Farmers of Shu Han

Chapter 1485 Letters
In the fifteenth year of Yanxi, the second year of Jianxing of Wu, in April.

Jianye, the Prime Minister's Residence.

A scroll of silk, sealed with purple clay and edged with silver thread, lay quietly on Sun Jun's desk.

It was not an official letter from the Han emperor to the ruler of Wu, but a private letter from Feng Yong, the Grand Marshal and Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat of the Han state, to Sun Jun, the Chancellor of Wu.
-
Feng Yong, Grand Marshal of Han and Director of the Imperial Secretariat, wrote to Sun Gongjun, Chancellor of Wu:

I recently heard that your esteemed Grand Tutor Zhuge Ke, entrusted with the care of the young emperor and bearing the weighty mandate of the late emperor, achieved a great victory at Dongxing, a feat of great merit to the nation.

However, he was trapped in a remote border town, and his grief and indignation led him to fall ill. In the end, he committed suicide to die for his country, a tragedy that saddened many.

I have also heard that your country intends to punish his son and implicate his orphans.

According to the principles of the Spring and Autumn Annals, "criminals should not be punished along with their families"; and according to the laws of the former kings, "punishment should not extend to their heirs."

Now that Jin Ke is dead, what crime has his son committed? If we punish the son for the father's fault, then should the descendants of the Duke of Zhou be executed? Should the descendants of Huo Guang be killed?

Although there is an alliance between our Han and Wu, we dare not remain silent on matters of principle.

We hope that Your Excellency will uphold the will of Heaven and the people, stop the practice of implicating relatives, and preserve your descendants.

Otherwise, scholars across the land will be disheartened, and the people of Jiangdong will look on with suspicion.

In addition, Ke's younger brother Rong led 5,000 troops to surrender to the Han, saying, "I cannot bear to see the loyal and virtuous die out, so I have fled north to seek survival."

The Han dynasty established itself on benevolence and righteousness, and has temporarily accepted them, but this will not last long. If Wu can pardon the Zhuge family, they may be willing to return south.

Books cannot express everything; only you, sir, can truly understand.
-
When Sun Jun unfolded the silk scroll, he had only read the first sentence when his expression changed drastically.

The opening address, "Sun Gongjun," seems respectful, but in reality, it conveys a sense of superiority.

The more he looked, the uglier his expression became.

As he gritted his teeth and read the last sentence, "Words cannot express everything; only you can understand them," Sun Jun suddenly slammed the silk scroll to the ground and stood up abruptly!
"Feng Yong, you scoundrel! How dare you do such a thing!"

He cursed, but still felt unsatisfied, so he stepped forward and stomped hard on the silk book.

I wish I could crush this silk scroll into dust.

"Zhuge Ke is a subject of my Wu Kingdom! His life and death are in his hands; how dare he, from the Han Kingdom, interfere?!"

Sun Jun pointed northwest and began to curse:
"He even wrote a letter to Sun Gongjun? Does he think he's issuing an imperial edict?! Does he think I, Sun Jun, am his subordinate, Feng Yong?!"

Inside the study, several trusted subordinates stood trembling with fear, heads bowed, not daring to speak.

"Where is the Han envoy?!" Sun Jun roared. "Where is the Han envoy who delivered the message?!"

"Reporting to the Prime Minister," an official said in a trembling voice, "the Han envoy is still waiting for a reply at the post station..."

"Let him wait! Let him wait to die!"

Sun Jun kicked over the bronze Pixiu incense burner beside the table, scattering ashes everywhere.

"Tell Lü Yi to surround the post station! Provide only water and coarse rice each day, let's see how many days he can last!"

The subordinates readily agreed and scrambled out of the study.

Sun Junyu was still furious. He paced back and forth in the study for a few steps, then suddenly turned around and yelled at the remaining people, "Get out of here!"

The crowd dispersed as if granted a pardon.

Sun Jun was the only one left in the study.

