"Xun, Chief Clerk, you have labored greatly to settle affairs on my behalf in Pengcheng. Drink!"
Inside Iron-Urn City, where the terrain sloped gently along the southern side of Mount Beigu, Grand Commander Chu Pou looked noticeably haggard, yet he managed to rally his spirits to preside over the banquet. It was clear that this man known for keeping his thoughts veiled had caught his breath after all.
Upon hearing those words, Xun Xian—style name Xun Wenze—the Chief Clerk of the General Who Subdues the North's headquarters, who wore a warrior's cap and a sword at his wide-sleeved robe, and who was two or three years younger than Xie An, rose to his feet. Without the slightest false modesty, he raised his cup and boldly drained it, then reseated himself without a word, showing no deference whatsoever.
Everyone around him—from the Grand Commander himself to the staff of the General Who Subdues the North, the officials of Southern Xuzhou, and even Xie An, who had toiled for over a month—took it entirely in stride. All felt that such conduct was precisely what one should expect of Chief Clerk Xun.
One thing bore clarifying: though Xun Xian was indeed a chief clerk, he was not the Chief Clerk of the Grand Commander's headquarters—that was merely popular parlance. In truth, he was Chief Clerk of the General Who Subdues the North's headquarters. Chu Pou had only been able to open an office and build his own staff by virtue of his title as General Who Subdues the North, which in turn allowed a figure of Xun Xian's caliber to serve as his chief clerk before Chu Pou went on to command the military affairs of the five provinces for the Northern Expedition.
Yet whether as Grand Commander or General Who Subdues the North, the fact that Xun Xian had agreed to serve as his chief clerk was already a tremendous mark of respect.
When Chu Pou had first received the title of General Who Subdues the North and someone recommended Xun Xian, Chu Pou had summoned him immediately, never imagining the young man would accept so readily. In truth, given Xun Xian's pedigree, reputation, and temperament, declining would have been far more standard... That was the way of things in these times. Whenever someone became a Grand General, Grand Commander, one of the Three Excellencies, or an Inspector, they would routinely summon scions of the eminent clans according to their renown. At its core, it was an exchange of favors and gestures of goodwill among families—the plainest, most unvarnished political tool of this age of aristocratic clans.
Consequently, the very elite scions of eminent houses with political capital often began receiving all manner of summons at fourteen or fifteen, fifteen or sixteen, or even twelve or thirteen. From prestigious sinecures at court to invitations to join the inner circles of political heavyweights, nothing was missing.
Yet these scions of eminent clans would typically decline time and again. For one, like arranged marriages, such matters depended on prevailing political winds and family interests; for another, custom dictated repeated refusals to cultivate one's prestige.
Yet Xun Xian had come anyway.
Considering his usual character, it was downright baffling. The only plausible explanation was that, under pressure from Huan Wen, the two major factions within the imperial court had chosen to join forces.
"To put Xun Wenze simply, it starts with his pedigree... A'cheng, you must know of it?" Amid the distant wailing, Liu Jili and Liu Cheng, who had vaguely sensed impending trouble, abandoned their errand of exchanging the silver vessels. Leading their pack mule, they hurried toward Iron-Urn City along the river bay by the ferry on Mount Beigu's eastern side. While striving to steady their steps so as not to appear panicked, Liu Jili could not resist speculating about Xun Xian.
"He is a direct descendant of Prefect of the Masters of Writing Xun Wenruo, Xun Yu. Why would anyone need to dwell on his pedigree?" Liu Cheng answered without hesitation.
"Fair point." Liu Jili nodded, then could not help asking, "Are you truly well-versed in history? You even know Xun Yu served as Prefect of the Masters of Writing?"
"I wouldn't say well-versed. It's just that back north, my father and grandfather recounted some tales of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, as well as the Chu-Han Contention. And because the late Han and Three Kingdoms were closer in time, they spoke more of Wei, Shu, and Wu." Even with the situation murky and uncertain, Liu Cheng did not miss the chance to burnish his persona. "I could name a hundred figures from the late Han and Three Kingdoms without repeating myself, and recount a few of their deeds, too."
