Farmers of Shu Han

Chapter 1467 Lu Kang persuades Zhuge Ke, Cao Zhi re-edits the ancestral genealogy

"Zhuge Rong is incompetent; he can't even control Wen Qin. And Zhongli Mao, that brat, can't even hold his ground with 5,000 troops?"

In his rage, Zhuge Ke disregarded blood ties and the proper conduct between ruler and subject, even venting his resentment on his closest relatives and subordinates.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, whirled around, and his eyes flashed with a fierce light:
"Good! Excellent! You scoundrel Feng, since you want to fight, I'll wager the world with you!"

"Issue my order: mobilize all the troops in the capital region, advance by land and water, and personally lead an expedition to Huainan to crush Qiao County!"

"Let the world see whether it is your cunning and ruthless schemes, Feng, or the sharpness of the halberds of my Wu warriors!"

At the height of his anger, he suddenly stepped forward, his five fingers like hooks, gripped the messenger's hair, forced him to look up, and gritted his teeth as he said:

"Go back and tell Zhuge Rong: If Huainan is lost, there is no need to see him again. I will commit suicide to atone for my sins! When I arrive in person, I will crush the remnants of Cao Wei and that old traitor Feng Yong into dust!"

He then angrily flung the messenger away, his teeth chattering.
"Feng Yong! When I have swept away the Huai and Si rivers and reached the Luo River, I will bind you on the city wall of Chang'an and let you see with your own eyes your wife and daughters being forced into prostitution, so that you will know the consequences of angering me!"

Upon learning that Zhuge Ke was about to raise an army in anger, General Lu Kang (son of Lu Xun) knew that this was inappropriate and hurriedly went to the Prime Minister's residence to remonstrate.

At the beginning of his reign, Zhuge Ke implemented benevolent policies to win over the people. One of these policies was to correct the injustices committed during the "Two Palaces Conflict" and pardon many officials and their sons who were implicated.

The essence of this move was to win the support of the powerful clans of Jiangdong.

Lu Kang, son of Lu Xun, the former prime minister and general, who was deeply respected by the people of Wu, also benefited from this favor and was promoted to General of Valiant Might.

At this moment, Zhuge Ke was still furious and was sternly urging his subordinates to mobilize troops. When he heard that Lu Kang was requesting an audience, he knew that this man had probably come to dissuade him from going on the expedition.

His brow furrowed immediately, suppressing his anger, and he said coldly, "Summon him in!"

He wanted to see what this young general, who had risen through the ranks thanks to his father's influence and his own promotion, would have to say.

Lu Kang entered with steady steps, seemingly oblivious to the mess inside and the gloomy look on Zhuge Ke's face. He bowed respectfully, his voice clear and calm: "This humble general greets the Prime Minister."

"What is the matter concerning Youjie?" Zhuge Ke asked impatiently. "If it concerns Huainan, there's no need to say more! My mind is made up; I will personally lead the army to avenge this humiliation!"

Lu Kang raised his head, his gaze clear as water, and slowly said:

"Your Excellency is wise. I have come here not to offer advice, but to share your hatred."

"Hmm?" Zhuge Ke raised an eyebrow. "Shared hatred?"

"Exactly. That Feng Yong, on the surface, advocated for an alliance, but behind the scenes, he carried out this vicious scheme of using one tiger to devour another, breaking the agreement and abandoning righteousness, thus plunging our Great Wu into an unjust situation. Such behavior is truly outrageous to both gods and men!"

"Let alone the Prime Minister, even I, a humble general, felt my heart burning with rage and indignation upon first hearing of this matter. I wish I could immediately take up my sword and head north to fight those treacherous villains to the death!"

"Oh?" Zhuge Ke was greatly surprised upon hearing this. He finally looked Lu Kang seriously and softened his tone slightly. "In your opinion, you also believe that we should raise an army to punish the rebels?"

Lu Kang calmly replied:

"The Prime Minister was appointed to take charge of the government in a time of crisis, pacifying the court and the people, and crushing powerful enemies abroad. The victory at Dongxing further enhanced the prestige of the Huai and Si River regions, shaking the world. This is truly an unparalleled achievement and a pillar of the nation."

