The Great Power Race (2)
Liu Yu, the Inspector of You Province, was quite pleased with the peaceful state of his domain. Although an unidentified supply of salt continued to pour out from the Liaodong region, the volume was far too great to be explained by mere smuggling of state salt. It was obvious that unauthorized salt fields had been opened. The salt was somewhat mixed with dirt, giving it a cloudy color, and without proper processing to remove the bitter brine, it had a harsh, unpleasant taste. Even so, its price—at less than half that of the government monopoly salt—was enough to open people’s wallets.
In this era, salt was literally an essential for survival. Without refrigerators, long-term food preservation required either salting or drying, and often both. Naturally, demand for salt was several times higher than in modern times, and since the only method available was mining rock salt, crushing it, and selling it, the price could not help but be high. From the perspective of this age, the idea of extracting unlimited salt from seawater was nothing short of absurd.
Thanks to that, Gongsun Zan and the Administrator of Liaodong were raking in money as if they were minting it themselves, yet the people of You Province could obtain salt at a much cheaper rate. Liu Yu, a senior member of the imperial family who embodied both benevolent governance and universal love, could find no reason to reprimand the Administrator of Liaodong. If the man had been profiteering through salt smuggling, that would have been a problem, but since he was releasing it at half price, a bizarre phenomenon had even emerged where licensed salt merchants were buying the cheap salt and reselling it in Luoyang.
That was why, even when he heard rumors that imperial inspectors and censors in Luoyang were disappearing, Liu Yu simply let it pass with a shrug. As a loyal subject, he could not simply overlook such matters, but for the sake of the common people, he would overlook them a hundred or even a thousand times. After all, as an imperial relative, ensuring the Han people lived well was also his duty.
“Dong Zhuo… Dong Zhuo, you say… What is the general opinion of him?”
“Yes, sir. He is brutal and skilled in violence, enjoys plunder and rape… In short, a typical man from Xiliang.”
Indeed. Even as empty flattery, no one could call Dong Zhuo a good man. Even Gongsun Zan only pretended to be friendly by calling him an ‘interesting warlord’; he did not associate with him out of any genuine appreciation for his character.
“Then he and Colonel Gongsun must be polar opposites?”
It had already been over a month since Gongsun Zan had relinquished his post as Colonel of the Left, but it would not do to address a man of his stature as a mere low-ranking general. Thus, he was still referred to as Colonel. And from what Liu Yu had personally observed, Gongsun Zan’s temperament and military methods were based on a thorough policy of settling the people rather than plundering them. He could only be the complete opposite of the Xiliang army, which lived by looting.
Or so he thought.
“Inspector! A messenger reports that General Dong and Colonel Gongsun will arrive at the You Province Inspector’s office sometime tomorrow!”
Of course he didn’t execute him on the spot… His methods may be ruthless, but the Colonel is a man who understands the principles of Mozi. It was only to be expected.
Liu Yu took a sip from the teacup in his hand. The dandelion tea sent as a gift from Liaodong had a refreshing aroma.
---
We had returned to You Province. The new Inspector of You Province was… well… how should I put it? He had the temperament of a neighborhood headman from a 21st-century Korean village. To explain it more plainly, he was simply a kind-hearted old man.
Perhaps because he was an imperial relative, he was an elf, just like Liu Bei. They say all imperial relatives are elves… Then where are the dwarves and orcs? Scandinavia? Ah, wait—didn’t Tolkien create the orcs? I’m not sure.
Anyway, the elder of You Province was a senior figure within the imperial family. He had never known hunger in his life, and as a result, rather than developing a tenacious spirit, he seemed to carry the deep-seated belief that if there was no bread, one could simply eat cake. Not that he was quite at that level. He was simply a good uncle who liked seeing the people with full bellies.
Sometimes I wondered if his sense of benevolence extended beyond the Han people to something close to cosmopolitanism that included the Xianbei, Di, and Xiongnu tribes, but thanks to his character, he also served as a sort of great mother figure to the northern nomadic peoples. I didn’t misspeak. He was an old man well advanced in years, yet they called him “great mother” rather than “great father.” Just how good-natured must a person be for those horse-riding warriors to come running, crying “Teng Mama~”?
In any case, he was a fascinating old man.
“Colonel Gongsun, it has been a long time. I enjoy the dandelion tea you gifted me every single day.”
“I’m glad you like it. After planting some, I tried brewing it and immediately thought of you, Inspector. I brought a little more this time.”
“Hahaha… Thank you. And General Dong, have you said all you wished to say to Colonel Gongsun?”
“Of course, my lord. I had been puzzled by the continued disappearance of the inspectors I sent toward Liaodong, but it seems they were punished for speaking nonsense to the northern nomads.”
“Though they are fellow men of Han, their brutality went too far and brought this upon themselves. A truly regrettable reality.”
“Haha… Now that my questions have been answered, once I recover from the journey, I will return straight to Luoyang.”
“Would you not rest here a few more days?”
“Ah, no, that won’t be necessary. The atmosphere in Luoyang these days is rather ominous. This Dong Zhongying cannot claim with a straight face to be one of the Han’s greatest loyal subjects, but I can at least say that I am better than those castrated dogs known as the Ten Eunuchs.”