"That makes good sense. If you don't know the Spring and Autumn allusions, it's hard to hold a conversation with gentlemen; we are of the Pengcheng Liu clan, so we must know the story of Gaozu; and the late Han and Three Kingdoms are the origins of our present dynasty, which one cannot fail to discuss." Liu Jili sounded slightly embarrassed. "Yet I only managed to study the *Analects* and the *Spring and Autumn Annals*. I'm no good at general history."
"I'm the opposite. I only remember a few lines from the *Analects*, and from the *Spring and Autumn Annals* I only know 'The Earl of Zheng Overcomes Duan at Yan.'" Liu Cheng offered modest comfort while reinforcing his persona. "It's just the late Han and Three Kingdoms that I recall well."
"That's the trouble—our family learning cannot be passed down," Liu Jili said with growing despondency. "If things continue like this, what choice do we have but to end up as elite common soldiers?"
"Don't let the wailing behind us disturb your mind, and stop brooding over becoming elite troops. If trouble is truly unavoidable, there's nothing we can do about it anyway," Liu Cheng said, waving a hand dismissively. "Just tell me about Xun Wenze."
"Xun Wenze's family background needs no elaboration, but before him, one must speak of his elder sister, Xun Guanniang," Liu Jili said, gathering his thoughts.
"Not his father?"
"His father had some renown, of course, but his elder sister was famous throughout the realm. Besides, his father had his sister first, and only twenty years later had Xun Wenze and his brother. Then their father died when Xun Wenze was just seven... An eldest sister is like a mother. You must understand his sister's temper to grasp his character."
"A twenty-year gap? Was that because of the War of the Eight Princes and the southward crossing?"
"Precisely. Xun Guanniang was born before the War of the Eight Princes, whereas Xun Wenze and his brother were born after the crossing of the river."
"And what of his sister, Xun Guanniang?"
"You truly know nothing of her? The whole world knows this story."
"I genuinely don't..."
"Back during the War of the Eight Princes, when the north was lost, Xun Wenze's father was defending Wancheng and was besieged on all sides. His daughter, Xun Guanniang, was only thirteen. She broke through the encirclement on horseback and rode straight to Xiangyang. Finding no troops there, she forged a letter on the spot in her father's name to a renowned general of our dynasty, Zhou Fang, who was then Administrator of Xunyang, pledging brotherhood with him... Though Zhou Fang was a famed general, he came from a humble clan of the Wu region, while the Xun clan was one of the realm's premier lineages. Overjoyed upon receiving the letter, Zhou Fang dispatched troops at once and successfully lifted the siege." Liu Jili gave a rough summary. "Now do you see why I mention his sister? And how is it you know nothing of her, yet know that his ancestor was Prefect of the Masters of Writing?"
Liu Cheng was dumbfounded and had no reply.
"With an elder sister like that, Xun Wenze naturally developed a razor-sharp edge... When he was seven, during Su Jun's Rebellion, all the aristocratic clans were held hostage. Because he was bright and charming, Su Jun would hold him on his lap and dote on him every day. Yet the boy privately told his family that if they gave him a dagger, he could rid the realm of the traitor!" Liu Jili continued leisurely.
"Is that true? At seven years old?" Regarding Xun Guanniang, Liu Cheng could not dispute it given the historical route, and she had been thirteen after all. But this tale of a seven-year-old naturally invited skepticism. "Besides, if it was something he told his family in private, how did it leak out?"
"Even if it were fabricated, the fact that his family would invent such a story and that everyone believed it—combined with how his sister acted—should tell you what manner of man he is," Liu Jili sneered. "In that case, why quibble over whether this detail is true?"
"You're right. He truly possesses the sharpest edge in all of Jiangzuo. No wonder you said the sons of the Wang, Xie, Yuan, and Xi clans couldn't match him." Liu Cheng came around and readily conceded. "What else?"
"After that came the most critical matter... When he was fifteen, the court summoned him to serve as Commandant of Escort, intending to marry Emperor Yuan's posthumous princess to him. The moment he heard, he took to his heels. In the end, he was caught by investigating officials at a river crossing and dragged back to wed."
