wasteland and would have difficulty advancing. Their next move would likely be to use New Qinzhong as a base to raid Longyou and Hexi, which would conveniently put pressure on the Wei clan. Why not let them?

Diqi Biao cared nothing for any of this. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to physically deal with Feng Yan. It was only because the Palace Assistant Censor-in-Chief Xuan Bing was present and barked a reprimand that Diqi Biao calmed down.

Unexpectedly, Brother Biao turned right around and said to him, "The old Censor-in-Chief's son, Xuan Bohu, is also our comrade-in-arms. He is in New Qinzhong too. Does the Censor-in-Chief also agree with abandoning the land?"

Xuan Bing was utterly impassive. Today, he was only in charge of court decorum, not the outcome of the court session.

Diwu Lun told the two of them to calm themselves for a moment and turned his gaze to Song Hong. "Privy Treasurer Song once served as Governor of Bing Province. You also approve of abandoning New Qinzhong. Why?"

Song Hong had served several years as Governor of Bing Province and had even raised grain and fodder for Wang Mang's border campaigns. The disastrous failure of the Xin Dynasty's foreign policy had left a deep impression on him. He said, "Your servant was long stationed in Bing Province, and thus I know that the frontier lands north of the border had, since the time of Emperor Xuan, gone for generations without seeing signal fires or experiencing warfare. The common people flourished, and cattle and horses covered the plains."

"Then Wang Mang stirred up trouble with the Xiongnu and made an enemy of the Chanyu. North and south once again took up arms. The people of the border commanderies either died or were taken captive. On top of that, Wang Mang conscripted troops from twelve divisions and stationed them permanently in Bing Province. Not only were the soldiers exhausted, but the border commanderies were drained of grain, and bleached bones lay exposed everywhere on the plains."

"Now, Your Majesty's territory is no more than a province and a half. Our national strength, troop numbers, and population are far inferior to those of the late Xin. Yet we are simultaneously in conflict with Longyou, Nanyang, and Hebei. The warfare exceeds that of the Shijianguo years."

"Meanwhile, the Xiongnu have gained the submission of the Western Regions, colluded with the Wuhuan, and have the Hu-Han alliance aiding them in their villainy. Their power far exceeds that of a decade ago."

The implicit opinion behind this comparison was that if Diwu Lun, in a moment of indignation, sought to wage full-scale war against the Xiongnu, the result would inevitably be defeat.

Song Hong's analysis of the situation never strayed from his professional expertise. "At present, Shuofang and Wuyuan have fallen entirely and are under the control of the Xiongnu and the Hu-Han alliance. New Qinzhong no longer has any outer screen. The Xiongnu can attack it by descending south from Shuofang, moving downstream along the Yellow River. There are ample grasslands along the way, and they can reach it in a matter of days."

"But if the Wei army is to go to its rescue, how long will that take?"

He bowed to Diwu Lun. "In former days, Your Majesty led the Boar-Rush Braves to garrison the border. You must know that to travel from Maling City in Beidi Commandery to New Qinzhong, the shortest route is to first go north, then turn west, covering over a thousand li. However, the route is mostly salt lakes and gobi desert, devoid of water and grass, making it difficult for a large army to traverse."

"The route more commonly taken in peacetime is to go directly west, borrowing the road north through Anding in Longyou, a total journey of over one thousand three hundred li. But now, that road is held by Longyou."

New Qinzhong was so remote. How many troops would it take to hold it against the full onslaught of the Xiongnu and the Hu-Han alliance? And to sustain those troops, how much civilian labor and grain would be consumed? Song Hong could not bear to see Diwu Lun, for the sake of a few counties, halt the hard-won recovery of the people's livelihood in the Guanzhong commanderies and repeat the disasters of Wang Mang's era.

"Your Majesty once compared Hanzhong to a chicken rib. Now, New Qinzhong is like a gecko's tail — discard it without regret."

Seeing that Song Hong also agreed with abandoning New Qinzhong, Diqi Biao was dumbfounded. Song Hong's arguments were perfectly logical. Diqi Biao was good at cursing people out, but when it came to a proper debate, he was tongue-tied.

Diwu Lun remained silent, deep in thought, and glanced sidelong at Ren Guang.

Although he occasionally found Ren Guang to be a slick operator who always curried favor with his superiors, at this moment, Diwu Lun truly needed his opinion.

Ren Guang immediately grasped this. He stepped forward and said, "Your servant, on the contrary, believes... New Qinzhong need not be abandoned!"

Feng Yan sneered and shook his head. Song Hong kept a stern face. He admired Ren Guang's ability but disliked this trait of his. As a subject, one should sometimes insist on what is right, even if it means defying the sovereign's will, without regret.

But Ren Guang could still produce a few reasons.

He acknowledged two points for why it need not be abandoned. "Your servant has heard that the cities and defensive fortifications of New Qinzhong are tall and strong, especially Fuping County and Hunhuai Fort, which can hold off ten times their number. The land is fertile, and irrigation channels flow through it, sufficient for self-sufficiency. If we can hold it, the garrison can be fed locally, without needing to transport supplies a thousand li."

