Taiheiki

Chapter 283 Deer Valley
"Escape?" Lu Ping laughed: "I don't know whether to say you're cowardly or cautious. You've become General of Chariots and Cavalry and concurrently served as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. Deng Zhong is the Commandant of the Capital Region, Nie Sheng is the General of the Five Offices, and Yuan Tian is the Marquis of the Northern Army. You still have tens of thousands of troops under your command, yet you're thinking about escape routes!"

"Better safe than sorry!" Wei Cong laughed. "Besides, my troops can't be stationed outside Luoyang forever. Most of them will eventually return to Jiaozhou. If Hebei or Henan rebels then, it will be dangerous!"

"So how much do you plan to keep?" Lu Ping asked.

"The Five Schools of the Northern Army and the City Gate Army have already formed their own system. We can send a few officers, but we can't move the soldiers. The Commandant of the Capital Region originally commanded two thousand armed servants, whose responsibility was to maintain the security of the capital. However, when Zhang Wen defended Yique Pass, I defeated him and reduced him to less than one-tenth. I can replace them all with my troops, and they will be stationed there on a rotating basis. I also plan to leave eight hundred men to guard the Mengjin Bridge, plus twenty warships, which will bring the total to over a thousand men including the sailors. We can also set up a river patrol camp of about a thousand men under the pretext of inspecting the Yangqu Canal, plus the General of Chariots and Cavalry's own guards and subordinates, for a total of about five thousand men!"

"Five thousand men? That's quite a lot! As far as I know, the five major schools of the Northern Army combined probably only have that many men. What are you worried about?"

“That’s not how you calculate it!” Wei Cong said with a wry smile. “Luoyang has city walls and a palace. If the city gates are closed at a critical moment, my troops inside and outside the city will be separated. The Northern Army’s camp is inside Luoyang and concentrated in one place. In an emergency, we will be outnumbered and outgunned. How can we possibly withstand them?”

"Oh, so that's why you're planning to build a small city!" Lu Ping suddenly realized, "If the situation is unfavorable, you can defend it from the city!"

"It's not just about defending the city; by placing this small town right next to the city walls, we can escape in case of any trouble! We can flee directly to Mengjin. Once we're on a boat, we'll be safe!" As Wei Cong said, the hydrological conditions in the Yellow River and Huai River regions during the Eastern Han Dynasty were vastly different from today. There were numerous rivers and lakes south of the Yellow River and north of the Huai River, with water flow and carrying capacity far exceeding what we have today. During the Warring States period, King Hui of Wei moved the capital to Daliang. He dug a large canal from the area of ​​present-day Yuanyang, Henan, to divert water from the Yellow River southward into Putianze, and then diverted water from Putianze to the north of the capital, Daliang, flowing around the city and southward, completing the first phase of the project.

For more than 20 years afterward, the State of Wei continued to excavate the Honggou Canal southeastward, expanding it to eventually reach southeast of Huaiyang via Tongxu and Taikang, flowing into the Ying River and then the Huai River. Because the Honggou Canal used the Yellow River as its source and Putian Marsh as a natural regulating reservoir, navigation was guaranteed. The excavation of the Honggou Canal connected the Yellow River, the Ji River, the Pu River, the Si River, the Heze River, the Ying River, the Ru River, the Wo River, and many other rivers and lakes, forming a water transport network on the Huanghuai Plain with the artificial canal as its main channel and natural rivers as its branches. The interconnected waterways formed a network, becoming the earliest water transport system linking the Yellow River and Huai River basins. Daliang (Daliang) subsequently became a leading commercial metropolis in the north. During the reign of Emperor Ming of Han, the Yellow River and the Grand Canal were repaired, greatly improving their transport capacity. Therefore, once Wei Cong boarded a ship and blended into the thousands of vessels on this water transport network, it was virtually impossible to prevent him from escaping back to the south.

"I never imagined Luoyang would be so dangerous!" Lu Ping said with a worried expression. "If I had known this would happen, why did I do it in the first place? Wouldn't it have been better to stay in Jiaozhou all along?"

“Ah Ping, you don’t need to worry too much. This is just my worst-case scenario plan. It’s not certain that it will happen!” Wei Cong stood up and comforted her. “As for why I didn’t stay in Jiaozhou, there was no other way. Since I’ve embarked on this path, I can only keep going. There’s no turning back!”

"Alright!" Lu Ping sighed, "Then I'll have to say goodbye to you!"

"Goodbye?" Wei Cong was taken aback. "What do you mean? Aping, are you leaving me?"

