Jinting Han people

Chapter 184 Hedong Xue Family (4k)

In early April, after Hao San started the uprising in Lu County, unexpectedly, the disturbance did not spread quickly.

This was primarily due to the prolonged period of peace, where people had practically forgotten how to respond to war. Although rumors of Shangdang had been circulating before, and had even spread to Yanmen County, few believed them. Furthermore, due to its proximity to the capital, Shangdang County had very few soldiers. After Hao San's uprising, half the troops were wiped out in Lu County almost overnight. Coupled with the scarcity of merchants, there was no one to report the incident. It took seven days for the nearest Yecheng city to learn of the Shangdang uprising.

Luoyang did not receive the military report until ten days later. Moreover, the first report from Yecheng was very ambiguous. No one could tell what had happened in Shangdang and what the current situation was.

The court erupted in controversy. Some, seeking to evade responsibility, claimed the report was a false and exaggerated statement, claiming there had been no unrest in Shangdang. Others submitted petitions demanding a thorough and rigorous investigation, with all those implicated imprisoned. Many more simply stood by and watched, remaining aloof. This prevented the court from making any effective decisions for a short period.

In the end, it was Ningshuo General Liu Hong who was the first to react. He received the news first and immediately led his troops south from Yanmen. On the twelfth day after the incident, he was the first to enter Shangdang. But by then it was too late. From Wuxiang to Luxian and Huguan, the area was almost completely deserted, with almost no one in sight.

Finally, on the fourteenth day after the incident, they found many Han people taking refuge in the forests of Taihang Mountain, and only then did they learn the latest news:

Almost all of Shangdang's Hu people joined the rebellion. They besieged Lu County and killed over twenty officials, including Shangdang Prefect Sun Yuan, Shangdang Chief Clerk Zhao Tao, Shangdang Commander Wang Xiao, Lu County Magistrate Pei Cui, and Huguan Magistrate Liu Ben. They had now emptied the treasuries of all ten Shangdang counties and appeared to be heading west toward Hedong Commandery.
Liu Hong was horrified when he heard this. He immediately submitted a memorial to the court, proposing three strategies for suppressing the rebels:
First, the bandits are heading west, bound to join forces with the Qiang and Hu peoples of Guanzhong. Once this unrest begins, it will be like a spark igniting a charcoal fire, uncontrollable. Therefore, we must quickly notify the Western Expeditionary Army Headquarters and have them deploy defenses in Xiayang and Puban to cut off their path in advance.
Second, the rebels had grown to nearly 100,000 men, already overthrowing one prefecture and threatening to spread to several more. This was a major event unprecedented since the Tubo Shuji Rebellion. If word spread throughout the country, the Qiang and Hu tribes in Guanzhong, Long, Qin, and Ji would likely follow suit, leading to widespread chaos. Therefore, Liu Hong suggested that the Qiang and Hu leaders from all regions be immediately summoned and detained. For example, Liu Yuan, the Grand Commander of the Five Tribes in Taiyuan, should be detained in Yecheng, and Wuhuan Chanyu Shen Deng and Duan Pidi, the Xianbei leader of the Duan clan, should be detained in Jicheng, to prevent further trouble.
Third, the rebels were so powerful this time that a quick victory was necessary. Therefore, instead of completely annihilating them, we should focus on appeasing them. Otherwise, with tens of thousands of them fighting to the death, the Western Expeditionary Army would be unable to stop them. Liu Hong suggested that the court immediately issue an order to pardon those who participated in the rebellion and only execute Hao San.

Liu Hong actually intended to lead his troops directly into Hedong. However, by advancing into Shangdang without authorization, he had already crossed the line of his jurisdiction. If he advanced into Hedong again, he would have crossed over two jurisdictions, a political impossibility. He could only briefly reorganize Shangdang County's defenses, provide basic relief to the victims, and then await further orders from the imperial court.

But by the time the order was submitted to Luoyang, seventeen days had passed since Hao San started the rebellion, and the entire rear of the Xiongnu had completely disappeared to the west of Shangdang County. How things would develop thereafter was no longer something Liu Hong could control.

On the other side, Hedong County, Fenyin, and Xuewu.

After a gentle, spring-like drizzle, the weather in Hedong suddenly warmed up. The morning glories had already bloomed; there were still a few ripe peaches left on the peach trees. The branches of the willows had fully matured, their slender twigs swaying in the east wind.

Xue Yi, the head of the Hedong Xue family, was already sixty-four years old. His hair was half-white, and he was tall but thin, with a sallow complexion. He wore a cloth robe, and the damp summer breeze blew into the main hall, causing his beard and sleeves to flutter, giving people a sense of frailty and shock.

But now, bathed in the wind, he didn't move at all. Although he was kneeling on the couch with an upright posture, his head tilted back slightly, and his left hand, resting on the table, swayed up and down with the rhythm of the wind. The young man beside him watched for a while and thought: "Master, you are really getting old. Your energy is really declining every year. Five years ago, he could eat three bowls of rice in one meal and then ride a fast horse for three hours straight. But now, he wants to take a nap before lunch."

