Han Ji

The winter of the fourth year of the Xiping era was cold.

The snowflakes didn't drift, they pelted, whistling through the wind as they lashed against the window paper of the Goushi Mountain Hermitage, making a soft, pattering sound.

In Lu Zhi's study, the charcoal brazier burned brightly, occasionally sputtering a few sparks. Liu Bei knelt at the lower end, his back straight, listening to the howling wind and snow outside, yet his heart remained unusually calm. He knew that being summoned here alone today was not merely for testing his understanding of the classics.

Lu Zhi didn't look at him; his gaze fell on a scroll of bamboo slips spread out on the table. The material and format of the scroll were different from those commonly used in the study; it was older and heavier.

"Take a look at this." Lu Zhi finally spoke, his voice not loud, but it drowned out the sound of the wind outside the window. He pushed the rolled-up booklet over.

Liu Bei accepted the document with both hands; it felt slightly heavy. Unfolding it, he found it covered in densely packed ink characters, recording reports from various prefectures and counties, the words exuding a stiff, cold official air. This was an unedited report from the prefectures and counties.

"Look at Youzhou and Jizhou," Lu Zhi said calmly, tapping his finger on the bamboo slips. "What are your thoughts?"

Liu Bei read it carefully as instructed. At first, he only saw some scattered records: a peasant uprising in a certain place, killing officials and seizing grain; an emergency at a certain border, with barbarian cavalry harassing the border; a certain prefecture reported the suppression of several "bandits"... Each one was like a scattered pebble.

He stared for a long time, then looked up, somewhat hesitantly: "The people's livelihood is precarious, and border troubles are endless..."

Lu Zhi raised his eyelids, his gaze like an icicle piercing Liu Bei's eyes: "Don't just look at what's happening." He paused, each word striking Liu Bei's heart, "You must consider why."

Liu Bei's heart skipped a beat. He lowered his head again, his gaze fixed on the bamboo slips. This time, he no longer looked at the isolated events, but tried to connect them. His fingers slid along the slips, finally stopping at a short record—"The people of Beizhou killed their chief official."

Beizhou (Qinghe County)...

Fragments of memories from his past life flashed through his mind, combined with the scattered information he had heard from Lu Zhi over the past six months, and his own observations from his journey from Zhuojun to Luoyang. Last year, there seemed to have been a significant flood in the Beizhou area.

The people killed the local official...

He seemed to see before his eyes the faces of the desperate people surrounding the grain shops during the spring famine in Zhuojun. If they hadn't risked their lives to sell their grain at a fair price, and if Liu Yuanqi hadn't intervened at the last minute, would Zhuojun have also witnessed a "people killing officials" incident?

A chill ran up from my feet, colder than the wind and snow outside the window.

He looked up abruptly, his voice trembling with excitement, yet he struggled to control it: "Teacher! Beizhou suffered a great flood last year, and there will surely be a famine this spring. Instead of providing disaster relief, the officials are increasing taxes! The people are killing their officials not because they are inherently evil, but because they are desperate to survive!"

As soon as he finished speaking, only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire remained in the study.

Lu Zhi looked at him for a long time. In those usually calm and unwavering eyes, undisguised approval finally appeared.

"Indeed." Lu Zhi's voice remained steady, yet carried immense weight. "If those in power only know how to suppress and appease without investigating the root cause, it's like trying to stop boiling water by adding more water; the fire will only escalate."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the chaotic snowy world.

"Xuande," he said slowly, his back to Liu Bei, "now that you have this insight, you should know that what you will face in the future will no longer be the principles in books, but living human lives and a potentially overthrown state."

Liu Bei clenched his fingers so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

He suddenly recalled the four words "Yellow Turban Rebellion" so casually mentioned in the history books of his past life. Behind those words lay countless prefectures? Countless acts of mass killings of officials, piling up into an overwhelming torrent of resentment?

At that moment, he felt the solid ground beneath his feet crack open, revealing a bottomless fissure. Below the fissure lay scalding, erupting magma.

All previous literary talent and academic reputation pale in comparison to the real, bloody scars of the empire.

Lu Zhi turned around, his gaze falling back on him, his eyes seeming to want to re-hammer his bones and muscles.