"It is precisely because the Prime Minister's prestige and virtue are growing day by day that Feng Yong has become wary and knows that he cannot withstand his sharp edge. Therefore, he dares not confront him directly and can only resort to this underhanded trick to disrupt the Prime Minister's formation."

"Their sinister intentions are not merely to seize a city or a place; they aim to shake the newly established Prime Minister's formidable prestige and ruin our great cause of revitalizing Jiangdong."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Ke still snorted coldly to show his lingering anger, but the fierce anger on his face had unknowingly dissipated, and even a hint of composure appeared.

Seeing the change in his expression, Lu Kang knew the time was right and quickly seized the opportunity, subtly changing the subject:
"Therefore, in my humble opinion, the key to dealing with this situation lies in how to plan how to make Feng Yong fail in his attempt to draw a tiger and instead suffer the consequences."

"In this way, we can both demonstrate the Prime Minister's thunderous power and solidify the foundation of the state."

"If we act rashly out of momentary anger and launch a war, we may fall right into their trap, causing pain to our loved ones and joy to our enemies."

"With your keen insight and keen observation, Prime Minister, how could you not see the implications of this matter clearly?"

In the end, I still have to convince myself not to send troops.

Zhuge Ke's anger flared up again, and he shouted, "If we sit idly by and watch five thousand soldiers in Qiao County be trapped without coming to their aid, wouldn't our own people be saddened while our enemies rejoice?"

Lu Kang bowed again:

"Prime Minister, please calm down. It is precisely because the matter of Huainan concerns the foundation of the nation that I have no choice but to risk my life to persuade you to reconsider. Raising troops at this time is probably not a good strategy, and there are three reasons why it is not advisable."

If Lu Kang had come in and immediately said the three things were unacceptable, Zhuge Ke might have kicked him out. But at least he received some flattery, which made him feel a little better.

Therefore, he snorted coldly and glanced sideways at Lu Kang, "Oh? What three things are unacceptable?"

"Firstly, the country is not yet at peace and the foundation is not stable. His Majesty has only recently ascended the throne and the people's hearts have just begun to settle down. Although the Prime Minister has implemented benevolent policies and overturned wrongful convictions, it is still unknown whether the people of Jiangdong will fully submit to him."

"The great victory at Dongxing, though it enhanced our national prestige, has left the newly acquired Huainan and Qiao counties in a state of panic. The remnants of the Wei forces are causing trouble, like undercurrents surging beneath fertile soil."

"If we were to mobilize the entire nation's army for a distant expedition at this time, what would we do if unforeseen circumstances arose in our rear?"

He paused, observed Zhuge Ke's expression, and continued:
"Secondly, the natural disaster has just subsided, and the nation's strength needs to be restored. Last year, Danyang suffered a major flood. Although the Prime Minister did his best to provide relief and the disaster was brought under control, countless victims' homes were destroyed and they urgently need compensation. With spring planting just around the corner, the nation's strength is even more needed."

"Once a major war breaks out, money and food will be consumed like water, which may damage the nation's vitality. If this delays the recovery of people's livelihoods, wouldn't it be a case of losing more than one gains?"

"Thirdly, we have a powerful neighbor on our side, and we need to be good at dealing with them." Lu Kang's tone became particularly solemn when he said this. "In recent years, our Great Wu has relied heavily on the grain and fodder assistance from the Ji Han to survive."

"The attack on Qiao County by the bandits is infuriating, but it is obvious that Feng Yong is behind it."

"Prime Minister, please consider this: with the elite of the Han army and Feng Yong's strategic acumen, if they truly intended to take Qiao County, how could they have failed to capture it after such a long siege? I fear that before our main army even reaches the Huai River, Qiao County will have already changed hands!"

Zhuge Ke frowned. Qiao County had been lost, something he hadn't considered in his anger and frustration. He asked, "In your opinion, what should we do?"

