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Fei Qian pressed on, fully aware that to persuade a man like Cai Yong, mere emotional appeals were insufficient; he needed a plan grounded in practical feasibility.
"The Xiongnu are difficult to subdue. Firstly, because of their language; secondly, because of their faith; and thirdly, because of their governance…"
To dismantle a nation's cultural heritage and assimilate it into Han culture, though specific measures varied across dynasties, three core aspects were consistently targeted.
Language.
Faith.
Governance.
Language was the bedrock of cultural inheritance. Why did Han culture stand out among myriad symbolic languages? Because Chinese characters uniquely blended pictographic, phonetic, and ideographic elements. Surrounding peoples either lacked a written language or lingered in rudimentary phonetic or pictographic stages. Compared to the sophisticated system of Chinese characters, their scripts were negligible.
Thus, to encroach upon any culture, language was the most effective vehicle. The Chinese language, with its intricate and elegant structure, was more than capable of overwhelming and subjugating less developed linguistic systems.
At this time, the Xiongnu adhered to a primitive belief system rooted in animism—a rudimentary faith compared to the Han's concretely visualized "Five Emperors" (Wǔ Dì), which surpassed it in cognitive depth, imagery, and systematic structure.
Moreover, by favoring assimilated Hu individuals in the promotion, appointment, and rewarding of officials, and having these officials organize various activities, the guarded mentality of the Hu could be minimized. This would foster a sense of belonging to Han culture, accelerating the assimilation process.
Once initiated, such assimilation was often irreversible…
This was especially true for weaker cultures. Even if they later clashed with the Han, they would find, upon reflection, that their people, from top to bottom, spoke Chinese and used Chinese characters. Their ancestral ways had been lost three generations prior. Even with boundless ambition, they would likely have no choice but to sigh and consider amnesty and incorporation into the Han fold.
In later eras, an island nation—Japan—employed this strategy in Taiwan. After just over a decade of assimilation, the effects were so profound that even after Japan's surrender, they lingered. In modern times, a Taiwanese leader openly declared themselves a "Japanese-speaking, pro-Japan president."
Implementing such a strategy required a substantial number of personnel dedicated to education and cultural transformation in its early stages.
Thus, this task was ideally suited for Cai Yong, who possessed the requisite qualifications and foundation.
In the Han dynasty's literary world, if Cai Yong claimed second place, few would dare claim first…
The Xiping Stone Classics, commissioned by Emperor Ling, cemented Cai Yong's authority in Confucian scholarship. His years teaching at the Imperial Academy established his prestige among scholars. The four words "Chenliu Cai Clan" carried weight, despite lacking the high-ranking officials or "Four Generations of Three Dukes" status of the Yuan family.
This was the power of culture.
A power embodied in this gaunt, elderly man.
This power should not be squandered in internal strife or allowed to fade silently, leaving only a sigh…
Cai Yong remained silent, stroking his beard, head slightly tilted, clearly weighing the matter deeply.
The concept of "Han assimilation" Fei Qian had outlined was novel and highly executable. The complete set of mature steps and systems revealed in Fei Qian's explanation of the assimilation strategy, particularly the promotion of assimilated officials, was undoubtedly what moved Cai Yong.
Fei Qian kowtowed, his forehead striking the floor with an audible thud. He declared clearly: "The warrior defends and expands the borders with axe and blade; though his heavy armor be stained with blood, he may not return, wrapped in horsehide. The scholar also points at the rivers and mountains with his blue-tipped brush; though he walks the grand path alone, he hacks through thorns and thistles, never regretting it!"
Cai Yong murmured Fei Qian's words, then raised his head, closing his eyes as tiny glimmers of moisture appeared at their corners.
Walking the grand path alone, hacking through thorns and thistles, never regretting it…
Cai Yong was lonely. Having reached his level in literary scholarship, the road ahead was vast and uncharted, with no established path to follow. Peers who had once studied alongside him had long chosen different routes—some pursued office, others retreated into seclusion. Looking back, the number of scholars dedicated to ancient texts and classics was dwindling…
Hacking through thorns and thistles…
It was more than that; it was being covered in wounds!
When Cai Yan was young, her mother, frail and sickly, succumbed to illness during their exile, passing away. in the final analysis, it was because Cai Yong lacked worldly cunning and had offended the palace eunuchs…
When Cai Yan grew older, Cai Yong carefully selected the Wei family for her marriage, believing it a good match, only to push her into a pit of fire. Again, in the end, it was because he was too kind-hearted, unable to discern the treachery in others' hearts…
Regarding Luoyang's current situation, Cai Yong was not oblivious to the court's disputes. With Cai Yan still without reliable support, if he were to die, how would his cherished daughter fare? The thought alone pained him deeply. Sometimes, he wondered if he had been too stubborn, too unwilling to compromise his principles…
Heartache, physical exhaustion—how could he not be wounded?
Fei Qian's words stirred these emotions to the surface. Old man Cai Yong could barely contain himself.
After a long pause, Cai Yong slowly lowered his head, opened his eyes, and met Fei Qian's expectant gaze. He nodded and said, "Very well. After the capital is moved, once you have established yourself in Bing Province, your teacher… will make the journey!"
Fei Qian was overjoyed and repeatedly voiced his agreement.
A great weight lifted from Fei Qian's heart. His primary purpose for coming to Luoyang had now been essentially achieved. The twists, turns, and hardships involved were truly indescribable to outsiders.
From Hangu Pass onward, Fei Qian had been in constant motion. He had narrowly escaped death, adjusted his plans to adapt to shifting circumstances, engaged in mental sparring and negotiations with Li Ru, and navigated relationships with the Fei, Yuan, and Yang families. Now, he had finally accomplished all his objectives for this stage. Though mentally resilient, a wave of physical exhaustion washed over him.
Just as Fei Qian was about to take his leave from Cai Yong to rest, the Cai family steward approached. Though his steps were steady, his face betrayed a trace of panic…
Steward Cai bowed slightly and said in a low voice, "It is said that just now on the main street, the Northern Army clashed with the Hu garrison troops. The dispute has escalated, weapons were drawn, people have died, and both sides are calling for reinforcements. It's said the entire West Main Street is blocked!"