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The date for moving the capital was likely finalized after Fei Qian and Zhang Liao received their rewards in the court audience. Otherwise, the atmosphere wouldn't have been so calm when the two arrived at the main hall…
However, this so-called court deliberation regarding the timing of the move was probably just a superficial "discussion" in name only. In reality, it was a unilateral notification.
The Yuan and Yang families truly lived up to their reputation for steadiness. Despite such a monumental event, they hadn't overlooked the minor matter concerning Fei Qian, handling it with composure and showing no trace of panic. They were truly formidable…
Fei Qian cupped his hands in salute to Fei Min, took his leave, and headed toward Cai Yong's residence with Huang Cheng, bringing along the horse and armor gifted by the Yuan and Yang families.
He had initially assumed that even if Li Ru had obtained that explanatory diagram, he would wait at least four or five days before setting the date for the capital's relocation. He never expected it to be scheduled for the Dinghai day!
That was just two days away!
Events were unfolding too quickly, forcing Fei Qian to repeatedly adjust his original plans.
This was perhaps the tragedy of being a piece on the chessboard. If you couldn't set the rules yourself, you could only maneuver within the confines of those already established…
Two days later…
His appointment to Bing Province would likely be announced tomorrow, or the day after at the latest. Since the Imperial Secretariat would undoubtedly move with the capital, any matters that could be resolved would be handled as swiftly as possible. Traveling on the road, after all, was far from convenient.
Moreover, his current post asLeft Attendant Officer of the Imperial Secretariat, with a rank of Bi-Liushi (Compared to 600 Shi), was relatively low. It was customary for capital officials sent to the provinces to be promoted by one or two grades, so Fei Qian estimated he might reach the Bi-Qianshi (Compared to 1,000 Shi) level at most…
But now wasn't the time to dwell on ranks and titles. The most pressing issue was still Cai Yong, the old master…
This old gentleman's stubborn refusal to yield was giving Fei Qian a genuine headache.
Fei Qian had even considered forcibly bundling the old master away…
But the risks were too great, and the plan was highly impractical. The main obstacles were justification and consequences.
Using force would inevitably mean a complete falling out with Cai Yong. Yet, if Fei Qian wished to continue operating within the circle of scholar-officials, acting against his own teacher without a compelling, defensible reason would be tantamount to career suicide.
Cai Yong was still alive and well, and Dong Zhuo's power was overwhelming. If Fei Qian were to claim now that, upon reaching Chang'an, Dong Zhuo would find ways to orchestrate his own downfall and implicate Cai Yong, leading to his execution by Wang Yun, who would believe such a far-fetched story?
Moreover, if, during such an attempt, the old master Cai Yong were to be injured in his distress, Fei Qian would become a pariah, condemned by all and barred from the scholarly elite…
Thus, Fei Qian could only patiently, tirelessly explain and persuade, over and over again.
Sitting before Cai Yong now, Fei Qian felt both mentally and physically drained. When it came to classical allusions and historical precedents, the old master was far more erudite than he was. In previous attempts, Fei Qian had drawn on many such references, achieving some effect but never enough to truly sway Cai Yong's resolve.
"The capital move is set for the Dinghai day. Has Teacher heard?" Fei Qian asked.
Cai Yong nodded. This matter had been troubling him deeply. Now that the date was finalized, it meant the relocation of the capital was inevitable.
This was also why Dong Zhuo had avoided convening a large court assembly, instead using the Hangu Pass incident as a pretext to hold a smaller court council and settle the matter directly.
It was a deliberate move to minimize complications and unforeseen issues.
On the Dinghai day, Emperor Liu Xie and other members of the imperial family would form the first group to depart. Court officials ranked Bi-Erqianshi (Compared to 2,000 Shi) and above would accompany them. As General of the Household of the Left, Cai Yong was naturally included in the first wave of relocation.
"Qian has a request…" Fei Qian began.
Before he could finish, Cai Yong interrupted, "Ziyuan, do not try to persuade me further. I have eaten the Han's salary for many years. How can I now lightly speak of abandoning the Han house and neglecting my duty?"
Fei Qian was momentarily at a loss for words.
Yet, Fei Qian keenly detected a trace of something unusual in Cai Yong's demeanor.
In the beginning, Cai Yong would have listened quietly before refusing, albeit gently yet firmly…
Later, during Fei Qian's subsequent attempts at persuasion—especially a few days ago during his last effort—Cai Yong had shifted the conversation, no longer directly rejecting Fei Qian's arguments…
Today, before Fei Qian had even fully spoken, Cai Yong had hurriedly cut him off. What did this imply?
"Understood," Fei Qian said, bowing his head. Then he cupped his hands again. "The Southern Xiongnu alternate between rebellion and submission, disturbing the border regions and plundering Han citizens. Does Master have any good strategies to advise?"
Seeing that Fei Qian wasn't attempting to persuade him to shirk his responsibilities, Cai Yong relaxed slightly and began to seriously consider the question.
Indeed, after more than seventy years of recuperation and buildup, Emperor Wu of Han had launched campaigns against the troublesome neighbor that had long flaunted its power along the borders. With the full might of the nation, he waged three major campaigns—the Mobei campaigns, the Hexi campaigns, and the later expeditions—from 127 BC to 87 BC, crushing the Xiongnu until they were left wailing for mercy. Only the death of Emperor Wu temporarily halted these campaigns…
The once-mighty Xiongnu were forced to lament in song: "We lost our Qilian Mountains, causing our six livestock not to multiply; we lost our Yanzhi Mountains, making our women pale and cheerless."
Over a decade later, adhering to the principle of striking while the iron was hot, the Han attacked again. In 73 BC and 71 BC, they assembled large armies and shattered the Xiongnu's backbone…
This fear of the Han persisted until the time of Wang Mang. Later, due to internal strife within the Han, the Xiongnu grew restless again, continuously harassing the northern borders.
However, climatic conditions prevented the Xiongnu from sustaining large-scale warfare. They resorted to petty banditry, darting into Han territory to plunder and then fleeing…
Later, severe natural disasters caused major internal issues among the Xiongnu ruling class, leading to a split into the Southern and Northern Xiongnu. The Southern Xiongnu moved south to the Hetao area, while the Northern Xiongnu remained in Mobei.
The Southern Xiongnu, having nominally submitted to the Han by relocating south, were far from obedient. Their relationship with the Han oscillated between cooperation and rebellion. The Han, preoccupied with deploying troops against the Qiang and Hu in Liang Province, had never fully committed resources to disciplining these unruly neighbors.
Cai Yong had only recently learned of Fei Qian's assignment to Bing Province. Though he found it somewhat regrettable, he was also comforted that his disciple had the heart to serve the court and guard the Great Han.
Thus, when Fei Qian asked about strategies for dealing with the Southern Xiongnu, Cai Yong took it seriously. After pondering for a long time, he said, "Ziyuan, are you familiar with Zichan of Zheng?"
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T/N:
Shi: A unit of salary measurement in the Han dynasty, roughly equivalent to a bushel of grain, used to denote official ranks and their corresponding stipends.
Zichan of Zheng: A statesman of the Spring and Autumn period, known for his diplomatic and administrative reforms, often cited in Han dynasty discourse as a model of wise governance.