Chapter 399: The Duke of Zhou Builds Luo

Since late summer, Diwu Lun had been stationed in Anyi, east of the Yellow River, practically treating it as a secondary capital.

The reason was that Hedong was not far from any of the Wei army's various battlefields. A post road ran from the main base at Chang'an to this point, and once the pontoon bridge at Puban Crossing was repaired, communication became quite smooth — boats could sail all the way from the Wei River onto the Fen River.

The General of Chariots and Cavalry, Geng Yan, stationed in Bing Province, was dealing with the Hu and Han peoples, drilling troops to guard against a large-scale Xiongnu incursion after autumn. Messengers could also easily reach him by crossing Longmen from the loess-gully-riddled northern Shaanxi into Hedong.

As for Jing Dan, stationed in Taiyuan with troops at Yanmen Pass and Jingxing, and Ma Yuan, who was in Hebei liaising with local strongmen to form an encirclement net against the Tongma, both found Anyi much closer than Guanzhong.

To the south, the Shangwu region, though nestled among verdant mountains, had a narrow road leading north directly to Hongnong City — otherwise it would never have been placed under Hongnong Commandery's jurisdiction. Dou Rong was stationed near Sanmen Gorge, ready to send boats north across the river at any time to report military intelligence to Diwu Lun.

Thus, from battlefields east, west, south, and north, military reports could reach the King of Wei's desk in as little as three days, or at most five.

In late July, as Wu Pass surrendered and Dou Rong personally delivered Cen Peng's victory report, Diwu Lun was overjoyed: "Zhang Zong has already taken Yiyang and raided Yique, cutting the Greenwood supply lines and helping Zheng Tong capture the new Hangu Pass. Now that Cen Junran has seized Wu Pass, in just over a month, all of Hongnong Commandery is in our hands!"

The process needs no lengthy recounting. Just as Taiyuan and Shangdang were gained by exploiting the Northern Han's internal strife, these battles in Hongnong, though there was fighting and the three generals were brave and the soldiers capable, if Diwu Lun had to choose, the foremost credit still belonged to the Greenwood coalition's own collapse. With the Greenwood lords each fighting for themselves, they naturally could not withstand the Wei army.

The King of Wei thus brought the "Hongnong Campaign" to a close.

This was Diwu Lun's habit — he placed great importance on military history, starting with the "Punish the Tyrant Campaign" when he raised troops at Hongmen, through the "Hexi and Hedong Campaign" before he took the throne. But the most important was still the "Weinan Campaign" against Liu Bosheng, which laid the foundation of the state, and the "Longyou Campaign" that decided the contest with the Western Han, which resolved the security question.

Further on came the campaigns of expansion. Since autumn began, Diwu Lun had instructed the Master of Documents, Zhu Di, to add two more to the records: the Taiyuan-Shangdang Campaign and the Hongnong Campaign. The only ones still unfinished were the "Repel the Invaders Campaign" in Bing Province and the Hebei Campaign, which had yet to fully commence.

Though all were minor campaigns, still far from the "Three Great Campaigns," they steadily solidified the foundation, expanded the borders, and advanced step by step toward the great goal of unification.

And by custom, each time a campaign concluded, the King of Wei would bestow a round of promotions and titles — this time was no exception.

Zheng Tong was already "Commandant of Weiyang Palace," one of the Nine Ministers, with a marquisate and a miscellaneous-titled general's rank. Given his inability to command independently, Diwu Lun did not intend to grant him too much authority, merely increasing his marquisate's households.

Zhang Zong, having seized Yiyang and Yique in this campaign, had not faced a struggle as fierce as those of Gan Mao or Bai Qi, since the enemy was already in chaos. But his character — both brave and resourceful — was worth cultivating well. Because of his army nickname, "Hedong Tiger," he was appointed "General of Tiger Might," smoothly joining the miscellaneous-titled ranks.

Dou Rong, having joined early and serving as a representative of Xin Dynasty defectors, had managed to obtain a marquisate, but his official post had stalled at Governor. This time, by helping the King of Wei apply the brakes, he had done his work well and won Diwu Lun's complete trust.

The King of Wei finally promoted Dou the Duke of Zhou, making him "Colonel-Director of Retainers," with rank and salary equal to a Governor but with somewhat greater authority — also convenient for Diwu Lun to use the Duke of Zhou as a brick, moving him wherever he was needed.