"Now that is true gentlemanly eccentricity," Liu Cheng said, feeling something was amiss. "But why is that the critical matter?"
"Because that posthumous princess of Emperor Yuan shares the same mother as the current regent, Prince of Kuaiji Sima Yu." Liu Jili finally struck at the core of the matter. "As I said before, the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Kuaiji are co-regents at court. It is only because General Who Subdues the West Huan Wen looms upstream that the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Kuaiji must remain united in good faith. By my reckoning, it was precisely for this reason that Xun Wenze came to serve as the Grand Commander's chief clerk...
"In fact, that is what puzzles me most. A'cheng, your initial suspicion that Xun Xian orchestrated this to undermine the Grand Commander makes sense on the surface. Managing the troop withdrawal certainly falls under his remit, and being both clever and sharp-tongued, he is just the sort to do such a thing. Yet their two houses are allies now, and he is the foremost man in the Grand Commander's headquarters. Given his formal standing, why would he deliberately humiliate the Grand Commander like this? It defies reason!"
"Heaven only knows," Liu Cheng said with a shake of his head. "We cannot even set foot inside Iron-Urn City, so how could we fathom the calculations of those above? Perhaps he is merely indulging his high-minded whims, caring nothing for their alliance. Or perhaps, fiercely committed to the Northern Expedition, he resented the Grand Commander's defeat and deliberately held back the death rolls and the wounded until the very end, just to shame him!"
At this point, Liu Cheng could not help adding, "Do you think this will affect our chances of getting through the winter?"
"Surely not?" Jolted from grand affairs of state back to their immediate survival, Liu Jili was briefly taken aback, but soon voiced doubt. "Isn't the Grand Commander said to be broad-minded? What's more, people describe him as a man of hidden judgments—saying that while his heart holds likes and dislikes, joys and sorrows as discerning as the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, he maintains complete propriety on the surface, never showing it lightly. Perhaps Xun Xian knew his temper and knew he wouldn't fly into a rage, and so took the chance to mock him!"
Liu Cheng nodded, thinking to himself that this was where the idiom originated—and that it had begun with the *Spring and Autumn Annals* rather than the later phrasing. Still, he could only sigh. "Let's hope so! Why must getting through a single winter be so hard?"
Liu Jili opened his mouth, then checked himself.
He had intended to advise the youth not to overreact: even if this incident had repercussions, it might not affect the refugee group they relied on, and even if it did, it might not affect the two of them. But on second thought, ever since the distribution of the cloth the night before last, Liu Cheng had been fraught with worry; he had clearly invested more care into this band of people and could no longer easily let them go.
So in the end, he held his tongue.
As they spoke, the two turned past the bend of the river. The wailing here was slightly muted, but the waiting refugee commanders and low-ranking officials had already noticed the commotion. Most did not grasp what it portended, while the few sensitive enough to grow anxious were unable to sort out the thread of it.
Meanwhile, inside Iron-Urn City, whether due to the shielding hills or the surrounding buildings, the guests feasting in the hall caught only faint sounds of weeping... That aside, after several rounds of wine, everyone was slightly tipsy. Furthermore, with Mount Beigu flanked by water on three sides and backed by the great river, they all assumed it was merely the howling of the river wind.
Xie An thought so as well.
"Gentlemen," Xun Xian said suddenly, setting down his cup with eyes hazy with drink. "Grand Commander, since today's banquet is held to welcome me back, may I make a proposal?"
The crowd chuckled, and Chu Pou tapped the table with a smile. "Master Xun, oh Master Xun, when or where have you ever made a proposal that I went against? Speak, what would you have us do?"
Xun Xian froze briefly, then offered a slight smile. He pointed toward the courtyard outside, then swept his hand across to rest on Xie An. "My thought is that on such a bright and gentle day, with the famed gentleman of East Mountain present, why should we remain confined to this hall? Why not ascend the mountain together to discourse on the profound principles of Dark Learning? I should very much like to witness the brilliance of Master Xie of East Mountain!"
The hall erupted in cheers of approval. Facing the challenge, Xie An met it with a calm smile.
