Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 146 Even ten lives are worthwhile, let alone five?!
In the past, the late emperor appointed Yan as General Who Guards the Distant Regions of Hanzhong and Governor of Hanzhong, which greatly alarmed the entire army.

Today, Ziba Yan was appointed General of the Cavalry and granted the title of Marquis of Nanzheng. The civil and military officials in the palace were all astonished, and it was only natural that the entire army would be astonished next.

In the past, Wei Yan replied to the late emperor: "If Cao Cao brings the whole world to attack, I will defend Your Majesty; if he leads an army of 100,000, I will devour it for Your Majesty."

The late emperor praised it, and everyone admired his words.

Now, Wei Yan replied to the emperor's question, and the emperor also praised it.

However, the statement that "everyone admired his words" is not necessarily true.

For example, Fei Yi discerned a different flavor in it.

Logically speaking, Wei Yan's merits warranted promotions such as General of the North, General of the Left, or even General of the Guards, which would barely qualify as "rewards for meritorious service."

However, instead of rewarding merit, the emperor promoted Wei Yan to the rank of General Zhao, a rank even higher than that of General Zhao.

Why?

Without a doubt, Wei Yan was unworthy of such a title!
Wei Yan was exceptionally brave and arrogant. If it were a matter of rewarding merits, he would most likely believe that the honors bestowed by the emperor were rightfully his.

Today, while bestowing great rewards upon meritorious officials, the emperor deliberately withdrew his decree to reward Wei Yan last. Instead, he not only promoted him to the rank of General of the Han Dynasty, but also granted him the fief of Nanzheng, the seat of Hanzhong Commandery.

Would Wei Yan feel ashamed to refuse such an offer?

How could Wei Yan not pledge his loyalty and die for his cause?
When Han Xin was appointed general, Emperor Gaozu also set up an altar and performed the ceremony, gathering the crowd to pay homage. The late emperor promoted Wei Yan to be the governor of Hanzhong, and the emperor promoted Wei Yan to be the general of the Han Dynasty. Isn't this a similar way of managing people?
Both the late emperor and the current emperor treated you, Wei Yan, with the same special courtesy that Emperor Gaozu bestowed upon Han Xin as a general.

If such special treatment is still not enough to satisfy your desires, Wei Yan, it will not be enough to make you, Wei Yan, loyal to the emperor and willing to die for him.

If the emperor can promote and reward people today, he can also, in accordance with the people's wishes, strip them of their titles and ranks one by one in the future.

Wei Yan received the imperial edict from Dong Yun. Although he was a General of the Han Dynasty, a rank higher than Zhao Yun's, he still returned to his original position.

It's natural to feel a surge of emotions.

I feel ashamed to accept this, and it is inevitable that I will tread carefully on thin ice.

As he charged into battle, spear in hand, and a thousand soldiers scattered, his bold declaration, "I dare to devour it for Your Majesty," resonated deeply.

Firstly, he saw that the late emperor's Hanzhong King banner and the emperor's dragon banner had actually been restored to their former glory during the Di pacification of Guanzhong, standing alongside the current emperor's Golden Guard banner, as they fought against the rebels in battle.

Thinking of the late emperor's kindness in promoting him and recalling his past battles with him, he was overwhelmed with emotion.

Secondly, he finally recognized that this Han emperor, who dared to move his banner into battle and wield his sword to punish the rebels, was indeed worthy of being Wei Yan's lord to die for.

But that passionate and generous emotion came and went quickly.

The emperor has done him no favors. No matter how much he acknowledges the emperor or how willing he is to die for him, if the emperor continues to suppress him and prevents him from doing anything, he will only feel that he has truly wronged the emperor.

The emperor did not "reward merit" today, but instead promoted someone exceptionally.

This made him the center of attention in front of the entire court.

It also reminded him of the late emperor's exceptional favor in appointing him as the governor of Hanzhong.

