Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3749 North Wind
While Fei Qian was gathering his generals for discussions, a small-scale discussion was also taking place inside Sishui Pass.

On autumn nights at Sishui Pass, the chill seems to arrive earlier and be more biting than anywhere else.

It's not just the skin that feels cold, but also the heart.

Inside the city gates, most of the barracks originally used for garrisoning troops were simple and crude. Only a few slightly better houses were temporarily renovated to house Han Dynasty ministers who were "accompanying the emperor on his campaigns".

The air was thick with an indescribable tension and oppression, far surpassing the physical cold.

Outside the walls lay the vast, silent military camp of General Fei Qian, its lights stretching endlessly, like a lurking beast exerting a suffocating pressure. Inside the walls, however, a climate of fear and suspicion permeated every corner.

Although the Flying Cavalry did not attack today, what about tomorrow?
In a relatively secluded and simply furnished duty room, an oil lamp barely dispelled the darkness.

Situ Wang Lang, Imperial Censor Xi Lu, and Zongzheng Liu Ai, three ministers who held significant influence in the Xudu court but now felt powerless, gathered here in secret, avoiding the attention of others.

Wang Lang pulled his fur robe tighter around his neck, his face appearing older than his actual age, etched with worry and weariness. He broke the unsettling silence first, his voice somewhat hoarse: "Today... although the General of the Cavalry... I observe that their army is at its peak, their morale soaring. If they were to launch a full-scale attack, Sishui Pass... though dangerous, I fear it would be difficult to hold for long. Yet they remain inactive... Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on this?"

His question revealed the greatest doubt and fear that lingered in the hearts of everyone inside the pass at that moment.

Upon hearing this, Xi Lu let out a short, cold sneer. He was relatively young, with a thin face and a habitual scrutiny in his eyes, as if he could always see the shadow of conspiracy in everything.

"Is Lord Situ asking a question he already knows the answer to? The whole world knows of Fei's wolfish ambitions! He has the advantage of a great victory, his army is at the pass, yet he holds back, not out of loyalty or fear of the pass's danger!" Xi Lu's voice held a hint of obsession. "This must be a far more malicious scheme! He's waiting, he's looking for a perfect opportunity. Either he wants to lure our army out to annihilate them in open battle, completely destroying the last vestige of the court's strength! Or… he wants to do something utterly outrageous, yet try to make it seem more 'legitimate' and reduce public criticism! His heart is despicable! In my opinion, he's waiting for an opportunity… an opportunity to harm His Majesty and frame someone else!"

Xi Lu glanced at Wang Lang and Liu Ai, his eyes revealing a hint of disdain for their 'naivety'. In his view, Fei Qian's retreat and silence were nothing more than the gathering of strength before a beast pounces; every step was filled with calculation and malice, its target the emperor on the throne!
"Doctor Xi!" Upon hearing the words "harm His Majesty," Wang Lang's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly spoke up to stop him, as if fearing that these terrible words themselves would bring disaster. "Be careful what you say! How can you make such wild guesses!"

Wang Lang took a deep breath of his noodles, trying to soften his tone, his voice carrying a tone of earnest advice, as if trying to convince himself, "The General of the Cavalry... may be arrogant, may have ambitions, but judging from his past actions, he is not a ruthless killer. In the past, he treated high-ranking officials and ministers with great courtesy. Now that His Majesty is here in person, and the world is watching, if he really dares to do... do such an act of disloyalty and disrespect, wouldn't he fear the condemnation of history and the wrath of the world? And would all his soldiers follow him in rebellion?"

Although Wang Lang said this, his brows and eyes betrayed his inner anxiety. He pondered, trying to find a way out of the current situation. "I...I believe that their inaction might...perhaps be a signal? A signal that they are willing to talk? After all, war brings immense suffering and is not a blessing for the nation. If...if we can reason with them, appeal to their emotions, and explain the advantages and disadvantages, perhaps we can find a...a path to coexistence? At least, we can temporarily halt the war and buy His Majesty and the court some chance to turn things around?"

Wang Lang's words were filled with uncertainty, more like a desperate attempt at self-consolation and hope. He pinned his hopes on the fact that Fei Qian still retained a shred of respect for the Han dynasty's order, or at least considered public opinion, thus making peace talks a possibility.

