Chapter 6: Already Renowned

There are two routes from Luoyang to Hedong Commandery.

The first involves crossing the Yellow River at Mengjin and taking the Zhiguan Road to Hedong. Its advantage is proximity; its disadvantage is the inherent risk of river crossing. After all, the three cities of Heyang have not yet been established, so there is no bridge; one must rely entirely on ferries. Furthermore, this path cuts through the Wangwu Mountains, where the terrain is rugged and difficult.

The second route is simpler: head west from Luoyang, pass through Tong Pass, and then turn from Puban toward Hedong. The advantage is that the road conditions are superior, as they are all imperial highways; the disadvantage is the longer distance.

In these times, taking a private ferry is a dangerous endeavor. Firstly, the small boats are flimsy and prone to capsizing in heavy currents. Secondly, human nature is treacherous; once you are on the boat, you are at the mercy of the boatman. You pay what they demand, and they might even rob or kill you, dumping your body into the Yellow River. The saying "Carters, boatmen, innkeepers, and middlemen—even if they are innocent, they deserve to die" did not circulate without cause.

Shi Shouxin chose the Tong Pass route without hesitation. It is a designated "military line," a dedicated route for daily troop movements and grain transport.

They were fortunate. East of Xin'an County, they encountered a grain transport army traveling in the same direction, bound for Guanzhong with a final destination of Chang'an. The commander of this force was Hu Lie, a man in his early forties with the physique of a seasoned warrior. He had come from Jingxiang, having previously served as the Administrator of Xiangyang and concurrently as a General of the Right. This unit was part of the local Luoyang imperial guard, and they were heading to Guanzhong "secretly" for reasons unknown.

Hu Lie was a man of little guile, and Shi Shouxin easily struck up a rapport with him. Upon learning that Shi Shouxin had married the beloved daughter of Li Yin, Hu Lie became immediately enthusiastic. The burly man in his forties and the twenty-something Shi Shouxin soon began calling each other brothers, boasting and joking merrily throughout the journey. Hu Lie bragged about his past battlefield achievements, and Shi Shouxin’s occasional exclamations of "a second Zilong" satisfied the general’s vanity immensely. By the time they parted ways at Tong Pass, they had sworn an oath of brotherhood.

Before leaving, Hu Lie shared a "secret" with pride: the imperial court was quietly preparing for a campaign against Hanzhong, though it remained unannounced for the time being. Generals of his stature were inevitably going to be on the front lines, and many were already moving toward Guanzhong to prepare the troops. In other words, once the court gave the order, everything for the conquest of Shu would be ready; the generals and their staff would simply move into Guanzhong, and the war would erupt immediately.

Though Shi Shouxin had already deduced as much, hearing it from Hu Lie was still startling. Sima Zhao might not be a brilliant tactical commander, but his grasp of campaign planning was formidable. In this feudal era, war was not simply a matter of drawing swords upon declaration; it was a rigorous undertaking, especially regarding logistics. After showering Hu Lie with praise about the glory he would surely achieve in the conquest of Shu, the two parted—Shi Shouxin headed north to Hedong, and Hu Lie continued toward Chang'an.

A summer rainstorm arrived unexpectedly, continuing unabated until Shi Shouxin was forced to stay at a post station on the outskirts of Puban. The downpour was so heavy that day and night were indistinguishable. He handed his soaked clothes to the attendants to dry and changed into the coarse linen garments provided by the station, appearing no different from a common farm laborer. Over the past two years, he had often crafted his own tools and spent his time exposed to the elements; his skin was dark and rugged, bearing no resemblance to a scholar who lived off ink. Dressed in hemp, he was unrecognizable as an official.

His servant, Xigou, wiped Shi Shouxin’s hair with a cloth. Listening to the thunder, they both felt lucky to have reached the station before the storm reached its peak.

"Master," Xigou asked, puzzled, "why was General Hu Lie so indifferent at first, only to become so warm after hearing you had married the young lady?"

Shi Shouxin chuckled to himself. Because this was the era of the "Heavenly Dragons," naturally. "He is a kind-hearted man," Shi Shouxin replied dismissively. He couldn't be bothered to explain the rules of the world. In any era, the rules of social operation are similar. People act out of self-interest, identifying friends and family through the lens of benefit. Li Wan’s father, Li Yin, was the Censor-in-Chief, responsible for investigating officials. Hu Lie’s warmth was simply a precaution against offending a man who could report him to his father-in-law.

Shi Shouxin sighed inwardly. Xigou, a servant of tenant-farmer stock, lacked the insight to understand the rules of the elite circle. Hu Lie, a man in his forties, swearing brotherhood with a man in his twenties—was it honorable? No, it was purely for survival and advancement. To put it bluntly, people die for wealth just as birds die for food. Shi Shouxin understood this perfectly. He had no moral qualms; to protect his beautiful wife from the whims of the powerful, he had to be pragmatic.

"These things, you must contemplate for yourself," Shi Shouxin told him. "There is no love or hate without cause in this world, and money does not fall from the sky."

Just as he spoke, the door was pushed open. A nobleman in fine silk entered, placed several gemstones on the table, and left without a word, like a ghost. Xigou’s mouth hung open in an 'O' shape, looking from the departing noble to the stunned Shi Shouxin.

