Taiheiki

Chapter 136: Bamboo Breaking
"Mr. Kong should have heard of the moth thief, right?" Wei Cong asked.

"I've heard of them, but I heard the moth thieves are in Jingzhou and Yangzhou. These two states are separated from Jiaozhou by the Five Ridges. What relationship do they have with Jiaozhou?"

"Yes, Jiaozhou is protected by the Five Ridges, and is indeed safe from the Moth Bandits! But the Moth Bandits have also blocked the road from the imperial court to Jiaozhou. Lord Kong, let me ask you, when was the last document you received from Luoyang?"

In response to Wei Cong's question, Kong Gui's expression changed slightly. He had indeed not paid much attention to the prefect's affairs, but he was still quite attentive to news from Luoyang. After all, he didn't want to stay in this smoky and humid place forever. As Wei Cong had said, ever since the Moth Bandits' rebellion, the flow of documents from Luoyang to Panyu had become less stable. Especially after September, the flow of documents from the north became increasingly scarce. After mid-October, no documents from Luoyang were received. This was an extremely abnormal phenomenon.

Of course, it is also possible that the road from Yuzhang was cut off, and the court's post could only take the Jingnan-Guangxi-Panyu route, which took more time on the road, so there was a blank period.

"Actually, even if you don't answer, I can guess a lot, because I haven't received any military orders from Feng Cheqi in a long time!" Wei Cong said, "This rebellion by the Moth Bandits is definitely not an ordinary civil uprising. Even the Red Eyebrows, Bronze Horses, and Green Forests are probably inferior to them. Now they have swept through Jingzhou and Yangzhou! Considering that the court also has to deal with the Xianbei and Qiang people in the north, the power it can use to deal with the Moth Bandits is very limited. If my guess is correct, it will take at least two years, and at most three to five years to quell the Moth Bandits. During this time, Jiaozhou can only rely on its own strength. Do you think that's enough?"

As a well-educated scholar-official and a senior bureaucrat of the empire, Kong Gui was well aware that although what Wei Cong had just said was not without his own selfish thoughts, it was basically in line with the facts: Like Liangzhou, Jiaozhou was also a border prefecture, established at about the same time. Both were incorporated into the empire during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. It was far away from the core area of the empire and had insurmountable geographical barriers. There were large numbers of hostile barbarians inside and outside the prefecture.

Once border prefectures and counties like these are cut off from the empire and lose the military radiation from the core areas of the empire, internal and external instability factors will immediately erupt in the prefectures and counties, leading to a situation of internal and external difficulties.

At this moment, the existing bureaucracy, with its checks and balances, could not handle such a complex situation. The only solution was a single, fully empowered military leader. Wei Cong's intentions were clear: he wished to play the role of this military leader. There was no point in arguing whether Wei Cong himself was a source of instability in Jiaozhou. The reason was simple: politics, unlike law, does not require judgments of right or wrong, but rather of order or chaos. Those in power who survived were highly realistic.

Regardless of whether the riot that was about to break out in Jiaozhou was caused by Wei Cong, as long as he could prove his ability to quell the riot, restore order, and maintain loyalty to Luoyang, the court would retroactively recognize the legitimacy of everything he had done. Kong Gui was extremely certain of this.

"How many troops do you have now!" Kong Gui asked.

"Discussing army numbers is pointless!" Wei Cong laughed, holding up four fingers. "When I left Yuhan County, Yuzhang, I probably had fewer than four thousand men. But after I defeated the Southern Commandery and captured Xingan County, I had seven thousand. After I captured Luling County, I had around ten thousand. And when I captured Gan County, crossed Dayuling Mountain, and entered Jiaozhou, I had over fourteen thousand. And now that I've captured Panyu, I have no fewer than twenty thousand men, over three hundred ships of all sizes, and over four thousand mules and horses. And all of this happened in just one month and three days!"

"They're just a mob!" Kong Gui said coldly, "If we lose a battle, most of them will scatter and flee. Do you really expect to pacify Jiaozhou with just these people?"

"A mob? Haha!" Wei Cong laughed. "Perhaps you're right, but I prefer to call it an overwhelming force, with a huge crowd responding."

"As powerful as a broken bamboo?" Kong Gui repeated the idiom Wei Cong had just uttered. His eyes lit up, and he sighed, "I just said, you can't lose this battle. The slightest setback will cause your men to scatter!"

"Really? Where are they going to escape to?" Wei Cong laughed. "Most of my men are from Yuzhang, and this is Panyu. Can they escape all the way to Nanxiong and then cross the Wuling Mountains to escape back? If they can really do that, I really have to admire them!"