"Coexistence? A compromise?" Xi Lu seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, his face growing even more sarcastic. "How foolish you are, Minister Situ! How can you expect to profit from negotiating with a tiger? Have you not read Fei's 'Proclamation to the People'? His proposals to equalize land distribution, abolish the recommendation system, and promote miscellaneous studies—which of these doesn't aim to uproot our scholars and destroy our millennia-old foundation? What he wants is not coexistence with the court, but a complete overhaul, a fresh start! What he's temporarily delaying is merely the prelude to an even more violent storm! Negotiation? What can we negotiate with? His Majesty's safety? Or our lives, to exchange for his temporary hypocrisy?"

Xi Lu pressed on relentlessly, shattering Wang Lang's faint illusions about peace talks. In his view, Wang Lang's ideas were not only naive, but utterly foolish and doomed to destruction.

Liu Ai, the Imperial Clan Minister who had remained silent until now, sighed heavily. His face showed a hint of sorrow, and his eyes were filled with deep concern for the Emperor's predicament. "Xi Lu's words, though vehement, are...not without reason. Fei Ziyuan's ambitions are indeed far beyond those of ordinary powerful ministers." He initially partially acknowledged Xi Lu's assessment of Fei Qian's ambitions, but then his tone shifted, becoming somber. "However, the Grand Minister's hope for peace talks, though almost a pipe dream, stems from a mature and prudent approach to governing the country, which is understandable."

Playing the peacemaker is the instinct of most clan leaders.

Liu Ai calmed the two men down slightly, then said, "The crucial point now is not to speculate on the General's intentions. He has a strong army and is certain of victory; it's pointless for us to presume to guess his thoughts. What truly matters is... His Majesty's safety and situation!"

Liu Ai's voice trembled almost imperceptibly. "Your Majesty is of inestimable strength, the very foundation of the Han Dynasty! Yet here you stand on this perilous pass, as if... as if you were in a cauldron of raging oil! Regardless of Cao Fei's ultimate victory or defeat, Your Majesty... Your Majesty is in grave danger!"

Liu Ai turned his head, his gaze intense as he looked at Wang Lang and Xi Lu, his tone becoming agitated: "The most urgent matter is not to engage in empty debates about whether Fei Ziyuan is a traitor or a warrior! It is to do everything in our power to ensure His Majesty's safety, and… and to find a way to get His Majesty out of this perilous situation as soon as possible! His Majesty should be far removed from the threat of war! Only with His Majesty's safety can the Han Dynasty have a glimmer of hope for its continuation! As his subjects, how can we put the cart before the horse?"

His words shifted the focus of the debate from vague speculation to a more concrete and pressing real-world issue—

The safety of the emperor.

This is indeed a very important issue.

However, Xi Lu immediately retorted with a cold laugh, "Escape? Liu Zongzheng makes it sound so easy! How can we escape? Right now, His Majesty is surrounded by Prime Minister Cao's trusted guards! The defenses are tight; ostensibly for protection, it's practically imprisonment! Even you and I would find it impossible to see His Majesty! Do you expect us, a few civil officials, to storm the imperial guards and rescue His Majesty? That's not loyalty and courage, it's suicide, and it would put His Majesty in even greater danger!"

Xi Lu scoffed at Liu Ai's idea, deeming it completely impractical.

Wang Lang frowned: "It is Liu Zongzheng's duty to worry about His Majesty. However, what Grand Master Xi said is also true. His Majesty's attendants are all Cao Cao's men. Any rash action might backfire. Perhaps... perhaps precisely because of this, it is even more necessary to communicate with the outside... uh, with the General of the Cavalry? If the General of the Cavalry truly has no intention of offending His Majesty, perhaps... perhaps they could work together from within and without to find a safe plan to help His Majesty escape his predicament?"

Wang Lang then attempted to combine his idea of ​​"peace talks" with Liu Ai's idea of ​​"protecting" him, but this idea sounded even more hopeless and full of uncertainty.

"An inside-outside alliance?" Xi Lu's voice sharpened. "An alliance with whom? With that traitor Fei? Minister Situ, are you sending His Majesty from the wolf's den to the tiger's mouth? Although Chancellor Cao is arrogant, at least on the surface he still respects His Majesty! And that traitor Fei? His proclamation has already exposed his intentions! If he welcomes His Majesty there, will he continue to honor him? Or will he depose him? Perhaps... then it will be another cup of poison!! This plan is absolutely unacceptable!"

Liu Ai, annoyed and frustrated by Xi Lu's rebuke and finding Wang Lang's ideas naive, grumbled, "This won't work, that won't work! Are we just going to stand by and watch His Majesty be trapped in this perilous place, waiting to die? Since Minister Xi is convinced that Fei is utterly wicked and the Prime Minister is no better, does he have some brilliant plan? Are we really going to wait until the city falls, and everything is destroyed?"

