Chapter 696: The Sun Lingers Outside the Window

In the early summer of the eleventh year of Wude (AD 35), the State of Wei attacked Shu on two fronts. Gongsun Shu, as he always did, sent envoys to his sole ally, the Eastern Han, to plead for aid.

Because the north of Jingzhou was already occupied by Wei forces, the envoy had to cross mountains and ridges from Ba Commandery, travel south to Wuling, take the Yuan River route, and then detour through the south of Jingzhou — a journey that took a full two months longer than the water route. By the time the Shu envoy hurriedly reached Yangzhou, it was around the sixth or seventh month. By then, Gongsun Shu was already trapped in Chengdu, not far from destruction...

But even if the plea for aid had come months earlier, the Eastern Han simply had no troops to spare to send reinforcements.

The Han Grand Minister of Works, Deng Yu, had been ordered to take charge of military affairs in Yangzhou, and his headquarters had been moved to Wuhu County in Danyang Commandery. Deng Yu received the Shu envoy on behalf of Liu Xiu. When the other party, with the desperate fervor of Shen Baoxu weeping in the Qin court, kowtowed until he bled and pleaded the principle that when the lips are gone the teeth grow cold, Deng Yu merely heaved a long sigh. He led the Shu envoy to the misty, rain-drenched riverbank, gazed at the distant, faintly flickering lights on the north shore, and said to him:

"Does the honored envoy see it?"

"See what?"

Deng Yu stretched out a hand and pointed: "On the other side of the river — the enemy!"

It turned out that as early as the previous year, after the great defeat at Dangyang, the Eastern Han's main forces had been completely lost in the Jianghan region. In the autumn and winter of the tenth year of Wude, Diwu Lun ordered Cen Peng to threaten Xiakou. He also dispatched the General of Chariots and Cavalry, Geng Yan, to lead seventy thousand troops from Qingzhou and Xuzhou and five thousand elite cavalry from Youzhou across the Huai River. The army split into two routes: the western route swept through the commanderies of Jiujiang, Lu'an, and Lujiang, besieging the city of Hefei; the eastern route captured Linhuai and swiftly advanced to the outskirts of the temporary capital, Jiangdu...

At that time, the Eastern Han was hollowed out within, its elite troops utterly lost, and it no longer had the strength to control the region north of the Yangtze. The great clans of Huainan immediately jumped ship, killing Han officials and working through the night to embroider five-colored flags to welcome the Wei army. Hefei still offered some resistance, but Jiangdu had long since been evacuated by Liu Xiu into an empty city, which Geng Bozhao captured without a hitch.

From then on, the Wei army controlled Huainan and faced the Eastern Han across the river.

By the summer and autumn of this year, as Diwu Lun set about destroying Shu, Geng Bozhao, stationed in the Huainan-Huaibei region, also coordinated with him. Nearly one hundred thousand regular soldiers and military colonists from Qingzhou, Xuzhou, and Yangzhou pressed forward to the Yangtze line, from Chaisang in the west to Dantu in the east, threatening them all.

Although the Han army had the advantage of a fleet and the natural barrier of the river, over ten li wide, given the current situation, the forces under Young Geng alone were enough to potentially destroy the Han. The defensive line was too long; Liu Xiu dared not relax. He could only mobilize the troops of the entire realm, setting up beacon towers and watchposts all along the eastern bank of the Yangtze, with three alarms sounding each day.

And the reason Deng Yu had established his headquarters at Wuhu was precisely to hold the fortress on the opposite bank: Ruxu Dock.

After the great defeat at Dangyang, seeing that Diwu Lun was in no hurry to seize the south of Jingzhou or the east of the Yangtze, Deng Yu's plan for a "decisive battle on the river" had to be abandoned, and they shifted into a protracted defensive phase.

He also submitted a memorial stating that places like Guangling and Jiangdu lacked good harbors and were easily raided by the Han's superior fleet, so if Geng Bozhao wanted to build ships, he would certainly choose Lake Chao near Hefei!

Lake Chao and the Yangtze were connected by the Ruxu waterway, making this point critically important. While Liu Xiu abandoned Hefei and Jiangdu, he alone made every effort to hold the Ruxu mouth — Deng Yu had already turned this place into a water fortress. He built a walled city and a pass on Mount Ruxu, facing off against two passes on Mount Qibao on the opposite bank. Between them was a stone causeway, with channels cut through the rock to allow water passage, forming a perilous fortified ford. He also constructed a crescent-shaped dock and dam to block the Wei fleet from charging into the river.

Because the surrounding area was dense with waterways and complex in terrain, even with a hundred thousand troops and five thousand cavalry, Young Geng was powerless to threaten Ruxu Dock. He could only endure this thorn in his side, mobilize the manpower and resources of the Huainan-Huaibei region, and bury his head in frantically building ships on Lake Chao...