Only the reward for Cen Peng was interesting. Besides being enfeoffed as a marquis, Pinglin was renamed "Pingnan." In Han times, the heavy-titled generals only went up to "Front, Rear, Left, Right" — there were no directional-area commanders, so it remained a miscellaneous title.

But the perceptive, like Dou Rong, could see it: "The King of Wei truly holds Cen Junran in great affection. In the future, Cen Peng will surely rank among the heavy-titled generals and serve as a commander holding an entire southern front."

As someone familiar with Nanyang who had also campaigned in the Jiang-Han region, this appointment was perfectly apt. Men like Zhang and Zheng could not object, and Dou Rong felt that the King of Wei indeed had a deft hand in employing men.

Diwu Lun, for his part, had a feeling that governing a state was rather like running a company. One man certainly could not do everything; the founding team's original stalwarts could receive a batch of initial shares, but thereafter, observing their strengths, weaknesses, and character, dilution was still necessary where dilution was due.

As the company grew larger, people who jumped ship from other companies — even if they were your old friends — could not be elevated too high all at once. Cen Peng's actual authority could be greater, but his rank had to rise step by step: on the one hand, giving him something to hope for and motivation, while on the other, not making the old subordinates feel disheartened.

After the rewards were finished, the assembled ministers at the temporary court in Anyi also erupted into a small dispute — over the King of Wei's next strategic move.

Most officials felt the matter required no discussion at all, their minds fixed on just two words: "Enter Luo!"

"Luoyang is the land of the Eastern Zhou, prosperous since ancient times, no less than Chang'an."

"In Hongnong, Generals Zheng and Zhang, each commanding several thousand troops, hold the new Hangu Pass and Yique Fort. Now, with the Greenwood forces suffering calamity from the Red Eyebrows, the defending troops' morale is in utter chaos. The pseudo King of Zheng, Liu Ci, has barely ten thousand defenders. The great clans of Luoyang, like the Yang clan of Hongnong, detest the Greenwood and would rather surrender to Wei. The Great King need only give a single command, and we can march east and seize the center of all under Heaven!"

If Luoyang could be taken, the ministers believed, the conditions for Diwu Lun to proclaim himself emperor would be fully ripe. The King of Wei had earlier expressed interest in Luoyang, proclaiming he would enter Luo in the eighth month — was this not perfect?

Yet amid the clamor, one voice stood apart from the rest.

"Great King, your servant believes Luoyang must not be entered!"

The speaker was the Director of Guests, Feng Yan. He had already emerged from the shadow of his friend Bao Yong's death, and now he went against the current, once more uttering startling words.

Listen to what Feng Yan said: "Gentlemen will surely say: Luoyang lies at the center of the Nine Provinces, where Heaven and Earth converge. To the north, it has the Mang Mountains and the Yellow River's defenses; to the south, the abundance of Wan and Ying; to the east, it presses upon Liang and Song, reaping the benefits of the Central Plains; to the west, it races to Xiao and Mian, commanding the strategic passes and rivers. This is indeed correct…"

"But this is a place all sides must contest. When the realm is at peace, all is well; when there is trouble, Luoyang will be the first to suffer attack! I have passed through Luoyang many times and know that its territory is barely over a hundred li across — the land is narrow, its natural defenses insufficient to rely upon, yet it is perfectly suited to be a battlefield."

"It would be better merely to occupy the strategic passes and defiles, letting other powers fight over Luoyang itself, and only after fully securing Hebei to march south. That would not be too late."

This line of thinking was similar to when Diwu Lun had abandoned Chang'an — full of cunning and guile.

The ministers, eager to follow the King of Wei into Luo, argued with Feng Yan, but from Du Du to Fu Long, these newly promoted Palace Gentlemen's zeal for Luoyang stemmed mainly from Confucian scholars' sentimental attachment to "the Duke of Zhou building Luo." Not one of them could out-argue him.

In the end, it was Dou Rong who, after a long silence and noticing the King of Wei looking at him, stepped forward.

"Director Feng is mistaken!"

Dou Rong said: "It is precisely because it is a place that must be contested that it cannot be abandoned and ignored."

Feng Yan had not expected that Dou Rong, who had always kept well water from river water with him, would now sing a contrary tune. He mocked Dou Rong using his courtesy name: "In former days, Dan, the Duke of Zhou, built Luo. And now you, 'Duke of Zhou,' wish to emulate him?"

Having spoken, he found his own joke amusing and burst out laughing, but none of the ministers laughed. They looked at each other, feeling only that Feng Yan was far too rude and arrogant.

