Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3767 Elephants with tusks burn themselves.

After Cui Yan left, the hall fell silent for a moment.

As the autumn sun sets in the west, it stretches the shadows on the window frames even longer.

The servant quietly added fresh tea, and the rising steam slightly dispelled the heavy atmosphere left by the heated debate.

Pang Tong strolled out from behind the hall, respectfully bowed to Fei Qian, then turned to watch Cui Yan's departing figure. After a moment, he shook his head, sat down to the side, and picked up the tea that the servant had just served to sip.

"What do you think of this person?" Fei Qian asked.

Pang Tong pondered for a moment, glancing at Fei Qian as if observing his expression, before slowly saying, "This Cui Ji Gui... is perhaps a mixed bag."

Fei Qian asked, "Was something said incorrectly?"

Pang Tong shook his head and sighed, "No. I heard Your Excellency's profound discourse in the back hall today, and I too was deeply moved and pondered it greatly… Judging from Cui Jigui's expression when he left, he was probably also quite moved… However, the gentry of Hebei are not limited to the Cui family alone. Their influence is deeply entrenched, like an old tree with roots deeply embedded in the fertile soil of Ji, You, Bing, and Qing provinces, drawing nourishment for hundreds of years. How can a few words of reason easily shake them? Even if Cui Jigui is sincerely convinced, what can he do after returning to Guanzhong?"

After Pang Tong finished speaking, he glanced at Fei Qian again.

Fei Qian nodded slightly.

Cui Yan was naturally the key figure.

The Cui clan is divided into three branches: Qinghe, Boling, and Anping.

Then there was the Lu family of Fanyang. Lu Zhi was a great Confucian scholar from the Lu family, enjoying a high reputation. Lu Zhi's personal prestige greatly enhanced the status of the Lu family of Fanyang.

Other examples include the Tian family of Julu, the Li family of Zhao County, and the Zhen family of Zhongshan...

Historically, the Yellow Turban Rebellion and warlord conflicts at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty presented a significant test and reshaping of the Ji Province gentry system. The Ji Province gentry initially made peace with Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao also relied on the support of local gentry such as Tian Feng of Julu, Shen Pei of Wei Commandery, and Ju Shou of Guangping. These gentry hoped to leverage Yuan Shao's prestige and military power to protect their own interests and maintain local stability. Although Yuan Shao later introduced people from Yingchuan in Yu Province in an attempt to balance the Ji Province gentry, this clearly failed.

Later, when Cao Cao took control of Ji Province, he adopted a strategy of both appeasement and suppression towards the local gentry. Driven by the need to consolidate his power and eliminate potential rivals, he curbed the political arrogance of the Ji Province gentry, but at the same time, he recruited some of their sons into his own bureaucracy. Clearly, in retrospect, Cao Cao's "appeasement and suppression" strategy was not necessarily very successful.

How could the Jizhou gentry, an elite group with deep economic assets as its foundation, Confucian classics as its monopoly threshold, and the recommendation system to control local and central political power, be so easily persuaded to relinquish their power?

Pang Tong turned to Fei Qian, his tone becoming somewhat grave. "What do those aristocratic families rely on? First, their land and tenant farmers; second, their inherited classical learning; third, their disciples and former officials; and fourth, their reputation for integrity in their communities. These four are interdependent and inseparable. Your Majesty's new policies—equalizing land distribution—sever their foundation of resources; promoting practical learning and performance evaluation—break their control over officialdom; broadening elementary education—reduced their advantage in classical studies; and establishing patrol inspectors—cracked their clan-based private laws. How can they sit idly by and await their doom? Even if Cui Ji Gui alone were to gain insight, it would be like a drop in the ocean. It's not that I, Pang Tong, am intolerant of others, but rather that the scholars of Ji Province should not be easily trusted."

After Pang Tong finished speaking, the autumn wind howled outside the window, making the room even more silent.

Fei Qian sighed softly.

Official documents and letters were piled up like a mountain on the desk, and next to it was a huge map of mountains and rivers, on which red and black ink strokes intertwined, outlining the chessboard of world strife.