When he was about to close the door to shield the clan leader from the wind, Xue Yi opened his eyes, waved to Cangtou and said:
"Just keep it open. The wind will wake me up and help me think."

Cangtou finally realized he had misunderstood and, feeling a little embarrassed, quickly retreated. Xue Yi, on the other hand, returned to his original state, seemingly recalling something, or pondering something, like a withered tree that resonated more in the wind.

As the patriarch of the Hedong Xue family, Xue Yi had four sons: the eldest, Xue Yong; the second, Xue Diao; the third, Xue Xing; and the fourth, Xue Yun. Xue Yi had originally placed his hopes for the family's revival on the eldest, Xue Yong, but as the saying goes, things can change unexpectedly. Xue Yong's involvement in a coup led to his untimely death. This led to a profound change in Xue Yi's mentality in recent years, with his hair turning completely white within a year. He then summoned his second son, Xue Diao, who was serving as the county magistrate in Jie County, and asked him to resign and take charge of the family affairs. Three years passed in a flash. While the Hedong Xue family appears to be at peace, in some ways, it is also at the center of a turbulent situation.

After a while, the second son, Xue Diao, hurried back. His footsteps were as rapid as rain, and even in the concerto of wind and leaves, they seemed short and powerful. But soon, after turning the corner of the corridor, his footsteps slowed down, gradually becoming silent.

When he reached the door, he took off his boots and knelt down on the mat inside the room. It was very strange that a man as strong as a tiger or a wolf sat in the upright posture of an old-fashioned scholar.

Xue Diao took the initiative to speak: "Father, the county lord has already talked to several nobles in our county."

Xue Yi sat up slightly, raised his eyes and asked, "Oh, what did County Lord Chen say?"

Xue Diao lowered his head and said, "County Lord Chen said that although the Xiayang Magistrate has reported the unrest in Shangdang, there hasn't been any official document from the Zhengxi Military Headquarters yet. It's hard to say whether the unrest in Shangdang will definitely affect us. So, he meant that we should wait and see and not act rashly."

Xue Yi closed his eyes after hearing this. After a moment of silence, he asked Xue Diao, "Shuda, what do you think about this?"

Xue Diao sorted out his thoughts and replied:

"If it's true, as Commander Xia Yang says, that the entire Xiongnu rearguard in Shangdang is rebelling, this would be a major event unprecedented since the new emperor ascended the throne. We can't be too cautious. Furthermore, the Xiongnu rearguard commander Hao San and the Shuofang bandit Hao Dingyuan are brothers. If they join forces, Hedong will certainly be unable to stop them."

"But the problem now is that only Xiayang Ling has received the news. Lord Guo and County Lord Chen haven't received any orders yet. At most, they've just heard some irrelevant rumors. I just asked the other families at the county government, like Zhuge Yu, Ma Su, and Pang Xiang, and they all heard what Xiayang Ling said and didn't get any information of their own. This is very difficult to deal with."

"As you know, the Xiayang magistrate has been quite benevolent in the past two years. People from surrounding counties have flocked to Xiayang, causing our county lord and prefect to have a bad record. They are very dissatisfied with him. Now, if we follow his advice and send everyone to Fengyi early, who knows how many more people will flee to Xiayang, which will also affect the county's tax revenue. That's why they are very reluctant. I'm afraid we can't change their minds."

It turned out that after receiving the news of the rebellion in Shangdang, Liu Xian not only reported it to the Zhengxi Army Headquarters immediately, but also issued a warning to all counties in Pingyang and Hedong, reminding them to prepare for defense and to seek temporary refuge in Fengyi County.

But it seems that this warning has not had the effect he expected.

Xue Yi asked, "In your opinion, how credible is the message sent by the young lord this time?"

"Of course it's ninety percent believable." Xue Diao raised his head and replied naturally, "Since taking office, Xia Yangling's every word and action has been well-aimed. He said the bandits would be suppressed in March, and that's what he meant. He said the Longmen Ferry would be tax-free for two years, and it's still free today. Not to mention that for the sake of the people, he remained unwavering even under pressure from powerful forces. This shows that he is a man of great integrity. He wouldn't say such things without absolute certainty."

"And Ji Da is also in Xia Yang. He also sent a message saying that it is true. After all, Ji Da would never lie to us."

Xue Diao actually wanted to say 100%, but his father Xue Yi had always taught him that there was never a 100% certainty in the world, and that one should always leave a margin of preparedness. So, even now, he didn't say anything for sure, but he still expressed his considerable trust in Xia Yang Ling Liu Xian. He then expressed his doubts:

"But the more this goes on, the more unhappy the county lord and his men will be. They won't agree to cross the river without orders from the Western Expeditionary Army. And without the county lord's orders, we probably can't leave on our own, or we'll be in trouble in the future."

Xue Yi was satisfied with this attitude, but he also knew with some regret that his son had not said everything he wanted to say.

After receiving Liu Xian's report, he also believed the authenticity of the Shangdang riot. Based on this deduction, the defenses of Hedong and Pingyang counties were absolutely insufficient to resist the Xiongnu invaders from Shangdang. Only by taking refuge in Hexi as soon as possible could the losses caused by this riot be reduced.