“The Ten Eunuchs… That’s right. They are still there.”
“I have heard that Prince of Bohai Liu Xie will soon return here to Bohai to carry out his royal duties.”
“Indeed. Once he grows into his role as Prince of Bohai, he will succeed me as Inspector of You Province… No, as Governor of You Province.”
“This Dong Zhongying—no, this Dong Zhuo—dares to make a request. Please protect His Highness the Prince of Bohai.”
“Hmm?”
“As you must have already heard, Jian Shi was poisoned. It was a slow-acting toxin.”
That Dong Zhuo… Had he smeared grease on his tongue today? He was talking more than usual. I had already heard what he wanted, and since that path did not conflict with the one I desired, I decided to simply watch for now.
I exchanged glances with one of Inspector Liu Yu’s attendants, then spent the rest of the conversation staring at the wall decorations to pass the time.
“Wei?”
“…Colonel?”
“Ah, uh… Yes?”
“Colonel Gongsun, I made you wait for nothing. My apologies.”
“Not at all, Inspector.”
“You were counting the wallpaper to kill time, weren’t you?”
“Ahem… I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I know that’s just how you are. Then I suppose you didn’t hear General Dong’s story either?”
“I apologize.”
“Haha, I already said it was fine… His Highness the Prince of Bohai will soon return to his fief. Since Bohai is still an empty land, I would like you to protect him in Liaodong until he comes of age.”
“Me, sir?”
“Yes. For all its merits, this land of You Province is too close to the Central Plains. I will do my best to hold the line, but there is always the possibility of the unthinkable.”
“How can you speak such ominous words?”
“You noticed as well, which is why you built those flower fortresses in the Bohai region. They would serve well as relay stations, but… no matter how great a chaos erupts in the Central Plains, those flower fortresses could never be breached.”
Flower fortresses. People of this era believed stars were round, so they perceived star-shaped fortresses as flower-shaped instead. Along with the story of the dandelion fields, I had a feeling some strange—no, rather cute—rumors were circulating, but I couldn’t be sure. It didn’t matter. I like cute things. I really do.
“It is an excessive honor.”
“His Highness the Prince of Zhenliu is about the same age as your adopted daughter. They could become good friends. From the beginning, he has been raised more as a child of that age than as a prince, so that would likely make him happier.”
Damn it… If I refuse after he’s put it like that, I’ll be the one who looks like a bastard.
“…I will obey your command.”
“Thank you. And if anything should happen to me… No, never mind. That won’t happen. General Dong, I leave Luoyang in your hands.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The Inspector took another sip of tea. His expression looked incredibly complicated.
---
After the two men left, Liu Yu walked over to the large map displayed in one corner of the You Province Inspector’s office.
Dong Zhongying cannot be trusted. If the Grand General were to strike down the Ten Eunuchs, that would be the correct path… but he cannot stab his own backers. In that case… Hmm…
He had no reliable cards to play. Many people loudly proclaimed their loyalty, but unless they were fools, no one would truly pledge allegiance to a Han Dynasty that was clearly collapsing. Even Gongsun Zan’s intention to break off Liaodong and establish his own kingdom if things grew too chaotic was plain to see, and Liu Yan of Yi Province had already half-seceded. If even an imperial relative like Liu Yan had reached that point, the unity of the Han’s Thirteen Provinces had weakened to the extreme. Liu Yu felt that the moment would come when he too would have to make a choice.
No—perhaps that moment was now.
“If the fortune of Han has been exhausted… then at the very least, we must choose the path that spills the least blood of the people. Jie Zhu, if anything happens to me… appoint Colonel Gongsun as the next Inspector.”
“I-Inspector! How can you speak such dreadful words…!”
“I am already sixty years old. Protecting the Prince of Bohai is the proper duty of an elder of the imperial family, but thinking of the future of You Province’s people is a mission I must fulfill as Inspector of You Province.”
“Did you not say that Colonel Gongsun’s methods are too cruel for him to be suited to the Inspector’s seat?”
“I did. And that thought has not changed.”
“Did he threaten you in some way?”
“No, not at all. He is not that kind of man. It is simply… Hoo…”
He tried to take another sip of tea, but the cup was already empty. Enduring the bitter taste in his mouth, Liu Yu rubbed his dry face with both hands.
“It seems this country is doomed to fall.”
“Inspector?!”
“In Dong Zhuo I see the shadow of Wang Mang. In Yuan Shao I see the visage of Qin Shi Huang. The new emperor never received a proper imperial education, and the Grand General is entangled in far too many strings. Yuan Shu… is nothing but a thug. No matter who wins, the age of chaos will not end. Since a nation built on the teachings of Confucius has fallen, would it not be acceptable to entrust the future to one who follows the teachings of Mozi?”
If it was Gongsun Zan, who followed the principles of Mozi, he would at least not attack the people to fill his own belly. He was utterly unsuited to be a mere Administrator, but perhaps a higher position would suit him. His cruelty might be innate, but human nature was something that could be sufficiently cultivated. At his age, Liu Yu believed the man could control himself well enough.
“…”
“Do not worry too much. My body is not ailing at the moment. I can easily endure another ten, even twenty years. This is merely a story for the most remote of possibilities.”
“…I… will obey.”