Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 71 You mean Dian Wei, that murderous thief?

Inside the manor's reception room, fine bamboo mats and brown linen cushions were laid out, large enough for a dozen people to kneel and sit. In the center was a wide lacquered table, its legs carved with dragon heads and swirling clouds, perfectly square in shape, upon which sat tea caddies and bowls for medicinal drinks. The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao sat at the head of the table, followed by the chieftain Shi Qian, who naturally took the second seat. Zhang Chengfu and Gao Daonu, however, could only sit at the lower end.

"Susu~"

The bronze incense burner, shaped like a mountain, emitted wisps of smoke that rose slowly from the openings of its peaks, carrying a rich, lingering fragrance mixed with a hint of bellflower. The smoke drifted past, enveloping the four people in the room, mingling with the subtle aroma of tea, and then wafting across the walls. On the walls were a bronze mirror in a niche, pomegranate blossoms on a wooden table, a silver basin filled with water, and a table displaying porcelain and jade.

Zhang Chengfu surveyed the furnishings of this branch of the aristocratic family's manor, looking from the Boshan incense burner to the four walls, and saw five pieces of furniture. After a moment's thought, he suddenly realized.

"Yes! This is the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. One piece of each is placed in its generating and restraining positions, in accordance with the rituals of the Daoist school! This stove was originally in the north position, but because of Huang Tian of the Taiping Dao, the earth element table containing porcelain and jade was placed at the head of the north position, directly opposite the teacher's seat. This is how meticulous these aristocratic families are in their attention to detail, even a branch of a large clan."

Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher of Virtue, was already quite accustomed to the refined luxury of such aristocratic families. He stroked his short beard, looked at the chieftain Shi Qian, and said solemnly.

"Cai Bojie, the Duke of Cai? His writing, calligraphy, musical instruments, and painting were all among the best of his time. I had long heard of his name, but had never met him. I remember six years ago, in the first year of Guanghe, when the celestial signs of plague first appeared. He sealed a memorial to the throne, pointing directly to the powerful eunuchs around the emperor as the source of the plague, and using the celestial signs as a warning, he asked the emperor to remove the treacherous officials around him. As a result, the eunuch clan found out, and they all falsely accused him, sentencing him to be executed in the marketplace, and even implicating his uncle, Cai Ziwen, in the crime."

"Yes, teacher! Lord Cai was upright and honest, speaking frankly about the emperor's omens and warnings. It's just a pity that the eunuchs were so powerful that his entire family almost lost their lives. Fortunately, the ministers Lu Zhi and Lu Zigan submitted a memorial to plead for his life, and Lord Cai's own defense was so well-written that it moved the emperor. As a result, Lord Cai's execution was commuted to shaving his head and exile to Shuofang. And the following year, the second year of Guanghe, due to a solar eclipse and earthquake, the emperor granted a general amnesty, and Lord Cai was only exiled for a year before being allowed to return."

When Cai Yong, known for his "loyal and upright memorial," was mentioned, the chieftain Shi Qian's face was full of admiration. He raised his head and recited the famous lines from Cai Yong's memorial with intonation.

"'I am forty-six years old, alone and without a male heir to carry on the family line, I have been able to serve the royal family to the best of my ability. To die as a loyal minister would be an honor, but I fear Your Majesty will never hear such wise words again!' Alas! Lord Cai was so loyal and upright, yet at the age of fifty-two, he had no male heir to carry on the family line, only two young daughters. Although I have heard that Lord Cai's eldest daughter, Cai Yan, is only ten years old and can write essays, compose poems, play the zither, and paint, which has greatly astonished the county, she is still just a daughter and cannot inherit Lord Cai's ambition to enter the court!"

At this point, Commander Shi Qian sighed with regret, deeply lamenting the loss of Cai Yong. Cai Yong himself came from a prominent family, his literary fame spreading far and wide, and his infamy stemming from his role as a eunuch further cemented his notoriety. He possessed a substantial political legacy, but no direct male descendant inherited it. Given Cai Yan's demonstrated talent, if she were a male heir capable of inheriting Cai Yong's political reputation, she could likely have directly entered officialdom through the recommendation system. That would have meant a starting position as a central government official with a salary of two hundred shi (a unit of grain measure), or a local county magistrate with a salary of six hundred shi!
"Cai Yong, Cai Yan"

