Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3912 A petty person worries about poverty but not about morality

Ding Chong spoke passionately, his loud and trembling words echoing in the empty hall, seemingly causing the dust between the beams and pillars to fall in a flurry.

Huan Fan listened quietly from beginning to end, his expression as calm as still water.

Seeing Huan Fan's reaction, Ding Chong grew even more enraged. Pointing his halberd, he shouted, "Huan Yuanze! How dare you sit here so calmly! Cao Cao has treated your Huan family well, bestowing official titles and ranks upon you, showing you great favor! Now the nation is in grave danger, the Emperor is trapped at Sishui, and Cao Cao alone is holding the line. This is precisely the time for loyal ministers and righteous men to serve! You, with your clan's troops and provisions, shut your doors and turn a blind eye. What is your intention? You are ungrateful and treacherous, abandoning your lord and betraying your cause. Is the Huan family's century-old reputation truly going to be ruined by your own hands?!"

Ding Chong's voice boomed like a bell, his anger rising, hoping to see Huan Fan show a look of shame or panic.

However, Huan Fan merely raised his eyes slightly, as if a gentle breeze were caressing his face.

She even gracefully gestured to the servants to serve tea to Ding Chong...

"You...you...you..."

Ding Chong Qi Jie.

When Ding Chong was panting and unable to speak, Huan Fan slowly opened his mouth, his voice calm and even, without a trace of emotion, "Ding, please be at ease. I submitted a memorial a month ago, resigning my post... Now I am but a commoner in the countryside. All I ask for is to pay my respects to my family morning and evening, teach my children, and protect the peace of my clan and relatives... This is my duty... As for Cao Cao's order, it was sent to the various prefectures and counties, and has nothing to do with me, a mere country bumpkin... I dare not accept the words 'betraying my lord and abandoning my principles' from Ding, Duzuo..."

"Resign?"

Ding Chong froze, as if struck by a heavy punch landing on empty air. A surge of anger, a feeling of being fooled, rushed to his head. "What a load of rubbish! In these chaotic times, to resign and leave is to absolve oneself of all responsibility? Is this the conduct of a gentleman? Even if one resigns, does that mean one is no longer a citizen of the Han Dynasty? Does that mean one no longer receives the Han's salary? Now the world is in turmoil, the ruler is distressed, and the subjects are disgraced. This is precisely the time for us scholars to serve our sovereign and uphold the nation! How can one, because of a mere resignation letter, retreat to the mountains and forests, withdrawing from all affairs and seeking only personal peace? Such behavior is no different from that of a rat cowering and waiting to die! Is this the conduct befitting someone who has studied the classics?!"

Ding Chong thought that such a rebuke would arouse some shame in the other party, a scholar, but he saw that Huan Fan's expression remained unchanged, and he even shook his head slightly, as if he was lamenting Ding Chong's "lack of worldly wisdom".

Resigning from office and putting down one's seal was a tacitly accepted rule in the Han Dynasty for many years!

Didn't Yuan Erha do the same thing back then?

what happened?
It worked when Yuan Erha was doing it, but it doesn't work now that I'm doing it?
Huan Fan glanced at Ding Chong and said emotionlessly, "Ding Duzuo's words, please forgive me for not agreeing, and I also feel they are somewhat biased. Since the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling, the court has been corrupt, eunuchs have brought disaster to the country, and imperial relatives have seized power, leading to Dong Zhuo's chaos, the fragmentation of the empire, and widespread suffering... All of this is known to every scholar in the land. My Huan family has lived in this Qiao and Pei region for generations, simply upholding the tradition of farming and scholarship, diligently fulfilling our duties, and seeking only peace."

Huan Fan looked directly at Ding Chong, his gaze sharpening. "Regarding the court, the Huan family has paid every penny of the due land rent and taxes on time! Regarding the Prime Minister's decrees and levies over the years, whether it be conscripting laborers, transporting provisions, or replenishing troops, the Huan family has never been lacking, delayed, or evaded! Ding Duzuo has come to our door today, speaking harshly and accusing Huan of being 'ungrateful'... Hah, I dare ask Ding Duzuo, has the Huan family failed to pay even a single grain of millet to the court, or evaded a single levy from the Prime Minister's office? Do we owe Cao Cao a favor, or do we owe this Han court, whose emperor is nowhere to be found? Or have we obtained some extraordinary position that requires the entire Huan family to repay with their lives?"

Ding Chong was rendered speechless by Huan Fan's words, which completely absolved him of any responsibility based on "legal principles" and "obligations." His face turned from red to green.

Huan Fan, however, gave him no chance to catch his breath. His tone turned cold as he continued, "As for Ding Duzuo's claim of 'disregarding the fundamental principles of the relationship between ruler and subject'..."

