Chapter 3: Ren Shaoqing

Emperor Xiaowu, upon hearing this, actually believed it to be true. He thought that the head of the family was a worldly-wise official who, upon seeing the Crown Prince raise an army, intended to watch the outcome and support whichever side emerged victorious, thus harboring ulterior motives. Consequently, he imprisoned the head of the family and interrogated him, executing him after more than a month.

The head of the household started from being a mere thief seeker and a pavilion father, solved several cases, and became a pavilion chief, which was the most minor of officials

He served as the Governor of Yizhou, punishing numerous powerful and corrupt officials. In a case in Shujun, he even rescued the family of Xia Dingmao, who had fallen into the status of mine slaves

I am the grandson of a criminal, and according to the law, I should be imprisoned for three generations

Although the pavilion chiefs of the Qin and Han dynasties were merely local grassroots units, equivalent to the neighborhood police in towns and villages, they were able to master military preparations and form alliances with heroes. In the chaotic times at the end of the Qin dynasty, many individuals rose to prominence through this.

That Ren Shaoqing is certainly not comparable to Emperor Gao, but in the context of a peaceful world, his experiences are indeed quite inspiring

There is nothing wrong with being a minor official. Over the past six months, the gentleman has provided new cooking utensils for the eastern kitchen and has taught the old servant many novel ways of preparing food. According to the old servant, the variety of dishes in Chang'an, with its two thousand stone officials, may not be as abundant as ours. Rather than returning to engage in intrigue and live in fear, it is indeed better to enjoy a carefree life in the border regions

Ren Shaoqing merely lost his official position, which can be considered a stroke of good luck

The Western Regions are vast and remote; of every ten who set out, often fewer than five return. The gentleman is indeed the last descendant of the Ren family. The last time he encountered a sandstorm, he nearly lost his life. The dangers of the Western Regions surpass those of Dunhuang. What if...

Once entangled with His Majesty, regardless of the choices made, one should not expect to emerge unscathed from this murky situation

It appears that Ren Shaoqing maintained a neutral stance in this incident, neither assisting the Crown Prince nor aiding the government forces

Like the exiled immigrants of Dunhuang, they are not virtuous men or dutiful sons and grandsons

Even after the death of Emperor Wu of Han, the general Huo Guang, who had the background of the Wei clan as a powerful family, rose to power, yet the case of witchcraft and sorcery was still not overturned

Xia Dingmao was taken aback for a moment, then was somewhat moved: "So the gentleman has always remembered this matter!"

But the problem is, once you step through the gate of the Wei family, it is as if a layer of paint has been applied, one that can never be wiped away in this lifetime. This is probably the beginning of Ren Shaoqing's tragedy

The past is like this, making one cry at times and laugh at others

And Fu Jiezai's mission also validated his conjecture

The pavilion chief is not insignificant

I aspire to stand out, not for the enjoyment of high positions and wealth

Ren Hong nodded, but inwardly he muttered to himself

Ren Hongchao made a deep bow and said: "If in this life I am merely a lowly minor official, how can I bring justice to my ancestors and to the Ren family, and clear the grievances that have been buried?"

"Old Master Xia, please tell me again about my great-uncle Ren Shaoqing..."

Ren Hong, the son of a criminal official, was exiled to Dunhuang, subjected to institutional confinement, and faced significant restrictions in his career advancement

General Wei, referring to Wei Qing, served as a gentleman attendant to him and Huo Qubing, which was likely the fastest path to advancement at that time

However, the head of the family, being new to the area, had no connections with the officials and could only serve others in Wugong County

The unscrupulous Gaozu Liu Bang

I hope to take this opportunity to gain the recognition of Fu Jiezai, and subsequently serve as an envoy to various states, in order to achieve fame and success

Ren Hong pondered how to persuade Xia Dingmao, as he still needed his assistance, and thus he patted the hard, stone-like poplar tree and said

However, later, when Emperor Wu of Han traveled to Wugong, he dismissed Shaoqing for not preparing enough tents due to the poverty of Wugong County, as he could not bear to impose harsh demands on the people

Therefore, the Crown Prince of Wei, in his desire to take a bold gamble, must first strive to win over Ren Shaoqing, who hails from the Wei family and holds the military power of the Northern Army

This old emperor... Ren Hong secretly complained that Emperor Wu of Han was indeed capricious and violent, not just mere talk.

