Chapter 411: A True Dragon Fears No Fire

"The Canal Commander of Mianman aided Your Majesty in defeating Liu Yang, performed meritorious service, and is enfeoffed as a Marquis, with his fief in Songzi County. May the river be but a girdle, and Mount Tai but a whetstone, so that his state may enjoy eternal peace, and this blessing extend to his descendants!"

In the winter, the tenth month of the second year of "Sixing," a conferment ceremony was held in Gaocheng County, Zhending Commandery. After repeated acts of mystification and using the Emperor's banner to make cities surrender without a fight, Wang Lang—or rather, Liu Ziyu—no longer needed to rely on the Copper Horses' charity. He had turned the tables, seizing the initiative.

The three great Canal Commanders of the Copper Horses no longer dared to move against Liu Ziyu. In fact, they treated him with the utmost deference in his presence, for this approachable Emperor commanded considerable prestige among the common Copper Horse soldiers.

Moreover, Liu Ziyu was exceedingly generous with his rewards. As promised, he enfeoffed the three great Canal Commanders of the Copper Horses as Kings, each receiving a commandery: Dongshan Huangtu became the King of Bohai, Shanghuaikuang the King of Hejian, and Sun Deng the King of Julu.

Liu Ziyu also vigorously recruited other bandit forces in Hebei, turning no one away. Groups like the Daxing, Gaohu, Chonglian, Tiejing, Daqiang, Youlai, Shangjiang, Qingdu, Wuxiao, Tanxiang, Wulou, Huosuo, and others—some numbering in the tens of thousands, others in the thousands—were all made Marquises, just like the lesser Canal Commanders of the Copper Horse army, each granted a county.

After receiving his royal title, Shanghuaikuang, who had previously insisted that when the time was ripe he would slaughter Liu Ziyu to see what it felt like to kill an Emperor, changed his mind. He secretly told the other two: "Without the Emperor's guidance, we could never have fought our way to Zhending this autumn. It would have been hard to feed our hundred thousand men."

Thanks to the autumn grain from the commanderies of western Jizhou, the starving Copper Horse army caught a vital breath of life, enough to sustain them at least until spring.

"But what do we do during the spring famine, when the old grain is gone and the new hasn't come? Hebei has been at war all summer and autumn; no one has tended the fields. Though the Emperor has ordered the Canal Commanders to replant grain in the counties we hold, it's too late."

When the three great Kings brought their worries to Liu Ziyu, he burst out laughing.

"It's simple."

Liu Ziyu pointed south: "March the army south and take the grain of Wei Commandery and Henei."

The Copper Horse Kings were instantly dumbfounded, their faces clouding with difficulty.

"What is it?" Liu Ziyu read their reaction. Over the past few years, an unwritten rule had circulated among the Hebei bandits: "Raid anywhere you like, but don't touch Wei Commandery."

The reason was that when they had invaded Wei territory to plunder, they were defeated by Ma Yuan and returned with their tails between their legs. Diwu Lun had used the method of distributing land to refugees to recruit soldiers. Most of the men under Ma Yuan's command were of poor origin, and some bandits had even willingly gone over to join him.

And that Ma Wenyuan was an exceptionally fierce fighter. Shanghuaikuang had tested him last year; he was a tough nut to crack, and the gains were not worth the losses.

So when Liu Ziyu led them west to strike hard at the King of Zhending and the King of Zhao, the Copper Horses had gladly followed. But hearing that they were to engage the Wei army, they all hesitated. Now, to the south, it was no longer just Ma Yuan and his single force; the main body of the Wei army had successively marched into Zhao territory. Following the Copper Horse Canal Commanders' usual instincts, Dongshan Huangtu proposed heading north instead, to try their luck in You Province...

But Liu Jie, the King of Guangyang in the north, seeing the Copper Horses' strength, had already submitted a memorial supporting Liu Ziyu's bid for power, making him half an ally. Why would Liu Ziyu want to push him into rebellion too?

