Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 169 Han Prime Minister
East of Chang'an.

Outside Qingming Gate.

The Han army camp.

The prison cart pushed the group of war criminals to the gate.

Those who violated military law and were sentenced to death during the Northern Expedition, such as Li Sheng and Zhang Xiu who abandoned the army and fled with Ma Su, and Lai Yi who surrendered in the Battle of Xieshui, were sentenced to death and beheaded as soon as they were arrested and interrogated in order to stabilize the morale of the army. The execution was then announced to the three armies.

Today's featured figures are the mid-level officers who fled the battlefield and let the enemy escape during the Battle of Xinfeng, and Ma Su, who previously fled out of fear of punishment and held the most important position, and whose crime was also the most serious.

"If punishments are unknowable and authority is immeasurable, then the people will fear their superiors." In order to make people fear the law rather than their superiors, and to achieve the rule of law in the army, all officers of the rank of one hundred and above in the army were required to go to the gate of the camp to witness the execution.

People gathered at the foot of Chang'an city.

On the walls of Chang'an, powerful clans gathered in large numbers.

The Wei, Du, and Jin families of Jingzhao.

Feng Yiji, Song, and Guo.

The Su and Ji families were involved in martial arts.

The Ma and Geng families of Fufeng.

They arrived here today at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty to attend a banquet to be held the day after tomorrow. Unexpectedly, upon arriving in Chang'an, they heard that the Prime Minister would execute Ma Su and a group of war criminals at noon today.

So even though ministers Fei Yi and Chen Zhen asked them to wait at the Prime Minister's residence first, they still insisted on coming to the top of Chang'an city to witness the execution, despite their advice.

They knew about Ma Su.

After all, it was because of Ma Su, who lost Jieting, that Prime Minister Zhuge refused the five imperial decrees and the title of Duke of Jieting bestowed upon him by the Han emperor.

Wei Dan, the former governor of Wudu during the Northern Wei Dynasty, sighed to his friend Jin Lian from Jingzhao:

"I heard that Prime Minister Zhuge and Ma Su were like brothers and father and son. Moreover, there were countless people in the palace who pleaded for Ma Su that day. I never expected that Prime Minister Zhuge would still repeatedly ask Ma Su to be executed."

"How minor was Ma Su's defeat? How severe was the execution of him by the Han chancellor?"

"Although I had long heard that Prime Minister Zhuge rewarded those far away and punished those nearby without favoritism, and that he strictly enforced the law to govern his subordinates, and was extremely impartial and selfless, I now believe it."

Jingzhao Jinlian stroked his beard and nodded.

Standing atop the city wall, not far from Wei and Jin, the heads of the Du, Su, and Ji clans, though silent upon hearing Wei Dan's words, all turned to look at the Zhuge Liang banner outside the gate, their expressions becoming noticeably more complex.

The sun quickly rose to its zenith.

Under Zhuge Liang's banner, the Prime Minister, wearing a three-beamed scholar's cap and a dark red robe with straight hem, walked towards the group of war criminals to verify their identities.

When the Prime Minister enforced the law, he personally reviewed all punishments of twenty strokes or more, and as for crimes punishable by beheading or capital punishment, he always personally supervised the execution.

After slowly walking several dozen steps, the identities of all ten-plus war criminals were confirmed. The prime minister said nothing more and directly ordered the executioners to carry out the executions.

One by one, the war criminals were pushed onto a mound more than ten feet high. The cold-faced executioner raised his axe and beheaded them one by one. The thick blood quickly congealed into bright red mud on the yellow earth. In the end, only Ma Su was left.

The prime minister did not go to see Ma Su, but only looked around at the dozen or so corpses on the earthen platform whose heads were separated from their bodies, and finally closed his eyes and turned his back.

The executioner raised his great axe high.

Ma Su suddenly roared, "Prime Minister!"

