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Wang Yun set the sheepskin scroll aside, then stroked his beard, suppressing a surge of barely contained excitement. Even the left-lapelled barbarian standing before him, a man reeking of mutton fat, suddenly seemed far more agreeable to the eye.
The attitude expressed within the sheepskin scroll, in particular, left Wang Yun feeling extremely pleased. For people beyond the borders—men who gathered like beasts and scattered like birds—to produce phrases like "yearning to gaze upon the celestial countenance" and "wishing to hear the sacred words" was truly more than satisfactory...
"Excellent! I have taken note of your master's intentions." Wang Yun nodded and dismissed the Xiongnu envoy.
Once the Xiongnu man had departed, Wang Yun clasped his hands behind his back and paced several circles around the great hall. Then he gave his order: "Someone! Summon the Grand Minister of Agriculture here. I have matters to discuss with him!"
"At your command!" The servant acknowledged the order and withdrew.
After Yuan Wei's death, the position of Grand Minister of Agriculture had been assumed by Shi Sun Rui. Shi Sun Rui hailed from You Fufeng in the capital region, Jingzhao. Within the court, compared to the Shandong gentry clans, he and Wang Yun—a man from Bingzhou—both belonged to the minority faction, the so-called Shaanxi gentry of the court.
In truth, within the Han court, or indeed within any political body, there will always be a minority faction, a majority faction, and a fence-sitting faction...
During the reign of Emperor Ling, the majority faction had been the Shandong gentry, with Yuan and Yang as their leaders. Most of the time, whenever these two men decided on something, they would push it through the court, transform it into an edict, and have it promulgated across the various commanderies and counties for implementation. Under such circumstances, Wang Yun, as the leader of the minority faction, was basically reduced to a wooden statue. Even if he wanted to intervene, it was nearly impossible; he could only struggle to maintain his own faction's meager seats...
After Dong Zhuo entered the capital, he used powerful and brutal means to strike down the majority faction. This forced the Yuans and Yangs to even set aside their pride and seek broader support within the court. Consequently, and quite abruptly, Wang Yun, the leader of the minority faction, suddenly found himself thrust into prominence.
And now, here he was, the minority faction leader Wang Yun, holding the reins of power. Yet he suddenly discovered that the number of people he could actually use at his disposal was quite small. As for those Shandong gentry members, Wang Yun still did not dare to entrust them with significant authority...
Shi Sun Rui arrived very quickly.
Shi Sun Rui was extremely advanced in age. His hair was completely white, and so sparse that one wondered if, before too long, he would even be able to pin a headdress in place...
Wang Yun laughed heartily, personally stepped forward, and, supporting Shi Sun Rui by the arm, ushered him into the great hall. He then passed the sheepskin scroll to him for his perusal.
After a short moment, seeing that Shi Sun Rui appeared to have finished reading, Wang Yun asked, "Junrong, what do you make of this matter?"
Shi Sun Rui's face was deeply etched with wrinkles, and within every furrow, there seemed to lurk an infinite, unfathomable darkness. Upon hearing Wang Yun's question, he pondered in silence for a moment before replying, "The advantages outweigh the disadvantages."
"I would hear the details," Wang Yun said. Shi Sun Rui essentially served as Wang Yun's advisor, or perhaps one could call him a consultant. Both men had emerged from remote regions where scholarship was scarce, giving them an innate sense of kinship. For this reason, Wang Yun would often solicit Shi Sun Rui's opinion.
"Sincerity within the heart ensures the endeavor will prosper. The advantages here, Lord Wang, you also recognize, so there is no need for me to waste words on them," Shi Sun Rui said, looking at Wang Yun. The benefits were clear and obvious to all, so there was no need for excessive emphasis; everyone understood them in their hearts.
Wang Yun nodded slowly and asked, "And what of the disadvantages?"
"After the matter is hastily concluded, how is one to use the offering vessel? Those who have been restless now come, but woe to the last one who arrives," Shi Sun Rui replied, quoting obliquely.
