Han Ji

"What if the powerful rebels?"

"Divide and weaken them. Severely punish the ringleaders, and be lenient with those who are coerced. At the same time, guide them with incentives—if they voluntarily return the land, they can have some taxes reduced or be given other benefits."

Qiao Xuan listened, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. After a long while, he slowly said, "The idea is clear, but too idealistic. Do you know that local powerful families often have intricate connections with influential figures in the imperial court? If you touch their land, it's the same as touching the wallets of the people behind them."

"The students know."

"Knowing this, why did you still do it?"

"If we dare not act out of fear, then the corrupt practices will never be eradicated." Liu Bei said calmly, "When I was in Lujiang, Zhou Chong also had someone behind him. But Lord Lu and I still did it."

Qiao Xuan looked at him and suddenly smiled. A warmth crept into her smile.

"Okay." He nodded. "Lu Ziqian made the right choice."

After chatting about current affairs for a while, the topic turned to classical studies. Guo Tai, an expert in the Book of Rites, spoke with great emotion about the current atmosphere at the Imperial Academy: "Nowadays, most students at the Imperial Academy are keen on empty talk, and few are pragmatic. If this continues, the country will cease to be a country."

Cao Cao snorted: "Being pragmatic? Being pragmatic means offending people. Those who engage in empty talk are just leaving themselves a way out."

Liu Bei listened silently, occasionally interjecting a word or two. He noticed that although Qiao Xuan had retired, he had a keen understanding of the political situation; Guo Tai was erudite but mild-mannered; while Cao Cao was sharp as a knife, his words always carrying a barb.

Before they parted, Qiao Xuan saw them to the door.

"Xuande," he called to Liu Bei, "Your teacher was right to tell you to bide your time and conceal your abilities. But biding your time doesn't mean doing nothing. You should see what you need to see, learn what you need to learn, and make friends with the people you should make friends with—just like today."

He paused, then said meaningfully, "This world won't stay like this forever."

It was still early when we came out of Qiaoxuan Mansion.

Cao Cao suggested they have another drink. The two found a riverside tavern and sat down by the window on the second floor.

Outside the window flows the Luo River, its waters murky and littered with debris. Across the river, one can see the pavilions and towers of the West Garden, and the faint sounds of string and wind instruments drift over.

"Qiao Gong is a wise man." Cao Cao took a sip of wine. "It's a pity he's too old and has offended the eunuchs, so there's no hope of him being reinstated."

Liu Bei looked at the river and asked, "Why did you bring me to see the Bridge Master today?"

"Let me introduce you to some people." Cao Cao put down his wine bowl. "In Luoyang, there aren't many people with true insight and integrity. Qiao Gong is one of them. Guo Tai is young, but he is learned and virtuous, and he will surely achieve great things in the future. It won't hurt to get to know more people like him."

He paused, then looked at Liu Bei: "Xuande, why do you think I returned from Dunqiu?"

Liu Bei shook his head.

"It was His Majesty who summoned me back." Cao Cao smiled, a hint of mockery in his smile. "I killed seven powerful local tyrants in Dunqiu, and their backers complained to the palace. His Majesty summoned me back and questioned me about the Dunqiu incident in person."

"What did His Majesty say?"

"What can I say?" Cao Cao spread his hands. "He praised me a couple of times for handling things efficiently, rewarded me with some silk, and then told me to go back to Luoyang and stay there. Do you understand? He just wants me to rest and not go anywhere to cause trouble."

He grabbed the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp: "That's how the court is now. If you want to do something, someone will make sure you can't."

Liu Bei remained silent.

"But it's all good," Cao Cao wiped his mouth. "I can still get things done in Luoyang."

He stared at Liu Bei, then suddenly asked, "Xuande, if the world truly descends into chaos, what will you do?"

The problem came unexpectedly.

Liu Bei gripped the wine bowl tightly, the rim digging into his palm.

After a long silence, he slowly said, "I will do my best to support the nation and bring peace to the people."

"What if the nation cannot be saved?"

