Jinting Han people

Chapter 721 A Letter to Suppress the Rebellion

To be honest, Zhang Bao's experience in discovering this matter was quite bizarre.

Around the end of November, Zhang Bao received a message from the governor's office, requesting him to come to the city to discuss the implementation of the military garrison. Zhang Bao had no objections and immediately set off on horseback. Unexpectedly, just as he left the camp gate, his group encountered a wandering monk. The monk was young but had an extraordinary appearance. Upon seeing Zhang Bao, he suddenly showed a surprised expression and then said to him:

"General, your entry into the city this time seems to bring unforeseen disaster. Heaven is about to warn you, and I hope you will take care and not continue south."

Zhang Bao was baffled but still intended to continue into the city. However, after walking only a few miles, a village pavilion by the roadside suddenly caught fire, and a bell rang out of nowhere, alerting everyone. Zhang Bao rushed to put out the fire, but with such strange things happening one after another, and remembering the young monk's warning, he hesitated for a moment. In the end, he decided to feign illness and delay, returning to the military camp to rest and see what strange things would happen next.

As soon as Zhang Bao returned to camp, he received a letter from Yu Lingcheng the next day, informing him that Huangfu Zhong, the governor of Ningzhou, was plotting a rebellion. It turned out that Huangfu Zhong and Wei Bo both believed Yu Lingcheng harbored a deep hatred for the emperor and had secretly tried to win him over, promising to grant him the entire Zangke prefecture if the plot succeeded. Yu Lingcheng, however, dared not believe this. In fact, he was already intimidated by the emperor and did not believe anyone could surpass him. He immediately sent someone to secretly report the matter to Zhang Bao.

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Bao was almost in disbelief. He knew the governor harbored resentment towards the emperor, but how could he have acted so unwisely? He immediately dispatched a trusted confidant to Nanning County to investigate. The confidant, disguised as a merchant, quickly noticed something amiss. The city gate guards had suddenly been replaced, and soldiers under the governor's jurisdiction from the south of the city had entered the city without cause—clearly, there was something sinister going on.

Zhang Bao decided to play along and reported to the governor's office that he had received news from his family that his father was dying and he needed to observe mourning for his father. He asked if he could be allowed to return to his hometown first and have the governor's office temporarily take charge of the military town. In reality, he secretly went to the draft office to observe the situation.

Huangfu Zhong was unaware that his own plot had been leaked. He believed it was the will of Heaven and was overjoyed. He immediately agreed to the matter, released Zhang Bao from Nanning, and then completely took over Nanning Town. Under the pretext that the court had ordered him to lead troops to aid the north, he mobilized grain, fodder, and soldiers on a large scale, and made plans to march north in February of the sixth year of Qiming.

These specific arrangements were all passed on to Zhang Bao through his trusted confidants. Zhang Bao then wrote them down as a secret report, giving one copy to Liu Kun, the governor of Yizhou, and another copy directly to the court in Yi'an.

This was only the first secret report. Soon after, Zhang Jun, the garrison commander of Dianchi Town, also sent a secret report, similarly claiming that Huangfu Zhong was planning a rebellion. It turned out that Huangfu Zhong's attempt to win over Zhang Jun was even more blatant, promising to appoint Zhang Jun as the governor of Ningzhou after his success. How could Zhang Jun believe it? Although he pretended to agree on the surface, he immediately wrote a letter to Liu Xian to report the plot. The two secret letters arrived in Yi'an only two days apart.

Immediately following was a secret report from Gao He, the military commander of Xingqian Town, claiming that Wei Bo was also planning a rebellion.

One secret letter could be explained as a misunderstanding, but three secret letters arriving one after another, even without a rebellion, were enough to demonstrate the enormous internal conflicts within Ningzhou, which necessitated action. Upon learning of this, Liu Xian was speechless for a moment, then discussed the matter with the ministers of the imperial court, and they were all greatly shocked.

