Chapter 501: How Can a Tiger's Daughter Marry a Cur's Son!

"How can a daughter of the noble Tian clan, descendants of the ancient Youyu line, be married off to a nameless cur?"

Two days later, when the letter Zhou Gao, Magistrate of Xiami County, had written on Heifu's behalf arrived in Yeyi City, a furious roar suddenly erupted from deep within the Tian residence!

"This is an insult to our family!"

Tian Du, eldest son of the Yeyi Tian clan, his face full of rage, was about to tear the letter to shreds, but his father Tian Guang stopped him.

"What's the rush!"

Tian Guang was around forty years of age, the grandson of Tian Dan, the Lord of Anping from the Qi state era, and the de facto master of Yeyi City. He had a gaunt face, with a few long strands of beard hanging down to his chest.

"Father, do you truly intend to marry my little sister off to that Heifu's nephew?" Tian Du was seething with indignation, feeling deeply humiliated.

Tian Du's high opinion of himself was not without cause. Decades ago, when Yan nearly annihilated Qi, his great-grandfather Tian Dan held fast to Jimo, routed the Yan army with the Fire Ox Formation, reclaimed over seventy cities, preserved a state on the brink of extinction, and restored a defeated nation. For his deeds, he was appointed Prime Minister, enfeoffed as Lord of Anping, and granted Yeyi as his fief, enjoying the tax revenues of ten thousand households.

Although Tian Dan later fell under the Qi king's suspicion and fled to Zhao, his heart still belonged to Qi. When he led Zhao troops to attack Yan, he deliberately let the Zhao army stall abroad, wasting Zhao's funds, grain, and energy, so that Yan and Zhao would fight each other while Qi remained safe.

The Qi court, with tacit understanding, treated Tian Dan's descendants generously. By the time Tian Du came of age, the Yeyi Tian clan was at the height of its power, with the revenues of Yeyi to the east and the comforts of Shang to the west, wearing gold-studded belts as they galloped between the Zi and Sheng rivers, mingling with princes and royal grandsons.

But this life above the common herd ended after Qi surrendered without a fight. The Tian clan lost their noble title, the Qin court dispatched local officials to Yeyi, and the sea-salt business their family had run was stripped away by the government...

Tian Du, who deeply felt his family and state had been wronged by the Qin army, was furious and tried several times to resist, but was stopped each time by his father Tian Guang.

"The arm cannot twist the thigh. The King of Qi, with hundreds of thousands of armored troops, surrendered — what of our family? Better to draw the bow without releasing the arrow, and quietly observe the changes."

Tian Guang's choice was wise. After the bulk of the Qin army withdrew, the Qi region once again became the domain of the various Tian clans. By bribing the local officials, he thoroughly corrupted the Magistrate, Commandant, and Assistant of Yeyi County — those fond of beauty received maidservants and concubines, those fond of wealth received gold and coin. Once these three senior officials were in his pocket, the minor clerks below, all locals to begin with, naturally followed the Tian clan's lead.

The bribery tactic worked every time. In the years that followed, Tian Guang also reclaimed the greater part of the salt industry that had belonged to his family. Fewer people worked in the government-run salt fields, while more labored for the Tian clan, the common folk flocking to them like flowing water. It all seemed a reenactment of how the Tian clan had once supplanted the Jiang rulers of Qi.

He also had his son Tian Du collude with anti-Qin elements who had fled overseas, instructing them to pose as sea bandits and raid the coast, making the government-run salt fields unsustainable. Thus, official salt production dwindled while private salt grew ever more abundant.

The number of Qin officials in Jiaodong was small, and the Commandery Governor was a mediocre old dotard who could only control what lay within the walls of Jimo. To matters beyond the walls, he could only turn a blind eye.

If things could be maintained this way, when the realm fell into turmoil, Tian Guang need only follow the example of Wangsun Jia, who once bared his right shoulder in the marketplace of Ju and rallied the people with a single call, and thousands upon thousands would answer. Then, coordinating with the anti-Qin gallants Tian Du had drawn from overseas, along with powerful clans like the Jimo Tian, they would kill the Qin officials, seize the cities, and Jiaodong would change its banners overnight!