As the coursework came to an end, the sound of wind and snow seemed to subside somewhat. Lu Zhi tidied up the bamboo slips on his desk, mentioning it as if it were just a casual remark.

"Come with me in a few days to visit Master Xun Ciming (Xun Shuang)." He said in a calm tone, "His youngest daughter, Nüxun, is exceptionally intelligent and has the ability to memorize classical texts after a single reading."

He paused briefly, raised his eyes, and his gaze held an indescribable meaning.

"What a pity, being a woman."

In short, though seemingly insignificant, it was like a pebble thrown into Liu Bei's heart, which was still turbulent from the harsh reality, creating ripples that even he himself was not yet fully aware of.

Xun Ciming's daughter... was exceptionally intelligent... but alas, she was a woman?

He lowered his head and replied, "Yes."

The snow stopped, but the sky remained overcast. The cold wind was like a knife, stinging one's face.

The carriage crunched and creaked as it rolled over the still-puffy snow on the streets of Luoyang. Liu Bei sat beside Lu Zhi, his gaze sweeping across the carriage window. The rows of houses, the towering watchtowers, the bustling crowds—everything remained the same, yet to him, it seemed as if a shadow of yesterday had fallen over it.

Xun Shuang's residence was not in the most prominent neighborhood, yet it possessed a serene and composed air. The high walls of the blue bricks and the gate were not particularly grand, but the servants guarding the gate had upright eyes and measured manners.

Lu Zhi was clearly a regular visitor, and was respectfully led inside without needing to be announced.

After passing through several courtyards, we arrived at a secluded study. The room was simply furnished, with shelves full of books, and the scent of ink mingled with the faint aroma of tea. An elderly man of similar age to Lu Zhi, with a lean face and gentle yet wise eyes, came to greet us; it was Xun Shuang.

"Brother Zigan (Lu Zhi's courtesy name), the snow has just stopped and you've already come all this way. Please come in." Xun Shuang smiled warmly, then his gaze fell on Liu Bei behind Lu Zhi, scrutinizing him with goodwill. "This must be Liu Xuande, who has recently become famous in Luoyang, right? I have read your poem 'Guan Shan Yue' many times, and I find it endlessly fascinating."

Liu Bei stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "I am Liu Bei, greetings to Master Xun. My humble work is unworthy of your esteemed ears; Master Xun is too kind in his praise."

Xun Shuang chuckled and offered a gesture of support: "Young man, there's no need to be so modest. Please sit down."

The three men sat down, and servants served them hot tea. Lu Zhi and Xun Shuang exchanged a few pleasantries before turning the conversation to court affairs. Liu Bei sat quietly to the side, listening intently.

They no longer discussed classical texts and regulations, but rather specific political affairs, the transfer of officials, and the increasingly arrogant power of the eunuchs entrenched within the palace. There were no fierce criticisms in their words, but a sense of unease and profound powerlessness permeated the aroma of tea.

"Wang Fu, Cao Jie, and the others have become increasingly unscrupulous lately." Xun Shuang gently blew on the tea froth and sighed. "Even the positions of the Three Dukes are openly priced, like a marketplace. If this continues, the country will cease to exist."

Lu Zhi remained expressionless, his fingers tracing the warm teacup. "Your Majesty... sigh." His sigh contained too many unspoken words.

Liu Bei felt a chill run down his spine. The cruelty reported in the official gazette was like blood and fire, while the conversation here was like ice and water, silently eroding the foundation of the empire.

At this moment, a servant entered and whispered a few words in Xun Shuang's ear. Xun Shuang frowned slightly, then said to Lu Zhi, "Brother Zigan, there are some mundane matters in the front hall that I need to attend to temporarily. Please excuse me for a moment."

Lu Zhi nodded: "Brother Ciming, please do as you please."

Xun Shuang smiled gently at Liu Bei again before getting up and leaving.

Only Lu Zhi and Liu Bei remained in the study. Lu Zhi closed his eyes to rest, no longer speaking. Liu Bei was also happy to have some peace and quiet, continuing to process the information he had just heard, his gaze casually sweeping across the study filled with books.