Having settled affairs at the camp, the two Lius set off at once, moving as leisurely as if they were just going to set up their mat stall as before.
In truth, they had departed alongside Third Grandpa Liu and his group. Only upon reaching Jingkou Road did they split: Third Grandpa Liu and the others stayed at the roadside market to continue selling mats and winter ramie sandals, while Liu Cheng and Liu Jili—having long since concealed their sack of silver vessels inside a large bag of prepared straw—kept going east with the mule, heading straight for the foot of Beigu Mountain.
Jingkou Road was the most vital official road in the Great Jin imperial court, and its wide reach went without saying. Yet the journey proved bumpy and halting. Liu Jili noticed a shift in Liu Cheng's mood and had meant to ask about it, but the chance never came.
The reason was simple: there were simply too many people traveling back and forth, especially heading east.
It was not just the carriage trains of the exalted nobility. There were also retinues of low-ranking gentry who looked every bit like refugee commanders—much like Liu Ren Gong—and officials of every rank from across Southern Xuzhou, all hurrying toward the foot of Beigu Mountain. So many people, every last one eager to see the Grand Commander, and each arriving in grand processions of carriages and horses... Regardless of the imperial army's recent defeat or his loss of influence, the Grand Commander remained the birth father of the empress dowager ruling from behind the curtain. He was the sky above Southern Xuzhou. Now was precisely the time one ought to rush forward to profess loyalty.
With so many people, along with lower-class hangers-on like Liu Cheng and Liu Jili, not to mention the merchants who regularly traveled the road, how could the thoroughfare not be congested?
It was especially difficult for the two Lius, who possessed only a single pack mule they could not even ride. Whenever a carriage train or mounted retinue approached from behind, they had no choice but to step aside. Thus they stumbled, dodged, and edged their way forward until dusk was falling. Their legs ached and their feet were numb, yet thirty li of the journey still remained.
Fortunately, Liu Jili knew the area well. Though they could not seek lodging with wealthy folk like Liu A'gan's family, he managed to find a settlement outside a garrison town before dark. Spending eight Shen Lang coins, each man ate a coarse rice ball and drank a bowl of salty, nearly flavorless dried-shrimp soup. But carrying silver vessels made them wary of staying at an inn or displaying their wealth. After eating, they went back outside and spent the night sleeping in the open, huddled against the windbreak of the garrison town's outer wall.
After such an ordeal, to say nothing of yesterday's soaring spirits, even Liu Jili had lost the energy to feel curious.
Early the next morning, disheveled and caked in dust, their skin pulled tight, they had to wash their faces in a stream before continuing eastward. Just before noon, they finally reached the easternmost end of Jingkou Road, crossed the canal, and arrived at the foot of Beigu Mountain.
Now, the canal connecting the Three Wu region with the Yangtze River had originally been excavated from the western foot of Beigu Mountain, running southeast directly into the heartland of Three Wu. Because Jingkou Road to the west led straight to Jiankang and South Mountain restricted the available space, opening official markets west of the canal was forbidden; that area held only docks, government offices, and warehouses servicing the waterway. Conversely, east of the canal, stretching outward from the foot of Beigu Mountain along the waterway, a massive, bustling commercial hub rivaling a full city had formed almost naturally.
If one were forced to designate a downtown core for the broader Jingkou area in this era, it would be this district east of the canal, beneath Beigu Mountain and Iron-Urn City.
In particular, the corner adjoining both the canal and Beigu Mountain had an official name: Jingkouli. Indeed, that was the origin of the name "Greater Jingkou."
Returning to the matter at hand, after spending five Shen Lang coins to cross the canal into Jingkouli, the two Lius finally relaxed a little. Rather than rushing to search for their party, they found an eatery backing onto the canal, asked the prices, and laid out a dozen Shen Lang coins. They ordered four large bowls of bean porridge and a dish of salted vegetables, eating thoroughly until fully satisfied. Having openly enjoyed their feast on the public purse, they rested for a while, taking in the sights of shops, fleets of boats, bondservants, official retainers, and merchants, all while listening to stray gossip.
Only then did they stand and set about asking around the commercial quarter at the foot of Beigu Mountain without haste.
By afternoon, alongside the official road south of Iron-Urn City at the foot of Beigu Mountain, they finally spotted Liu Zhi and his sons standing beside the road like common underlings.
To their surprise, although worn out, dusty, visibly tense, and clearly standing on numb feet—without even the privilege of waiting inside Iron-Urn City—the father and sons were remarkably full of spirit. Liu Huzi had even stepped away from his father and elder brothers to argue about something with a youth of his own age across the road.
He seemed to be bragging about his tiger skin!