It also gave him a genuine feeling of "meeting a wise ruler again, and having the ambition to fulfill my aspirations."

The late emperor's special favor and kindness had not been repaid, and now the current emperor was treating him with the same special favor and kindness. How could Wei Yan not feel ashamed and how could he not walk on thin ice?
By the time Wei Yan came to his senses, Attendant-in-Ordinary Dong Yun had finished his long and tedious speech, and finally announced that a lamb and a cow would be cooked and slaughtered to feast the entire army.

In the Weiyang Palace of Chang'an, the first court assembly, which was of extraordinary significance for the Han Dynasty in its final days, came to an end.

However, at this very moment, the Chancellor of the Great Han Dynasty, who was the head of all officials in the outer court and had just received the five imperial decrees, and the Duke of Wugong County, obeyed the imperial edict and bowed his head:
"Your Majesty, the Duke of Zhou was the one who received the Nine Bestowments and expanded the territory."

"The eight kings of the Han dynasty who were not of the same surname rose from commoners to establish the royal dynasty, just like Emperor Gaozu. Their achievements were immense, and I cannot compare to them."
"I, a man of meager talent, have been commissioned to lead the imperial army on a northern expedition to suppress the rebellion. I consider it my duty to restore order to the court, pacify the country, and recover the royal territory."

"We should uphold loyalty and humility, and not accept His Majesty's bestowal of the title of Duke of Five Ranks!"
This is one of them.

"The late emperor, on his deathbed, told me: 'Ma Su's words exceed his abilities; he should not be given important responsibilities. You should carefully consider this!'"

"I did not heed the late emperor's words, failed to judge people well, and defied public opinion to promote Su, which led to the defeat at Jieting!"
"If His Majesty had not personally led the expedition and turned the tide with a small force, the loss of Jieting by Ma Su would have almost ruined the great cause of the Han Dynasty's northern expedition!"
"Therefore, the defeat at Jieting must be investigated, and Ma Su's crime must be punished!"

"Ma Su's crime was not only the defeat of the army, but also the heinous crime of desertion in the face of battle!"

"According to the law, generals who abandon their troops and flee shall be executed by being cut in half at the waist."

"Those who follow him shall all be executed!"
"Now Su disobeyed military orders and lost the army, abandoned his troops and fled. If he is not punished according to the law, how can we maintain military discipline and appease the people?"

"However, Ma Su's fault was not solely his fault, but also due to my own mistakes in handling the matter, my failure to properly assign responsibilities, and my inability to instruct him on the rules and laws, which led to his disobedience at Jieting."

“A gentleman receives gifts with virtue, but I am lacking in virtue and have committed crimes against the country. I dare not accept Your Majesty’s bestowal of five lives and the reward of a duke. I firmly refuse and dare not accept them!”

“I request to be demoted three ranks to reflect on my crime!”

"I implore Your Majesty to execute Su as a warning!"

When the Prime Minister spoke of this, his voice trembled and tears streamed down his face.

All the court officials were stunned and speechless.

Previously, the Prime Minister had declined the imperial decree three times before accepting it. Everyone thought that the Prime Minister had accepted the Emperor's reward. No one expected that the Prime Minister would ask to resign for the fourth time!
Not only did I not expect the Prime Minister to resign four times, but I also did not expect that the Prime Minister would actually ask His Majesty to execute Ma Su in accordance with the law and punish him according to the law!
In fact, with the execution of Cao Zhen, the killing of Zhang He, the defeat of Sima Yi, the pacification of Longyou, the pacification of the Di people in Guanzhong, the recovery of Xijing, and the return to the old capital... a series of great events occurred.

The civil and military officials who led the emperor and prime minister on the northern expedition had almost forgotten about Ma Su!

The defeat at Jieting, such a trivial loss, has long been overshadowed by the glorious atmosphere of the "restoration of the Han Dynasty".

