Free Web NovelChapter 1235: Chapter 1214: Cursing
Diao Xie is naturally tough. When he was in Jiangnan, he offended the aristocratic families everywhere. This time, Zhao Hanzhang mainly invited the aristocratic families of Jiangnan, which he subconsciously did not want to attend;
But thinking this is a rare chance to meet Zhao Hanzhang, he was unwilling to miss it.
Therefore, he barely thought for a moment and agreed. He dressed in his best clothes, wore the most valuable jade crown, and spiritedly followed King Langya out the door.
Seeing Diao Xie’s combat-like appearance, King Langya regretted for a moment whether it was a mistake to invite Diao Xie to accompany him.
Is it still time to regret?
Seems like he saw his father’s hesitation, Sima Pu, who already climbed the carriage, said: "Father, perhaps the Great General will be very pleased with Diao Changshi’s attendance at the banquet."
King Langya: "What’s the pleasure if they get into a fight?"
Sima Pu: "Father supports Diao Xie and Liu Kui’s faction against the aristocratic families. How do we know the Great General doesn’t need such a blade?"
King Langya: ...
Beside them, Sima Shao also nodded and urged, "Father, hurry and get on the carriage. If we don’t set off soon, it’ll be too late, and for people of our status, arriving last isn’t good."
King Langya quickly got on the carriage.
Diao Xie didn’t hear the whispers between father and son. He was simulating debates with the aristocratic families in his mind.
Such a grand banquet naturally means some officials from the court will attend. Since it’s about the development of Jiangnan, Zhao Hanzhang called upon Ji Yuan Ming, Chang Ning, and others, along with Zhao Xin, Fan Ying, and Zhao Yunxin.
As the host, they had already arrived early. Zhao Xin and Zhao Yunxin were busy organizing everything.
Zeng Yue guarded the entrance, demanding everyone entering to remove their weapons, setting the same strict standard as a palace banquet.
The guests had no objections, aware that Zhao Hanzhang had faced several assassination attempts this month. Truth be told, not only Zeng Yue was scared, but they also feared if someone inside tried assassinating, putting them in danger.
So keeping danger outside the General Mansion is ideal.
Many people came, entering in four groups.
One group was the refugee combo led by Wang Dao; another was the Jiangnan aristocratic families led by Zhou Qi; one was southern people excluded by Jiangnan aristocratic families; lastly, was King Langya’s group.
When King Langya’s group arrived, most people had already entered. They had the fewest numbers but received the most attention, with Zhao Xin personally greeting them and leading them to the garden.
Inside the garden was a spacious pavilion, connected by several corridors with roofs. It had snow in these days, and the servants had shoveled the snow to tree bases. Since the snow wasn’t heavy, most snow on the roof remained, presenting an eye-catching sight of white snow against yellow walls and green tiles, exuding warmth.
Planted plum trees in the garden had buds, some were half-open and dotingly red amidst branches, drawing the eyes of incoming people.
Though Jiangnan has snow views, such a beautiful snow scene was rare, so Zhou Qi and others ignored the charcoal fire under the corridors and pavilion, choosing instead to stand under the plum trees, gazing upward and appreciating carefully.
The returning refugees couldn’t help but be drawn too, standing aside watching for a moment before tears streamed down uncontrollably.
One person’s tears led others to cry too. Most were reserved, quietly wiping tears, but some were conspicuous, refusing silence, bursting out crying loudly.
The loudest was Xiahou Le, who was also a relative of King Langya, and naturally related to Zhao Hanzhang too. But among the refugees present, almost everyone was somewhat related by kinship.
This was particularly the reason for Xiahou Le’s grief. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang rushing over, he was already hugging a plum tree and crying with hiccups, his face covered in tears as he asked Zhao Hanzhang, "Great General, since the First Year of Yuan Kang, how many Central Plains families were annihilated, and how many direct descendants survived?"
Zhao Hanzhang paused a moment before replying, "Three or four out of ten."
Xiahou Le then hugged the plum tree and wailed loudly, drawing out the sorrow in everyone’s hearts, showing a mournful expression. Despite Jiangnan’s aristocratic families being less affected by war, they were saddened nonetheless.