Xi Lu's face was grim as he gritted his teeth and said, "Hold firm and await reinforcements! There are still loyal and righteous men in Yan, Yu, Qing, and Xu! As long as Your Majesty's banner is here, armies from all over the land will surely come in droves! At that time, a pincer attack from within and without might defeat the enemy! Even... even in the worst-case scenario, if the pass falls, it is only right and proper for us, as subjects, to sacrifice ourselves for our country and preserve our integrity! How can we presume to negotiate with a tiger for its skin and take such a risky gamble?"

Wang Lang shook his head repeatedly. "A loyal army to defend the emperor? How easy is that! Even Prime Minister Cao's elite troops were routed by the General of the Cavalry… The various prefectures and counties are filled with fear and hesitation; who dares to easily come to their aid? As for dying for one's country…" A bitter look appeared on his face. "Death is indeed easy, a matter of a single thought. But what about after death? What will happen to His Majesty? What will happen to the Han dynasty? If we die, it might leave His Majesty completely without protection, and the Han dynasty might collapse in an instant! Is this the act of a loyal minister? It is to disregard one's sovereign and father!"

Liu Ai was even more dismissive of Xi Lu's claim of dying for his country, saying, "It's easy to die for one's country, but difficult to preserve one's integrity! Minister Xi desires to preserve his own reputation, but has he considered Your Majesty's safety? Our duty as subjects is to protect Your Majesty and ensure the continuation of the Han dynasty, not to seek death! What benefit would dying here and now bring to Your Majesty and the nation? It would only bring grief to loved ones and joy to enemies!"

The three of them each held their own opinion, and the argument grew increasingly heated, with their voices unconsciously rising in volume.

Neither of them could convince the other.

The debate raged and clashed, but no consensus was reached. Instead, it made the atmosphere in the room even more oppressive and hopeless.

Everyone felt that the other person was either too naive, too extreme, or too idealistic.

Finally, Xi Lu abruptly stood up, his face ashen, and said with a flick of his sleeve, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together! The Minister of Works desires to take a risky gamble, while the Minister of the Imperial Clan only knows empty talk about protecting the Emperor, yet has no concrete plan! Since that's the case, further words are useless! Take care of yourselves! I hope that when the city falls, none of you will regret your thoughts today!"

Having said that, he didn't even glance at Wang Lang and Liu Ai again, turned around and strode away, slamming the door shut, leaving behind a room full of cold air and an even deeper stalemate.

Wang Lang reached out, as if to call him back, but ultimately let out a long, weak sigh, slumping back into his seat as if all his energy had been drained away in an instant. He murmured, "How could it have come to this... how could it have come to this... there should have been... there should have been a way out..."

Liu Ai's face was also grim. He stared in the direction Xi Lu had left, his lips moved, but in the end, it only turned into a heavy sigh. He looked worriedly out the window, where the boundless darkness seemed to foreshadow an inevitable tragic end.

The heated debate just now seemed to be nothing more than a futile commotion. Instead of clarifying any issues, it revealed more profoundly the predicament they faced and the irreconcilable internal differences.

The chill seeped in even more fiercely from the cracks in the door, from the walls, and from the depths of my heart.

……

……

Meanwhile, Fei Qian's meeting was nearing its end.

First, we must use irrefutable force to shatter the old order's last reliance on force!

Definitely.

Let everyone see how utterly vulnerable the so-called "royal army" and "loyalty" are in the face of the new organization and tactics of the Flying Cavalry!
This could shatter the old forces' last military illusions.

Secondly, we must capture them alive rather than kill them to deprive them of the tragic grandeur of "martyrdom"!

A captured, trembling "emperor" is far easier to deconstruct than a dead "Emperor Lie of Han".

Most importantly, we must fight fire with fire!

Didn't the old forces advocate "loyalty to the emperor"?

Then let's thoroughly expose how they, for their own selfish interests, hijacked the emperor and incited innocent soldiers and civilians to their deaths!

Let's solidify their crime of "bringing disaster to the country and harming the people" and completely expose their veil of "loyalty to the emperor"!

Therefore, after Liu Xie was captured, he was given material benefits but completely ignored spiritually. He was provided for but stripped of all political power and the right to speak, and was slowly forgotten by the world like a precious antique in a quiet villa.

Let the facts tell the world!

This world can function even better without a "holy emperor"!
Even better!