A few months ago, Dou Rong's status had indeed been low, someone anyone could bully or scorn. But after the Taiyuan-Shangdang and Hongnong campaigns, Dou Rong, like an old ox, had toiled without complaint, managing logistics impeccably. Diwu Lun was already using him as a Xiao He, and his authority had greatly increased. You, Feng Yan, if you have something to say, say it properly — why must you crack this joke to belittle him?

Dou Rong, more adept at handling people, took no offense and only laughed modestly: "How dare Dou Rong compare himself to Dan, the Duke of Zhou? But in former days, during the Rebellion of the Three Overseers, when the feudal lords turned against Zhou, had Duke Wen of Zhou not led the Eight Armies of Chengzhou east from Luo on a punitive expedition, the realm might not have belonged to Zhou."

"The situation then closely resembles today: Wu Geng in Hebei is like the Three Lius and the Tongma; Guan and Cai in Nanyang and Yingchuan are like today's Greenwood and Red Eyebrows; the Yan state and the Eastern Yi in the east are like the King of Liang, Liu Yong, occupying Yan Province, and Zhang Bu, who has carved out several commanderies in Qing Province."

"If the Great King wishes to settle the realm, he too must march east, first taking Luoyang, then sweeping across the four quarters!"

Dou Rong, accomplished in both civil and military affairs, laid out the strategic situation with clarity and logic. Feng Yan had met his match, yet still shook his head: "The Duke of Zhou here is merely following a map to find a steed, only capable of drawing analogies from ancient events — a grave mistake!"

Feng Yan analyzed the troubles of taking Luoyang: "Taking Luoyang now is not difficult, but holding it will not be easy. Not only must we relieve hundreds of thousands of famine victims, but Liu Yong, the King of Liang in the east, and the Red Eyebrows, who occupy Nanyang in the south, could both advance on Luoyang. Our army would need to commit at least tens of thousands of troops to defend it."

"In your servant's view, the Great King should focus solely on Hebei, while simultaneously resisting the Hu invaders in the north and guarding against Long and Shu in Guanzhong. How can we afford to divide our attention south of the Yellow River?"

Dou Rong's view was diametrically opposed: "In the time of Emperor Jing of Han, when the Seven Kingdoms rebelled, General Huan advised the King of Wu, saying: 'I wish the Great King would bypass cities that do not surrender, go straight, swiftly seize the Luoyang armory to the west, eat the grain of Ao Granary, and rely on the natural defenses of mountains and rivers to command the feudal lords. Even without entering the Pass, the realm would already be settled.'"

"It is a pity the King of Wu did not heed good counsel and missed his chance, instead allowing Zhou Yafu to use Luoyang as his main camp and crush the Seven Kingdoms within months. If we abandon it and do not take it, the King of Liang, upon entering, will gain momentum and could join forces with the Three Lius of Hebei to threaten our Henei territory. If the Red Eyebrows take it, the new Hangu Pass and Yiyang are not impassable barriers — they can easily be bypassed. Can they really stop those three hundred thousand bandits?"

"Therefore, for Wei, Luoyang is a gift from Heaven — to refuse it is to invite calamity upon oneself!"

Seeing that the ministers all agreed with Dou Rong's view, Feng Yan stamped his foot in frustration: "Wrong again! Duke of Zhou, the Luoyang armory is already empty, the grain of Ao Granary already exhausted — there are only famine victims and corpses of starvation. The first to occupy Luoyang will not only be unable to command the feudal lords but will invite attack from all four sides!"

Diwu Lun had been listening quietly with a smile all along. If the entire court held a single opinion on some matter, that was a big problem. How could there be no debate? There should be debate — only through debate could every aspect of a matter be touched upon, the pros and cons made clear, so that he could hear both sides and be enlightened.

Yet Feng Yan's remark was too blunt and provoked a sudden change in the ministers' expressions. The King of Wei immediately called a halt to the dispute.

"Director of Guests, Colonel-Director of Retainers — both of you speak words of statecraft…"

But everything before had been wasted breath. Diwu Lun sighed and said: "However, it is precisely because Luoyang, after years of war, now has only famine victims left, crying out to be fed, that I must enter Luo all the more."

"The hundreds of thousands of Luoyang's people long for peace as parched earth longs for sweet rain. If I, the rain, do not fall, who can?"

