Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3879 The Question
Inside Sishui Pass.

A hall temporarily used for court meetings.

Although it had been roughly swept, years of accumulated dust and cobwebs were still visible between the beams and pillars.

The hall was tall, spacious, old, and empty.

Inside the hall, there were no painted screens or bronze lamps like those in the Chongde Hall, which were used to display majesty. There were only a few tables and some straw mats, which naturally gave it a somewhat rushed and shabby feel.

Moreover, because the hall itself is old, sitting inside, one can smell a complex aroma that is a mixture of musty smell, old wood smell and fresh charcoal smell.

Outside, the biting winter wind howled across the eaves, emitting a mournful wail that seemed poignant enough to blow the roof tiles off.

The cold wind would occasionally tug at the tightly closed window frames, lifting the heavy curtains a crack before rushing out again, taking with it the warmth that had been painstakingly accumulated in the hall, leaving only a heavy, suffocating sense of oppression.

Inside the hall, there was naturally a brazier.

Two enormous bronze charcoal braziers were placed on the left and right sides, with the finest silver charcoal burning brightly, glowing red-hot, occasionally crackling with tiny popping sounds, and the rising heat waves distorting the air above them.

The brazier looks nice, and the silver charcoal used for heating is of good quality.

However, this artificial warmth seemed unable to dispel the oppressive chill that permeated the few figures.

Cao Cao did not sit in the central, main seat...

There was an empty, slightly large lacquered couch for sitting alone, covered with a worn brocade cushion.

Cao Cao sat slightly below the main seat, dressed in a black brocade robe. His expression was calm, except for his slightly narrowed eyes, which occasionally flashed with a cold, razor-sharp light in the flickering lamplight.

Below the hall, Wang Lang was the oldest, his hair and beard already as white as snow, yet meticulously combed and tucked under the scholar's cap on his head. His face was gaunt, with deep wrinkles, and although his old eyes were slightly cloudy, his slightly pursed lips and the occasional trembling of his beard seemed to reveal some of his current emotions.

Hua Xin sat to his left, with a fair complexion, a well-trimmed three-strand beard, and lowered eyes staring at the floor in front of his desk, his posture respectful yet with his usual caution.

Wang Lang and Hua Xin had been plotting in secret during the day, and being summoned in the middle of the night naturally made them uneasy...

The charcoal fire crackled, and time seemed to stretch out in the oppressive silence.

In the end, it was Wang Lang who broke the silence.

Although Wang Lang knew in his heart that in this situation, whoever spoke first would be at a disadvantage, but...

Wang Lang felt that continuing the silence would be even more disadvantageous for him, so he cleared his somewhat dry throat, clasped his hands in front of his chest, bowed slightly in Cao Cao's direction, and spoke in as steady a voice as possible: "Lord Cao summoned us old men here late at night, may I ask... what urgent matter you wish to inquire about? Is the defense of the front lines in dire straits? Although we old ministers are not knowledgeable in military affairs, we are willing to do our utmost to offer our assistance..."

Wang Lang's question was quite interesting...

Cao Cao seemed to be pulled back from some thought by his voice. He raised his eyelids slightly and then looked at Wang Lang. It seemed to only last for a moment, but it made Wang Lang lower his head a little.

After a moment of silence, Cao Cao said, slowly and deliberately, "It's not about defense."

Cao Cao's gaze swept over Wang Lang, Hua Xin, and the others, his speech remaining calm. "Your Majesty is deeply concerned about state affairs, unable to sleep day and night, and is also grateful for the tireless efforts and great contributions of you gentlemen who have accompanied the Emperor. Your Majesty's heart is particularly mindful of the provinces of Yan and Yu, who have long been deprived of imperial pronouncements. The people may be filled with anticipation, and public opinion may become discontented. Therefore…"

Cao Cao shook his sleeves and said, "I hereby appoint the Grand Master of Ceremonies, bearing the imperial insignia, as the Emperor's envoy to the front lines, and the Grand Censor as his deputy. They are to immediately prepare to depart eastward from the Si River to proclaim the Emperor's benevolent will, comfort local officials and the people, and investigate the true extent of the people's hardships."

"Incidentally..." Cao Cao's gaze swept over Wang Lang again, his tone becoming more serious, "...find an opportunity to investigate the movements of the rebel detachment of the Flying Cavalry, and record them in detail, in preparation for the court's future efforts to recover Ji Province and pacify the world."

Although Cao Cao's words were eloquent and grand, his sinister intentions were obvious.
Wang Lang, Hua Xin, and the others' faces changed drastically in an instant, all color draining from their faces!
The advance envoy who went east out of Sishui?

Are you kidding me? !