He was panting heavily, staring at the trampled and soiled silk scroll on the ground, his chest heaving violently.

The sun was shining brightly outside the window, but he felt as if he were standing in a furnace or an ice cave—it wasn't anger, it was humiliation.

A humiliation of being looked down upon and treated as a subordinate.

He is the Prime Minister!

He is the Prime Minister of the Great Wu!

In the entire kingdom of Wu, no one was more powerful than him!
On the other side of the Imperial Academy, when Lü Yi received the Prime Minister's decree from the Prime Minister's residence, he unusually showed a troubled expression.

Weiyi Inn?
The envoy trapped in Han territory?
He knew all too well what this meant.

You, Sun Jun, can afford to offend Feng Yong, the Grand Marshal of the Han Kingdom, but do you think my Office of the Imperial Secretariat dares to offend him?

If we truly do as you, Sun Jun, say and humiliate the Han envoy today, it would be tantamount to slapping Feng Yong in the face.

Lu Yi didn't know what would happen to Sun Jun, but the entire school administration would probably have to flee for their lives overnight.

Without its source of funding, how many people would rush up to kill Lü Yi?
“Zhongshu, we…” the subordinate asked cautiously.

Lu Yi was silent for a moment, then slowly said:

"Take a team and set up a perimeter around the post station. Remember, surround it but don't get close, observe but don't move."

"If the Han envoy has any requests, they may be granted as appropriate, but they must report to me in secret."

The subordinate was taken aback: "But the Prime Minister said..."

"The Prime Minister is in a fit of anger."

Lu Yi interrupted, a flash of anger crossing her face. She had never seen such a tactless person before.
"idiot!"

"This matter concerns the diplomatic relations between our two countries, how can it be treated lightly? You go and do it, I have my own plans."

After his subordinates left, Lü Yi strode into the inner room, picked up a brush, and quickly wrote down several lines, including Sun Jun's orders and his own actions.

After writing, he slipped the note into a hollow bamboo tube and summoned a trusted confidant:
"Send this letter to Zhaoyang Palace immediately and present it to Princess Quan in person. Remember, it is better to destroy the letter than for it to fall into the hands of another."

The trusted confidant accepted the order and quietly departed.

Lü Yi sat alone in the room, muttering to himself:
“Sun Jun, Sun Jun… With your impulsiveness, how can you possibly be a match for Feng Yong?”

"I, Lü Yi, cannot go down with you."
-
Zhaoyang Palace, side hall.

After Princess Quan finished reading the secret letter in the bamboo tube, her well-maintained face instantly turned frosty.

"Confused!"

She slammed the note on the table, the gold and jade scraping against the wooden surface with a sharp, grating sound.

Seemingly feeling that the scolding wasn't harsh enough, he added another sentence:
"What an idiot!"

"Bsiege the post station? Trapped the Han envoy? Is Sun Jun trying to stir up trouble by making Wu too peaceful and stable?!"

She abruptly stood up: "Immediately send word to the Prime Minister's residence that Sun Jun must come to the palace to see me at once!"

"promise."

Sun Jun received the order and rushed over.

His face still showed lingering anger, but a hint of barely perceptible regret had appeared in his eyes.

He actually realized the problem shortly after issuing the order—besieging the Han envoy would be tantamount to giving the enemy a handle to use against him.

But having already spoken, he couldn't take it back immediately out of consideration for his reputation.

"My aunt summoned me urgently, but I don't know..."

Before he could finish speaking, Princess Quan interrupted him, walked up to him, and demanded, "Where is the letter?"

Sun Jun was taken aback: "What letter?"

"A letter from Feng Yong of the Han Kingdom to you!" Princess Quan extended her fingertips forward slightly. "Take it out!"

Helpless, Sun Jun could only take out the silk book from his bosom.

Princess Quan stepped forward, snatched the silk scroll, glanced at it briefly, then gripped it tightly in her hand and said to Sun Jun in a deep voice:

"Sun Jun, I'm asking you, do you want to start a war with the Han Kingdom?"