Back in Chang'an, it had been a matter of survival, forced by circumstance to abandon it. But Luoyang now was truly a fruit weighing down the branch so low that Diwu Lun need only stand slightly on tiptoe to "pluck it for the elders."

As Feng Yan said, not taking Luoyang would indeed save a large amount of troops and provisions. But to station troops in Henei and Hongnong and watch helplessly as the people of Luoyang and its surroundings starved to death or perished in the chaos, without lifting a finger — even Diwu Lun, as ruthless as he was, could not do such a thing.

An ordinary place might be one thing, but this was Luoyang — the land of the Eastern Zhou, a place that drew the eyes of all under Heaven. As a power aspiring to sweep across the six directions, having developed to this stage, even if entering Luo brought little benefit to oneself, for the sake of political correctness, it had to be done!

Feng Yan's words bordered on the conspiratorial cunning of the Political Strategists. They could exist as a dissenting opinion, but Diwu Lun dared not directly adopt his plan.

To seize all under Heaven, one must still walk the kingly path!

Diwu Lun set the tone: "As Mencius said, rescue the people from fire and water, and take only the tyrant's head — this was our original purpose when we raised our banners at Hongmen, and it remains unchanged today! Never forget it!"

Feng Yan was somewhat embarrassed, but Diwu Lun would summon him privately for verbal encouragement, restoring the dog-headed strategist's morale so he could boldly stand up as the opposition again next time.

Dou Rong let out a long breath of relief. He had not guessed wrong — the King of Wei had appointed him Colonel Director of Retainers, while swiftly drawing a group of officials from Hedong, Henei, Wei, and Guanzhong to form the Colonel Director of Retainers' office. It was indeed preparation for entering Luoyang!

But Diwu Lun set limits on this Luoyang campaign.

"I shall cross the Meng Crossing from Henei and enter Luo from the south. Generals Zhang and Zheng are ordered to advance eastward with their troops as well — Zhang Zong east to the Chenggao and Hulao passes, Zheng Tong south to the Songgao defile. Neither is to cross these lines in pursuit of glory!"

Defending along natural boundaries is, of course, the lowest cost.

Diwu Lun said: "Let this stretch of a hundred-odd li from south to north be our limit. Beyond it, since there are no defensible positions, we shall for now abandon it and not take it."

The King of Wei was shrewd. For the second half of this year, the main objectives were still those two unfinished campaigns: resisting the caitiffs and Hebei.

He wanted the political gain of entering Luoyang and rescuing the common people, but he had no wish to commit too many troops to a bloodbath on the great plain against the Red Eyebrows and the Liang army. He chose only to hold the strategic points, making Luoyang a bridgehead for future advances into the Central Plain — that would suffice.

With the strategy settled, Diwu Lun ordered his ministers to carry out their respective tasks. The Luoyang operation would serve as a continuation of the "Hongnong Campaign"; in future war histories, the two could be merged into one.

The job of hitting the brakes at the front still fell to Dou Rong. As Colonel Director of Retainers, he was also the officer responsible for maintaining order as the army entered Luo.

"Duke of Zhou — this is the true 'Duke of Zhou builds Luo'!" Diwu Lun said to Dou Rong with a low laugh as he dispatched him eastward, a remark that nearly made Dou Rong swoon. Though it was a homophone quip just like the one with Feng Yan, old Feng's had been mockery, while the King of Wei's was high expectation.

However, just as Diwu Lun prepared to leave Anyi, where he had been stationed for so long, and hurry to Henei to select officials to govern Luoyang, Cen Peng at Wu Pass sent in yet another memorial — this one concerning the Red Eyebrows.

After making contact with the Greenwood remnants and the Nanyang magnates, and capturing prisoners from the Red Eyebrow vanguard that had pursued too recklessly, Cen Peng had finally figured things out.

The Red Eyebrow Army had not set up a man named "Liu Gonghe" as Emperor to restore the Han, but had instead established a "Gonghe" — some Red Eyebrows even called themselves the Gonghe Army…

"Gong… he?"

When Diwu Lun heard this term, the first thing that came to mind was not the Duke of Zhou and Duke Shao affair, but another kind of gonghe.

Quick to react, he knew he could not let others see. He immediately ducked into the imperial carriage to hide his loss of composure, then calmly gave the order to depart.

But inside the carriage, Diwu Lun, ever steady as an old dog, had eyes full of shock. He clutched his chest — his heart had never been so disordered. A bold guess formed. Could this be…

"Double transmigration?"