Han Faces Drought

Enough about Qin Longyang; let's turn our attention to the current situation in Central China, which could be described as a case of misfortune piling up.

Years of warfare, coupled with a once-in-a-century drought, have left the once fertile lands of Central China with almost no harvest.

The heavy taxes forced countless people to leave their homes and migrate elsewhere, and some even banded together to rob the rich and give to the poor, becoming mountain bandits.

The year 187 AD was one of the darkest times in the entire Eastern Han Dynasty...

Yet, in the capital city of Luoyang, the aristocrats and nobles were oblivious to the cries of the lowest strata. The wealthy areas of the city remained as luxurious as ever.

Whether merchants with bulging bellies or officials dressed in silk and brocade, they continued to indulge in the pleasures of various entertainment venues, living a life of decadence.

Within the court, the open and secret power struggles among the three major factions led by Grand General He Jin, the Ten Attendants Zhang Rang, and General of Chariots and Cavalry Dong Cheng were growing increasingly intense.

Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Emperor Ling, Liu Hong, had completely abandoned state affairs, calling Zhang Rang "Yafu" (Second Father) and allowing him to handle the government.

Emperor Ling himself retreated to the inner palace, indulging in carnal pleasures with concubines and seeking various strange herbs to make elixirs for immortality. In such a decadent late Eastern Han period, how could the dynasty not fall?

...

On the day of his conferment, Gongsun Zan was lucky to have Qin Longyang speak on his behalf. Thanks to his merits in defending against the rebels in Youzhou, his offenses and merits balanced out, and he kept his life to continue guarding Beiping.

After the conferment ceremony, Gongsun Zan hurried back to his old home in Beiping, only to hear shocking news.

"You fool!" Upon returning to Beiping, Gongsun Zan summoned his military officers and advisors to the council hall. Without waiting for explanations, he slapped his son, Gongsun Fan, across the face in a fit of rage.

Seeing the red and black handprint on Gongsun Fan's face, everyone knew that Gongsun Zan was truly furious.

"Master, please calm down!" The generals rushed to calm Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Fan, dazed from the slap, stood there blankly.

"Calm down? If I didn't have only one legitimate son, I would have him executed!" Gongsun Zan threw his cloak aside and sat down with a sigh.

"Fifty thousand soldiers! That's fifty thousand lives! Do you know what fifty thousand means? For any ordinary officer, even decapitating him fifty thousand times wouldn't be enough!"

"Father! I know I was wrong! Please spare my life!" At this, Guan Jing, unable to bear the sight, kicked Gongsun Fan twice, making him cry out and kneel on the ground to beg for mercy.

"Master, the young lord's mistake is undeniable. However, we also bear responsibility for failing to advise him properly. If punishment is to be meted out, we should be held accountable as well," Guan Jing knelt and said.

"Master, we are willing to accept punishment!" The other officers, including Dan Jing, also knelt in unison, asking for punishment.

Guan Jing was clearly adept at handling such situations, providing Gongsun Zan with an easy way out. It was apparent that Gongsun Zan's anger was partly an act, and with everyone pleading for leniency, harsh punishment for Gongsun Fan was unlikely.

However, without any punishment, it would be difficult to pacify the other soldiers.

Gongsun Zan pretended to be conflicted, then finally nodded, "I wanted to severely punish my rebellious son, but since all the generals have pleaded for him, the death penalty will be spared, but the punishment cannot be avoided!"

"Men!" Gongsun Zan called out, and a guard entered the hall. "Remove Gongsun Fan's helmet. From today, he is demoted to a common soldier and will receive fifty lashes to set an example!"

"Thank you for sparing my life!" Gongsun Fan cried as he kowtowed in gratitude, knowing that the fifty lashes would still be a harsh punishment, likely leaving him bedridden for at least a month.

After dealing with the mess his son had left, Gongsun Zan sighed with a headache, "How many troops do we have available now?"

"The troops from Beiping were mostly mobilized to Youzhou. Now, with the forces in Right Beiping and Yuyang combined, we have just over twenty thousand troops," Yan Gang reported.

"Twenty thousand?" Gongsun Zan chuckled bitterly, "At our peak, we had eighty thousand troops. Now, due to a minor setback caused by Gongsun Du, we've lost sixty thousand soldiers in two campaigns! As long as Gongsun Du remains, I cannot avenge my fallen brothers!"

"Master!" Guan Jing stepped forward and suggested, "Although Gongsun Du must be dealt with, now is not the time. I have a plan."

"Tell me."

"Given the current famine, even with our supplies barely covering daily expenses, any military action would require a huge amount of resources."

"Moreover, the harsh climate and barren land of Liaodong mean that Gongsun Du's forces must be reduced to save on supplies. There's no need to worry about them launching an attack."

"We can use this opportunity to follow Qin Longyang's example from the past. The master can lead the troops in farming, win over the people, and attract refugees to the city. This would replenish our forces, and by the time of the autumn harvest, we could restore our army to its former strength!"

"Master, the strategist's words are wise. I agree!"

"Indeed, Master!"

Guan Jing's proposal received unanimous approval from the other officers, and Gongsun Zan nodded in agreement, "I am enlightened by your words! Let us proceed as the strategist suggested. From today, I, Gongsun Zan, will put down my armor and be a farmer for a while! Hahaha!"

"The master is wise!"

Meanwhile, in Northern Desert, the drought in Central China had also affected the Xiongnu. The already scarce water sources in the grasslands were nearly dried up.

