Chapter 288: The Drought is Coming
In the first year of Jian’an, at the new road exhibition in Chang’an, Ni Heng wrote a “Parrot Ode” to compete with Wang Can and show off the superiority of Chang’an over other places.
But when it comes to judging whether an article is good or not, it’s not about how many obscure characters you use, but whether you can accurately and clearly present the essence of the article to the readers.
In that regard, Wang Can’s “Goddess Sending Off” was much more understandable.
Moreover, Wang Can’s overall story structure was more complete, and the transitions in his work were far more exciting than Ni Heng’s Parrot Ode, so naturally, Ni Heng couldn’t rank above Wang Can.
Still, with his entry making it into the top three, his little ode was published in the Leping Monthly Report according to the reward conditions set by Qiao Yan and distributed throughout the states and counties.
Ni Heng had already earned a reputation as a wild scholar in his early years, and his comments on various figures after entering Chang’an made it abundantly clear how much he relished his own talents.
So, after his Parrot Ode came out, due to the contrast before and after, everyone assumed he must have been intimidated by the series of things brought out by Qiao Yan, and so decided to keep his mouth shut for once.
However, what these folks didn’t expect was that the top-ranking Wang Can went to Qiao Yan’s Grand Marshal residence to take on the role of document officer, yet Ni Heng still made no move at all.
Even as he attended the wine discussion gathering on the outskirts of Chang’an with Yang Xiu, it didn’t affect his laid-back lifestyle in the city, showing no intention of serving Qiao Yan whatsoever.
Some people speculated that Ni Heng’s actions might stem from dissatisfaction that Qiao Yan didn’t award him the top spot, but if you asked Ni Heng himself, he’d say a loss is a loss. This guy is supremely arrogant but knows what accepting reality means.
No, he was just lazy about entering officialdom.
With his talent for turning poetry into liquor, it wasn’t hard for him to survive in Chang’an.
As paper prices continued to drop, life got increasingly easier for such talented scholars.
The only trouble was one little thing—
A ban on alcohol in Chang’an.
Under the agreement between Qiao Yan and Liu Yu, this alcohol ban would last for two years, continuing until around May or June of this year.
So, at this point in Chang’an, alcohol was still limited in purchase.
The best he could do was leverage his friendship with Yang Xiu to snag a bit more alcohol during the holidays, using a little liquid courage to vent about Qiao Yan’s ridiculous alcohol ban.
This laid-back lifestyle continued for a year and a half, allowing everyone in Chang’an to know—
Ni Heng’s writing of that Parrot Ode was purely due to his itchy hands, and his feelings toward Qiao Yan held no weight whatsoever.
For someone like him, just not getting into trouble with another “hit a drum and scold” incident was already a good sign.
And this stance also made no one bat an eye when he suddenly ran into Chunyu Jia and launched a sharp critique right in the street, as if he was doing Qiao Yan a favor.
Who is Ni Heng?
Even Xun Yu, with his gentlemanly looks and exceptional presence, was subjected to comments like “Xun Wenru could use that face to mourn others.” Truly a sharp-tongued, no-holds-barred critic.
If he didn’t care about his own scholarly image, why would he bother about Chunyu Jia’s face?
According to Yang Xiu’s assessment, Ni Heng might be sharp-tongued, but he still had a keen eye.
If it weren’t for this, he wouldn’t have jabbed right to the heart at the wine discussion, pointing out, “If everybody could put public over private concerns, there wouldn’t be two opposing courts in Chang’an and Ye City.”
So he recognized that Qiao Yan’s current deferral to military action and management of agriculture was the most fitting build-up of strength at this moment.
After all, the disputes at the Chang’an court were no secret; they were out in the open, which naturally reached Ni Heng’s ears.
He didn’t believe Qiao Yan would twitch at the thought of avoiding war, especially with her actions in the three provinces, plus Yizhou, not suggesting any fear of conflict. Thus, the move to resist drought was worth pondering.
