Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Jia Chong straightened his back, his expression solemn, and bowed to the many students and scholars in the hall:
"Fellow students, my name is Jia Chong. I would like to say a few words about the Yue people mentioned by Teacher Zheng..."

Jia Chong, without glancing to the side, began to speak with increasing passion and fervor on the podium. Today's gathering was originally initiated by Dr. Zheng, but Zheng Cheng was unusually late, and respectfully accompanied several people.

The one with the most divine bearing could only be the emperor. Although Jia Chong had never seen the emperor in person, there were quite a few people in Luoyang who had, and they could imagine it just from the legends!
It's fair to say that Jia Chong was feeling both anxious and nervous at this moment. Although everyone addressed him as Marquis Jia, and the emperor was effectively his brother-in-law, this brother-in-law had over twenty concubines in his harem, and he had absolutely no chance to meet the emperor…

When Cao Rui heard the man introduce himself as Jia Chong, he gave a soft snort and then shook his head slightly.

Hearing the emperor's soft hum, the two attendants on either side pretended not to hear, preferring to avoid trouble. However, Zheng Cheng, thinking the emperor was displeased, asked:
"Your Majesty, is there anything amiss?"

Cao Rui laughed and said, "There is nothing wrong with it. Oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, but those grown north of the Huai River are bitter oranges. Dr. Zheng, please listen to this scholar's lecture."

"Your subject obeys the decree," Zheng said, somewhat bewildered.

Jia Chong spoke eloquently for about half an incense stick's time, and then concluded: "Fellow students, based on what I have said above, the barbarians are all ungrateful and cowardly, and cannot be educated. They are human in appearance but beast in heart, neither human nor beast, and absolutely cannot be equated with the people of the Great Wei, lest they bring disaster upon future generations."

"That concludes my presentation. Thank you all for listening."

Jia Chong cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to the crowd, then bowed deeply in Zheng Cheng's direction before walking away with his head held high. A round of applause erupted from the crowd, clearly indicating that many agreed with Jia Chong's viewpoint.

Jiang Ji secretly glanced at the emperor, only to find that the emperor's expression did not change at all.

After Jia Chong stepped down, another student, slightly younger than him, stepped forward and bowed to the crowd.

"Fellow students, my name is Wei Guan. I agree with most of what Lord Jia just said. A gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity, and I do have some differences with Lord Jia."

"Lord Jia talks about how barbarians are neither human nor human. I think it is inappropriate to consider all barbarians as one. For example, when we attacked Wu last year, the Xiongnu, Xianbei and Wuhuan each sent 5,000 light cavalry to participate in the campaign. They were responsible for reconnaissance, defense and harassment. They made great contributions. Several Hu generals who commanded the troops were even granted the title of Marquis of Dawei as a reward."

"Lord Jia is a local lord, and so am I, and so are the Hu generals. If you say they are not human, then what about Lord Jia and me here?"

At this point, Wei Guan cupped his hands and smiled at Jia Chong below. The students below also laughed and clapped. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Jia Chong smiled and shook his head without saying a word.

"Lord Wei is right!"

"Lord Wei is indeed full of witty remarks!"

Seeing the commotion below, Cao Rui glanced at Zheng Cheng, who quickly approached Cao Rui and whispered in his ear:
“Your Majesty, the one just now was Jia Chong, the son of Jia Kui of Hedong, who was twenty-one years old at the time. This person was Wei Guan, the son of Wei Kai of Hedong, who was eighteen years old at the time. Both of them inherited the title of Marquis of their hometown through their fathers’ influence, so the students often referred to them as Marquis Jia and Marquis Wei.”

Cao Rui nodded slightly: "Judging from this scene, these two seem to be quite close?"

"Yes, they are all from Hedong Township," Zheng replied.

Cao Rui then asked, "Do students form groups based on their geographical location?"

Zheng replied, "This has been the case since ancient times; it is human nature and cannot be prohibited."

Cao Rui nodded.

At this point, Wei Guan continued, “There are many barbarians surrounding the Great Wei. Among them, there are naturally those who do not submit to the king’s rule, and there are also obedient people who follow the orders of the Great Wei and submit to the king. Just as the river water is clear while the tributary is muddy, the people cannot be regarded as the same.”

"It is evident that there are also those among the Yue people who are loyal to the Great Wei. The southern provinces of Yangzhou and Jiangzhou should carefully distinguish between them, select the loyal ones for employment, and severely punish the rebellious ones, so as to demonstrate the might and virtue of the Great Wei."

"That concludes my discussion. Thank you all for listening."

Wei Guan bowed to the surroundings and then stepped down from the stage.

Cao Rui remained expressionless, but a slightly thin scholar who came up on stage next caught his eye:
"Fellow students, my name is Du Yu. Just now, Marquis Jia, Marquis Wei, and other classmates have already made insightful remarks. I am not very talented, but I have only tried to fill in a few details. I hope you will all forgive me."

"Let me ask you all a question first: After you graduate from the Imperial Academy, who among you would like to take up a post in Kuaiji Commandery? Or Luling Commandery? Or Zhang'an Commandery?"

"If any of you are willing to go to these places, please raise your hand. If you are not willing to go, please do so in a sincere manner. Thank you all."

After Du Yu said this, the previously lively Jixian Hall immediately fell silent. Public opinion can be devastating; if someone doesn't want to go, they don't want to go, and there's nothing wrong with that. But if they try to gain fame in front of everyone now, and are later exposed, they'll be ridiculed for a lifetime.

