Chapter Twenty-Six: Withered Bones in the Tomb

Is there some connection between the Yuan and Deng families?

Shen Chen and Deng Hong exchanged glances, both clearly seeing confusion in each other’s eyes.

After all, the glory days of the Deng family were seventy years in the past; so much time had passed, how could they possibly know the history from back then?

So, after a moment’s hesitation, Deng Hong clasped his hands and said, “I am afraid I do not know. I beg the general to enlighten me.”

Yuan Shu sneered, “Years ago, my grand-uncle, Lord Shuping, refused to ally himself with the Deng clan, who were powerful in the court, and was dismissed from office. After returning home, he took his own life. Is that not a connection?”

“Uh…”

Grandfather and grandson looked at each other again, this time not with confusion but utter speechlessness.

Both could not help but suspect Yuan Shu was simply looking for trouble for its own sake.

The so-called Lord Shuping from Yuan Shu’s mouth was Yuan Chang, the second generation’s third of the ‘Three Excellencies’ in the Yuan family, who served as Minister of Works in the third year of the Yuanchu era.

The phrase ‘Four generations Three Excellencies’ does not mean there were three Excellencies in four generations, but that each generation had a member who was one of the Three Excellencies.

The first of Yuan’s Three Excellencies was Yuan An, Grand Tutor in the time of Emperor Ming, over a century ago.

The second was Yuan Chang, Minister of Works in the reign of Emperor An.

The third was Yuan Shu’s grandfather, Yuan Tang, Grand Commandant under Emperor Huan.

The fourth included Yuan Shu’s father Yuan Feng and uncle Yuan Kui, Minister of Works and Grand Tutor under Emperor Ling.

It might seem the span was only three generations, but in fact the time stretched greatly; Yuan Chang died in the fourth year of Yuanchu, 117 CE.

At that time, the Deng clan dominated the realm; Empress Dowager Deng ruled as regent, the Deng family’s influence was at its peak, and ordinary ministers and nobles could not withstand their power. It was no surprise that those who opposed them suffered.

Yet the Deng family was not known for villainy; Empress Dowager Deng and her kin had a good reputation. Even after being slandered by eunuchs and losing power, Emperor Shun later cleared their name.

Thus, the conflict between Yuan Chang and the Deng clan was not simply a tale of a righteous official oppressed by corrupt nobles; it was a struggle between political interest groups, and Yuan Chang simply lost.

Moreover, there was another issue.

Yuan Shu and Yuan Chang were not direct relatives; Yuan Chang was Yuan Shu’s great-grandfather’s brother, so Yuan Shu called him grand-uncle.

And what of Deng Hong?

He belonged to the Dengs of Xinye, not the Dengs of Luoyang, and his connection with Empress Dowager Deng was even more distant, perhaps stretching back to the founding ancestor Deng Yu in the early days of the Eastern Han.

For Yuan Shu to use this matter as a pretext to find fault with Deng Hong was as unreasonable as if, because Cao Cao’s father died at the hands of Tao Qian, and Tao Qian was governor of Xu Province, Cao Cao decided all the people of Xu Province were guilty and massacred them all.

Though such absurd things had happened, reason still had its place.

If one wanted to settle accounts, it should be with Empress Dowager Deng, Grand General Deng Zhi, or the Dengs of Luoyang.

Now, nearly a hundred years had passed, and he wanted to dredge up old grievances.

When Pangu split heaven and earth, his ancestor was still a single cell, bullied by other cells—why not seek vengeance from then?

“Hahahahaha!”

Seeing the two so speechless, Yuan Shu burst out laughing with satisfaction. “Gentlemen, do not be alarmed; I was merely jesting with you.”

Deng Hong smiled apologetically. “The Left General is truly witty.”

Shen Chen, meanwhile, understood that Yuan Shu had long harbored ambitions for the throne, and it was his earlier words about restoring the Han dynasty that had displeased him. He added, “The Left General is magnanimous, a true hero of Jiangzuo!”

Yuan Shu laughed. “Both you, sir, and your grandson are rare talents. I wish to appoint you as the Assistant Magistrate of Jiujiang Commandery; what do you say?”

“Many thanks, Left General.”

Deng Hong replied at once, “I am willing to follow the general and achieve merit together. However, my clan wishes to return to Nanyang to reunite with our ancestral roots. I hope the general will permit me to escort them back to Nanyang and then come to Huainan to serve under you.”

“Hm… is that so.” Yuan Shu pondered, then nodded. “Runan is now devastated, with countless bandits along the roads. Last month, the Zhuge clan of Langya also passed through Huainan, and I appointed Zhuge Xuan as Administrator of Yuzhang. If you wish to go to Jingzhou, you can travel by boat from Yuzhang and seek out Zhuge Xuan.”

This was exactly what Deng Hong had been waiting for; he was overjoyed. “Thank you, General.”

Leaving Yuan Shu, grandfather and grandson had secured what they wanted. They hurried back to the north of the city, using the tokens and documents given by Yuan Shu to prepare for their journey south to Yuzhang.

The reason they chose the longer route, not through Runan to Nanyang but by way of Yuzhang in a wide detour, was because Runan was far too dangerous.

From Xu Province southward, as soon as they entered Pei, they had already encountered several bands of small-time bandits.