Preparing for war or preparing for famine— for someone capable of engaging in battle, choosing the latter would undoubtedly require careful consideration.
This kind of decision wasn’t easy.
And certainly made more logical sense than those who only knew how to squabble in the court.
So while he grumbled about not wanting the alcohol ban to last another two years, he blocked Chunyu Jia’s path.
Who knows, maybe he was slightly inspired by Wang Can and picked up some new techniques for picking fights.
This was just a prelude before addressing the main issue, right?
Ni Heng started chatting with Chunyu Jia, saying he heard you criticized the Grand Marshal’s decisions at the court today? I’d like to talk to you about that.
Chunyu Jia was somewhat aware of the bad blood between Ni Heng and Qiao Yan, particularly familiar with Ni Heng’s brash temper.
He concluded that Ni Heng seemed to think Qiao Yan’s actions were inappropriate, hence seeking him out.
Ni Heng must have believed it was the perfect time to capitalize on Chang’an’s current advantage and push east to take down the court!
Looking at it this way, this guy was clearly on his side!
Chunyu Jia, having been blocked by Qiao Yan in court and ignored by her, still couldn’t figure out why there was a need to consider relief efforts that seemed to be ghosted, was filled with pent-up energy and thrilled to encounter a clear ally in criticizing Qiao Yan.
But before he could say much, he suddenly heard Ni Heng ask, “Have you ever farmed?”
Chunyu Jia was puzzled as to why he was suddenly asking this, shaking his head in confusion.
Ni Heng responded, “I haven’t either, which is why I tiptoe past fields, fearing that stepping on the ridges would damage the farmland beside them. It really blocks the sunlight.”
Chunyu Jia: “……?”
Ni Heng then asked, “Have you ever fought in a battle?”
Chunyu Jia shook his head again.
Ni Heng said, “I haven’t fought either, so I usually steer clear of soldiers, knowing they can handle five of me. A guy like me with a knack for making enemies might just get someone to throw a sack over me and then it’d be much harder to win!”
“…” Ni Heng had indeed been on the receiving end of a sack attack during that writing event; saying this, it actually held some credibility.
But his sudden questions left Chunyu Jia baffled, and they sounded a bit off.
He furrowed his brow, realizing that Ni Heng might not have come there to join forces against Qiao Yan and hastily asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Ni Heng replied, “There’s a saying that goes, ‘Without fists, there’s no courage; without duty, there’s chaos.’ I see that Mr. Chunyu fits that description quite well.”
“You!”
Ni Heng calmly shrugged, “I’m just speaking the truth. Mr. Chunyu doesn’t understand farming or warfare. If he spends his days drinking tea and writing poetry while wandering the streets, occasionally stopping by Hongwen Hall to soak in the cultured vibe of the great scholars, that would showcase the wild spirit of a gentleman, but what’s the point of sticking his nose into things he doesn’t understand?”
He paused and added, “By the way, Mr. Chunyu is well-read, so I assume you’ve heard of Shudiao?”
“In the past, Guan Yiwu once made a remark about Shudiao—‘There’s no greater affection than loving oneself. If Shudiao doesn’t love himself, how could he love his lord?’ You seem to fit this description, Mr. Chunyu.”
“To feign understanding and make wild statements is to lack love for oneself. If one cannot love oneself, how can one love the lord? This logic has already been validated, so does that mean Mr. Chunyu truly loves his lord? What’s this about unifying the world quickly?”
Chunyu Jia was so furious his lips trembled.
He knew perfectly well who Ni Heng was referencing with Shudiao!
Shudiao, Yiya, and Kaifang were those infamous little men around Qing Huan Gong from the Spring and Autumn period.
For the sake of gaining trust from Qing Huan Gong, Shudiao even went as far as to castrate himself. For that, Guan Zhong remarked that someone like Shudiao, who didn’t even cherish his own body, how could one expect him to love his lord?
Indeed, when Qing Huan Gong fell ill, Shudiao and his cronies caused chaos, eventually leading to Qing Huan Gong starving to death, confirming Guan Zhong’s words.