But last winter, the Han man Zhang Liang, who had previously passed through Yeyi on his way back inland from the Lord of Canghai, passed through this place again and brought Tian Guang some unwelcome news.

"A Qin official named Heifu is coming to Jimo to serve as Commandery Governor!"

At that time, Heifu was not yet well-known in the Qi region, so Zhang Liang introduced the man to Tian Guang and his son Tian Du.

Zhang Liang, traveling through the lands east of the pass disguised as a merchant, often heard of Heifu's deeds. They could be summed up in a few points:

He was a traitor who had forgotten his Jing-Chu origins, the most loyal black dog at the side of Qin Shi Huang, a butcher who had slaughtered countless anti-Qin patriots!

After denouncing Heifu's crimes, Zhang Liang also had to admit: "But this man is also a capable minister and a shrewd official, who has repeatedly achieved great merit and won the tyrant's deep trust, ranking alongside Meng Tian and Li Xin as one of the Three Young Generals. If he gains a firm foothold in Jiaodong, he may make things difficult for the various Tian clans here. If this persists, Heifu will become the greatest obstacle to Qi's restoration!"

And so, at Zhang Liang's suggestion, Tian Guang and Tian Du plotted an assassination attempt against Heifu.

Zhang Liang, from start to finish, merely offered a suggestion and lobbied the Jimo Tian clan on their behalf. Seeing that the matter bore no fruit, he soon departed Jiaodong with the warriors at his side.

Before leaving, he left behind a single remark: "A snake not killed will return to bite you. I fear the sky over Jiaodong is about to change — how dare I linger?"

After Zhang Liang vanished without a trace, his prediction indeed came true. Although the assassination plot had been carried out with meticulous care and the authorities could not uncover any results for the time being, Heifu still demonstrated his formidable edge: in Chunyu, he imposed authority through harsh punishments and executions; in Jimo, he established trust through an examination with monetary rewards, co-opting the garrulous intellectuals; he also invited the Agriculturalists back into Jiaodong, stabilizing the common folk around Jimo and giving them a sliver of hope for a better life.

After this combination of moves, the Jimo Tian clan was already suffering unbearably. Tian Guang, too, felt as if facing a great enemy, terrified that once Heifu secured his footing in Jimo, he would begin to move against the other counties.

However, at this point, the situation underwent some changes. Although Heifu had done many things, the results were not as significant as imagined. After all, the various Tian clans' influence in Jiaodong had accumulated over many years and could not be eliminated overnight. Once the Commandery Governor recognized this, his stance began to shift from confrontation to cooperation...

Before Heifu's inspection tour of the counties, Tian Guang received word from the Jimo Tian clan that Heifu had invited Tian Jiao to a banquet, where his tone had softened, expressing hope that the Tian clan would send its sons to the public academy. In half a year, they could be given official posts and participate in building the new commandery administration.

"I wish to govern Jiaodong jointly with the Tian scholar-officials," Commandery Governor Heifu had said to Tian Jiao.

Afterward, news came that Heifu had closed the assassination case in Chunyu County, which was tantamount to lifting a weight from Tian Guang's mind.

By then, he was already prepared to make contact with Commandery Governor Heifu, but what he received instead was this letter, penned by Zhou Gao on Heifu's behalf...

Zhou Gao had accepted no small amount of beauties and coin from Tian Guang and was already in their boat. The fact that Heifu had Zhou Gao deliver the letter meant he undoubtedly knew of their dealings.

"Yet instead of pursuing the matter, he wants to discuss the opening of the Pingdu mines with me, and even wants to marry my daughter to his nephew?"

Marriage alliances were a way for local officials to signal goodwill to powerful clans. Only with the bond of in-laws could cooperation between the two sides be achieved.

"But why would this Commandery Governor Heifu, without any prior cause, want a marriage alliance and cooperation with our family? We must remember, we even sent men to assassinate him on the Wei River," Tian Du said, his heart full of doubt.

"But he didn't manage to uncover it, did he? Therefore, in the Commandery Governor's eyes, the Yeyi Tian clan is merely a slightly larger local power. If I'm not mistaken, his recent change of course and frequent overtures to the local powers are probably to cope with the Emperor's eastern inspection tour..."