"Hmm!" Lu Ping nodded: "You've already married Dou's daughter as your legal wife, so it's not really appropriate for you to always have a female Taoist priest like me by your side, is it?"

“This—” Wei Cong subconsciously retorted, “This isn’t a problem, is it? Everyone around me knows you’re here, it’s not like it’s just the first day, and the Dou family hasn’t objected!”

"The Dou family isn't the main reason; actually, it's my own desire to leave!" Lu Ping laughed. "Really, I prefer the mountains and lakes of Yuzhang and Jingnan to Luoyang City. Besides, aren't I already a feudal lord? Of course, I should go to my fiefdom! Don't you think so?"

Wei Cong looked into Lu Ping's eyes to confirm that she truly meant it, and finally nodded: "Alright, since that's the case, I won't stop you. But the day I leave Luoyang, you must come back!"

"Alright!" Lu Ping laughed, "But first you have to be able to leave Luoyang City alive!"

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The funeral procession for the emperor exited the city through the East Gate, from where the coffin would proceed to his mausoleum near Mount Beiman. Compared to the mausoleums of Emperor Guangwu (Yuanling), Emperor An (Gongling), Emperor Shun (Xianling), and Emperor Chong (Huailing), the emperor's mausoleum could be considered quite simple. The reason was simple: he had only been on the throne for a short time, and no one expected him to die so soon. Furthermore, the mausoleums of the Han emperors were massive complexes, requiring a considerable amount of time to construct. Therefore, the emperor's mausoleum was not actually completed; he had to be buried first, and the remaining work would be completed gradually.

Accompanying the emperor's coffin were his ministers, these high-ranking figures dressed in untreated hemp clothing, following closely on either side of the coffin. A strong wind swept by, rattling and churning the funeral banners above their heads.

Wei Cong looked down at him. Ahead of him were Dou Wu, Yuan Wei, Zhang Huan, and Feng Kun, who, in terms of seniority and official rank, were all above Wei Cong. Yuan Wei looked haggard and thin, as if the pain of the emperor's death had tormented him to the point that he was nothing but a skeleton.

Behind the ministers stood three hundred Tiger-Body Guards, their armor covered by plain linen cloaks. Newly appointed Nie Sheng seemed somewhat uncomfortable among them. He hadn't expected to be appointed Tiger-Body Guard General—a high-ranking official, equivalent to a prefect, but far more important. This position was responsible for commanding the armed guards to protect the emperor; if leading troops into battle, it meant commanding an entire army. Usually, those appointed were either close confidants of the emperor or members of the nobility; his only reason for being appointed was his adoptive father.

"General! The wind is getting stronger. Should we stop it for a moment?" a court official said to Nie Sheng. He had a thick beard, a dignified demeanor, and was at least twice Nie Sheng's age. These court officials were all elites selected from various prefectures across the country, yet they treated him with utmost respect, which made Nie Sheng feel somewhat embarrassed. He forced himself to appear more dignified: "Hmm, send someone to inform the front!"

The messenger returned quickly and ordered them to continue, as the emperor's coffin could not be stopped en route. This made Nie Sheng even more embarrassed. He nodded: "Continue onward, no stopping allowed!"

This minor incident did not affect the journey of the coffin. Around noon, the coffin was brought to the cemetery. Amidst solemn drumming and music, the emperor's coffin was placed into the tomb, followed by various burial objects. After everything was arranged, huge stones blocking the passage were lowered, followed by bricks, stones, and earth, and then the sacrificial ceremony. By the time everything was finished, it was already dusk.

On the return journey, the officials were finally able to board their respective carriages. Wei Cong had just boarded his carriage and rubbed his aching knees a couple of times when he heard his adopted son's voice coming from outside the window.

"Father, there's something I want to tell you!"

"Hmm, what is it?" "I feel I am probably not up to the task of Tiger-like General!" Nie Sheng said in a low voice, "Father, could you please choose someone more capable?"

"Can't do it?" Wei Cong raised his head and looked at his embarrassed and uneasy adopted son: "Then find a way to do it. If you can't do it, then no one in the world can!"

"But the Tiger Warriors under my command are the elite selected from all the prefectures and counties in the land, and only they can surpass my countless men—"

“But they are not my children! Ah Sheng, raise your head!” Wei Cong tried his best to soften his tone: “You must understand one thing: the most important responsibility of the Tiger-General is to protect the Emperor. Of course, now it is mainly to protect me. This is a position that requires loyalty more than talent. Of course, I am not saying that you are not talented. You are brave, smart, and have superb martial arts skills. Any father would be proud to have a son like you. But there are many talented people, but few loyal people, and even fewer loyal and talented people. You are loyal to me, right?”