We must accelerate the implementation of "decentralization of duties" and "all professions becoming professions for scholars"! By contrasting the real abundance, prosperity, and vitality of Guanzhong and Longyou with the desolation and chaos of Shandong under the rule of the old forces, we can make the facts the most powerful argument to prove the superiority of the new path and completely dismantle the real basis for the existence of the old ideology.

After all, destroying a totem is not as good as destroying the soil and beliefs upon which the totem depends.

"By the time of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu, wielding a three-foot sword, rose in rebellion, overthrowing the tyrannical Qin Dynasty and bringing peace to the land. His achievements were immense, benefiting all people. The Han Dynasty inherited the Qin system. Although the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing allowed the people to rest and recuperate, and Emperor Wu expanded the territory, from the time Emperor Wu dismissed all other schools of thought and exclusively honored Confucianism, the way of learning in China gradually became confined by the study of classical texts! This was especially true of the New Text School of Confucianism, which mixed in theories of Yin and Yang, apocryphal texts, and the interaction between Heaven and humanity, thus distorting Confucianism and leading to its decline and stagnation!"

"Modern Confucian scholars have lost the essence of Confucius and Mencius's benevolent governance and people-oriented principles, degenerating into shackles that use the divine right of kings to fool the people! They outwardly proclaim the emperor's position as divinely ordained, but in reality, they secretly defy the emperor's decrees, disregard royal orders, and exploit local areas! They have also lost the essence of the scholars of the Spring and Autumn period, confining themselves to the narrow path of occupying local positions, seeking official positions through official means, and protecting their clans and families!"

"They spend their lives studying classics, only to interpret a few words of sages; they thoroughly read the Spring and Autumn Annals, only to whitewash the truth and exploit the people!"

Fei Qian's criticism became increasingly sharp, each word like a knife.

"Therefore, the talented people of the land do not pursue the practical benefits of the people's livelihood, but instead preoccupied with textual exegesis and exegesis, currying favor with the powerful and wealthy, and studying the art of maneuvering! Agricultural and industrial skills are dismissed as superfluous tricks and frivolous crafts, and artisans are relegated to a lowly status; merchants and traders are regarded as engaged in inferior and base professions, suffering constant suppression and exploitation! This is a grave evil that stifles the people's intelligence, blocks the nation's lifeline, and severs its vitality! If this continues, how can the nation not decline?"

"Since the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling, accumulated ills have crumbled like a mountain collapsing! Powerful families have seized land, stretching across vast fields, leaving the poor with nowhere to stand; the court levies exorbitant taxes and sells official positions, its bureaucracy as corrupt as rotten wood; natural disasters and plagues are frequent, causing people to be displaced and even resort to cannibalism! This is not a natural disaster, but a man-made calamity! It is the bitter fruit of a rigid system, restrictive learning, and a deified ruler, all intertwined and deeply entrenched! The decline of the Han dynasty is not due to Heaven's aversion to its virtue, but rather to this corrupt system, which has reached its breaking point!"

Fei Qian's voice, booming like a great bell, resonated throughout the council hall: "I, Fei Qian, have been entrusted with the life-and-death responsibility of the thousands of soldiers and civilians in Guanzhong, Bingzhou, and Longyou. My efforts to fight on Longban and stabilize Yongliang are not for personal gain, nor for seeking to carve out territory and become a hegemon, nor to emulate the old ways of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods! I cannot bear to see the glorious land of China succumb to the shackles of the old system; I cannot bear to see the millions of common people suffer generation after generation from the exploitation of powerful and corrupt officials, with no hope of ever rising above their circumstances!"

"What we seek," Fei Qian raised his hands as if lifting a heavy weight, "is to break this thousand-year-old shackle! To break this chain that imprisons the people's wisdom! To break this cage that stifles life! To open up a new path like never before for the millions of people of China!"

For a moment, the council chamber was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were on Fei Qian.

This kind of ideological unity and communication was actually rare in the Han Dynasty, and even in feudal dynasties...

In most feudal dynasties, superiors disdained to communicate, explain, or clarify anything to their subordinates. This wasn't simply personal arrogance or a character flaw, but rather a behavior to maintain their own sense of mystery and a strict hierarchical order. Even a lower-ranking person requesting an explanation from their superior was considered an act of "usurpation" and "disrespect."

The moment Fei Qian finished speaking, the council chamber was so quiet that the candlelight crackled.

There was no clamor, no cheering.

There were no flattering words, neither well-spoken nor eloquent.

Everyone fell into deep thought...

