Chapter 496: Just Figured Out Your True Background

"Lord Xu is speaking privately with Elder Tian. Please wait here, warrior."

On the small path leading to Chuqiu Pavilion, the Red Eyebrows stopped Juwuba and gestured for him to wait there.

Juwuba carried no blade — his own body was a lethal weapon. The moment he glared, even armored Red Eyebrow fighters felt that in the next instant the giant would punch them dead with a single blow!

But Wang Mang nodded to Juwuba. After more than a year together, he had found Xu Xuan to be a man who grasped the larger picture and thought solely of the Red Eyebrows' interests. Though Xu Xuan harbored considerable suspicion and dissatisfaction toward him, if he had wanted to strike, back in Huaiyang or Suiyang he would have had a hundred ways to kill him — there was no need to wait until now.

Besides, Wang Mang had a premonition…

The road was rough. Wang Mang hobbled along leaning on his pigeon-staff, though two Red Eyebrow fighters flanked him to lend support. The Red Eyebrows generally scorned scholars, thinking they could only wag their tongues — some could not even keep accounts straight. But "Elder Tian" was different. Because Elder Tian had overseen the land distribution and let them benefit from it, they held him in deep reverence; some even regarded him as the Red Eyebrows' "Seventh Lord."

This Chuqiu Pavilion held ancient ruins as well — fractured loess walls, old and crumbling. When they climbed to the top of Chuqiu, they found a group of Red Eyebrow fighters digging cook-stoves beneath the broken ramparts and unearthing piece after piece of tortoise shell and animal bone, inscribed with strange, bizarre characters utterly beyond their understanding.

"Some say they are dragon bones. Elder Tian is learned — come and see what these things are."

Xu Xuan was also standing nearby with his hands clasped behind his back. He beckoned Wang Mang over and asked him what they were.

Back in the day, Liu Xin had collected quite a few similar objects, and Wang Mang had joined in studying them, sifting through them for prophetic signs and apocrypha. He said, "These are characters of the Yin-Shang dynasty — merely tortoise-shell divinations."

As soon as he spoke, he recalled that although Xu Xuan had only been a minor clerk in the past, he had studied the Book of Changes — he could hardly have failed to guess that.

Xu Xuan did not discuss the coming battle. Instead, he began talking with Wang Mang about the place-name "Chuqiu."

"I have heard that near Puyang there is also a Chuqiu. Elder Tian is learned — tell me, why do these two places share the same name?"

Wang Mang replied, "It is said that both places were inhabited by the ancestors of the Chu people. The Chu people cling to the old — like a fox dying with its head toward its birth-mound — and called every place they dwelt 'Chuqiu.' But this Chuqiu Pavilion also served as the capital of Tang of Shang."

At that time, Chuqiu Pavilion — present-day Cao County — was not only the center of the Shang state, but the center of all under Heaven!

Xu Xuan clicked his tongue in wonder. He dismissed the irrelevant bystanders, and only when he and Wang Mang were alone did he speak:

"In this world, there are places that share a name yet are different, and people who share a name yet are different. Conversely, one single place may bear many names. For example, my hometown of Lanling County was renamed Landong County under the Xin Dynasty — who knows what Wang Mang was thinking. All of this is ordinary."

"But what is not ordinary is when one person, before and after, bears two names and two identities."

At this, Xu Xuan's flat tone came to an abrupt halt. He suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at the white-haired old man he had long suspected:

"Am I right? Wandering scholar, Elder Tian… former Emperor, Wang Mang!"

Though this conjecture was perfectly logical, it was ultimately too mad — so bizarre that Xu Xuan could not even voice it to others. He could only send men to secretly keep watch while searching for any former court official who might recognize Wang Mang.

Having learned his lesson from Zheng Xing's deception and Wang Kuang being killed before he could be seized, after the Governor of Dong Commandery, Wang Hong, and his nephew were delivered to him, Xu Xuan kept it secret. He only let them each meet Wang Mang once in Suiyang. Both men were of the imperial clan and must have had audiences with Wang Mang before.

Sure enough, though Wang Hong was dumbstruck, he kept his lips sealed. So Xu Xuan threatened his life and ordered his nephew Wang Pan to make a careful identification. But Wang Pan was of the younger Wang generation and had only seen the old Emperor a few times from a distance — he could not be absolutely certain.

What truly confirmed the matter was Wang Mang's trusted follower Cui Fa. Xu Xuan had him kidnapped in Nanyang, publicly claiming he had escaped, but in truth he was tortured and tormented through an entire winter until he was finally forced to spill the truth.