Huan Fan smiled slightly. "These matters concern the greater good of the nation and the lasting reputation of the people. I, a mere commoner, am truly unworthy of such responsibility. Let those who truly wield power and decide the fate of the nation consider and bear the burden! My actions are solely for the sake of being worthy of Heaven and my ancestors, and worthy of my clan and descendants! Today, even the Emperor himself is present before the gates of this fortified village…"

Huan Fan's eyes shone brightly, and he said resolutely, "I, Huan, dare to say this frankly! We, the entire Huan family, have done right by the court and by the emperor!"

Huan Fan said that he and the entire Huan family had done right by the emperor, so who had done wrong?

Ding Chong pointed at Huan Fan with his finger, his forehead veins throbbing with anger.

But what Huan Fan said didn't seem to make any difference...

After all, the one who held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords was not Huan Fan, but Cao Cao...

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Huan Fan with loyalty, Ding Chong tried another approach: "Yuan Ze! Even if you resign, even if you don't care about Cao Cao's kindness, can you... can you even forget the hatred for your father's murder and sit here comfortably?!"

"The hatred of killing one's father..." Huan Fan's smile vanished, and his eyebrows twitched involuntarily. "Ding Duzuo, what do you mean by that?"

Ding Chong leaned forward, his posture slightly menacing, staring into Huan Fan's eyes as he spoke, each word deliberate and forceful: "Your father was renowned throughout the land, yet he died a tragic death in Chang'an! And who is this Chang'an, anyway? Under the clear blue sky, a high-ranking official of the imperial court died right in front of the Hundred Physicians' Clinic! How utterly absurd!"

Ding Chong said in a deep voice, "The hatred of killing one's father is irreconcilable! The Hundred Healers' Hall claims to cure all diseases under heaven. If it weren't for General Huo's instigation, how could he have died right before the gate?! This is the prestigious Huan family! A family of noble birth for generations! To die so mysteriously, even his corpse had to beg from the Yang family... This is an unbearable disgrace, a blood feud! Now is your chance to avenge your father and fulfill your filial duty! How can you... how can you remain indifferent?!"

Ding Chong believed that this was the reason that would most sting Huan Fan and also most likely draw him back to his side.

Blood feuds are irreconcilable; this is an ironclad ethical principle ingrained in our very bones.

However, Huan Fan's reaction once again exceeded Ding Chong's expectations...

Upon hearing the words "father's revenge," Huan Fan's eyes seemed to flicker involuntarily, but he quickly regained his composure. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "Ding Duzuo mentioned the tragedy of my late father... As his son, I feel my heart ache whenever I think of this..."

Huan Fan paused, as if organizing his prepared statement, "However, after my father's death, I also investigated extensively... At that time, Chang'an was in chaos, with a mix of refugees and frequent fights... My father... My father did indeed die in a brawl with a group of street thugs, a fact recorded by the local officials and coroner... The perpetrators were several unidentified madmen, not soldiers of the Flying Cavalry Army, nor acting on the orders of the General of the Flying Cavalry."

Huan Fan raised his eyes, his gaze cold as he looked at Ding Chong. "This grudge certainly exists… but to hold the General of Chariots and Cavalry responsible simply because my late father tragically died in Chang'an… this is not the act of a reasonable person, and it would likely violate my late father's teachings. Revenge must be sought against the rightful perpetrator; how can one shift blame?"

"Transferring anger to one's own ears?!" Ding Chong could hardly believe his ears. A feeling of utter absurdity surged through him, quickly transforming into an even more intense rage. "Huan Yuanze! You...you actually say such things?! That traitor Fei allowed his rule to collapse, resulting in your father's suffering. He is the culprit! You...you're just making excuses for your cowardice and desire for peace! Instead of avenging your father, you're here defending your enemy! You...are you even worthy of being called a son?! The ancestors of the Huan family will all be ashamed of your words!"

Faced with Ding Chong's almost blatant insults, calling him "unfilial," Huan Fan's face finally showed a noticeable change. It wasn't shame or rage, but helplessness, even tinged with a hint of mockery...

Huan Fan slowly rose, looking at Ding Chong, whose face was flushed with emotion, and shook his head with a sigh, saying, "How the Huan family manages its household, and how I, Huan Fan, am a son, is not for you to judge! The truth of my late father's matter is as it is, and the Huan family will make its own judgment! You keep talking about loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness, but you're just trying to drag the Huan family to their deaths!"

Huan Fan flicked his sleeve, pointing outside the hall, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. Ding Duzuo, please return! You gather your righteous army, I will defend my Huan clan. Whether Cao Cao prevails or the General of the Cavalry takes over, my Huan clan will act with a clear conscience, and with a clear conscience before Heaven and our ancestors! As for your talk of loyalty and filial piety… heh, no need for your concern!"

