About Cao Cao's reincarnation as the emperor's uncle

Chapter 20 Even in ruins, he still holds the beacon of war.

The iron gate of the Left School Office creaked open, and Feng Xu stepped in with his body bowed.

The sun slanted down on the patches of his blue cloth shirt, and the patched cuffs trembled slightly in the cold wind, as if deliberately trying to make him look somewhat destitute.

Zuo Feng followed behind, his neck hunched, the firelight from the brazier in his hand casting flickering light on the prison walls, and the stench of decaying grass mixed with blood assaulted his senses.

The icy water leaking from the cracks in the roof tiles dripped onto the back of my neck, making me feel cold and tight.

"Lord Feng, Yin Duan is in the Bingzi prison."

The clerk bowed, his gaze lingering for a moment on Feng Xu's sleeve.

The old blue robes worn by the Imperial Academy now appear somewhat incongruous on the eunuchs, let alone with the patches sewn on so neatly. Isn't it a deliberate attempt to portray them as refined scholars?
However, these thoughts only flashed through the clerk's mind, and he never dared to lift his body even slightly.

"However, he is seriously injured..."

Feng Xu raised his hand to stop him, pressing his knuckles into the damp stone wall, leaving several watermarks:
"When have the people here ever shown mercy? Enough talk, just lead the way."

"Here."

……

Inside the Bingzi prison, Yin Duan sat with his back against the seeping stone wall.

The shoulder blades protruded menacingly beneath the prison uniform, and a fresh wound on his left cheek had not yet healed, with bloodstains mixed with mud forming a scab.

Hearing footsteps, he raised his cloudy eyes slightly, then lowered them again...

I guess... it's that guy Duan Jiong who got involved to mess with him again...

"Prefect Yin".

Feng Xu crouched down, his voice extremely soft:

"Zhang Ranming is a man of his word."

Yin Duan's eyelids twitched suddenly, and his cloudy eyes brightened abruptly as he stared intently at Feng Xu.

Zhang Huan's name was like a spark thrown into a haystack in this dark prison.

He saw Feng Xu take out a piece of silk from his sleeve; the edges were charred, but familiar handwriting could still be discerned.

"The Qiang flute urges us on our journey, we eagerly await your return to camp."

Whenever the Hu cavalry invaded the border, Zhang Huan would use this eight-character code to send an order, meaning "The Hu threat has arisen again, quickly prepare your armor."

Now, many years later, it has reappeared in this dark and sunless prison.

"Where did you get it from?"

Yin Duan's throat bobbed, the sound like a rusty ring-pommel sword scraping on a whetstone.

Feng Xu did not answer, but simply handed over the documents from the Left School Office.

As for where he obtained this secret letter, that's a secret between him and his teacher...

The four characters "to atone for one's crimes through meritorious service" written in red ink were particularly glaring in the dim light; the ink was still wet, indicating that it had just been written.

Yin Duan's fingertips traced the cinnabar, and he suddenly sneered:
"When Duan Jiming framed me, all the officials in the court turned a deaf ear, but now he wants me to bear the punishment?"

"Duan Jiming's knife is about to break."

Feng Xu suddenly leaned closer, his breath condensing into a fine mist in the cold air.

"However, even though Your Excellency has retired to Hongnong, you still have the intention to write this secret letter..."

"Do you think he's longing for the moon over the border? Or is he hoping someone will take over his tiger tally?"

Yin Duan's body trembled.

The last time he and Zhang Huan divided their forces, Zhang Huan patted him on the shoulder and said:

"When I get old, if the Qiang rebellion is still not quelled, I will have to rely on Zhengze."

He had followed Zhang Huan for many years, and the name "Zhengze" was given to him by Zhang Huan.

But now, his old brothers are probably already being watched by Duan Jiong's men, and he himself has to rely on a eunuch's document to get out of prison.

"If I agree, may I see Lord Ran again?"

He suddenly grabbed Feng Xu's wrist, the scars under his prison clothes digging painfully into him.

This wound wasn't new; it was left by Hu Qi's curved sword. There were four of them across his forearm.

"You only need to do what you are supposed to do, don't ask about anything else... There is a blue-curtained carriage outside the door."

Feng Xu pulled out his sleeve. "There is another person in the same carriage, Zhu Jun."

He paused, then added,
"After he arrived in Luoyang, he searched everywhere for people, kneeling for nearly seven days, before finally managing to get a sliver of hope for you from Jian Huangmen."

……

Zhu Jun, clutching half a piece of silver, squatted in the shadows of the alley behind the Left School Office.

The snow crunched under his boots made a soft sound as he watched the tiles on the wall sway, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

“Zhu Lang”.

Zuo Feng's voice came from above, the firelight from the stove illuminating his frostbitten nose, "Come with me."
-
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, "公子" was mainly used as a respectful term for the sons of the imperial family or high-ranking nobles.

Even at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was at least used to refer to the sons of prominent families.

This title had strict status restrictions; even if a commoner or a non-aristocratic family was wealthy, their son could not be called "Young Master".

In informal or unofficial settings, when young people of similar age and with similar social status, the term "郎" can be used.
-
The woodshed was filled with the damp, grassy smell.

Yin Duan leaned against the haystack. When Zhu Jun rushed forward, he almost thought he had mistaken him for someone else. This once fierce border general, who had once charged into battle with his sword, now looked like a skeleton draped in tattered human skin.

