Taiheiki

Chapter 173 Governor of Jiaozhou
“I speak from the heart!” Wei Cong smiled and pointed in the direction they had come from: “Panyu is adjacent to the sea and backed by the Yangtze River. Facing the sea, it benefits from fish and salt production; backed by the Yangtze River, it can transport goods from the five prefectures of Hepu, Yulin, Cangwu, Nanhai, and Zhuya by boat, bringing them together in one city. It can exchange goods with merchants from overseas. The government can establish markets and attract skilled craftsmen from all directions to engage in weaving, shipbuilding, and the production of gold, silver, copper, and iron, collecting taxes from them. The land outside the city is flat and crisscrossed by rivers. As long as we build dikes for irrigation, coupled with the hot climate of Jiaozhou, we can have three harvests a year without suffering from cold or hunger. In three years, although I dare not claim a world of great harmony, achieving a moderately prosperous society is not difficult!”

Yuan Shao listened attentively, and after a long while, he sighed, "It seems that Brother Wei's efforts to conquer Jiaozhou were not achieved overnight!"

“Indeed!” Wei Cong spoke frankly: “I am content to be a vassal in Jiaozhou and to guard the southern border for generations of the Han Dynasty!”

"Jiaozhou is a mere vassal state?" Yuan Shao laughed. "Brother Wei, you have quite the nerve. Even those who have rendered unparalleled service to the dynasty are only granted the fiefdom of a single county. Although Jiaozhou is remote, it still has dozens of counties and hundreds of thousands of households. What merits have you rendered that you would desire such a reward?"

“If it were during the reign of Emperor Mingzhang, I certainly wouldn’t dare to have such presumptuous thoughts!” Wei Cong laughed. “But times have changed. The Han Dynasty is now in a critical period. How can we be bound by convention? The rebels are causing chaos, and the north and south are separated. If I hadn’t gone south this time, it’s uncertain whether Jiaozhou would still belong to the Han Dynasty after the court quelled the rebels. If I can quell the troubles in the south, serve as a bulwark for the Han Dynasty, and relieve the Holy Emperor’s worries about the south, what harm would there be in appointing him as a regional governor?”

If an ordinary person had heard Wei Cong's words, they would have been terrified. Even if they didn't confront him directly, they would have remembered them and reported them to the court upon returning to Luoyang. But Yuan Shao was no ordinary man. Born into the Yuan clan of Runan, he had secretly gathered a group of loyal followers and raised wandering knights at a young age, plotting rebellion. Among the scholar-official class of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he was at least one of the top five rebels of his time.

So when he heard Wei Cong say, "The Han Dynasty is now in a critical period; how can it be bound by conventional rules?", he immediately felt that these words resonated with him, and he felt an indescribable sense of comfort. In a sense, he and Wei Cong were kindred spirits. The only difference was that Wei Cong was plotting to establish a separatist regime in Jiaozhou, while he was stirring up a mass incident in Luoyang, hoping to gain fame among the scholars of the land, rise rapidly within the Eastern Han system, and then directly cause trouble in the central government.

He was willing to risk being eaten by sharks and travel thousands of miles to Jiaozhou hoping to find an outside ally so that he could make a bigger splash in Luoyang in the future. If Wei Cong wasn't ambitious enough and just wanted to become the governor of Jiaozhou, make a fortune there, and then climb the ranks back in Luoyang, Yuan Shao wouldn't even look at him.

After all, although he also wanted to climb the social ladder, that was just a means, not the ultimate goal. In the end, he wanted to break the existing Han dynasty that had lasted for 400 years and establish a country that belonged to the scholars. He wanted himself and the Yuan family of Runan to reach the pinnacle of power in the process. That was what he wanted.

"Then Brother Wei will probably be somewhat disappointed! The imperial decree I brought this time does appoint you as the Governor of Jiaozhou, replacing Zhang Pan, but it does not appoint you as the Protector of the South Sea." Yuan Shao said in a low voice, "Furthermore, the court requires you to raise troops to the north as soon as possible to suppress the E'zhe rebels and quell the unrest!"

"To the north to quell the Emei bandits?" Wei Cong frowned. "Is this the imperial decree? This is probably a bit difficult. Jiaozhou is a place where Chinese and barbarians live together, and there is also unrest in Jiaozhi. The situation is not stable at all. If I send troops north, what if there is chaos in the rear? Wouldn't I be unable to take care of both ends?"

"So, Brother Wei, you don't intend to accept the imperial decree?" Yuan Shao asked with a smile.

"How could that be?" Wei Cong laughed. "As a subject of the Han Dynasty, I naturally have no reason to disobey imperial orders!"

"That's good!" Yuan Shao laughed. "I was just thinking that if Brother Wei disobeyed the imperial decree, I might not be able to return to Luoyang this time!"

"Hehe, how could that be!" Wei Cong chuckled dryly. They had already arrived at the prefect's residence, and the group entered. Wei Cong and Kong Gui quickly changed into formal attire, holding their official tablets, and stood respectfully before the incense table, waiting. Yuan Shao took out the imperial edict, stood before the incense table, and said in a deep voice, "An imperial edict has been issued!"