To find out the progress of the Wei army's shipbuilding, Liu Xiu even boldly took advantage of the morning mist to venture deep into Lake Chao on a light boat to observe. The Wei camp fired crossbow bolts wildly, refusing to let the Han boat approach. One side of Liu Xiu's boat was hit by so many arrows that it tilted heavily and nearly capsized, but he remained unflustered. He ordered the boat turned around so the other side could take the arrows, which slowly balanced the vessel. Before leaving, he even had his soldiers shout: "Our thanks to General Geng for the loan of arrows!"

Though this story was enough to illustrate that the Han Emperor Liu Xiu did not lose heart after a great defeat and still faced peril with composure, displaying the bearing of a true king, it did nothing to improve the situation.

The morale of the Wei army would not be significantly diminished by it, nor did it serve to provoke them into rash action: Young Geng had received an edict from Diwu Lun that he absolutely must not launch an offensive before the western campaign was over. Still uneasy, Diwu Lun had sent the Imperial Counselor, Jing Dan, to serve as acting Inspector of Yangzhou. As Geng Bozhao's former teacher, Jing Dan could keep the fellow in check.

So the Wei army continued to bury its head in shipbuilding. Although Liu Xiu wished to send a surprise naval raid into Lake Chao to burn the enemy camp, it was the rainy season, and the Yangtze-Huai region was perpetually damp. Only oil-laden ships could have started a fire, and every attempt was caught between Wei land and water forces, unable to succeed.

Thus, at present, the east of the Yangtze only had the spare strength to defend. Launch another northern campaign to save Gongsun Shu? Even if Liu Xiu cheated and fought his way to Hefei, what then? Could distant water quench a nearby thirst?

The Shu envoy was speechless. After he arrived in Jinling and had an audience with Liu Xiu, he made another plea: "Since the troops east of the Yangtze cannot move, can General Feng Gongsun in Jingzhou make a move?"

Although Liu Xiu agreed to his request, the situation in Jingzhou was no better. Before Cen Peng entered Shu, he had left half his forces stationed in Nan Commandery and Jiangxia to guard against Feng Yi advancing north. Moreover, Jingzhou's Wei ships had begun to be equipped with small cannons. Feng Yi could not even sail upstream to the Three Gorges to block their rear, and could only harass slightly around Jiangling and Yiling as a token gesture. The Han army could still bluster on the water, but the moment they went ashore, they were all repelled by the superior Wei defenders.

Feng Yi's meager support could no longer affect the overall situation. In the middle of the eighth month, dire news came from the west: "Ma Yuan's troops have reached the city walls. The Gongsun Emperor died for his state in Chengdu. The Chancellor and the Crown Prince attempted to hold out in Nanzhong but were intercepted by Cen Peng at the mouth of the Dadu River and all taken captive..."

"Great Cheng has fallen!" Upon hearing this, the Shu envoy, who had just returned from Jinling to Wuhu, was overcome with despair and drowned himself in the river.

And for Deng Yu, this news was enough to make him grieve for the fate of his own kind.

"The Wei army does not yet have naval superiority, but they already share the Yangtze's natural barrier with us. The Han relies on the river as its state, spanning thousands of li from east to west. The enemy we face is great, and there is no peace."

"With the wealth and grain of the ten northern provinces, plus the manpower of northern Jingzhou, Ba Commandery, and Huainan, Diwu Lun needs only a few years to build a thousand tower-ships and warships and train tens of thousands of sailors. If he sends the troops of Ba, Shu, Jing, and Chu down by both water and land, the forces of Guanzhong and Nanyang advancing on Xiakou, the great army of the Central Plains pointing straight at Jiujiang, and the troops of Qingzhou, Yanzhou, and Xuzhou converging on Hefei and the east of the Yangtze — with just one corner of the east of the Yangtze to face the masses of the entire realm, our forces will be scattered and our defenses stretched thin everywhere. If Diwu Lun then orders Ma Yuan to strike our vulnerable rear with surprise troops from Ba and Qian, raiding the south of Jingzhou, one breach will cause upheaval everywhere. With my intellect, I can no longer devise a path to victory for the Han!"

In his urgency, Deng Yu immediately ordered the trusted aides who had escorted the Shu envoy back to rush to Jinling and report this matter to Liu Xiu, hoping he would reconsider the proposal he had made at the beginning of the year and "make plans early."

"By the way, what has His Majesty been doing lately?"

Deng Yu was very concerned about Liu Xiu's state of mind. He feared that after suffering one defeat after another, Liu Xiu's will would sink into despondency, and then Great Han would truly be without hope.