In his early years, Xu Xuan had served as a prison clerk in Donghai Commandery. In all matters, he insisted on complete evidence. Now he had three witnesses. If this old man still dared to quibble, Xu Xuan could haul out the half-dead Cui Fa and Wang Hong — who had no more poison to take yet dared not bite off his tongue — to confront Wang Mang face to face!

But no sooner had his words fallen than the white-haired old man, facing the sword-point, neither flinched nor dodged. He merely rose and clasped his hands toward Xu Xuan.

"I am indeed Wang Mang."

This composure was utterly unlike the panic and alarm Xu Xuan had imagined. Wang Mang even dared to look Xu Xuan straight in the eye — was he truly regarding death as a homecoming?

"The courage of one who steals a state is, as expected, different from us who steal a hook."

Xu Xuan stared at Wang Mang long and hard, as if memorizing the face he would wear in death, or as if reexamining him. "When I was a prison clerk in Donghai Commandery, the commandery often received edicts sent from Chang'an."

"Such as the Wangtian land reform, the Private Retainers Decree, the Five Equities and Six Monopolies, and even the orders renaming places across the realm…"

"We minor clerks said at the time that compared to the Han Emperors, this new Xin Emperor Wang Mang truly loved stirring up trouble — not a single month of peace."

And what gave them even greater headaches was that these edicts and decrees, vast and elaborate, laden with classical allusions, contained not the slightest possibility of implementation. Those below treated the court's demands as empty words.

Of course, what made minor clerks hate Wang Mang even more was his insistence on tying their salaries to local disasters and portents — any calamity meant docked pay, any rebellion in their jurisdiction meant docked pay. It was precisely because a locust plague struck Donghai, sparking the Red Eyebrow uprising and cutting off all salaries for every official in the county, great and small, and because he saw how utterly useless the court was, that Xu Xuan finally gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and joined his fellow townsmen among the Red Eyebrows.

At that time, he had wanted to repeat the story of the Qin dynasty's fall — to follow the Red Eyebrows and win himself a place among "princes, marquises, generals, and ministers." That the Red Eyebrows could go from scattered sand to something slightly organized was due first to Fan Chong's personal charisma, but Xu Xuan's deft diplomacy was the second cause — otherwise he could never have risen to become "Second Lord."

Today, Xu Xuan exposing Wang Mang's true identity was like the Second Emperor of Qin not dying, but instead throwing in his lot with Liu Bang as an advisor, only to be seen through by Xiao He and Cao Can — a scene as bizarre as it was awkward.

"Why?"

This was what Xu Xuan, try as he might, could not fathom. Had Wang Mang not had his fill of ruining the realm? Did he bear such a grudge against the Red Eyebrows that he wanted to destroy them from within? After all, a statecraft prodigy like Wang Mang could indeed cause the Red Eyebrows to collapse.

But Xu Xuan felt that although Wang Mang's land distribution and abolition of slavery remained as impractical as ever, with a few modifications from someone like himself, who was intimately familiar with the execution, they could still be put to use. Without these measures, the Red Eyebrows might well have collapsed back in Nanyang.

"Did you enter the Red Eyebrows to lead them into destroying Wei, to take revenge on Diwu Lun? Or was it — the lost state of Taikang, restored by Taikang once more?"

After all his guessing, Xu Xuan felt this was the only reasonable explanation.

But Wang Mang said, "Diwu Lun betrayed me — even a sage cannot forgive such a crime. And he clings stubbornly to the tyrannical Qin imperial system, so he must be annihilated. But private vengeance is merely the thinking of sparrows and swallows."

"I am a great swan, with aspirations far greater than that."

Wang Mang spoke with pride: "When this Chuqiu was still the capital of Yin-Shang, a great drought struck. King Tang donned plain robes, mounted a white horse, cut his hair and bound his hands, and personally ascended the mulberry groves of Chuqiu. He offered himself as a sacrifice, reproaching his own inadequacies, praying to Heaven for rain."

"Before his words were finished, a great rain descended and the drought was lifted."

"The Xin is already fallen and cannot be restored. But the governance of the Three Dynasties can yet be restored! The reason I entered the Red Eyebrows was likewise to make myself a sacrifice, in hopes of bringing sweet rain."

Xu Xuan heard this and at once gave a cold laugh. "If your identity as a great swan were revealed, do you know how the Red Eyebrows would react?"

"Most of the Red Eyebrows had their families destroyed and their lives ruined by your Xin's misrule. The greatest regret of many Elders, Attendants, and fighters is that they could not enter Chang'an and kill Wang Mang with their own hands. The moment they learn, they will tear your corpse apart and eat your flesh!"

