Chapter 568: The Southern Tour

Diwu Lun's southern tour was a true inspection of the realm, utterly unlike the "southern tours" of Wang Mang and Liu Xuan, who had simply abandoned their capitals. Luoyang was not far from Nanyang — in later ages, both would be mere prefecture-level cities within the great province of Henan, reachable by horse and carriage in half a month.

But for Nanyang, which had only recently submitted to the State of Wei, the arrival of His Majesty the Wei Emperor was nothing less than a powerful reassurance. In the markets and streets of Wancheng, tales of Diwu Lun's retinue and chariots had been circulating for days; even those who had not witnessed it firsthand heard the stories and relished every detail — how the hundred officers under Diwu Lun's command were all fierce as dragons and mighty as tigers.

Some said Diwu Lun had brought fifty thousand troops: "Crimson, white, yellow, green, and black — ten thousand men in each color, enough to encircle Wancheng in a solid ring!"

"And as for the remaining reinforcements still on the road, their banners and baggage trains stretched unbroken for a thousand li from Luoyang to Wan."

Whatever the truth, Diwu Lun's arrival instantly calmed Wancheng, where the people had been living in dread of the chaos of war.

Liu Penzi, too, found some comfort in his heart, thinking only: "Now that the Wei Emperor has come to Nanyang in person, surely he will swiftly send men to relieve Chongling?"

Yet Liu Penzi still could not gain an audience with the Nanyang Governor, Yin Shi. Just when he was at his wits' end, someone came to him of their own accord.

"My master requests an audience with the young gentleman."

Liu Penzi was staying at the government hostel in Nanyang city, occupying only a cramped guest room. The large courtyard next door, however, was packed with high officials from the capital who had accompanied the imperial progress. The uninvited guest who wished to see him was lodged among them.

Not knowing the other party's identity, Liu Penzi nervously followed the attendant into the courtyard. Ascending to the second floor, he was met with the scent of incense filling the room. A tall, lean Confucian scholar knelt on a rush mat behind a low table; the fragrance wafted from a censer. The scholar sat with eyes closed in repose, giving off an air of profound inscrutability.

But when he opened his eyes, that pair of triangular eyes shattered the mystique.

"So you are the disciple of Huan Junshan, the younger brother of the Chongling Assistant Magistrate — Liu Penzi?"

Liu Penzi stood at a loss, until the trusted attendant behind him finally revealed the scholar-official's identity: "Hurry and pay your respects to Lord Feng, the Grand Herald!"

The man before him was none other than Feng Yan, who had fled the spiraling Jing-Xiang front lines on the pretext of a "head ailment." Deeply dissatisfied with how Cen Peng and Zhang Yu had mishandled the Jing-Xiang situation, he had returned to Luoyang to report the truth to the Emperor.

To his surprise, Diwu Lun had not reacted strongly, merely proposing to "personally inspect Nanyang." Feng Yan had accompanied the imperial progress here. The Nanyang palace quarters were cramped, and Feng Yan was unwilling to stay in the Governor's mansion, so he lodged temporarily at the hostel. Hearing of Liu Penzi's story, he had his attendant summon him.

Liu Penzi knelt on the floor and haltingly recounted the situation in the south. Feng Yan expressed great sympathy, saying: "Your elder brother defends the realm's territory for the state, and you, though barely come of age, have journeyed alone to seek aid — truly it stirs the heart!"

"Very well. You need not beg the Nanyang Governor any further. The day after tomorrow, I shall personally bring you into the traveling palace so you may report the facts directly to the Great Wei Son of Heaven!"

"Liu Penzi, when we enter the traveling palace shortly, do you know how to perform the proper obeisance?"

Liu Penzi said hurriedly: "A commoner meeting the Emperor performs the grand prostration. This humble one understands."

Feng Yan nodded. He was not, of course, moved by the brotherly bond between Liu Penzi and his sibling and thus willing to help; rather, he wished to use Liu Penzi's words to tell Diwu Lun of the devastation in Caiyang, Chongling, and the other counties — and that it was Cen Peng, obstinately going his own way on the front line, who had let the Han army burst through...