Sun Jun was taken aback: "Why do you say that, Aunt..."

"What makes you say that?" Princess Quan threw the silk scroll at his feet.

"Bent on the post station? Trapped the Han envoy? Plain water and coarse rice every day? Sun Jun, do you think Feng Yong is a clay or wooden sculpture that you can mold at will?!"

Sun Jun's face flushed red:

“That Feng Yong is going too far! Every word in his letter is an insult to me, an insult to the Kingdom of Wu! If I don’t…”

"What if you don't do anything? Kill the Han envoy? And then what?"

Princess Quan pressed on, "Then the Han army will sail down the river. Can Lü Ju stop them? Can Zhu Ji stop them? Can Quan Xu's navy stop them?"

"Even if you can hold them off, how long can your supplies last? Six months? A year? Or just three months?"

"Furthermore, the State of Wei is eyeing us covetously from the side. Sun Jun, are you asking the State of Wu to fight on two fronts, leading to its destruction and extinction?!"

A barrage of questions poured over my head like ice water.

Sun Jun opened his mouth, but finally lowered his head in dejection: "I... I was just angry for a moment."

"Angry?" Princess Quan's face showed anger, and she was disappointed in him. "A prime minister should not show his anger on his face, nor should he reveal his plans to outsiders."

"Your anger today will spread throughout Jianye tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow it will reach Feng Yong's desk in Chang'an! What will the world think?"

“Sun Jun is petty and easily pleased, and his emotions are readily apparent. Wu has no one else to rely on, yet they have appointed such a person as prime minister. Is this what you wanted?”

Sun Jun was speechless.

"Immediately issue the order," Princess Quan said without question, "to remove all personnel around the post station and treat the Han envoy with courtesy."

"At the morning court tomorrow, you must personally report to His Majesty, saying..."

"The Grand Marshal of Han has sent a letter of greeting. Wu should treat him with courtesy. We have already arranged a guesthouse for the envoy and will reply with a letter of thanks soon."

Sun Jun remained silent for a long time before finally nodding: "...I understand."

Princess Quan's expression softened slightly, and she walked back behind the desk and sat down.

She picked up the Yue kiln celadon teapot, poured two cups of tea, and pushed one towards Sun Jun.

“Jun’er,” she suddenly changed her form of address, her voice carrying an unusual weariness, “do you know what’s the most poisonous part of Feng Yong’s letter?”

Sun Jun looked up.

"It's not that he insulted you, nor that he interfered in your internal affairs," Princess Quan said, disregarding her composure as she took a large gulp of tea. "It's that he forced you to back down three steps."

"Three steps?"

"The first step is that you cannot kill Zhuge Ke's son. He quotes classical texts in his letter, occupying the moral high ground."

“If you kill him, it will be ‘tyrannical and immoral,’ and the scholars of the world will be alienated.”

"Secondly, you cannot pursue Zhuge Rong's troops. Five thousand troops have already entered the Han Kingdom. His letter casually mentions 'temporarily accepting them,' but it is actually a warning."

“He is warning you that if you pursue him, you will be breaking the ‘temporary acceptance’ agreement, and the Han state will have an excuse to raise troops.”

“The third step,” Princess Quan put down her teacup, her voice low, “is that you cannot even rebuke the Han state for its overstepping of its bounds.”

"Because his entire work is based on 'morality,' if you refute it sternly, it will only make your Wu Kingdom appear 'unjust.'"

Sun Jun clenched his fists, his face filled with humiliation.

“What’s even more frightening is,” the princess looked at him, her eyes filled with unfathomable worry:

"He made it clear to all the officials that a single letter from the Han state could shake the decision to establish Jianye."

"Today he can force you to release Zhuge Ke's son, tomorrow he can force you to open the border markets, and the day after tomorrow he can force you to cede cities... Once this precedent is set, the consequences will be endless."

There was a dead silence in the hall.

After a long silence, Sun Jun hissed, "Are we... are we just going to let him bully us?"

