Teacher Golden Sun (2): The New Guest
"The Imperial Seal is the emperor's stamp."
Sima Hui fiddled with her fan, her face grave as she examined the letter I'd received from Sun Uk.
"It's the seal that proves the emperor's name is stamped on edicts when he issues them or appoints governors. How could something like that end up in the hands of a mere prefect like him?"
Sima Hui's anger was palpable. It was the first time I'd seen her this furious—Sima Yi too.
"Forging an edict and stamping it with the seal turns it into an imperial command. What if this Sun Jian fellow shows up in Jingzhou with a forged edict appointing him as Inspector of Jingzhou?"
"We'd have to obey. At least at first, since it's an imperial order."
"Exactly, Yi-ya. The court would send out couriers in a panic once they found out, but by then, everything would already be in ruins. Sigh... how vital the seal is..."
Sima Hui gripped her fan so tightly it seemed it might shatter.
"He ran off with the Imperial Seal...?"
"Yes. I don't know where to, but wouldn't he head to Yuan Shu? Leaving aside whether he's loyal to Yuan Shu or not, Yuan Shu's the one who'd covet it most."
"Yuan Gonglu. That man... well, it's not polite to judge by appearances, but."
Sima Hui let out heavy sighs.
"If the seal falls into his hands, he'll declare himself emperor, claiming heaven's mandate has chosen him."
"No way."
"Yi-ya, there's a man who found the seal and ran off with it. You can't just dismiss it as 'no way.'"
Sun Jian's theft of the seal made one thing crystal clear.
"Sun Jian wasn't acting for the Han court."
"If he cared about the Han, he'd have handed it to Yuan Shao right there. If he was worried about Yuan Shao, he'd have at least spoken up in front of the other lords. Running off alone with it means he has ulterior motives."
People in Jingzhou didn't look kindly on Sun Jian. Even if he'd been appointed prefect of Jiangxia, it was undeniable that he'd driven the previous Inspector of Jingzhou to his death.
"Should we head to Jiangxia, or to wherever Yuan Shu is?"
"If his ambitions are grand, Jiangxia. If family comes first, Yuan Shu. Yi-ya, let me ask you something."
Sima Yi straightened up.
"Suppose someone in Henei took your family hostage and threatened you. Would you choose heaven or family?"
"Are you saying Sun Jian's family is being held hostage by Yuan Shu...?"
"...Something like that."
I wanted to probe a bit deeper into Sima Yi's thoughts, but she seemed aware of Sima Hui watching or picked up on the intent behind my question and dodged it.
"You're sharp, Yi-ya. At this rate, I can't claim to be your teacher."
"Teacher, you're too kind."
Sima Hui smiled happily, but did she know? The beast lurking inside Sima Yi.
"You're sharp, Yi-ya."
"...Eek."
But right now, dealing with the mad tiger devouring Jingzhou took precedence over soothing the little beast I could pat on the head. If war engulfed all of Jingzhou, the disciples of Suyeon Academy would naturally have to return home.
"From Sun Jian's perspective, the best would be heading to his base in Jiangxia and safely extracting his family from under Yuan Shu."
"He left the alliance with the seal, so he's not the type to throw himself on someone else's mercy... He'll end up trying to solidify his own power."
Sima Hui kept repeating "Sun Jian" with sighs.
"Sigh. Sun Jian... I'm worried about the Sun clan. Afraid a bloodbath might sweep through Jingzhou."
"A bloodbath in Jingzhou...?"
"Yes, Yi. Even before you came down to Jingzhou, there was an incident. Sun Jian drove the Inspector to his death. Technically, he provided the cause rather than killing him outright, but he did bring blood to peaceful Jingzhou."
"Maybe the Jiangxia prefect position was given to calm him down and prevent more trouble. Teacher Sima Hui, this is just my hunch."
I pointed with the fan at a corner of the Jingzhou map on the table.
"Suppose Sun Jian abandons his family and heads to Jiangxia. He'll invade Jingzhou. Suppose he retrieves his family and goes under Yuan Shu. He'll invade Jingzhou."
"Same conclusion either way, Teacher."
"No matter where he goes, I can't shake the feeling he'll strike at Jingzhou."
"...Wol-yeong, why do you think that?"
Sima Hui asked with a serious face.
"I'm an educator, a scholar, a teacher—not a strategist or politician, let alone a schemer. I need your flexible thinking now."
"I'm just a country bumpkin. But let's think from the perspective of the man who ran off with the seal..."
I pointed to two spots on the map, both leading toward Jingzhou.