"If it benefits all under Heaven, I will go to my death for it!"

Wang Mang quoted the words of Zichan of the Spring and Autumn period, only changing "altars of state" to "all under Heaven" — for he had already transcended the rise and fall, the glory and disgrace, of a single house and a single name, and devoted himself wholly to the people of the world.

"If I can truly help the Red Eyebrows defeat Diwu Lun, then before we even reach Luoyang or Chang'an, right here between the He and the Ji, atop this Chuqiu, I shall of my own accord reveal my identity and tell the truth. I shall surrender the throne of the Son of Heaven, to be taken up by a worthy man among the Red Eyebrows. Thus shall the Republic end. From that point on, the Red Eyebrows shall abolish the tyrannical Qin imperial system, restore the abdication of the Three Dynasties, pass it to no sons or grandsons, and turn the realm from the property of one family back into the common realm of all!"

"As for me," Wang Mang took a step toward Xu Xuan, letting the sword-point press against his chest, "even if I suffer the execution of ten thousand blades, I shall find it as sweet as honey!"

There are two kinds of ideals: one is that I realize the ideal, the other is that the ideal is realized because of me. Wang Mang had tried the first and ended in failure; he could only settle for the second. As for after death — "those who know me and those who condemn me, it is only the Spring and Autumn Annals" — that was the proper attitude of a sage.

The nonsense pouring from Wang Mang's mouth sounded mad, yet he himself believed it without a shred of doubt, leaving one unsure whether to laugh or rage.

The evidence was conclusive. Xu Xuan could perfectly well kill Wang Mang right now, then have Juwuba executed by hidden crossbows, and proclaim it to the three armies…

But what good would that do the Red Eyebrows? For the Red Eyebrow Army to suddenly learn that the Elder Tian they revered, the kindly old man who had led the recent reforms, was in fact the Wang Mang everyone hated to the marrow — what a bitter irony that would be, enough to throw the Red Eyebrows' hearts into chaos. And they were on the march to the battlefield!

Looking at Wang Mang, who wore the expression of one stretching out his neck for the blade, Xu Xuan finally withdrew his sword.

"The ones qualified to judge you are Lord Fan and the Red Eyebrow fighters."

"After the great battle, we shall have the multitude cast potsherds to decide your life or death!"

Xu Xuan waved his hand and ordered him taken away. Wang Mang said nothing. Gripping his pigeon-staff, he bowed to Xu Xuan. "Lord Xu is indeed wholly devoted to the Red Eyebrows."

Xu Xuan laughed drily and did not reply. He waited until Wang Mang had paced out of the barracks. The spring sun shone warmly on him. Nearby, a few Red Eyebrow soldiers were murmuring about the coming battle. Seeing Wang Mang emerge, they hurried over to help support him.

But suddenly the world spun before Wang Mang's eyes. His legs went limp, and he pitched straight toward the ground!

……

Wang Mang's life was not in danger; he had merely collapsed from utter mental and physical exhaustion. His mouth struck the ground, snapping off a front tooth. Blood filled his mouth and soaked his white beard.

Xu Xuan did not lock him up, but merely had someone escort Wang Mang back to be properly looked after — and watched.

They were no more than two days' march from Dingtao City. Wei scouts were already prowling the perimeter, tracking every move of this detached Red Eyebrow force. Some even bore the Zouyu Banner and, claiming to be envoys of the Wei Emperor, came seeking an audience with Xu Xuan.

Xu Xuan, his face dark, ordered them admitted.

The envoy was a young Palace Gentleman. His speech was refined and subtly indirect. The moment they met, he made his purpose clear to Xu Xuan.

"I have come to pay my respects for two reasons."

"First: the Kaifeng Confucian scholar Zheng Shaogan, who was previously in Nanyang, departed without taking leave. He has now entered Chang'an, holds the post of Remonstrance Grandee, and accompanies the imperial carriage at Luoyang. He has sent a letter, which he charged me to deliver, to apologize to you, Sir Xu."

Zheng Xing's letter was not long. It merely spoke of his present wealth, rank, and comfort, while also noting that His Majesty the Great Wei Emperor had, on several occasions, personally voiced sympathy for the Red Eyebrows.

Zheng Xing had gone over to Wei. This meant that Diwu Lun very likely already knew about the Wang Mang affair, and was thoroughly informed of the attitudes of the various lords within the Red Eyebrows.