Furthermore, Liu Ziyu had never forgotten his grudge against Diwu Lun and Geng Chun for driving his father, the charlatan Wang Kuang, to his death in Yecheng. Today was simply the moment the dagger was revealed; he wanted to use the Copper Horses as a blade to avenge his family.

And so Liu Ziyu began to incite the three Kings. In his telling, Diwu Lun had once considered the plight of the common people, recruiting and comforting refugees. But now, the King of Wei had completely transformed into a spokesman for the great magnates, a territorial governor!

Just look at the men under his command—were they not all from gentry and noble houses? Geng Chun's family was the greatest magnate in Hecheng; Ma Yuan was a great magnate from Maoling in Guanzhong; the rest, like Feng Qin, the Governor of Henei, all came from generations of officials drawing generations of salaries. Expecting them to coexist peacefully with the Copper Horses?

"Is that not like consulting a fox about making a coat from its skin?"

Liu Ziyu aimed these words at Sun Deng, who was mulling over whether to sell him out and defect to Diwu Lun: "Word has come that Ma Yuan's Wei army division has already seized Qinghe. This is an attempt to cut off our rear and annihilate the hundreds of thousands of Copper Horses entirely within Jizhou!"

He knew some harbored wishful thinking, and might even fall for Diwu Lun's proclaimed policy of amnesty for surrenderers. So he spoke words meant to strike at their deepest fears: "The Jizhou magnates I drove away have now run to serve under Ma Yuan, accepting Wei state titles, and are banding together to block the Copper Horses. If Diwu Lun takes all of Hebei, and these magnates return to their commanderies and counties with their retainers, can your fiefs be preserved? Those people are vicious and cruel. When they exact their massive revenge, you won't even be able to become slaves!"

With so many noble generals ahead of them, all the positions were long since filled. What could they possibly gain by defecting to Diwu Lun?

Liu Ziyu then said to Dongshan Huangtu, who was intent on fleeing: "The Copper Horses can avoid battle with the Wei army for a time, but can you avoid it for a lifetime?"

Even if they didn't go looking for trouble in Wei Commandery, the Wei army would press them step by step. Would fleeing to Bohai or Yuyang solve anything?

"You Province is barren; it cannot feed our hundreds of thousands. And Diwu Lun will certainly send Ma Yuan and the others in relentless pursuit. Back then, the two of them strangled the Red Eyebrows' Chi Zhaoping division, driving them to jump into the Great River. If we head north, we'll be driven into the sea!"

The commandery and county fiefs Liu Ziyu had so generously bestowed now became chains binding the Canal Commanders.

If they fled in fear of the Wei army's might, they would be bandits forever.

But if they followed Liu Ziyu and succeeded, even if they only carved out a domain in Hebei, they could achieve "eternal peace for the state, extending to their descendants," fulfilling their long-cherished dream of becoming princes, kings, generals, and ministers.

Liu Ziyu laid the two paths before the three men. Shanghuaikuang, now a believer in Liu Ziyu, was the first to declare his willingness to continue obeying the Emperor's edicts. The other two followed suit, and the Copper Horses reached a consensus internally on whether to fight or flee.

First, defeat the Wei army's northward advance this year; then, in the spring, ride that victory south. This was what Liu Ziyu believed to be the only path to survival for the Copper Horses and the other Hebei bandits.

"But before we decide the outcome with Wei, we must first deal with Liu Yang, the King of Zhending."

Geng Chun's intelligence had been wrong. Liu Ziyu had taken Zhending Commandery, merely cutting off communication between Changshan and Zhongshan. These two places were already at the border of plains and mountains, with complex terrain, making them hard to capture. And with the Wei army closing in on the Jizhou heartland from three directions—Taiyuan in the west, Zhao territory in the south, and Qinghe in the east—Liu Ziyu had no time to slowly wear Liu Yang down.