As for the Prime Minister's claim that "the great cause of the Han Dynasty's northern expedition was almost lost," that did not happen at all.

The civil and military officials were naturally unaware of the enormous impact the defeat at Jieting would have on the Han Dynasty.

For a time, the Prime Minister attributed Ma Su's defeat to his own poor judgment of character and his own "moral failings," a fact that was well understood by all the officials in the court.

—This is clearly a way of politely declining His Majesty's bestowal of five titles and the title of County Duke!
The Han emperor, dressed in magnificent imperial robes, rose from his seat, walked to the prime minister, and helped him up with both hands. Then, moved and earnest, he spoke in a resounding voice:

"Your Excellency, it is as I said before."

"Even if the Prime Minister made a mistake in Ma Su's loss at Jieting, it cannot be compared to the Prime Minister's great achievements, which are enough to offset it!"

"If it weren't for this, with the extraordinary achievements of the Prime Minister in assisting me, reviving what was lost and continuing what was interrupted, recapturing the Western Capital and returning it to its former glory, I would gladly accept ten lives, let alone five!"

After pausing for a moment, he spoke again in a low voice: "I hope that Your Excellency will grant my wish and will not refuse or disobey."

The emperor's emotional voice echoed continuously in the ancient and spacious Weiyang Palace, its lingering sound resonating for a long time, leaving all the civil and military officials in the hall deeply moved.

The late emperor and the prime minister had a very close relationship, like fish in water. When the entire country was entrusted to the prime minister, their hearts were completely devoted to each other. This was the epitome of the impartiality between ruler and minister, a model of excellence throughout history.

The Prime Minister, having been entrusted with the care of the orphan, devoted himself wholeheartedly to the cause, showing the Emperor the deep affection of an old ox licking its calf.

And that former orphan, on this grand day of returning to the old capital and celebrating his victory, before the entire court of civil and military officials,

When he addressed his father with those repeated calls, and said things like "I would gladly accept ten lives, let alone five?" and "Fulfill my will," wasn't this in accordance with the filial piety of crows feeding their parents?
Your Majesty used the word "received" rather than "bestowed" by the Son of Heaven, which made Your Majesty's phrase "fulfill my will" even more sincere.

For a moment, some of the older ministers were moved to tears, wiping away their tears with their sleeves, and sobs could be heard from time to time in the hall. They no longer cared about etiquette.

Outside the main hall, the Qiang and Di chieftains, who were used to the infighting between masters and servants, sighed and remained silent, wondering whether the relationship between the Han emperor and the prime minister was genuine.

Regardless of the circumstances, the Emperor of Han's words and actions today clearly demonstrate a harmonious relationship between ruler and subject, with neither side betraying the other.

Considering Yang Tiao's second investiture, the Qiang and Di chieftains who had submitted to the Han dynasty believed even more in the oath made by the Han emperor and Yang Tiao at the Wei River. And on the day of the battle, Yang Tiao's words to them, "to be the dogs of the Han," seemed less unacceptable.

Below the grand hall's mysterious steps.

The prime minister, whose hands were held by the emperor, was momentarily at a loss as to how to respond to the emperor's repeated calls of "Prime Minister Father," and his words, "I would accept ten lives, let alone five," and "Fulfill my will."

After facing the emperor for a long time, the prime minister finally broke free from the emperor's grasp, took a step back, bowed deeply to the emperor, and wept uncontrollably, his voice trembling.
"Your Majesty, the reason why Sun Tzu was able to win the world was because he applied the law clearly."

"Therefore, Yang Gan violated the law, and Wei Jiang executed his servant."

"Now that the world is divided and war has just begun, it is not appropriate to abolish the law. Otherwise, how will we punish the rebels?!"
"Therefore, Ma Su fled in the face of battle and should be executed without mercy!"