The envoy then presented a letter in Diwu Lun's own hand. Its gist was this: the Emperor understood that the Red Eyebrows were refugees whose homes had been destroyed and families broken by the Yellow River floods and the man-made calamities of the Xin dynasty under Wang Mang. Their revolt back then was entirely pardonable. Diwu Lun had supported their rebellion against Xin! But now that the north was largely pacified, he hoped to offer amnesty to the Red Eyebrows. The Chengtou Zilu had already surrendered. The Emperor intended for the Great River Red Eyebrows to build the Great River embankments. As for the several hundred thousand Red Eyebrows east of the Passes, they too could return to their homes after submitting and live peaceful lives…

"I have long heard that Xu Jiaozhi stands out among your number, a civil official who understands righteousness and principle. Therefore I send this further letter. To speak deeply would seem presumptuous; to speak briefly would leave matters unresolved. If you now rise to righteousness, rank and emolument shall both be yours, and greater still, the vast blessing of saving hundreds of thousands of Red Eyebrow lives."

The tone of the letter could not be called anything but humble — utterly unlike the earlier demonization of the Red Eyebrow Army. Along with it came an entire chest of gold ingots. When opened, they glittered dazzlingly.

Xu Xuan stared at that gold. The whole time the envoy spoke, he had simply been in a daze — whether stirred by Diwu Lun's terms, or still unable to recover from the matter of Wang Mang, one could not tell.

Only after a long while did he lift his head and fix his gaze on the envoy, whose mouth had gone dry from talking and who was still expounding on the Red Eyebrows' inevitable defeat and the Wei Army's certain victory. Listening carefully, it did indeed make a great deal of sense.

"Enough."

At Xu Xuan's loud shout, the assembled Elders and Attendants filed in from outside the tent. The envoy's arrival had been no secret; men's hearts were restless, for the present situation was not particularly favorable to the Red Eyebrows. They had all overheard his persuasion to surrender. Surely some among them were tempted, or hesitating…

But Xu Xuan made them all dismiss the thought. He rose to his feet. "I have fought in the Red Eyebrow Army for seven years. In the early days, I too thought several times of accepting amnesty. I even returned to my hometown once with Lord Fan. In these seven years, I have learned only one thing."

"He who seeks life without fighting is certain to die!"

Xu Xuan drew his sword — the very sword that had not struck Wang Mang. With one stroke, he cleaved in two the letter from Diwu Lun that the envoy had been reading aloud, and in the process lopped off one of the envoy's hands. This resolute act severed any possibility of negotiating surrender.

"Does Diwu Lun imagine that we are like Dong Xian, to be bought with high office, rich emoluments, gold, silks, and jade? Or like the Chengtou Zilu, to be tricked by a few words and surrender ourselves with folded hands?"

"Do not underestimate the Red Eyebrows!"

Xu Xuan spoke with furious brows. He ordered the envoy dragged away and locked up together with Wang Hong and his nephew. Then, gripping his bloodstained sword, he swept his gaze over the assembled men and laid bare his heart to his subordinates.

"Xu Xuan has never concealed his great desire. I have said more than once: I wish to be a prince, a marquis, a general, a minister."

"But not as a subject and slave to Diwu Lun, or to the Greenwood, or to any of the Han claimants!"

"I will be a prince and marquis of the Red Eyebrows! A general and minister to Lord Fan!"

Fan Chong as Liu Bang, himself as Xiao He and Cao Can, and the other lords each as Guan Ying, Zhou Bo, or Fan Kuai — this was the wish in Xu Xuan's heart. Compared to Wang Mang's "All Under Heaven for the Common Good," it seemed terribly vulgar, but it was what most of the Red Eyebrow Attendants truly thought!

The situation was unfavorable? In seven years, when had it ever been favorable? They had followed Lord Fan in battle across thousands of li. Countless emperors had crumbled before that surging tide.

"Wei shall not escape either." This was how Xu Xuan bolstered the men's spirits and dispelled their doubts. Relying on Lord Fan alone was not enough; he too had to exhaust his wits and keep the Red Eyebrows bound together as one rope.

"March on Dingtao!"

Xu Xuan now knew how he would deal with Wang Mang.

He would fight this battle with all his strength. Once they joined forces with Fan Chong, he would lay everything before him.

Let the giant Fan know that the Wang Mang he hated most, and the Elder Tian he trusted and revered most, were one and the same man. Wang Mang had once ruined the world with his absurd obstinacy. Following his old stratagems would ruin the Red Eyebrows too!

This laughable, neither-fish-nor-fowl "Joint Administration" must end. And in the end, he must make Fan Chong kill Wang Mang with his own hands and carve out his heart and liver — just as he must kill his own impractical delusions!

"This time, even if Lord Fan refuses to be Emperor…"

"I will drape the bloodstained imperial robe upon his shoulders myself!"

……

PS: Second chapter in the middle of the night.