Lu Kang stepped forward, lowering his voice:

"Prime Minister, if we mobilize our troops this time, we might end up in a direct conflict with the Han Kingdom. Rather than fighting for a lone city that will eventually fall, wasting national resources and cutting off supplies, why not... go with the flow?"

"Go with the flow?" Zhuge Ke's eyes flashed.

“Exactly.” Lu Kang nodded. “Since Qiao County is in danger of being defended, we might as well take the initiative to show goodwill, send an envoy to condemn Wen Qin’s tyranny, and hope to fulfill Cao Zhi’s filial piety and righteousness by tacitly agreeing to let Qiao County return to Han.”

"Using this opportunity, we should explain the advantages and disadvantages to the Han Kingdom, and make it clear that our Great Wu is willing to painfully cede territory in order to preserve our alliance. How can the Han Kingdom remain unmoved?"

"At that time, the Prime Minister can use this opportunity to request more grain and military supplies to help me pacify Huainan and strengthen our defenses."

"This is the best strategy to exchange empty fame for real benefits and turn hostility into friendship. Once our internal affairs are stable and Huainan is as solid as a rock, we can then plan our next move with complete certainty!"

Zhuge Ke, with a stern face, paced back and forth a few steps, then stopped and asked:
"Even if, as you say, we temporarily abandon Qiao County, what if the remnants of the Cao family join forces with Wen Qin and march south to plunder Huainan, threatening Shouchun? What then?"

“Wen Qin, that traitor, knows the geography of Huainan very well; his calamity will be even greater! How can I sit idly by and watch our heartland suffer such devastation?”

Lu Kang seemed to have anticipated this question, and with a confident smile, he calmly answered:

"Your Excellency is wise, this is indeed a matter that must be considered. However, in my humble opinion, Cao Zhi is unlikely to go south, and Wen Qin is unlikely to stay in Huainan for long."

Zhuge Ke's gaze sharpened: "Oh? What makes you say that?"

“There are three reasons for this,” Lu Kang said eloquently: “First, the remnants of the Cao family raised the name of a righteous army, which means their actions were already set in stone.”

“They are using the pretext of ‘avenging their enemies’ and ‘collecting and burying the remains of their ancestors’ to justify their actions and to give an account to the people.”

"If, after taking Qiao County, they do not go to bury the disgraced Cao family ancestors, but instead immediately march south to attack my Shouchun, then the righteousness upon which they raised their army will be completely lost in an instant, and their hypocritical face will be exposed to the world!"

“Feng Yong is adept at manipulating people’s hearts and would never admit to being hypocritical. Cao Zhi’s next step is more likely to be to hold a grand reburial of the Cao family’s remains in Qiao County to proclaim his success.”

"Then they may disband or surrender to the Han state in the name of a righteous army, but they will never take the initiative to give our Great Wu a pretext."

At this point, Lu Kang's eyes flashed:
"Moreover, given Feng Yong's deep scheming, how could he sit idly by and watch Cao Zhi and other former members of the Cao family hold military power abroad for so long? Not to mention the recovery of the former territories of Wei."

"Wouldn't this be tantamount to watching their power grow stronger? Not only would we be unable to control them, but we also fear that they might rekindle their longing for their former country and become a major threat to the Han state."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Ke nodded slowly, realizing he had overlooked this point.

Seeing Zhuge Ke nod, Lu Kang pressed on with renewed vigor:
"Secondly, Wen Qin is already an isolated force. Wen Qin killed our envoy, which is treason, and he is already isolated. If he is smart, he will know that although Huainan is large, there is no place for him to stand."

“If Cao Zhi does not go south, Wen Qin’s only way out is to go north to Qiao County, join Guanqiu Jian and others, and seek refuge under their banner in order to avoid my swift retaliation.”

"If he dares to stay in Lujiang alone, or rashly attack Shouchun, it would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock. Therefore, as long as Shouchun is prepared, his movements will surely force him to move north."

"The urgent task at present is not to rush into a campaign, but to closely monitor them and force them to flee north. In this way, the trouble in the heart of Huainan will be resolved on its own."