While the livestock could survive on grass, the people faced death from dehydration. Moreover, after the fallout between Yufuluo and Huchuquan, Yufuluo seized the large territory bordering Youzhou, which had the most abundant water sources in Northern Desert—Yinmazhe.

Huchuquan couldn't tolerate this insult and sent three troops to attack. Yufuluo, however, set up defenses and stationed heavy troops, successfully repelling Huchuquan's attacks and securing the water sources.

Without sufficient supplies, Huchuquan had no choice but to abandon further attacks. At this time, the Wuhuan people extended an olive branch, seeking peace.

"Huchuquan King! We come on behalf of our king, Budugen, to seek peace with you..." The emissary was Kebineng, a general under Budugen.

During the battle at Yinmazhe, it was Kebineng who led the Wuhuan forces to attack the Xiongnu's capital, leading to Huchuquan's defeat. Now, the same man was seeking peace.

"Hmph," Huchuquan sneered, "Budugen, that fickle scoundrel, seeks peace with me? I just suffered a defeat at Yinmazhe, and now, he wants to make peace? What's the trick this time?"

"King, you misunderstand," Kebineng said, placing his right hand on his chest and kneeling humbly.

"Our king was deceived by the Han people. He now seeks to repent and make amends."

"So, he sent me here. And with your Xiongnu being besieged on both sides and water sources controlled, you're surely struggling. Our king offers to share half of the water in Wuhuan territory as a sign of goodwill."

This was indeed a dire time, and the offer of water was tempting. However, Huchuquan remained cautious, knowing there were no free gifts.

"And what are the conditions?"

"Huchuquan King, you are indeed straightforward!" Kebineng smiled.

"Our king hopes that, from now on, you will recognize our Wuhuan king's position. We should cease hostilities and unite against Yufuluo and the Han people. Once Yufuluo is defeated, we ask that you give us half of the southern territory."

"Half the land?" Huchuquan frowned. When Yufuluo and Budugen were under his control, the entire grassland was his territory.

Now, agreeing to Wuhuan's terms meant splitting the grassland with them, something Huchuquan was very reluctant to do. But given the current circumstances, patience seemed the best option...

"Fine!" The word almost came through gritted teeth. "I agree to your terms."

Kebineng smiled knowingly. "Very well, I shall take my leave!"

"Wait, it's late. Since you came all this way, we cannot let you go without proper hospitality,"

Huchuquan said grandly, waving to his guards. "Prepare a banquet to entertain our Wuhuan guests. From now on, we shall treat each other as brothers."

"Thank you, King Huchuquan!" Kebineng bowed respectfully. "In that case, we shall accept your hospitality!"

It seemed like another opportunity to turn hostility into friendship, but hidden dangers lurked beneath the surface...

That night, Hu Chuquan ordered the slaughter of cattle and sheep, and prepared fine wine to entertain the Wuhuan delegation.

In the royal palace of the Xiongnu, Hu Chuquan invited his three sons and other ministers to the feast. The two sides drank and ate heartily, discussing the future until late into the night.

After the feast, Kebineng and his party, intoxicated with drink, retired to the accommodations prepared by Hu Chuquan. Upon returning to his room, Kebineng instinctively felt for his waist and suddenly went pale.

"Where's my sword?"

All that remained was an empty scabbard—the sword, symbolizing the authority of the Wuhuan King Budugen, was missing!

"Could it have been left behind in the hall? Should we go back and check?" another Wuhuan envoy suggested.

Sweat beaded on Kebineng's forehead. Something seemed amiss, but he couldn't pinpoint it. "Let's go, we need to find it. If that sword falls into the wrong hands, it could spell trouble!"

...

Meanwhile, in the royal palace hall, Hu Chuquan was heavily drunk, slouched on the throne. Through his hazy vision, he saw a figure slowly approaching from the entrance.

"Your Majesty, it's the crown prince," a close servant whispered, recognizing the figure as one of the prince's retinue and unsure of how to react.

"Oh? My son, you're still up? Here to have another drink with your father?" Hu Chuquan smiled at his eldest son, Quebei.

Quebei approached with a cold smile, kneeling before his father. "Father, I have something to discuss."

"Oh? Rare for you to seek me out. Go ahead, tell me what's on your mind." As the eldest and most ambitious of his four children, Quebei's approach seemed respectful.

Quebei raised his head slowly, revealing a sinister grin. "Father, I want you to abdicate the throne to me!"

"Abdicate...?" Hu Chuquan's eyes widened, his drunkenness lifting slightly. This brat wanted the throne while his father still stood?

"Knowing you wouldn't agree, I have no choice but to resort to this!" Quebei, already prepared, swiftly drew an oddly shaped dagger from his waist.

Hu Chuquan shouted, and his guards rushed forward, but Quebei was quicker, slashing the throat of the nearest guard. The guard fell to the ground, blood spurting from his neck.

"You... you!" Hu Chuquan realized his son intended to commit patricide. "Help! Someone, help!"

As Quebei approached with a malevolent grin, Hu Chuquan called for the guards outside. But the sight of the figures entering the hall chilled his heart further.

"Your Majesty, what do you need?" Tadon, the leader of the Black Banner Army, entered with a few men, all bearing bloodstains and eyeing Hu Chuquan like hungry wolves.

"Leave us. My father and I have some family matters to discuss." Quebei waved dismissively. Tadon and his men bowed and exited the hall...