The so-called Nanyang traveling palace was the very palace complex built by the former Gengshi Emperor, Liu Xuan. Liu Xuan was a man fond of pleasure, who had spent lavishly to create his nest of delights. But now it lay utterly desolate: the palace walls had collapsed to half their former height; the white stone steps were riddled with potholes; the great vermilion pillars bore many scars from blade and axe blows, some toppled outright; the carved beast-form eaves were more shattered than whole.

Liu Penzi remembered that this place had once been occupied by the Red Eyebrow Elders. The Red Eyebrow Army's management of the palace had been exceedingly crude. Inside the palace gates, thick green weeds grew rampant; the steps were covered in dead branches and withered leaves; swallows and sparrows had nested under the palace eaves, and the halls were filled with bird feathers and droppings. Red Eyebrow soldiers, refugees, and beggars had lived here in rags.

Now, they had all been driven out by the Wei army. The bird droppings and fallen leaves on the steps had been swept clean. The Nanyang traveling palace had a new master — just as the realm itself had passed from the Liu clan, to the Wang clan, and now to the Wu clan.

As if recalling the wandering, displaced lives of himself and his brother, Liu Penzi stared blankly at the familiar palace. He heard the herald call his name and hurriedly trotted over. At the entrance of a side hall, he removed his shoes, bowed his head, cupped his hands, and advanced at a brisk shuffle, not daring to let his eyes wander. Following the herald to the designated spot, he knelt and performed the long prostration. When the grand obeisance was done, he raised his head slightly — and saw a pair of... propped-up feet.

Diwu Lun was fond of sitting in the barbarian fashion; this was known to all who were familiar with him. Except during formal grand court assemblies, Diwu Lun — even during the informal court — liked to sit on an object called a "chair," and even crossed his legs. In his humble days and while serving as an official, he had not been so unbridled, but now who dared to reproach him?

Though this violated ritual propriety, after Wang Mang's archaist revival, the realm's rites had collapsed and music was in decay; orthodox moralists fared poorly, and no one dared to criticize. Instead, it had become a new fashion in Chang'an and Luoyang, imitated by many young men whose knees ached from kneeling. As for women — though they now wore crotch-seamed trousers, sitting in the barbarian manner was still somewhat too avant-garde, and few dared to try.

"Come closer."

Diwu Lun's voice rang out, bidding Liu Penzi approach.

Liu Penzi shuffled forward on his knees, still not daring to raise his head.

Diwu Lun then jested with Feng Yan beside him: "A disciple of Huan Junshan, yet so timid — not much like his teacher."

Hearing his master's name, Liu Penzi finally recalled that his teacher was on excellent terms with the Wei Emperor; they were friends despite the difference in years. Young as he was, he had experienced much and was no clumsy speaker. He raised his eyes slightly, looked at the Emperor, who bore no stern expression, and said: "I venture to inform Your Majesty: this humble one is ordinarily quite bold. When I was taken by the Red Eyebrows as a child, the other children wept, but I did not."

"While serving Master Huan north of the Huai, when I saw bandits kill a man and cut his flesh to eat, I held back my urge to urinate and slowly retreated without being discovered. When I fled Chongling to seek help, I clamped my legs tight to the horse's flanks and let the stray bandits' arrows whistle past me."

"But today, this humble one has beheld the sage Son of Heaven. Overwhelmed by his majesty, I am like a small beast in the mountains meeting the king of all beasts — my thighs tremble, and my courage shrinks."

These words were rather bold, and even Feng Yan had not expected them. Diwu Lun, however, burst out laughing upon hearing them: "A disciple of Huan Tan indeed!"

Diwu Lun continued: "I have already heard from Lord Feng of your brother's deeds and yours. From former Han imperial clansmen, to minor officers under the Red Eyebrows, to officials of the State of Wei — truly no common story. I hear you have urgent military intelligence from the south to report. Speak boldly; today your words may reach the heavens directly!"

Only then did Liu Penzi dare to fully raise his head. Diwu Lun sat at the center of the hall, flanked on the left and right by the Grand Herald Feng Yan and the Nanyang Governor Yin Shi.

Feng Yan's gaze toward Liu Penzi was full of encouragement. Before coming, he had repeatedly instructed Liu Penzi to tell the truth and conceal nothing.

