Chapter 16: Great Upheaval Cometh
The second month of the twenty-second year of Xiande, the tenth year of the sixty-year cycle, the Prince of Yong, Li Zhi, again defeats Northern Han. The King of Northern Han is forced to issue an edict recalling the General Who Dominates Distant Lands, Long Tingfei, from mourning.1 Long Tingfei possessed remarkable talent, fighting desperately,2 he blocked Li Zhi at Yanmen Pass.3 Although he did not suffer many casualties, Li Zhi was forced to retreat. In the third month of the same year, Great Yong and Northern Han negotiated peace.
At the start of the fourth month, the Prince of Qi, Li Xian, led an army south, amassing troops before Xiangyang. At this time, the Prince of De commanded the defenses at Xiangyang and heavily defeated Li Xian. Subsequently, rumors spread throughout the Southern Chu royal court that Great Yong was attacking Chu because the Prince of De was training troops in preparation for a northern campaign. The King believed these tales and recalled the Prince of De back to the court. On the fourth day of the fifth month, Li Xian again attacked Xiangyang. Regretful, the King dispatched the Prince of De to rush back to Xiangyang with haste …
- Southern Chu Dynastic Records, Biography of the Prince of De, Zhao Jue
With my arms behind my back, I stood before the window, looking up at the cold moon. Xiaoshunzi stood behind me, while Chen Zhen stood by the doorway. Xiaoshunzi said, “Daren, how are you going to reply to the Prince of Yong’s letter? The messenger is still waiting.”
“Write a letter on my behalf,” I indifferently replied, “Simply say that the Prince of Qi won’t be able to win. With the Prince of De present, even if the Prince of Yong himself comes, it won’t be an easy task to break through the defenses established by the Prince of De in the Jingxiang region. I am a subject of Southern Chu, there is no reason for me to take refuge in Great Yong. It looks like Great Yong will soon attack. Chen Zhen, send operatives to keep a close eye on Liang Wan. They will soon make their move.”
At this point, we heard a knock on the door. After seeing me nod my head, Chen Zhen opened the door. A teenager of about fourteen or fifteen entered. Kneeling with one knee, he said, “Young master, an urgent message, the Prince of Qi, Li Xian, has begun to attack Xiangyang.”
I smiled faintly. Li Xian knew the Art of War. If the Jingxiang region was to fall into the hands of Great Yong, then contact between Sichuan and Jiangnan would be cut off. After that, Great Yong could either nibble away or swallow Southern Chu whole. But I believed in the ability of the Prince of De. The defenses of the Jingxiang region were strict and well organized.
Over the subsequent few days, the court discussed the Great Yong invasion heatedly. Those officials were all afraid, and at the same time, indignant. Some indignantly demanded condemnation of Great Yong. The vast majority, however, were wondering how Great Yong was offended. Some were even willing to dispatch a memorial to Great Yong, seeking forgiveness and requesting that Great Yong withdraw its army. Ultimately, Prime Minister Shang Weijun was quite determined, requesting an envoy be dispatched to Great Yong to enquire as to the reason for its invasion. Although this idea received the approval of the entire court, all of the civil and military officials of the court were uneasy. In the following days, many secretly visited the Bright Moon Pavilion to acquire a guarantee of safety. I made no effort to stop this. If even the ranking officials of Southern Chu had lost faith, what was I to do?
I had Xiaoshunzi bring out the map laying out the troop dispositions at Xiangyang. I studied it careful. Xiangyang was composed of two cities of Xiangcheng and Fancheng that were on located on opposite sides of the Han River. There was a pontoon bridge across the river connecting the two cities. Both cities had deep moats and high wall. If the enemy were to attack, they would assuredly suffer casualties and be unable to capture the cities. If the enemy were to attack either city, troops could utilize the bridge to quickly reinforce the attacked city. In addition, with the support of the navy, Xiangyang was difficult to attack and easy to defend.