Upon hearing this anecdote about Cai Yong, Zhang Chengfu pondered for a moment, speechless. This Cai Yong was undoubtedly a top-tier scholar in his time. But his political acumen was clearly lacking. To write a letter to the emperor, urging him to eliminate his own extensions of power and the powerful eunuchs? And this was a "secret letter"—completely unexplained and without any support from the court.
This move was far too dangerous and reckless. Even if one truly wanted to declare war on the Ten Attendants, the proper way would have been through a public petition, with the participation of high-ranking officials from aristocratic families. This was tantamount to revealing the knife to the eunuchs and then handing the handle to Emperor Ling. And Emperor Ling was not some later emperor who would cut off his own limbs. He only needed to tacitly allow the eunuchs to take away the knife of this "secret letter," and they could easily tear Cai Yong to pieces!
In this situation, the fact that Cai Yong survived, instead of being killed by the eunuchs like so many other partisans, can only be attributed to his great fortune. Considering history, Cai Yong, a renowned scholar from Guandong who survived the rule of the eunuchs, actually accepted Dong Zhuo's summons. And after Dong Zhuo's death, when Wang Yun, the Minister of Works, seized power, Cai Yong openly reminisced about Dong Zhuo—such naive political wisdom!
"Renowned throughout the land and possessing astonishing talent, yet in this cruel late Han dynasty, such impulsive actions ultimately led to a tragic end!"

Zhang Chengfu shook his head, keeping this assessment to himself. Compared to her spirited father, Cai Yan's life was fraught with hardship. Whether captured by the Xiongnu or facing Cao Cao, she managed to protect herself and her family, truly a woman of exceptional political wisdom and talent. If she had been a man, with such abilities, who knows how far she could have gone in the late Han Dynasty? She would certainly have surpassed Yang Xiu. It's truly a pity!
"Zirang, since Lord Cai has already been pardoned, why did he go to Lujiang County in Yangzhou?"

"Teacher, you are unaware of this. Lord Cai was upright and honest. When he was exiled to Shuofang, he was entertained at a banquet hosted by Wang Zhi, the Prefect of Wuyuan. This Wang Zhi was the younger brother of Wang Fu, the Palace Attendant. At the banquet, Wang Zhi openly danced for Lord Cai to show his respect and reverence. However, Lord Cai did not want to associate with the eunuch clan, so he neither accepted the courtesy nor returned it, thus creating a deep enmity between him and Prefect Wang Zhi and Palace Attendant Wang Fu."

"Furthermore, due to his previous memorial to the throne, Lord Cai offended the eunuch Cheng Huang, the imperial clansman Liu He, and the Grand Master of Works Yang Qiu. To protect himself, Lord Cai could no longer stay in Luoyang and had to flee to Yangzhou. He had previously stayed in Lujiang County for some time and discovered the fine Huangya tea of ​​Qian County, writing back to the county to praise it highly. Various aristocratic families then learned of this and also went to obtain some. Last winter, Lord Cai wrote back saying that he was traveling in Wu County of Wu Commandery and had seen the coastal 'Zhenze Taihu Lake' and the vast East China Sea. It is said that he will continue south to travel to Kuaiji Commandery."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu was taken aback again, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"Hmm? Taihu Lake is now a coastal area? Does that mean Shanghai and Chongming Island didn't even exist yet? A difference of a thousand years means the landscape has changed, and the sea has turned into mulberry fields~~"

"Oh! Kuaiji Commandery, the land of Yue. Zirang, I have never been there before, and I do not know what the situation is like in the land of Yue?"

"Teacher, the people and officials of Yue are mostly uncivilized and unfamiliar with etiquette. Furthermore, the damp and humid climate makes it difficult for northerners to stay for long. The only thing worth mentioning is the abundance of rice and grains, producing excellent sacrificial rice!"

"Yes, indeed! The epidemics in the southern Yue region are different from those in the north. Major epidemics in the north are often typhoid fever, which begins in spring and summer and ends in autumn and winter. But the epidemics in the south are related to dampness and heat, and are called 'miasma'. Miasma is the poisonous gas produced by humid and hot waters, which only the natives of Yue can avoid. Pestilence is a terrible disease caused by alternating chills and fever, which is especially easy for northerners to contract. Once they get it, their life or death is uncertain, and even if they survive, they will suffer from this chills and fever for the rest of their lives."

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao chatted briefly with the chieftain Shi Qian, discussing the geography and diseases of the Yue region. The greatest obstacle to the Han Dynasty's development south of the Yangtze River was the miasma and plagues of Jiangnan and Lingnan. Malaria, especially in the undeveloped southern areas, was a dreaded disease for northerners, a life-or-death struggle. While Zhang Chengfu understood how malaria was transmitted by mosquitoes, a comprehensive solution was virtually impossible. Even artemisia annua could only alleviate symptoms, with a very low cure rate. Therefore, developing Jiangnan required sacrificing lives!
That concludes the discussion about Cai Yong. The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao glanced at the pensive Zhang Chengfu and smiled.