This is utterly illogical. Firstly, the Emperor had saved Huangfu Chong's life; without the Emperor's intervention, Huangfu Chong would have died in Shanggui that year. Secondly, throughout history, how could a rebellion in Ningzhou ever succeed? Even Meng Huo and his followers, who rebelled, merely sought to establish their own independent regimes. For Huangfu Chong to think he could seize control of Bashu is simply delusional.

Liu Xian sighed to his ministers, "I never imagined that Uncle Huangfu Lun harbored such resentment towards me. If he didn't like staying in Ningzhou, he could have submitted a memorial to the emperor. Would I have forced him to stay?"

At the same time, he blamed himself, saying, "It's also my fault for not paying attention and failing to see this point, which allowed them to make one mistake after another, leading to a disaster."

Fu Chang advised, "Why should Your Majesty blame yourself? Huangfu Zhong and Wei Bo have only made minor contributions to the country, yet they dared to act this way! As things stand, Your Majesty is benevolent and virtuous, and the people of Ningzhou are convinced of your loyalty. Apart from the few thousand Qinzhou veterans under Huangfu Zhong's command, no one will truly follow them in rebellion."

"This is quite a potential problem," Liu Xian said, tapping the table as he began to analyze the situation.

"Back then, Huangfu Zhong had more than 8,000 men under his command in Qinzhou. Now, after several years of managing Ningzhou, he must have more than 10,000 men. If these 10,000 men were to rebel, the peaceful situation that the court has worked so hard to achieve in Ningzhou would probably be destroyed again."

At this point, everyone understood the Emperor's request. He wanted to maintain stability and order in Ningzhou as much as possible and avoid a major conflict. Otherwise, if the war spread and was eventually quelled, the court's prestige would inevitably decline, and the trade routes that had already been established would be cut off again. Restoring them would take another four or five years. Therefore, it was imperative to quell the rebellion as quickly as possible and avoid any further complications.

Li Feng's mind raced quickly. He raised his eyebrows twice and soon had a preliminary idea. He said, "Your Majesty, I have an idea, but I don't know if I should say it."

Liu Xian glanced at Li Feng and asked, "What are your thoughts? Feel free to speak."

Li Feng stroked his beard and said, "It's still not advisable to mobilize troops in large numbers now. Firstly, Ningzhou is far away, and with just a few letters, it's difficult for us to understand the whole story. There might be some misunderstanding. Secondly, even if Huangfu Chongzhen is really planning a rebellion, he might not be able to make up his mind. If we mobilize troops, we'll be caught in the middle and have no choice but to act."

"So I think, Your Majesty, we can first try to lure the tiger away from the mountain and have Huangfu Chong come to Yi'an to report on his duties. This way, he will be separated from his old subordinates, and he will not be able to cause trouble, nor will too many people be implicated. Then we can conduct a thorough investigation and have the people testify against each other. Wouldn't that bring the truth to light?"

Li Feng's idea was excellent, perfectly meeting Liu Xian's needs, so Liu Xian didn't hesitate much and quickly agreed, "Alright, let's do it that way. You'll be in charge of this matter!"

He immediately issued an edict, transferring Lu Yun to the position of Grand Chancellor, and reassigning Huangfu Zhong as the Governor of Jingzhou, ordering Huangfu Zhong to come to the capital. He also appointed Li Feng as the Governor of Ningzhou, giving him full authority to investigate the matter. At the same time, in order to appease the people of Ningzhou and alleviate potential internal conflicts, he appointed Li Yi's son, Li Zhao, as the Commandant of the Southern Barbarians, specifically to liaise with the various Souyi tribes, thereby further strengthening the separation of military and political affairs in Ningzhou.

To prevent the situation from escalating further, Liu Xian drafted an edict that very day and immediately ordered a messenger to rush to Ningzhou to inform Huangfu Chong of his promotion and to come to Yi'an as soon as possible.

Due to the urgency of the matter, the messenger traveled day and night, daring not to stop for even a moment along the way. The journey covered nearly seven thousand li, during which four horses died, barely managing to maintain a speed of five hundred li per day. Finally, on the day of Gengzi in the second month, he arrived in Ningzhou.