"Master," Xigou finally asked, "does this count as money falling from the sky without cause?"

"Stay here and guard the official documents. I’m going to see what this is about!" Shi Shouxin grabbed the gems and stepped out. He saw the nobleman moving through the station hall, handing valuables—gold and silver goblets, gold coins from the Western Regions, Persian glass—to the common attendants. Soon, a crowd was kneeling in gratitude.

*Is this world a fantasy?* Shi Shouxin wondered, feeling an inexplicable sense of discord. He approached the noble and bowed.

"It is nothing," the noble said with a smile and great poise. "I took these from a wealthy house nearby while drinking. Taking from the rich to help the poor is the way of Heaven. There is no shame in accepting this, and I require no thanks."

Shi Shouxin opened his mouth but found no words. To the noble, it was righteous; to anyone else, it was theft.

"First," Shi Shouxin said, "taking others' property without permission is theft. Furthermore, your intentions may be good, but for the poor, these valuables are not a blessing. Have you not heard of 'the misfortune of unearned wealth'? They do not know how to manage such riches, and 'a man is innocent, but his treasure is his crime.' You may have the skill to protect yourself from bandits, but these poor people do not. You are likely sending them to their deaths. Are you doing good to move yourself, or to truly help others?"

After Shi Shouxin’s reasoned explanation, the recipients of the treasure grew uneasy and placed the items on the table, bowing before leaving. Only Shi Shouxin and the noble remained.

"You are right," the noble said earnestly. "But I will continue to take from the rich to help the poor—though I shall do so more cleverly."

Shi Shouxin was amused by the man's persistence. "Actually, there is a way. The summer floods are coming; the crops will suffer. Use these treasures to trade for grain. That will help people survive. Helping in an emergency is better than mere charity."

The noble’s eyes lit up. "You possess great wisdom! I am Pei Kai, courtesy name Shuze, of the Hedong Pei clan. My home is nearby. Please, come to my quarters; let us discuss how to put these treasures to better use."

Pei Kai had clearly realized that Shi Shouxin was no ordinary man. In an age without universal education, the divide between social classes was absolute. For these elite scions, a few words were enough to gauge a person's depth.

Shi Shouxin followed him to a larger, cleaner room in the station, complete with carpets, fresh water, and writing supplies. He was struck by the blatant disparity in how the station staff treated guests based on status.

"I am Shi Shouxin, courtesy name Ganzhang," he introduced himself. "I hold a minor office in the Luoyang Imperial Treasury. May I ask what brings you to Puban, Shuze?"

"I have been summoned by the Great General to report to Luoyang," Pei Kai sighed. "It is a pity we are traveling in opposite directions. If not for that, we could have traveled together."

"No matter," Shi Shouxin laughed. "When I return to Luoyang, we shall drink together!"

Suddenly, Pei Kai’s expression turned curious. "Two years ago, when the Emperor led his retinue to confront the Great General’s mansion... the one accompanying the Emperor, besides Shi Chong, was said to be an adopted son of Shi Bao. That wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"

"It was," Shi Shouxin nodded. He had planned that event specifically to build a reputation—a strategy that seemed ridiculous at the time, yet had proven to be a brilliant gamble. In this absurd era, a reputation made holding office as easy as breathing. Since then, his wife had loved him, men of discernment sought his company, and even the self-interested Shi Bao had taken an interest in his rise.

"Ah! So it was you! The righteous man willing to die for his duty!" Pei Kai grasped Shi Shouxin’s hands, looking at him as if he were an idol. "I knew Shi Chong was too calculating to do such a foolish thing. It was you all along!"

Pei Kai was ecstatic, ignoring the sensitivity of the topic. He asked for details, but Shi Shouxin gestured toward the thin walls, signaling that the post station was no place for such talk. Pei Kai reluctantly desisted, then shook his head. "The Great General is summoning many talents, but many have refused."

"Why do you not refuse, Shuze?" Shi Shouxin asked. "Entering the Great General's mansion invites much criticism."

Pei Kai sighed. "I believe my own conduct is sound. If I join, at least I can act with integrity. The number of positions is fixed; if I do not occupy one, a villain might. Why not let a good man hold the position instead of a bad one?"

Shi Shouxin looked at him, deeply impressed. In an age where the Sima clan was mired in hypocrisy, Pei Kai’s clarity was rare.

The next day, following Shi Shouxin's advice, Pei Kai traded his treasures for grain and distributed them to the victims of the flooding along the Yellow River. The act brought him great acclaim, and when he reached Luoyang, Sima Zhao promoted him to the rank of Secretary to the Masters of Writing.

Shi Shouxin realized that while he was struggling to climb, these elite scions were not just talented; they had the background to turn every move into a ladder. Even with his father-in-law's support, the speed of his advancement paled in comparison. He was not competing against fools, but against "six-sided warriors"—the absolute elite.

Months later, Pei Kai told him that the Great General’s mansion was filling up with new, like-minded talents—men like Du Yu and Yang Xiu. Shi Shouxin saw clearly what Sima Zhao’s true intentions were, and he knew that many others in Luoyang saw them too.