Chapter 56: White Emperor City

"Many thanks for your warning, Mr. Meng. Otherwise, we would all have become prisoners."

Shangguan Ming and Cheng Hu, the heads of the prominent Shangguan and Cheng clans in Jiangzhou City, expressed their gratitude to Meng Biao, a renowned scholar of Bajun.

Both felt a lingering fear in their hearts. Liu He, the Master of Jingzhou's Province (Biejia), had entered Bajun to incite rebellion among the powerful clans and the Cong Yi tribes. The two of them had also received letters, but remained hesitant. Later, entrusted by the newly appointed Biejia Wang Shang, Meng Biao advised them against joining the rebellion, and thus they stayed out of the turmoil.

Now it seemed that following Meng Biao's advice was truly the wisest choice.

In recent days, news first arrived from Liangping that the newly appointed Governor of Yizhou (Yizhou Mu), Liu Zhang, had defeated Liu He in a single battle, wiping out the rebel forces. The crisis in Bajun had finally subsided.

Among the clans that participated in the rebellion, Yang Peng was beheaded, while Xie Feng and Bai Xi were captured alive, placed in prison carts, and sent to Chengdu, passing through Jiangzhou City yesterday.

Not only Xie Feng and Bai Xi, but also their extended clans, along with some smaller tribes that joined the rebellion, were rounded up and sent to Chengdu.

The two clan heads had watched from a roadside tavern for a while yesterday, breaking out in cold sweat from head to toe.

The new Yizhou Mu, Liu Zhang, was no less formidable than his father, Liu Yan. A rebel force of twenty to thirty thousand men had been suppressed in a matter of days—he was probably even three parts fiercer than Liu Yan.

Past rumors in Bajun claimed that Liu Zhang was benevolent and weak, but now it seemed he was merely a hidden dragon in the abyss.

If they had given in to a momentary lapse in judgment when Liu He incited the rebellion and joined the plot, their own names would likely be among those in today's prison carts, their entire clans destroyed, and the Shangguan and Cheng families would no longer exist in Jiangzhou.

Looking at the two clan heads who looked as though they had narrowly escaped death, Meng Biao calmly said, "There is no need for thanks. Even without my warning, the two clan heads would surely have upheld loyalty and righteousness and refrained from joining Liu He's uprising."

What he said was true. The Shangguan and Cheng clans had already been hesitant. Few people could easily make up their minds about matters as grave as the annihilation of an entire clan.

Even without his warning, Shangguan Ming and Cheng Hu would most likely not have participated in the rebellion.

His advice merely halted their wavering and firmly placed them on Liu Zhang's side.

Yet Shangguan Ming and Cheng Hu still offered profuse expressions of gratitude. Meng Biao's words had a profound impact on them, aligning them with Liu Zhang, allowing them to make an appearance before him, and turning them into meritorious subjects. This alone made it worthy of thanks.

---

"Badi." Standing upon the watchtower of Baidi City, Liu Zhang gently patted the battlements, caressing the old bricks and mortar, feeling the breath of the passing years.

He thought of Gongsun Shu, who had changed the original Ziyang City to Baidi City. Gongsun Shu had carved out a separatist regime in Yizhou, proclaiming himself the White Emperor with the dynastic title of ChengJia. Though he seemed to possess the Mandate of Heaven, he was ultimately nothing more than a frog at the bottom of a well.

Just as Ma Yuan, who had met Gongsun Shu, once said: 'The struggle between the male and female phoenix of the world is yet undecided. Instead of rushing out with food in his mouth to welcome men of talent and strategize with them over success and failure, Gongsun merely fusses over his appearance like a wooden puppet. How is such a man worthy of keeping the empire's scholars waiting?'

Occupying Yizhou and proclaiming himself emperor, Gongsun Shu failed to recruit talented individuals, preferring instead to dote on fine carriages and elaborate garments. His facade was splendid, but his core was rotten. Instead of plotting an expansion out of Shu, he reveled in arbitrary tyranny within it, and was eventually destroyed by Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu.

---

'Partitioning Shu alone has no future.' Liu Zhang shook his head, sighing inwardly at Gongsun Shu's fate.

The roads to Shu are difficult; transportation between Shu, Guanzhong, and Jingzhou is extremely inconvenient, leaving it relatively isolated from external situations. Coupled with the water conservancy of the Dujiangyan and the Chengdu Plain, Shu was self-sufficient. Whenever the central government weakened, separatist forces easily arose in Shu.

However, warlords who carved out regimes in Shu, lulled by its excessive wealth and the extreme difficulty of launching military campaigns outward from the region, often failed to participate in the contest for supremacy over the realm. Instead, they lingered in Chengdu, bloated with arrogance—Gongsun Shu being a prime example.

Not only Gongsun Shu, but many warlords throughout history relied on the secluded geography of Shu's mountains and rivers to display temporary majesty. Yet once the strife in the Central Plains reached its conclusion, every single separatist regime in Shu was inevitably annihilated.

Liu Zhang recalled a remark from Ouyang Zhigong's *Records of the Alarm in Shu* from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties: 'When the world is not yet in chaos, Shu falls into chaos first; when the world is already governed, Shu is governed last.' This appraisal was remarkably apt.