This was intelligence provided by Zhang Liang, though the specific route was unknown. Tian Guang suspected that those anti-Qin elements, so well-informed, must have someone in Xianyang tipping them off.

After much deliberation, Tian Guang still decided to attend the meeting. Seeing the reluctance on his son's face, Tian Guang told him a story:

"Back when Goujian was trapped on Mount Kuaiji and sued for peace with King Fuchai of Wu, Fuchai demanded that Goujian come to Gusu to serve as a slave. Goujian was unwilling, but Fan Li and Wen Zhong persuaded him, saying: 'In ancient times, King Tang of Shang was imprisoned by Jie in Xiatai, King Wen of Zhou was detained by King Zhou in Youli, Chong'er, Duke Wen of Jin, fled to the northern Di tribes, and Xiaobai, Duke Huan of Qi, fled to Ju — yet in the end, they all became hegemons of the realm. Seen in this light, what does this small grievance amount to?'"

"In Wu, Goujian endured every humiliation. He himself was a slave, his wife a maidservant. Whenever Fuchai traveled, Goujian would ready his chariot, kneel down to serve as Fuchai's stepping stone, and even went so far as to taste his excrement."

"Thus, Fuchai no longer doubted Goujian and released him back to his state. Goujian slept on brushwood and tasted gall, spent ten years on livelihood and ten years on military training, and in the end, he annihilated Wu and avenged himself!"

After finishing the story of Goujian's restoration, Tian Guang said to Tian Du:

"Your grandfather, the Lord of Anping, once left these words for his descendants: 'He who holds fullness aligns with Heaven; he who stabilizes the toppling aligns with Man; he who regulates affairs aligns with Earth.'

"Goujian could overturn his downfall because he understood the Way of Man — the art of bending and stretching."

"The Yeyi Tian clan has been able to maintain its achievements and wealth for so long because Grandfather understood the Way of Heaven — to be full without overflowing."

"The Tian clan was able to supplant the rulers of Qi because they understood the Way of Earth — adapting to local conditions!"

"If we wish to restore our state, we must diligently study these three ways of Heaven, Earth, and Man. Since the assassination of Heifu failed, we cannot openly oppose him. It's still the same saying: the arm cannot twist the thigh. Once Qin troops are called in to suppress us, our clan is finished! Since he intends to cooperate with the various Tian clans, we might as well pretend to grant his wish..."

Tian Guang looked over the letter in his hand once more and said with difficulty:

"As for my daughter, what harm is there in marrying her to that nephew of his? This way, he won't be able to move against our family during his tenure as governor!"

Tian Du grew frantic: "This is pushing my little sister into a pit of fire! When the realm falls into turmoil and our family rises up, what will become of her?"

Tian Guang pushed open the window lattice and glanced at his daughter, who was playing in the courtyard, swatting at butterflies with her companions. He sighed: "Three generations of the Yeyi Tian clan have always been loyal to Qi. I believe that when that day comes, my daughter will also understand the principle that any man can be a husband, but one has only a single father!"

"Let it be so. For safety's sake, I will attend the meeting alone. You will remain in Yeyi. If anything changes... do not hesitate. Act according to the plan that Zhang Zifang proposed!"

Early the next morning, Tian Guang selected a not overly luxurious carriage and, with several dozen servants and retainers, set out on the journey.

Leaving Yeyi to the southwest, they passed through the townships of Yangle and Dangli. This area was near the coast, where fishermen often fished by the sea. Correspondingly, the land was full of salt and brine, making reclamation and cultivation somewhat difficult.

However, thanks to three generations of the Tian clan's management, Yeyi had developed quite well, transforming the former salt-brine lands into stretches of farmland. The harvest this year looked very good; after entering summer, the rains had been plentiful, and the millet sprouts in the fields were growing gratifyingly, undulating with every gust of wind. In those bare fields, hemp and beans had also been planted. The busy farming season had temporarily ended, and only scattered groups of farmers were weeding in the fields, singing simple folk songs as they worked. That they still had the energy to sing showed they could usually eat their fill.

As for the rugged areas where the five grains could not grow, they were planted with economic trees like elms, mulberries, chestnuts, and peaches, which had already grown tall, lush and verdant.