"You...you lot..." Ding Chong pointed at Huan Fan, his fingers trembling violently with extreme anger and disappointment. But all his unspoken words ultimately culminated in a furious roar, "You worthless brat! Not worth discussing things with!"

If it doesn't make sense, staying any longer will only bring shame upon myself.

Ding Chong didn't want to stay in that suffocating hall for another second. He flicked his sleeves, turned around, and strode out.

Huan Fan stared coldly, his face devoid of even a basic polite smile, only showing indifference.

After Ding Chong left the fortified village, Huan Fan sat alone in the hall for a long time, his lowered eyelids seeming to flicker occasionally.

Huan Dian was already seriously ill at the time, and it was impossible for the Hundred Medical Hall to send a famous doctor to Shandong to treat him. He could only go to the Hundred Medical Hall for help, but unexpectedly encountered some problems...

As for whether Huan Dian died at the hands of the General of the Cavalry or for some other reason, Huan Fan's belief was not as firm and righteous as he had told Ding Chong.

only……

Circumstances dictate actions. After sitting for a while, Huan Fan stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked steadily back to the inner hall.

In the inner hall, a white-haired and solemn-faced elder of the Huan family was already seated. Upon seeing Huan Fan, he nodded in approval, saying, "Yuanze, your response was appropriate. You fulfilled the proper etiquette while also extinguishing any remaining thoughts. Ding is already a staunch supporter of Cao, his mind clouded by their influence, beyond redemption. Our Huan family cannot be ignorant of the situation and go to our deaths with him."

Huan Fan sat down to the side, but his brows remained furrowed. He pondered and said, "At present, we have only rejected the Ding family... which is easy... but the long-term consequences may not be averted..."

Huan Fan paused, glanced at the Huan clan elders, and then said, "The current General Fei, the General of the Cavalry, has already established his power and is sweeping across the Central Plains; he is likely unstoppable. He acts with excessive emphasis on laws and regulations, and disregards literature and scholarship. Although he has methods to win people over, his so-called new policies will harm our aristocratic families… If these policies were implemented in Shandong and the Central Plains, it would be tantamount to crippling the accumulated virtue of our Huan clan over generations… I fear that if even five or six out of ten of our foundation could survive, we would be extremely fortunate…"

As soon as Huan Fan said this, a heavy silence fell over the inner hall.

After a long silence, Elder Huan let out a long, heavy sigh, saying with a hint of helplessness, "In these chaotic times... alas, we must weigh the lesser of two evils... the power of the Cao family is like the setting sun; though its afterglow remains, its decline is inevitable... even with a thousand troops, it's difficult to reverse its downward trend... if we continue to follow the Cao family now, not only will it be futile, but we risk incurring the wrath of General Huo Qubing. When his army arrives, everything will be destroyed, and the ancestral temple will be wiped out—this is no exaggeration!"

"As for the new policies of the General of the Cavalry..." Elder Huan paused for a long time before continuing in a lower voice, "Although they are harsh on us gentry, judging from their actions in Guanzhong and Hedong, they are not simply indiscriminately killing and cruel. They also employ methods of division, appeasement, and resettlement... Moreover, their power is immense, like Mount Tai pressing down, which cannot be resisted by force... When they establish their rule over the Central Plains... our Huan clan may be able to voluntarily offer up some of our remote and impoverished lands as a sign of submission, which may preserve our ancestral halls and homes... If the clever and resourceful among our descendants seek another opportunity, it is not impossible to revive our family... In this chaotic world, to be able to preserve our clan's bloodline and continue our ancestral sacrifices is already a stroke of luck. What more could we ask for?"

The Huan clan elder slightly raised his head, his aged face revealing deep helplessness, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes, seemingly a painful reluctance to let go, and also a forced attempt at self-consolation. He slowly said, "My Huan clan has lived here since the time of our ancestor, cultivating the land and studying for generations. We dare not claim to have rendered meritorious service to the country, but we have always been law-abiding and have never committed any rebellious or tyrannical acts... Why must we suffer such a calamity?! Heaven and earth are unjust!"

This lament seems to be a lament for the family's unpredictable fate, but in reality, deep within that desolate tone lies sorrow for the loss of a certain privilege that their family has enjoyed for generations...

They weren't afraid; they were genuinely in pain.

After the Eastern Han Dynasty, the increasingly detached political status of the aristocratic clans and powerful families, as well as the extravagant lifestyles they obtained through various means, were regarded by the elders of the Huan clan and others as a natural right they deserved!
They never thought about, or rather, didn't want to think about, where this political status and this extravagant lifestyle came from.
They believed it was their ancestral property, they firmly believed it was their descendants' due right, and they even felt that the Han Dynasty, the imperial court, and the world had shortchanged them and wronged them...