The executioner's hand, which was about to draw its full force, stopped. Blood began to drip down the hilt of the blade onto his forehead, and then flowed down his forehead into his eyes.

He remained unmoved, only giving Ma Su a little time in the end.

Ma Su shouted as he watched the Prime Minister's retreating figure:

"The Prime Minister has always regarded Su as his son, and Su has always regarded the Prime Minister as his father. I only hope that the Prime Minister will deeply remember the righteousness of Gun's execution and Yu's rise, so that our lifelong friendship will not be ruined. Then Su will have no regrets even if he dies!"

He burst into tears after saying this.

While he was in prison in Chang'an, he had been hoping that the Prime Minister would have a final chat with him, but he never expected that... he would finally see the Prime Minister today.

As for the so-called "Gun's execution and Yu's rise," it means that Gun was ineffective in controlling the floods, so Shun only executed Gun and did not implicate his relatives. Thus, after Shun, there was the story of Gun's son, Yu, rising to prominence.

The Prime Minister remained standing facing Chang'an. Ma Su's wailing and weeping did not make him turn around; he only nodded slightly after a moment.

Seeing that the Prime Minister had nothing to say to Ma Su, the executioner no longer hesitated and began to swing his axe with full force.

Ma Su stopped crying and roared again: "Su thanks you—"

The great axe cleaved down.

The sound stopped suddenly.

Blood splattered several feet high, and the three armies stood in awe.

The prime minister, his clothes stained with blood, turned around and looked down at Ma Su's corpse. Without making a sound, he ordered his men to collect the head from the platform and display it to all the camps.

After Dong Zhuo's usurpation of power and the rampage of Li and Guo, the customs of the people in Guanzhong gradually became similar to those of Liang and Long, becoming fierce and martial. The clan elders of the powerful families such as Wei, Du, Jin, and Su in Chang'an did not find the execution particularly bloody, nor did they find it inappropriate to see blood before attending a banquet. They only felt that this execution was too clean and efficient, without any hesitation.

In places a little further away from the major clans of Guanzhong, dozens of Cao Wei generals who had surrendered, including Guanqiu Jian, Xiahou Ru, Wang Guan, Wang Jun, and Deng Ai, as well as Huang Yong, the Grand Herald of Cao Wei who came with imperial credentials, knew of Ma Su and had also heard of the deep friendship between the Han chancellor and Ma Su. At this moment, seeing the Han chancellor personally overseeing the execution of Ma Su, some sighed, while others felt a sense of unease about the future of the Great Wei.

Outside the gate.

The prime minister stepped down from the earthen platform.

Fei Yi, Yang Yi, Chen Zhen, Hu Ji, and other officials who had pleaded for Ma Su in the main hall were all speechless with disappointment.

The Prime Minister looked around at everyone and finally sighed:

"After the head of Youchang has been displayed to all the camps, I will send someone to sew it back onto the body with thread, prepare a coffin and bury it. I will then compose a memorial text for him."

“The young Chang family was well taken care of and given special care, with monthly stipends of rice provided.”

After speaking, the Prime Minister went alone to Chang'an.

Fei Yi, Dong Yun, Yang Yi, and other officials all sighed.

A moment later, Fei Yi turned around and climbed onto the earthen platform. He personally collected Ma Su's body and then summoned his guards to carry it down.

Throughout the entire Prime Minister's residence, no one was more favored by the Prime Minister than Ma Su. His old friends in Jingzhou all secretly speculated that if the Prime Minister were to meet with misfortune, then Ma Su would probably be the one to carry on his ambitions.

I never expected Ma Su…

I never expected the Prime Minister...

The crowd quickly caught up with the Prime Minister.

"Prime Minister, all the prominent families from Guanzhong who were invited to the banquet have arrived, right at Qingming Gate." Yang Yi was the first to inform the Prime Minister, his gaze sweeping over the section of the city wall at Qingming Gate.