Ni Heng’s twisted logic implied that Chunyu Jia, by meddling in matters he didn’t grasp, was as bad as Shudiao himself.
“If you don’t value your own reputation, then why would anyone value you, oh grand ruler? And yet, this guy still has the audacity to offer advice on unifying the world? Truly despicable.”
As for Ni Heng, whether he loves himself or the ruler is none of anyone’s business. Besides, he doesn’t even serve in the government; he’s just living life with empty sleeves and carefree!
This was just the start of Ni Heng’s shameless street provocations.
No wonder, when Qiao Yan got the news, Chunyu Jia was already so mad he was about to spew blood.
Having witnessed the entire argument, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but see Ni Heng in a somewhat favorable light, in a twisted way.
If we’re talking insults, these guys sure know how to throw shade!
Ni Heng was still at it, and now Chunyu Jia, after regaining his composure, was ready to settle the score with Ni Heng. Qiao Yan sighed helplessly, “A person who understands neither ancient nor modern times, like a hapless cow. A scholar who knows no shame, dressed like a dog or a pig. Sigh, how pathetic.”
At that moment, Chunyu Jia finally spotted Qiao Yan and turned to shout, “Grand Marshal, you let someone insult me like this!”
Suddenly under fire, Qiao Yan shrugged with an innocent look, “You’ve misunderstood me. I never tell lies. I’ve already countered your claims clearly in court. No need to exaggerate!”
“You compare me to a treacherous imperial eunuch, yet back in the day, you were part of the Prohibition of Factionalists and faced the same prison troubles. How can you not find a suitable comparison? This guy supported the prince without any harm; yet, you have no private dealings with the emperor’s son. This is not a valid comparison.”
Even Dong Zhuo would agree, her words were cutting truths as she wrote her proclamation.
“If Ni Zhongping acts at my behest, then I certainly must revise what he said. Wouldn’t you say?”
Ni Heng’s remarks just didn’t match her taste.
Chunyu Jia’s face turned an even deeper shade of red.
Although Qiao Yan tried to distanced herself from Ni Heng and that dishonorable crowd, she never countered the essence of the accusation: that Ni Heng was overstepping into areas he clearly knew nothing about.
Thinking about running into that busy Grand Marshal again only to find himself bloodied from Ni Heng’s insults was enough to make Chunyu Jia feel like he might pass out again.
Even with the crowds dispersed by the Imperial Guard, the few who heard Qiao Yan’s words still had Chunyu Jia faint away, breathless.
Qiao Yan and Ni Heng exchanged glances over the heads of those tending to Chunyu Jia.
In that moment, both silently agreed to pass the buck onto each other for the final straw.
This can’t be blamed on her (or him)…
With Chunyu Jia’s precedent set, people in Chang’an who might oppose Qiao Yan’s decisions suddenly grew silent, not wanting to face any verbal beat-downs.
Now that power was firmly established in the Guanzhong region, Qiao Yan wasn’t surprised by the trickling dissent.
It wasn’t that they opposed her prioritizing the people before political affairs; they wanted to challenge the notion that she, as Grand Marshal, was above any official in Chang’an.
Well, there you have it.
Regardless of what they thought in their hearts, at least no one dared to openly challenge her plans anymore.
For Qiao Yan, that was enough. After all, there was no need to manage everyone’s opinions.
The water channel work in Chang’an was proceeding smoothly, with all potential interruptions to the water flow during the dry season thoroughly checked from the Weishui source to Tong Pass.
Time snuck from January to February and quickly to the end of the month.
Before the spring plowing, these time-consuming tasks were completed, and a portion of the grains from the Chang’an granaries were used as wages for the laborers involved.
Previously, Qiao Yan preferred to use coins from the three provinces as the universal currency, but due to the unique current circumstances, she made some adjustments.
This was to avoid hoarding wealth among the populace during this period; if a drought hit, grain prices in Chang’an would skyrocket, undermining the order she aimed to maintain in no time.