Pang Tong unconsciously twirled his beard, not even noticing when he pulled out two strands. He suddenly recalled his youthful days studying the classics diligently, his fingers bleeding from the splinters of the bamboo slips, yet he dared not stop. It wasn't because he was born with a love for studying, but because he was born dark-skinned and ugly, so he had to be respectable to the sons of the aristocratic families…

But he discovered that even though he was well-versed in the classics and possessed great talent and eloquence, he was still ridiculed by those aristocratic sons!

Only the one in front of him truly doesn't care about his appearance, but only focuses on his "achievements".

Oh, the world...

Pang Tong tilted his head slightly and sighed.

Zhang Liao, standing to the side, made a slight rustling sound from his armor, like the fluttering of cicada wings.

This general, who was used to speaking with swords on the battlefield, now clearly felt something sharper than a blade.

He recalled those old soldiers in the Bingbei Army, their faces weathered and their hands covered in scars.

Those veterans had been guarding the frontier all their lives, but no one remembered their names, including Zhang Liao himself.

If the new system is implemented, the new merit-based evaluation system that Fei Qian mentioned...

How could Fei Qian's Hall of Heroes possibly record so many names? Shouldn't various places establish their own places of honor to record and commemorate those nameless individuals?
They, those old soldiers, had no desires in their lives.

Zhang Liao felt that if Fei Qian's system could be implemented throughout the land, someone should remember them.

Every year, someone should offer them incense...

This is what we owe them.

Xu Chu suddenly took a deep breath, as if he had just emerged from deep water.

He came from Shandong not because he couldn't defeat the gentry from Shandong, but because he couldn't resist the old system in Shandong.

Even if he had the strength of nine oxen and two tigers, so what?
Once a label of rebellion is slapped on someone, what difference does it make even if they've never done anything rebellious?
Xiahou wanted the benefits, and he did so so openly and naturally!

Refusing to give it is to show contempt for the imperial court and to provoke trouble!

In Shandong, the cost of false accusation is practically zero!

In Shandong, what good is even the most formidable soldier academy, despite its martial prowess?
If what Fei Qian said could really be implemented...

This "warrior," who was always looked down upon by the literati in Shandong, discovered for the first time that he could stand tall with his back straight and no longer needed to worry or fear being accused or falsely accused without any reason!

The youngest, Hao Zhao, swallowed hard.

He was somewhat worried that what Fei Qian had said might cause problems during the implementation process, but at the same time he also had a strong desire for these things to actually come true!
He joined the army not because he had wanted to since childhood, but because he also wanted to live a carefree life, eating and drinking, hunting with falcons and hounds, and enjoying the freedom of the world...

But the endless wars, bandits, robberies, and killings forced him to take up arms.

Perhaps, if what the lord said really comes true, he might one day be able to take off his armor and go to read books or travel, and truly enjoy his own carefree life!

The clerk sitting in the council hall taking notes had his pen hover over the bamboo slips for so long that a drop of ink fell and stained the paper with black ink.

He hurriedly tried to wipe it with his hands, but found that the more he wiped, the more chaotic it became, just like his own thoughts.

He remembered his father holding his hand on his deathbed, saying, "My son must master the classics and attain officialdom." But now, with new ink covering the old marks, he suddenly felt he could finally breathe a sigh of relief...

It turns out that life doesn't have to be just one narrow, confined path.

The shadows cast by the candlesticks stretched long behind each person, overlapping on the wall, making it impossible to distinguish which was a scholar and which was a warrior, which came from a wealthy and powerful family and which came from humble beginnings.

There were no cheers, no flattery; everyone remained silent, as if they could hear the deafening sound of ice shattering.

That was not the clamor of a change of dynasty, but a deeper collapse!
Something ingrained in our blood is dying, while something never before has awakened in the blood-red gloom with a painful new life.

As the first rays of dawn pierced through the windowpane, their intertwined shadows faded, and they discovered the same watery light in each other's eyes.

It wasn't just a feeling of being moved; it was more like the physiological tears that come from someone who has been trapped in a dark room for a long time and suddenly sees the rising sun.

Pang Tong stood up, and Zhang Liao followed suit. Xu Chu, Hao Zhao, the civil officials sitting at the foot of the hall, and the guards standing guard around the perimeter...

They looked at Fei Qian, gathered in the hall, and then knelt down.

They weren't entirely drawn to Bai Feiqian as a person, but rather to the new atmosphere and brilliance he brought!

"Your subject, Pang Tong..."

"Your subject Zhang Liao..."

"minister……"

"Following our lord through fire and water, we are ready without hesitation!"