When the Prince of De first arrived at Xiangyang, he dispatched a messenger with a map laying out Xiangyang’s defenses to gain my opinion. I did not give a clear and direct response. Instead, I replied with a design for a pontoon bridge. The originally wooden bridge had been badly damaged by time and would be difficult to repair. I advised that two rows of stakes be driven into the river. Each stake was a piece of lumber several meters long and were driven into the riverbed. Each stake was attached with iron chains and were covered with wooden planks, forming a pontoon bridge that can be repaired at any time. I also provided a mockup for fishnets with bells to the Prince of De. These fishnets were placed around the pontoon bridge and cast into the water, protecting it from individuals launching a sneak attack from underwater. I only gave the Prince of De a design schematics and a fishnet. How they were to be utilized was the Prince of De’s own decision and had nothing to do with me. Looking over the defense information, if the Prince of De was defending Xiangyang, then it would not easily fall. Did the Prince of Qi not know that Xiangyang was easy to defend and difficult to attack?
The Prince of Qi of Great Yong salutes the King of Southern Chu. This campaign was launched was not for any other reason than because of the Prince of De, Zhao Jue who has rapacious designs. He garrisons Xiangyang and trains his army, always keeping an eye upon the frontiers with Great Yong. Furthermore, he has with designs upon Great Yong. As long as this man is not removed, there will never be peace between Great Yong and Southern Chu. This Prince and Your Majesty have the relationship of a nephew and uncle, and am unwilling to harm Your Majesty. If he is not to be trusted, then he must be recalled to court. He will come up with all kinds of excuses and refuse to return.
I keenly remember the promise that was made on my last trip to Southern Chu. Once Your Majesty restores the empire, that person will raise his army and rise in revolt. When that occurs, Great Yong will not be able to intervene. If Your Majesty takes away his command, our two countries will return to peace. If Your Majesty believes Zhao Jue’s slanderous lies, then this Prince will have no alternative but to come to Jiangnan to hunt with Your Majesty.
After Zhao Jia read the entire letter, his entire body grew cold. If he believed the words in the letter, then he feared that it was an attempt by the Prince of Yong to sow discord. But he couldn’t say that he didn’t believe the letter either. Ever since Zhao Jue had returned from the campaign against Shu, he had constantly requested money and grain for the military. He was personally overseeing the defenses at Xiangyang and refused to return to the court. Did he have the intent to revolt? Zhao Jia also realized that Zhao Jue had a far superior reputation and jealousy grew in his heart. Indifferently, he replied, “Royal Uncle has won and should return to the court to receive his just rewards. By our edict, we recall the Prince of De to return to court.”
When Zhao Jue in the distant Jingxiang region received this edict, he refused to return. He memorialized the King that he could return because of pressing military matters. Originally Zhao Jia was only somewhat suspicious of his uncle, but upon seeing Zhao Jue’s refusal to return, this suspicion grew. In succession, Zhao Jia issued several edicts. In the beginning, Zhao Jue used the excuse that a general on the field could refuse an order. But ultimately, as each successive edict became increasing incisive, even the court officials began to believe that Zhao Jue had ill intentions. Without any alternatives, Zhao Jue turned over the defenses of the Jingxiang region to Rong Yuan and returned to Jianye with a few of his guards. When they were still dozens of li from Jianye, Zhao Jue and his entourage were stopped by an ordinary looking man who delivered a letter to Zhao Jue. Zhao Jue opened the letter and read its contents:
For my lord to not return in the beginning was a mistake. For my lord to return now is compounding that mistake. Under current circumstances, my lord should return to Jingxiang, taking upon your command to protect yourself.
After reading the letter, Zhao Jue heaved a sigh before burning the letter. To the messenger, he said, “Thank your master on my behalf. Tell him that I, Zhao Jue, is not someone who would rebel.”
The messenger silently backed away and left.
When he arrived in Jianye, Zhao Jue arrived before the gates of the royal palace to seek an audience but was arrested and placed in the dungeons by Zhao Jia’s decree. Although Zhao Jue penned a memorial explaining the reasons for refusing to return, but to no avail. In Zhao Jia’s heart, if he was not worried about Li Xian refusing to withdraw, he would have long punished his uncle. When Zhao Jue was imprisoned, suddenly numerous memorials appeared requesting that Zhao Jue be put to death. Fortunately, Zhao Jia was not so muddled as to agree. He released Zhao Jue and placed him under house arrest.