At this time, the imperial envoy's departure from the pass under the guise of "pacifying the local areas" and "investigating the situation" was nothing more than poison coated with sugar. The real intention was to use these old officials with the titles of high-ranking Han officials as bait to attract the attention of the Flying Cavalry. They might even deliberately leak their whereabouts and routes to lure Wei Yan and other brave generals to "ambush and kill" this "Emperor's delegation"!
Of course, it's also possible that Wei Yan will let them go and instead plunder the real emperor...

But who can guarantee that these so-called envoys are completely foolproof?
"Lord Cao!" Wang Lang abruptly stood up from his seat, his movements slightly unsteady with excitement. The forced composure on his face vanished without a trace, replaced by barely suppressed shock and anger. "This...this action is absolutely unacceptable! This is not the right time! Ji Province is engulfed in flames of war, and bandit cavalry roam freely without restraint. We old men are all frail and weak, powerless to even kill a chicken. To send an envoy with no soldiers or guards is...isn't it just a futile act of suicide? Not only would it dishonor the nation, but it would also make Your Majesty appear unrighteous! Moreover...the Emperor's presence is close at hand within the pass. Lord Cao and the generals are handling all matters in Guandong. Why should we, your old ministers, travel to such a dangerous place to do...do such a pointless thing? This edict...I dare to request an audience with Your Majesty to personally explain the advantages and disadvantages, and beg Your Majesty to rescind the decree!"

Hua Xin was also terrified, and hurriedly rose from his seat, bowing deeply. "Yes! Lord Cao, this matter...this matter is of great importance, concerning the safety of the imperial envoy and the reputation of the court. It certainly requires careful consideration! This humble official is willing to accompany the prince to an audience with His Majesty, humbly requesting Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"

"An audience with the Emperor?" Cao Cao's lips curled slightly, but the smile remained only on his lips; his eyes were icy cold. "Your Majesty is burdened by the affairs of state and finds it difficult to sleep soundly. Now that you have finally found some rest, would I possibly disturb Your Majesty with such a trivial matter?!"

Cao Cao took a roll of yellow silk from the table, tossed it to Wang Lang, and said, "This is the imperial edict! It was recorded by the eunuch, and all the seals and insignia are intact, the gold leaf still fresh. Do you gentlemen think that I, Cao Cao, would dare to forge an imperial edict and act in violation of its will? Or are you... desiring to disobey the edict?!"

The last few words struck Wang Lang's heart like a heavy hammer, and were like a cold wind sweeping through the hall, causing Wang Lang and the others to shiver and lower their heads even further.

Forced by Cao Cao's sharp gaze, Wang Lang subconsciously took a half step back, his heel touching the edge of the straw mat behind him, swaying slightly as he struggled to stop himself from falling over.

If I sit down, I might not have the courage to stand up again...

Wang Lang forced himself to steady his slightly trembling body, straightened his already hunched back, raised his white-haired head, and said in a loud voice: "Lord Cao! This action is... is unfair! Although we old ministers are of limited talent and knowledge, and unfamiliar with military affairs, we have served Emperor Ling, Emperor Shao, and Your Majesty for several reigns. For decades, we have worked diligently for this Han dynasty. Even without great achievements in expanding territory, we have toiled in paperwork and maintained the established order! How... how can we drive them to a place of certain death like sheep and dogs? If the military situation is urgent and a strategy of luring the enemy is indeed necessary, there are many brave generals and elite soldiers within the pass. Why not send them? Why must unarmed civil officials, wielding the symbolic staff of the emperor, personally risk such danger? This is not the way to treat scholars, and it may discourage the hearts of scholars throughout the land; nor is it a strategy for governing the country, and it will only damage the prestige of the court! I urge Lord Cao to reconsider!"

It's fair to place heavy burdens on others, but it's unfair when you have to shoulder them yourself… "Fairness?" Cao Cao slammed his hand on the table in front of him, making a dull thud. His voice suddenly rose, like metal clashing, "Wang Jingxing! You dare to discuss 'fairness' with me? You dare to discuss 'merit and hard work' with me?!"

Cao Cao, with his imposing manner, spoke rapidly, his words like a barrage of arrows: "I ask you! Since the reigns of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, the court has been corrupt, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Dong Zhuo brought disaster to the country, and Li Zicheng and Guo Si followed suit, causing utter devastation in Guanzhong! Now, the empire is fragmented, warlords are vying for power, the state is in turmoil, and the people are suffering! You, the so-called 'pure and famous scholars,' sit high in the court, discussing morality and proclaiming benevolence and righteousness. Aside from empty talk of metaphysics, you boast of your own reputations, form cliques, and attack those who disagree with you. Have you offered even the slightest benefit to this crumbling Han dynasty, to these suffering common people? Have you trained a single soldier to defend the state, or added a single tile to fortify the city walls?! Where is your merit? Where is your labor? You are nothing but occupying positions without doing any work, wasting your salaries!"