Fei Qian pondered for a moment and said, "Shi Yuan, do you think that even if Cui Jigui is tempted, the gentry of Hebei are deeply entrenched and wouldn't change their minds because of one person's words?"

Pang Tong clapped his hands and said, "Indeed! When Cao Mengde took Ji Province, how powerful he was! He defeated Yuan Shao with overwhelming force, and he was equally adept at dealing with the people of Ji Province, using both force and appeasement, suppression and pacification. He either used ruthless methods to eliminate dissidents or showed kindness by offering official titles and ranks to win over the various clans. But what was the result? The people of Ji Province outwardly submitted, but inwardly, there was a turbulent undercurrent. Cao Mengde and Xiahou were stationed there cautiously and obediently, but once Cao Mengde raised his army and left, the undercurrents would surge! With Cao Mengde's wisdom and strategy, how could he not understand the art of dividing and weakening? The reason he could not achieve complete success was because he could not eliminate their base! If the base were eliminated, even if the Cui clan understood the principles, they would most likely resist to the end!"

Pang Tong's concerns were not unfounded.

Historically, any reform that touches the very core interests of vested interest groups has invariably met with fierce resistance.

Pang Tong even suspected that Cui Yan might, just like Cao Cao when he took control of Ji Province, appear compliant on the surface but secretly collude even more closely with them, either feigning compliance while secretly rebelling, or inciting public opinion, or...

Or perhaps they secretly colluded with Cao Cao in order to preserve their family's interests for generations to come!
After all, compared to Fei Qian's new policies, Lao Cao's side might be more willing to allow them to maintain the status quo!
"Shiyuan's words are quite apt," Fei Qian nodded in agreement.

Fei Qian did not get angry or upset when Pang Tong offered a contrary opinion, suggesting that persuading Cui Yan was likely to be ineffective; instead, he remained calm and composed.

Fei Qian calmly said, "However, Cao Mengde's maneuvering and my current division are similar in form but different in essence, like two worlds apart."

Pang Tong frowned and said, "Please enlighten me, my lord."

"Today's meeting with Cui Jigui is a clear indication of his kind," Fei Qian said.

"Explicitly?" Pang Tong pondered for a moment.

Fei Qian smiled. "Or perhaps you could call it a warning. Times have changed; the old ways are no longer viable. Those who adapt may become pillars of the new dynasty; those who oppose will be crushed to dust. This is not a threat, but a statement of fact. They are all intelligent people; even if they are extremely unwilling, they will weigh the pros and cons."

Pang Tong nodded and said, "That's true, but people are all driven by a desire for security and greed for their own interests. How could they easily give up such a huge profit?"

Fei Qian said, "This clearly shows the difference between him and Cao Mengde. What Cao Mengde did was 'swallow up'. Ji Province was Cao's granary for money, provisions, and soldiers. His attack was to eliminate dissent and establish his authority; his appeasement was to seek temporary stability, extracting its resources to fund his military and support his ambitions for hegemony. Every extra bushel of grain Cao's army took, every extra soldier he conscripted, meant a hidden loss for the gentry. How could they truly submit? They merely yielded to force, outwardly complying while inwardly resisting, waiting for an opportunity to act."

Fei Qian smiled and pointed in the direction of Guanzhong. "Are we merely devouring the taxes and provisions of the gentry? Are we simply taking their wealth to fill old vacancies? My invitation to Cui Yan is not to grant him the old power, but to show him a new path. This is a change of quantity, not a struggle over existing resources."

Pang Tong's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Then what about 'ground' and 'skill'?"

Fei Qian nodded and said, "Indeed."

Fei Qian gestured, "What we are plotting now is like making cakes. The more ruthlessly the Cao family seizes the cakes from the gentry, the deeper their resentment grows. But we have new stoves in Guanzhong and Bingbei, with new wheat and new recipes, to make large, fragrant cakes. Those who abandon their old stoves and cooperate will not only eat new cakes but also receive a share of the profits. What they lose is merely some tough, stale bread; what they gain is a mouthful of delicious grain. How can this temptation compare to Cao Mengde's meager salary?"

