Chapter 106: The Stances of All Parties

Following the debate at Sui Pavilion, Shen Chen’s reputation gradually spread across the countryside and throughout Jing Province.

In the counties, towns, and postal stations surrounding Xiangyang, it became known that in Longzhong Township’s Sui Pavilion, there lived a twelve-year-old boy of impeccable character and profound learning. He had even led troops in battle, defeating Cao Cao, which earned him fame across the province.

However, this was currently the extent of his renown; becoming a celebrated scholar or master overnight was impossible. This depended not only on talent and age but also on the promotion of the noble clans. At that time, for a reputation to spread, relying solely on rural word-of-mouth was insufficient; it required the appreciation of the elite and the backing of the great families.

Shen Chen enjoyed rural prestige, and with Liu Biao standing behind him, there were no issues with the rural or upper-echelon support. Yet, the intermediate noble families were all intent on defecting to the court in Xudu, and the many scholars and masters who had traveled south to avoid disaster were also loyal to the Emperor. In their eyes, Cao Cao was currently "restoring the Han Dynasty," and since Shen Chen opposed him, he was hindering the revival of the Han. Thus, it was clearly impossible for them to help elevate his name.

Consequently, although Shen Chen was well-regarded, his fame struggled to spread widely and failed to gain the recognition of the noble clans and prominent scholars, remaining confined to the countryside. Even so, achieving such a feat at the age of twelve was remarkable. While Kong Rong was praised in his childhood merely for yielding pears, Shen Chen was already accomplishing things that many adults could not, drawing the attention of the world.

After Deng Hong and Liu Xian returned that day, they reported the situation to Liu Biao.

Liu Biao had long harbored ambitions of independence and held little affection for those scholars or lower-to-middle-tier families in Jing Province who urged him to submit. Upon hearing that Shen Chen had thwarted their attacks, he was greatly pleased and remarked, "A-Chen is indeed exceptionally bright; he has not disappointed me."

Deng Hong quickly added, "A-Chen says this is entirely due to his frequent consultations with you, My Lord. As the ancients say, one must distinguish right from wrong and eliminate evil to support the righteous. It was you who taught him the subtle principles, allowing him to understand that Cao Cao is merely a thief who stole the state, while you are the one truly working to restore the Han. That is why he attacked him with such indignation."

"Good."

Liu Biao nodded slightly, looked around at his attendants, and said, "Though A-Chen is young, he is already the leader among the scholars of the South. In a few years, I shall summon him to serve in office."

Deng Hong replied, "Thank you, My Lord. A-Chen has long wished to serve you."

"Very well, you may go." Liu Biao waved his hand, signaling their dismissal.

After they departed, Liu Biao narrowed his eyes and fell into deep thought. His current intentions of self-reliance were known to few, aside from his inner circle and the most astute observers. It would not be until two years later, when his intentions were fully exposed to the world, that the truth would be known. It was only after he quelled the rebellion of Zhang Xian, the Administrator of Changsha, annexed his troops, commanded over a hundred thousand soldiers, and reached into Jiaozhou that people began to realize his true nature. By then, he ceased sending tributes to the court, engaged in acts that overstepped his authority, and performed imperial sacrifices—adopting the rituals of a monarch. By that time, his ambitions were known to all; he was essentially an emperor in all but name.

But for now, there were too many in Jing Province loyal to the Han, and he dared not reveal his true thoughts. Thus, he could only offer implicit support to Shen Chen. Still, knowing that Shen Chen was a brilliant talent who forcefully opposed Cao Cao, Liu Biao resolved to make good use of him when the time was ripe.

The sweet dream of claiming the throne. Liu Biao grew slightly distracted, watching the blue smoke rise from the incense burner before him, his gaze momentarily unfocused.

...

Yi County was located on the southwest bank of the Han River, about 120 *li* from Xiangyang, ten *li* north of what would later become Yicheng. At the time, it was an extremely prosperous city, with Zhonglu County to its north and Yicheng County thirty *li* to the south. Due to the turmoil in the north, a large number of noble families had moved south, making Xiangyang incredibly flourishing. Countless scholars, masters, noble clans, and powerful families poured in, and the number of eminent figures living in the surrounding area was countless.