This series of stern questions, like a heavy hammer, carrying Cao Cao's long-suppressed dissatisfaction and disdain for the empty talk and superficiality of the Qingliu faction, slammed down on Wang Lang.

Wang Lang was stunned and speechless, his face turning from red to purple, then from purple to blue, his chest heaving violently, and his white beard trembling. He pointed at Cao Cao, his fingertips shaking, "Lord Cao! How could Lord Cao... how could you so despise the classics and literature, and belittle the teachings of the sages? I... I studied under Yang Gong, thoroughly researching the symbolism and numerology of the *I Ching*, and the profound meanings of the *Spring and Autumn Annals*. For decades, I have diligently pursued this path, writing commentaries on the *I Ching* and the *Zuo Zhuan*, which have circulated among scholars. How could they be without benefit to the rectification of morality and the maintenance of ethical norms? As the sages said, from the emperor to the common people, all must take self-cultivation as the foundation. The essence of self-cultivation, family management, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world lies in understanding the classics and knowing propriety! If all scholars and even ordinary people could recite the classics, understand propriety, and practice self-discipline and adherence to propriety, how could there be rebellion or frequent calamities?"

"Hahaha!" Cao Cao laughed in fury upon hearing this, the sound echoing in the empty hall, sounding particularly jarring, and filled with even stronger contempt. "What a fine 'knowledge of classics and etiquette'! What a fine 'self-cultivation as the foundation'! Wang Jingxing, you read dead books, adhere to old rituals, are rigid and inflexible, extremely pedantic! The Book of Changes says, 'When things reach an extreme, they change; change leads to progress; progress leads to longevity.' You study the Book of Changes every day, but have you ever truly understood the true meaning of this 'change'? The great principles of the Spring and Autumn Annals lie first in respecting the king and repelling the barbarians, in restoring order, not in having you pick and choose phrases, nitpick over words, and use them to judge people and events of today! The world today is not the world of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Yellow Turbans are not the mountain barbarians, and Dong Zhuo is not the Taishu of the capital! You hold the classics in your arms, study them until your hair turns white, but you do not understand the principle of changing times and the world, you cannot integrate them, let alone learn from the past to apply it to the present!" If reading cannot alleviate the urgent needs of the world, and writing books cannot solve the immediate predicament, what use are you? What use are those commentaries?!

Cao Cao leaned forward, his gaze piercing, and demanded sharply, "Now your mighty army is heavily fortified at Sishui Pass, the pass itself is as precarious as a pile of eggs! Since you have been well-versed in classical texts since childhood, and possess profound knowledge of both ancient and modern times, can you, from the sixty-four hexagrams and three hundred and eighty-four lines of the *I Ching*, deduce and arrange a wondrous formation to defeat the enemy? Can you, from the two hundred and forty-two years of records in the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, find a good strategy to force the enemy to retreat and turn the tide? If you can, I, Cao Cao, will immediately appoint you as my military advisor and offer you the seat of honor! If not, then cease your self-aggrandizement with classical texts and empty talk that will only harm the country!"

This question was incredibly sharp.

Wang Lang was speechless. All his life's learning was indeed about interpreting the classics and upholding the rites and laws. As for military formations and enemy tactics, he was completely unfamiliar with them. How could he possibly deduce specific tactics from them?

He choked, his chest tightened, and he could barely breathe.

Wang Lang took a breath and then turned to his own career, attempting to prove that he wasn't just spouting empty rhetoric. "Lord Cao's words... are somewhat biased! I... I am not merely knowledgeable in the classics. Back in the late Emperor's time, when I served as the Governor of Kuaiji, the Yue tribes were not yet pacified, and powerful clans were in turmoil. I strived to be lenient and benevolent, pacifying refugees, encouraging agriculture and sericulture, easing punishments and prohibitions, and allowing the people to rest and recuperate. Ultimately, the prefecture gradually became peaceful, bandits subsided, and the people praised me. Is this... is this not the achievement of governing the people and securing the country?!"

When Wang Lang mentioned this experience, a hint of pride appeared on his face, after all, it was a point of great pride in his official career.

"The merit of governing the people?" Cao Cao scoffed, his gaze sharp as a knife, mercilessly stripping away the smug facade. "As the governor of a prefecture, ensuring the peace of a region, protecting the people from bandits, famine, and displacement—this is your duty, receiving a salary of two thousand shi from the court! It is your natural and rightful responsibility! The Han dynasty established official positions with assigned duties; the governor is responsible for protecting the land and ensuring the people's safety. If you cannot even do this, the phrase 'holding a position without doing any work' is aptly coined! What merit is there? Does that mean that if any of my county magistrates governs peacefully without major lawsuits, I should lavishly praise them and call it an unparalleled achievement? Utterly absurd! Your claim of merit only proves how low your standards are! All you seek is to fulfill your duties, yet you dare to call it merit?"