Liu Bei raised his eyes and looked at Cao Cao. Cao Cao also looked at him, his eyes sharp, as if he wanted to cut through the flesh and go straight to the bone.

"Then we will ensure peace in this region," Liu Bei said, emphasizing each word. "We will ensure peace for as many regions as we can."

Cao Cao stared at him for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter. The laughter drew the attention of the guests sitting nearby.

"Good!" He patted Liu Bei on the shoulder forcefully. "That's true! Much better than those who just shout about loyalty to the emperor and serving the country!"

After laughing, he lowered his voice: "Xuande, remember your words today. This world... is about to descend into chaos. What I saw in Dunqiu were just scattered sparks. But many sparks can start a prairie fire."

He picked up his wine bowl and clinked it heavily with Liu Bei's:

"At that time, we will both have to choose a path to take."

After that day, Cao Cao would visit Liu Bei every few days.

Sometimes they would drink, sometimes they would stroll through the market, and sometimes they would simply sit in a small courtyard in the south of the city for an entire afternoon, discussing classics, history, and current affairs. Zhang Wu was initially wary, but later, as they became more familiar, he relaxed and would occasionally chime in with a few words. Having witnessed bloodshed in Lujiang, his views on the current situation were often more straightforward than those of the idle scholars.

"If you ask me, those powerful clans should be killed!" Once, when Cao Cao mentioned a prefect who had been forced to resign by powerful clans, Zhang Wu couldn't help but say, "Killing one isn't enough, kill ten! Kill them until they're terrified!"

Cao Cao laughed loudly upon hearing this: "Zhang Wu's words are rough but reasonable! It's a pity that the imperial court doesn't have the guts to do it now."

Liu Bei listened silently, offering no comment.

In August, something happened in Luoyang.

A group of imperial college students jointly submitted a memorial impeaching eunuchs Cao Jie and Wang Fu for corruption, bribery, and disrupting the court. The memorial was submitted but disappeared without a trace. Within days, the leading students were expelled from the imperial college for some reason.

When the news spread, the scholarly community was in uproar. Yuan Shao convened a meeting at Puyuan, where he delivered a passionate speech, vehemently denouncing the eunuchs' monopoly of power. Dozens of people attended, all of whom were renowned figures of the time.

Cao Cao also went, and upon returning, he told Liu Bei, "Yuan Shao put on a good show. He spoke eloquently, but what good was it? Those who wanted to embezzle still embezzled, and those who wanted to cause chaos still caused chaos."

"What does Brother Mengde think we should do?"

"How about it?" Cao Cao sneered. "You need either soldiers or money. You have neither, so talking is utterly useless."

He looked at Liu Bei: "Xuande, you led troops in Lujiang. Tell me, if you had an army now at your command, what would you do?"

Liu Bei thought for a moment and decided to "protect the territory and ensure the safety of the people."

"and then?"

"Then..." Liu Bei paused, "waiting for the imperial decree."

Cao Cao stared at him, then suddenly laughed: "You're still too honest."

He didn't say anything more.

In September, Liu Bei received a letter from Xun Cai.

The letter was delivered through an elderly doctor from Dongguan. It was folded neatly and unsigned. Unfolded, the elegant handwriting was still there.

The letter made no mention of personal matters, only inquiring about the details of implementing the military-agricultural colony system in border regions, and what key points should be considered if it were implemented in the interior. The questions were specific, as if the author were genuinely studying agricultural policy.

Liu Bei replied, answering in detail. At the end of the letter, after hesitating for a long time, he added a sentence:

"Autumn deepens in Luoyang, and the grass and trees wither and fall. I happened to read the poem 'Jianjia' from the Book of Songs, and it reminded me of the banks of the Luo River in bygone years. The mountains and rivers remain unchanged, but the years have suddenly passed."

After sending the letter, he regretted it somewhat. He had been too blunt.

But when he received a reply three days later, Xun Cai added a sentence in very small print at the end of the letter:

"The reeds are green and lush, the white dew is like frost. The one I long for is on the other side of the water. I trace my steps back upstream to find her, but the road is difficult and long."