Zhuge Ke nodded again, his expression softening once more.

"Thirdly, the key to our army lies in consolidating its foundation. The most urgent task at present is to order the various units in Huainan to hold key positions such as Shouchun and Hefei, wipe out the remaining Wei troops within the territory, and appease the powerful families, rather than getting entangled with stray dogs."

"Once we have stabilized our internal situation and rebuilt our defenses, the initiative will be in our hands whether we sit idly by and watch Wei and Han fight each other in Huaibei or devise another strategy."

Lu Kang concluded confidently:

"Feng Yong's scheme, though ruthless, is not without its flaws. If we retaliate in anger, we will play right into his hands; if we turn the tables on him and strengthen our foundations, it may well become a good opportunity for us to consolidate our power in Huainan."

After speaking, Lu Kang bowed again with his hands clasped in greeting:
"If the Prime Minister still feels uneasy, I am willing to personally lead 5,000 troops to rush to Shouchun immediately to help defend the city."

"This humble general hereby pledges: If Shouchun suffers any mishap, I will gladly offer my head to you!"

After Lu Xun's death, he left behind more than 5,000 followers, all of whom were taken over by Lu Kang.

Having said all that, and even made a pledge to "bring his head back," it would seem like Zhuge Ke was making a mountain out of a molehill if he insisted on personally leading the entire nation's army into battle.

I felt that Lu Kang's words made a lot of sense, but there was still anger in his words:

"Hmph! Even if we follow your plan, are the five thousand soldiers of my Great Wu who perished in Qiao County just going to die in vain? Are we just going to let this grudge go unpunished?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Kang paused for a moment, then slowly said:
"Prime Minister, you are wise. Zhongli Mao is a bad leader who has allowed his troops to plunder and desecrate graves. He has a reason to die, so why should we be sad about it?"

Zhuge Ke's lips twitched slightly, and he was momentarily speechless.

Zhuge Ke knew perfectly well how disciplined the soldiers of Wu were.

He was naturally well aware of the unspoken rules within the Great Wu army.

Otherwise, after subduing the Shanyue tribes, he wouldn't have specifically selected over 40,000 able-bodied men, leading 10,000 himself and distributing the rest to other generals.

Therefore, when the news came that "Cao Zhi raised an army to avenge the desecration of his ancestral graves," almost no one in the Wu Kingdom bothered to investigate whether the Wu army stationed in Qiao County had actually done such a thing.

Because everyone assumed they must have done it.

This is called word of mouth.

How much wealth did the Cao family accumulate during their decades of dominance in the Central Plains?
As the place where the dragon rose to power, and where ancestral temples and tombs are located, how could Qiao County not contain a lot of rare treasures?

For those soldiers who were prone to looting, it was perfectly reasonable that, after their eyes turned red with greed, they thought there were even more treasures buried underground and, blinded by greed, they dug up the Cao family's ancestral graves.

Lu Kang saw that Zhuge Ke remained silent, which seemed to indicate that he agreed with what he said.

But he did not immediately take his leave. Instead, with a solemn expression, he bowed deeply again and said softly:
"Prime Minister, I have some heartfelt words to say, like a bone stuck in my throat, which I must speak out. I am willing to risk my life to offer my advice, and I hope that the Prime Minister will listen attentively."

Zhuge Ke's emotions had calmed down considerably by this time. Seeing Lu Kang's seriousness, he said, "What else does Youjie have to say? Please speak freely."

Lu Kang raised his head, his gaze deep, his voice soft yet deep:

"Your Excellency is wise. In the past, Cao Wei was powerful and looked down on the world. Our Great Wu and Han Kingdom formed an alliance to resist the powerful enemy. This was the way to survive and the inevitable trend."

"But now, times have changed, and the world has turned upside down! The Wei state is in turmoil and its territory has been lost, making it far different from what it used to be."

"As for the Shu Han, it possesses the land of abundance and is protected by natural defenses. Moreover, Feng Yong and his ilk have been preparing their troops and winning over the hearts of the people. Today, the situation in the world has become one where the Shu Han is the only power!"

