Jinting Han people

Chapter 192 Ashes (4k)

On May 19th, the fourth year of Yuankang, Liu Xian, after notifying Zhang Guang, formally met with his former subordinates from Hedong.

Liu Xian did not deliberately decorate himself. He just stood at the camp gate as usual, wearing a simple black long robe with a curved hem, a plain scarf on his head, and a Zhaowu sword on his waist. He was like an ordinary military scholar, waiting for the arrival of these old men.

At this time, the rain finally stopped. After the heavy rain, the sun was shining brightly and the sky was cloudless. Looking at the camp gate, the ground was covered with sparkling puddles. On the endless green grassland, it seemed as if thousands of suns had grown out, illuminating the sky and the earth.

The guests walked through this bumpy grass.

Under Xue Yi's arrangement, forty-six people came to meet Liu Xian. Their temperaments varied, ranging from elegant and graceful to sturdy and steady, and even bold and vigorous. But they all had one thing in common: they were no longer young. The youngest was already in their fifties, while the oldest was over seventy, their faces covered in wrinkles and spots, making them look even more aging.

Liu Xian welcomed them into the tent one by one, while listening to Xue Xing's introduction. These people were: Zhuge Liang's great-grandson Zhuge Pan, Pang Tong's grandson Pang Xiang, Ma Liang's grandson Ma Ke, Ma Chao's grandson Ma Ming, Liu Min's son Liu Hun, Dong Yun's son Dong Hao, Chen Zhi's son Chen Yu, Wang Ping's grandson Wang Zhen, and so on...

Liu Xian looked at these elderly people and found it difficult to reconcile their names with the ones his teacher had written in the history books. The historical records were all about the heroic deeds of their fathers and even grandfathers, but this meeting clearly lacked any heroic spirit. Perhaps they had once been young and tried to inherit their fathers' and grandfathers' charisma, but after the passage of time, all he saw were peaceful old men.

Meanwhile, these elderly people narrowed their eyes and scrutinized Liu Xian. They looked at this young man, comparing him to people and events they remembered. Their response was a mixture of delight and disappointment.

To their delight, Liu Xian's appearance was extremely similar to that of the former crown prince Liu Xuan, which made many people feel confused, as if they had returned to the Chengdu of the past. But to their disappointment, compared with Jiang Wei, the young man in front of them seemed to lack some of his inherent calmness and indifference, and instead had some more sinisterness and scheming influenced by the Wei and Jin dynasties. His smile seemed gentle, but lacked the kind of sunshine that moved people from the inside out.

Both sides quickly reconciled. Forty years earlier, Dong Yun had attempted to emulate Fei Yi's carefree, leisurely lifestyle, juggling leisurely pursuits with government affairs, only to neglect state affairs. From that moment on, everyone understood the truth: everyone can only be themselves. Once a generation's work is over, even if it's picked up again, it's the story of a new generation.

After Liu Xian welcomed them all into the military tent, the old men began to chat with each other:
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yes, I rarely see it since we moved here thirty years ago."

"The last time we all got together was fifteen years ago, and that was because Fa Miao passed away."

"What's the point of seeing him? We're all old, and it would only add to our sorrow..."

It had indeed been ages since they'd last seen these elderly people. Not only were they keeping their distance from Liu Xian, but in fact, with the exception of a few unavoidable families like the Zhuge clan, everyone was doing their best to maintain their distance. They hoped to live out their final days in obscurity. For them, the greatest significance of Liu Xian's invitation to meet them at this moment was perhaps a legitimate opportunity to reunite with old friends.

Liu Xian listened to their chatter and felt a little out of place, but at the same time he understood that only after he integrated into the group could he be a true Prince of Anle.

It was lunchtime, so he served the guests some food, as a sign of respect for the younger generation. The meal was simple: a bowl of bean porridge, a dish of pickles, and two boiled eggs.

Liu Xian said to the elders, "My dear uncles, you have come so far, many miles, and you must be very thankful for your hard work. I don't have much to offer you. The beans for this bean porridge were grown on my own land, and these pickles were sent to me by my family. Please forgive me if anything is not to your liking."