In truth, when it came to debating Dark Learning, winning or losing was not the point; the point was who debated whom, and who sat by listening. As long as the speakers possessed renown and the listeners were willing to acknowledge their discourse as "brilliant," there were no losers.
Moreover, Xie An had spent ten years on East Mountain, seeing and experiencing plenty. His own grasp of Dark Learning was not exceptionally profound, but he had associated with top-tier figures like Monk Daolin and Sun Chuo. So long as he brought out a few novel Buddhist arguments, he was confident he could hold his own against this "Master Xun," reputed to possess the sharpest edge in Jiangzuo.
After all, he had never heard of the man excelling in metaphysical discourse... at best, Xun Xian was of a caliber to cheer along with his good friend Yin Hao.
With this thought, Xie An was about to agree, but before speaking, he glanced at his brother-in-law. "I have no objection, but what of the General Who Subdues the North? Having just recovered from illness, can he withstand the river wind?"
Chu Pou slapped the table and laughed heartily. "Even if I were blown dead by the wind today, I would insist on hearing the sublime discourse of you two first!"
With that, the most important listener for the debate was secured. The crowd chimed in with laughter and rose in a clamor, calling to their companions and supporting one another. Several high-ranking courtesans who had been playing music and serving wine helped Chu Pou up at a nod. Surrounded by the assembly, they exited the hall and headed up Mount Beigu behind them.
Along the path, laughter and conversation flowed freely. Xun Xian remained bold and demonstrative, gesturing grandly and holding forth with sweeping authority, obliging everyone to chime in and creating a continuous din.
Yet this atmosphere vanished the moment they reached the summit.
In those days, the peak of Mount Beigu did not boast the grand Beigu Tower of later generations. But as the high ground behind Iron-Urn City overlooking the mouth of the canal into the sea, especially after the Eastern Wu's long cultivation of Jiangzuo, the mountain top had long been leveled off. Beacon towers and a basic River-Viewing Tower were certainly not lacking.
Grand Commander Chu Pou took the lead, ascending the tower supported by courtesans. Xun Xian and several subordinates from the General Who Subdues the North's headquarters followed behind.
Before climbing the stairs, Xie An, who lagged behind because of his wooden clogs, suddenly sensed something amiss. High up and open on all sides, the river wind carried surrounding sounds with crystal clarity... That sobbing really did seem to be the sound of weeping!
At first, Xie An thought his ears might be playing tricks on him, but he soon noticed that he was not alone; several others lagging behind had also caught the strange noise and were exchanging bewildered glances.
"Who is crying?" Once he realized it, though still somewhat hazy with wine, Xie An could not fathom what was happening. Holding his jade-handled deer-tail whisk, he turned to ask the surrounding officials in earnest.
"Perhaps military families?" Administrator of Langya Yuan Zhi pointed eastward with uncertainty. "As far as I know, the quarters of the Northern Garrison's central army dependents lie over there. The crying must be coming from that direction. With the army returning today, didn't they say quite a few men were lost in the defeat at Daibei? It's only natural for their families to weep, isn't it?"
Xie An froze. A sudden jolt of alarm sobered him considerably. He moved to climb the stairs at once, but his foot caught: the tooth of his wooden clog wedged against the edge of a step, bringing him to a dead stop.
Calming himself, he realized it was already too late. He climbed the stairs with measured steps. Rounding the landing, he saw Xun Xian standing directly before him, gazing back with piercing eyes.
The two exchanged a silent look, neither making a move.
By then, Chu Pou, still supported by the courtesans, spoke up: "What is that sound? That is no river wind, is it?"
"To answer the Grand Commander," Xun Xian remained silent, but another senior subordinate from the General Who Subdues the North's headquarters bowed respectfully, his brow slightly furrowed, making it impossible to tell whether he was feigning earnestness or speaking from the heart. "It is indeed not the wind. It sounds like weeping."
"Where is it coming from?" Chu Pou was visibly startled, his face betraying a flicker of dread.
"To answer the Grand Commander," the subordinate took a deep breath, remaining earnest and direct. "It must be the families of those fallen in the battle of Daibei... Is today not the final day of the withdrawal? The families have finally learned that their fathers and brothers will not be returning."