At this thought, Liu Zhang raised his gaze and looked eastward. The great river flowed east, its rolling waters surging onward with an unstoppable momentum.

Following the Yangtze River downstream from Yizhou led straight to the vast lands of Jing and Chu.

"Gongheng, have Liu He, the Biejia of Jingzhou, wait for me at the council chamber." Having reasoned thus, Liu Zhang gave instructions to Huang Quan, who stood behind him.

He pinched his chin, contemplating a bit of eco-friendly waste recycling.

"Understood," Huang Quan replied.

---

"Bajun has been thrown into turmoil, and it is all because of you alone." In the council chamber, Liu Zhang rebuked Liu He, the Biejia of Jingzhou, who stood before him.

Liu He had tidied himself up beforehand. Even though he was now a prisoner in chains, he still maintained the airs of a renowned scholar. Hearing Liu Zhang's criticism, he bowed with cupped hands and argued in defense: "Lord Inspector, this matter truly was not my original intention. Entrusted by Lord Liu of Jingzhou, I came here solely to offer condolences, but unfortunately, I was hijacked by rebels who attempted to use my name as the Biejia of Jingzhou to boost their momentum."

"I was unable to persuade the rebels to abandon evil and return to the righteous path, turning away from darkness to the light. During this time, I have been filled with endless remorse."

At this point, the corners of Liu He's eyes grew slightly red, displaying an expression of genuine emotion.

*Good grief.* Liu Zhang was somewhat speechless. Not a single word of truth came from this dog's mouth. He was so utterly shameless as to completely absolve himself of blame, making it sound as though he had been coerced by others.

"Biejia, these documents inciting others to rebel all bear your handwriting and seal." Huang Quan picked up a stack of letters, threw them onto the floor, and ruthlessly exposed Liu He's hypocritical face.

Looking at that pile of documents, Liu He replied with an unblinking expression, "These were all written under duress and coercion by the rebellious bandits."

Hearing this, Liu Zhang lost all appetite for interrogation. Liu He's level of shamelessness was no less than that of Wang Lang. Even with conclusive evidence right before him, he still intended to deny everything. Knowing the answer, Liu Zhang tossed out a hook: "Is your surname Liu the 'Golden Knife' Liu of the imperial clan?"

"Indeed, it is the Golden Knife Liu." Pride surfaced on Liu He's face; his identity as an imperial clansman was a shining halo upon him.

"Hah! At a time when the realm is in great chaos, as a member of the imperial clan, you do not think of assisting the royal house, but instead run to Bajun to incite rebellion, attempting to make Lord Liu of Jingzhou and myself engage in a fratricidal war."

Based on the development of the situation during this period, Liu Zhang had roughly guessed some things. Liu Biao had made no move to push westward; only Liu He had been stirring up trouble in Bajun. Coupled with Liu Biao's historical character, Liu Zhang concluded that Liu He was most likely the one pulling the strings behind the Bajun rebellion.

Continuing from his previous remarks, he launched into a severe reprimand.

"A petty villain who loves chaos and a rat who brings disaster to the land like you—"

"How can you bear the surname Liu?"

"How are you worthy of the surname Liu?"

"How do you even dare to have the surname Liu?"

Hearing Liu Zhang's rapid-fire questioning, which doubted his status as an imperial clansman and claimed he was unworthy of the surname Liu, a trace of anger flashed across Liu He's face. But remembering that he was currently a prisoner, he ultimately maintained a humble demeanor and reported, "My Lord, I truly am of the Liu surname, and the imperial lineage charts serve as proof."

"This time, I was momentarily careless and coerced by the rebel bandits, leading to the commission of such a monstrous crime."

"I implore the Lord to consider that this was not my original intent, and since we share the same ancestry, to pardon my unintentional fault."

At this, Liu He paused to think, feeling he needed to demonstrate his usefulness, and hastily added, "If the Lord grants me permission to return to Jingzhou, I shall explain the Lord's benevolence and virtue to Lord Liu of Jingzhou, bringing harmony between our two houses and forging an alliance between Jingzhou and Yizhou."

Liu Zhang's face fell. Liu He was still making excuses and actually hoped to return to Jingzhou.

Pondering for a moment, he said amiably, "Biejia Liu is certainly free to return to Jingzhou, but there is something I wish to borrow from you, and I hope you will not be stingy."

Hearing this, Liu He was overjoyed, a look of elation sweeping across his face as he loudly replied, "Whatever the Lord wishes to borrow, there is nothing I will not grant."

"Very well, you promised me this." Liu Zhang smiled and waved his hand, ordering the guards to take Liu He away, without specifying what he wanted to borrow.

*Giving someone hope, and then crushing it—that is the most vicious method, especially when dealing with a shameless wretch like Liu He,* he thought to himself.

With that, he cast Liu He to the back of his mind and said to Zhang Su, "Junjiao, please invite your younger brother here for a meeting."

Staring toward the doorway, a look of anticipation arose in his chest—for the man who, in history, wanted to sell Yizhou to Cao Cao, but because Cao Cao treated him with disdain, ended up selling Yizhou to Liu Bei instead: Zhang Song.

Before long, a scholar entered the council chamber with a prominent forehead, a sharp head, a sunken nose, protruding teeth, and a height of less than five feet.

The moment this man stepped into the hall, the entire assembly burst into laughter.