"Patience." Princess Quan said slowly and deliberately, "A small lack of patience can ruin a great plan. Feng Yong is a man who... does not strive for a momentary victory, but plans for a ten-year endeavor."

"What he wants is not your anger today, but your decline tomorrow and your death the day after."

She stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open forcefully.

A night breeze swept in, causing the hairpins adorning her temples to flutter and the pearls to clink softly, creating a clear, crisp sound that sent chills down one's spine.

"At the morning court tomorrow, officials will surely inquire about the letter from the Han state."

With her back to Sun Jun, her voice calmed down:

"You must remember: keep a calm expression and a peaceful tone, downplay the matter, and treat it as a routine diplomatic document."

"You must not show the slightest anger, and you must not mention the words 'besieging the post station'."

Sun Jun closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and uttered a single word with difficulty: "...Yes."

“And also,” Princess Quan turned and stared at him, “Zhuge Ke’s two sons… since they are already ‘missing,’ let them remain missing forever.”

"Don't let the Imperial Academy investigate any further. If there's any discussion in the court, just say, 'The young man, out of fear of punishment, threw himself into the river and committed suicide; his body was never found.'"

"If the Han Kingdom presses the matter further..."

"The Han Kingdom will not pursue this matter." Princess Quan's gaze was icy. "What Feng Yong wants is simply for these two people to leave the Wu Kingdom alive and head to the Han Kingdom!"

"What he cares about more is the fact that you, Sun Jun, were 'forced to make concessions,' and what the entire court officials care about is seeing you make concessions as a result."

Sun Jun nodded slowly, blood trickling from his lips, and finally swallowed his humiliation.

"Go," Princess Quan waved her hand. "Think carefully tonight about how to put on this show tomorrow."

Sun Jun bowed and withdrew.

The soft sound echoed in the empty hall, like a distant sigh.

Princess Quan sat alone under the lamp, gazing at the flickering candlelight on the nine-branched lamp.

For the first time, she felt that the night in Zhaoyang Palace was so cold.

After a long while, she stood up, bent down, reached out and picked up the silk book, her fingertips gently brushing against it.

Feng Yong's handwriting on the silk scroll is bold and elegant.

Even though she was a woman, one could sense the sharp aura emanating from her calm and unhurried tone; it was almost palpable.

This wasn't the first time she'd heard of this Grand Marshal of the Han Dynasty, but today, this scroll of silk allowed her to truly grasp the terrifying nature of that man.

"Not striving for immediate victory, but planning for a ten-year future..."

She repeated in a low voice what she had just said to Sun Jun, but a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

These words were said to Sun Jun, but weren't they also said to himself?
The candlelight crackled and popped, illuminating the deep sorrow hidden in her eyes.

She remembered many things.

Depose Sun He, install Sun Liang, ally with Sun Jun, eliminate Zhuge Ke...

What a skillful move it seems, but so what?
Feng Yong used Zhuge Ke's death as a chess piece and the official letter as a blade, and with a gentle push...

This made her feel that the other party was looking down on her, lecturing the loser in the manner of a victor.

She could even picture the scene at tomorrow's morning court session:

Sun Junqiang remained calm, while the officials whispered among themselves, and the Han envoy calmly took his leave.

This scene will spread like a plague in Jianye, in Wujun, and throughout the entire Jiangdong region.

People's hearts can change.

Everyone thought, "So, the Grand Marshal of Han could make the Chancellor of Wu back down with just a word. What about the future?"

What's even more frightening is that such thoughts are like anthills under a river embankment; initially insignificant, but over time, they can lead to the collapse of the embankment.

The more she thought about it, the colder it became.

She got up, closed the window, and then took out a mother-of-pearl inlaid sandalwood box from the depths of a hidden compartment.

The box lid was placed on the table, and inside were stacks of silk threads as smooth and lustrous as moonlight.

She took out a piece of silk and spread it on the table.

The gauze was so thin that candlelight could almost pass through it.