Wei Cong and Kong Gui hurriedly knelt down and bowed their heads to receive the imperial decree. Yuan Shao said in a deep voice: "Wei Cong, the brave and knowledgeable Colonel of the Expeditionary Army, is hereby appointed Governor of Jiaozhou and Protector of the Baiyue, with a rank of 1,000 shi as before. He shall lead the troops of Jiaozhou and the Baiyue Righteous Army to attack the E'zhe bandits in the north! This is the imperial decree!"

Wei Cong, who was receiving an imperial edict for the first time, was kneeling on the ground in a daze. Kong Gui, who was next to him, quickly nudged him, and he realized that the edict had been read. He hurriedly kowtowed to express his gratitude, stretched out his hands to receive the edict, and handed it to Wen Sheng, who was standing next to him, to keep it safe.

"Lord Wei, congratulations!" After reading the imperial edict, Yuan Shao immediately lost his imposing demeanor: "If we can quell the Moth Rebels this time, being enfeoffed as a marquis and receiving a salary of two thousand shi will be a piece of cake!"

"I wouldn't dare, it's all thanks to your uncle!" Wei Cong laughed. He hadn't expected the Han Dynasty imperial edict to be so brief, and he had almost embarrassed himself: "Brother Benchu, the imperial edict just now said that I was appointed as the Protector of the Hundred Yue. What kind of official position is that?"

“Jiaozhou has a small population and is inhabited by the Baiyue people. The court has ordered you to conscript local barbarian troops to fight the Moth bandits in the north!” Yuan Shao said with a smile.

"I see!" Wei Cong nodded. The court rejected his request for the position of Protector of the South China Sea, but gave him the position of Protector of the Hundred Yue, which was obviously to limit his power to Jiaozhou. This was a good plan. The problem was that the emperor was far away. He had already become the governor of Jiaozhou. How could he possibly control how he fought in Luoyang, which was thousands of kilometers away?

Why not just find any pretext for "self-defense and counterattack"? In the end, who can say for sure whether the barbarians are on the inside or outside of Han territory? As long as we can win, who would be so foolish as to hold onto this matter so stubbornly?
"Then what should we do about conveying the imperial edict to Governor Zhang?" Yuan Shao asked.

“This—” Wei Cong hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, “I’m afraid we’ll have to ask Benchu ​​to make a trip to Jiaozhi!”

"Why is that?" Yuan Shao asked. "Why not just have Zhang Pan come to Panyu? Anyway, he'll be going back to Luoyang after he leaves office, and he'll be passing through Panyu anyway. Wouldn't that be convenient?"

“Benchu, you are unaware!” Wei Cong said with a wry smile, “When I first came to Jiaozhou, I had a very unpleasant falling out with Zhang Pan, but we just didn’t end up fighting. If I were to summon him to Panyu with just a letter, he might not come back. Secondly, even if he did come, there is a war going on in Jiaozhi. I’m afraid something might happen while I’m in the middle of taking over the post. I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it in Panyu for the time being, and that would be bad!”

"That's true, Brother Wei, you've considered everything very thoroughly!" Yuan Shao nodded. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Why don't I go to Jiaozhi with Benchu ​​and read the decree again in front of Zhang Pan? I can hand over the political affairs to him in person. Even if there are any changes, with me there, we can deal with them one by one! What do you think, Benchu?"

"That's wonderful! When shall we meet?"

“It’s already August, the height of summer, and Jiaozhou is plagued by miasma. Yuan Shao is a local, I’m afraid he might fall ill on the road!” Wei Cong laughed. “Why don’t we rest in Panyu for a while, and then head to Jiaozhi around September?” “That’s a good idea!” Yuan Shao pondered for a moment and then smiled. “When we were in Luoyang, Cao Cao told me that you not only know how to lead troops into battle, but you also know how to govern and manage the people, making the five counties of Jiaozhou prosperous and thriving. From what I’ve seen since I disembarked, it is indeed true. During our time in Panyu, I’d like to take a look around the surrounding area, for example, see salt production. Is that alright?”

"Benchu ​​is an imperial envoy, and his visit to Jiaozhou is an inspection tour on behalf of Heaven!" Wei Cong laughed. "Whatever you want to see, how dare I, Wei, stop you?"

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"Woo!"

Wang Shou downed the golden wine in one gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh. Qin Ke, standing nearby, quickly refilled Wang Shou's cup. This wine was a local specialty of Jiaozhou, brewed by the indigenous people using coconut blossoms and millet. It had a sweet and mellow taste, and because of its golden color, it was called "Golden Wine" by the Han people. After Qin Ke's house was repaired, he heard that Wang Shou enjoyed this drink, so he went to great lengths to buy two bottles and personally delivered them to Wang Shou's house to express his gratitude. Unexpectedly, Wang Shou opened a bottle and started drinking right in front of Qin Ke. Once he started, he couldn't stop. Qin Ke didn't dare to stop him and could only stand by, serving Wang Shou cup after cup.

