Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 287 is the Han Emperor's proclamation to Sun Quan.
"Your subject Dong Yun pays his respects to Your Majesty." At the Yiling Wharf, which was now under the control of the Han army, Dong Yun, weary from his journey, stepped forward and bowed.

This former Attendant-in-Ordinary and Commander of the Tiger-like Guards is now Attendant-in-Ordinary and Commander of the Central Guards.

The Attendant-in-Ordinary was an official in the inner court of the emperor, in charge of all affairs of the inner court and assisting the emperor in handling all matters.

The Central Protector of the Army was essentially the personnel officer of the Imperial Guards, responsible for the selection of all Imperial Guard officers and commanders below the Central Commander of the Army.

Besides assisting the emperor in handling military and political affairs, Dong Yun's more important mission was to use his status as a scholar from Jingzhou to appease the newly surrendered and soon-to-be-surrendered people of Jingzhou.

This Chamberlain was always serious and stern, and a straightforward official who dared to speak the truth. Even though Liu Shan had become somewhat unrestrained in the army, he still respected this Chamberlain, the head of the inner court officials.

Even he himself had realized that he was being somewhat reckless and disregarding his status as the emperor in his actions.

For example, yesterday he pulled Mi Wei onto the emperor's carriage and, in front of the three armies, raised his arms and shouted for meritorious officials without regard for his image. If Dong Yun were there, he would probably frown and then come to him in the dead of night to say some words of advice, hoping that he would pay attention to the emperor's dignity.

In the eyes of most scholars who had been educated in the concept of "interaction between Heaven and man," the emperor needed a certain "mystery" to inspire awe in his soldiers.

There's probably no right or wrong here.

I've never seen a road like this before, so I have some doubts about it.

Liu Shan's recent actions have been too much of a step down from the bottom.

As Liu Shan walked and talked with Dong Yun, he learned that, in addition to Mi Wei and Dong Yun, Fei Yi, the military clerk of the Prime Minister's office, was also among those who had left Chang'an to go south or east.

In addition to serving as the chief secretary of the prime minister's office, Fei Yi also serves as the acting protector of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

After the recapture of Chang'an, no large-scale wars occurred between Han and Wei. Fei Yi traveled back and forth between Chang'an, Hanzhong, and Chengdu, responsible for the logistical support of Chang'an, internal coordination among high-ranking officials of the court, and also the highest acting official for external liaison.

His role was similar to that of "Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army and Governor of Logistics," making him a key figure who ensured that the Chancellor could focus on handling all military and political matters. This fully demonstrated Fei Yi's central position in the Han regime and the Chancellor's high level of trust in him.

"You must have had a long and arduous journey, Attendant-in-Ordinary." Back in the central command tent, Liu Shan said earnestly, "Since you passed through Wu County and Zigui, you must have already seen the inscription outside Wu County?"

He roughly guessed what Dong Yun would say, so he took the initiative.

Dong Yun's expression was solemn, and he spoke frankly: "I have indeed seen Pan Chengming's inscription."

"Pan Chengming betrayed the Han and surrendered to Wu, but he should not have presented a map to Sun Quan. He has repeatedly persecuted loyal and virtuous officials of the Han Dynasty for Sun Quan's sake. His actions deserve to be punished. Your Majesty's execution of him is justified both in law and in sentiment."

Liu Shan was different.

Dong Yun straightened his clothes, took a step back, and bowed deeply to the Emperor:
"Your Majesty, what I wish to say is not for Pan Jun, but for the future of our Great Han."

Liu Shan nodded in acknowledgment:

"Your Excellency, there's no need for that. We, as ruler and subject, can speak freely."

Dong Yun's expression remained solemn:

"Your Majesty should know that since Sun Quan seized Jingzhou from our Han Dynasty, many people in Jingchu have been forced by circumstances to submit to the Sun family and become subjects of Wu. This was due to the pressure of the times, not their own wishes."

"If Your Majesty takes your anger out on the people of Jingchu who have sided with Wu, I fear that you will hand over the hearts of millions of people to Sun Quan."

"The soldiers can fight for Your Majesty on horseback, but they can never govern the world for Your Majesty on foot."

"Pan Jun once served as the governor of Jingzhou for the late emperor. He was a respected figure among the scholars of Jingchu. After his defeat and execution, how could the scholars of Jingchu not feel uneasy? Your Majesty has marched east from Baidi and successively captured Wuxian and Zigui. Your military strength is extremely sharp and your actions are decisive."