"The alliance between Wu and Han is based on jointly resisting the powerful Wei. Now the powerful Wei has declined, while a new power is emerging... We may still be interdependent, but who will be the master and who will be the servant?"

"In this incident in Qiao County, Feng Yong used the guise of a 'righteous army' to expand territory. His manipulative actions during the process clearly demonstrate his wolfish ambitions!"

"In my humble opinion, his ambitions are probably no longer limited to the Central Plains. I hope the Prime Minister will make plans for him as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Ke's expression changed drastically.

In early March of the fourteenth year of Yanxi, spring was in full bloom and the Huai River was rising slightly.

Lu Xun's son, General Lu Kang, was ordered by Wu Prime Minister Zhuge Ke to lead his father's 5,000 elite troops across the river to the north. They marched day and night, their forces heading straight for Hefei. Their intention was to cut off the retreat of the rebel general Wen Qin and to intimidate Huainan.

Seeing that Shouchun's defenses were strong and that Wu's army was prepared, Wen Qin realized that a direct assault was hopeless. He also heard that Lu Kang's reinforcements had arrived in Hefei. He knew that if he hesitated any longer, he would be caught in a desperate situation with enemies on both sides.

Left with no other choice, he led his troops across the Huai River to the north to seek refuge with his old friend Guanqiu Jian in Qiao County.

Meanwhile, outside Qiao County, the "Revenge Army," after a bloody battle, finally captured Qiao County and recovered its lost territory.

Upon entering the city, Cao Zhi's first priority was to visit the Cao family ancestral cemetery. Seeing the once prosperous resting place of his ancestors now in disarray, he was overcome with grief and wept bitterly.

He ordered a grand ceremony to be held to collect the remains of his ancestors and to conduct a ceremonial burial on an auspicious day.

During the ceremony, the three armies were dressed in mourning clothes, and Cao Zhi, dressed in sacrificial robes, personally served as the chief officiant.

After reburying the coffins of his ancestors, he ordered that more than a hundred captured Wu soldiers be brought to the tomb to offer a blood sacrifice to his ancestors in order to comfort their spirits in heaven.

After the burial ceremony, Cao Zhi ascended the high platform, faced the three armies and the people of Qiao County, and, holding a silk scroll, tearfully read aloud "The Farewell to the Cao Family of Pengcheng":
In the fourteenth year of the Yanxi reign of the Great Han Dynasty, the year was Xin Hai, the fifteenth day of the third month, the day was Jia Chen.

Cao Zhi, a descendant of Cao Shen, the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty, and the heir of Cao Cao, the former General Who Conquered the West of the Han Dynasty, and a subject of the Great Han Dynasty, respectfully offers this petition with tears of blood to Heaven and Earth, to the spirits of all the ancestors of the Cao family, and to all Cao family members throughout the world:
Alas! How painful! My Cao family of Qiao County has been blessed by the Han Dynasty for generations! Our ancestor Cao Song rose to the position of Grand Commandant of the Han Dynasty; though his descendants may have been ignorant at times, they have never dared to forget their roots!
Today, our ancestral tombs have been trampled by the Wu invaders, and the remains of our ancestors have almost been exposed to the elements! This is truly an unprecedented disgrace and humiliation for our clan in thousands of years!
However, the root of this humiliation does not lie with the wolves and jackals of the southeast, but with the rebellious descendants of Cao Pi!

Cao Pi, though he received the Han dynasty's bounty and was favored by the state for generations, harbored wolfish ambitions, usurped the Han throne, and established his own dynasty, thus initiating a rebellious movement and becoming the chief culprit who tarnished the reputation of my Cao family.

Now, his illegitimate sons Cao Fang and Cao Mao, among others, occupy Pengcheng. Instead of repenting and atoning for their sins, they have become even more wicked, recognizing the traitor Sima family as their fathers, willingly becoming puppets, and usurping false titles.

You are descendants of the Prime Minister, yet instead of thinking of restoring the Han Dynasty and serving your sovereign and father, you recognize the enemy as your father, act as accomplices to the tyrant, and willingly submit to being driven by rebellious ministers.