Logically speaking, they could have temporarily sought refuge in Hexi without the county magistrate's consent, but the problem was that everyone in the world knew they were descendants of Shu Han.

Although Xue Yi, like many of his former colleagues in Hedong, had been closely following Liu Xian's progress during his tenure in Xiayang, and sincerely felt gratified and happy for his growth and abilities, he had never met Liu Xian in person.

The reason is simple: to avoid suspicion.

No one could withstand the charge of treason and restoration of the country. Even though the Shu Han survivors in Hedong and Pingyang counties numbered over 30,000 households and 120,000 people, they had maintained astonishing restraint for three years, as impassive as stone. It should be noted that during these two years, as many as 7,000 people had been relocated to Xiayang, but not a single Shu Han survivor was among them.

Even though thirty years have passed since the fall of the nation, perhaps everyone still can't forget the past. But under the rule of a brand-new empire, if there is still time to go forward, perhaps the relationship should end here, go their separate ways, and never see each other again. Perhaps this is also the best form of support.

And it seems that the young lord of Xiayang also seems to be aware of this. He has maintained the same tacit understanding over the years. No matter what happens, he will not contact these Hedong Shu people.

But as the saying goes, there are always unexpected events, and now such a turmoil has broken out. Xue Yi thought that this was both a test and an opportunity.

The country's current political situation is gradually becoming chaotic, but no one can predict what the future holds. Similarly, during the reign of Emperor Guangwu, corrupt officials were rampant, and civil unrest frequently broke out. However, the reign of Emperor Mingzhang ultimately brought about a new era of governance. But what if the reign of Emperor Mingzhang never arrived? Then the country's political situation could plummet, just as it did during the reign of Emperor Hu Hai?

This concerns every person in the nation. How to survive and with whom to side are inevitable choices. Right and wrong, in the end, mean the difference between prosperity and genocide.

I had originally planned to live the rest of my life indifferently, but I never expected that at this age, I would be faced with such a choice. Xue Yi fell into deep thought. In this situation, the original strategy of ignoring each other with the young lord had to be changed.

At least, you should take a look at him, from a distance, to know what kind of person he is.

Thinking of this, Xue Yi couldn't help but stroke his beard and continued to imagine, does the young lord look like the Crown Prince? Or like the emperor back then?
While he was guessing, Xue Diao asked, "Sir, in your opinion, what should we do next?"

Xue Yi raised his head and looked at his second son again. After studying him for a moment, he smiled a long-lost smile and said, "We still have to wait for the county lord's order. Without the county lord's order, we will not leave for the time being."

"But we must make preparations early. If the young lord's news is true, the order to evacuate will be issued sooner or later. We can make some preparations now so that we can leave immediately."

"Preparation..." When it comes to this, Xue Diao is a little confused. He has never made such preparations before.

"Well, just prepare the carriage, load it with luggage, bedding, food, land deeds... In short, we must be prepared to celebrate the New Year in Xiayang. As for those things that cannot be taken away, such as gold and silver, you should arrange for people to find a secret place to bury them. The food that cannot be taken away can be distributed. Among the dozens of servants in the clan, if there are any who are willing to go with us, we can take them with us, and if they don't want to go with us, we can let them go."

"Sir, this..." Xue Diao showed an expression of surprise and embarrassment. Obviously, the arrangements his father had just mentioned seemed too costly to him, almost equivalent to giving up about half of his family property.

But Xue Yi had no intention of discussing it further, because in his opinion, this choice was very simple. As early as when he was in Chengdu, he knew a truth: if you lose money, you can accumulate it again, but if you lose people's hearts, you will have nothing.

Just like many of the Shu Han survivors in Hedong, amid rumors, the Xue family of Hedong underwent a subtle change in their position.

On the third day when Xue was preparing to cross the river, the rumor finally became a reality.

On the 28th day of the 4th month, the rearguard of the Xiongnu successfully broke out of the Qinshui River Valley. After a brief respite at Taiyue Mountain, tens of thousands of Hu troops suddenly appeared, seemingly descending from the sky, and surrounded the two important Pingyang towns of Jiangyi and Linfen. The county magistrates, terrified, abandoned their cities and fled, resulting in the cities falling in a single day.

After the news spread, 26 tribes of miscellaneous Hu people in Hedong and Pingyang counties rose up in response, successively captured Wenxi and Beiqu counties, and then joined forces with Hao San's main force in Jiangyi.

After crossing the dangerous path, the already massive Hu army unexpectedly grew even stronger, rapidly expanding from over 80,000 to over 100,000. On the narrow plain between the Jiangshui and Fenshui rivers, voices of people suddenly boiled over, and the neighing of horses filled the air.

The last time Hedong was so lively can be traced back to the battle of Hedong led by high-ranking official Zhong Yao ninety years ago.

It was also on the day when Wenxi fell that Xiayang Commander Liu Xian, after obtaining permission from Fengyi Prefect Ouyang Jian, led a thousand light cavalry across the Yellow River and set foot on the land of Hedong for the first time.

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(End of this chapter)