"The enemy troops will be specialized if they advance deep into the enemy's territory?"

"Indeed!" Wei Cong laughed. "You've seen the armor and staffs of our soldiers. And along the way, I've already seized the arsenals of Nanbu Duwei, Luling, Ganxian, and Nanye. The Panyu arsenal is also in my hands now. Plus, there's no shortage of craftsmen in Panyu City. Their armor is excellent, and their soldiers are determined to fight to the death. How can you call them a mob?"

"Alright!" Kong Gui sighed. "I admit you have an army, but these 20,000 men are far from enough to pacify Jiaozhou. You should know that the seat of the Jiaozhou Provincial Governorate is Guangxin, Cangwu Commandery (now Wuzhou, Guangxi). Jiaozhi Commandery is the most populous commandery in Jiaozhou, boasting a rich population and numerous soldiers. You've only taken Panyu City, and even the six Nanhai Commanderies of Panyu, Zhongsu, Boluo, Longchuan, Sihui, and Jieyang have only taken Panyu County. What's that?"

"How far I can go, Master Kong, you can see for yourself! Let me put it this way! Master Kong, can you make a bet with me?"

"bet?"

"Yes!" Wei Cong said with a smile, "Today is December 7th. If I cannot pacify Jiaozhou within three months, that is, before March 7th of next year, I will release you unconditionally. You can go wherever you want!"

"Pacify Jiaozhou within three months?" Kong Gui laughed at the words. For a moment, he seemed to have transformed back into the tireless instructor. "Captain Wei, do you know how big Jiaozhou is? From south to north, it's a thousand miles. It would take more than three months just to walk across such a vast area, let alone conquer it?"

"So, Mr. Kong is willing to make this bet with me?" Wei Cong said with a smile.

Kong Gui smiled and suddenly asked, "What if I lose?"

"Then I'll have to ask Mr. Kong to submit a petition to the court to appoint me as the Governor of Jiaozhou and the Commandant of Protector of the South China Sea!" "Governor of Jiaozhou, Commandant of Protector of the South China Sea?" Kong Gui smiled. He certainly knew that there was no such position as Commandant of Protector of the South China Sea in the Eastern Han Dynasty. However, there were Commandant of Protector of the Qiang, Commandant of Protector of the Wuhuan, and Commandant of Protector of the Xiongnu. They were all military officials in charge of handling the affairs of ethnic minorities. According to old rules, they had the duties of political pacification, touring and managing affairs, guarding the borders, protecting transportation, and managing military farming.

He was an official with great authority and heavy responsibilities. If a person held two posts, namely, the Governor of Jiaozhou and the Protector of Nanhai, he would basically become the superior of the prefects of the seven counties of Jiaozhou, rather than an inspector. This was equivalent to the governor of Jiaozhou. In real history, that was the eighth year of Jian'an in the reign of Emperor Xian of Han. His ambition was evident.

"Okay, I'll make this bet!" Kong Gui nodded. First of all, he didn't believe that Wei Cong could pacify Jiaozhou within three months. Secondly, if Wei Cong really did it, the court would have no choice but to acknowledge this fait accompli. If he didn't help him submit the petition, Wei Cong could find someone else to do it for him. There was no need to refuse to do him a favor.

"Okay!" Wei Cong stretched out his palm. Kong Gui was stunned for a moment, then he understood and lightly tapped Wei Cong's palm three times.

"Come here!" Wei Cong said to the guard who came in from outside, "If any of the students of Prefect Kong want to leave, they can do so at will. The confiscated bows, crossbows, weapons and other belongings will be returned to them. If they are short of travel expenses, each of them will be given a thousand coins, and the accompanying servants will each receive half the amount. If you don't want to leave, you can be hired first based on your talent!"

"Here!"

Kong Gui knew that Wei Cong was trying to save his face, so he stood up and thanked him, saying, "Captain Wei, your generosity is as great as the sea. I admire you deeply!"

"Haha! I'm the imperial court's anti-rebellion captain, and I'm here to save the people of Jiaozhou from disaster. Master Kong's students are all talented people from Jiaozhou, so naturally I have to treat them well!" Wei Cong stood up with a smile. "Okay, I still have some trivial matters to take care of, so I'll take my leave now! If Master Kong has any message for me, please tell the people outside the door, and they will pass it on!"