"I am worried that the former officials of Jingzhou, upon learning of Pan Jun's death and seeing his head, might think of themselves and fear Your Majesty's purging of old grievances. In their fear, they might cause conflict, which could shake Jingzhou and hinder the great cause of the Han Dynasty's recovery of lost territories and the restoration of the Han Dynasty."

These words were extremely frank; no one had ever said them to Liu Shan face-to-face since Liu Shan executed Pan Jun.

Inside the main tent, Chen Dao, Guan Xing, and Zhao Guang all frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied with Dong Yun's bluntness.

Liu Shan showed no anger, but simply watched Dong Yun quietly. He admired Dong Yun's loyalty and integrity, and had long been waiting for this frank and candid advice.
"In Dong Shizhong's opinion, what should be done?"

To everyone's surprise, Dong Yunjing was prepared. He directly took out a roll of high-quality 'Chang'an paper' from his robes and presented it with both hands:

"Your Majesty, Pan Jun deserves to die, but after his execution, there should be a grand declaration of righteousness to reassure the people of Jingchu."

"This is a proclamation to Sun Quan written by the Chancellor of the Imperial Household Department in response to the current situation, for the sake of the Han Dynasty and Your Majesty. I request Your Majesty to read it."

"A proclamation against Sun Quan?" Liu Shan's eyebrows twitched slightly. He took the scroll of proclamation, unfolded the paper, and read it. The six characters "The Great Han Proclamation Against Sun Quan" immediately caught his eye.

"When Qin lost its mandate, the whole world chased after it."

"Emperor Taizu Gaozu wielded a three-foot sword to slay the white serpent, thus laying the foundation for the eternal prosperity of the Han Dynasty."

"When Wang Mang usurped the throne, the imperial regalia fell into disrepair. Emperor Guangwu, in a fit of rage, rose up at Kunyang, restored the dynasty's glory, and extended the Han dynasty's legacy for over two hundred years."

"During the Jian'an era, the Cao Wei dynasty, following the example of Wang Mang, seized power and ravaged the land."

However, the Mandate of Heaven did not end with the Han Dynasty!
Emperor Zhaolie succeeded Emperor Wu and continued the great lineage, and the Shu Han dynasty emerged in the western lands!
Although Emperor Zhaolie died prematurely, Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, who had been in charge of the country's administration, took in the six-foot-tall orphan, and spent three years building up the nation and three years educating the people. He pacified the barbarians and reformed the government, and his heart was as deep as a mountain, working tirelessly day and night.

The Emperor, nurtured by the Prime Minister, is divinely gifted, intelligent, and decisive. He inherits the legacy of Emperor Gaozu Zhaolie, and thus is able to command heroes, work diligently to govern the land, and make the Bashu region prosperous with full granaries and well-prepared military, peaceful for the people and conducive to the advancement of virtuous and capable officials!

As for last year, when the royal army launched its northern expedition, our Han emperor personally led the expedition, braving the enemy lines with the might of a dragon and the stride of a tiger, commanding an army of bears and displaying the might of thunder!
Cao Zhen was beheaded at Xiegu!

Zhang He was executed at Chencang!

Defeat Sima Yi at Hongmen!

Wherever the banners pointed, the Wei invaders were routed!

Wherever the king's army marches, the common people offer them food and drink!

Within half a year, he had recovered Guanzhong and returned the capital to Chang'an.

This is not due to Heaven's favor upon the Han Dynasty, nor its awe-inspiring power; how could this be possible?!
The cunning and cruel Sun Quan, relying on the tyranny of his father and brother, seized Jiangdong for more than twenty years. When Cao Wei had just lost Hanzhong and suffered a major defeat at Xiangfan, the whole country was shaken and the rebels were terrified! Instead of working for the royal family, he acted like a jackal, broke the alliance and betrayed the treaty, attacked and killed the allied general, and seized the important Jingzhou!
The great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty nearly collapsed on its last legs!

Within the borders of the land, all are subjects of the Han; under the whole heaven, all is Han territory!

The Sun family has been receiving official salaries from the Han dynasty for generations, yet they dare to commit such a rebellious act!
If Wu Zixu were to be resurrected, he should be dug up and whipped!

And how could the people of the world, who have received the grace of the Han Dynasty for over four hundred years, not feel deep resentment?
The grudge of Jingzhou is so deep it tears my heart apart!
The hatred of Yiling is so profound, it makes my heart ache and I weep blood!