Pang Tong couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh.

However, after a moment, Pang Tong said again, "My lord, no matter how much grain is produced, it will still take time. Those people are short-sighted; they only care about their own overflowing granaries. How can they bear to wait for the time to make the cakes? What should we do?"

Fei Qian laughed and said, "We can't wait any longer!"

Fei Qian said with a touch of emotion, "Now we have reaped the great fruits of Guanzhong and the north... the workshops are bustling, the fields are thriving, the schools are brimming, and there is a smooth path for children from poor families to rise through the ranks based on military merit! It is all clearly before our eyes, not empty words. What Cui Jigui sees and hears on his journey to Guanzhong far surpasses any words I could utter, and is far more powerful than any army or the threat of swords and spears."

"Besides, the proclamation to the people... should also be widely distributed in Ji... Although Cao Mengde claims to appoint only the talented, he himself has not shaken the foundation of the gentry..." Fei Qian seemed to have thought of something, and smiled, "Shiyuan, do you remember that Cao Mengde also held the imperial examinations in Ji Province back then... But what happened? I already know Shiyuan's intention... I will be extremely cautious in appointing these old officials and clerks."

Pang Tong immediately cupped his hands and said, "My lord is wise!"

Fei Qian waved his hand and said, "There's no need for such formality between us. The reason why this old official Chen is so rampant in Shandong is that the people are unaware of the harm he causes, or they know the harm but cannot speak out... Therefore, the tasks of establishing laws and enlightening the people are still arduous and have a long way to go..."

Many people think of assets as just money, food, and land, but in reality, knowledge is an asset regardless of the era.

The fact that the gentry deliberately downplayed this asset was indeed insidious.

As long as the chains that sever the intellectual monopoly of the aristocratic class are not broken, and the need to obtain governing talent from the aristocratic class remains, then the aristocratic clans will never decline.

Fei Qian spoke calmly, "Once we widely open elementary schools, promote papermaking, advocate practical learning, and revitalize all crafts... it will be difficult for those old-fashioned scholars to rely solely on classical learning without striving for advancement and seeking generations of wealth and status!"

When even the sons of peddlers and laborers can learn to read and understand principles, when craftsmen can be richly rewarded and honored for their superb skills, and when learning is not only about studying classics until old age, but also about investigating things and applying them to enrich the country and strengthen the army, what value can the "family tradition of learning" and "public opinion" that people like Cui Yan rely on be?
Upon hearing this, Pang Tong felt relieved. He was worried that Fei Qian would treat the gentry of Ji Province in the same way as Cao Cao. Even though Fei Qian had issued a proclamation for a new world, it was not something that one or two people could accomplish. If he used them extensively or failed to properly screen them, then Fei Qian's new policies might only exist in words in Hanoi, Ji Province, and the wider Shandong and Central Plains regions!

Pang Tong emphasized this matter repeatedly in order to remind Fei Qian.

Moreover, this kind of reminder shouldn't be too over the top...

For someone like Cui Yan, words alone are clearly insufficient to change his mind. Only by letting him truly see the new changes and the overwhelming tide of new systems will he genuinely consider the gains and losses of his clan and then ponder how to ensure the clan's survival amidst this upheaval!
Fei Qian was not unaware that Cui Yan was a two-faced person, but Fei Qian had confidence and patience.

The significance of Cui Yan's change of heart lies not in how many Hebei gentry can be persuaded immediately, but in allowing Cui Yan to bring these new changes under Fei Qian's rule to Ji Province. Although there will inevitably be some who are still afraid and some who are watching from the sidelines, there will also be some who, like drowning people seeing a boat, will desperately try to seize the only opportunity in front of them.

While Fei Qian and Pang Tong were talking, soldiers suddenly rushed over.

"Report! Urgent report from the Acting Magistrate of Luoyang and the Grand Minister of Agriculture!"

……

……

At Sishui Pass, the autumn wind howled through the pass, whipping the slightly worn Han banners on the city tower, making them flutter mournfully.