Chu Pou stood frozen for a long time, letting the river wind and the wails wash over his face.
Xie An stood at the stairwell, blocking many people below from ascending. He parted his lips to offer some explanation, but found nothing to say. He could only stare at Xun Xian before him, while Xun Wenze remained motionless in his place, meeting his gaze with head held high.
After an agonizing silence, Chu Pou finally managed a strained voice: "I knew all along that I was deceiving myself... A defeat of three thousand men brings wailing that shakes the heavens and drowns out the river's roar. What then of the two hundred thousand people in Hebei? Are we to pretend they do not exist simply because we cannot hear them?"
At this, the Grand Commander—the first to raise an army for a Northern Expedition after Shi Hu's death—suddenly lost control of himself. "Earlier, my wife thought an encounter with ghosts and spirits had struck me down with illness... Only today do I realize that heaven, earth, gods, and men alike are enraged by my incompetence!"
Xun Xian finally stepped forward, intending to support the Grand Commander and say something.
Xie An took half a step forward, deer-tail whisk in hand, subtly barring his way.
Yet Chu Pou waved a hand to stay them both. He looked around, neither descending the tower nor turning east to listen closely to the wailing. Instead, he pulled free of the courtesans, walked a few paces northward on his own, and leaned heavily against the railing. Only then did he turn back, wiping away his tears with effort before speaking slowly: "Shinu, clear the stairs. Let the officials of the General Who Subdues the North's headquarters and the five provinces come up."
Xie An stepped aside. Most of the people below, save for the few on the stairs, still had little idea what was happening. Yet almost all had distinctly heard the weeping from below, and not a few knew Chu Pou's temperament and his earlier conduct at Guangling. Seeing the Grand Commander's eyes red and streaked with tears as they reached the top, an immediate chill fell over them.
Once the officials gathered for the banquet had assembled, Chu Pou finally called out: "Chief Clerk Xun, Master Xun, step forward."
Xun Xian was visibly startled, yet he parted the crowd and stepped forward with head held high.
Then Chu Pou pointed at him, looking around at the assembly. "Gentlemen, gentlemen! I am despised by heaven, earth, gods, and men alike, and can no longer look north toward the Central Plains. Master Xun possesses an extraordinary spirit and is destined for towering deeds. You all ought to serve him well!"
Everyone from top to bottom was struck dumb—how did this sound like anything other than entrusting his dying wishes?!
Hadn't everyone been celebrating moments ago?
Shouldn't the music and dancing continue?!
Wasn't this just the families weeping for a few soldiers who had died months ago?
Why come to this?
In truth, even Xun Xian, the instigator of today's scene, lost his earlier swagger. He stared in astonishment at the Grand Commander before him... Could things have gone this smoothly? All he had wanted was for Chu Pou to yield command of the Northern Garrison troops so as not to hinder the Northern Expedition—why push it to such an extreme?!
Having spoken his piece, Chu Pou seemed to have no regrets left. He turned back, leaning against the railing to gaze out across the Central Plains in vain, tears streaming down his face unchecked.
Yet he was a man who cared deeply about his image, unwilling to let the officials, subordinates, and gentlemen behind him witness his loss of composure. Even as tears flowed, he struggled desperately to hold them back.
Yet beside him, the wails surged like river waves beating against the shore, and before him, the river wind battered like a hammer. Above all, he knew full well that all of this stemmed from his own incompetence. The three thousand men by the Yangtze, the two hundred thousand souls along the Yellow River—all were his responsibility!
Having committed such sins, and now pressed by his allies in the name of the Northern Expedition, he would likely never cross the river again in this lifetime to undo his grave mistake. How could he possibly stop his tears?
Within moments, his breath choked and his vision blurred with tears; the Central Plains before him grew hazy as mist, and he could barely draw breath.
After a long while, he turned around, only for his legs to give way. His head fell back as his entire body collapsed, saved only by the courtesans behind him rushing forward to catch him.
