Chapter Forty-Six: The First Year of Jian'an

After much further discussion with Zhou Lin, both parties reached an agreement. In addition to the porcelain and spirits business, Shen Chen also sold him a new technology—the paddle steamer.

Of course, a new shipbuilding technology isn’t something one would invest in just by seeing a model and a set of blueprints; there needed to be practical results. Thus, Shen Chen shared both the model and the manufacturing methods with Zhou Lin, who would conduct trials at the Ba Prefecture shipyard on the upper reaches of the Yangtze after returning to Bashu.

By the end of the Han dynasty, shipbuilding technology in the South was quite advanced: Jiangdong was the best, followed by Jingzhou, with Yizhou in third place. These three provinces were all traversed by the Yangtze and complex waterways, so people were accustomed to traveling by boat, which naturally fostered a thriving shipbuilding industry.

Afterward, Zhou Lin introduced Shen Chen to several prominent merchants from Xiangyang. But these matters were left to Deng Hong to handle. At only nine years old, it was inconvenient for Shen Chen to take charge of everything himself; it was better to let Deng Hong take the front stage for now.

By November, Deng Hong’s marriage to the Cai family was finally settled. Amid Deng Hong’s tearful reluctance, his elder brothers Deng Mao, Deng Kai, and others took charge for him, arranging a formal betrothal with the Cai clan of Xiangyang. The wedding was set for the twelfth month, at year’s end.

Although the Cai girl was only of average looks, her family background and character were both excellent. Deng Mao and Deng Kai, though pained for their youngest brother, had to harden their hearts and insist he marry the Cai daughter for the good of the clan.

Soon after, Deng Hong was promoted from Record Keeper to Assistant Officer for Merit, a position equivalent in rank to Deng Yi, Liu He, and Zhuge Xuan, making him a three-hundred-stone official.

Although only three hundred stones in salary, the position held special significance. As an Assistant Officer for Merit, he was a deputy official of the provincial government, responsible for keeping minutes of meetings and handling documents—qualified to sit in council with the likes of Kuai Liang, Deng Yi, Liu He, and Zhuge Xuan, meeting with Liu Biao every day.

In a sense, Deng Hong had soared in a single leap—from a provincial librarian to a provincial functionary overnight. This was, of course, thanks to the Cai family.

Due to her looks, the Cai girl was a difficult match: families of lower rank were beneath the Cai family’s standards, while those of similar or slightly lower standing found her unattractive. Much like how, in the end, the Zhuge family chose to marry into the Huang family—Zhuge’s background was not especially high, but still respectable enough to match.

The Dengs, though now in decline, were once illustrious and direct descendants of Deng Yu, with their great-grandfather still a Marquis. Thus, the two families could just about claim parity, forming a passable alliance.

The wedding was completed in early December. This was not Shen Chen’s first time attending a Han dynasty wedding, but it was by far the grandest.

The nuptial ceremony, originating from the Zhou era, was held at dusk, hence its name. At midday, a banquet was held at the Cai residence, attended by all the great families and dignitaries—over four hundred small tables were set.

Han dynasty banquets did not involve people crowding around large round tables; rather, each person sat at their own mat and table, requiring a vast space. The Cai family hosted the feast at the Grand Administrator’s mansion of Nan Commandery—an unprecedentedly grand affair.

After the midday banquet and a series of ceremonies, a procession of over a thousand people and carriages set out from the Cai home to the newly acquired Deng mansion in the city’s western quarter.

The house had been bought by pooling together the remaining proceeds from land sales by Deng’s brothers, a purchase made through gritted teeth. In the Han dynasty, real estate was not expensive; with vast land and sparse population, houses in ordinary county towns ranged from a few thousand to several hundred thousand coins, with only top-tier mansions exceeding a million. But Xiangyang was not a typical town, and with northern chaos driving refugees south into Jingzhou, property prices had multiplied. The finest mansions fetched over ten million coins—enough to fund a small army.

The Deng family could not afford the very best, so they settled for a splendid house of about three and a half mu. Even so, it cost over eight hundred thousand coins—enough to keep the brothers awake at night with worry.

Still, there was no choice. With Deng Hong now a provincial official and married to a daughter of the Cai family—a scion of an ancient house marrying into a contemporary power—appropriate accommodations were required.

The Eastern Han had ample land and spacious homes; later archaeological finds in Chongqing revealed Han dwellings of over three hundred square meters, with the better houses exceeding a thousand. Chang’an’s imperial palace covered nine thousand mu, Luoyang’s five thousand four hundred. Not only in the Han, but in the Tang as well, urban housing was not cramped—except during the Song dynasty. Bai Juyi, as a Palace Attendant, had a house of seventeen mu, a mansion among mansions. Guo Ziyi’s residence was over fifteen hectares, two hundred twenty-five mu—while an entire county seat in the Han was just three to four thousand mu.

Thus, in the Han and Tang, the size of one’s house was a clear marker of status and means. The Dengs could not bear to let the Cai bride live in an ordinary dwelling and lose face.

Even so, the Cai family was not entirely satisfied. The bride’s father had even offered to grant Deng Hong a mansion of twenty mu, but Deng Mao and his brothers politely declined—they were, after all, descendants of the Deng clan of Xinye, and still cared about appearances.