The trusted aide replied: "His Majesty has been meeting with friends recently."

Deng Yu frowned: "Meeting with friends? Who?"

"A recluse. His Majesty searched for him for a long time. The man is quite disrespectful, but His Majesty takes no offense and even honors him with the title 'Brother Ziling.'"

Deng Yu suddenly understood, recalling an old acquaintance.

"It's him!"

Liu Xiu dreamed that he was being trampled underfoot by Diwu Lun, whose foot pressed down on his belly. Diwu Boyu's face even bore a ferocious grin...

"Liu Wenshu, will you not surrender?"

When Liu Xiu awoke with a start from the nightmare, he saw that the sky outside was only just beginning to lighten. As he was about to rise, he discovered that there was indeed a foot pressing on his belly — the source of the strange sensation from the night before.

It was a foot covered in thick calluses. Following it upward, though the hair on the leg was sparse from years of wading in water, it was clearly a man's leg. A middle-aged man with a long beard under his chin was sleeping foot-to-foot with Liu Xiu, still slumbering soundly...

Liu Xiu gently lifted this foot with considerable tenderness and placed it softly aside. As he rose and dressed, he even remembered to drape a thin blanket over the man before tiptoeing out of the room.

The continuous autumn rain had finally stopped. Liu Xiu, as was his custom, paced to a side hall to handle government affairs. Even after suffering a great defeat that could have destroyed the dynasty, he remained quite diligent, frequently summoning high ministers and generals to sit in the imperial presence, packing his workload very full, and not stopping until the sun slanted westward.

During this time, the State Preceptor, Qiang Hua, also came to report the results of the previous night's star-gazing — because Wei was attacking Shu on two fronts, Liu Xiu was very concerned about the situation there. But due to the mountains and rivers blocking the way, he could not get timely information and could only judge the fate of the Cheng family state by observing the western stars, better than nothing — relying on guesswork!

To his surprise, Qiang Hua reported with deep worry: "Your Majesty, your servant observed a guest star trespassing against the Imperial Throne, and very urgently!"

Liu Xiu burst out laughing upon hearing this: "It's nothing. That was just my old friend Zhuang Ziling sharing my bed, his foot merely pressing on my person."

Qiang Hua was quite astonished. He, Liu Xiu, Deng Yu, and that Zhuang Guang, Zhuang Ziling, had been roommates back in their days at the Imperial Academy, spending every day together. Later, he and Deng Yu both served Liu Xiu and became high officials. Zhuang Ziling, who hailed from the great Zhuang clan of Wuhui, had been on quite good terms with Liu Xiu back then. He should have followed his family to assist the Han cause and could have at least become a grandee, attaining wealth and rank.

Unexpectedly, when Zhuang Ziling heard that Liu Xiu had come south, he chose to leave home and go into hiding, with even his closest relatives unaware of his whereabouts.

Liu Xiu, longing for worthy men and remembering old ties, had not forgotten this old friend. He therefore ordered a nationwide search based on Zhuang Ziling's appearance.

Soon, he received a second report, saying that there was a man fishing in Zhenze wearing a sheepskin coat. Liu Xiu believed this was his old friend and prepared a comfortable carriage with dark and crimson silks, sending envoys to invite him, but ultimately to no avail. Zhuang Ziling still hid and refused to see them...

The third time, when he heard that Zhuang Ziling had returned to his hometown in Kuaiji, Liu Xiu immediately had his old acquaintance, the Han Grand Chancellor Hou Ba, go to extend an invitation. However, Zhuang Ziling threw Hou Ba's personally written letter back at the envoy and left without saying goodbye.

It was only after Liu Xiu returned from his great defeat at Dangyang, with the fortunes of Great Han seemingly in decline, that Zhuang Ziling reappeared.

After three failed attempts to summon him, the man now delivered himself to his door. Liu Xiu was overjoyed and had him brought over, providing bedding and having the Chief Provisioner serve meals morning and evening, eating the same food as the Emperor — a very high standard of treatment.

All this was understandable. Liu Xiu could share humble circumstances with others, and he could also share wealth and glory. But what Qiang Hua had not expected was that Liu Xiu would bring Zhuang Ziling into the Jinling traveling palace and even sleep on the same couch as him!

This... was it not improper?

Qiang Hua and others thus cautiously admonished him, urging Liu Xiu to observe the "proper distinction between ruler and subject." But Liu Xiu replied with deep feeling: "Ever since returning defeated from Dangyang, a knot of gloom has lingered in my heart, and I often cannot sleep."

Indeed, after that battle, Liu Xiu, barely forty years old, had actually grown a head half-full of white hair, an effect comparable to Wu Zixu crossing Zhao Pass...