Wang Yun let out a long sigh. "This is precisely what I too have been worrying about..."
Shi Sun Rui's meaning was very clear. When conducting a sacrificial ceremony, there is an urgent need to push things forward quickly. This diplomatic letter, or request, sent by the Southern Xiongnu at this time was like adding a few extra gui of food to the sacrificial feast—it was the icing on the cake. But it also signified that this move was forcing the members of the court to declare their stance and pick a side...
Even people from afar, who previously refused to submit to the royal teachings, were now coming to pledge their allegiance. So, what was the attitude of those who still stood behind, watching?
And the moment these individuals were forced to declare their allegiance, the previously hidden contradictions would bubble to the surface. The various exchanges of interests, the overlapping and conflicting benefits between parties, would become sharply intensified, unlike before when things could be slowly discussed, negotiated, and coordinated.
But for Wang Yun, he was nowhere near possessing the deep-rooted foundation of the Yuans or the Yangs. Slowly grinding things out with these fellows was a game he could least afford to play. Therefore, cutting the tangled mess with a sharp knife, choosing the brief agony over the prolonged ache, might well be the better choice.
The key was whether his own blade was hard enough...
Wang Yun clearly believed his current blade was, indeed, quite hard. He rapped his knuckles decisively against the table and declared with finality, "Then this matter is settled. It shall be carried out concurrently during the Grand Sacrifice."
Shi Sun Rui asked, "Should we summon Fengxian to inform him of this matter in advance?"
Wang Yun grunted an affirmative, but then shook his head and said, "He is a warrior, a man of the sword. Informing him when the time comes will suffice."
Shi Sun Rui nodded with an air of indifference. Although his face remained impassive, inwardly he could not help but sigh. He was forced to change the subject, saying, "East of the Pass and West of the Pass, men have recklessly taken up arms and spears, disturbing the people and disrupting agriculture, damaging the very foundation of the state. These men are like a headless serpent; it would be appropriate to bind them with cords..."
Wang Yun nodded and said, "Well spoken. I have already dispatched envoys to pacify Shandong, ordering the two Yuans to cease hostilities. The only remaining concern is the generals and officers of the late Dong Zhuo's forces." Of course, in Wang Yun's view, the two Yuans had only raised troops to oppose Dong Zhuo. Now that Dong Zhuo had been executed, there was no further justification for armed conflict...
Shi Sun Rui fell silent for a brief moment before saying, "If the two Yuans refuse to cease hostilities..." Although deep in his heart, Shi Sun Rui believed the Yuan brothers would not be so deranged as to go that far, he still felt compelled to raise the question.
Wang Yun was momentarily stunned. Then, with a touch of dismissiveness, he said, "What courage would the two Yuans have to do such a thing? That would be defying the whole world's condemnation! They must understand that the great sashes bestowed upon them can also be stripped away!"
Shi Sun Rui nodded.
In the Han Dynasty, having a just cause for military action was a matter of paramount importance. If the two Yuans continued to brandish weapons after Dong Zhuo's death, they would completely forfeit the righteous cause they had originally claimed. All that would remain would be naked personal ambition. Therefore, both Wang Yun and Shi Sun Rui believed that the Yuan clan, which had always placed great emphasis on its reputation, would not stoop to such a shameless level...
Wang Yun stroked his beard and said, "Earlier, Palace Attendant Zhao proposed appointing Huangfu Yizhen as General, placing him in overall command of the troops west of the Pass. What is your opinion on this, Junrong?"
Within the court, the only remaining figure of great general rank was Huangfu Song. There didn't seem to be any better alternative...
Shi Sun Rui lowered his head, as if suddenly weary, and said in a low, somber voice, "Yizhen... is a man of Liang."
A man of Liang.
The phrase carried a double meaning.
Wang Yun furrowed his brow and remained silent for a long, long time. Finally, he let out a sigh and said, "If only Zigan were still here, how could we be vexed by such worries..."