In fact, Liu Xian encountered a problem when he first opened his mouth. He suddenly didn't know how to address these elderly people. Saying "gentlemen" seemed a bit strange, but directly addressing "you and me" seemed impolite. Liu Xian thought for a while, and finally subconsciously called out "uncle", and then quickly added "uncle".

This couldn't help but cause a chuckle in the tent, because many of the people present were old enough to be Liu Xian's grandfather.

But it was also a friendly laugh. Zhuge Pan said, "Then we will respectfully obey your command."

Such a breakfast would have been modest in ordinary times, but for these elderly people, accustomed to simplicity, it was perfectly suited. Especially when they tasted the Anle Mansion's imitation Chengdu-style pickles, a tinge of nostalgia inevitably washed over them. Although the flavors of the cucumbers, ginger, garlic, and other fruits and vegetables varied depending on their origin and ingredients, it was precisely this seemingly familiar flavor that evoked such nostalgia. Some, for example, became sentimental; after just a few bites, Ma Ke's eyes welled up, as if he were about to cry.

Seeing this, Liu Xian talked to Ma Ke and said, "Uncle Ma, are you not used to the food?"

"That's not the case. Your hospitality is very good."

"That's probably because you came here on an empty stomach. If you don't mind, please eat a little more."

"No, no... The Master asked us old guys, whose bones are buried in the earth, to come here just to eat, right?"

"How could that be?" Liu Xian looked at Ma Ke's gray beard, poured him another bowl of porridge, and said with a smile, "I invited all the uncles here just to have a meal."

"really?"

"Of course I'm serious." Seeing everyone's eyes focused on him, Liu Xian said seriously, "It's not just for today's meal, but I hope everyone can have food in the next two years."

Most of the elderly present smiled; they already knew the purpose of their visit. But they were still curious about how Liu Xian would convince them. Liu Xian also knew that this was an indispensable test; he had to demonstrate sufficient ability in this meeting to convince these elderly people of his connection.

Sure enough, Xue Yi asked from the side: "What do you mean, sir?"

Liu Xian replied as a matter of course: "I think this is a very simple matter."

"My uncles and aunts all know that Hedong and Pingyang are both suffering from war, affecting more than ten counties. There are already over 200,000 refugees, and there will be even more in the future, perhaps 300,000 or 400,000."

"People need food to live, and if they don't eat, they'll starve. But now that everyone has left the fields, if they don't farm, there's no food. Those wealthy families with connections and influence can bolt their doors and take their people to their forts. The rebels can't break in, and the food in the forts will last them five or six years without worry. But I know that's not the case for the refugees, and neither can you uncles."

"Xiayang still has some food in reserve, which can help everyone for a while. But to feed so many people, it ultimately depends on the court. But can the court really provide so much food? It's hard to say. If the food supply is cut off for half a month or even a month, people will starve to death." "I want everyone in Hedong to have enough to eat, but we can't rely solely on the court. We have to take action ourselves and think of a solution, right?"

This passage was actually quite sensitive. Zhang Guang, the deputy, was listening nearby and couldn't help scratching his head. He felt that there were many taboos in it.

What do you mean the imperial court can provide so much grain? You're saying it as if the imperial court can't.

Later he said something about taking action on his own, as if Liu Xian was the leader of all the people in Hedong.

But Zhang Guang was not in a position to refute, because first of all, he was a military man and did not like to quibble with words; secondly, he was not sure how much grain Sun Xiu would allocate for disaster relief even after Zhang Gui submitted the letter.

Fortunately, the following conversation quickly drew his attention away.

Zhuge Pan said, "Your Excellency, your wish to unite the people of Hedong and overcome this crisis is a good one, but how easy is that to achieve? Let me be frank. Forget the conflicts between counties and clans. For example, we Shu people have always been marginalized by the local Hedong people. Thirty years of resentment have built up, so how can we even talk about peaceful coexistence?"

This is a very specific problem, and a major challenge organizations often face. Conflicts arise between children and parents from time to time, not to mention those who aren't even related by blood. Some words sound good, but when it comes to actually implementing them, they're often hindered by one unforeseen issue or another. Therefore, when people are desperate, they always trust themselves, even if they're alone.

Liu Xian’s answer to this was: “I have to give it a try!”