She picked out a fine brush with a purple jade handle from the brush holder, and dipped the tip in pine soot ink mixed with gold powder.

The pen tip hovered on the silk, and after a long moment of concentration, the pen was put down.

The handwriting was no longer the solemn regular script used when reviewing memorials, but rather had a slight running script feel, delicate and graceful, like a woman with lowered eyebrows:

"To Feng Gongtai, Grand Marshal of the Han State and Recorder of the Imperial Secretariat: I, Lu Ban, elder sister of the Wu ruler and eldest daughter of the late emperor, respectfully write this in Chang'an."

"You wrote to Prime Minister Jun, and I, even in the deep palace, heard of it. Every word was precious and every sentence made sense. I read it and my clothes were soaked with sweat."

When she wrote "her clothes were soaked with sweat," her pen paused slightly.

These four words can be interpreted as fear or as... a certain physical reaction.

Feng Yongruo is a smart man, and he should be able to discern the subtlety in this matter.

“As a woman, I should not interfere in politics. However, after the late emperor passed away and the young emperor took over the court, I, as the elder sister, have no choice but to do my best to take care of him.”

“Whenever I think about the affairs of the country, I cannot sleep at night. I often sit alone by the lamp, my handkerchief wet with tears.”

A solitary lamp, tears wetting the handkerchief...

These images are most likely to arouse a man's protective instincts, or... his desire to conquer.

She thought for a moment, then continued writing:

"Your Excellency is keenly aware of the current state of Wu, and I am also well aware of it. Jun is strong-willed and may act impulsively, but his heart is truly with the state of Wu."

"Whenever I think of Zhuge Yuanxun's fate, my heart aches terribly. Yuanxun was a minister entrusted with the care of the late emperor, yet he has come to this. Is this not a cruel twist of fate?"

“The official document states that ‘criminals should not be punished by their families, and their offspring should not be punished,’ which I wholeheartedly agree with.”

"Therefore, I have already persuaded Jun to pardon the orphans of the Zhuge family and to stop pursuing the rebellious tribes. This is not out of fear of your power, but out of respect for your righteousness."

"Although I am deep within the palace, your esteemed reputation is as resounding as thunder in my ears."

"It is often said that: When Lord Feng governed the Han Dynasty, the government was efficient and the people were harmonious, and the people were happy; he was a master strategist and his plans were flawless."

“Whenever I hear of him, I yearn for him. I regret that I was not born in Han territory to witness your virtuous demeanor.”

……

I kowtow and bow twice.
-
After a long while, she gently blew away the ink stains, carefully folded the silk into a square shape, and placed it into a hollowed-out silver incense ball.

"Someone come here," she called out.

A trusted palace maid quietly entered.

"Give this to Lü Yi."

Princess Quan handed over the silver incense ball:
"Tell him: This is a private letter from me, and it must be presented to the Grand Marshal of Han in person. If even a single word is leaked during the journey... he knows the consequences."

"Yes, madam." The maid took it with both hands, bowed, and withdrew.

Silence returned to the secret room.

Princess Quan sat alone under the lamp, watching the flickering candlelight, and suddenly chuckled softly.

The laughter was soft, yet it carried an indescribable complexity.

She thought of Empress Lü.

The woman who, alone in the Weiyang Palace late at night, faced the letter from the Xiongnu Chanyu.

Historical records state that in the seventh year of Empress Lü's reign, Modu Chanyu sent an envoy with a letter, saying, "Your Majesty is alone and isolated. With two rulers, there is no joy and nothing to amuse you." The words were almost blasphemous.

Empress Lü replied, "I am old and frail, my hair and teeth are falling out, and I am unsteady on my feet. The Chanyu has listened to me too much, and I am not worthy of disgracing myself."

"Lü Zhi, oh Lü Zhi..."

Princess Quan murmured the name as if she were conversing with a woman from hundreds of years ago.

"What were you really thinking when you replied to those barbarians back then?"