Liu Xie, wrapped in a rather ill-fitting thick cloak, stood alone behind the parapet, gazing at the vast, silent plains to the west. He leaned against the cold battlements, looking westward with utter despair. The sky and earth stretched endlessly, with only distant mountains, like dark eyebrows, silently stretching to the horizon. That place, where banners should have blotted out the sun and battle cries should have resounded, was the scene that had haunted his mind these past few nights, waking him in terror from nightmares. The anticipated thunderous attack of the Flying Cavalry had not arrived. The pass still stood, with only Cao Cao's remaining troops patrolling the walls. The clanging of their armor and the occasional commands only served to accentuate the stagnant silence.

A few days earlier, when General Fei Qian's army did not march directly towards Sishui Pass as expected, Liu Xie secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was an almost instinctive relief that the fear of war and destruction had been temporarily relieved.

The walls remained intact, his life was safe, and he was still the nominal emperor of the Han Dynasty—that seemed to be enough.

seem……

However, this joyful relief did not last long.

A deeper, more chilling cold gradually spread from the bottom of Liu Xie's heart, more terrifying than the cold wind in the pass.

The cavalry of the Flying Cavalry still appeared in the distance like ghosts.

Occasionally, Liu Xie could even clearly see the cold, scrutinizing gaze of the black-armored knight at Guan Fang.

They are just...

Not coming.

Why not come?
This thought repeatedly churned in Liu Xie's mind, bringing a strange sense of humiliation and panic. He had witnessed the arrogance of powerful ministers, the tyranny and cruelty of Dong Zhuo, and the barbarity and disorder of Li Jue and Guo Si, all of whom had trampled his dignity into the mud. He had also experienced the hypocrisy of so-called loyal ministers and upright officials; those eloquent scholars who quoted classics could turn around and betray him for their own family interests. He had even tasted the bitterness of wandering, hunger, and cold; on the thorny road of escape, the emperor's status was far less tangible than a piece of dry rations.

But whether he was arrogant, hypocritical, or suffering, it all meant that he, as the emperor, was still important. Dong Zhuo needed him to ascend the throne, Cao Cao needed him to "hold the emperor hostage to command the princes," and even the scholar-officials needed him as a symbol of their own righteousness. He was a banner, even if eroded by wind and rain, torn apart by various forces, he was ultimately at the center of the vortex, the most crucial piece in the game.

However, Fei Qian's silence now seemed like a complete disregard. The powerful cavalry seemed to merely glance coldly at Sishui Pass before turning away to attend to other "more important" matters.

This feeling of being ignored and belittled was more chilling to Liu Xie than any direct threat. He felt as if he had become a forgotten character on an old stage, while a new drama was already unfolding elsewhere with great fanfare, and no one needed his performance anymore.

He was still young, and his heart was still pounding with resentment.

He was not the Duke of Shanyang in history who abdicated deep within the Wei palace, his heart filled with despair. Deep down, he still harbored some undiminished ambitions and some perhaps naive but undeniably real hopes.

He dreamed of truly wielding power and restoring the Han dynasty, even if it was just recovering the old capital Luoyang to comfort his ancestors.

He hoped to have an opportunity to use the conflict between Cao Cao and Fei Qian to mediate and find a sliver of breathing room, or even...

The fisherman profits.

Ke Feiqian's absence was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the last embers of hope in his heart.

Fei Qian's lack of need to "steal" him might mean that Fei Qian no longer needs the title of Emperor of Han.

Was Fei Qian waiting for a better opportunity to come back? Or, under Fei Qian's new rules, would Liu Xie and the four-hundred-year Han dynasty he represented become relics that could be swept into the dust of history?
This possibility sent chills down Liu Xie's spine.

He gripped the cold bricks tightly, as if he wanted to grasp everything under the Han Dynasty.

If even his value as an emperor is disappearing, then what is left of him as the emperor?
Is it merely a source of spiritual sustenance for those high-ranking officials within the Great Wall who are still dreaming of a peaceful and prosperous future and vying for power?
They continued their grand pronouncements, as if the world's affairs still revolved around Sishui Pass and the emperor's banners, unaware that the outside world might have already undergone a complete upheaval.