"Yes, I would rather die for you!"

"No, you should live well for me, and let others die for me!" Wei Cong laughed. "Remember, besides you, I can't think of anyone else who can serve as the Tiger General!"

"Yes, Godfather!" Nie Sheng's expression softened.

"That's right!" Wei Cong laughed. "Cheer up, smile more. Really, with your current status, you can have anything you want. Just make things a little easier for yourself."

"I'm afraid that won't work!" Nie Sheng said with a wry smile. "To be honest, I've heard some rumors since I became the Tiger General!"

"I'm guessing they're all about me, not so much the bad stuff?" Wei Cong chuckled. "Right?"

“Yes!” Nie Sheng nodded: “Some people say you are related to the death of the emperor, and some say you are a villain. Of course, most people say that you are the murderer of Yuan Shao. You know, Yuan Shao has a high reputation in Luoyang City and among the younger generation of scholars, and the officials are selected from all over the country!”

"Hmm!" Wei Cong nodded. This was within his expectations, but there was nothing he could do about it. Ultimately, selecting officials from all the prefectures and counties to serve as imperial guards and then appoint them to official positions was the most basic political logic during the Han Dynasty, much like the imperial examination system of later generations. Even if Wei Cong possessed extraordinary abilities, he dared not break this logic. Therefore, he couldn't change the dislike he felt towards Wei Cong among the Tiger Guards, and problems would inevitably arise over time.

"Here's what we'll do: keep an eye out for them in your daily lives, and write down the names of the most troublemakers for me!" Wei Cong said in a deep voice.

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Before he knew it, the year was coming to an end. On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Wei Cong was relieved of his post as General of Chariots and Cavalry and promoted to Grand General. He finally held all the official positions of the powerful maternal relatives who held the reins of power in the Han Dynasty. Although he did not have a daughter who married the emperor, he did marry the empress dowager's cousin.

While some rejoiced, others were delighted. On the seventeenth of this month, the Empress Dowager sent her Grand Chamberlain to the residence of Minister Yuan Wei, bringing ten bushels of wine and an ox. According to the custom of the Han Dynasty, when a minister fell ill, the emperor would send someone with wine and oxen to inquire after his health. However, if the minister was not actually ill, the emperor sending such a gift was tantamount to telling him he should be sick. The minister would usually either feign illness and resign, or even commit suicide, claiming to have died of illness. The Empress Dowager's gift of wine and oxen clearly indicated the latter, since Yuan Wei had not been ill before.

At the foot of Mangshan Mountain outside Luoyang City lies a valley called Deer Valley. Within this scenic valley is a manor owned by a former protégé and official of the Yuan family. After returning to Luoyang from his hometown, Yuan Shu secluded himself in this manor, gathering his associates and plotting to eliminate Wei Cong.

One midday, Yuan Ji arrived at the manor with more than ten old friends and students. That evening, a banquet was held, and during the feast, Yuan Shu said to everyone, "The world is in turmoil today, all thanks to that scoundrel Wei Cong. If we want to restore order, the only way is to kill Wei Cong, so that we can bring peace to the world and revive the Han Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ji's expression changed drastically: "Gonglu, have you gone mad? Wei Cong is allied with the Dou family through marriage and has a large army under his command. Who can harm him? If this gets out, his entire family will be wiped out!"

Yuan Shu snorted coldly, picked up a wine bottle from the side with his right hand, and smashed it on the ground, shards flying everywhere: "Even if Wei Cong has a large army at his disposal, he is still just one person. If he suddenly attacks, how difficult is it to kill him? He killed our brothers and forced my uncle to resign from his position as one of the Three Dukes. He has oppressed the Yuan family a lot. If we don't act now, do we have to wait until he puts a knife to our throats before we retaliate?"

"What Gonglu said is very true!" Wu Jing said. "The only way to change the situation now is to cut off the leader of the Wei traitors. I have more than ten brave men under my command who are sworn brothers with me. As long as Gonglu gives the order, they are willing to risk their lives to take the leader of the Wei traitors!"

"That's right, as long as it's to kill the traitor Wei, I'm willing to risk my life!"

"Yes, I'd like to!"

The dozen or so people in the room were already quite drunk. Upon hearing this, they all drew their swords, smashed wine bottles, and were about to swear an oath of brotherhood by drinking blood. Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Yuan Ji said anxiously, "Wei Cong is always accompanied by soldiers whenever he goes in or out. Even if you want to kill him, how can you get close to him?"

“The troops can only protect him outside the palace. Once he enters the palace, can he still bring the troops with him?” Yuan Shu laughed.

(End of this chapter)