Mid-conversation, Liu Huzi looked back and caught sight of Liu Cheng. He immediately waved with a smile, but a second later he glimpsed Liu Jili trailing behind. His expression turned awkward, and he waved his hands repeatedly, signaling for them to stay away.
Baffled, Liu Cheng simply turned and crossed the official road to find Liu Zhi, Liu Ren Gong.
Right there by the wayside, Liu Cheng gave a detailed report of the past two days' events: from hunting the tiger to inadvertently disturbing the Xie clan's picnic canopies, the division of spoils upon returning, their possession of the silver vessels, and their use of public funds that morning for bean porridge and salted vegetables. This was the true purpose of his coming. Those hundred bolts of cloth were immensely valuable—at least far too valuable for the present refugee camp and Liu Ren Gong's household. While dividing them had been reasonable and matched the mood of the moment, a timely report was essential.
After all, Liu Ren Gong was the camp's refugee commander.
Halfway through the account, cold sweat broke out across Liu Ren Gong's brow. He had heard about it from his son yesterday, but if Liu Huzi could manage to tell a story from start to finish, that was already an achievement; how could the boy discern what was trivial and what was grave?
Only upon hearing Liu Cheng detail how the matter had been smoothed over, and how the Xie family had discarded the canopies like worn straw sandals, did Liu Ren Gong breathe an immense sigh of relief. "That day I insisted you go along, A'cheng. Thank heavens you did, or how else could we have averted disaster? As for the cloth, you handled it splendidly. It was A'hu who failed to grasp the weight of things... Leaving behind a hundred bolts of cloth and running off without a thought for our camp's situation! If a hundred bolts had sat there untouched for two or three days, blood would have been shed! As for the silver vessels, they can certainly be used, but since they belong to the Xie clan, no matter how exquisite they are, they cannot be offered directly as gifts. We'd have to find someone to exchange them first, and I fear there isn't enough time."
"Then I'll do my best to exchange them this afternoon, in case we need them tomorrow," Liu Cheng said, concluding his report before asking in turn, "How are things on your end, Ren Gong? Has it gone smoothly?"
"Fairly smoothly, all things considered." Only now did a touch of pleasure appear on Liu Zhi's face. "Your Uncle Gao truly did his utmost. In the end, we secured a spot in line. The subordinate officials from the Grand Commander's Headquarters even came out to speak with us. It's just uncertain whether we will be granted an audience today or tomorrow... Originally, they said today, but this morning word spread that the Chief Clerk of the headquarters has returned from Pengcheng. This Chief Clerk is surnamed Xun and comes from no ordinary pedigree, so the Grand Commander is hosting a banquet for him on short notice. It's unclear whether we'll be seen this afternoon."
"I reckon it will be tomorrow. It's better for A'cheng to go exchange the silver vessels," Liu Sheng could not resist chiming in. "Father, look over there. Liu A'gan's father, Liu Ying Gong, brought who knows how much gold and silver with him. He even has a folding stool to sit on, right at the front outside the main gate... If the Grand Commander catches a chill or something after seeing him, won't our trip have been for nothing?"
"The Grand Commander enjoys blessings vast as heaven; don't speak nonsense," Liu Zhi chided with a helpless wave. "Ying Gong seeks an official post for his only son, Liu A'gan, whereas we only seek relief to see us through the winter. It's not the same thing... Your Uncle Gao urged us repeatedly: we lack roots, so our turn won't come first, whereas Ying Gong's family has been coming here for years. Besides, if we truly want to present gifts, what good would a little silver do? At most, it might buy off some bondservants at the gates. We have no connections inside whatsoever."
Liu Sheng hesitated, yet could only exchange glances with his brother Liu Pei before looking at Liu Cheng.
Catching their drift, Liu Cheng nodded directly. "Brother Jili and I will head into Jingkouli to exchange it for broken silver... Useful or not, we should be prepared!"
Only then did the Liu brothers nod.
Liu Zhi could only sigh.
Turning around, Liu Cheng had already deduced the reason behind Liu Huzi's strange gestures across the official road. He asked plainly, "Is that Liu A'gan's family over there?"
"Who else?" Liu Jili scoffed. "Liu A'hu probably figured that since Liu A'gan's family is from Pei Commandery and you claim to be from Qiao Commandery, you might be from a closely related branch, so he wanted to call you over to get acquainted. But seeing me follow along, he knew it would be too awkward face-to-face, so he waved us away."
Having spent some time in Jingkou and possessing a natural habit of inquiring into such matters, Liu Cheng had developed a solid understanding of these dynamics. Strictly according to ritual propriety, once a family relocated to another commandery and lived there for three generations, they were considered to have taken root; they ought to preface their surname with the new commandery's name.
In reality, because of ancestral commanderies, these clans invariably continued to use the commandery title that carried the greatest prestige for their bloodline.