"I implore Your Majesty to execute Su as a warning!"
"Zhang Xiu and Li Sheng, who fled with Ma Su, should also be punished according to the law to uphold military discipline!"
"For the rest, if the crime is serious, their families will be punished with confiscation of property and they will be exiled to the border; if the crime is minor, they will be shaved and forced to atone for their crimes through meritorious service."

"However, with Ma Su's talent, he was not capable of shouldering this great responsibility. I was confused in the face of battle, failed to recognize talent, and promoted him against the will of the people. This is my dereliction of duty!"
"I beseech Your Majesty to have mercy on my foolish sincerity and to revoke my five lives and the title of Duke of the County!"

"You have demoted me three ranks and made it public throughout the land to hold me accountable for my faults and crimes. I am filled with fear and trepidation, and I am deeply grateful for your kindness!"

The moment the Prime Minister resigned, everyone was shocked, and the discussion was in an uproar.

Everyone knows that the Prime Minister is strict in enforcing the law and is fair and just.

Everyone knew that the Prime Minister held Ma Su in high regard, and whenever he was summoned for an audience, they would talk from day to night. It was said that the Prime Minister regarded Ma Su as a son, and Ma Su regarded the Prime Minister as a father.

Unexpectedly, Guanzhong is now pacified and the old capital has been returned, marking an unprecedented prosperity for the Han Dynasty.

The Prime Minister's merits were great, and he received five imperial decrees and the title of Duke of the County from His Majesty. Yet, he repeatedly blamed the minor defeat at Jieting for his poor judgment of people and his failure to select Su against the will of the people. He claimed that he was guilty of crimes against the country and lacked virtue. He not only strongly advocated for Su's execution but also requested that his titles and rewards be revoked.

The ministers were in uproar, and Liu Shan himself could not find peace of mind.

The Prime Minister had already declined the bestowal of the title of Duke of the County five times, and it was clear that he did not want to accept the bestowal. It was impossible for him to dissuade the Prime Minister from doing so.

Looking around at the assembled officials, he spoke slowly:

"The Prime Minister took the weight of the nation's affairs as his own responsibility and had no personal bias. He mistakenly believed Ma Su's empty talk about military strategy and, seeing the strategic advantage of Jieting, entrusted him with an important task. His only mistake was his inability to judge people."

"As for the Prime Minister's self-admission that his conduct is flawed and that he has committed crimes against the country, I do not accept this argument."

"In truth, the Prime Minister, upholding loyalty and integrity, and refusing the honors of five official titles and the ranks of dukes and marquises, wished to decline them."

"Anyone who dares to use this argument to attack or frame others in the future shall be punished for sowing discord between the emperor and his ministers, and I will not tolerate it!"

“My words are as clear as the sun; all of you should heed them.”

"Whether Ma Su should be executed or not, you may each state your opinion."

Upon hearing this, the prime minister's expression changed, but he bowed his head again to obey.

After a brief pause in the discussion, Fei Yi was the first to step forward:
"Your Majesty, when the Prime Minister was on his southern expedition, Ma Su offered a strategy, saying that in the art of war, winning hearts and minds is the best strategy, while attacking cities is the worst; psychological warfare is the best strategy, while physical warfare is the worst. I only wish that the Prime Minister would accept this strategy."

"The Prime Minister employed him, and he gained the support of the people and resources of the South to assist the Great Han."

"From this perspective, Ma Su was not only incompetent and unfit for his position, but he was also placed in a position where he could not fully utilize his abilities."

"When Chu killed Dechen, Duke Wen was overjoyed, which shows why."

"When Duke Mu of Qin attacked Jin, Meng Ming was defeated at Xiaoshan and then Duke Mu of Qin employed him."

"Meng Ming fought again and again after each defeat."

"As for burning the boats on the river, the shame of the Xiaoshan incident was finally wiped away, and the Duke of Qin then became the hegemon of the Western Rong, thanks to Meng Ming."