Liu Ziyu, now quite practiced at issuing orders, said to Shanghuaikuang: "King of Hejian, take thirty thousand men to Jingxing Pass in the west. Jingxing is still in the hands of Liu Yang's trusted men. We must guard against them surrendering directly to the Taiyuan Wei army. Even if the Wei army takes the pass, you must block the defile before it."

To Sun Deng, he said: "King of Julu, please remain to guard Zhending."

Finally, to the foremost of the three, Dongshan Huangtu: "King of Bohai, please accompany Us to Yuanshi City in Changshan Commandery!"

The three assumed Liu Ziyu meant to lead a personal campaign to seize Yuanshi and eliminate the King of Zhending. To their surprise, their Emperor shook his head: "No."

"We are going to meet Liu Yang with utter sincerity—to negotiate peace!"

Liu Yang had never imagined that Liu Ziyu would come in person to negotiate peace with him.

As agreed, the two met before the bridge over the city moat. Liu Ziyu rode alone, advancing openly and honorably toward the countless hidden crossbows and arrows on the walls of Yuanshi City. With one wave of Liu Yang's hand, the city walls could unleash a volley of bolts and nail Liu Ziyu dead on the spot!

But would killing Liu Ziyu guarantee the Copper Horses' withdrawal? Liu Yang's son and family had been captured by the Copper Horses. He had heard they were still safe for now, and had even received letters from them saying the Emperor treated them with great care. If Liu Ziyu died, the Copper Horses' fury would be immense; they would likely slaughter his entire family.

As if seeing right through Liu Yang's thoughts, Liu Ziyu showed no fear whatsoever. He spread his arms and laughed: "Would Our vassals and subjects draw their bows against their Emperor?"

Indeed, just as Geng Chun had said, this Liu Ziyu was most likely a fake, and killing him would be no crime. But the Sixing Emperor was still Liu Yang's nominal sovereign. Even though they were at war, even though Liu Yang was in a dilemma and secretly negotiating peace with Geng Chun—if that succeeded, the stench of betraying his ancestors and surrendering to Wei was already foul enough. Adding the crime of "regicide" would make him, Liu Yang, an eternal sinner of the Liu clan.

Liu Yang's expression flickered between dark and bright. He raised a hand to signal the elite crossbowmen on the wall to withdraw slightly. With two trusted soldiers beside him for protection, he decided to see what, at this point, Liu Ziyu still wanted to discuss with him!

He heard Liu Ziyu say: "The King of Zhao monopolized state power, acting tyrannically and abusing his authority. He even planned to use a grand wedding as bait to lure the King of Zhending south to Xiangguo and imprison him. We could not bear to carry out such a scheme, but at the time, We did not know the King of Zhending's intentions. We could only tour the Copper Horses and gain the aid of heroes."

"Looking back, We and the King of Zhending truly have no long-standing enmity. Now that We have wed Empress Guo, our families are even more closely bound..."

Now he comes to claim kinship? It's too late! Where was he before? Wouldn't it have been better to obediently become a puppet in Zhending back then? Liu Yang still brooded over Liu Ziyu's escape to the Copper Horses and the subsequent attack on his rear. He sneered:

"Your Majesty seized my capital, imprisoned my family, and now surrounds Yuanshi with a great army. You call this a misunderstanding?"

Liu Ziyu shook his head: "Though We have enfeoffed Bohai, Julu, and other places to the Copper Horse Canal Commanders, Zhending Commandery remains whole, kept for the King of Zhending. And your family has been treated with courtesy and care. We are especially fond of the Crown Prince, Liu De..."

Liu Yang cut him off: "Your Majesty only seeks peace with me because you see the Wei army entering Jizhou!"

Liu Ziyu was not ashamed to admit it: "The Odes say, 'Brothers quarrel within the walls, but unite against insult from without.' It means blood brothers may fight inside the walls, but together they deal with outsiders. Diwu Lun is a state enemy, while the King of Zhending and We are both ninth-generation descendants of Emperor Gao!"