And this preparation wasn’t just focused on Guanzhong; Bingzhou and Liangzhou were also involved.
Although Fu Shou was young, she had spent two years practicing water management with Bi Lan in Guanzhong and previously had experience in hydrology. Recommended by Qiao Yan, she was transferred back to Bingzhou to directly oversee the waterway inspection duties there.
Meanwhile, the affairs in Liangzhou were assigned to Jia Mu.
With this clear division of duties, any anomalies could be rapidly communicated back to the central authorities.
As Qiao Yan diligently navigated through the prep period before spring, other regions weren’t idle either.
However, unlike her proactive approach to the looming drought, the situation in Yang Province was all about gearing up for war.
As Chunyu Jia knew, Sun Ce was ready to officially launch an assault on Huang Zu come springtime!
The troops that previously quelled the Kuaiji Commandery had pushed firmly into the territory of Yuzhang.
Sun Ce was brimming with confidence about this battle.
His side’s morale and army strength far surpassed Huang Zu’s—defeat was just not on the cards.
After this, he would be sure to take Huang Zu down, avenging his father for the trap laid years ago!
He stepped out of the main tent, only to find Zhou Yu staring at the sky, looking a bit serious.
“What troubles you, Gongjin? With this battle, I assure you, I won’t charge in alone. The weather’s been clear; there’s no need to be concerned about it. Yuzhang is within our territory, without any mischievous terrain to exploit. The outcome of this battle is quite clear!”
Sun Ce’s confidence wasn’t arrogance but a conclusion drawn from analyzing the current situation.
Years ago, Dong Zhuo had placed Huang Zu in Yuzhang as prefect to balance Qiao Yan’s appointment of Sun Ce as prefect of Kuaiji.
With Huang Zu leaving Jing Province, the support from his clan would greatly diminish.
If he had retreated decisively back to Jiangxia instead of squabbling with Sun Ce in Yuzhang, he might have still been around today — especially since Sun Ce held the title of Yang Province’s governor from the Chang’an court, which meant he wouldn’t recklessly invade Jing Province in the near term.
But Yuzhang…
As the governor of Yang Province, Sun Ce had the authority to oversee this place.
And Sun Ce had already grown his wings in Yang Province—no longer the youth who had reluctantly chosen to come to Yang Province!
This time, no one could save Huang Zu!
Zhou Yu looked at Sun Ce and saw the determined glint in his eyes; the spirit radiating from him was infectious.
He replied, “I’m not worried about Huang Zu.”
Huang Zu couldn’t possibly be their greatest threat.
Had it not been for the hindrance posed by the Shanyue and noble families in Yang Province, Huang Zu would have lost his life long ago; a situation typical of the south.
Fortunately, with the introduction of new farming techniques, Yang Province’s grain output had surged significantly. Even after contributing a large portion to the Chang’an court, there was still enough for Sun Ce to recruit soldiers.
Support for him was steadily increasing, and once Yuzhang was captured, he would become the true ruler of Yang Province.
Yet, a looming issue caused Zhou Yu to frown.
“Bofu, we both know that the climates of north and south are different. Spring in the north often lacks rainfall, and if there’s no rain in winter and autumn, dry spring winds can lead to drought, sometimes it happens. Yet, we are in Yang Province.”
In the southern regions, they usually experience plenty of rain when the weather warms up, but it was already March for spring plowing, and it was surprisingly dry—no rain lately, and all clear days. What was great for the battle environment was dreadful for the people’s livelihood!
Especially since the primary crop in Yang Province was rice, which needed much more water than the northern millet and wheat; they could rely on the southern waterworks to alleviate the drought for now, but if it continued, what then?
Keep in mind, spring droughts were far less common in the south than summer droughts!
Zhou Yu muttered, “Perhaps the forecasts and preparations over in Chang’an were indeed correct.”
The quarrel in Chang’an regarded as mere chit-chat now laid bare the necessity of one party’s actions.
A drought was looming…