This hatred and grudge will never be forgotten by the Great Han for even a day!
At this time when Guanzhong was fully recovered and the Mandate of Heaven was clear, the traitor Sun Quan actually followed the example of Wang Mang and Cao Pi, usurping the title of emperor and coveting the throne of our great Han Dynasty!

Thus, the emperor, following the will of his ancestor, Emperor Gaozu, led his troops eastward!

Bu Zhi lost his army at Xicheng!
Pan Jun was executed in Wu County!
Zhou Fang and Sun Huan of Zigui abandoned their troops and fled!

As for Pan Zhang, Ma Zhong, and their ilk, they acted on Sun Quan's orders to wreak havoc in Jingzhou, cruelly oppressing the people. Even the people of Jingchu deeply hated them. Now they have all been beheaded and executed. Have they not heard that Heaven's justice is just and that retribution is swift? The evil of the Sun family betraying the Han and breaking the alliance has finally been repaid today!

And tracing its origins.

Sun Jian's cunning and shrewdness were the seeds of future disaster. His subsequent rebellious and treacherous actions, fueled by his own power, grew increasingly vicious and treacherous.

He controlled the Jiangnan region and abused its people.

They have invaded and bullied neighboring countries, and have repeatedly resorted to treacherous schemes.

They attacked and killed Huang Zu, and occupied Jiangxia.

They betrayed their promise and launched a surprise attack, forcibly seizing Jingzhou.

The oath made by the Xiang River still resonates in our ears.

Crossing the river in white, acting like a thief!
What benevolence has he shown to the people of Jingchu?!

They levied taxes without restraint and treated their people like dogs and horses.

Suspicious and mean-spirited, regarding them as enemies.

How can such faithless and unrighteous people occupy Jingchu for long without being hated by the people?
The Mandate of Heaven descended upon the Black Bird and gave birth to the Shang Dynasty. Then the Zhou Dynasty inherited the Mandate of Shang, the Qin Dynasty inherited the Mandate of Zhou, and the Han Dynasty inherited the Mandate of Qin. Since the Qin Dynasty unified the six states, the Mandate of Heaven has been unified, and the unification of the six states is the aspiration of hundreds of millions of people!
Now Cao Wei has usurped the throne in the north, and Sun Quan has usurped the title in the south, dividing the land and rivers—their crimes are immeasurable! Our great Han dynasty is the legitimate ruler of the land; how can we divide ourselves into a precarious state and seek only to survive in the westernmost part of the world?
The emperor swore an oath at the ancestral temple: "The Han and the traitors cannot coexist; the royal cause will not be confined to one side!"
Now we raise our royal army again to retake Wuzi!

The banners point east; we're already at Yiling!
The heroes of Jingchu, long imprisoned by the tyranny of the Sun family, and the remnants of the Han dynasty, yearn for the kindness and benevolence of the Han.

"At this juncture, it is the opportune moment to follow the will of Heaven and the will of the people, and together punish the traitors to the nation!"

"Upon the arrival of this proclamation, I urge the elders of Jingzhou to discern right from wrong in the Mandate of Heaven, and those who return to the Han Dynasty will all be meritorious subjects!"

"If they remain stubborn and obstinate, trapped in an isolated city by Sun Quan, wavering between opposing paths, hesitant and indecisive, thus missing their chance, then the mighty Han army will arrive and slaughter them immediately!"

A proclamation was sent to all prefectures and counties, so that all may be informed!

This proclamation, written in a splendid style and with a powerful momentum, spans over a thousand words and integrates the legitimacy of the Han Dynasty, the military victories of recent years, the accusation against Sun Quan, and the call to action for the future.

In particular, the final quote, "The Han and the traitors cannot coexist, and the royal cause cannot be achieved by partial peace," is powerful and highly persuasive.

It was indeed a powerful tool that could be sent to the entire Jingzhou region when the Han Dynasty and Sun Quan were locked in a standoff along the Yiling and Jiangling line, thus shaking the foundations of Wu's rule.

Liu Shan asked, "Who wrote this proclamation?"

Dong Yun replied: "This was written by Qiao Yunnan, the Encouragement of Learning in Chang'an and the Xuanyi Zhonglang."

"Qiao Zhou?" Liu Shan's expression changed visibly as he looked around.

Only then did he notice that among Dong Yun's attendants was a young man around thirty years old, dressed in plain clothes, and extremely tall, about eight feet.

He was thin and had a long, narrow face like a donkey.

His demeanor was reserved, yet carried a hint of scholarly air.

"You must be Qiao Zhou?" Liu Shan asked with a strange expression.