"This...this, this..." Wang Lang trembled with rage, his breathing rapid. He spoke urgently, "During my tenure as Grand Master of Ceremonies and Minister of Works, I also participated in the revision of the law, repeatedly advocating for leniency and simplicity, and reducing the harsh punishments of the previous dynasty. My intention was to give those who unintentionally committed crimes or were forced by circumstances to break the law a chance to reform! Is this...is this not benevolent governance? Is this not in accordance with Heaven's virtue of cherishing life?"

仁！
The virtue of cherishing life!

Those who make mistakes should be given a new chance!

This is almost one of the core tenets of the Confucian scholar-official's political ideology...

A general amnesty?
"Benevolent governance? A benevolent heart?" Cao Cao's anger flared even more intensely, as if ignited by these two words. He roared, his voice shaking the rooftops, "You only know how to give those who have made mistakes and broken the law a chance to reform, but have you ever stooped to ask those commoners murdered by bandits, those impoverished and ruined by corrupt officials, those farmers whose land and houses have been seized by powerful figures—do they have another chance?! Your 'leniency,' who exactly are you pardoning? Who are you releasing? Are they those powerful and tyrannical figures who knowingly break the law and wreak havoc on their communities, or those poor, honest people who have no other choice but to take desperate measures? Those who make mistakes are human, but are the victims not human? To whom is your benevolence directed?!"

Cao Cao's words were like knives, cutting straight to the heart of the matter: "Do you truly have compassion for all living beings, treating everyone equally, or are you merely feigning benevolence to gain fame and reputation, to win favor in scholarly discussions, to bring glory to your family, and to protect your descendants?! At a time when discipline is lax and laws are ineffective, instead of using strict punishments to deter the wicked and rectify the social atmosphere, you engage in empty talk of leniency and simplicity. Isn't this just condoning evil and causing the good to weep? Your so-called benevolent governance is nothing more than using others' resources to preserve your own reputation!"

In chaotic times of social disorder, overly lenient laws often objectively benefit those with power, connections, and familiarity with the rules, allowing them to escape punishment or receive lighter penalties. For the lower classes who lack a voice and resources, so-called "leniency" may not bring much benefit; on the contrary, they may be more vulnerable to harm due to lax laws and unfair enforcement.

Wang Lang was struck dumb, his whole body trembled, his mouth gaped open, and his white beard shook violently. He wanted to refute, but found that the familiar classics and moral texts in his mind were so powerless in the face of Cao Cao's direct and pointed question...

Wang Lang wanted to say "the benevolent love others" and "punishment is the best punishment," and he also wanted to say "education is fundamental, punishment is secondary," but looking at Cao Cao's piercing gaze, these words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single one.

The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Hua Xin and the others were already terrified, their faces ashen. They lowered their heads, wishing they could shrink into the ground, and even their breathing was carefully controlled, for fear of attracting Cao Cao's attention.

After a long while, the expressions of anger, humiliation, and struggle on Wang Lang's face gradually faded like the tide. He suddenly chuckled softly, and with his cloudy old eyes, looked at Cao Cao, "Lord Cao..."

Wang Lang paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips, "Why bother going through all this trouble, wasting so much breath..."

"It's just that... they find us old men an eyesore within the pass, or they need to borrow our heads and posthumous reputations..."

"Isn't it just... that I, along with Imperial Censor Hua and the others, are to be the bait to lure the cavalry into a trap?"

"If that's the case..."

Wang Lang took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled, as if expelling the last bit of pent-up anger from his chest.

"I... will go then."

These words, though spoken in a calm tone, were like a thunderclap!

Hua Xin looked up in shock, staring at Wang Lang with disbelief in her eyes!
I didn't ask you to represent me!

It was as if they were truly getting to know this colleague they had worked with for many years for the first time...

Why aren't you so angry you'd vomit blood?
If all else fails, bite your lip and spit out some bloody saliva!
Wang Lang no longer looked at anyone, nor did he wait for Cao Cao's response or orders.

He bent down with slight effort, straightening his cap, which had become crooked from his earlier excitement, and the wrinkled front of his robe. His movements were slow but methodical. Then, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the empty throne, and without paying any attention to the pale-faced Hua Xin and the others behind him, he strode out of the hall.

Cao Cao watched Wang Lang retreat, a flicker of something in his eyes. After a moment, his gaze fell upon Hua Xin and the others. "You... have anything else to say?"

Hua Xin and the others stammered, finally lowering their heads, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... You obey..."

(End of this chapter)