Chapter 424: Mastery Through Comprehensive Understanding

Che Cai had been lodging at the Marshal's Manor these past few days. Though he was well fed and clothed and received excellent care, he still couldn't help trembling with fear in front of Liu Chengzong.

Even though he knew that Liu Chengzong had unintentionally avenged the annihilation of his clan, and he genuinely regarded him as a benefactor from the bottom of his heart, he could not stop the terror within.

This had nothing to do with good or evil; it was because the imposing, majestic young man before him was the king of a rebel army.

It was just as people fear the emperor — not because they fear the emperor himself, that man born deep in the palace and raised in the hands of women, sitting on the dragon throne in the Forbidden City.

But because such a man could unintentionally avenge someone's annihilated clan, and could just as easily, without the slightest awareness, annihilate a clan.

This made Che Cai tense during their conversation, and as he incoherently tried to explain to Liu the Lion what a Western Confucian was, he was stopped by a raised hand.

Liu Chengzong could see Che Cai's unease; in this state, he had no way of drawing out the information he wanted.

He first gestured for Che Cai to sit down properly, then slowed his speech as much as possible and said amiably, "Brother Che, Sanlang has joined me, and her second sister was once married to you. In a manner of speaking, you and I are brothers-in-law. You've come all this way — even if it wasn't to join me, meeting by chance like this makes me very happy."

He asked, "How have you been these past few years?"

Che Cai opened his mouth, clasped his fists, and managed only half a sentence: "The Grand Marshal honors me, I…"

Though addressed as "brother," Che Cai was actually older than Liu Laoye. Originally, his bowing and scraping and nervousness only made him seem somewhat pitiable.

Now, asked by Liu the Lion how he'd been these past few years, the past surged into his mind, vivid and clear. He suddenly choked up, his eyes reddening. Only after a moment did he recover, shaking his head with a sigh.

His entire clan destroyed, life hopeless, alone and wretched, drifting from place to place — how could he have been?

He said, "The year the Grand Marshal entered Shanxi, the region north of Taiyuan was plundered by bandit hordes, while south of Taiyuan soldiers rioted and slaughtered each other. I was robbed in the north, and my family was wiped out in the south. With no road left to take, I sought refuge under Military Defense Circuit Li Shien, working as a hanger-on."

Li Shien.

Liu Chengzong searched his memory. The name left no impression. But back then, his troops had been blocked at Kulong Pass and couldn't enter Fenzhou Prefecture; it was a Military Defense Circuit who had led those troops.

"Later, Military Defense Commissioner Li was dismissed for failing to suppress the bandits. I fled the bandits to Jiangzhou, and was fortunate to be taken in by the Three Han of Hedong. That's how I've come to this day."

"The Three Han of Hedong?"

Che Cai explained, "The Han family are local gentry of Jiang County. Their ancestor was Han Zhong, Minister of Works. The clansmen trade in Puzhou. In this generation, there are three brothers: Yun, Lin, and Xia, all devoted to calligraphy and literature. Among them, Han Yun passed the provincial exam in the 40th year of Wanli and served as a department magistrate; Han Lin passed the provincial exam in the first year of Tianqi. The two brothers' calligraphy is extremely accomplished. They studied military strategy under Xu Guangqi and firearms and artillery under Gao Yizhi. The two brothers Yun and Lin also studied Yin Fu Spear and Taiji Fist from childhood under their maternal grandfather Wang Zongyue. They are men of both literary and martial talent."

Impressive skills!

Listening to Che Cai's introduction of the Han brothers, Liu Chengzong couldn't help but praise them inwardly. He then asked, "Studied military strategy under Xu Guangqi and firearms and artillery under Gao Yizhi. Xu was expert in Western learning. You said Gao Yizhi is also a Western Confucian — so the Han brothers both converted?"

Che Cai nodded. In fact, he had also converted.

At first, he was a hanger-on for the Han brothers. Han Lin did not take office; he built fortifications, collected books, and occasionally lectured in his hometown. Because Che Cai had once served as a Confucian Instructor, he could be of help.

During this time, he converted and followed Han Lin in studying Heavenly Learning… They called those Western subjects Heavenly Learning, a concept devised by Li Zhizao. In Shanxi, it took a form similar to an association for socializing with the upper class, rather than a religious sect.