“Chengfu, Zirang knows the most about the situation in Chenliu County. Do you have any questions?” “Yes! Master, this disciple does wish to inquire about the situation in Chenliu County.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu nodded respectfully, bowed to Commander Shi Qian, and asked in a gentle voice.

"Brother Zirang, you are a local magnate. I wonder which prominent families and outstanding individuals are in Chenliu County?"

"Haha! The most famous figure in Chenliu County, as I just mentioned, is Cai Gong, a renowned scholar from the Cai family of Yu County. And below Cai Gong is naturally Bian Wenli from the Bian family of Junyi County! Bian Gong is also a great Confucian scholar of his time, as famous as Tao Qiu Hong and Kong Rong, and he is especially skilled in divination and archery! In the county, ranking alongside Cai Gong and Bian Gong is my family's father, Shi Gong from the Shi family of Kaocheng County."

Commander Shi Qian, showing great admiration, mentioned the name "the great Confucian scholar Bian Rang." Unfortunately, Zhang Chengfu did not recognize the name, only noting that it referred to a prominent family in the prefecture. Then, more figures from Chenliu came up from Shi Qian's mouth.

"The Gao family of Yu County is a prominent clan with a prestigious reputation. For generations, the Gao family has been known for its chastity, filial piety, and integrity, enjoying a high reputation among scholars. They also have a marriage alliance with the Yuan family of Runan. Among their descendants, the most famous in the current generation are Gao Gan and Gao Yuancai, who are praised by scholars as having 'great talents and lofty aspirations, and outstanding literary and martial skills'."

When the Gao family's reputation was mentioned, Commander Shi Qian was full of praise. He also expressed great admiration for the Yuan family of Runan.

"The Wu family of Changyuan County is a prominent clan in the county. The Wu family's literary lineage is not prominent in this generation, but there is a young member who serves as a court official in the army in Luoyang. He is very close to He Jin, a butcher's relative, and his name is Wu Kuang."

Commander Shi Qian had a complex expression toward the Wu family and He Jin, a relative of the imperial family. He showed both disdain for the powerful clans and envy for the collateral branches of the powerful clans.

"The Kong family of Chenliu County is a prominent clan in the county. Currently, there is an outstanding figure of my generation, Kong Zhou, also known as Kong Gongxu. He is most skilled in 'pure conversation and lofty discussions,' and he is also a close friend of mine!"

When it comes to Kong Zhou, Commander Shi Qian is quite close to him. And as he befriends Kong Zhou, his stance and character become increasingly clear.

"The Ruan family of Weishi County is a prominent clan in the county. There is a young man who has just reached the age of twenty and is studying under Lord Cai. His name is Ruan Yu, also known as Ruan Yuanyu. Lord Cai praised him as a 'prodigy,' and I have read his articles and poems, which are indeed excellent!"

"The Mao family of Pingqiu County is a prominent clan in the county. They also have a remarkable young man in his twenties named Mao Jie, also known as Mao Xiaoxian. He is not well-known, but I have met him and know that he is exceptionally capable and of upright character!"

Commander Shi Qian spoke at length, while Zhang Chengfu, through subtle questioning, also gained a general understanding of the scale of landholdings of these powerful clans. The ancestral homes of the prefectures ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of mu, while those of the county-level prefectures occupied anywhere from twenty to thirty thousand mu. The scale of expansion and annexation by these powerful clans of Chenliu far surpassed that of other prefectures and kingdoms in Yanzhou, and even those in Jizhou. Chenliu Prefecture alone boasted eight powerful clans—Cai, Bian, Shi, Gao, Wu, Kong, Ruan, and Mao—each representing a prefectural or county-level prefecture! These eight powerful clans, along with numerous smaller clans, had practically divided up most of the prefecture's land!

"There are so many powerful clans in Chenliu County! No wonder Cao Cao started his army in Chenliu but didn't want to stay there for long and eventually moved to Ye City. I guess Yingchuan County, where Xu County is located, is just like Chenliu County!"

Zhang Cheng listened patiently for a long time until Commander Shi Qian finished speaking, at which point he bowed in thanks. Then, after a few moments of contemplation, he asked with a calm smile.

"Brother Zirang, I have heard that the people of Jiwu County in the south are known for their fierce and valiant nature, and that there are many brave men and heroes among them. Among them is a hero named Dian Wei, who possesses the ferocity to withstand hundreds of men?"

"Um?!"

Upon hearing this, Commander Shi Qian was taken aback. He looked at the young man with some surprise, then smiled casually.

"You mean Dian Wei, that murderous scoundrel? You've heard about the evil deeds he committed last year?"

(End of this chapter)