Now, it was Dong Yun and his entourage's turn to look at each other in surprise.

Although Qiao Zhou was quite well-known among the Shu scholars, he had only been recruited a few years ago and his achievements were not outstanding. He was considered a nobody among the officials in the government. The emperor should not have known about him. Dong Yun had indeed not revealed who Qiao Zhou was all along, but the emperor recognized him easily.

Could it be that... Qiao Zhou has something special about him that made the emperor recognize him?

What makes him special is certainly not his comical appearance—he's eight feet tall and has a face as long as a donkey's—after all, no one could tell from that comical appearance that he was actually very learned.

Several years ago, when he first visited the Prime Minister's residence, many of the Prime Minister's staff couldn't help but laugh at his comical appearance. After he left, the officials in charge requested that those who laughed be punished, but the Prime Minister smiled and said, "Even I almost couldn't help but laugh, let alone those around me."

However, although this person is not good-looking, he has commendable qualities in terms of talent and virtue.

As is well known, Qiao Zhou lost his father at a young age and lived with his mother and elder brother. As he grew older, he became engrossed in ancient studies. Despite his family's poverty, he never thought of making money. He only read classics, laughing happily to himself, forgetting to eat and sleep.

Although he was learned, he lacked even a fraction of the eloquence and debating skills that famous scholars possess.

He often debated with people face to face, and was so refuted that he was left speechless and red-faced. But after he returned home, he would always write a series of brilliant articles based on the debates of the day, and then publish them to the public the next day, leaving those who had defeated him speechless. Thus, he gradually became known to the public.

However, a person who is talented but lacks good looks, and who also lacks the eloquence and quick wit necessary for officialdom, will find it difficult to go far in his career according to the unspoken rules of officialdom that have existed for hundreds of years.

It was only because the Prime Minister did not select officials based on appearance but rather on their dullness that he was able to secure a place in the Prime Minister's residence.

Last year, after the emperor suggested to the prime minister the establishment of the official position of "Xuanyi Lang", Qiao Zhou was transferred to Chang'an by the prime minister and appointed as Xuanyi Zhonglang. Based on the Xuanyi method taught by the prime minister, he trained a group of Xuanyi Lang for the court in Chang'an.

At this moment, Qiao Zhou was overwhelmed with gratitude that the emperor had recognized him. He remained silent for a long time, unsure of what to do. Seeing that everyone in the tent was looking at him, he finally blushed and nervously bowed deeply.

"Your subject... Your subject Qiao Zhou pays respects to Your Majesty!"

Many people in the tent paused upon seeing this scene. How could a scholar who could write such a proclamation against Wu behave so rudely before the emperor, like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world?

Liu Shan disagreed, first nodding, then slowly rolling up the proclamation, his gaze once again sweeping over Qiao Zhou.

This man, who once wrote "On Hatred of the State" to question the Northern Expedition, has now become a writer who promotes the Han Dynasty's eastern expedition and builds public opinion for the Mandate of Heaven.

His arrival truly caused a strange shift in the course of history.

If I remember correctly, after the Prime Minister died at Wuzhangyuan, Qiao Zhou heard the news at home and immediately rushed to the scene. Not long after, Liu Shan issued an edict forbidding people from rushing to the funeral, fearing that the Prime Minister's death would cause unrest in the country. As a result, among the officials of the palace, only Qiao Zhou was allowed to go.

Was it out of gratitude for the Prime Minister's recognition and favor?

Then he became a big brother in investment?
People do change.

Or perhaps, he has never changed.

Liu Shan pondered for a moment, then addressed Dong Yun and everyone present:
"This document may be promulgated in Jingzhou."

“I am aware of what Dong Shizhong is worried about.”

"Killing Pan Jun is to uphold the law and set things right."

"The issuance of this proclamation is to proclaim righteousness and reassure the people."

"The situation in Jingzhou is complex and multifaceted. It cannot be resolved by appeasement alone, nor can it be subdued by mere coercion."

He paused and continued:
"I hereby declare to the people of Jingzhou that the royal army's expedition is not for revenge or venting anger, but to reclaim lost territory and reunify China."

"Those who follow the will will not only live, but also achieve great things; those who oppose it will not only die, but also be left with a bad reputation. The choice is theirs."

Dong Yun bowed: "Your subject obeys the decree! The civil officials shall immediately arrange for people to copy the edict, and then send spies and surrendered people to spread it widely in Jiangling, Wuchang, Jingnan and other prefectures, and far and wide to the Jianghai and Wu regions."

(End of this chapter)