The major southern clans also resided mostly south of Xiangyang. From the city of Xiangyang down to Yicheng, a stretch of over a hundred *li*, the route was lined with dense bamboo groves and flowing rivers. Looking out from the Han River, one could see ornate estates standing tall, with fortified towers and mansions connecting in an endless expanse. There were roads paved with bluestone, boundless fields, carriages with vermilion roofs, and luxurious canopies stretching into the distance. It was a region of countless wealthy merchants and powerful clans, with carriages constantly coming and going, all set against the backdrop of the lush and beautiful Mount Tai.

The locals called this area "The Land of Caps and Carriages," not only for its prosperity but because dozens of families whose ancestors had served as officials with a salary of two thousand *dan* had settled there. Among the eight great clans of Jing Province—Pang, Huang, Cai, Kuai, Ma, Xi, Yang, and Xiang—several had their ancestral homes here. In addition, smaller clans such as those of Liao Hua, Yin Guan, and Zhang Ti also resided in the area. In a sense, the hundred *li* stretch from Yicheng through Zhonglu to Xiangyang was home to the powerful families capable of influencing the entire political situation of Jing Province.

These top-tier clans generally remained neutral in politics. They chose the middle path, neither supporting Liu Biao’s independence nor his submission to the court. It was not that they lacked a stance or a desire to return to the court, but they understood Liu Biao’s disposition all too well. As members of the Jing Province elite, they knew of his desire to carve out an independent domain. If these powerful clans were to openly support Cao Cao and demand that Liu Biao submit while under his rule, he would not hesitate to draw his blade and ensure that Jing Province had a few fewer noble families.

Therefore, even as Shen Chen rose to fame for his anti-Cao stance, the major elite clans remained quiet. Even Cai Mao and Kuai Yue, who were devoted to Cao Cao, made no moves; they did not dare to be too obvious in front of Liu Biao, even going so far as to praise Shen Chen in recent days as a young prodigy in Liu Biao's domain.

However, the smaller clans and the scholars who had fled from the north were not so restrained. According to historical records, Liu Biao’s secret alliance with Yuan Shao triggered waves of opposition from lower-level officials and prominent scholars, leading many to resign and criticize him. Among them was the great scholar Wang Jun.

When Liu Biao first secretly allied with Yuan Shao, Wang Jun was the first to submit a memorial in opposition, stating, "Lord Cao is a hero of the world, capable of achieving hegemony and continuing the legacy of Duke Huan and Duke Wen. Why abandon the near to seek the far? Should a sudden crisis arise, looking to the distant north for salvation is surely difficult."

His meaning was clear: Cao Cao was an ambitious leader capable of greatness; since he was nearby, why bypass him to ally with Yuan Shao instead of submitting to the court? This revealed his stance. More importantly, Wang Jun was actually a friend of Cao Cao. Years ago, when the birth mother of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu died and was buried in Runan, over thirty thousand people attended the funeral, including both Cao Cao and Wang Jun. During the ceremony, Cao Cao told Wang Jun that the world would soon descend into chaos, and the two primary instigators would be Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu. He suggested that if one wished to save the world and plead for the people, one should kill these two men first to quell the chaos. Wang Jun replied that if that was the case, the one to save the world would be none other than Cao Cao himself. The two had then exchanged a smile.

It was evident that Wang Jun greatly admired Cao Cao and believed him to have the talent to save the world. Thus, upon hearing that Shen Chen had soundly defeated Cao Cao, Wang Jun—a supporter of Cao Cao—was naturally displeased. Learning of Shen Chen’s plan to open an academy to educate others, and fearing he would propagate anti-Cao sentiment, Wang Jun sent his disciples, Hu Shang and Wen Xia, to disrupt the proceedings. To his dismay, the two students lacked the courage to even engage in the debate, causing him a great loss of face.