"Jingzhou's land is fertile compared to anywhere nearby, so whether he's Prefect Sun Jian of Jiangxia or Sun Jian under Yuan Shu, he'll try to seize it."
"Just because the land is fertile...?"
"Yi-ya, the mindset of a man who runs off with the seal is hard for kind-hearted you to grasp."
"......."
Sima Yi blushed and bowed her head. Since she'd kept her hand on her head for a while, I let it drop so she could focus quietly on the adults' conversation.
"Inspector Liu Biao of Jingzhou didn't join the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition, so his troops are intact, but they might fall short against veterans fresh from the battlefield."
"You're certain of war."
"Yes. Jingzhou's been too peaceful up till now—that'll be its downfall."
It wasn't as resource-rich as the Central Plains, but compared to the Central Plains ravaged by a year of fighting and massive casualties, it was relatively stable.
"Wol-yeong. When you first came here, you said you'd stay at least twenty years."
"Yes, I did."
"Do you think this warrants you leaving, or can you stay and resolve it?"
"......."
Sun Jian. A formidable figure. But Liu Biao still had power. Paradoxically, not joining the coalition left him with enough strength to face Sun Jian.
He did participate, though.
He hadn't made the list of eighteen lords, but he'd at least shown defiance against Dong Zhuo. It was just face-saving on par with others—he'd sent troops.
If it seemed Liu Biao would be helplessly crushed by Sun Jian, I'd have left without hesitation. But.
"I still have much to teach Sima Yi. If I leave now, she'll be disappointed, as will the other students at Suyeon Academy."
"I see."
Sima Hui rose from her seat.
"I'll head to Yangyang. You two guard the academy here."
"Teacher?"
"Liu Jing Sheng won't take kindly to Sun Jian either. Yuan Shu's forces are a major threat to him as Inspector, so he'll clash with Yuan Shu, and since Prefect Sun Jian of Jiangxia won't obey, he'll definitely clash there too. ...Fortunately, Liu Jing Sheng isn't a complete fool."
She voiced one reason I'd chosen to stay: Liu Biao's capabilities. He wasn't incompetent.
"I'll gather people and shape public opinion. If the Cai clan tells Liu Jing Sheng about Sun Jian's dangers, he won't ignore them."
"Since he wants to ally with the Cai clan. Thank you, Teacher."
"No need for thanks."
Sima Hui reached for her outer robe.
"Oh, right, Wol-yeong. The letter from Mun-yak had a second page."
"Pardon?"
"Seemed like you hadn't read it. Take a look."
I checked Sun Uk's letter that Sima Hui had left on the desk. As she said, it was two pages.
"...Whew, that was close."
I'd diligently answered the questions on the first page and sent it back by courier. Fortunately, the second page was a personal note from Mun-yak.
"...Teacher, did you read this?"
"You gave it to me. Heh heh."
"......Tch."
I'd have noticed normally, but the first page's shock made me miss the second.
Sun Jian, you bastard.
"Welcome the guest coming to Suyeon Academy properly. She's a court official, so I trust you'll handle her well."
"A guest?"
"Yes. Yi-ya."
My head was already starting to ache.
"Mun-yak's relative, apparently."
A bureaucrat from the capital. Ahh, my head already hurts.
* * *
"Hello... I heard about you from Mun-yak and came..."
"...Are you Gongdal by any chance?"
"Yes..."
Before me stood a woman resembling Sun Uk but shorter, though with an even more imposing presence from the Central Plains, accompanied by her bundles.
"Family name Xun, given name You, courtesy name Gongdal. Age..."
"......."
It hit me anew, but the women of this land were truly mysterious. Especially those capable enough to rise in office.
"...I nearly offended you thinking you were my age. Haha."
"......Yes."
She looked visibly fatigued, but I understood. Sun Uk's letter detailed how this high court official had ended up here.
Xun You. She'd defied Dong Zhuo and nearly been executed in prison. Without Wang Yun's assassination plot or Cao Cao's rising a day later, she'd have been dew on the execution ground. She was freed by the coalition's capture of Luoyang, but left without a place to go.
Xun You needs peace of mind.
"Welcome to Jingzhou. Rest easy here."
"......Please take care of me. Oh, and this..."
Xun You handed me a fairly heavy bundle.
"I heard you're doing good work teaching children. It's modest, but please use it to help."
"We're grateful."
I accepted what amounted to a donation for her stay.
Xun You, courtesy name Gongdal. She was thirteen years my senior, at 3-