"How can you say it's impossible if you don't try? There are nearly 200,000 refugees gathered at the ferry crossings, and about 70,000 to 80,000 of them are old friends. If it really comes down to each of us, it's just to make two or three friends. Is it really impossible?"

"Wasn't General Jiang Wei also a traitor from Liang Province who led the Wei army to surrender? And wasn't he ultimately inspired by Prime Minister Zhuge Liang to fight for his country and his ideals until his very last moment?"

Zhang Guang's eyelids jumped again as he said this. He wasn't sure if the topic of Liu Xian was a taboo. After all, Zhuge Liang was a loyal minister strongly promoted by the late Emperor Sima Yan. But the topic of Jiang Wei was clearly too sensitive, a major taboo in this dynasty.

When Liu Xian finished saying this, all the old people present fell silent. They were convinced, or rather, they had to be convinced.

After a long while, Zhuge Pan asked again, "How do you plan to try, sir?"

Liu Xian had already prepared for this. He sensed everyone's intentions and immediately gained confidence in his words. He spoke to everyone fluently:
"When I met all the uncles, I had already made up my mind. Two hundred thousand people sounds like a lot, but it's actually not difficult to handle."

"I plan to have everyone elect some village chiefs, first by their place of origin. For every two hundred people there's one village chief, for every ten villages there's one canal chief, and for every five canals there's one bao chief. That's a total of only twenty bao."

"The current situation is that if 200,000 people just wait and beg for food, there will be no solution. But if they find ways to save themselves, they can find a way out."

"I plan to divide everyone into three groups according to age. First, children under ten years old and the elderly over sixty will be integrated into one group. This group will receive relief in Xiayang. The food stored in Xiayang can still afford it."

"Young men between the ages of ten and twenty, and the elderly between forty-five and sixty, have been reorganized into a group. In the name of the Western Expedition Army, I've divided up the land between Xiayang and Fenyin. Everyone should start clearing wasteland now and plant some beans. If you sow before June, you'll still have a harvest in October, so you don't have to live on your savings. The cleared land can be sold for a bit once the war is over, and then exchanged for food."

"Those between the ages of twenty and forty-five are considered able-bodied men. I plan to use them as laborers, responsible for transporting grain between Chang'an and Fenyin, as well as helping repair the camps and dredging the waterways. This way, the cost of conscripting laborers that the Western Expeditionary Army would have otherwise needed to be used will be allocated to everyone. This way, the Western Expeditionary Army can save money while everyone still has food to eat. It's a perfect solution."

"Don't worry, everyone, I'm just talking nonsense. Commander Zhang Gui has promised me that as long as the refugees can be appeased, I'll be able to command all the troops under the Western Expeditionary Army. This is Captain Zhang in Chang'an, and he can prove my point!"

Having said that, Zhang Guang really couldn't just stand by and watch. He stood up and promised, "General Zhang did say so. I'm Zhang Guang from Jiangxia, and like all of you, I'm from Jingzhou. I guarantee with my family name that what County Lord Liu said is absolutely true!"

After saying everything that needed to be said, Liu Xian and Zhang Guang were quite nervous, while the old people looked at the two of them and smiled again.

Zhuge Pan said, "My Lord, let us discuss this."

After Liu Xian and Zhang Guang left, they discussed again:

"At first I felt sorry for the young master, thinking he was lacking some strength, but just now it seems that he is not so bad after all."

"Yes, yes, he just spoke so eloquently, just like a great general, and also like His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."

"But as soon as he finished speaking, he glanced over and it didn't look like that anymore."

"The young lord is still young and needs time to temper him. This is normal. But I can tell that there is thunder and rain in his heart."

As they spoke, some people were already in tears. Thinking of the thunder and heavy rain that night, they felt extremely ashamed and regretful.

The elders had never really thought of testing Liu Xian; they simply wanted to find some reflections of the past and some hope for the future amidst the dust of the present. No one discussed whether or not they should help Liu Xian; it wasn't a big deal.

At the end of the conversation, Xue Yi said to his old friends: "The weather has improved."

"Young lord is right. If we sow seeds now, we will still have some harvest this year."

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(End of this chapter)