Yin Shi's look, however, was far more ambiguous. With Nanyang invaded by three external enemies, he, as the provisional Governor, was under immense pressure — yet he could not shift the blame onto Cen Peng at the front, for Cen Peng was his patron, both belonging to the Nanyang faction. In this campaign, Yin Shi, as an auxiliary, shared both glory and disgrace with Cen Peng. As for the devastation in Nanyang's border counties, he dared not conceal it from Diwu Lun, but he had chosen his words carefully.

But today, Feng Yan, who had his differences with Cen Peng, had brought Liu Penzi here. What was he up to?

Liu Penzi, however, had no thought for such things. His heart held only concern for his elder brother's safety. He proceeded to recount in detail the Eastern Han's infiltration of Chongling over the past months, the failed uprising, and the armed incursion by the Han general Ma Wu. He told of how the Chongling Magistrate had died defending the territory, how his brother and the other officials had retreated to hold the county seat, yet still feared that the locals might, on a single misguided impulse, surrender to the Han troops — painting a picture of several counties teetering on the brink.

At the most emotional point, Liu Penzi wept freely and prostrated himself again before Diwu Lun: "This humble one's elder brother, by imperial command, held Chongling, instructing the people and restoring production. The people of Chongling no longer yearn for the old Han; they regard the Han state's spies who sneak back to their homeland to wreak havoc as mortal foes. The people of Chongling already see themselves as subjects of the State of Wei."

For a man of Han imperial lineage to say such things was somewhat strange, but Liu Penzi had fully inhabited his role.

"Yet now, with the Han army driving straight in, the hearts of the people in Chongling and elsewhere are wavering, and they show signs of turning again. I only beg that Your Majesty will not abandon the officials and people of Chongling!"

Diwu Lun appeared somewhat moved as he listened, and Feng Yan heaved a deep sigh. Yin Shi, however, looked rather awkward...

"The loyalty and valor of you and your brother are commendable. I shall certainly not abandon Chongling, nor let the land fall back into chaos under the bandits."

Diwu Lun verbally commended Liu Penzi and gave him an unexpected delight: "Since you are a disciple of Huan Junshan and the younger brother of a loyal minister, you need no longer remain a commoner. Very well — there are still vacancies among the Palace Gentlemen. You shall begin as a Gentleman Attendant of the Outer Court, accompanying my imperial progress."

This was indeed what his elder brother had long hoped for, even remarking that after the war he would send Liu Penzi to Huan Tan's side in Luoyang. Yet Liu Penzi felt no joy; instead, he performed the triple prostration and said: "This humble one dares not covet an official post; I only wish for my elder brother's safety!"

Diwu Lun thought all the more highly of him and ordered that he be rewarded with silks, and for the herald to lead him out for now and arrange better quarters for him at the hostel.

Once this "outsider" had left, Diwu Lun turned to the Nanyang Governor Yin Shi. With a smile that did not reach his eyes, he said: "Cibo, you told me that the southern counties of Caiyang, Chongling, and the rest were cut off by Han bandits, and that there was no detailed military intelligence. Would you say that what Liu Penzi reported counts as 'detailed'?"

Yin Shi was terrified. He prostrated himself and knocked his head to the floor: "Your servant is guilty! But I absolutely did not intend to conceal anything from Your Majesty. Chongling and the other places are indeed ravaged by Ma Wu and nearly lost. I, too, am deeply worried. But Nanyang's military strength is limited; I can only ensure the supply lines between Wancheng, Xinye, and on to Fancheng and Xiangyang remain open. I can hardly spare attention for the outlying borderlands!"

Feng Yan, at the opportune moment, interjected with veiled sarcasm: "Lord Yin, as Governor, you bear the responsibility of defending the territory. I dare not say you must contest every inch of land, but at the very least you should not simply ignore it. Liu Penzi entered Wan days ago, pleading bitterly for an audience and getting nowhere. Had I not happened to hear of it while staying at the post station, this tale of brotherly devotion might have sunk into oblivion. If this continues, Chongling will fall, Liu Gong — a good and loyal man — will lose his life, and Liu Penzi, I fear, will hardly survive alone in this world."