At this moment, he felt a sense of shared sorrow, yet also a secret sense of triumph, thinking that he was second only to the prime minister.

"Oh?" The Prime Minister composed himself and turned his gaze toward Qingming Gate, where he saw a large number of people moving about.

Before long, those figures appeared one after another behind Qingming Gate and headed toward the Prime Minister.

Finally, Wei and Du from the capital city of Jingzhao were the first to bow to the prime minister.

The Prime Minister greeted each of them with proper etiquette.

When the various tribes of Guanzhong saw that the Prime Minister had just executed Ma Su, yet immediately composed himself and chatted with them as if nothing had happened, they all sighed inwardly.

After exchanging pleasantries and greetings with the prominent families of Jingzhao, such as the Wei and Du clans, the Prime Minister quickly found the elders of the Wugong Su clan in a corner of the crowd.

He immediately adopted a more familiar and warm attitude to talk to him, and in front of everyone, they reminisced about their old friendship and expressed their gratitude to the Su family for their great help to the Han Dynasty during the Northern Expedition.

The elder of the Su clan felt flattered and was momentarily speechless.

In this battle between Han and Wei, the powerful clans of Jingzhao, including Wei, Du, Jin, and Wang, who neither contributed nor caused any trouble, were all somewhat ashamed.

Although the Wugong Su clan was the first to return to Han rule and the only one among the prominent clans to be granted the title of Marquis of Han and official position, the hierarchy of contempt among aristocratic families still existed, and the Wugong Su clan did not instantly become the most prominent family in Guanzhong.

The elders of the Su clan were hiding in a corner of the crowd, inconspicuous, which clearly indicated that they themselves accepted the existence of this hierarchy of contempt.

The Han dynasty was friendly and courteous to the major clans in Guanzhong, making the powerful clans of Jingzhao, Wei, and Du feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze. However, the Han dynasty was clearly more friendly to the Su clan of Wugong, which was clearly a case of "returning a favor with a precious jade."

There's not much to say about Wei Dan, the patriarch of the Wei clan. He was formerly the governor of Wudu under Cao Wei. What can a mere surrendered man say?

During the Former Han Dynasty, dozens of members of the Jingzhao Wei clan held official positions with a salary of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain measure). Father and son served as prime ministers, three generations held the position of Grand Duke, and four generations were enfeoffed as marquises. In the Later Han Dynasty, the same pattern continued, with generations holding the salary of 2,000 shi, and the clan received the Han's favor for over 300 years.

The Han dynasty treated the Wei clan of Jingzhao with courtesy and sincerity, cooperating with them and giving them a chance to return to the Han dynasty. The Wei clan had done right by their ancestors. Since the Wei clan had nothing to say, the Du clan had even less to say.

Ten years ago, the Wei clan of Jingzhao produced a loyal martyr who died for the Han Dynasty.

Wei Huang, together with Jin Yi of the Jin clan of Jingzhao, Ji Ping and his sons Ji Miao and Ji Mu of Zuo Fengyi, and Geng Ji of You Fufeng, launched an uprising against Cao Cao in Xuchang, and all of them died heroically in the end.

However, the Du family produced a man named Du Ji, who made great contributions to Cao Wei.

Now, Du Ji's son, Du Shu, is serving as the governor of Hongnong for Cao Wei.

During the war between Han and Wei, the Du family remained on the sidelines, clearly acting as opportunists. How could they expect the Han Dynasty to treat them with any respect?

In this battle, the Emperor of Han personally led the expedition, driving Cao Wei out of Guanzhong with overwhelming superiority. This brought a strong sense of oppression to the powerful clans and gentry families in Guanzhong, and also created a strong sense of déjà vu.

Even a large corporation like the Du family could no longer entertain the idea of ​​waiting for a higher price to sell.

In fact, Du Ji and his son Du Shu were not from the main branch of the Du family, but from a collateral branch. Just like Su Ze of the Wugong Su family, they did not bring much political benefit to their main family in Guanzhong after Cao Wei rose to power.