By this time, Huangfu Zhong had essentially completed all the preparations for his uprising, but at the last minute he had second thoughts. Firstly, he had heard that the Guanzhong campaign was basically over, and he was unsure if he could successfully capture Jiange if he raised an army again. Secondly, he was too afraid of opposing the Emperor; he found it hard to imagine himself winning against him. Then, a messenger arrived, saying that Huangfu Zhong was to be promoted to Governor of Jingzhou. Huangfu Zhong immediately abandoned any thoughts of rebellion. Overjoyed, he took the imperial edict and smiled at Huangfu Chang, saying, "I knew the Emperor was a man who cherished old friendships; how could he have forgotten me? Now, as Governor of Jingzhou, this is true success!"

Although both the governor of Ningzhou and the governor of Jingzhou are governors, Jingzhou is now located in the capital region, equivalent to the former Sili Xiaowei. They can impeach officials, mobilize the imperial guards, and meet with the emperor every day. Their power is completely different, so it's no wonder that Huangfu Zhong is so excited.

He then said to his nephew Huangfu Gui with emotion, "Master Fotucheng's words were truly prophetic. He said that my family would be able to go to Yi'an in the future. So this is how we went to Yi'an. Please send some more money for me and do not neglect the holy monk."

Huangfu Gui readily agreed, but Huangfu Chang hesitated. He asked his adoptive father, "If you go to the capital, what will happen to Wei Bo?"

Huangfu Zhong didn't hesitate and sneered, "What's there to be afraid of? Without me, what right does he have to rebel? If he tries to drag me down with him, his whole family won't escape either."

But he was still afraid that Wei Bo would betray him, so after thinking for a moment he said, “Tell him to be patient and wait until I’ve settled down in Jingzhou before persuading His Majesty to transfer him to the Imperial Guard. Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?”

So, in the following period, Huangfu Zhong dismissed all the soldiers he had prepared and ordered the various tribesmen and generals he had secretly contacted to keep quiet. After everything was arranged, Li Feng and Li Zhao came to take up their posts. Li Feng's party was small, consisting of only a few subordinates and a hundred or so guards.

Upon arriving in Nanning, Li Feng went to great lengths to curry favor with Huangfu Zhong, showering him with gifts and praise, claiming that the Emperor valued Huangfu Zhong and hoping that Huangfu Zhong would put in a good word for him after arriving in the capital. Huangfu Zhong actually looked down on Li Feng's background, but at this moment, he was flattered and became quite pleased with himself, so he gave him a rare moment of kindness and then set off without any doubt.

Early the next morning, Huangfu Zhong led his entourage away from Nanning. His procession was grand, with over ten carriages and hundreds of servants, laden with his accumulated wealth and fortune in Ningzhou. They set off from Nanning for Yi'an. Upon reaching the Bodao Pass, he saw the Yangtze River flowing before him like a jade ribbon, and the Seven Star Mountains towering like swords on his right. The magnificent and awe-inspiring landscape truly stirred his heart. He specially rented a large boat from a local merchant, then loaded his possessions onto it. He saw sandbars dotting the river, black birds skimming low over the reeds; and pines and willows on both banks, like a green veil blending with the thin mist. This interplay of movement and stillness perfectly captured the vitality of spring.

Seeing such a beautiful scene, Huangfu Chong was filled with pride and satisfaction. Although he had been a soldier for many years, he was still a scholar by birth, and at this moment he couldn't help but compose a poem:

"I halt my horse in this desolate place, where dew soaks the riverbank. Officials and hats are far away on the Yangtze and Han rivers, and the north wind makes me think of the clouds over the south."

The Spring Equinox awakens the insects, and a Qin melody begins to play. A thousand horsemen ride the waves, and light boats chase the new sun.

Then he ordered someone to bring the wine vessels he had brought, and poured wine into the Yangtze River to pray: "Great River, if Huangfu Chong can rise to the highest position and bring glory to our ancestors during this trip to the capital, I will surely offer sacrifices to him in the future!" This was Huangfu Chong's first time leaving Guanzhong and going to Jingzhou. In his early years, he had always admired the power of the Fu brothers, Fu Xian and Fu Zhi, during the Jin Dynasty. He thought that after this trip to the capital, the Huangfu family would be on par with the Fu family of the north. Therefore, he hesitated and prayed to the Yangtze River to make a vow.