Ren Shaoqing still bears the label of "traitor"

The reason for such certainty is that Ren Hong knows that Fu Jiezai will soon achieve remarkable feats in the Western Regions, leaving a lasting legacy in history. He will be compared to Zhang Qian by future generations and will serve as a model for being conferred a noble title in foreign lands

Ren Hong once heard from several canal soldiers from Hedong, who were on their way to Dunhuang, that there was a governor of Hedong who, due to his failure to prepare adequately for the reception during Emperor Wu of Han's inspection tour, hanged himself in despair.

The head of the family was originally from Xingyang County in Henan Province. At the age of fifteen, he began to venture out to make a living, working as a servant. He took a trip to Guanzhong and felt that it was indeed a place where heroic men should reside, so he decided to stay in Youfufeng

Speaking of the past, Xia Dingmao rarely revealed a smile

According to Xia Dingmao, Ren Shaoqing was astute and managed to bring the unruly youths of the pavilion under control, earning the respect of the villagers. He organized hunting locations for them and fairly allocated the deer, chickens, and rabbits, receiving much praise

Ren Hongming understood the reason: "At this time, the Northern Army, under the guardianship of Grandfather, became the key to victory or defeat"

A few years later, Ren Shaoqing was appointed as the Commander of the Northern Army, with a rank equivalent to that of a second-rank official.

Only such resilient tree species can thrive in harsh environments

This is the life of Ren Shaoqing

The opportunity has emerged, but with Ren Hong's current lowly status, he cannot approach it at all; he still needs a little assistance.

The enmity of nine generations, the great events of the Spring and Autumn period, the unjust death of my grandfather, which was merely over ten years ago, how could I, a young man, dare to forget?

In the year of the Wood Rabbit, Xiading grew old, and upon mentioning the old master, his heart was filled with sorrow, and tears streamed down, wetting the sand beneath his feet

This continued for ten years, after which he was promoted to one of the three elders of the county. Another ten years later, due to his close relationship with the people, he was elevated to the position of magistrate of Wugong County with a salary of three hundred shi.

Then, the calamity of witchcraft that caused the heads of the people of Chang'an to roll arrived...

It is too risky

Xia Dingmao scratched his head and said: "These old servants do not quite understand, but at that time, Prince Wei indeed rode to the southern gate of the Northern Army, summoned the head of the family, and handed him the imperial edict, ordering him to mobilize troops. I followed the head of the family out of the camp, and he bowed to Prince Wei, accepted the imperial edict, but after returning to the military camp, he closed the door and did not go out..."

This is truly an unexpected disaster. Emperor Wu of Han, like Emperor Qin Shi Huang, enjoyed roaming the world. With so many occurrences, it truly disturbed both officials and common people, causing unrest.

Xia Dingmao continued, "After the head of the family was relieved of his official duties, he became a gentleman attendant to General Wei."

... ...

Ren Hong said to Xia Dingmao: "In ancient times, there was Zhang Qian who opened up the Western Regions, and thus became the Marquis of Bo Wang. Old Xia, I believe that this Fu Jiezai is the present-day Bo Wang!"

The mission of Fu Jiezai is merely the beginning; in the coming decade, the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu will inevitably determine a victor in the Western Regions. For the young men of the border counties, the opportunity to achieve merit in foreign lands has once again arrived

Only suitable for minor officials, not for high-ranking officials! Furthermore, one must not recommend filial piety and integrity.