The facts proved this was helpful to Che Cai, whether as spiritual solace — hoping that Su'niang, Yue'niang, and the other clansmen who had met sudden calamity could find a good destination — or in real life, through the vast community of fellow converts in Shanxi, both brought great benefit.

The drought and the incursions of roving bandits had greatly facilitated missionary work. Now in Shanxi, converts among the scholar-gentry who held examination degrees alone numbered nearly two hundred.

Seeing that Che Cai's expression had lost its initial panic after speaking of these things, Liu Chengzong finally asked, "You said two Western Confucians seek passage, wanting to go west. Why don't they go south and take the sea route? Compared to my territory, that should be safer."

This matter puzzled Liu the Lion greatly. Crossing the uninhabited lands of Qinghai, and then traversing territory controlled by Yarkand — wasn't this absurd?

He suspected the two Western Confucians' destination was very likely not India, but his own Qinghai.

But Che Cai shook his head. "The Grand Marshal may not know, but the southern route is impassable. This year, the armies of the various leaders from Shanxi and Shaanxi are fighting government troops in the Taihang Mountains. Last year the Yellow River burst its banks, and this year Henan suffered great floods again. Everywhere, famine refugees have turned to banditry."

"From Guanzhong to Lanzhou is the safest road."

Ah, this… Liu the Lion was stunned. This was truly something he hadn't expected.

Che Cai added, "They originally wanted to take the sea route, but Zheng Zhilong refused to escort them aboard, citing chaos at sea. I heard this from others — the southern seas are probably not peaceful either."

"They could even contact Zheng Zhilong?"

Liu Chengzong found this deeply curious, but after a moment's thought, he felt it wasn't really so strange. After all, the Westerners had come from the sea in the first place, and moreover, Han Yun had risen to department magistrate, while Zheng Zhilong had only been induced to surrender by Xiong Wencan and held the mere rank of Guerrilla Commander.

He did not pursue this matter further and asked, "These two Western Confucians you mentioned — who are they?"

Che Cai read his expression and sensed that Liu Chengzong seemed to hold some prejudice against Western Confucians. He said, "I don't know either. Gao Yizhi didn't tell me. But I'd guess they might be Portuguese instructors who fled back from the chaos in the east."

Having said this, he added another line: "If the Grand Marshal is interested, he could retain and employ them."

Liu Chengzong narrowed his eyes and looked at Che Cai, until Che Cai's hair stood on end.

Che Cai had no idea what he'd just said when he heard Liu Chengzong ask, "Is this your guess, or did they say it?"

Liu Chengzong felt that this was Gao Yizhi's original intention.

Che Cai was probably just a messenger. After all, at a time when friend and foe were hard to distinguish, Gao Yizhi could not possibly persuade anyone truly useful by his side to come to Qinghai.

Che Cai hurriedly said, "No one told me this. I simply thought, if there are Portuguese instructors from the Leiden revolt, there's no reason the Grand Marshal couldn't retain them at a time when he needs men."

Liu Chengzong turned and had someone bring milk wine for Che Cai. He leaned sideways against the back of his chair, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly asked, out of nowhere, "I've also read Xu's books. Have you ever heard a concept in his writings: 'To seek to surpass, one must first achieve mastery'?"

"I know it!"

Although Che Cai didn't know why Liu Chengzong brought up this phrase, he quickly added, "There are four more characters after it: 'Before achieving mastery, one must first translate.'"

"The latter part is useless. I only wanted to discuss the first eight characters with you."

Liu Chengzong waved his hand dismissively, then looked at Che Cai and asked with utter sincerity, "Being a hanger-on in Shanxi, kept and at ease, is naturally comfortable. But for them to actually send you here to deliver a message — does Brother Che understand the risks involved?"

He could see that Che Cai, though nominally a minor gentry with an examination degree who would have been addressed as 'Laoye' in the past, now seemed to be living a difficult life under someone else's roof.

Anyone with the slightest influence would never have been sent here to deliver a message to him.

But to his surprise, Che Cai smiled with what he thought was a look of resignation — though to Liu the Lion, the smile looked utterly miserable — and said, "Eat a man's pay, be loyal to his affairs."