He bent his knees, about to perform a grand salute, but Yin Duan stopped him by raising his hand.

"Gongwei...don't kneel..."

Yin Duan tightly gripped the sesame cakes that Zhu Jun had brought with his hands, which were covered in sores.

"While I was in jail, I heard that there was a simpleton who almost knelt down on the streets of Luoyang and turned into an ice sculpture..."

Zhu Jun lowered his eyes, not daring to look into the light in Yin Duan's eyes:

"This disciple is incompetent and can only..."

Yin Duan looked at Zhu Jun and smiled with satisfaction:

"Do not."

He brushed the bran off the flatbread with his fingertips, "Gongwei is far superior to me in being willing to risk everything to curry favor with the eunuchs..."

Before the laughter could even begin, his chest heaved, and he coughed up blood.

He turned to look at Feng Xu, "I... wish to see the esteemed official at the Fenghuang Gate."

"Not urgent……"

Feng Xu took out half of a tattered map from his sleeve and spread it on the haystack.

The distribution of the Hu people marked with cinnabar resembles venomous snakes coiled along the Hetao defense line, while the location of the Xianbei is marked with heavy circles.

"The Xianbei Tanshihuai has integrated the eastern, central and western regions. A great battle is imminent. At this moment, the border is of utmost importance."

Zhu Jun's pupils contracted sharply. He often heard Yin Duan talk about past events on the border and the might of the Hu cavalry's iron hooves.

Feng Xu bowed deeply, "My master said he would definitely clear Prefect Yin's name, but..."

Yin Duan stared at the northern border on the map, and suddenly sneered:
"Speak, what do you want me to do?"

"Is Prefect Yin willing to resume command of the beacon fires?"

Zhu Jun suddenly looked up, while Yin Duan stared at the circled Xianbei territory and calmed his breathing.

"If it is for this matter, I would be duty-bound to do so, but..."

Yin Duan gripped the flatbread tightly, "I'm taking Gongwei with me."

Feng Xu slowly straightened up, a smile playing on his lips. "I couldn't ask for more."

……

The horses of the green-curtained carriage neighed as they trod on the thin ice, and Zhu Jun helped Yin Duan slowly into the carriage.

But as he stepped into the car, Yin Duan suddenly turned around:

"Can Duan Jiming allow me... to leave Luoyang alive?"

Feng Xu handed over a scroll of bamboo slips, saying, "This is a gift from my master."

The bamboo slips were covered with a dense record of Duan Jiong's numerous crimes.

Zhu Jun took the bamboo slip from Yin Duan, his fingers trembling slightly... How did they obtain such detailed evidence of the crime?
"As long as Prefect Yin is willing to take on this matter, these bamboo slips can be placed on the desk of the Minister of Works tomorrow."

Yin Duan looked up at Feng Xu and lowered his voice:
"May I ask which esteemed person you are?"

Feng Xu smiled upon hearing this, his smile as warm as the winter sun.

"Imperial Uncle of the Emperor..." He paused, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect from afar, "Lord Liu Yuanyi."

Yin Duan suddenly grabbed the carriage shaft, the scars beneath his prison clothes throbbing.

I've often heard of the names of the princes of Hejian, but they're all just royal uncles...

Only blood relatives can... Has this emperor ever had an imperial uncle?

"Emperor Huan's younger brother was hidden among the common people."

Feng Xu's voice mingled with the neighing of the horse.

"Back when Liang Ji held power, the Empress Dowager feared for his life and sent him to Bohai. Now..."

He gave Zhu Jun a meaningful look, "His Majesty has no son, and the imperial clan is weak. It's time for an imperial uncle to emerge..."

Before he finished speaking, Zhu Jun casually tapped Yin Duan's shoulder, then suddenly knelt facing north and performed a grand salute.

"I have no way to repay the kindness of Lord Yuanyi, and I am willing to serve him..."

　Note:

　　【Yin Duan】

　　① The commentary on the "Biography of Zhu Jun" in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty quotes the "Continuation of the Book of Han":

　　"Yin Duan was a native of Guzang in Wuwei. He served as the military advisor to Zhang Huan, the Protector of the Xiongnu. In the first year of Yongkang, he, along with Huan and Dong Zhuo, defeated the Xianbei and Qiang barbarians in Bing and Liang provinces. For his merits, he was promoted to the position of Governor of Kuaiji."

　　This passage clearly records his early military career and path to promotion, as well as his relationship with Zhang Huan and Dong Zhuo.

　　②The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Biography of Zhu Jun, records:
　　"Yin Duan, the governor of Kuaiji, appointed Jun as his chief clerk. In the first year of the Xiping era, Xu Zhao of Kuaiji rebelled, proclaiming himself the 'Emperor Yangming,' and attacked and destroyed counties. Duan's campaign against him was unsuccessful, and he was reported by the state to be guilty of execution. Jun then disguised himself and secretly traveled to the capital with a few hundred gold coins. He bribed the chief clerk and changed the report to 'failed to suppress the rebels,' and was demoted to the position of left colonel."

　　This section details how Yin Duan was impeached for his failure to suppress the Xu Zhao uprising, and how Zhu Jun saved his life by bribing officials to alter the memorial.

　　③The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Biography of Zhang Huan, mentions:
　　"Huan was appointed Protector of the Xiongnu and appointed Yin Duan as his military advisor. The army praised Yin Duan for his competence and skill."

　　This sentence corroborates Yin Duan's status and military capabilities under Zhang Huan.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)