Take Liu A'gan's family: their ancestors had moved to Pei Principality several generations ago. By rights, they ought to call themselves the Pei Liu clan. Yet whether in their own words or when addressed by others, they were called the Pengcheng Liu clan. First, in terms of bloodline, they truly had originated from Pengcheng; second, the Pei Liu clan already held its own ancestral seat south of the river, one that was remarkably illustrious, and if one tried to claim kinship without right, they would never acknowledge it—Xie An's wife, in fact, hailed from that very family.
And if Liu A'gan's family had no choice because the Pei Liu clan already occupied the prestigious seat, Garrison Commander Gao's family was even more direct. His household had reportedly moved from Bohai to the neighboring Le'an Commandery over a century ago, and now they had traveled south across the river. Strictly speaking, calling themselves the Le'an Gao clan would have been entirely legitimate, yet they clung tenaciously to the title of the Bohai Gao clan!
Even Liu Cheng himself had encountered this. Because Qiao Commandery possessed no corresponding prestigious ancestral branch, his initial claim to be a Liu from Qiao Commandery had sounded peculiar to Liu Huzi, leading to the assumption that he belonged to the Pengcheng Liu clan and eventually introducing him to an entire cluster of Pengcheng Lius.
Why was this the case? The answer was written plain on their faces.
One did not need any other occasion: looking right now from Liu Ying Gong and his son waiting outside Iron-Urn City, to Liu Ren Gong's three sons—Liu Sheng, Liu Pei, and Liu Jian—and even to Liu Jili beside him, dark-faced as he led the mule, Liu Cheng could easily read two words on every face: official post.
A moment's thought explained it all. In an era where political prestige was shared across a clan, maintaining an ancestral commandery meant retaining shared eligibility for official appointments.
Political interest was the core.
If someone became an official—a high official, consistently across successive generations—then after a few generations, the pedigree granted under the Nine-Rank system would follow, naturally creating a prestigious ancestral commandery. Conversely, if a family went two or three generations without holding office, each generation would inevitably decline compared to the last.
Just as Garrison Commander Gao had said before, in legal theory there were only Second-Rank illustrious gates and secondary clans, but what of reality?
In reality, even among the Second-Rank illustrious gates, there was a stark hierarchy of discrimination. Below them, based on region and official rank, that ladder of prejudice was paved thoroughly. Forget holding no office at all; merely failing to hold high office over the long run caused a family's status to plummet through the tiers: illustrious gates, secondary clans, humble lineages, military clans... Plummeting to the very bottom left families like Liu Ren Gong's and Liu A'gan's, whose pedigree had broken off, reducing them to textbook bottom-tier gentry.
Only out of sympathy for fellow sufferers did others still recognize them as members of the gentry, preserving a sliver of hope for official service. In truth, they possessed nothing. Any thought of the Nine-Rank system was out of the question; they could only strive to become stalwart soldiers.
Under such circumstances, stretching ancestral clan ties to an absurd degree was, in essence, a form of political insurance.
Having grasped this truth, Liu Cheng naturally could not resist verifying it with Jingkou's resident know-it-all beside him. "Liu A'gan's family lacks neither money nor men; do they simply want an official post?"
"Naturally," Liu Jili nodded at once, his expression slightly strange, as though asking why such an obvious question needed to be voiced.
"Can he truly become an official?" Liu Cheng asked as he led the mule toward the busiest stretch of Jingkouli.
"It depends on what sort of official. If he merely seeks to be a stalwart soldier, it is entirely feasible... As it happens, the defeat in Qingzhou cost several thousand soldiers and horses, and the Northern Garrison is currently recruiting to replenish its ranks. So long as the Grand Commander gives the word, a post like garrison commander is tailored precisely for someone like Liu A'gan," Liu Jili replied earnestly. "Moreover, Liu A'gan is an only son, and his grandfather once served as Chancellor of Guangling across the river, so their local connections are still intact. This is indeed a prime opportunity."
"Indeed. I nearly forgot the circumstances of the times. And what do you make of the men in Liu Ren Gong's family?"
"If Liu Huzi presents that tiger skin to display his martial valor, it's possible for him. But for his two elder brothers, at their age, wouldn't becoming stalwart soldiers be laughable?"
"Fair point." Liu Cheng nodded, then pressed further, "What about you? The other day when we were catching fish, Liu Huzi interrupted before you could finish. You never did share your own aspirations!"
"I..." Liu Jili looked somewhat embarrassed. "To tell you the truth, our branch was the most illustrious of the Pengcheng Liu clan in recent decades, which is why I was never willing to settle for being a stalwart soldier. But over the past two or three years, growing poorer by the day, I haven't even had the means to become a stalwart soldier. I truly lost my drive—until I met you. Seeing someone so young possess such ambition, and with such seasoned maturity, made me feel ashamed and rekindled my resolve."