Liu Chengzong shook his head disapprovingly. "The slightest mishap on the road, or if my army's discipline were just a little worse, and you'd never have lived to see me. Now you have no kin to turn to. I count as half a relative of yours. Hehuang is also in need of men — would you be willing to stay and work under me?"

Che Cai was willing, but truth be told, he was very worried he wouldn't do a good job.

In the few days he'd been staying in the New City, he had already heard that some time ago, a group of Mongol nobles from the grasslands had acclaimed Liu Chengzong as their Great Khan. But this matter had little impact; in his eyes, Liu Chengzong's more important identity was still the king of a rebel army.

In fact, unlike Liu Chengzong's self-perception as the King of Qinghai, Che Cai believed that Liu Chengzong was still connected to all the ringleaders rebelling in Northern Zhili, Shanxi, and Henan.

Because the banners under which the various leaders rebelled were too numerous and fragmented, and they constantly moved about, the court couldn't distinguish or remember them and had no idea who was who. Even now, only a scant few ringleaders were remembered by name.

Just from what Che Cai knew, there were several different accounts of who the rebel leader was who defeated Zuo Liangyu at Wu'an. Some said it was Bu Zhan'ni, a subordinate general of the King Across the Heavens; others said it was the Calabash King of Shanxi; still others said it was the Lone Wolf, a subordinate general left in Shaanxi by the Grand Marshal of Qinghai; and yet others said it was the Dashing King, Gao Yingxiang.

These were the only few names they knew. Even setting aside the matter of people using false names, even without false names, whenever something happened, people would pin the blame on these few individuals.

Take, for example, Gao Yingxiang, who had been diligently farming in northern Shaanxi. The man hadn't budged from his spot for years, yet in the memories of the Shanxi common folk, he had already swept through, plundering over a dozen prefectures, departments, and counties at least three times.

Therefore, in Che Cai's eyes, for Liu Chengzong to possess the ability to control rebel armies from thousands of li away, the talent reserve behind him must be extraordinarily vast. He did not believe that he himself, a mere Confucian Instructor, had the great ability to participate in such grand affairs.

But after Liu Chengzong finished asking, he showed no intention of continuing the conversation, which made Che Cai feel as if he were sitting on a bed of nails. Gritting his teeth, Che Cai said fiercely, "I am honored by the Marshal's regard — I could not ask for more!"

"Good!"

Hearing the affirmative answer, Liu Chengzong was very pleased. In truth, what he had been thinking about was not that Che Cai was utterly alone in the world, but that Fan Sanlang was utterly alone in the world. Having a second brother-in-law delivered right to his doorstep was excellent.

And indeed, even if he was just an old Xiucai scholar, to the talent-starved Marshal's Manor he was by no means dispensable.

He said, "Since you are willing to stay with me, then I can trust you. Here is what I want: write a few letters to Gao Yizhi or Han Lin, as tokens and a reply. Tell them their people may come, and I can guarantee their safety in Qinghai. However, I have one requirement — have them collect some books for me, ones related to Western learning."

Che Cai froze and asked, "Does the Marshal mean I am not to go back? Then who will deliver the letters?"

"The journey there and back is long, and you would not be safe on the road. I will have someone else handle this matter; you only need to write the letters." Liu Chengzong waved his hand dismissively. "Rest assured, just tell me where Han Lin is, and the letter will certainly reach his hands."

Che Cai thought to himself: Just as I suspected!

Liu Chengzong really could control the bandit hordes of northern Shaanxi from afar!

He asked cautiously, "Marshal, you wouldn't send men to besiege the Han Family Fortress, would you?"

Hearing this, Liu the Lion knew Che Cai's thoughts had gone astray. Where would he get such ability, to manipulate the various rebel kings of northern Shaanxi from thousands of li away?

Of course, the truth of the matter might exceed Che Cai's imagination. Second Master Liu might not be able to control rebel kings remotely, but he could command a vassal prince, and could even remotely control a Regional Commander and a Guard Commander.

Liu Chengzong laughed. "What if I told you I'd send a Brocade Guard to deliver the letter to Han Lin — would you believe me?"

Che Cai's head bobbed like a pestle pounding garlic. Liu the Lion said, "Sycophantic flattery is no good. You actually believe that? Relax, I don't have that kind of ability."