This was a blame Yin Shi could not shake off. Just as his heart turned to ashes, thinking Diwu Lun would fly into a rage and strip him of his post, the Emperor merely raised his hand high — and brought it down gently.

"The Nanyang Governor is guilty of oversight. His salary is suspended for one year."

At these words, Yin Shi felt as if he had been granted a great amnesty. He repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude. After the Wei army seized Nanyang, the lands and estates of the Yin clan of Xinye had been returned in full. Yin Shi knew this was because he willingly served Wei, and also because the Emperor seemed to have some interest in his younger sister, Yin Lihua.

But to preserve his family, Yin Shi had to, on one hand, generously surrender half the family's landholdings to the state as a grand gesture, while on the other hand, he had to retain a certain amount of power. In serving Diwu Lun, he had already mortally offended his fellow Nanyang natives. The moment he lost his authority, he would surely die without a burial place!

Feng Yan, however, grew anxious. Mere oversight? What about the loss of territory? Feng Yan's "sword dance" using Liu Penzi this time was aimed not only at Yin Shi, but at Cen Peng, whose obstinate recklessness had created the current mess!

Diwu Lun, however, said: "My southern tour this time has three reasons."

"First, having spent too long in Luoyang, I wished to see the southern lands."

"Second, the great battle in Jing-Xiang has grown far larger than anticipated. Wei, Han, Cheng, and Chu — all four sides have been drawn in completely. Even Nanyang has been affected, with several bands of bandits roaming and raiding, seeking to disrupt the hearts of our people in the rear, or to 'besiege Wei to rescue Zhao' and interfere with Cen Peng's strategy. My coming south serves to stabilize Nanyang."

Yin Shi sang loud praises: "Your Majesty alone is worth a hundred thousand troops! The moment the sacred Son of Heaven arrives, Nanyang will be as secure as a boulder!"

Feng Yan also joined the chorus of flattery, but after speaking, he wiped his own tears and said: "Your servant was dispatched as an envoy to Xiangyang and even reported merit to Your Majesty, saying the south was settled. I never expected so many reversals, so that the fighting in Jing-Xiang drags on without end, and even Nanyang has suffered the fallout. Your servant is incompetent, forcing Your Majesty to disregard your sacred safety and journey south to lead the campaign in person. When the sovereign worries, the ministers bear the shame — we servants are guilty!"

Old Feng's "we servants" conveniently swept in Yin Shi, Cen Peng, and even Zhang Yu. Sure enough, after a few years mixing in court, his skill at scheming and infighting had improved; he was no longer the man who, as in years past, bluntly and directly set himself up as Diwu Lun's opposition.

Feng Yan had Feng Yan's grievances, and Cen Peng had Cen Peng's plans, but Diwu Lun knew that now was not the time for factional strife.

And so Diwu Lun said: "The rights and wrongs, the twists and turns of this battle — I have my own reckoning in mind. But the great battle is not yet over; you ministers must unite in purpose, share the hardships of the hour, and together win this campaign. This is the third purpose of the southern tour."

Now that the Emperor had spoken to this point, Feng Yan did not press further. He also knew that stripping Cen Peng of his General's post on the spot was unrealistic. Seeing that the "true facts" had been laid before the Emperor, a settling of accounts was bound to come afterward, so he quit while he was ahead and declared with emotion that he was merely anxious about the situation in Nanyang and could not stand idly by.

And Yin Shi, knowing he was only a minor player, also humbly made peace with Feng Yan. The Nanyang traveling palace, which had been on the verge of drawn swords, returned to a state of harmonious cheer.

Yet Diwu Lun saw clearly that the conflict between the two sides remained. The speech just now had been nothing more than a gesture to placate his ministers.

The reason he had not flown into a towering rage over Nanyang's peril was this: Cen Peng had long ago reported the entire plan and expectations for this battle in full detail. One could say that the war reaching its current wretched state was entirely the result of Diwu Lun and Cen Peng plotting it together!

"Feng Yan and Yin Shi both have their eyes fixed only on this tiny patch of ground — Nanyang and Jing-Xiang."

"But a true player of the game must see all six directions and hear all eight winds."

"In the contest between Han and Wei, Jing-Xiang is merely one corner of the board!"