Du Yu waited a few moments before slowly saying, “I am from Jingzhao, while the Marquis Jia and Marquis Wei who just took the stage are from Hedong… As far as I know, none of the classmates gathered here today are from Jiangnan. For us northerners, the Yangtze River stands like an insurmountable barrier, and Jiangnan is a land of miasma and disease; it is perfectly normal that we are unwilling to go.” “But for the Great Wei, we Imperial Academy students are already among the most broad-minded and enlightened. If we are unwilling to go to Yangzhou and Jiangzhou, these southern prefectures, then what about ordinary people? Aren’t they even more afraid of the south and even more reluctant to leave their homeland?”

Cao Rui then looked down at the students below the stage, where many were already deep in thought.

Du Yu then said, “That place is also a county of the Great Wei, and also the territory of the Great Wei. There are few Han people and many Yue people in the mountains. In order to ensure long-term peace and stability there, it is imperative to assimilate the Yue people in the mountains, just as the Qiang people have assimilated.”

"Grain needs to be grown by people, ironware needs to be forged by people, and cities need to be defended by people. People create territory, while people create wasteland."

"Therefore, I believe that the imperial court should assimilate the Yue people of the mountains and rivers to populate the cities and prefectures, so as to ensure the long-term stability and peace of the southern prefectures and counties!"

"Thank you all, classmates. I'll stop here for now."

After saying this, Du Yu bowed to the audience and then jogged down the stage.

Only after hearing Du Yu's words did Cao Rui's face show a slight smile.

With just a glance, Jiang Ji had already guessed eight or nine parts of the emperor's intentions. He figured he'd be busy once he returned to Yangzhou…

Cao Rui turned his face to the side and gestured towards Zheng Cheng with his lips. Zheng Cheng immediately understood, stood up, and walked towards the stage.

"Greetings, Master Zheng." The students kneeling on the cushions in the hall bowed to Zheng Cheng upon his arrival.

Zheng Cheng walked to the podium, faced the crowd, and slowly said: "Gentlemen, today the Imperial Academy is discussing the matter of the Yue people. The students have spoken enthusiastically and have their own thoughts. The Imperial Academy encourages all students to think carefully and act broadly."

"However, I have an important announcement to make to you all."

"Today, His Majesty the Emperor has moved from the Northern Palace to the Imperial Academy to discuss matters with the students and scholars. Gentlemen, please pay your respects together."

As Zheng Cheng spoke, Cao Rui also stood up and walked towards the podium. At that moment, the scholars below, hearing of the emperor's arrival, all looked on with fervent eyes and, following Zheng Cheng's command, bowed in unison.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects!"

Cao Rui stood on the podium, his demeanor elegant and his bearing serene, and spoke slowly and calmly:
"All students, please rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" came another chorus of voices.

Cao Rui glanced down at the audience and said, “Just now, I came here from the North Palace with the two Attendants Wang and Cui, as well as Governor Jiang of Yangzhou. We have listened to the speeches and discussions of seven scholars. Each of them has their own insights and strengths, which I greatly appreciate.”

"I am aware that the discussion about the Shanyue people was sparked by a memorial from Xiahou Taichu, the Prefect of Danyang, in Luoyang. Whether the Shanyue people should be treated as citizens of the Great Wei is an academic question as well as an administrative one for the court."

"In the second year of the Taihe reign, I personally led an expedition to Guanzhong, and the court has since assimilated the Qiang people. In the fourth year of the Taihe reign, I made a northern tour to You and Bing and personally led an expedition to Liaodong, and the Wuhuan, Xianbei, Xiongnu and the Yingzhou vassal state have since submitted. Whether it is the Shanyue, or other Hu, Man and Yi peoples, it all boils down to one issue."

"What is Chinese, and what is barbarian?"

"Just now, I heard the words of the scholar Du Yu, who spoke of the people of the southern prefectures and counties and the Yue people. Since the founding of the Great Wei, the people of the Great Wei have continued to refer to themselves as Han people, and the court has not changed this. Du Yu, let me ask you, do you think that the Han people and the barbarians are clearly distinct and unchanging?"

Du Yu stood up and bowed: "Your Majesty, I am not very aware of the matter. But I suspect that there are still those who, like the one who traveled from Hanzhong to the Hu, entered the region from Han territory."

Cao Rui nodded and pointed in the direction of Wang Xiong: "Today, Attendant-in-Ordinary Wang Yuanbo has come with me. Wang Yuanbo once served as the Governor of Youzhou and the Governor of Liangzhou, and he knows a great deal about the affairs of the Great Wei border."

"Please let Attendant Wang speak."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Wang Xiong walked to the foot of the platform, bowed respectfully to Cao Rui, and then turned to the students, saying loudly, "Fellow students, I once served in You and Liang provinces. During the chaos at the end of the Han Dynasty, many Han people in Liang province fled back to Yong and Henan provinces. Some Han people were also forced by the war to go among the Hu tribes to herd livestock for a living. There were also many such cases in You province. In the four hundred years between the Former Han and the Later Han dynasties, it happened frequently for Han people to go among the Hu tribes to herd livestock. Although it was not common for Hu people to go among the Han people to cultivate the land, it did happen."

"The relationship between the Han people and the barbarians is not static; they can transform into one another."

After saying this, Wang Xiong bowed to Cao Rui.

Cao Rui nodded and continued, "What Attendant Wang said earlier is correct. The Han people and the barbarians are not static. In the fourth year of Taihe, when I was in Jieshi examining the learning of the generals, there was a Xiongnu general named Liu Bao who could recite Emperor Wu's poems. He had a strong accent from Taiyuan, Bingzhou, and even invited a member of the Wang family from Taiyuan to be his teacher."

"What I want to say to all of you students is this: when barbarians enter China, we become Chinese; when Chinese enter barbarians, we become barbarians!" (End of Chapter)