At Wang Jun’s residence in Yi County, the sixty-year-old scholar furrowed his brow after hearing his students' report. History would show that two years later, he would move to Wuling and eventually die there, largely because Liu Biao’s performance during the Battle of Guandu disappointed him. Sensing Liu Biao’s desire for independence, he had moved south to Changsha to serve the loyal Administrator Zhang Xian.

Now, these men detested the anti-Cao voices in Jing Province. They could not sway Liu Biao, so they sought to suppress Shen Chen, yet they had not expected to be unable to best even a twelve-year-old child. However, according to his students, Shen Chen did indeed possess some level of skill, as his understanding of the classics and historical allusions was profound and impressive.

"You may leave now," Wang Jun said, waving his hand. After Hu Shang and Wen Xia exited, the hall remained occupied by other scholars, including Ying Rong, Wei Xi, Li Yan, and He Qia.

They shared the same stance as Wang Jun: they supported whatever authority held Emperor Liu Xie. They only remained in Jing Province to avoid the chaos of the north, but their hearts remained with the court. Now that Cao Cao showed the resolve to restore the Han, and seeing him welcome the Emperor and suppress rebels, they could not tolerate opposition to Cao Cao in Jing Province.

After the students left, Wang Jun looked around and asked, "What does everyone think?"

Ying Rong gave a bitter smile. "The boy is indeed capable. Not only did he defeat Cao Cao’s forces, but his grasp of the classics is also excellent. It is no wonder Song Zhong said his understanding had surpassed his own; it seems Song Zhong left the Xian Mountain Academy precisely because he could not win an argument against him."

"Indeed," Wei Xi sighed. "To have such talent at only twelve—what will he become when he grows up? It is a pity. Cao Cao was foolish to massacre Xuzhou and kill Shen Chen’s family, creating such deep enmity. If not for that, he could have served the court; he truly has the talent to save the world."

Wang Jun shook his head. "This is not the time for such talk. The fact that Cao Cao and Shen Chen are bitter enemies is a reality. By opposing Cao Cao under the banner of revenge, Shen Chen is opposing the court. This cannot be tolerated. Do you truly wish to see our great Han torn asunder?"

"The boy is not the issue; I fear Liu Biao..." He Qia mused. "Liu Biao is a muddled ruler. Judging by his words and actions, I fear he intends to carve out his own territory. In the future, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao will inevitably clash, and I fear he will try to profit from it. If that happens, we will have to move further south to Wuling."

Li Yan sighed. "Liu Biao is secretly allying with Yuan Shao—is that not obvious? If he truly cared for the court, he should have brought troops to defend the Emperor when he was in distress. I fear Shen Chen is being directed by him."

The others sighed in succession. In reality, unlike most noble families who prioritized clan interests and sought to serve in Xudu, there were still many great scholars loyal to the Han. They did not seek fame or fortune, but merely a stable empire and the reunification of the Han. Kong Rong was the prime example; when Liu Xie returned to the Kanto region, a single decree summoned Kong Rong to Xudu. Initially, he admired Cao Cao, believing him to be a Huo Guang capable of reviving the Han. But after closer contact, he realized something was wrong, and his attitude changed drastically. The turning point was the incident of the "Belt Decree"; before that, Kong Rong’s attitude toward Cao Cao had been friendly. After the decree, he realized Cao Cao was not a Huo Guang, but a Wang Mang, and began to mock him until he was eventually executed by Cao Cao on the eve of the Battle of Chibi.

Thus, before the Belt Decree, the scholars of the world held Cao Cao in high regard, and the major families of Jing Province supported him. Strictly speaking, Wang Jun and his peers held no personal grudge against Shen Chen; they were simply on different sides of an issue. Once the Belt Decree occurred, their attitudes would likely change. But it was currently 197 AD, two years before that event. These scholars, loyal to the Han, did not yet know Cao Cao’s true face, and their concern over Liu Biao’s attitude and Shen Chen’s actions was understandable.