And the field paths they walked were no worse than the few roads the Commandant Heifu had recently ordered built, wide enough for two carts to travel side by side. The ditches along the fields were also neatly laid out, channeling streams flowing down from the hills to irrigate the crops — things the farmers would never have done on their own, all organized and repaired by Tian Guang's family back when they were still enfeoffed lords.

That Ye County could be so prosperous was owed in no small part to Tian Guang and his father, and the local people remembered their kindness. Seeing Tian Guang pass by, even an old farmer resting at the field's edge would walk to the roadside and bow to him with deep respect, saying, "Lord Tian."

Though stripped of their noble status, in the eyes of Ye County's people, Tian Guang was the enfeoffed lord who looked after their lives, not some dog-fart Ye County Magistrate or Jiaodong Commandant!

Tian Guang humbly nodded back to them, a temperament inherited from his grandfather Tian Dan. Back when Tian Dan was Chancellor, he once gave his own fur coat to save a man in a snowstorm — a good name that had been passed down to this very day.

"The people's hearts — this is what my family relies on to stand firm in Jiaodong. That Jiaodong Commandant must have realized he can't do anything to my family, and could only turn to seeking cooperation."

The next day, the party arrived at Pingdu Township. Compared to half a year ago, it had grown much livelier after a gold mine was discovered here. With the Commandant's arrival, the guest lodges were all vacated, and the township temple was packed to the brim, yet the roads showed no sign of heavy security.

After Tian Guang's party announced themselves, someone immediately led them inside. Most of Tian Guang's attendants were stopped, and only a few were permitted to enter.

The moment he stepped into the courtyard, he heard a burst of hearty laughter.

"I have always admired Lord Anping. To meet his grandson today is truly a stroke of luck."

A dark-faced Qin official strode out, dressed in a light, informal official robe. This must be that Commandant Heifu...

"Tian Guang, a commoner of Ye County, pays respects to the Lord Commandant."

Heifu hurried forward to help Tian Guang up, took him by the hand and invited him inside for a detailed talk, while at the same time ordering a retainer of his named Liu Ji to take those few retainers following closely behind Tian Guang to the next room for drinks and good hospitality.

Seeing the Commandant so warm and enthusiastic, half of Tian Guang's misgivings melted away. He nodded to those one-in-a-hundred, highly skilled retainers of his, then followed Heifu into the township temple's main hall.

"This official has many important matters to discuss thoroughly with Lord Tian..."

The two men, each wanting the other dead, were now acting like old friends who had not seen each other for years.

Heifu was all politeness on his lips, but after entering the main hall, Tian Guang sensed something was wrong!

Inside the hall, from the doorway to the interior, stood over a dozen fully armed warriors, looking at him as if he were prey that had stepped into a trap of its own accord!

"Damn it, I've been tricked!"

Tian Guang was horrified and was about to bolt for the door, but the door behind him slammed shut with a bang. Cao Can, leading several commandery soldiers, had cut off his retreat. At the same time, the faint sounds of fighting and killing came from outside!

His feet seemed to take root, unable to move another step. He knew that everything today was a snare, a snare set to lure him into the trap.

When he turned back, Heifu had already seated himself in the host's seat. With a wave of his hand, men who had long been prepared rushed forward, seized Tian Guang, and pinned him to the ground with his arms twisted behind him!

With no way out, Tian Guang could only sneer: "Did the Commandant not say in his letter that he wished to discuss a marriage alliance between our children? What is the meaning of this? Everyone says the Commandant is a meritorious minister, a hero of the realm, so I believed the Commandant's words. Who would have thought you are a faithless, scheming, shameless scoundrel!"

Heifu, however, laughed and said, "My good faith is for friends and common people, not for an enemy who wants my life. Tian Guang, your father and son sent men to assassinate me on the Wei River — does that not count as scheming?"

Besides, 'all warfare is based on deception' — that seems to have been invented by someone from Qi as well...

He had deliberately closed the case on Chunyu's assassination to deceive Tian Guang and his father, making them think he had uncovered nothing...

Having said that, Heifu spread his hands again: "And besides, just use your brain and you'll know..."

"How could the son of a distinguished two-thousand-bushel official marry the daughter of a treasonous rebel?"

PS: A big four-thousand-character chapter, this is the only chapter today.

(End of chapter)