Ah, don't mention Wu — it had become the state surname of Diwu Lun, and hearing it gave Liu Xiu a headache.

Not even wine or women could comfort Liu Xiu. He sighed and said: "Only when I am with Ziling, discussing the Dao and reminiscing about old times, speaking of those tales of immortals and the elusive nothingness of the Daoist school, can I feel as carefree as I did in my student days."

Qiang Hua was left speechless, while Liu Xiu had already stopped working. Returning to his bedchamber, he asked the palace attendants and only then learned that Zhuang Ziling was actually still asleep!

Liu Xiu found it nothing short of amusing. He said to Qiang Hua, "Ziling is indeed just as he was in the past, imitating Zai Yu who slept through the day. Truly, rotten wood cannot be carved!"

He had everyone wait at the doorway and walked in with unhurried steps. He saw Zhuang Ziling lying face-up on the mat in the exact same posture as that morning. Liu Xiu was in no rush; he simply sat before the couch and waited quietly. Perhaps stirred by the sound, Zhuang Ziling turned over as if to rise, but then abruptly faced the inner wall and went back to sleep.

Those outside the door watched with pounding hearts. Who would dare treat the Emperor with such neglect? They wanted to wake him, but Liu Xiu made a silencing gesture. He trimmed the lamp wick, picked up a bamboo-slip manuscript, and began to read.

After a short while, Zhuang Ziling finally stirred awake. He stretched lazily, turned over, glanced at Liu Xiu beside him, and muttered, "Why does Your Majesty rise so early? Could it be you awoke first from the great dream?"

The words sounded like nonsense, yet seemed to conceal a deeper meaning. Liu Xiu set down the manuscript, reached out, and patted Zhuang Ziling's stomach, which was growling from hunger. He laughed and said, "Tut-tut, Ziling. You clearly have talent and ability, yet you would rather sleep the day away in a stupor than help me govern the realm?"

Not only did Zhuang Ziling not answer, he even closed his eyes again — an obvious refusal. Liu Xiu had expected Zhuang Ziling to maintain the pride of a reclusive hermit and deliver some formulaic speech: "In ancient times, when Tang Yao displayed his virtue, Nest Father washed out his ears. A scholar has his own aspirations — why press him so?"

But after a long silence, Zhuang Ziling actually opened his mouth and said, "Confucius taught: a state in peril, do not enter; a state in chaos, do not dwell in. What good is there in serving as an official for a remnant Han state on the verge of collapse?"

These words were spoken boldly. Qiang Hua and the others outside the door all heard them and were shocked and horrified. Although Liu Xiu had nearly failed in the contest for the realm, no one in the southeastern court dared say so openly. Most optimistically analyzed the possibility of "ruling divided at the river," and Liu Xiu had begun working toward that goal.

Yet today, Zhuang Ziling had spoken the blunt truth. For a moment, everyone outside prostrated themselves, not daring to make a sound. Inside the room, it was equally silent; only Liu Xiu's gradually quickening breath could be heard. Being disparaged like this by an old friend — he was truly angered.

"Ziling!"

Liu Xiu flew into a rage and nearly slammed the table as he rose, but he quickly reined himself in. He was a man of self-restraint. He dissolved his anger into a gesture, merely rising gently to his feet, and said to Zhuang Ziling in a self-mocking tone:

"I'm not dead yet."

"What gives you the right to say Great Han has lost?"

Zhuang Ziling opened his eyes and gazed steadily at Liu Xiu. In these days since their reunion, Liu Xiu would occasionally ask him out of nowhere, "Ziling, how am I compared to the past? Have I changed much?"

Liu Xiu hoped to receive praise and recognition from his old classmate, but Zhuang Ziling only answered flatly, "Your Majesty has grown somewhat from before — just a slight difference."

He was lying to brush him off. The Xiu'er before his eyes was utterly unchanged from twenty years ago! Outwardly cautious and kind, yet inwardly full of stratagems; seemingly timid in conflict, yet harboring great courage in his heart; clearly mature beyond his years from youth, yet possessing the spirited heart of a hero!

It was precisely because of this that Zhuang Ziling had chosen to appear. He could not bear it! He had come before Liu Xiu, wanting to speak a few words from the heart to this old classmate teetering on the edge of destruction.

"The national fortune of Han is like this waning sun."

Zhuang Ziling pointed at the sun outside the window and continued to pierce Liu Xiu with the truth.

"This is something known to every woman and child in Wu and Kuaiji east of the river. Even I, a useless man in hiding, understand it. Your Majesty, do you still not see it yourself?"

Zhuang Ziling stepped forward, grasped Liu Xiu's hands, and urged him from the depths of his heart: "Wenshu, at this point, you have dreamed this great dream of restoring the Han for twenty years — have you still not awakened from it!?"