Tiger Guards

Chapter 325 Emotional Burden
The next day, Jinyang Lake.

A cargo ship was adrift on the lake shore, frozen in ice. Pei Qian reached the stern, holding onto the railing.

There was no one watching over the stern, and Pei Qian, already intoxicated, stopped restraining himself and immediately began to release water.

He shook himself, tightened his belt, and walked into the cabin.

Pei Xiu lay on her side inside the cabin, a brazier burning, and a copper pot on it bubbling with soup, steaming white vapor.

Upon seeing Pei Qian return, Pei Xiu, supporting himself with both hands, said in unison, "Second Brother, let's drink again."

"That's enough. It's a good thing that we're not drunk yet; any more and it won't be pleasant."

Pei Qian stirred the bronze pot with his chopsticks, then scooped out slices of meat and lotus root and placed them on a plate.

After letting it cool down a bit, he dipped a slice of meat in honey vinegar and immediately raised an eyebrow: "Delicious."

Pei Qian put down his chopsticks and sighed, "The people of Jingzhou eat mutton, cooking it with the skin on. It's such a waste of good food."

Pei Xiu also wanted to sober up, so she picked up the exquisite earthenware jar containing honey and vinegar and poured a third of it into her bowl. She gently shook the wooden bowl for a moment, took a small sip, raised her eyebrows, and felt refreshed and invigorated, but she just chuckled and smiled.

After a moment, Pei Xiu said, "What's this? The sheep we're serving to my second brother today were specially raised by the Xiongnu at Aji's order. They were lambs from last year, castrated, and kept in enclosures to eat good fodder this winter, so their fat is rich and their meat is tender. In the spring, we will select a batch of these Xihe sheep to present to the emperor."

Three types of sheep were selected and castrated in different seasons for comparison and summary.

During the winter, the Xiongnu herders let their cattle and sheep graze freely, eating whatever they could find outside. They would only give them fodder when they gathered the herds together at night.

These haystacks are haystacks that were harvested, dried, and stored during the summer and autumn.

The cow and sheep dung mixed with straw in the animal sheds and pens, hardened into layers, can be dug out and dried to make excellent fuel for winter.

In agricultural areas, raising cattle and sheep can serve as a means of collecting fuel.

Zhao Ji also investigated the combined farming and animal husbandry production methods of the various Xiongnu tribes, and intended to spread cattle, sheep and horses so that both Han and Hu people could engage in both farming and animal husbandry.

When both Han and non-Han settlements had herds of animals and cultivated the land, there was no essential difference between them.

Upon hearing the origin of the mutton, Pei Qian picked up a piece of mutton rib from the bronze pot, held it in his hand, and tore off a piece of meat with it. As he ate, he said, "So, Seventh Brother is using imperial delicacies to entertain his foolish brother."

Then, changing the subject abruptly, he said, "This foundation was built by Qilang and Aji through bloodshed. My coming to Jinyang was truly out of necessity. Please apologize to Aji on my behalf, and tell her that I..."

Pei Xiu waved his hand to interrupt, saying directly, "We will not discuss official business today; only Second Brother and Seventh Brother are here."

Pei Xiu also took lamb ribs from the pot and said, "Taiyuan and Hedong are actually the same whether or not you have Second Brother. If you go to court, it will be more beneficial to us."

Even if he didn't compete for the quota of filial and incorruptible officials in Hedong, Pei Qian had other ways to enter officialdom.

For example, those who were recommended for high ranks, or those who were regular officials under the system of appointing sons.

Pei Mao was the Prefect of Jingzhao, and as Pei Mao's eldest son, it was naturally his responsibility to enter the Imperial Academy or serve as a Gentleman of the Palace under the Guanglu Xun.

Pei Qian also picked up his bowl, took a sip of the honey vinegar, and squinted: "Is it Xuchang or Luodu?"

"Where does Second Brother want to go?"

"Since we're going, let's go to Xuchang."

Pei Qian narrowed his eyes: "I have my doubts. I thought the Grand General would have a conflict with the officials and the people of Ruying. I never expected that the three parties would be at peace so far. It is really strange."

There are more than three forces in Xudu.

Fu Wan and Dong Cheng can be considered a force, as can the people of Yanzhou represented by Chen Gong, and the people of Jingzhou composed of people from Nanyang and Jingnan.

"What my second brother is wondering about, Aji has also been wondering about before."

Pei Xiu chuckled self-deprecatingly, "As for the former nobles and local warlords, they can only rely on the General to resist Aji now. If not the General, are they supposed to rely on the likes of Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shu?"

It was precisely because Zhao Ji's broken leg created such a strong sense of oppression that the unprecedented harmony and unity in Xudu was achieved.

This was Pei Xiu's opinion; he felt that the harmony in Xudu could crumble at any moment.

Zhao Ji was only one factor. There were two or three other factors, such as the lack of capable people around Lü Bu, and the availability of enough positions to accommodate most people; the remaining prestige and influence of the imperial court; and the fact that everyone in Xuchang was hungry, and if they were not united, they would all starve together and risk their lives in the chaos.

Pei Qian frowned upon hearing this, but said, "Aji is too straightforward. After the incidents involving Ding Chong, Zhong Yao, Dong Zhao, and the Minister of Works Zhang Xi and Huan Dian, he is no longer tolerated in the court. Fortunately, he was decisive and withdrew his troops in time."

