Taiheiki

Chapter 35 Entering the officialdom
The most important thing is that the counties and kingdoms during the Han Dynasty were not the fragmented administrative regions of later generations - many of these counties and kingdoms can be traced back to the vassal states of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. For example, Jiangling City, the seat of Nanjun, was only five kilometers away from Jinan City, the capital of Chu State, and its predecessor was the official ferry of its capital.

This history easily led local residents to associate the historical Chu State with Nanjun, forming a strong sense of community. For example, when Liu Rong, the deposed Crown Prince of Han Jingdi, was suspected of encroaching on the walls of an ancestral temple to expand his palace, he was summoned back to Chang'an by imperial decree. Upon leaving his fiefdom, the local elders wept bitterly as they bid him farewell, "I'm afraid our king will never return!" Clearly, these elders had no deep feelings for a young man who had only been in Jiangling from Chang'an for a few years. In their eyes, Nanjun was Chu, and the King of Linjiang was the King of Chu. In their eyes, Liu Rong was like King Huai of Chu, who left Yingdu for Guanzhong centuries earlier and never returned. They wept for the fact that the king of their parents' land would never return.

Under this widespread idea of localism, the prefects of counties and kingdoms during the Han Dynasty, especially those in the south such as Nanjun, Kuaiji and Jiaozhou, which were far away from Chang'an and Luoyang, were not considered to be imperial bureaucrats as they were later, but rather were princes and officials in the Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn Periods, except that they had a term of office.

Thus, at the end of the Han Dynasty, when Liu Bei occupied Xuzhou, Sun Ce occupied Jiangdong, and Cao Cao occupied Xuchang, their advisors invariably recounted stories of the Qi and Jin dynasties. In their eyes, Sun, Liu, and Cao were truly Chong'er and Xiaobai; they themselves were Guan Zhong, Zhao Shuai, Hu Yan, and Wei Xu. The Han emperor was not an absolute monarch over a unified empire like the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor Wu, but rather a Zhou emperor who shared the empire with his maternal relatives, royal family members, and virtuous scholars and officials.

Therefore, after the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Dong Zhuo Rebellion, and the collapse of the core of the Eastern Han Empire, the situation in the eyes of the Eastern Han literati was the eastward migration of Prince Ping (which happened to be the time when Emperor Xian of Han also escaped from Guanzhong) and the rebellion of Prince Dai of King Xiang of Zhou (which happened to be after the death of Emperor Ling of Han, when Dong Zhuo intervened in the royal family, deposed Emperor Shao of Han, and established Liu Bian as Emperor Xian of Han).

In this political landscape of numerous warlords, usurping the throne offered little gain (the power of prefects and provincial governors was already substantial) and considerable risk (they would lose their righteous standing and be attacked by the other warlords). The most advantageous strategy, however, was to support the emperor and suppress rebellious forces, as Qi Huan and Jin Wen did. Events proved these counselors' judgment correct. Cao Cao, the ultimate victor during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, actually chose this path, while Yuan Shu, who directly proclaimed himself emperor, also met a tragic end, facing widespread attacks.

When Deng Zhong and his entourage arrived at the prefect's residence, Wei Cong thought they had to wait for a message when Deng Zhong's steward shouted to the gatekeeper, "Deng Shimao of Nanyang wishes to see Envoy Han!"

The clerk had the door opened and ran to the carriage, saying with a smile, "It's Mr. Deng from Nanyang. It's been a while since you've been here. You're in the back hall. Please follow me."

"Hmm!" Deng Zhong nodded noncommittally, got out of the car, and walked straight into the gate, as if he had arrived at his own home. Wei Cong had no choice but to hurry and follow. The gatekeeper pretended not to notice. The group passed through two courtyards and arrived at a gate. The clerk stopped and said with a smile, "This is the envoy's private residence. There are many female relatives here, so I can't go in. Please feel free to go!"

"That's all right!" Deng Zhong nodded and walked straight into the courtyard. Wei Cong hurriedly followed him and whispered, "Shimao, it's not a good idea for you to just walk in like that. Should we send someone to pass on the message?"

"What's the point of communicating with that guy?" Deng Zhong snorted coldly, "Meng De, don't say anything for a while. Everything depends on my gestures!" He walked straight through the hall and shouted, "Zisi, Zisi, I'm here and you haven't come out to greet me yet!"

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"Who is this person and why is he so rude?" Huang Wan put down the wine glass in his hand and frowned slightly when he heard the shouting.

"Hahaha, Ziyan, don't be upset. This is a wonderful person!" Nanjun Prefect Han Chun was all smiles. He was a burly, portly man. Even though he wore a loose brocade robe, it couldn't hide his protruding belly. His thick double chin was covered with a thick beard that extended all the way to the hair on his temples. As a descendant of Han Wangxin of the early Han Dynasty, he had come from a wealthy family and was a true strongman in his youth. However, his intense desire for wine, food, and women had completely eroded his youthful strength and bravery, leaving only an astonishing waist and hips.