Those memorials were my idea. After I received word from Chen Zhen that Zhao Jue refused to rebel, I came up with this plan. Although Zhao Jue was a loyal subject, he was also far too foolish. If he had immediately returned upon the King’s edict, Zhao Jia would know that he had wrongly blamed him. Zhao Jue would have been able to quickly return to Xiangyang. Since he didn’t return immediately, and yet still returned made it seem like he had a guilty conscience. Even if Zhao Jia was wise, there was no one that he wouldn’t become suspicious. Never mind the fact that Zhao Jia was no more intelligent than an idiot. After Zhao Jue was imprisoned in the dungeons, I was placed in a difficult position. According to my plans, in reality, it was better for Zhao Jue to continue to be imprisoned. From this, an opportunity for me to abandon my post and leave would quickly materialize for me to take advantage of. But thinking of Zhao Jue’s painful support of Southern Chu, I found that I could not explain the pain that I was feeling and I could not steel myself. Even if Southern Chu were to be destroyed, I must allow those who love this country to show their loyalty. Thus, I wrote a letter to Rong Yuan, having him conspire with officials to request that Zhao Jue be put to death. My messenger was swift. Not long after Zhao Jue arrived at Jianye, Rong Yuan’s people arrived. These individuals provoked those officials who feared Great Yong to memorialize the King. Zhao Jia was not so muddled. He originally did trust his uncle. Seeing all these individuals wish to kill Zhao Jue, Zhao Jia immediately became suspicious. Zhao Jue’s life was preserved. Now, we only had to wait before he would be dispatched back to Xiangyang. His return would rely upon Great Yong’s help.
Sure enough, not long afterwards, the Prince of Qi once again attacked the Jingxiang region. This Prince of Qi was too impatient. If it was the Prince of Yong, he would likely have waited patiently to see what would happen. Rong Yuan was capable and was able to stabilize Jingxiang’s defenses. When the eight hundred li urgent report arrived from Xiangyang, the King was immediately realized the truth and hurriedly dispatched Zhao Jue back to Xiangyang. Not caring about anything else, Zhao Jue led his personal guards and rushed back. Not long after leaving Jianye, he saw a delicate and scholarly young man sitting in the pavilion positioned ten li from the city.5 A pot of wine and two cups were placed on the stone table within the pavilion. Behind the young man stood an ordinary looking middle-aged man. Outside on each of four corners of the pavilion stood two fifteen- to sixteen-year-old teenage manservants. Smiling faintly, Zhao Jue dismounted from his horse and entered the pavilion. Bowing deeply before the young man, he said, “Zhao Jue is extremely grateful and indebted to Suiyun for this rescue. Today for my lord to see me off, Zhao Jue is ashamed.”
I stood and returned his bow. I replied, “Your Highness possesses great fortune and virtue. Those treacherous persons and vile schemes naturally would not be able to harm Your Highness. Your Highness’s trip to Jingxiang has only remote prospects. As such, Suiyun purposely has come to see Your Highness off.”
One of the manservants stepped forward and poured two cups of wine for us before retreating back to the side. Seeing that the manservant’s movements were lively and had an elegant appearance, Zhao Jue could not but be curious. He said, “Over these last few years, Suiyun has lived like a prince. One look at these manservants and one can see they possess the demeanor of someone from a great family. They even seem to possess a scholarly air.”
I smiled calmly and raised cup, saying, “I advise my lord to drink this cup of wine and wish you safe travels on this trip to Jingxiang.”
Zhao Jue raised his cup and drank its contents in one go, replying, “It is a pity that Suiyun refuses to come to Jingxiang with me. If I were to gain Suiyun’s help, then Jingxiang will be absolutely safe.”
I smiled lightly and replied, “Isn’t Your Highness looking too lightly upon Sir Rong?”
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