Your ancestors' tombs are in Qiao, yet you discard them like worn-out shoes; the traitor Sima is in Pengcheng, yet you worship him as a god.

Such behavior demonstrates a complete lack of loyalty and filial piety, and a complete loss of humanity. How are they different from beasts? What face do they have to stand between heaven and earth? What right do they have to be listed in the Cao family genealogy?

However, Zhi also knew that many of his relatives in Pengcheng had been coerced into following him, either by the tyranny of Sima or by the difficult circumstances, leaving them with no choice but to yearn for their homeland.

Today, before the spirits of our ancestors, I also tearfully declare to you:

It's never too late to turn back from the wrong path.

However, if anyone can suddenly realize their mistakes and abandon darkness for light, whether they are officials' sons or soldiers, if they can extricate themselves and return to the Han Dynasty, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty, with his heart encompassing the whole world, will surely forgive their past transgressions and treat them with utmost sincerity.

We must work together to restore the Han dynasty and reclaim our former glory, so as not to betray the name of Cao Cao as a loyal and virtuous man.

If they remain obstinate and collude with the traitorous descendants Cao Fang and Cao Mao, aiding and abetting evil, then the law will not tolerate them, and their ancestors will not protect them!
At that time, do not say you were not warned; you will be treated as a traitor and exterminated along with your entire clan.

Today, I, Cao Zhi, inherit the legacy of our ancestors and follow the hearts of loyal soldiers and the people. We have gathered heroes from all directions, survived countless near-death experiences, and finally reclaimed our homeland, restoring peace to our forefathers.

This heart and this will are witnessed by heaven and earth, and can be seen by the sun and moon!

Therefore, today, before the spirits of our ancestors, I, Cao Zhi, in the name of the direct line of the Cao family of Qiao County, hereby proclaim to the world:
Cao Pi, Cao Rui, and their illegitimate sons Cao Fang and Cao Mao have betrayed the Han Dynasty and committed heinous crimes; they are no longer descendants of the Cao family.

Effective immediately, his clan membership is revoked, and he is forever barred from entering the ancestral hall!

The loyalty of the Cao family throughout the land lies solely in the banners that support the Han dynasty today.

May the spirits of my ancestors, with their keen insight, protect the Han Dynasty, swiftly eradicate the evil influence, restore the world, and avenge this grievance!

We humbly request your acceptance of this offering!

After the grand memorial and denunciation ceremony, the situation in Qiao County gradually stabilized.

According to the original plan, Cao Zhi originally intended to reward and then dismiss the heroes and his former subordinates who came in response to the "revenge" banner, so as to maintain the name of "private army revenge".

However, Cao Zhi's reputation for "loyalty and filial piety" has been deeply ingrained in people's hearts after this heroic feat of going through life and death together and restoring the ancestral tomb.

Furthermore, the integrity and sense of responsibility he displayed in "The Severance of the Cao Family of Pengcheng" further impressed everyone.

When Cao Zhi proposed to dismiss them, all the righteous soldiers in the army pleaded their case, and not one of them was willing to leave.

Cao Zhi was moved by his sincerity and knew that this matter was of great importance and could not be decided on his own. So he sent his trusted confidant on horseback to Runan to report the situation in Qiao County and the soldiers' willingness to surrender to General Jiang Wei.

Upon receiving the report, Jiang Wei not only immediately granted permission but was also deeply moved by the loyalty of these battle-hardened soldiers. To show his respect and importance, he personally traveled to Qiao County with a small entourage to reward the troops.

At the Qiao County government office, Jiang Wei, representing the Han Dynasty court, highly praised Cao Zhi and others for their "loyal and filial deeds".

He also comforted generals such as Xiahou Ba, Guanqiu Jian, and Wen Qin, promising to incorporate their troops into the Han army and promote them according to their abilities.

Thus, this righteous army, which began with the cause of "avenging the enemy," officially came under the banner of the Han Dynasty, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people.

The land of Qiao Commandery was also returned to Han territory without bloodshed.