Fortunately, the Cai bride was virtuous and sensible. She did not resent her reduced circumstances, moving from a vast family estate to a mere two-thousand-square-meter residence. She brought only a few maids and servants—just over thirty in all—and moved in contentedly.

By the end of December, Deng Hong had gradually accepted his new wife. After all, who could resist a wealthy, gentle, and obedient wife, even if she was a bit plump?

With the New Year approaching, the provincial government and academy closed for the holiday. Shen Chen, Deng Hong, and the new wife, along with her servants and baggage, prepared to return to Xinye for the festivities.

The family, with their new daughter-in-law and her entourage, loaded up their carriages and headed for the ferry outside Xiangyang to board a boat north.

As Deng Hong took leave of his colleagues—Deng Yi, Liu He, Zhuge Xuan, and others—Shen Chen also bid farewell to friends he had met at Xianshan Academy, such as Zhuge Liang and Wang Can.

Wang Can was quite fond of Shen Chen; ever since he arrived, Song Zhong no longer pressed him into service as a laborer. Shen Chen was also skilled in poetry, often suggesting minor edits to Wang Can’s verses that elevated them to new heights—something that delighted Wang Can greatly.

After all the farewells, Zhuge Liang said to Shen Chen, “Brother, on this trip to Xinye, you must return as soon as you can.”

“I know—things in Xinye aren’t peaceful these days,” Shen Chen replied.

Although Liu Biao had implemented the tuntian system in Xinye, the influx of refugees had caused serious security problems. The Yellow Turban forces in Runan remained strong, frequently raiding Xinye and seizing grain. While there were no large-scale wars in Nanyang, small disturbances were constant.

What’s more, Zhang Ji would arrive at the start of next year. After Cao Cao welcomed the emperor, he would soon campaign in Nanyang, which would only grow more chaotic.

Zhuge Liang nodded. “As long as you know, go early and return early.”

“Don’t worry, brother.” Shen Chen cupped his hands in farewell to Wang Can and the others. “Happy New Year, everyone. See you next year!”

“We’ll see you next year!” They returned his bow, watching as he boarded the boat and departed.

Standing at the rail, Shen Chen waved back at his friends on the riverbank—Zhuge Liang, Wang Can, and the others waved in return, watching until the boat disappeared into the December mists on the Han River.

Back inside, Shen Chen found Deng Hong and his wife whispering sweet nothings, which he found a bit hard on the eyes.

His great-uncle had once complained about her being plump, but now, having discovered her virtues, he clung to her every day—his wife had completely supplanted his nephew.

So it is: new joys eclipse old sorrows.

But seeing his sixth grandmother, Shen Chen suddenly realized the gravity of the situation: Zhuge Liang’s seniority had just jumped.

His relationship with Deng Hong was simple—Deng Hong’s cousin was Shen Chen’s grandfather, making Deng Hong Shen Chen’s sixth grand-uncle. Thus, the Cai bride was his sixth grandmother.

Moreover, the Cai bride was a cousin-niece to Lady Cai, Liu Biao’s wife. In the future, when Zhuge Liang married Huang Yueying, he would have to call Liu Biao “uncle” and Lady Cai “aunt.” In other words, Zhuge Liang and Shen Chen’s sixth grandmother would be of the same generation—so Zhuge Liang would have to call her “Elder Cousin.”

What a miscalculation… Shen Chen thought ruefully. Zhuge Liang would outrank him by two generations.

…

…

It was the twelfth month of the second year of Xingping, and the land was still unsettled.

In Guanzhong, after Li Jue and Guo Si released Emperor Liu Xie, they quickly regretted it and dispatched troops in pursuit. But Liu Xie was accompanied by Zhang Ji, Yang Ding, Yang Feng, and Dong Cheng. Factional strife erupted among Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, Yang Ding, Yang Feng, and Dong Cheng—a chaotic brawl with no end in sight.

Their infighting left Liu Xie and the court fleeing in distress to Caoyang. Only with aid from Zhang Yang, Governor of Henei, and Wang Yi, Governor of Hedong, who sent money and provisions, did they barely find respite.

In Xuzhou, after being defeated by Lü Bu, Liu Bei remained trapped in Guangling. Mi Zhu dissipated his fortune to keep the army fed, slowly gathering scattered soldiers.

In Huainan, upon hearing of Liu Xie’s plight, Yuan Shu thought his moment had come and contemplated proclaiming himself emperor, though his subordinates dissuaded him.

Sun Ce, after defeating Liu Yao, was drilling his troops, preparing to attack Kuaiji.

Gongsun Zan, surrounded in Yijing by Liu Yu’s former subordinates and the armies of Yuan Shao, held fast through military farming, with both sides deadlocked.

Across the realm, only Liu Biao in Jingzhou, Liu Zhang in Yizhou, Cao Cao in Yanzhou, and Yuan Shao in Jizhou enjoyed temporary peace.

Yuan Shao’s advisors had long plotted to bring Liu Xie to their side and “hold the emperor to command the lords,” but were thwarted by Guo Tu and Chunyu Qiong. Cao Cao, by contrast, upon hearing of Liu Xie’s struggles, not only sent troops to aid the emperor but also supplied grain and provisions, greatly winning Liu Xie’s favor.

Thus, amidst the tumult and bustle, the second year of Xingping quietly drew to a close, and the first year of Jian’an finally arrived.