This is also the practical reason why the Du family handed over more than two thousand households to the Han Dynasty.

They wanted to get back on the great ship of the Han Dynasty, just like the Su family of Wugong.

Unfortunately, they lacked foresight and lagged far behind the Su family in martial arts, even falling far short of the An Ding Qiang Di.

Amidst laughter and conversation, the Prime Minister entered the city together with the patriarchs and elders of various powerful clans.

He chatted with them for a while with elegance and grace, and finally took his leave due to his many duties in Guanzhong.

He also ordered his officials and subordinates to treat the guests well and not to neglect them, and the banquet would still be arranged two days later.

All the prominent clans and patriarchs obeyed.

With Guanzhong newly recovered, the Grand Chancellor of the Han Dynasty was busy with countless affairs of state.

It seems that every quarter of an hour has its own schedule.

They arrived in Chang'an ahead of time, making them uninvited guests. It was already quite good that the Chancellor of Han didn't leave them on the sidelines.

Two days passed.

All the prominent families of the Shizong clan attended the banquet at the Prime Minister's residence.

Contrary to popular belief, the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty did not use Xiahou Mao's former luxurious mansion as his own residence.

The so-called Prime Minister's residence was located in the east of Chang'an City, near Qingming Gate, the closest gate to the military camp. It was a courtyard of moderate size.

The decor is simple yet grand, dignified without being extravagant.

Upon arriving at the main reception hall, the seating arrangement did not intentionally elevate or belittle any particular guest.

Everyone happily took their seats and exchanged pleasantries.

Before long, the Han prime minister, dressed in a neat and simple everyday outfit, walked calmly into the hall from outside.

All those already seated rose from their seats to greet him, bowing to the Han prime minister one by one.

The Prime Minister returned the greetings with composure and grace, displaying both dignity and humility.

"Gentlemen, please take your seats."

"Guanzhong has just been restored, but the country is facing many troubles."

"Liang, being of weak character, was unworthy to hold the position of prime minister."

"I had to rush about from dawn till dusk, working tirelessly day and night, exerting all my strength, just to barely live up to the late Emperor's trust and handle some simple matters within my power for the country."

"I apologize for keeping you all waiting for two days. I hope you will forgive me."

The patriarchs of the prominent clans who were invited to the banquet were all over fifty years old. The title "Gong" was not exclusive to the Three Dukes, but was a respectful title for elders of high moral character. None of the elders present held official positions, but were respected by the Prime Minister based on their age and virtue. The Prime Minister's humble and respectful address was a great show of respect to them.

Wei Dan, the great calligrapher and former surrendered official from Cao Wei, who was seated at the head of the table, immediately stood up and, somewhat shamelessly, picked up on the Prime Minister's words:

"Prime Minister, what are you saying?"

"With the land of Yizhou and a million people, it is impossible to resist Cao Wei's nine provinces and tens of millions of people without extraordinary talent."

"As for commanding the three armies, leading the troops on a northern expedition, assisting the emperor in recovering Guanzhong, and returning to the old capital, this could not be accomplished without a strategy that encompasses the entire world."

"He was truly a man of both literary and military talent, capable of serving as both a general and a prime minister; even Xiao He and Zhang He of the Former Han Dynasty could not surpass him."

"With the Guanzhong region newly recovered and national affairs in great turmoil, the Prime Minister, despite his busy schedule, still managed to set aside time for a banquet, which is an immense honor for us."

"Besides, the banquet was originally scheduled for today. Our arrival in Chang'an ahead of time is already an intrusion and abrupt. How dare we talk about forgiveness?"

Seeing that even a high-ranking official like Wei Dan in Cao Wei had such no integrity, other powerful clan elders from Guanzhong who did not hold official positions in Cao Wei became even more unscrupulous and followed suit, saying similar flattering things to the prime minister.