"Hey!" Wang Shou, having drunk four or five cups and already somewhat tipsy, asked, "Why aren't you drinking?"

"This—" Qin Ke said with a wry smile, "I am of humble status, how could I possibly be worthy to drink in front of you?"

"Nonsense—" Wang Shou stiffened his neck: "How can one person drink alone? Quickly bring a wine cup! Sit down! That's right!" He filled Qin Ke's wine cup while laughing: "Today is a rare good day. The imperial court has issued an edict. My lord will be the upright governor of Jiaozhou from now on! Hahaha, don't you think we should have a drink?"

"Duke Wei is now the governor of Jiaozhou?" Qin Ke was taken aback. He had been spending almost every day at the construction site of his own residence and was completely unaware of what was happening outside.

"Excellent!" Wang Shou poured himself another cup. "This noon, the imperial envoy's ship docked at the pier, and my lord and Prefect Kong personally went to the pier to welcome him. If my lord hadn't been appointed Governor of Jiaozhou, why would the imperial court have sent an envoy? After all these years, he's finally made it! When I first met my lord in the mountains, I knew he was no ordinary person, hahahaha!"

Qin Ke picked up the wine glass and took a small sip. The rich wine slid in his mouth, and for a moment he found it hard to describe the taste on his tongue. Sweet, sour, astringent, spicy, bitter—it seemed like a little of all of them, yet not quite. For a moment, he was lost in thought.

"Come on, another drink! On such a joyous day, how can we only have one drink? We must drink to our hearts' content!"

Qin Ke realized what was happening and quickly handed over the cup: "How could I ask you to pour wine for me—"

"Alright, alright!" Wang Shou filled Qin Ke's wine cup. "We're happy today, so let's not worry about status or rank. The most important thing is to be happy! Besides, you're a smart guy. Under our young master—no, now I should call Governor Wei—you'll make a name for yourself sooner or later!"

"Am I also under Governor Wei's command?" Qin Ke was stunned.

"Of course it counts! Otherwise, do you think it would be so easy to lend you so much money? And at such a low interest rate?" Wang Shou laughed. "This is a big house by the Panyu City dock, and you built it without spending a penny. Why should it be your turn for such a good thing?"

"This—" Qin Ke was speechless for a moment. He felt both happy and somewhat apprehensive. After all, he had received some education in his childhood and knew about Wei Cong's previous actions. To put it bluntly, he was a "thief." As Wei Cong's subordinate, he was essentially a "traitor." Although he had now received an imperial edict, there was likely something fishy going on. But then he thought, if he was considered a traitor, then there were very few people in Panyu City who weren't. So many people had become traitors, what difference would it make if he, a mere nobody, benefited? Thinking this, he took the wine pot from Wang Shou, filled Wang Shou's cup, and said with a smile, "I am able to serve under Governor Wei thanks to your kindness!"

Time flew by, and the wine was consumed even faster. In less than half an hour, the two jugs of wine Qin Ke had brought were finished. Wang Shou tore open his shirt, revealing his shriveled chest, and lay sprawled on the ground, drooling in his sleep. Qin Ke walked to the old man's side, hesitating whether to help him into the inner room to rest. Suddenly, he heard voices and footsteps coming from outside.

"Wang Shou, Wang Shou, come out quickly, the Prefectural Governor is here!" a somewhat rough voice shouted.

"Governor? Oh no, it's Lord Wei!" Qin Ke hurriedly bent down, trying to shake Wang Shou awake, but the coconut flower wine, though sweet at first, had a strong aftereffect. Besides, seven or eight tenths of the two jugs of wine had already gone down the old man's throat, so shaking him wouldn't work. Hearing the sounds approaching from outside, Qin Ke quickly went to the door, knelt down, and said, "This humble servant, Qin Ke, greets the Governor!"

Wei Cong glanced at the man kneeling on the ground. There weren't many people around Wang Shou: an old gatekeeper, a woman who cooked and washed clothes, and a servant. He recognized them all, but none of them were the man in front of him.

"You are not among the people around Wang Shou! Who are you?"

"My name is Qin Ke. I received a favor from the prince, so I brought two jars of wine to express my gratitude. The prince then invited me to stay and drink with him. He drank too much and has already passed out. He is currently resting inside!"

"Oh?" Wei Cong nodded and went into the room. Sure enough, Wang Shouru was sleeping soundly on the ground, just as the man on the ground had said. Judging from his face, which was covered in the smell of alcohol, he was indeed drunk.

"You two help the prince inside and cover him with a light blanket so he doesn't catch a cold!" Wei Cong waved his hand, sat down cross-legged, and laughed, "This fellow is having a good time. He's drunk like this in broad daylight? There's only an old man guarding the door, and he acts like nobody's there. He wouldn't even know if someone cut off his head!"

(End of this chapter)