Initially, he tried to comfort himself with the words of the nobles who accompanied him...

The General of Chariots and Cavalry was ultimately a Han official, loyal and righteous, mindful of the relationship between ruler and subject, and dared not commit such an act of rebellion.

The reason sounded noble and in accordance with the teachings of sages, but Liu Xie was no longer the young emperor who lived in seclusion in the palace and only read poetry and books. He had experienced the tyranny of Dong Zhuo, the chaos of Li Jue and Guo Si, and Cao Cao's "protection." He knew all too well what kind of cold, realistic calculations of interests were surging beneath these noble reasons.

General Fei Qian was by no means a pedantic person.

How could a powerful figure who could sweep across the northern deserts, pacify Yongliang, and contend with Cao Cao to this day be restrained by a mere title?
A sudden gust of wind swept into the pass, almost knocking Liu Xie off his feet. His robes fluttered wildly, as if mocking his disheveled state. He frantically grabbed the edge of the battlements, a wave of indescribable grief and helplessness washing over him.

Fear gnawed at him.

Fear of being abandoned by the times, fear of losing one's last remaining value, fear of becoming a truly isolated and forgotten person. But at the same time, that bit of unwilling ambition grows twistedly in the soil of fear.

He couldn't just accept his fate; he had to do something.

But what can we do?

He hinted yesterday that since Fei Qian wasn't coming, he could return to his troops, but this was quickly rejected...

That's right, no!
They won't let Liu Xie leave!

Whether it was Cao Cao's people or the ministers accompanying the emperor at Sishui Pass...

Of course, all the high-sounding words were just a set of platitudes, but Liu Xie could guess that they were worried that as soon as he left Sishui, it would immediately lead to the cavalry attacking Sishui Pass, and they, they, they were afraid!
I'm afraid I won't be able to hold on!

They feared that the mighty cavalry would overwhelm their foundation!

Liu Xie was furious...

However, fear also comes with it.

A profound contradiction tore him apart.

On the one hand, there is a clear and painful understanding of one's own situation; on the other hand, there is the instinctive unwillingness and struggle of young life.

He stood isolated atop the city wall, behind him a gloomy microcosm of the old dynasty, and ahead of him the misty, perilous torrent of a new era.

He was stuck in the middle, unable to move forward or backward.

Fei Qian adopted a seemingly indifferent attitude towards him at Sishui Pass, as if to say that times had changed...

The old order represented by the Han Dynasty, or Liu Xie, seems to...

It's not that important anymore.

Inside the pass, the high-ranking officials who had accompanied him, after their initial panic, seemed to have regained some of their former composure. They began discussing politics, though there was no real governance to speak of; their evaluations of figures consisted mainly of mutual flattery and criticism; they even secretly corresponded with various factions, seemingly engaged in some kind of scheme…

Is it waiting for a higher price to sell?

Haha, how ridiculous!

They seem to be still stuck in the past, believing that the emperor is still the emperor, and that no matter who wins in the end, they will need this flag.

Liu Xie looked at them coldly, but his heart was filled with sorrow.

These people might not see things as clearly as I do.

The cold wind continued to howl, and Liu Xie felt his heart sinking heavily in his chest, unable to find any solid ground.

He no longer seemed to be the emperor who commanded the world, but rather a relic of a previous dynasty forgotten at a crossroads of history, only able to watch helplessly as the torrent of the times rushed away in another direction, without even a single wave splashing onto him.

He gazed at the western fields, as if he saw his own equally empty and uncertain future...

How to do?
He had already fought his way to Sishui Pass, personally using his own flesh and blood to block the cavalry's swords and spears, and those people...

What are they still doing?
Fei Qian's new policies and newly issued proclamations undoubtedly heralded the demise of the old Han Dynasty. However, now that Liu Xie was relying on these former officials and seeing their actions at Sishui Pass, a huge question arose in Liu Xie's mind...

Will the Han Dynasty have a future?