Wei Xi mused, "Liu Biao likely intends to carve out the South to establish his own domain. We should move further south to take refuge as soon as possible. As for Shen Chen... we can ignore him for now."

"How can we ignore him?" Wang Jun said, displeased. "Jing Province is currently under Liu Biao’s influence, and no family dares to defy him. Only we can argue on grounds of principle. If we allow a youth like Shen Chen to spread defiance against the court's will, supported by Liu Biao, will Jing Province not become a land of rebels?"

He Qia frowned. "The boy claims he has never defied the court, only that Cao Cao is not a true official, and he acts in the name of familial revenge. Even if we go to argue with him, I fear we cannot persuade him."

Wang Jun, having a close friendship with Cao Cao, would not allow Shen Chen to slander him. He stated without hesitation, "No matter. I do not believe that so many scholars expert in the classics cannot out-argue a boy of ten-odd years. Since he claims Cao Cao is not a true official, yet Cao Cao is serving the Emperor and fulfilling his duty, I shall argue with him on exactly why he believes otherwise."

"Are you going yourself, Master Ziwen?" Li Yan asked.

"Naturally," Wang Jun nodded. "How can the words of a child bewitch the world?"

Li Yan shook his head. "It is not advisable. Our students have already lost to him. If we go now, people will say we are using our age to intimidate the young. Besides, he has a personal grudge against Cao Cao and insists he is not defying the Emperor, only avenging his kin. We cannot pin him down on that."

Although Wang Jun was prepared to step in after his students failed, Li Yan felt it was inappropriate because Shen Chen’s logic was sound. He did not attack Cao Cao’s character or claim he was not welcoming the Emperor; he simply told everyone that Cao Cao had marched south to attack Zhang Xiu without an imperial decree or the symbols of authority. Since he lacked the decree, Shen Chen was not attacking the Emperor’s army, but fighting a warlord. In the late Han, warlords attacking each other was common. Since Shen Chen had a personal vendetta, his resistance was justified. Once the veneer of "imperial duty" was stripped from Cao Cao, they had no grounds to attack Shen Chen.

Hearing this, Wang Jun furrowed his brow, for Li Yan spoke the truth. Yet, allowing Shen Chen to continue promoting his anti-Cao stance was detrimental. "Are we to just sit by and watch him open an academy and spread such rebellious thoughts?"

Wei Xi thought for a moment and said, "Not necessarily. I think we should wait and observe. The more he speaks, the more likely he is to reveal a flaw. If he eventually says something treasonous, we will have proof, and it will be easy to refute him. Even if Liu Biao tries to protect him then, it will be difficult."

"You mean the strategy of waiting for the enemy to overreach?" Wang Jun pondered.

"Exactly," Wei Xi nodded. "We shall temporarily avoid a direct clash. When he becomes arrogant, we will strike."

"Good." "I agree." "I support Master Ziya’s plan."

The other scholars concurred. Wang Jun mused, "Very well. Ziya’s words are sensible. We shall observe for now and plan for the future."

This set the tone. It was not that they would stop troubling Shen Chen, but since he had Liu Biao’s support and a defensible argument, he was hard to defeat. But that might change. If Cao Cao eventually restored the Han, or if Shen Chen made a treasonous slip, they would have the upper hand. Thus, they decided to watch the direction of the wind before deciding whether to personally confront him.

...

While these scholars loyal to the Han were plotting to eventually clash with Shen Chen, in Xiangyang, at the Nanjun Administrator's office, Kuai Yue had returned. He had not come for Shen Chen, but to report other matters to Liu Biao.

As the Administrator of Zhangling—located in the area of modern-day Suizhou, with Pingchun County to the northeast—he knew that small paths through the Dabie Mountains made it easier for small groups to travel from Zhangling to Runan. He had recently learned that after Yuan Shu declared himself emperor, he had occupied Chen and Liang. This was very close to Yingchuan, and Kuai Yue believed a major war between Cao Cao and Yuan Shu was imminent. He rushed to Xiangyang to report this. Liu Biao showed little reaction, and though Kuai Yue urged him to send troops to help Cao Cao to gain support for the sake of imperial righteousness, Liu Biao refused.