Sure enough, every single one of them wanted to be an official. Liu Jili, who had previously criticized these northern refugee commanders for caring only about official appointments, aimed even higher: he wanted to be a high official.
Liu Cheng gave this "clansman" a sidelong glance, momentarily at a loss for words. After a long pause, as they reached the main street of Jingkouli, he finally remarked, "If that's the case, I only hope that whether it's you or Huzi, you'll make a name for yourselves early so you can give me a helping hand."
These words were spoken in all sincerity. Just yesterday he had realized how difficult it was to build a fortified manor; one had to stay in the good graces of these prospective officials.
"'If you gain riches and honor, do not forget us,'" Liu Jili quoted with a shake of his head, citing the famous ancient adage. "If the day comes when you are in a position to lead a northern expedition, don't forget to lift us up either... Though for now, we still have to rely more on Liu A'hu."
Liu Cheng could only nod.
Across the road, Liu Huzi was still boasting of his tiger skin to Liu A'gan. Liu A'gan, sharing a youth's pride, knew full well that his father had spent a fortune clearing paths and that his family outstripped Liu Huzi's by far in Jingkou. Yet facing that blood-stained tiger skin, he genuinely felt outdone!
In the end, this tall, fair-skinned scion of the lower gentry, who was merely eighteen or nineteen himself, could only dodge the subject, speaking evasively. "Just now, whom were you waving to come over, and whom did you wave away?"
"I originally wanted to introduce a clansman brother to you," Liu Huzi admitted, growing embarrassed and dropping the topic of the tiger skin. "Though younger than us, he has always harbored grand ambitions and is exceedingly sharp... What's more, though his father and grandfather were taken north to Hebei by the Jie barbarians to serve as officials, their family had settled in Qiao Commandery before that, so he should be more familiar with your side..."
"Qiao Commandery?" Liu A'gan froze, pondering repeatedly without making sense of it. "Where in Qiao Commandery is there a branch of our clan?"
"It's normal that you wouldn't know; after all, his father and grandfather went to Hebei," Liu Huzi explained hastily.
"And you waved him off just because of that? What of it? In our current state, how are we any different from those who submitted to the rebels?"
"It wasn't because of that. It was because of Liu Jili... You know him, don't you? He later joined my household. He looks down on everyone all day long and only regards my brother A'cheng with respect," Liu Huzi explained briefly. "Just now I saw Liu Jili following along. If you two met face-to-face, wouldn't it be awkward?"
"So that's it." Realizing what was meant, Liu A'gan gave an immediate sneer. "If you speak of Liu Jili, I understand completely. That fellow has his sights set higher than the heavens... And now I've guessed the origins of your brother A'cheng as well! That branch of theirs probably all carry such towering pride!"
"What do you mean?" Liu Huzi was startled.
"You don't know? That Liu Jili plays dumb all day, thinking none of us know his roots, but we figured it out long ago... His branch once produced a General Who Stabilizes the North, Commander of Military Affairs of Four Provinces, bearing the imperial credentials! While our grandfathers merely reached the rank of commandery administrator or princely chancellor, how could we compare to their grand ambitions? Furthermore, when their branch fled north to surrender to the Jie barbarians back then, fully two hundred kin went together. Now that the Jie barbarians have collapsed, it's actually strange that only two or three have returned over these past two or three years," Liu A'gan declared with absolute certainty.
"It's that household? I never once thought in that direction! No wonder A'cheng has concealed it so well all these years!" Liu Huzi gasped, a sudden dawn of understanding breaking over him.
"Exactly the same—both keeping it hidden. But how could they not?" Liu A'gan snorted coldly. "The entire court's Second-Rank illustrious gates count that household as their enemy! If you ask me, were it not for the disgrace brought by their branch, we would have obtained official posts long ago!"
"That's going too far," Liu Huzi said, instinctively waving his hand to defend them. "Our main branch in Congtingli even produced a famous gentleman celebrated for pure conversation. To this day, whenever people south of the river speak of our Pengcheng Liu clan, they lament his misfortune, yet we haven't seen anyone grant us office out of pity. Besides, didn't you just mention another branch of ours that crossed south back then, the one now living right here in Jingkouli? Their ancestors were mere county magistrates for generations, yet he himself rose to Grand Administrator of Dong'an without suffering any blame... What's more, right now we're merely seeking a way forward through the military lineages; how could it ever reach such heights?"
Liu A'gan knew the truth of these words all too well, and his spirits sank upon hearing them. "Very well, let us first seek to become stalwart soldiers!"
Chapter 19