Chapter 8: Moonlight Debate

  In the 19th year of Xian De, in July, Prince De Qin Zhao Ke returned. The ruler asked him about the matter of attacking Shu. At that time, Chancellor Shang Wei Jun strongly advocated for attacking Shu, and everyone in the court agreed with him. Prince De Qin strongly opposed it, but the ruler was still hesitant. On the 15th day of July, Princess Ling's daughter, Liang Yu, hosted a banquet at Ming Yue Lou and invited Prince De Qin to attend. The other guests included Chancellor Shang Wei Jun, King Da Yong Qi Li Xian, and his staff member Qin Ding. Jiang Zhe was also invited. Later generations may not understand this, as Jiang Zhe's official position was low, and it is unclear why he was allowed to join the banquet to discuss important state affairs. Some say that at that time, Jiang Zhe already had a second heart (i.e., he was disloyal), but according to actual evidence, this seems unlikely.

  After the banquet, Deqin Wang returned in anger. Jiang Zhe hurried to catch up with him and exchanged a few words, but the king remained silent. The next day, during the court meeting, they discussed the plan to attack Shu. The king remained silent and did not speak. As a result, the proposal to attack Shu was passed. Some people said that the king did not oppose the proposal to attack Shu because of Jiang Zhe's fault, which was a great crime. However, according to the king's subordinates, what Jiang Zhe said was actually for the benefit of Chu.

  The Book of Southern Chu · Biography of Jiang Suiyun

  The King of De Zhao Ke returned, and the discussion about attacking Shu was greatly calmed down. As soon as he arrived, he went to pay his respects to the late king. When the late king passed away, Zhao Ke was stationed at the border and couldn't return for the funeral. Now that the court's politics have stabilized, Zhao Ke is a high-ranking military official, so his opinion on attacking Shu must be heard, which is why he was summoned back. After crying and paying respects, Zhao Ke entered the palace to meet with the emperor, speaking frankly and strongly opposing the attack on Shu. Zhao Ke has great prestige in the court, so many people immediately stopped talking about attacking Shu, but even more people came to persuade him, especially officials from the Shang Weijun faction. However, the King of De refused to agree.

  On the fifteenth of July, Princess Mingyue Liang Yuanniang posted an invitation to Duke Deqin for a banquet, and at the same time invited Prince Qi Li Xian and Chancellor Shang Weijun. Everyone knew what this meant. In fact, the affairs between these powerful nobles who held state power had nothing to do with me, but why did I have to attend as well? I looked at Prince Qi with a mixture of tears and laughter, saying that I was just a minor official and didn't qualify to participate. However, Prince Qi calmly replied, "It's just Princess Liang's banquet, you're the national host sent to receive me, so naturally you must attend." Although I had intended to refuse, when the guards beside Prince Qi looked at me with eyes full of murderous intent, I still agreed. Who says that bravery can't be bent? Try saying no in front of these seasoned veterans.

  The second to arrive was the King of Qi, and this banquet was being held on the Bright Moon Pavilion. It was now midsummer, and the heat was unbearable. All the windows on this small pavilion were wide open, with buckets filled with ice placed everywhere, making the inside of the pavilion refreshingly cool. Liang Yuanshu wore a light yellow shirt and sat in the main seat, while Shang Weijun wore a silk robe and sat in the second chair to the left. Below him sat a scholar in black robes, who was Shang Weijun's staff member Nian Yuan. When Shang Weijun saw the King of Qi arrive, he smiled and went forward to greet him. Seeing me, his brow furrowed. I quickly took the opportunity to say: "This humble official is here to accompany the King of Qi, since you are here, sir, please allow this humble official to withdraw." Shang Weijun showed a satisfied smile, praising my tactfulness. I thought I had succeeded and was about to leave when the King of Qi grasped my arm with a mischievous grin: "Don't go, Shang Weijun! Since Jiang Hanlin is an official sent by the emperor, and also a reader at the Imperial Academy, and one of your South Chu's talented scholars, why not let him stay here and listen in?" Shang Weijun furrowed his brow but ultimately did not dare to offend the King of Qi. He only gave me a warning glance, telling me not to speak too much.

  The King of Qi sat at the head of the table, with the Qin prince sitting below him. I had to sit below the Qin prince, as it would be improper for me to sit on the left side, especially since the King of Qi had insisted that I stay. Before long, a loud and clear laugh was heard from outside the door, and a handsome young man wearing a king's uniform walked in. Because the Spirit King had passed away less than a year ago, he wore mourning attire on his crown and sash. It was none other than Prince De of Zhao, Zhao Jue. Behind him followed a middle-aged Confucian scholar in a green robe and a black-clad warrior with a sword at his side. When I saw Zhao Jue, I almost cried out - this person was the same gray-robed man whom I had told fortunes for before my high school graduation! If he was indeed Prince De, then back then he must have been preparing to sneak attack on Youling, which is why he asked me to tell his fortune. I had replied that "there would be internal strife and external strong enemies", and now it seemed that this had actually come true. This Prince De was the younger brother of the Spirit King and a high-ranking military official - who would have thought that I had once told his fortune?

  Zhao Ke's gaze swept across the people in the room, but didn't linger on me, probably because he had no memory of me. However, he seemed to be somewhat suspicious of my identity.

  Zhao Ke sat in the first seat on the left, the warrior stood behind him, and his aide sat at the end of the left row. Because I deliberately left a seat between me and Qin Gongzi, that person was sitting right across from me, our eyes met, I gave a flattering smile, but he looked at me with sharp eyes for a while.

  Zhaō Jué sat down, and a maid brought tea and snacks. After that, everyone retreated. Liáng Wǎn stood up and said: "I have been entrusted by the King of Qi and Shàng Xiāng to invite Dé Qīn Wáng to dinner. Although I shouldn't be involved in military and national affairs, you gentlemen need someone to serve you after all. I had no choice but to stay behind. This matter concerns both Dà Yōng and Nán Chǔ. I was born in Dà Yōng and received the kindness of the former king of Nán Chǔ, so I absolutely dare not reveal a single word."

  Zhao Jue smiled faintly and said, "Miss Liang is the adopted daughter of the former king and can also be considered Zhao Jue's niece. Naturally, Zhao Jue believes in Miss, but I don't know what teachings Qi Wang Gong and Shang Chengxiang have."

  Li Xian looked at Zhao Ke and smiled: "I've long heard that the virtuous and kind king is the number one general in Southern Chu, commanding the great army of Southern Chu. Today, I see that you are indeed elegant and refined, with an extraordinary bearing. Although I am a prince, in the military, I am just a general. If we compare positions, I am actually below yours. The words 'see teaching' make me feel ashamed, I dare not accept them. However, King De's opposition to attacking Shu does not quite match his reputation as a famous general, please enlighten me."

  Zhao Jue said calmly, "The Shu state refuses to surrender to Da Yong, although it is a crime. However, the ruler of Shu was once a remnant minister of Eastern Jin, and although he had served in the same court as Da Yong, there was no master-slave relationship between them. Now I don't know what reason Da Yong has for attacking Shu because it refuses to surrender. Even though my Southern Chu is a vassal state of Da Yong, we have never received any orders from Da Yong."

  Li Xian laughed and said, "The words of the virtuous king are quite wrong. My great Yong has wise and capable rulers, but the Shu kingdom occupies a region and refuses to acknowledge allegiance. This is truly unbearable. If the Shu kingdom had submitted to my country early on, my great Yong would not have attacked it. I've heard that the emperor's grudge can be avenged even after nine generations. In the past, when our great Yong was first established, the Shu kingdom took advantage of this and sent troops to Qin River, burning, killing, and looting, causing my great Yong's previous emperor to shed tears of blood upon hearing about it. If we don't avenge this grudge, how can we be human? Later, when my great Yong attacked Southern Chu, the Shu kingdom again sent troops. Although they did have some merit in Southern Chu, my great Yong suffered heavy losses - three Qin territories were left in ruins for a thousand miles, and countless lives were lost. Even after that, didn't the Shu kingdom extort numerous gold, silk, and women from your country? Looking at it this way, the Shu kingdom is like a ferocious wolf hiding in the shadows, lying in wait and only emerging to attack when they see an opening. Now, Virtuous King, you're speaking up for the Shu kingdom - I fear that one day you'll be devoured by this ally who knows no loyalty or honor, only profit."

  Zhao Ke said coldly: "Although I am not talented, I also know the story of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'. What I fear is that after Shu is destroyed, it will be my turn in Southern Chu."

  Li Xian was momentarily speechless, and he understood it very well. After attacking Shu State, Southern Chu would be the next target. He just didn't expect Zhao Jue to be so blunt and fearless in offending Da Yong. As the prince of Da Yong, he did not want to tell lies with his mouth open. At this time, Qin Gongzi took over the conversation and said: "This statement is wrong. The so-called 'when lips are gone, teeth get cold' means that we need to rely on each other and share the same boat. Now Shu State has repeatedly provoked Southern Chu, treating friendship as enmity. Now it's like a sharp knife cutting through the lips, seeing blood. I don't know what King Deqin meant by 'when lips are gone, teeth get cold'."

  He smiled faintly, and his aide, a middle-aged man in a green robe, put down the folding fan he was holding and said: "Although Southern Chu and Shu had some minor conflicts, it's not a great shame. In the ninth year of Xian De, Da Ying pacified the Central Plains, stationed troops along the Yangtze River, and if the King of Shu hadn't assisted by sending troops to Qin Chuan, how could Da Ying have stopped fighting? Although this is the case, my Southern Chu still pays homage to Da Ying, which is indeed a humiliating thing. Although the two countries are now at peace, with Princess Chang Le marrying our king and the two countries forming a marital alliance, your country has been training its naval forces north of the Yangtze River year after year, and its intention to invade the south has not dissipated. I wonder how Your Highness would explain this."

  Li Xian smiled and said, "Although the two countries are at peace, there are still many people in your country who cannot forget the past grievances between our nations, just like Prince Gui. If my country did not practice naval warfare, I fear that your great army would have crossed the river long ago. Prince Gui has been stationed along the Yangtze River for a long time, surely he is aware of this situation? Moreover, since my country and yours have already made peace, my sister, the emperor's beloved daughter, was married off to Southern Chu, and in recent years, there have been frequent exchanges and trade between our nations. We are not like Shu, which has closed its doors to the world. Our military council has long decided not to attack Shu, so as to avoid a threat to our heart, but instead to pacify Southern Chu, so that we can sleep peacefully."

  Zhao Ke sneered, "Is this reasonable? For ten years, I have been paying tribute to the Southern Chu with gold, silver, and silk every year. However, your country has never been willing to sell us good weapons and fine horses. If you truly wanted to make friends, why would it be like this? Although the queen is the Princess of Dayong, state affairs should not be influenced by a woman's feelings. I still remember how Zheng Wu Gong used his beloved daughter as a pawn to attack the Hu State."

  Duke Qin angrily said: "The virtue of King De is so insulting to our country, can it be tolerated? However, thinking carefully, the king's concerns are not unreasonable. Please listen to me explaining for the king. Our country prohibits the sale of weapons and war horses, not specifically targeting your country. The northern border of our country is not peaceful, and the soldiers on the border sleep with their swords every night. How dare we sell war horses and weapons? Moreover, your country has long occupied Jiangnan, which is all rivers and lakes. If you don't want to attack Dayong, why do you need war horses? Are you planning to attack Shu Kingdom?"

  Zhaoyu was speechless, and Shang Weijun hastily mediated: "Both Prince Wang and Qin Gongzi have misspoken. Today we gathered to discuss, not for a contest of tempers. Please, both of you, do not hold grudges."

  Zhao Ke and Qin Gongzi simultaneously raised their teacups and took a sip, indicating that they were giving up the argument.

  "Let me tell you, our country's plan to conquer Shu is not just because of their stubbornness and refusal to surrender. Although we formed an alliance, they repeatedly broke the agreement. What's even more infuriating is that our salt production is insufficient, and we have to purchase the rest from Shu. They keep raising the price, taking advantage of their rich resources and strategic location to accumulate wealth. This is something we cannot tolerate. If we were to conquer Shu together, I'd be willing to divide its population and land with your country. We could rule our respective sides of the river, and when the time comes, Southern Chu's military strength will greatly increase. My great Yong still has border troubles, but if Southern Chu controls the entire Yangtze River region, what is there to worry about? If even King De thinks it's not possible to resist my great Yong, then wouldn't it be better to surrender early and avoid further conflict? Does Southern Chu only want to live in seclusion on the south bank of the river, subject to the whims of others?"

  Zhao Ke remained silent, but simply shook his head. He knew that the soldiers of Southern Chu were not strong enough, and if they were to attack Shu, he feared that most of the land and population would fall into the hands of Da Yong. What's the point of dividing the spoils of war? In the end, it would be whoever took it by force. Everyone looked at each other in dismay, seeing the resolute expression on Zhao Ke's face. It seemed that no matter how eloquent one was, they couldn't change his mind. Li Xian's eyes flashed with a look of distress, and he glanced at Liang Yu. Liang Yu stood up and said, "Everyone must be tired today. If you don't mind, please come downstairs to have a meal. I've prepared some sour plum soup to help cool down the summer heat. Please, everyone, give it a try."

  Shang Weijun stood up and smiled: "Miss Liang's banquet must be attended, please go."

  Zhao Ke stood up and looked at Qin Gongzi, asking: "May I ask your honorable surname and name, what official position do you hold in Da Yong?"

  Qin Gongzi said: "I am under Qin Ting, serving in the tent of King Qi."

  Zhao Ke smiled and said, "Qin Gongzi's words are as sharp as a sword, Zhao Ke admires them. However, some things no matter how well they are said, cannot compare to strength and interests. My Southern Chu acknowledges that it is not qualified to compete with Great Yong in terms of etiquette. If Great Yong attacks Shu State, my Southern Chu should sharpen its military and prepare for defense."

  Duke Qin gazed at Zhao Jie, his expression bitter as he said, "The Virtuous King is resolute in his choices, not to be swayed by words. I beg Your Majesty's pardon for Qin Meng's transgressions."

  Zhao Ke nodded slightly and said, "This king's military affairs are busy, so I'll take my leave first. Please forgive me, everyone." The crowd didn't expect Zhao Ke to be so resolute, originally planning to offer some good advice after getting drunk, but now they could only reluctantly see him off. Several people exchanged glances from time to time, and I felt a stir in my heart, suddenly standing up and saying, "Everyone is already tired, let this humble official send off the king." The Prince of Qi and others didn't show any emotion, and Shang Weijun said bitterly, "It's fine, it's fine."

  I followed Zhao Jue out, and he looked a bit tired. I carefully looked at this thirty-year-old prince, who must have been under great pressure over the years. In three years, his temples had already turned slightly white, but his body exuded an unyielding aura. This is the pillar of my Southern Chu! I felt both admiration and sympathy for him, as he was misunderstood by others despite his dedication. It's really hard to understand where such courage comes from. Zhao Jue noticed my gaze and asked faintly, "Who are you?"

  "I respectfully said: 'Your humble servant Jiang Zhe, a Hanlin Academy attendant reader, is currently accompanying the Emperor.'"

  Zhao Ke was startled and asked: "You are Jiang Zhe, why are you sitting with Prince Qi?"

  I hastily explained: "Your humble servant has been ordered to receive the King of Qi, and today the King of Qi insists that your humble servant be present. Your humble servant is fortunate enough to listen to the king's teachings, a blessing for three lifetimes."

  Although Zhao Jie was a bit strange, he didn't delve deeper and said bitterly: "I've heard your poem, it's really well-written. 'Drunk in the lamp light, looking at the sword, dreaming of blowing horns and linking camps. Eight hundred miles under the banner, fifty strings echoing outside the pass. Autumn on the battlefield, pointing to the troops. The horse is as fast as a flying arrow, the bowstring is as shocking as thunder. Finishing off the king's affairs, winning fame in life and death. Pitiful white hair.' " He seemed to be immersed in the atmosphere of my poem "Breaking Array" which I wrote in Jiangxia, unintentionally stroking his temples for a moment. After a long while, he said faintly: "Do you think we should attack Shu?"

  "I see there are no outsiders around, so I'll say: 'Before I express my opinion, may I ask three questions?'"

  Zhao Ke looked at me with surprise and said, "Go ahead and ask."

  A hint of sadness flashed in my eyes, and I asked: "Firstly, I ask Your Highness, from the ruler of Southern Chu to its common people, is there anyone who understands the wolf-like ambition of Da Yong as well as you do?"

  Zhao Ke was silent for a moment before saying: "There are only a few people, even among my trusted subordinates, who have advised me to attack Shu."

  "I asked again: 'Secondly, I ask Your Highness, if Da Yong himself attacks Shu State and Shu State asks me to send troops to rescue them, will Nan Chu dare to send troops?'"

  Zhao Jue said with a sad expression: "I dare not, our country's ruler and ministers will inevitably watch as Shu is destroyed."

  I knew his heartache, but still asked the third question: "Thirdly, if King Wang resists the attack on Shu and the national master's intention is already firm, he can only choose another general. I don't know if there is anyone in South Chu who can lead the army to fight better than General?"

  I asked three consecutive questions, each one sharper than the last, and Zhao Ke's face was covered in cold sweat as he stared at me steadily.

  I bowed my head and said, "Nowadays, our country can no longer be independent. If the king insists on not allowing it, the ruler will send others to attack Shu, and our soldiers are originally inferior to those of Shu and Dayong. If we consume too much during the attack on Shu, when the time comes, Dayong wants to break my South Chu, it will be easy as breaking a bamboo. If the king personally leads the army, he can obtain part of Bashu's vital points as the foundation, and after obtaining Longyou and Guanzhong as a buffer, he can stabilize Xiangfan. Then, under pressure from the situation, Dayong can at least ensure that South Chu will last for decades. In the future, if my South Chu can lie in wait and take revenge, it is not impossible to obtain the world."

  Zhao Jue's face first showed a look of sorrow, then returned to calmness, and then his eyes revealed a resolute expression. He said: "General Jiang is truly a peerless national hero. If I were to lead the army to conquer Shu, would General Jiang be willing to serve as my strategist?"

  "What a joke, I don't want to go to the battlefield," I said calmly: "The subordinate is not familiar with military strategy and does not dare to follow. If Your Highness has any inquiries, the subordinate will certainly speak without reservation."

  Zhao Ke looked at me in astonishment, seemingly unable to comprehend why I would reject such a promising path. He spoke in a low tone, "The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every individual, Jiang is my subordinate from South Chu, how can he not do his best for South Chu? You think it over carefully." After that, he left with his men.

  I glared at Zhao Jue's back, that ungrateful guy. I had just pointed him out, and this is how he repays me? He wants to send me to the battlefield? How ridiculous! What can I do? Who can help me avoid going to war? I thought anxiously.

  Note: Chóu (pronounced as "chou"), means enemy.