Liu Yang, however, remained silent and thoughtful. He now felt he was like Han Xin during the Chu-Han Contention: if he sided with Wei, Wei would win; if he sided with the Northern Han, it would survive. In any case, his dream of becoming Emperor was now impossible. Better to hold out for the best price, pretend to make peace with Liu Ziyu, and use that to sell himself for a better deal to Diwu Lun.

Seeing that Liu Yang's anger had not subsided, Liu Ziyu pointed to the city behind him and began speaking of unrelated matters.

"We have heard that this city of Yuanshi was built during the time of the Zhongshan Kingdom. Because of the Flying Dragon Mountain nearby, it was called Flying Dragon Town?"

"Correct. It was also called Sealed Dragon Town," Liu Yang replied with malicious intent, adding: "Legend says a true dragon can soar to the heavens here, while a false dragon with horns sprouting from a snake's head can only be sealed underground."

Unexpectedly, Liu Ziyu sighed and said: "Very well. There is one matter We have never told anyone. Today, with no outsiders here, We shall confide it to the King of Zhending."

What was he going to say? Expose his own identity? Liu Yang could not fathom what Liu Ziyu was up to, but he heard him say: "The King of Zhending surely knows that the Great Han's imperial line was broken three times."

He was referring to how Emperor Cheng, Emperor Ai, and Emperor Ping of Han all died without heirs, forcing the succession to pass through adopted relatives. This was a major reason the Wang consort clan seized power and eventually usurped the Han.

Emperor Cheng of Han, that old lecher, simply had poor sperm quality; Emperor Ai was a homosexual; and Emperor Ping never got the chance to live to childbearing age.

Liu Ziyu put on a pained expression: "That Emperor Xiaocheng's line was cut off was the doing of the demon consort Zhao Feiyan. Only I, as a posthumous child, was saved by loyal ministers and barely survived."

"But my mother was forced to drink poison sent by Empress Zhao's agents. She managed to give birth to me, but I have been frail since childhood. Only by following a famed immortal master to study arts was I able to cling to life — yet my late master foretold that the Han would suffer the calamity of six and seven, and I fear I shall not live past forty-two."

"I am thirty-two this year. I have but ten years of life left. My only wish is to see the Han restored while I still live."

Spouting nonsense — and before Liu Yang could recover from this news, Liu Ziyu dropped an even bigger bombshell.

"Does the King of Zhending wonder why, though I am past thirty and have taken many concubines since my enthronement, I still have no heir?"

"There is no other reason: it is the harm done by the drugs Zhao Feiyan and her sister administered while I was still in the womb. Though I can perform the act of men, I can never produce offspring."

Liu Ziyu raised his face to the sky and heaved a long sigh, tears streaking his cheeks: "After I pass, the Han imperial line will be cut off for the fourth time!"

Liu Yang stood stunned, not knowing whether he ought to grieve or gloat.

But to his surprise, Liu Ziyu quickly recovered his spirit: "Yet though I may have no heir, the great Han dynastic line must continue!"

"Emperor Xiaowu once said that the Han would suffer the calamity of six and seven, and that the Mandate must be renewed — which descendant of the imperial clan is destined to answer this?"

Liu Ziyu looked at Liu Yang and smiled: "By great fortune, I have already found the right clansman!"

Liu Yang's heart began pounding wildly in his chest — could it be...

"Indeed — 'After the Red Nine, the goitered Yang shall rule.' I too have heard this folk rhyme. Heaven hears as our people hear, Heaven sees as our people see, Heaven speaks through the mouths of our people!"

"Yet the house of Han has its own institutions: brothers do not pass the throne to one another. I am of the same generation as the King of Zhending — this presents a difficulty."

Liu Ziyu had raised Liu Yang's hopes only to press them back down again; back and forth he went, until the man was itching with anticipation and being led by the nose.

Liu Ziyu took another step closer: "Therefore, I wish to establish the King of Zhending's eldest son, Liu De, as Crown Prince!"