They didn't know much about the prime minister, and their families hadn't held any high-ranking official positions for generations. They were so unsophisticated that they didn't know how to deal with this Han prime minister.

The prime minister smiled without commenting on these flattering words, and calmly sat down at the main table. The servants then brought out some simple yet polite dishes of wine, meat, rice, fruits and vegetables.

After a round of toasts and drinks, everyone was full and satisfied.

The Prime Minister laughed and said to those in the audience:
"Gentlemen have long resided in Jingzhao, and their virtues have benefited their hometowns."

"The Han Dynasty was able to recover Guanzhong and restore the old capital this time, which was truly due to the wisdom and understanding of you gentlemen, and that no complications arose."

"This merit should not be overlooked. I, on behalf of the Emperor, thank you all again."

Upon hearing the Prime Minister's words, the atmosphere among the guests, which had just eased due to the feast, became tense again.

After all, apart from the Su family, the other families can basically be described as opportunists.

The Prime Minister was right when he said that they had not encountered any complications.

As for his indispensable contributions... well, that's a matter of opinion.

However, the words of the Han Chancellor seem to... affirm their status and role as local strongmen in Guanzhong from another perspective, without simply suppressing or belittling them.

The implication is that the Han Dynasty invited them to this banquet today to give them an opportunity to cooperate with the Han Dynasty.

As expected, the Prime Minister continued:

"The Guanzhong Plain, a place of bitter battles, is still scarred and in dire need of rest and recuperation. The court's only wish is for stability and restoration."

"His Majesty has entrusted Liang with the responsibility of restoring the dynasty."

"Liang is weak and lacks the strength to handle the task."

"And you gentlemen have long resided in Jingzhao, and your virtues have benefited your hometown."

"He was a pillar of Guanzhong and was well-versed in local customs and geography."

"If the court can borrow the wisdom of you gentlemen and the strength of all ethnic groups, and work together to achieve this great undertaking, I believe that Guanzhong will surely be restored to its former glory as a land of plenty and a foundation for the eternal stability of the Han dynasty."

When the Prime Minister mentioned this, the emotions of the patriarchs and elders of the major clans at the banquet calmed down once again.

Destruction is simple.

Reconstruction is difficult.

After Cao Wei seized Guanzhong, it did not carry out any reconstruction or governance. However, in order to maintain stability, it adopted a laissez-faire approach to Guanzhong, giving away the already limited benefits to the local people in order to maintain Cao Wei's control over Guanzhong and Longyou, so that the entire Guanzhong region could remain a stable buffer zone between Cao Wei and Shu Han.

Now that the Han Dynasty has powerfully taken control of Guanzhong, these people, as natives of the land where the Han Dynasty rose to power, have long been indebted to the Han and many are inclined to submit to the Han.

In addition, the Nine-Rank System of Cao Wei had long been occupied by the Guandong gentry, which could not give these Guanxi people any political benefits. But the Han Dynasty was very different. Once they could get on the ship of the Han Dynasty with a bright future, the whole Guandong region and the stars and the sea would be in front of them!
However, having never dealt with Shu Han before, they were genuinely worried that Shu Han might engage in excessive military campaigns and exploit them.

So, does the Shu Han, which emerged from Shu, have any future? And do these powerful clans of Guanzhong have any future?

It all depends on whether the current Chancellor of Han can provide these Guanzhong aristocratic families with tangible cooperation opportunities and benefits.

If the Shu Han dynasty were extremely harsh on them, knowing only how to plunder and not how to give, it would be a disaster.

It is entirely conceivable that the Shu Han, which emerged from a corner of Shu, was a militaristic and hopeless regime.

You can't conquer the world by force.

Otherwise, why would Cao Wei have established the Nine-Rank System, compromising with powerful clans and offering benefits to the clans led by the Yingchuan gentry?

(End of this chapter)