If Zhao Ji retreats more slowly, and Lü Bu integrates more quickly with the officials and nobles of Yan and Yu provinces, he might try to retain Zhao Ji and drag him into the campaign against Liu Biao.

Pei Qian had just left Liu Biao's side, and he also had a good personal relationship with Liu Qi.

It is very clear how terrified and panicked the people of Jingzhou were when news of Cao Cao's crushing defeat at the Battle of Bian River reached them. If they hadn't felt that Lü Bu could truly crush them, why would Jingzhou, from Liu Biao down, have continuously transported grain to support this lowly beggar Lü Bu?

Seeing Pei Qian's dissatisfaction with Zhao Ji's attitude towards the court, Pei Xiu held the honey-vinegar to his nose, sniffed it carefully, and then tilted his head back to drink it all in one gulp: "Second Brother wasn't there at the time. If he had, he would definitely have been at the forefront of the battle. Second Brother, have you read Aji's 'Petition Against the Great Han Traitor'?"

"I have read it. The writing is crude and straightforward, and it is unfair to simply accuse the officials of immorality."

Pei Qian said as fairly as possible: "Since the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling, the four seasons have been disordered, and epidemics have ravaged the land. The people have suffered from hunger, cold, and disease, which led to the Yellow Turban Rebellion. What fault do the officials have?"

Pei Xiu poured himself some honey and vinegar, tilting his head and glancing sideways at the bowl: "Yes, we can't blame it all on the officials. If not, is it because the Han dynasty lacks virtue, the Mandate of Heaven is changing, and the imperial regalia is about to be replaced?"

Pei Qian remained silent, only sighing deeply; he still did not think highly of Zhao Ji.

As a member of the Pei family, he had a responsibility to switch sides.

That was pretty much the end of the conversation. Pei Xiu got up to relieve herself; there was a urinal in the corner of the cabin.

However, since the cabin was used for hot pot cooking today, the only option was to lift the curtain and go out to the stern to cook for oneself.

He looked at the frozen Jin Yang Lake and let out a long sigh of relief.

Many people were drilling holes in the ice on the lake, either fishing or using fishing nets to catch river fish.

Since the ice layer became thick, officials and residents of Jinyang have frequently come here to dig holes and fish.

Pei Xiu gazed at the surrounding lake, recalling Zhao Ji's plans for this place.

Jinyang Lake has two inlets: one is the Fen River upstream, and the other is the Jin Canal, which is used for flood control and irrigation in Jinyang. It has only one outlet.

Under Zhao Ji's plan, in the future, while raising the dam of Jinyang Lake to increase the water storage capacity, weirs will also be built at the inlet and outlet.

The Jinyang Lake was transformed into a giant fishpond to provide meat for the soldiers and civilians of Jinyang.

Compared to this grand plan that will take five or even ten years, it is rather pointless to investigate the responsibility of the nobles now.

Pei Xiu let out another long sigh, the slightly sour smell of wine lingering in his mouth, and the joy of meeting Pei Qian dissipated considerably.

If it were Pei Qian's younger brother, Pei Jun, he certainly wouldn't have so many concerns.

After the death of the eldest brother and the Luoyang coup, Pei Qian became the leader of this generation. How could he possibly submit to the seventh brother, Pei Xiu?

Even Zhao Ji was someone Pei Qian didn't really want to see.

The world is so vast, where can't we eat or bury people?
Even if he doesn't do well outside, can we really refuse to let him return to Hedong in the future?

Unlike Pei Qian, another deputy envoy, Fu Xun from the north, was having a banquet with Zhang Chang at Zhang Chang's residence.

Fu Xun was very interested in the plan to punish the treacherous officials Li Jue and Guo Si next year.

While in Jingzhou, he was merely one of Liu Biao's trusted assistants and officials; his presence or absence made no difference.

He did not have significant influence over Liu Biao, and it would be difficult for him to gain significant influence over Liu Biao and the people of Jingzhou.

Liu Biao himself was constantly fighting with the people of Jingzhou, so where would he find any extra resources to share with him?

The situation in Guanzhong was different. Even if we disregard Guanzhong, the northern regions would be of great benefit to the Fu clan.

The benefits were not just in acquiring land and recruiting retainers, but also in terms of influence in one's official career.

One option is to stay in Jinyang, which would directly strengthen the family's foundation and long-term influence.

Another reason was that Luoyang and the Three Auxiliary Regions were in great turmoil, forcing them to seek refuge in the distant Jingzhou, where they had to live under the protection of others.

If the safety issues are resolved, no one with even a modicum of sense will stay in Jingzhou.

Clearly, Fu Xun is a normal person; he doesn't have the same heavy personal emotional burden as Pei Qian.

Being able to stay in Jinyang to serve the Grand Marshal and become a special liaison with Jingzhou... you get benefits, freedom, and status, so why refuse?
Since he had no family members or hostages with Liu Biao, Liu Biao would probably be happy to have Fu Xun, who was familiar with Jingzhou and had received favors from Liu Biao, serve as the negotiating envoy.

However, allying with Liu Biao would mean alienating Lü Bu.

Lu Bu and Liu Biao are now in a wolf-sheep relationship. The sheep comes to you for an alliance, which indirectly makes it an ally of the wolf as well.

But wolves need to eat meat and shed wool... Isn't this forcing wolves to break off their alliance with you?
This is a major diplomatic shift, so why would Fu Xun be afraid?
The greater the significance, the greater the impact of the achievements.

(End of this chapter)