And that was just in Pei.

Cao Cao had just massacred Xiapi, and the people and bandits around Pei were terrified; for scores of miles, there were hardly any people.

Yet even so, they still met danger; without the trained clan guards, the family might have been wiped out.

Runan was even worse. During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, a million rebels from Henan were scattered by Huangfu Song, and became bandits throughout the region—Funiu Mountains, Dabie Mountains, and the whole of Runan, infested with countless marauders.

In the first year of Jian’an, in the campaign against the Yellow Turbans of Runan and Yingchuan, the leaders He Yi, Liu Pi, Huang Shao, He Man, each commanded tens of thousands.

In the fifth year of Jian’an, Liu Bei, sent by Yuan Shao to Runan to link up with Liu Biao, found the Yellow Turban Liu Pi and Gong Du holding thousands of followers and entrenched there—evidence of Runan’s situation.

The histories only record He Yi, Liu Pi, Huang Shao, He Man, and Liu Pi, Gong Du as the larger bands, totaling over a hundred thousand troops.

But countless smaller bands of hundreds or thousands went unrecorded; Runan was nearly a den of thieves.

Huangmen Pavilion had only about a thousand people; subtracting the elderly, women, and children, the fighting guards numbered just over two hundred. Relying on them to force their way through was wishful thinking.

So, though the route through Yuzhang to Jingzhou was much longer, it was considerably safer than going through Runan.

Having obtained the tokens from Yuan Shu, Shen Chen rushed Deng Hong to return to the clan and prepare for departure.

On the way, Deng Hong wondered, “Ah Chen, Yuan Shu seemed a reasonable man; why did you urge me to deceive him, saying that after escorting the clan to Nanyang I would enter his service? What’s wrong with accepting an official post?”

Everyone wants to be an official. Before, there was no opportunity; now, suddenly, by virtue of descent from the Dengs, he had entered Yuan Shu’s hall and been promised an assistant magistrate’s post—Deng Hong was naturally tempted.

But Shen Chen shook his head. “Uncle, I advise you to abandon any thoughts of serving Yuan Shu. His heart is crooked; catastrophe will soon befall him.”

“Huh?”

Deng Hong was perplexed. “How did you see that?”

Shen Chen said seriously, “Uncle, think—why did Yuan Shu’s expression change instantly when I said, ‘With the Yuan family’s reputation, what worry is there in sweeping the realm and restoring the Han dynasty’?”

“What do you mean?”

“Last year, the court sent Grand Tutor Ma Rixi to Yuan Shu, granting him the title of Left General, bearer of the imperial staff, and Marquis of Yangzhai. But Uncle, where is the Grand Tutor now?”

“I heard about that—Yuan Shu detained him for over a year, and early this year, I heard he died of illness.”

“Yuan Shu dared detain a court envoy, a Grand Tutor and one of the Three Excellencies. That’s tantamount to rebellion.”

But in these times, there’s little to be said. Yuan Shu could claim he detained Ma Rixi for his own safety, to protect him on his journey.

The realm's warlords are all fighting, the Han is weak—a fact none dispute.

It’s a bit like the era of the Zhou king, when the realm was divided among regional powers.

Yet everyone maintains the appearance of loyalty, at least in words, to the Han emperor.

Like the early Spring and Autumn period—even the powerful state of Jin dared not claim kingship, styling themselves as ‘Duke’ instead.

It was the border states—Chu, Wu, Yue—that first proclaimed themselves kings, being far from the central plains and indifferent to the royal court.

Only when the prestige of the Zhou court sharply declined in the middle and late Spring and Autumn did central states like Wei, Qi, Qin follow suit and claim kingship.

This is the so-called legitimacy of authority.

People profess loyalty to the Han, but act as de facto rulers; in these times, it’s an unwritten rule.

But no matter what, an unwritten rule is still unwritten—you can’t make it public.

The Han has not yet fallen so low that anyone can claim the throne.

If Yuan Shu is the first to break this taboo, the consequences for him should be obvious.

Yet Shen Chen said, “Uncle, think—if a warlord has no rebellious intentions, what benefit is there in detaining an imperial envoy and one of the Three Excellencies?”

“That…”

Deng Hong had no answer.

On reflection, it was clear—there was no benefit for Yuan Shu.

Shen Chen continued, “If Yuan Shu wished to restore the Han, he should have sent the Grand Tutor home with honor, perhaps even escorted him with troops, not seized his credentials and locked him away until he died in anger. That is nothing but a challenge to imperial authority.”

“That… does make sense.”

Deng Hong agreed with Shen Chen; Yuan Shu’s actions were indeed a challenge to the emperor’s authority.

Shen Chen pressed, “And when I spoke of restoring the Han, Yuan Shu’s face changed instantly. His ambition for the throne is plain. If you serve him in future, the loss of life is trivial—the loss of reputation is grave.”

Deng Hong broke out in cold sweat. “Thank goodness you saw through his intentions, or I might have been tempted. But now, Yuan Shu is powerful in the south—even if he claims the throne, no one can stop him, can they?”

“Yuan Shu powerful?”

Shen Chen sneered, “He is but a skeleton in the grave—he will die by the roadside sooner or later.”