"Slow down, Captain!" Kong Gui escorted Wei Cong out of the courtyard. He then returned to the courtyard where the young scholars gathered and gathered everyone. He briefly recounted what Wei Cong had just said to him, and concluded by saying, "In my opinion, Wei Mengde wouldn't lie about letting you go, if nothing else. If you want to leave, the sooner the better. Return to your hometown before Jiaozhou becomes chaotic. If you're short of travel expenses, you can ask Wei Cong's men for them!"

As soon as Kong Gui finished speaking, the audience erupted in an uproar. Some of these young scholars flew into a rage, denouncing Wei Cong's shamelessness and declaring they would return home immediately to gather their clansmen and troops to fight against the rebels. Others suspected that Wei Cong was playing a trick, ostensibly giving travel expenses but actually trying to lure those who attempted to return home to rebel against him and kill them.
Others felt that the former's suspicions were unfounded, as they were already trapped, and Wei Cong wouldn't have needed to go to such lengths to kill them. Still others worried that their master would be left unprotected after they left, and suggested taking Kong Gui with them to escape Panyu City. There were indeed many different opinions, and no consensus.

"Alright, alright!" Kong Gui raised his voice, and after the courtyard had quieted down again, he continued, "No matter what, Wei Mengde still admits that he is a Han officer and that his troops are Han soldiers. As long as I am the prefect of Nanhai County, I will not leave Panyu. He and I have made a bet that he will pacify Jiaozhou and put down the rebellion of the barbarians within three months. If he can really do it, I will submit a petition to the court to appoint him as the governor of Jiaozhou and the captain of the Nanhai Guard. I will test him in Panyu City to see if his words are empty!"

"My Lord, absolutely not!" A scholar stood up. "Wei Cong, though he's called a Han general, is actually a thief! His actions are designed to deceive the world and gain fame. You're staying in Panyu to serve him, not to mention making a bet with him. Let me ask you, if he can truly pacify Jiaozhou within three months, will you truly submit a petition to the court on his behalf, appointing him Governor of Jiaozhou and Commandant of the Nanhai Guard?"

"Zhao Ji!" Kong Gui extended his right hand, motioning him to sit down. "Wei Mengde is indeed cunning and treacherous! But he's right. The bandits are wreaking havoc in Jing and Yang provinces, cutting off the imperial court's access to Jiaozhou. This will inevitably lead to chaos in Jiaozhou. At this time, Jiaozhou truly needs someone to step forward, quell the evil within and drive out the barbarians abroad, only then can the state be safe!"

"But Wei Cong himself is a treacherous person?"

"So what? Extraordinary events call for extraordinary people. How can we restrict them with common etiquette?" Kong Gui laughed and said, "The ancient sages had the way of governing with authority, and now is the time for it. Wei Mengde raised his army from Yuzhang, crossed the Five Ridges, sailed down, and reached Panyu without the people knowing. Isn't he an extraordinary person? Etiquette and morality are good, but they can only bring peace, not quell rebellion. They must be supplemented by martial arts and military tactics. As long as Wei Mengde can stabilize the prefectures and counties at home and pacify the barbarians abroad, what's wrong with making him the Governor of Jiaozhou and the Protector of the South China Sea? After the imperial court has wiped out the Mo bandits and reopened the road from Jiaozhou to the Central Plains, it will issue an imperial edict to summon Wei Mengde to Luoyang. How can he disobey the order?"

Upon hearing this, the scholars nodded in agreement. Kong Gui's words hinted at the Confucian doctrine of authority and profound understanding of the classics. He had thoroughly read and applied the classics, and was definitely not one of those rote scholars who only studied. Having made up their minds, most of the scholars departed, with only a few remaining to serve Kong Gui, including Shi Wu.

"Ji An, why do you want to stay too?" Kong Gui asked.

"I have two older brothers at home, so I don't lack a student. Why don't you stay in Panyu and serve your teacher!" Shi Wu replied.

"Well! Your two brothers are both outstanding talents, so there's really no need to worry about being left alone at home!" Kong Gui said with a smile, "But you're injured, so it's better for you to stay in Panyu and recuperate, so as not to get hurt worse on the bumpy road!"

"Teacher, do you really think Wei Cong will do what he says?" Shi Wu asked in a low voice.

"We all have eyes, so we can see if that guy can pacify Panyu first!" Kong Gui sighed.

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As a virtual foreign invader, Wei Cong hoped to minimize the fears of the Panyu citizens, making them believe that nothing had changed. The prefect, who preferred lecturing on the Five Classics and educating people rather than governing, remained in his old place, while he was merely a temporary military leader passing through. Therefore, after entering Panyu City, Wei Cong did not establish his headquarters within the prefect's residence, but instead chose a house on the northwest edge of the hillock.

(End of this chapter)