With things having reached such a pass, chaos naturally ensued. Hands reached out from all sides to carry the Grand Commander down, the crowd hurrying toward the side courtyard where he usually resided. On the River-Viewing Tower, only Xie An and Xun Xian remained.
Xie An had stayed behind of his own accord. It was his nature never to surrender entirely and yield with open hands as his brother-in-law had done. Or rather, even if utter defeat forced him to yield, he would grit his teeth and make his stance known!
As for Xun Xian, he had remained specifically because he knew Xie An intended to reproach him.
Sure enough, once the others were gone, an uneasy Xun Xian opened his mouth to speak, only for Xie An to cut him off with a raised hand. "Xun Wenze, there is no need for words... I know you never harbored any intent to harm my brother-in-law's life! You simply saw his incompetence, saw that he had ruined the prospects of the Northern Expedition yet clung stubbornly to military authority, and wished to take charge yourself! I also know that if you were to command the eastern route, you would possess ample daring to take the field and could cooperate smoothly with Yin Yuanyuan. There would be no shameful flight at the first minor defeat like my brother-in-law's, nor the laughable spectacle of Chen Kui burning Shouchun before retreating! In today's affair and in the Northern Expedition, it was my brother-in-law who was incompetent first and cowardly second—he brought this humiliation upon himself! Moreover, he has gained self-awareness now, and his final magnanimity was by no means an act; he genuinely wishes for you to achieve great merit and succeed in the Northern Expedition! On that account alone, I will not let a momentary fit of pique damage the alliance between our houses!"
Xun Xian stood speechless, for Xie An had said everything there was to say.
"Yet, while my brother-in-law is magnanimous, I have a word for you, and I ask that you remember it well," Xie An continued coldly, clutching his deer-tail whisk. "Xun Wenze, those four words—'the people of the world'—are naturally a burden my brother-in-law cannot bear. Yet in my view, empty talkers like Yin Hao cannot bear them either. Even you, Xun Wenze, who possess the sharpest edge in all of Jiangzuo, perhaps underestimate the weight of those four words!"
Xun Xian forced himself to listen to the end, then seemed disinclined to argue. He swept his sleeve and turned to leave.
Yet as he passed Xie An and reached the head of the stairs, whether out of youthful impetuousness or sheer pride, he paused and looked back with a cold sneer: "Xie Anshi, you speak exceedingly well. Your logic is as clear and sublime as your discourses on Dark Learning. But so what? Leaving aside that you underestimate both Yin of Yangzhou and me, even if we take ten thousand steps back and grant that we cannot bear the weight of the world's people, given the current state of affairs, would you have me emulate you—idling away on East Mountain and abandoning the people of the world to the mouths of the barbarians? In today's matter, I acted too hastily and wronged the Grand Commander. I truly did not expect that merely hearing those wails would reduce him to this... But having wronged him, I must shoulder those four words—'the people of the world'—all the more! You may watch from East Mountain!"
With that, he left Xie An behind and strode boldly down the stairs.
Beside the official road outside Iron-Urn City, Liu Cheng, who had deduced a glimmer of the underlying truth from afar, had no idea that two figures who seemed like the protagonists of their age had just played out a major drama of military politics. His feet were simply numb, and his only thought was whether they could survive this winter.
Toward evening, Gao Jian's nephew, Gao Heng, arrived in person and gave them a definitive answer: "An order from the Grand Commander's headquarters: the Grand Commander has taken a chill and cannot receive guests. He will not grant audiences tomorrow either. All refugee commanders scheduled for audiences are to return and await government relief!"
After a stir of commotion, the first in Liu Ren Gong's small circle to break the silence was Liu Huzi. Pointing at the tiger pelt on the horse behind him, he looked around in bewilderment. "Then what was this for?"
No one answered him.
Amid the wailing that had grown increasingly distinct since the afternoon, Liu Cheng was nearly the first to move before Iron-Urn City. Without a word, he led the mule and walked away... After several dozen paces, he turned to Liu Jili, the only one who had kept pace with him, and asked in a flat voice, venting his resentment for the first time in three months: "Why? What gives them the right?"
Liu Jili could not answer either.
Chapter 21