Because of the large size of his entourage and the vast wealth of his family, Huangfu Zhong's journey to the capital was relatively slow. He departed from Nanning in early March and did not arrive in Yi'an until mid-April. After arriving in Yi'an and settling in, Liu Xian summoned him to the palace and had a pleasant face-to-face conversation with him.

Liu Xian first inquired about Huangfu Chong's current administration in Ningzhou, and then asked for his thoughts on governing Jingzhou. Huangfu Chong, having prepared on the journey, answered fluently. However, as they talked, the topic shifted repeatedly, and official business became personal. Before long, the two began reminiscing about the past, from the rebellions of Hao San and Qi Wannian in their early years, all the way to the Zhang Fang Rebellion.

The two talked very happily. At the end, Liu Xian looked at Huangfu Zhong and asked him, "Uncle Lun, although our relationship is that of ruler and subject, we have known each other for a long time. I think there is nothing between us that we cannot talk about. Is there anything you want to say to me? At this moment, whatever you say, I will not blame you."

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Chong felt a sudden, inexplicable panic. He wondered, "What does the Emperor mean by asking this? Does he know something?" He looked up to examine the Emperor's expression, only to meet Liu Xian's deep gaze, which chilled Huangfu Chong to the bone. How could he possibly utter such a thing as almost plotting a rebellion? After much deliberation, Huangfu Chong said, "I am utterly loyal to Your Majesty. I will obey Your Majesty's every word, even if it means going through fire and water."

And so, Huangfu Zhong lost his last chance to live.

After leaving the palace, Huangfu Chong finally realized something was wrong. He recalled everything that had happened before. Why had the emperor so conveniently summoned him to the capital? And why had he said those things to him? He remembered the process of his rebellion; everything had gone incredibly smoothly. But now, he only felt a chill run down his spine, and his thoughts, which had been clouded by fame, fortune, and resentment, were gradually becoming clearer.

Back home, Huangfu Chong managed to eat a meal, but he tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. It wasn't until dawn the next day that he lit an oil lamp and summoned Huangfu Chang and Huangfu Gui, speaking without any hope of escape:

"I'm afraid my affair has already been reported. The Emperor has given me a chance, but it's too late to say anything now."

Huangfu Chang and Huangfu Gui were shocked and were about to speak when Huangfu Chong said again, "Thinking about it carefully, the Emperor has really treated me well. It was my greed that made me lose my mind. Once His Majesty sends someone to arrest me, you can say that it was all my idea, and that will be the end of it."

Indeed, this was the case. While Huangfu Chong and his entourage were leisurely parading along the road, Li Feng, with Zhang Bao's cooperation, swiftly arrested Wei Bo, then decisively imprisoned and interrogated him. Wei Bo was ruthless but spineless, and Li Feng quickly obtained a detailed list of rebels, along with letters and other evidence. This allowed him to announce the case's resolution within ten days and send over sixty criminals to Yi'an. While Liu Xian and Huangfu Chong were talking, this group was already on their way to the capital.

After the irrefutable evidence was delivered to Yi'an, Liu Xian ordered the Minister of Justice, Li Ci, to go to the governor's mansion in Jingzhou to arrest the man. Huangfu Zhong had anticipated this, and knowing he had no face to face the emperor and could not bear the humiliation of being imprisoned, he committed suicide in his mansion before the Minister of Justice even entered.

As the first major treason case since the founding of the nation, it ended in an unusually calm manner, without any ripples. Wei Bo and fifteen key individuals involved were all beheaded. As for Huangfu Chang and Huangfu Gui, Liu Xian, considering his past relationship with Huangfu Zhong, showed leniency, only exiling them to the far south of Jiaozhou, forbidding their families from returning to the Central Plains for at least three generations. (End of Chapter)