Chapter 1299 - 320: Fall

Chapter 1299: Chapter 320: Fall

The governor of Wei Town is surnamed Jia, with the name Tianhua. Early in his career, he was unafraid of danger, and once sent reports impeaching Minister Han of the current dynasty, directly stating that Minister Han intentionally neglected Qian’s military preparations, making the state as precarious as being balanced on an egg.

Minister Han is best known for the saying, "Those who proclaim their names at Donghua Gate are truly worthy sons."

Additionally, Minister Han is famously irritable, priding himself on being just and incorruptible; upon receiving such an impeachment, he simply abandoned his post and refused to attend court.

When major officials of the current dynasty are impeached in this manner, they typically feign illness, wait for the monarch’s decision, then return to court – this is called maintaining decorum.

However, as one of the prime ministers of the current dynasty, facing daily impeachments and accusations was nothing uncommon, and rarely applicable by this standard, but Minister Han inexplicably took a dislike to Jia Tianhua, choosing the seemingly most dignified yet actually the harshest approach.

Oh, Monarch,

Do you want me, or do you want him?

That, there’s no choice.

Thus, Jia Tianhua, though not ranked as the top scholar, second place, or third place, remained an illustrious newly appointed official, directly demoted by an imperial edict to Qiong Island.

Qiong Island, located in the southernmost part of Qian, is reputed for its hot climate, teeming with miasma; outsiders rarely remain unaffected by illness upon entering, so being assigned there is equivalent to a delayed death sentence.

Whether the locals of Qiong Island think of their home as such a dreadful place is unknown, but officials and literati have long regarded it as a land of "going to one’s death."

Back in the day, when Yao Zizhan was young, he once wrote an "Ode to Apricot Flowers," portraying the alluring scene of a prime minister’s concubine lifting the curtain in a sedan chair at the Lantern Festival;

Hence, it was spread that the prime minister was furious, desiring to exile Yao Zizhan, who was then a Hanlin scholar, to Qiong Island.

Upon hearing the news, Yao Zizhan cried for three days, writing eighteen "Ode to Departure" pieces and seventy-eight "Ode to Farewell."

The "Ode to Departure" recounts his journey from birth, schooling, examinations, to eventual officialdom, recalling his own past, bidding farewell.

"Ode to Farewell" was meant for family and friends, mentors, companions, colleagues, bidding farewell to everyone.

The approximate meaning was:

Ah,

I’m going to Qiong Island as an official,

Ah,

I’m going to die.

Upon receiving the transfer order, Yao Zizhan granted his concubines to friends, sent his legitimate wife and children back to his hometown, and faced the assignment alone;

That day, many gathered outside the imperial capital to see Yao Zizhan off, as if he was not going to fulfill his duty but heading to his demise.

However,

Yao Zizhan had barely left the capital when news suddenly came that the prime minister had died of illness, with a new prime minister taking office, naturally inciting a change to signify new governance, calling Yao Zizhan back before he even arrived at his assigned post.

Yao Zizhan wept with joy, swiftly galloping back to the capital.

Although Master Yao never went to Qiong Island, Jia Tianhua stayed there for over a decade yet managed to accomplish notable deeds during his tenure.

Qiong Island was plagued by pirates, so he trained islander forces, unified indigenous soldiers from thirty-six caves and seventy-two villages, and cooperated with the Zu family army to achieve significant victories.

Three years ago,

Yan people descended south, the three borders of Qian virtually left defenseless, with Yan cavalry knocking at Bian River, unsettling the imperial capital.

After the Yan people retreated, several ministers, including Minister Han, resigned, and the monarch took this opportunity to consolidate power.

Only then was Jia Tianhua able to be transferred from Qiong Island back to the capital, serving a year as the Ministry of War’s secretary, before being reassigned to the three borders, becoming the governor of Wei Town.

Actually, his life path is quite similar to Master Yao’s, both being targeted due to offending a prime minister, being sent to the same destination – Qiong Island.

But who can help it when Master Yao is a Literary Sage, a single saintly word marks his resilient fate.

That prime minister died of illness before his appointment to Qiong Island, conversely, Jia Tianhua’s Minister Han, among all the ministers, was acknowledged as exceptionally robust; absent the Yan people’s southern advance, Minister Han could have stood tall in court for another decade, even challenging the most adept in self-cultivation, the emperor, on whether I should serve as a regent or you bestow "Wen Duan" upon me.

Regardless, Jia Tianhua returned; a new emperor comes with new ministers, but a change in emperors waits for when an emperor passes away. Comparatively, a change in prime ministers and ministers is easier to anticipate.

"Alas, after enduring Qiong Island for so long, one gets used to the heat, but then transferring to the three borders, is truly a stark contrast between fire and ice."

Jia Tianhua jested.

And the young general sitting opposite him remarked with a smile; "Lord Jia, this is just the beginning. For you know, our northern Yinlang County already counts as the mildest climate of all Yan lands."

This young general was leisurely conversing in Jia Tianhua’s presence, for he possessed the credentials.

In nearly fifty years, recognized as the fiercest fighters in Qian, it was the West Army Division.

And the Zhong Family, after the Tattoo-faced Master, had managed the West Army for decades, deeply entrenched, with him being the Zhong family’s next generation flag-bearer.

The emperor even bestowed his imperial princess as his wife, granting him unmatched favor.

Though this prince’s marriage to the princess coincided with Yan State’s Lord Pingye abducting Chu Kingdom’s princess, completely overshadowing him.

Also sitting opposite them were two other generals, one with a long beard, exceedingly brave, surnamed Han, ranked fifth in the family, nicknamed Han Laowu;

Another with restrained valor between his brows, named Yue Huan.

Han Laowu gained fame during the Yan people’s southern descent three years ago, when his main forces were defeated by the Yan people, he still managed to rescue his father-in-law, and led him back to the capital, enduring another escape under Lord Pingye’s assault outside the capital.