"Secondly, His Majesty has now ordered the production of fried flour as army rations to be sent north. It will not spoil for a short period of half a month or a long period of a month. In the dry climate north of the frontier, it can even last two months. Meanwhile, the General of Chariots and Cavalry is under orders to recruit men of Bing Province and train cavalry. Traveling west from Fushi County in Shang Commandery, one can reach Fuping in nine hundred li. General Geng is the commander for the Bing Province region and is fully capable of attending to both Xihe and New Qinzhong at once."

It was a bit of a stretch, and somewhat of an armchair strategy, but for someone who had never been north of the frontier, Ren Guang had done well to reach this point.

Seeing that the debate had more or less run its course, and that Geng Yan, Jing Dan, Wan Xiu, Ma Yuan, and even Cen Peng were all away from the capital and unable to offer their immediate opinions, Diwu Lun knew it was time for him to make the final, decisive call!

"Boqing says New Qinzhong 'need not be abandoned.' I believe he is wrong!"

At these words, Feng Yan was overjoyed, Song Hong breathed a sigh of relief, Diqi Biao grew so anxious his face turned red, and even Xuan Bing raised his head to look at Diwu Lun. How could he not be worried about his son's safety?

But Diwu Lun's next sentence was: "In my view, New Qinzhong 'cannot be abandoned'!"

The King of Wei, who enjoyed watching his ministers debate but rarely entered the fray himself, today came down entirely on one side.

"New Qinzhong is the screen for Guanzhong, the throat of the He-Long region. In the times of Emperors Wen and Jing, border defenses were neglected, and New Qinzhong was occupied by the Xiongnu. The Chanyu's cavalry could directly sweep south to raid Chaona and Xiao Pass, cutting off the Huizhong Road. Signal fires could be seen from Ganquan Palace, and the Xiliu Garrison was encamped at Wei Bridge. For a time, north of the Jing and Wei rivers, there were no peaceful homes."

"It was not until Emperor Wu of Han drove out the Xiongnu, established commanderies and garrisons, that for over a hundred years the Guanzhong-Longxi region was free of Xiongnu calamity. Thus New Qinzhong is the strategic hub of all under Heaven. Without New Qinzhong, the Northern Lands are imperiled; if the Northern Lands are imperiled, Chang'an itself lies exposed."

Diwu Lun looked toward Feng Yan. "Steward Feng believes that if the Xiongnu take New Qinzhong, they will only raid Wei Ao's holdings in Longyou — that is far too complacent. If Lu Fang colludes with Longyou and they join forces to assault our border fortifications, what then?"

Would the sons of Longyou's good families, who share a blood feud with the Xiongnu, truly join hands with Lu Fang? Feng Yan would sooner die than believe it, but he could not openly contradict the King of Wei, and could only mumble his assent.

Diwu Lun turned to Song Hong. "The concerns of the Privy Treasurer are also well-founded. But if we lightly abandon New Qinzhong now, allowing the Xiongnu and the Hu-Han to seize all of Hexi, they will rebuild the power that Modu held in the early Han, unify the northern provinces, and reattach the severed right arm — linking the Wuhuan in the east and the various Qiang in the west. When that day comes, ten thousand li of borderland will never again know peace. Spending extra effort today to hold New Qinzhong will save tenfold the effort when we resist the Xiongnu in the future!"

Diwu Lun's expression grew deeply moved. "Especially New Qinzhong — when I was there, I received great kindness from the common people. I have said many times that the people clothed and fed me, and that I would have the Boar-Rush Braves protect their land and keep them safe. Those words, I mean to honor! Right now, Xuan Bohu and the officials and people of New Qinzhong are still fighting to the death. How could I shrink back in fear first?"

His words rang with conviction. "Though I do not bear the name of the House of Han, the realm of Han — especially the border commanderies that Emperor Wu's Wei Qing and Huo Qubing spent forty years conquering — I intend to inherit in full. Unless there is truly no other choice, I will never lightly abandon those lands, or those people!"

This speech refuted Feng Yan and Song Hong on strategy and cost, then turned with deep feeling to recall past promises, moving Diwu Biao to tears.

Finally, it elevated the matter to a matter of principle, yet added the phrase "unless there is truly no other choice," leaving a measure of retreat for similar situations in the future.

Ren Guang was utterly overwhelmed with admiration for the King of Wei. To have such a sovereign was truly a blessing for the people of New Qinzhong.

With consensus reached in the court deliberations, Diwu Lun issued an edict:

"Levy seven thousand new troops from Guanzhong and dispatch them to Shang Commandery, placing them under the command of General of Chariots and Cavalry Geng Bozhao. Further order General Geng to divide his forces from Shang Commandery and rush to the relief of New Qinzhong!"

Yet the very day after Diwu Lun's edict was sent, a memorial of the utmost urgency arrived from Shang Commandery — it was Geng Yan asking to be punished for once again "acting on exigency without prior sanction."

"Excellent! The moment he learned the Xiongnu had divided their forces, Bozhao personally led his troops west!"

"That little brat." This time, Diwu Lun was thoroughly gratified, and laughed as he cursed:

"Truly worthy to be my Huo Qubing!"