"Oh? Miao Ren?" Huang Wan shook her head somewhat dissatisfiedly. "To act so noisy in front of the two thousand stone officials of the imperial court is, at best, a disregard for the laws of the country, and at worst—"

"Alright, alright!" Han Chun stood up with difficulty with the help of the maid. He waved his hand, walked to the front of the hall, and laughed loudly, "Brother Shimao, you've come at the perfect time today. I have a guest here who I can't invite on ordinary days. Come quickly, let me introduce you to someone!"

"Oh!" Deng Zhong walked up to the hall. "That's a coincidence! I also have a friend here who I want to introduce to you!"

"Is that the one behind you?" Han Chun looked Wei Cong up and down with a smile on his face. "Hmm, like a green pine on a cliff, a bright moon in one's arms, Shi Mao! Your friend is truly an extraordinary person!"

"Of course!" Deng Zhong waved to Wei Cong triumphantly. "Meng De, this is our prefect, Han Zisi. He's quite a forthright person. Since you've solved his problem this time, he'll certainly not treat you unfairly!"

"I am Wei Mengde from Yecheng, and I am honored to meet you, Lord!" Wei Cong hurried forward and bowed deeply as a gesture of greeting.

"No need to be polite, no need to be polite!" Han Chun smiled and waved his hand. "Shi Mao and I are old friends. Since he introduced you to me, there's no need to be so polite. Come in and sit down. Let's have a few drinks together!"

"Thank you, Lord!" Wei Cong had a good impression of this portly man. He followed the two into the house and sat down as host and guest. Han Chun pointed to the thin, elegant young man beside him and said, "Shi Mao, I'm sure you've heard of this guy for a long time. He's Huang Wan of Jiangxia, the current heir of the Shangshu family!"

Upon hearing Han Chun's introduction, Deng Zhong's casual, almost frivolous expression vanished instantly. He hurriedly straightened his clothes, bowed deeply to Huang Wan, and said, "I am Deng Shimao from Nanyang. I have long heard of Mr. Huang's great name. How fortunate to meet him today!"

"I don't deserve it!" Huang Wan bowed in return.

Seeing Deng Zhong's respectful manner, Wei Cong followed suit with a deep bow. Huang Wan only nodded slightly, without any further comment. Han Chun observed this, but remained silent. He simply instructed the maid to set out the wine, food, and bowls. Once everything was ready, he raised his glass and said to Wei Cong, "Deng Shimao just said you've done me a great service, but I don't know what that is."

Before Wei Cong could speak, Deng Zhong said with a smile, "General Zhang Bolu, the crimson-robed general, ran rampant across the Jiangbei region for over ten years, yet no one could stop him. Yet, he met his end at the hands of a friend like me. Isn't that a debt of gratitude to you?"

"Did you kill Zhang Bolu?" Han Chun looked a little strange. He exchanged glances with Huang Wan and said, "Okay, then tell me what happened from beginning to end!" Wei Cong had roughly guessed Deng Zhong's intention at this time. Although he was not very interested in the fame and merit of killing Zhang Bolu, he did not want to be regarded as a villain who encroached on other people's fame. He started from building a bireme, sending people to monitor Zhang Bolu's whereabouts, ambushing him in the river, and sinking two pirate ships in a one-on-five situation. He recounted the whole process from beginning to end.

"Just now, Shi Mao said that I killed Zhang Bolu. In fact, I only sank his ship and didn't get his head. I think it probably sank into the river during the fierce battle!"

Huang Wan, who had remained silent from the beginning, finally spoke: "From what you just said, you used a newly built ship and a motley crowd to defeat five enemies alone and kill the bandits who have been rampant in Jiangbei for over ten years and the prefectures and counties have been unable to control them. This sounds really hard to believe!" At this point, he suddenly changed his tone: "But precisely because of this, I think you didn't lie. After all, no one would make up such an unconvincing lie!"

"Indeed!" Han Chun clapped his hands and laughed, "If it were me, I wouldn't make up such an outrageous lie to deceive a county governor!"

Wei Cong had thought it would take a lot of effort to convince the two, especially Huang Wan, who seemed particularly difficult to deal with. However, he hadn't expected it to be so easy. He probably did it out of respect for Deng Zhong. He breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Thank you both. Actually, I'm getting off the boat. The captured bandits and their boat are outside the city. You can see them at a glance!"

"Well, that's truly a remarkable achievement!" Han Chun turned his gaze to Deng Zhong and said, "Shimao, your friend has indeed solved a considerable problem for me. You deserve a generous reward!"