Disappointed, Kuai Yue sought out Cai Mao. In the Administrator's office, they sat in a side chamber, away from the main hall. Unlike the typical image of a martial general, Cai Mao was actually a scholar. He wore wide robes, sitting in the seat of honor while Kuai Yue sat beside him.

"Yuan Shu has moved north to occupy Chen and Liang, clearly intending to attack Yingchuan. He has declared himself emperor—a treacherous rebel—yet his strength cannot be underestimated. I fear Cao Cao cannot withstand him. I wanted to urge the Lord to send troops to help, but he would not listen," Kuai Yue sighed. He, too, was loyal to the Han, though he certainly cared for his clan’s interests—otherwise, his relatives Kuai Jun and Kuai Qi would not have gone on to hold high office under the Cao Wei regime.

Cai Mao, conversely, did not necessarily act solely for clan interests, as he did not become a high official in Cao Wei. After Cao Cao took Jing Province, Cai Mao lived in seclusion on Cai Island. Unlike Kuai Yue, who became a high minister, Cai Mao only received a minor title and a nominal post. Furthermore, he and Cao Cao were old friends; Cao Cao had once visited his home, entered his private chambers, and called for his wife, acting as if he were in his own home. Thus, his support for Cao Cao was likely due to the fact that Cao Cao held the Emperor’s mandate and was an old friend.

Cai Mao mused, "The Lord only wishes to sit securely in the South; he will not want to meddle in the affairs of the Kanto region."

"De Gui," Kuai Yue said, "do you truly wish to see the Lord continue on this path?"

Cai Mao gave a bitter smile. "I have no choice. The Lord has his own mind. When Cao Cao marched against Zhang Xiu this year, did he not send troops?"

"Sigh..." Kuai Yue shook his head. "The Emperor is in Xudu, yet the Lord... Yuan Shu has over a hundred thousand wolves and tigers. Cao Cao suffered losses in Nanyang this year; I fear he cannot hold out."

Cai Mao replied, "We can only hope Mengde can survive this crisis on his own. It is impossible to persuade the Lord to send troops."

"A pity." Kuai Yue shook his head, then suddenly frowned. "By the way, De Gui, I have heard that this Shen Chen has gained quite a reputation in Xiangyang."

Cai Mao smiled. "Even in Zhangling, you hear of him?"

Kuai Yue said, "The boy killed Cao Ren and the general Le Jin, causing Cao Cao heavy losses. He is truly a troublesome youth."

Cai Mao replied, "Just a youth. He is actually the grandson-in-law of my niece. He has a blood feud with Mengde and has been advocating resistance against the court. Many scholars in Xiangyang who are loyal to the Emperor have debated him. I sent people too, but the results were unsatisfactory."

"So we just let him continue to bewitch the world?" Kuai Yue frowned.

Cai Mao shook his head. "We cannot suppress him. The Lord has already sent people; we cannot be seen telling him to submit to the court in front of the Lord."

"I understand that, of course." Kuai Yue frowned even deeper. "But the Lord already has intentions of independence. This person is constantly opposing the court; is he not encouraging the Lord to break away? What if in the future..."

Cai Mao’s brow furrowed as he asked, "What do you mean?"

Kuai Yue stroked his chin. "Let me think. Let me think."

"You wouldn't be thinking of..." Cai Mao gestured with his hand. These great clans often acted simply and brutally. To those with differing opinions, they simply "dealt with them." Take Liu Bei, for instance—if he hadn't fled quickly, he would have been harmed by them.

Kuai Yue suddenly chuckled. "Forget it. A mere youth cannot stir up much trouble. Besides, he has ties to your family. Let’s just wait and see."

"Hmm." Cai Mao nodded. If he were to kill the boy, he would have a hard time explaining it to his own brother.

The two chatted about other things. Regarding Shen Chen, for them, it was merely a trivial matter.