The Han Dynasty was bound to fully implement the strategy of "cutting off the right arm of the Xiongnu" from that year onward. The Hexi Corridor, this arm, would continue to extend westward, firmly grasping the Western Regions in its palm and seizing the treasures of the Xiongnu.

However, after the defeat and demise of Prince Wei, the situation changed

That time was truly unexpected, and Ren Hong felt somewhat helpless. At that moment, they had already arrived at the poplar forest to the south of Xuanquan Zhi, which is the most common type of tree in the Dunhuang area, referred to as Hu Tong during the Han Dynasty

Those who do not assist each other, such as Ren Shaoqing and others, have ulterior motives; eliminate them

Ren Hong knew that in the later years of Emperor Wu of Han, after several unsuccessful expeditions to the northern desert, the confrontation between the Han and Xiongnu empires had shifted from direct clashes to a competition for the Western Regions

The head of the household is feigning a festival and not deploying troops, nor is he sending a message to the Crown Prince; even Emperor Xiaowu has not pursued the matter.

Unlike the unfortunate and miserable Li Guang, serving under these two leaders allows anyone to earn numerous military merits

In the Han Dynasty, every adult male had the obligation to serve in the military, but they could also hire substitutes, which even gave rise to an entire industry...

Gazing at the distant mirage shimmering under the heat waves, Ren Hongdao said

Xiadingmao, however, did not think so. The weather was too hot, and he sat on the trunk of a dead poplar tree, taking off his white scarf to wipe the sweat, revealing deep furrows like ravines on his forehead, murmuring to himself

More than one hundred years ago, the Grand Marshal Zhou Bo relied on seizing the military insignia of the Northern Army to eliminate the various Lü factions

For example, that black...

As a witness, Xia Dingmao recalls the situation at that time with a sense of trepidation: "At that time, Crown Prince Wei had already killed Jiang Chong, and the troops were in chaos. Meanwhile, Left Chancellor Liu Qumao, under the orders of Emperor Xiaowu, led the imperial army to besiege, resulting in a fierce battle in the streets. Chang'an was thrown into turmoil, with tens of thousands dead..."

Later, Ren Shaoqing truly gained the favor of the Emperor and his official career flourished

Although Ren Hong had previously heard Xia Dingmao mention his deeds, this was the most detailed account he had encountered.

The head of the household had previously punished the grain officer of the Northern Army due to a mistake. The grain officer, harboring resentment, seized the opportunity to write a letter of accusation against the head of the household, claiming that he had accepted the prince's orders, promised to raise troops, and even demanded a position among the Nine Ministers afterward, but only refrained from acting because he saw that the prince was in a precarious situation

Since then, Xia Dingmao has closely followed Ren Shaoqing, becoming his personal servant.

This credit should not go unacknowledged

This was Xia Dingmao's first reaction after listening to Ren Hong's plan; after a moment of silence, his grizzled head shook like a rattle.

The Northern Army was the elite of the Han Dynasty's standing military, consisting of eight divisions: the Tuntai Cavalry, Infantry, Yue Cavalry, Changshui, Hu Cavalry, She Sheng, and Huben. When appointed as the Protector General, the Shaoqing was responsible for overseeing these eight divisions

In the aftermath of the reckoning, those who had most fervently attacked the Crown Prince, including the Left Chancellor Liu Qumao, suffered the dire fate of being executed and their families annihilated

"Do you know, Elder Xia, where the grain officer of the Northern Army, who falsely accused my grandfather, is now?"

Ren Hongkuan comforted Xia Dingmao for a while, then continued to inquire:

Although Ren Hong greatly enjoys Xuanquan Zhi and has come to regard it as home after six months, a life where one can see the end is quite terrifying

This is the most vivid and immediate memory point for Ren Hong regarding this era

In this conflict between the father and son, he does not wish to get involved

For instance, in the calamity of witchcraft, those who assisted Prince Wei were essentially all exterminated

The official in charge of the Xuanquan is a steward, receiving a salary of 100 dan, while those receiving 100 dan or less are considered junior officials