This kind of nostalgic lament is undoubtedly a ridiculous and tragic song uttered involuntarily by those who benefited from the old era in the face of an irresistible wave of change.

On the other side, Ding Chong returned to his assembly camp in a state of utter despair.

Dusk had fallen, and the last glimmer of light in the world was swallowed up by the heavy gray-black.

The camp was sparsely lit, a far cry from the magnificent scene Ding Chong had envisioned: banners obscuring the sun, swords and spears like a forest, men and horses bustling about, and smoke rising from chimneys!
Several bonfires flickered in the cold wind, illuminating numb faces.

The recruited poor farmers huddled in their makeshift shacks, shivering, while the other soldiers and their retainers were also demoralized, swaying and listless during patrols.

Grief, fear, and a sense of despair—as if he were to defy the entire world and be abandoned by the times—made Ding Chong feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

It wasn't just the cold, but also the feeling of suffocation.

Zhou Jing feigned injury and fled, Huan Fan coldly refused...

All the other families remained silent and watched, turning a blind eye...

All of this was like a series of mirrors, reflecting a cruel truth that chilled him to the bone...

Cao Cao's influence and appeal in Shandong, and even in Qiao and Pei, where he was supposedly based, were not as great as they used to be!

Faced with the unstoppable pressure of the Flying Cavalry and the successive defeats of the Cao and Xiahou clans, the Cao clan's reputation has lost its luster!
These powerful clans and gentry in Shandong and the Central Plains were all assessing the situation and seeking new ways out and support for themselves and their families. No one was willing to stake the lives and fortunes of their entire clan on a dilapidated ship that was about to sink into the abyss!
Other powerful clans and gentry seem to be options, but does Ding Chong even have any options?

"No... we can't just let this go! We can't just sit here and wait to die!"

Ding Chong was of mediocre talent, so he could only place his hopes on others, hoping that Cao Cao, Cao Cao's strategists, or Cao Cao's descendants might have considered these matters or could offer him some solutions.

"Someone come here! Grind the ink! I need to write a letter! Immediately! Right now!"

Ding Chong felt that he had to inform Cao Cao, Cao Zhang, Cao Zhen, and others about everything that had happened here as quickly as possible!

Write down and spread these chilling acts of betrayal and desertion, the failure and despair of gathering reinforcements in this place!

On the one hand, it's about issuing early warnings; on the other hand...

Perhaps the Prime Minister was wise enough to have foreseen this and had other brilliant plans?

Perhaps the battle situation in Guanzhong and Heluo will be reversed at the last moment?

Clinging to this last glimmer of almost illusory hope, Ding Chong wrote two urgent letters with similar contents.

His hasty and chaotic handwriting revealed his anxiety, grief, and resentment.

In the letter, Ding Chong detailed Zhou Jing's disgraceful behavior, Huan Fan's resignation and indifference, the other families' wait-and-see attitude, and the current state of disunity in the camp...

Finally, he pleaded almost tearfully, begging the Prime Minister to make a decision quickly and for Cao Zhang and Zhao Zhen to make arrangements as soon as possible...

Letters sent to Cao Zhang were fine, but letters sent to Cao Cao...

Ding Chong hesitated, and even understood why the Huan family and other aristocratic families were behaving this way.

The invasion of the Flying Cavalry into Chenliu, although there is no news yet of them taking control of the entire Chenliu region or all its counties, undoubtedly means that Cao Cao may not be able to return!

However, Ding Chong felt it wasn't safe to just send it to Cao Zhang without sending it out.

After much deliberation, Ding Chong had no choice but to summon the most daring, meticulous, and knowledgeable member of his family, who was also most familiar with the surrounding roads. He not only offered the man a large sum of money but also promised him many benefits, which finally convinced him to accept the letter and attempt to pass through the blockade area, which was likely already overrun by cavalry and patrols, to deliver it to Sishui Pass, which seemed to be isolated outside of Shandong...

After the messenger left, Ding Chong sat alone in the dimly lit tent, which was as dark as a tomb. He listened to the howling and swirling cold wind outside the tent, which seemed to never stop. He felt a sense of loneliness, as if the whole world had betrayed him!
He realized that it wasn't just Qiao County in Pei State, but possibly the entire Yanzhou, Yuzhou, and Qingzhou...

Countless local magnates and powerful clans like the Huan family are silently closing the gates of their fortified fortified villages, coldly watching the Cao family's final struggle from the city walls.

"They...they all deserve to die...they deserve to die..."

Ding Chong gritted his teeth, cursing and swearing.

But Ding Chong also realized at the same time that these guys would not die, they would never die!
Like an immortal ghost, it can survive and be reborn as long as there is a trace of evil in the land, growing stronger again...