"Haha!" Huang Wan laughed. "Your Excellency is joking. Deng Shimao of Nanyang is so wealthy, why would his friends come here just for a few dollars? They're probably here for their futures!"

"Future!" Han Chun's face showed a troubled expression. "Shimao, your friend is not from Nanjun, right? If you want to be selected as a filial and honest official, I'm afraid you have to return to your hometown, right?"

"No need for Xiaolian!" Deng Zhong said with a smile, "Meng De has some matters to attend to in the capital, so it's not convenient for him at the moment. I just wonder if there's anything missing in your mansion, Zisi!"

After hearing Deng Zhong's words, Han Chun understood. As in almost all other countries, officialdom in the Eastern Han Dynasty required a qualification review—the local government of your birthplace confirmed your identity, which was then submitted to the central government to confirm your eligibility for selection. Deng Zhong's statement, "Something is going on in the capital, making it inconvenient at the moment," meant that Wei Cong had been unable to pass the qualification review for some reason. At this point, the three present were well aware of the specific reason.

Unlike other dynasties, however, the Eastern Han Dynasty's local governors held immense power, even having the power to recruit officials. Even more outrageous, these recruits only needed to report their appointments to the central government afterward. Some personal officials were even exempted from reporting, demonstrating their high degree of independence. In other words, even those prohibited from political participation by the central government could participate in local politics through close personal relationships with the governor. Huang Wan is a prime example. After his dismissal, despite being a commoner, he remained a distinguished guest of the governor in his hometown, enjoying considerable influence over local politics.

"Why not appoint Meng De as an assistant to the bandit Cao?" Huang Wan said, "Even though Zhang Bolu is dead, his deeds are not yet concluded. Letting Meng De finish this matter is also legitimate!"

"Thief Cao's attendant?" Han Chun hesitated. He looked at Wei Cong and said, "This official is only a hundred stones. I'm afraid that this is a bit unfair to Meng De!"

"A hundred shi is a hundred shi!" Deng Zhong said with a smile, "Anyway, he doesn't rely on that salary to make a living, right?" At this point, he winked at Wei Cong.

Wei Cong had not expected that Deng Zhong would get him an official position with just a few words. It was not that he did not want to be an official, but he was an "illegal household" and could not explain his origins. Normally, he could pretend to be a "fugitive party member" to get away with it, but once he became an official, his ancestors for three generations would definitely be investigated. Wouldn't he be exposed?
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord. However, when I was in Luoyang, I once..."

"That's all!" Huang Wan smiled. "The governor only needs to report any recruitment of officials to the court afterwards. You don't need to worry! Besides, in the eyes of some people in the court, I'm also a criminal. Didn't Lord Han reject me?"

"Hahaha!" Han Chun laughed heartily upon hearing this. "Rejecting you, Ziyan? Then the scholars of the world still regard me as an ugly eunuch? Then I would rather not be the governor and return to my hometown to live in seclusion. Meng De, if this is your reason, then don't worry. Although I, Han, am incompetent, I do have some sense of responsibility!"

"Then, then I pay my respects to you, my Lord!" Wei Cong, seeing this, took advantage of the situation and bowed down. Han Chun accepted his greeting and helped him up. He said with a smile, "I'm sorry that you're only a clerk of the Thief Cao, a mere clerk of a hundred stones. Once you've dealt with the Zhang Bolu incident, I'll promote you to a clerk in the Thief Cao. Go back and take care of your business first. You can come to the palace tomorrow to take up your post. The seal and ribbon will be issued then."

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As he left the prefectural government, Wei Cong felt as if he were treading on cotton, one foot high and one foot low. He had entered as a commoner, but left as a high-ranking official in the Nanjun Bandit Department. Although his salary was only a hundred dan, the Han Dynasty's political system was simple, unlike the complex and overly complicated bureaucratic systems of later generations. Officials of equal rank had far greater power than they would have in later times.

Zeicao was one of the "Five Officials Under the Imperial Court." During the Han Dynasty, the Three Dukes, prefects, and county magistrates all relied on Zeicao, Dudaozei, Gongcao, Zhubu, and Zhuji as their subordinates. When the chief official traveled, Zeicao, Dudaozei (whose primary job was to protect the prefect, but also to maintain public order), and Gongcao would lead the way, with Zhubu and Zhuji following in their two carriages. These officials were the most trusted confidants of the leader. Nanjun, with a population of 520,000 at the time, was one of the largest prefectures in China. This was the equivalent of Wei Cong failing the civil service exam and going straight to the position of Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau of a prefecture-level city, leading a major organized crime case. It was a meteoric rise to prominence.

"Meng De, Meng De!"

"What's the matter?" Wei Cong woke up as if from a dream, only to see Deng Zhongzheng looking at him with a smile. His face couldn't help but blush slightly: "I was a little distracted just now, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you!"

(End of this chapter)