Chapter 1050: "Relocating the Government Seat"

Families like the Yangs, considered medium to small aristocratic families, were abundant within the Han dynasty. Some families had long-term strategies, while others focused solely on immediate gains, clinging to outdated practices. Naturally, the fate of these families was determined by the choices they made.

Chen Xi held a sense of respect for certain families, even when he had to sanction them. The reason was simple: regardless of whether their ideals were right or wrong, these families were capable of planning and working for their goals over multiple generations. This determination was truly admirable, even if their actions were sometimes misguided.

Such respect was rarely voiced, but Chen Xi valued this perseverance. For the average person, it was extremely difficult to work towards a single goal across multiple generations, but for aristocratic families, it seemed a natural part of their existence.

This kind of determination was something to be appreciated. Therefore, Chen Xi aimed to shift the focus of these families, broadening their perspectives and opening their minds.

The effort to raise a family’s prestige over several generations, or even longer, left Chen Xi feeling a deep sense of helplessness. There were hundreds of illustrious families in the world, and what made them stand out was that the core members of these families were continuously striving for their clan's prosperity.

If such effort for family glory could be redirected toward the prosperity of China as a whole, and if all the families could work together for this common cause, the Han Dynasty might have already expanded beyond the central plains, rather than turning against one another over personal ideals.

A balance was necessary—one that could harmonize the interests of both family and nation. Purely prioritizing national interests, like the legendary story of Zi Lu rejecting the ox, set moral standards too high, ultimately harming collective ethics.

Since family interests were closely tied to personal benefit, families worked hard to protect them. Unfortunately, somehow, national interests became detached from family interests and, by extension, from individual interests. This led to an odd situation.

Other than honor, there was nothing else—yet, while honor was indeed important, it couldn’t fill a person’s stomach. After all, humans are still creatures bound by mortal needs.

From the very beginning, Chen Xi was a realist. Ideals could be a shield against hardship in times of adversity, but once the hardships were overcome, ideals had to become a goal that everyone could rally around. His aim was to ensure that those pursuing ideals wouldn’t have to worry about basic necessities like food and shelter.

Now that a phase of victory had been achieved, it was time to reward the people who had followed them. They didn’t need too much, just enough to show them that following their leadership not only led them out of suffering but also brought tangible benefits. This was crucial.

After getting the answers he needed, Zhao Yun left, leaving Yang Xiu and Cai Zhenji staring at each other. Once they were sure no one else was around, Yang Xiu quickly caved—after all, men with strict wives existed in every era.

"Can this really work?" Zhao Yun looked towards the northwest with a worried expression. Was he really supposed to snatch her away on New Year's Eve?

Sigh, I should at least prepare the bride price and make two plans, Zhao Yun thought, feeling helpless. I’ll start with formalities and keep force as a backup. Whether Yang Xiu’s advice was reliable or not, one thing was certain: if you didn’t act, you would definitely fail. But if you acted, there was a chance you wouldn’t.

Maybe I should offer this Yitian Sword as a betrothal gift. After all, the Ma family is a military clan, Zhao Yun thought, touching the sword at his waist. Although it was a treasured weapon he needed, compared to his future wife, it was worth giving to his future brother-in-law.

Zhao Yun had completely forgotten that this sword was originally a trophy taken by Guan Yu from Cao Cao. If he really offered it as a betrothal gift and Ma Chao used it, how Cao Cao would react was a matter to ponder.

Afterward, Zhao Yun began visiting each of Liu Bei’s officials’ households, paying his respects as it was almost time to move to Ye City. Although each household had carriages, the journey wouldn’t be as fast as a cavalry march. Even with warhorses and smooth state roads, it would still take more than ten days.

When Zhao Yun arrived at Man Chong’s house, he found Man Chong sitting with a thick stack of papers in front of him, deep in thought, his face stern.

"Boning, I hope I’m not disturbing you," Zhao Yun greeted with a salute. Man Chong’s steward led Zhao Yun to the study but did not enter, leaving Zhao Yun to see for himself.

"Zilong, you’ve come at the right time. Tell me which one looks best," Man Chong said, furrowing his brow slightly but calming his irritation at being interrupted when he saw Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun looked at the calligraphy samples Man Chong handed him, all bearing the phrase "The emperor is subject to the same laws as the common people," though each was written in a slightly different style.

"What is this?" Zhao Yun asked, confused.

"This is the inscription I plan to have engraved on the Xuanyuan Cauldron. I don’t care about anything else—just this sentence," Man Chong replied, looking up at Zhao Yun.

"Shouldn’t this be written by a calligraphy master and then engraved by a specialist?" Zhao Yun asked, puzzled. His words must have hit a sore spot, as Man Chong’s face darkened even further.

Cough, cough, cough, Zhao Yun quickly pointed to one of the samples. "I think this one looks good."

"By the way, I came to inform you that we’ll be setting out for Ye City the day after tomorrow, so you should prepare early," Zhao Yun said, swiftly changing the subject.

"We’ve been prepared for a while now. But I thought we were waiting until after the first snow, once Xianhe had released the Origin of Characters and the dictionary. Why are we moving now?" Man Chong asked, puzzled.

"We can’t release the dictionary in the short term—a group of scholars is arguing over it, and it seems it will be hard to settle," Zhao Yun replied, shaking his head. "Our lord decided to move the families to Ye City first, and we’ll return to Fenggao next year to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers. Besides, after years of constant warfare, we barely get time to reunite. Our lord wants everyone to take a break this time."

"That makes sense. Whether we initiated the conflicts or not, the fighting has never truly stopped these past years. Taking a breather now that we have the upper hand will be beneficial," Man Chong said, nodding slowly as he understood Liu Bei’s reasoning.

"Zilong, there’s no need to wait an extra day to depart. We’ve been ready to leave for a while. Tomorrow is an auspicious day to begin the journey, and if we leave then, we should arrive before the New Year," Man Chong added after some thought.

Zhao Yun considered it for a moment and agreed. He then proceeded to notify the others. Fortunately, Zhao Yun had brought a significant number of troops with him, and with the city guards helping as well, the move was well-coordinated. Most of the city guards would also follow them to Ye City, though many would later return to Taishan.

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter