Xun Ye took the silk cloth inscribed with the characters "Ming Guang," his heart heavy and his eyes reddening instantly. "Even if Father had to give me a courtesy name, he shouldn't have stayed up all night—it's too harmful to his health."
Under normal circumstances, a man received his courtesy name at twenty, but there were exceptions for early bestowal—such as entering officialdom young, managing a household at a tender age, or displaying extraordinary talent that earned the praise of one's elders. In such special cases, courtesy names were given early to facilitate interaction with teachers, friends, and colleagues.
Receiving a courtesy name at the capping ceremony signified adulthood. Before that, one could always use "the child is still young" as an excuse for anything. But after receiving a courtesy name, things were different—not everyone could be like Guo Fengxiao, who, despite being an adult, could still shamelessly argue and make a fuss without batting an eye.
If he hadn't suddenly announced he wanted to join the army, Father wouldn't have stayed up all night just to give him a courtesy name, wuwuwuwuwu.
Xun Yue blinked his somewhat sore eyes and struggled to peel his son off of him. "Let go first—Father can't breathe."
The silly boy was so big now; he couldn't just pounce on him whenever he pleased.
Xun Ye sniffled, his voice unconsciously tinged with tears. "It's all because you stayed up all night—it's from the sleep deprivation."
From today onward, he was no longer the foolish Xun Agu, but Xun Mingguang, who had stepped early into the world of adults.
Father could nag at him, and he could nag at Father in return—this was the treacherous world of adulthood.
"Alright, stop fussing." Xun Yue rubbed the silly boy's head and spoke softly, "Father discussed it with your uncles last night, and we still think it's not appropriate for you to go to the capital right now. We need to have a proper talk with you."
He had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, so if he couldn't sleep, then his younger brothers—the silly boy's uncles—shouldn't sleep either. Even if they couldn't come up with anything useful, at least they could offer some words of comfort to ease his mind.
But reality was always crueler than expected. After a whole night, not only had he failed to feel reassured, he had become even more anxious.
Xun Ye thought the long-awaited objection from his elders had finally arrived, a day late. He wiped his tears and asked between sniffles, "Father, what's not appropriate about it?"
"Eat breakfast first, then Father and your uncles will explain it to you together." Xun Yue rubbed his brow, and fearing the silly boy might overthink, added, "Father isn't trying to stop you. If you still want to go out and make your way after hearing everything, the family will do its best to pave the road ahead for you."
Xun Ye was too teary-eyed to speak, afraid that if he opened his mouth, he'd let out a "moo" and burst into sobs.
Father couldn't bear to let him go out and roam, and he couldn't bear to leave Father either. It was all this era's fault—if the world weren't in chaos, wouldn't there be far fewer problems?
Father didn't like going out, and he wasn't proactive about keeping in touch with family either. Right now, with the situation not too chaotic and everyone living together, it was fine. But if something happened one day and they got separated, finding each other again would be difficult—how could he feel at ease about that, wuwuwuwuwu.
Emotions were contagious. Xun Yue feared that if they continued, it would devolve into the two of them weeping in each other's arms in the room, so he quickly cut off the topic and rose to leave.
For the convenience of the servants who cleaned and cooked, the family had been eating together these days.
In the span of a few words, the sky outside had brightened considerably. Guo Jia stood outside the wicker fence, greeting them with a smile, finding it quite novel to wake up in the morning and see what everyone around was doing.
Xun Ye waved listlessly, a completely different sight from his energetic self of yesterday.
Guo Jia: ??
He had slept and found his brain, but the little fool had slept and lost his?
Then whose brain had he found?
Guo Fengxiao ate his breakfast in trepidation, setting down his chopsticks at seventy percent full. Looking at the Xun family members, all far more silent than yesterday, he had the feeling that his brain was still somewhere along the way, not yet retrieved.
A man truly couldn't work with fools. He'd only gone to Jizhou, hadn't even spent much time with those people, so why did he feel like he was being assimilated by them?
Birds of a feather flock together. For the sake of his clever head, he'd better stick with the friends he'd chosen himself.
After the meal, everyone gathered to analyze the situation of the world for the young man who wanted to go out and make his way.
The family didn't keep idle people. Even those of mediocre talent had to possess the ability to support themselves—and besides, there were no truly mediocre people in their family.
People of their generation had basically left home at this age, either taking up posts in the commanderies or following their elders to their assignments. After several years of such experience, whether to formally enter officialdom through the Recommendation of Filial and Incorrupt or to retire and devote themselves to scholarship was entirely up to one's own choice.
This age was indeed the time to prepare for going out into the world. But Agu's situation was special—they had never thought of letting their nephew, who had only recently recovered his soul and healed after years of illness, leave home at sixteen or seventeen like they had.
Now that the child had brought up what he wanted to do himself, as elders, all they needed to do was pave the road ahead of him for the immediate stretch.
They could only help with that short stretch of road ahead.
Xun Yu's expression was calm as he took on the unshirkable responsibility of instructing his nephew. "This place is no longer safe. No matter what, we must leave after the new year. If Agu wants to stay, he'll have to be separated from his father."
Although they had known since leaving Yingchuan that Mixian was not a place for long-term stay, they never expected the area around Luoyang to descend into chaos so quickly.
Jizhou Mu Han Fu was from Yingchuan, and just two days prior, he had sent a letter welcoming fellow townsmen to take refuge in Jizhou. Both of his elder brothers were currently serving as officials there, and having clansmen who could smooth things over from above and below was far better than hiding in the mountains.
A glint of understanding passed through Guo Jia's eyes. After grasping the situation, he straightened his posture and squeezed into the discussion as an uncle.
The Xun clan had a better understanding of the situation in Jingcheng and its surroundings, but having just returned from Jizhou, he knew the current state of affairs there even more directly. News gleaned from Xiuruo and Youruo's letters was not as reliable as hearing it straight from him.
They had originally planned to sleep it off, clear their heads, and then exchange information—so it was just as well to discuss it all now.
What? His Guo clan?
The entire Guo clan had relocated to Jizhou half a year ago. He had left because he couldn't get along with the people there.
Not that Jizhou was bad—the Zhoumu's cautious and timid nature was a drawback for subordinates and advisors seeking to make their mark, but for the common people under his rule, it was a tremendous blessing. Looking across all thirteen provinces of Dahan, there was no better place to take refuge than Jizhou.
No matter. He would return to Yingchuan after the New Year to find Zhicai.
Wenruo said that when they set out for Mixian, they happened to catch Zhicai in the middle of an illness, which was why he hadn't come along. Everyone said he had a frail constitution—that fellow was even weaker than him. How could he manage without a close friend to look after him?
When he left Jizhou, he had already planned his next steps clearly. There were old servants managing the household back in Yingchuan, and he had guards accompanying him. Most importantly, he could sense danger and knew when to slip away, so there was no need to worry about him the way one might fret over some little fool.
Xun Ye had no idea what the "Uncle Guo" who had squeezed his way in was thinking. He sat upright and proper before the several elders, feeling more nervous than if he were facing four emperors at once.
He had already prepared himself for being separated from his beautiful father. On the battlefield, blades and arrows had no eyes, but he was thick-skinned and tough—no amount of rough treatment would do him harm. It was enough for his father to stay with the clan in a safe place and focus on scholarship.
Xun Yu dipped his finger in the warm water of his cup and traced a few curved lines on the table—a rough sketch of provincial borders. "Dong Zhuo is cruel and tyrannical. Dianjun Xiaowei Cao Cao, Cao Mengde, has raised the call for righteous troops at Chenliu, but only the Xiang of Jibei, Bao Xin, and his younger brother Bao Tao have responded with their forces."
Xun Ye blinked and raised his hand to indicate he had a question. "Aren't all the heroes of the realm supposed to be rising in response? How is it only two people?"
Xun Yue shook his head. "The young emperor is weak, and Dong Zhuo has strong troops and firm control of power. Not everyone has the courage of General Cao to challenge him directly."
"Recruiting soldiers and watching the situation aren't mutually exclusive. There are plenty of 'heroes' among the provinces and commanderies, but precious few who genuinely wish to uphold the state." Guo Jia shrugged and said unhurriedly, "Campaigning against Dong Zhuo isn't just a matter of shouting slogans. There are plenty of twists and turns beneath the surface."
Jizhou was prosperous, with abundant resources, strong soldiers, and ample grain. Bohai Taishou Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu, had openly denounced Dong Zhuo in court before fleeing to Bohai. Jizhou Mu Han Fu, Han Wenjie, likewise resented Dong Zhuo's arbitrary deposition and elevation of emperors. Both were renowned scholars of the court, and with their prestige, raising troops against Dong Zhuo would have been far easier for them than for Cao Mengde, who had to exhaust his family fortune to scrape together a mere four to five thousand men.
But Han Wenjie did not wish to stir up war, and he worried that Yuan Benchu—famous, from a distinguished family, and more popular than him—might overshadow him. So he went so far as to place the man under watch, preventing him from associating with Jizhou's high officials and worthy scholars, lest Yuan Benchu bypass him as Zhoumu and lead Jizhou's soldiers and people to campaign against Dong Zhuo.
Call Han Wenjie selfish and petty? Yet he had arranged for trusted confidants to return to Yingchuan and escort the scholars and common folk of his hometown to take refuge in Jizhou. If the Zhongyuan could not avoid the calamities of war, then at least he could keep his own territory peaceful—so that his elders and fellow townsmen would have a place to flee to.
One could call him timid and fearful, but one could not say he was unworthy of the title of renowned scholar.
And Yuan Benchu was no pitiable wretch either. The Runan Yuan Clan was stirring up winds and fires at court. He and Yuan Shu had each gone to Bohai and Nanyang respectively—both prosperous, populous regions. If his guess was right, the Yuan Clan had belatedly realized that pushing Dong Zhuo into power had been a terrible move, and now they wanted Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu to recruit soldiers in the provinces to match Dong Zhuo's military strength.
If Yuan Shao hadn't been so conspicuous in his movements, Han Fu wouldn't have been so nervous as to have him watched.
They were all renowned scholars—they had their reputations to maintain.
Xun Ye hesitated for a moment, then asked again, "In that case, is Jizhou still safe?"
By official rank, the Jizhou Mu outranked the Bohai Taishou. By family background, Yuan Shao was stronger than Han Fu. According to the historical developments he remembered, Jizhou would soon change hands—and among the great contributors who would make Han Fu hand over Jizhou was an uncle he had never met.
Uncle Wenruo had accepted Han Fu's invitation and was bringing the clan to Jizhou. What if they arrived and found that Jizhou had already become Yuan Shao's?
Wait—he knew two uncles were serving as officials in Jizhou. Were they following Han Fu or Yuan Shao? Or had they placed their eggs in two baskets, ensuring they had an escape route no matter which side fell?
The little fool let out a soft exclamation and quickly said there was no need to address his previous question. See through but don't say through—the uncles should continue where they left off.
Xun Yu smiled, not elaborating on how things were being managed in Jizhou. He wiped his fingers dry and took out several bamboo slips. "Currently, not many righteous armies have responded to Cao Cao's call, but it is said that manifestos from the Sangong have already been sent by fast horse to the governors of each province and commandery. This is one of them."
Dong Zhuo's reputation was fearsome, and Cao Cao's prestige was not particularly high either. If the righteous armies failed in their campaign against Dong, Dong Zhuo could brand them all as rebels with a single stroke. Being the bird that sticks its head out was no easy task, and few were willing to brave the storm at such a time.
But having the court's manifesto in hand changed everything. The civil and military officials walked on thin ice under the shadow of the Dong Rebel. The Sangong had written in their own hands, "Being coerced, with no means to save ourselves, we look to the righteous armies to relieve the nation's suffering." Between the lines were tears and blood. At this point, how could one not respond to the call against Dong? Would they rather stand with the Dong Rebel?
Beside him, his young uncle Xun Fei, only a few years older than Xun Ye, added, "But that manifesto was not actually written by the Sangong. It was Qiao Mao, the Taishou of Dongjun, who issued it under the false claim of being from the Sangong."
His father was currently one of the Sangong, so no one knew better than them whether the manifesto was genuine or not.
"Whether the manifesto is genuine or not doesn't matter. What matters is that it can be delivered to the officials of each region through the postal relay system." Xun Yu raised his eyes. "The Son of Heaven is in a difficult position. What the various righteous armies need is simply a basis that allows them to act with legitimacy."
As long as the manifesto could reach them through proper channels, then it was genuine.
"And then a group of people gather together under the pretext of upholding the state, only to start a new round of scheming and mutual deception." Guo Jia was unimpressed. Noticing that everyone's attention had turned to him, he paused. "Don't tell me you genuinely believe all those fellows are burning with patriotic fervor to serve the country?"
Xun Yu said helplessly, "Fengxiao, A'Jiu is still here."
Guo Jia argued his point, "Precisely because A'Jiu is here to listen that I can't let him harbor too much hope for those people."
The situation could change in an instant, and misjudging people's hearts could truly cost one their life.
Seeing that the two were about to launch into a debate, Xun Ye carefully edged closer to his father and, taking advantage of no one paying attention, whispered in a breathy voice, "Father knows, when I'm out in the world, it's only me who fools others. No one can fool me."
Xun Yue's eyes curved into a smile. "Father knows. Our A'Jiu is the cleverest."
But if worry could be controlled, it wouldn't be called worry.
When one's parents are alive, one does not travel far. Among the able-bodied men willing to follow the local militia into the army, at least half were single men with no family ties. Of the rest, either their families were so poor they couldn't put food on the table and had no choice but to answer the recruitment for money and grain, or they had offended someone back home and couldn't stay. Very few would abandon a comfortable life for one of uncertainty when they had food and clothing.
He wished his foolish boy could live a stable life, but stability wasn't something one could simply wish for. He had already been cowardly enough to retreat into seclusion in the countryside, closing his eyes to the suffering of the world. He couldn't force his son to deceive himself the same way.
Some were consumed by lust for power and the pursuit of fame and profit; others gave away their entire fortunes to uphold the state. The world held not only treacherous ministers who disregarded loyalty, but also loyal ministers and righteous men who died for their principles and sacrificed themselves for righteousness.
Their A'Jiu had the heart of a pure child, and in the future, he would surely become a man of integrity who could stand tall between heaven and earth.