Having said that, Liu the Lion shifted his tone. "Since you are willing to work with me, there are some things I can tell you now. Regarding this notion of 'if you wish to surpass, you must first integrate'... I am deeply wary of the Western Confucians. For the sake of your own life, do not get too close to them."

Che Cai wanted to argue a few points in defense of the Western Confucians, but fear held him back, leaving him struggling to speak.

Liu Chengzong said, "Examine their words and observe their deeds. Xu said 'surpass and integrate,' 'integrate and translate.' I ask you — did they translate?"

Che Cai nodded. "Han Lin alone, in Jiang County, together with Wei Doushu, Duan Gun, and others, translated and edited several volumes, including 'The Education of Children,' 'Western Learning: Self-Cultivation,' 'Western Learning: Ordering the Family,' and 'Western Learning: Governing and Pacifying.'"

"Fine. Then did they integrate?"

Che Cai hesitated slightly. Before he could get a word out, Liu Chengzong rebuked him: "Integrate my ass!"

"Lord Xu was deceived like a fool. Those Western barbarians are full of lies, saying their homeland hasn't seen war in eight hundred years, that it's a land of Yao and Shun where doors are not closed at night... What a coincidence — I know a Rus breed who has spent his whole life drifting from place to place, even worse off than you."

But Che Cai showed no surprise on his face. He merely smiled and said, "Marshal, we all know that too. No one takes that seriously. We learn the good things from them — building gun platforms, cannon-making rules, mathematics. And as for the Heavenly Learning, these things about self-cultivation and ordering the family, teaching diligence and temperance — that's not a bad thing either."

Liu Chengzong smiled disdainfully, then nodded and said with a serious expression, "Right. That is why I believe the extent to which Lord Xu was deceived is only a matter of degree. There is indeed a gap between us and them, but the gap in my eyes does not lie in the things you have learned... The gap lies precisely in that sentence of Xu's: 'If you wish to surpass, you must first integrate.'"

Che Cai blinked. "Is that wrong?"

Liu Chengzong shook his head. "Since the time of Ricci, Western barbarians have infiltrated Haojing'ao, spread along the coast of Guang and China, ventured deep into the interior under the pretense of trade and study, even resided in Beijing to have an audience with the Emperor. Even in Sanyuan, Shaanxi, there are Western monks calling themselves Western Confucians, debating the classics with scholars and deceiving the common people into converting."

He spoke with absolute conviction. "Can you still not feel it? It is they who are integrating us."

Che Cai's eyes widened. Where did that come from?

He had thought that when Liu Chengzong said 'if you wish to surpass, you must first integrate,' he meant the Marshal's Manor also intended to integrate Western learning.

"For our nation's men of insight to learn good things from them — the idea is not wrong, but the approach is flawed... When one outsider stands among ten thousand of us, who do you think is observing whom, and who is learning from whom?"

Liu Chengzong looked at Che Cai. Che Cai could not produce an answer.

He continued, pointing to the west. "Separated by mountains and seas, the Rus had a peasant uprising over twenty years ago, and I only learned of it a few days ago. We rose up in Shaanxi — how long do you think it will take the various Western nations to know?"

Liu Chengzong spoke with absolute conviction. "If I rise up in Yan'an today, the Western barbarians in Sanyuan will know by next month. Half a year later, the news will reach Guangdong, and the Western barbarians in Macao will also learn of it. A year after that, crossing the sea by boat, the news will reach the other side of the world."

"What does 'if you wish to surpass, you must first integrate' mean? Their ships run back and forth across the seas, their people are everywhere under heaven, able to gather news from all the world, learn all the world's techniques, then integrate them all and create even better skills and crafts."

"They pull out a bit of gun and cannon craft, teach a few methods and techniques, and without you even noticing, they learn everything you have. They don't even have toothbrushes, they don't even have a bureaucratic system, they're still stuck in the pre-Qin feudal era. And now, thanks to the help of scholars, they'll have everything."

"If the Western barbarians were truly that formidable, they would have swallowed Fujian and Guangdong long ago. If they could win by fighting, who would bother with all this? What's more, if they were truly useful, the court hired them — the Emperor should have already recovered Liaodong!"

Liu Chengzong shook his head. "The Han brothers squat in Shanxi, and whatever the Western monks feed them, they eat. I don't understand — you call this integration?"

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Good evening!