"And ten years hence, I shall depart before the King of Zhending. Then the King of Zhending shall become Acting Emperor, and once the Crown Prince is able to govern on his own, the King of Zhending shall return the reins of government to him. What say you?"

His own son — what was his son's was his, and what was his was his son's; what need was there to "return the reins"? Liu Yang had already taken the bait, unwittingly envisioning the future along the lines of Liu Ziyu's promises: he himself would become Acting Emperor, his son would be Han Crown Prince, the Zhending line would inherit the Han altars, and the realm that Liu Ziyu and the Tongma had conquered would all belong to their family.

Compared to this, Diwu Lun was only willing to make him a Marquis — stingy and petty. Was there even a choice? What was more, Geng Chun had already deceived him twice; how could Liu Yang fall for that swarthy nephew's tricks again!

The tumor on his neck flushed crimson, the atmosphere grew warm, and before the soldiers on the walls of Yuanshi and the distant Tongma troops, Liu Yang stood on the moat bridge chatting and laughing with Liu Ziyu, swearing an oath never to betray. After the brothers' quarrel, they would now join forces to resist external humiliation.

Liu Ziyu spoke with deep feeling: "With wife and children, loving harmony, like the lute and zither; with brothers united, joy and pleasure to the full. King of Zhending, for the future of the great Han, and so that our shared son may inherit the Han altars, you must hold firm against Wei Wu's invasion and preserve the lands of Hebei, You, and Ji!"

Only then did Liu Yang dismount for the first time and prostrate himself before Liu Ziyu: "If the state does not survive, what use is a family? Your servant is willing to labor as Your Majesty's hawk and hound!"

The bows and crossbows on the walls of Yuanshi were all withdrawn as they watched Liu Ziyu depart. When he returned to the Tongma main camp and announced that he had persuaded the King of Zhending, Liu Yang, and that Zhending would join forces with the Tongma to resist the Wei army, the Tongma host erupted in wave after wave of cheers.

Even Dongshan Huangtu, the "King of Bohai," who had never been fully convinced by Liu Ziyu, looked astonished.

In his view, their side and Liu Yang were locked in a fight to the death; for Liu Ziyu to insist on going over was practically suicide. Dongshan Huangtu was happy enough to watch him return with broken wings. If he were killed by a hidden arrow, Dongshan could lead the Tongma north and flee to You Province to become a mountain king.

Yet he had never imagined that Liu Ziyu would return without a scratch, as if truly protected by some mysterious power — by the High Emperor and Emperor Wen who so often descended upon him — and even persuade Liu Yang to submit. Such courage and judgment — only a true Son of Heaven could manage this!

"Long live Your Majesty!"

Amid the fervent cheers of the Tongma army, Liu Ziyu smiled and cupped his hands to all, as if this were no more trouble than snapping a willow branch — yet his palms had long been soaked with sweat.

So confident, so composed — it stirred the heart and captivated the spirit. Swept up by the atmosphere, Dongshan Huangtu for the first time lowered his head slightly and said softly:

"Long live the Tongma Emperor!"

As for the King of Zhending, Liu Yang, when he drifted back into Yuanshi in a daze and his subordinates, brothers, and cousins came to ask why he had not followed the plan — wounding Liu Ziyu with an arrow and seizing him, so as to "hold the Son of Heaven to command Hebei" — Liu Yang merely rebuked them:

"I am no Duke Zhuang of Zheng — how could I shoot an arrow at the Son of Heaven?"

Then he added: "Henceforth, whoever dares say again that His Majesty is a false Liu Ziyu shall be put to death for high treason, without exception!"

The men had no idea what Liu Yang and Liu Ziyu had spoken about to cause such a drastic change in attitude; they looked at one another in bewilderment. Only Liu Yang, savoring their earlier conversation, stroked his tumor and said with feeling:

"I saw it — upon His Majesty's person, there truly is the shadow of the High Emperor!"

"He is a true dragon!"