“Is it not a pity to execute a man of wisdom and strategy when the world is still unsettled? I believe that he should be allowed to atone for his crimes by performing meritorious service. As the ancients said, ‘Shame is the mother of courage.’ Now that he knows shame, he will surely repay Your Majesty’s kindness with his life.”

Attendant-in-Ordinary Guo Youzhi also stepped forward:

"Your Majesty is wise. Now that the Di people in Guanzhong have been pacified and the Western Capital has been restored, this is truly a great celebration for the nation. Perhaps we can follow the old system and grant a general amnesty."

“Even if he committed a serious crime, it can still be pardoned. Moreover, the setback at Jieting was minor and did not harm the state. I believe that Ma Su’s crime can be forgiven.”

Yang Yi also said:

"Your Majesty is wise. Ma Liang, the former Attendant-in-Ordinary, served the late Emperor for a long time. He was a loyal and virtuous minister who died for his principles. He was murdered in Yiling and died a martyr."

"I believe that we may show mercy to his past relationship and spare his brother Ma Su's life, exiling him to the border. This would be enough to demonstrate Your Majesty's benevolence in remembering the past."

"..."

"..."

Seeing so many people "disregarding the law" to plead for Ma Su, Liu Shan looked at Wei Yan and asked, "What does the General of Chariots and Cavalry think?"

Wei Yan hesitated for a moment. Although he had always been indignant about Kongming's decision to send Ma Su to defend Jieting against the majority opinion, now that the capital had been returned to the old capital, Ma Su's defeat had become insignificant.

But... what exactly is His Majesty thinking?
Upon realizing this, Wei Yan stepped forward and said, "Forgive my ignorance, I will obey Your Majesty's command."

After the notoriously unruly Han general finished speaking, all the civil and military officials in the hall turned their gazes toward the young emperor in his magnificent robes and crown standing before them.

By this time, the emperor's authority was already as radiant as the sun.

After all, the Chancellor, the General of Chariots and Cavalry, and the General of the Flying Cavalry—the most important military figures in the Han Dynasty—had all submitted to his command.

From that time onward, which of the civil and military officials dared to disrespect the emperor or defy his authority?

The entire hall fell silent. Suddenly, the Prime Minister turned around.

Looking at Fei Yi, Yang Yi, and the other ministers, he first shook his head repeatedly, then spoke in a trembling voice:

"Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war; there has never been a case in history where a defeated general was necessarily executed."

"However, Ma Su's crimes were threefold."

"Firstly, he disobeyed Liang's orders, which led to the failure of military operations!"

"Then they abandon their followers and do not think of winning them back!"
"In the end, he hid and fled for two months, avoiding execution!"

"If we pardon this scoundrel, how can we uphold military law? How can we maintain national prestige? How can we console the loyal souls of the Han people who died because of his crimes?!"

The Prime Minister spoke with a resounding voice.

With a sudden flick of his sleeve, the sound of it rustling through the air was deafening.

Finally, turning to the Emperor, he bowed deeply and said, "I beseech Your Majesty to grant my request and execute Su as a result! If I were to accept Your Majesty's great favor and reward, I would feel ashamed before the loyal souls of the soldiers."

At this point, all those who had pleaded for Ma Su bowed their heads in silence, with no doubt that Ma Su's crimes were beyond redemption.

Upon seeing this and hearing this, Liu Shan finally nodded:
"Then we will grant the Prime Minister's request."

"However, the Prime Minister's minor flaws do not overshadow his extraordinary achievements. Therefore, the Prime Minister's bestowal of music and robes is hereby temporarily revoked."

"Keep the axe and halberd, the golden chariot and the three hundred tiger-like warriors. Temporarily relinquish the title of Duke of Wugong County and make him the Marquis of Wugong. He shall continue to serve as the Prime Minister. I hope the Prime Minister will not refuse again."

After a moment's hesitation, the prime minister finally stepped forward to express his gratitude:
"Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

(End of this chapter)