But they quickly suppressed the sadness. No, today the focus is on Jiangnan, the Great General’s attention needs to be on the Jiangnan aristocratic families, shouldn’t be snatched by Jiangbei.
So Lu Yuan stepped forward, saluted, and said to Zhao Hanzhang: "Great General, all Jiangnan aristocratic families are present."
Xiahou Le still hugged the plum tree crying, wiped his tears upon hearing this, and choked, "But Jiangbei scholars fleeing to Jiangnan survived very few, even fewer can attend this meeting."
With tearful eyes, he asked Zhao Hanzhang, "Great General, have you forgotten them?"
Zhao Hanzhang was about to speak with Lu Yuan when she realized that unless the issue of Jiangbei refugees was addressed first, it would be hard to discuss Jiangnan’s matters today. She shook her head, saying: "How could I forget?"
Seeing his eyes immediately brim with tears, about to cry again, she hastily replied before him, "Mr. Xiahou, could you know how many people from North of Yangtze River survived from Yuan Kang to today?"
Xiahou Le and everyone fell silent together.
Zhao Hanzhang sighed and answered herself, "One out of ten."
"So heartbreaking, why is the Great General still lenient to the Xiongnu?" Yuan Gang’s face looked grim, "Our Central Plains people don’t know how many were brutally killed by Xiongnu. They even treated our people as food, calling them two-legged sheep. Such enemies, ought to be eliminated completely to ease hatred."
Zhao Hanzhang replied, "The war-mongering Xiongnu have been put to the sword, the remaining are ordinary folks pushed to the battlefield like Central Plains people, they’ve submitted to Jin State. In my eyes, they are Jin people."
Yuan Gang angrily swept his sleeve, "Not of our race, their hearts differ, General Zhao is too naive."
Zhao Hanzhang grinned at him, "Mr. Yuan speaks wisely, today under one banner, the so-called Huaxia tribe includes not only the Central Plains Han people, but also Baiyue, Di and Qiang, Xianbei, and Xiongnu. Which one are you referring to as not of our race?"
Yuan Gang opened his mouth, paused for a long while before saying, "Naturally, it’s the barbarians excluding Han people and Baiyue."
Upon hearing this, not only did Zhao Hanzhang oppose, everyone present sharply criticized, "Fallacy, same origin is determined by culture, how could one distinguish based on tribe alone? So-called Han doesn’t uniquely refer to one clan, Yuan Gang, you’re short-sighted and brainless, better say less."
Yuan Gang angrily retorted, "You treat Xiongnu as kin, but do they consider you kin? They’ll attack south whenever possible, bringing calamity again."
"You can’t tar all with the same brush, among Xiongnu are loyal people."
"Pah, that’s because your family’s being killed by Xiongnu wasn’t much. I say the court ought to drive Xiongnu, Xianbei, and Di and Qiang out from Huaxia, let them go to the Great Desert, lest they grow strong and harm Central Plains people again."
Zhao Cheng, originally seated upstairs sipping tea and admiring flowers, couldn’t hold back upon hearing this, dropped his tea cup and rushed downstairs, "Who said to drive minority groups away?"
He pointed his gaze at Yuan Gang, face stern as water, "Do you understand what Han is or what Huaxia is?"
"Han doesn’t uniquely imply one tribe, Han refers to all people living under Great Han’s rule, including Baiyue, Di and Qiang, and Xianbei. Before Han, with Qin unifying six states, we called ourselves Qin people, and before Qin, we were Huaxia people. What’s Xia?"
Zhao Cheng continued, "Zhou people called themselves Xia, all feudal dukes as Zhu Xia, later Zhu Hua, thus we’re all Huaxia people. In ’Book of Documents - Mu’s Remonstrance’, Zhou led ’Shu, Qiang, Miao, Wei, Lu, Peng, Pu people’ against Shang, before Qiang and Di branches. These were Zhou people, then territory expanded, Zhou’s realm grew, Huaxia tribe likewise swelled, now you exclude all but Central Plains Han and Baiyue as outsiders? You’re the one disloyal to ancestors!"
He turned to Zhao Hanzhang, "Is such a person worthy of being a scholar? If you employ such talent, you shouldn’t be a regent Great General, restore power to Your Majesty quickly. Or else my Zhao Family might be blamed for splitting the country and ethnicity for ages."
