After the Marquis of Qi left, Luo Su did not attend to affairs of state. Instead, he sat quietly at his desk, shadows falling over him, his eyes dark.
Ji Zhao's gaze settled on him, gold gradually suffusing his black pupils.
The first generation of nobles had ridden rough carts in ragged clothes, cutting through thorns and brambles to carve out room for their people to survive. Yet in less than a hundred years, their descendants had degenerated to this extent.
A lord like Xiong Dun, who had rendered great service, could not become an honored guest of the Son of Heaven.
Fawning petty men like You and Ji were allowed to enjoy lofty positions.
Even the capital, a symbol of the Zhou State's Mandate of Heaven, had become a tool in the struggle for power and profit.
Luo Su closed his eyes slightly. His mind was filled with the classics the Sage King had written, their words constantly rearranging themselves into sustenance for his spirit.
"This must be what my ancestor meant in the Luo Clan Admonitions: a gentleman's legacy of grace is exhausted after five generations.
"The affairs of this world are arduous. As a descendant of the Sage King, I must forge bravely ahead, sweep away the wicked and vicious, and bring peace to all under heaven."
Having worked through certain things, Luo Su cast aside his tangled thoughts and soon threw himself back into work. Only Ji Zhao knew how fierce a struggle had taken place in his heart in that brief span.
Had someone been beside him, they might have heard him muttering to himself, "Fortunately, Ji Wan is already dead. Otherwise, killing him would have taken some doing."
A smile touched Ji Zhao's lips as he withdrew his gaze. He was growing increasingly pleased with this descendant of his.
[Luo Su: Political maneuvering: 95 (95); Statecraft: 96 (96); Personnel Management: 95 (95); Command: 42 (42); Martial prowess: 50 (62); Military strategy: 50 (50)]
Luo Su's attributes had already reached their peak. Even across the long river of history, he ranked among the finest chief ministers. Now that he had also broken the iron seal upon his thinking, Ji Zhao began to look forward to what he would accomplish.
The next day.
The Regency Council issued an edict appointing the Grand Guardian, the Marquis of Qi, as Bearer of the King’s Mandate and Royal Envoy overseeing all internal and external military and state affairs in the western Zhou State. He retained his title of Grand Guardian, one of the Three Excellencies, and served as head of the Summer Office and acting lord charged with guarding the west. As Bearer of the King’s Mandate and General-in-Chief of the Western Expedition, he would lead twelve thousand men to war.
Since the founding of the Zhou State, no campaigning minister apart from the Sage King had ever been granted such sweeping authority. Every high minister and noble in the Royal Domain took notice.
Facing Luo Su, who had come to see him off, the Marquis of Qi could not help smiling ruefully. "A Su, you've really put your uncle over the fire this time. This edict is far too extravagant."
Luo Su smiled. "Uncle, you are a hero who transcends his age. Why would you fear such rumors and slander? Your nephew had no other choice. There was no other way to overawe the western lords."
Only the Marquis of Qi would do this. No one else would have been willing to go so far for the Zhou State's altars of state, but Jiang Qi was a major stakeholder, holding at least a quarter of the Zhou State's shares.
The Queen Mother was a legitimate daughter of Jiang Qi, and half the Son of Heaven's blood came from Jiang Qi. Though there was no crown prince yet, everyone knew that the next crown prince's principal wife would still be a legitimate daughter of Jiang Qi.
This close alignment of interests was the fundamental reason Luo Su trusted the Marquis of Qi.
The Marquis of Qi shook his head and declared imperiously, "Since matters have come this far, this old man has weathered many battles. I am no timid soul who shrinks from trouble. Should anyone dare slander me, Qi State has thirty thousand tiger warriors. Who could stand against me?"
Luo Su laughed heartily. "How commanding, Uncle! In years past, Taigong Wang followed the Sage King on the Eastern Campaign and won glorious merit for our Zhou State. Today, you lead an army west for the sake of our altars of state. The Jiang-surnamed Lü Clan truly is the divine pillar that steadies our Zhou State's seas!"
Luo Su's words set the Marquis of Qi's blood surging as well. Bringing glory to one's ancestors was a memory etched into the blood of every one of the Zhou People.
The two clinked their wine cups and drained them. Then the Marquis of Qi led his army west.
After seeing off the Marquis of Qi, Luo Su began preparing to address the structural problems caused by the Dukes and Ministers and nobles within the Royal Domain.
The situation of the Lords of the Royal Domain within the Zhou State was far more complicated than that of the Lords Outside the Royal Domain. The latter chiefly formed alliances bound by blood, like Qi Luo and Song. Large numbers of kin sharing the same lineage lived together; sometimes an entire army consisted of members of a single clan.
But over the past century, the Lords of the Royal Domain who bore other lineage names had intermarried with the Ji royal house. The alliances formed between them were bound by politics, a relationship at once sturdy and fragile. Different lineages lived intermingled, and tugging a single hair could move the whole body.
Beneath the somewhat dim oil lamp, Luo Su set down a roll of bamboo slips. These slips had already piled into mountains in his office. Through rising early and retiring late, he had finally managed to untangle their intricate, chaotic relationships a little.
The Lords of the Royal Domain could now be summed up as seventeen clans belonging to four lineages.
The descendants of the Ji lineage were essentially princes who had never been granted fiefs outside the Royal Domain, such as King Li's three eldest sons born of concubines. Many among them took Wang as their clan name to proclaim their royal blood.
There was also a house whose main branch was the Zhou Clan. This branch descended from the Sage King.
The rest took their clan names from the locations of their estates. The Zhang, Yang, Li, and Sun houses were the largest, and most descended from Ji lineage kinsmen who had received no fiefs during the two great enfeoffments.
As one of the Zhou State's major stakeholders, the Jiang lineage still wielded considerable influence within the Royal Domain, especially the Ji Clan, a branch Taigong Wang had left there.
The Shen Clan was another powerful branch of the Jiang lineage, though it was not as illustrious as the Lü Clan.
There were also the Xu, Xie, and Gao houses, already third-generation offshoots of the Jiang lineage. Their main branches were no longer within the Royal Domain.
Among the Lords of the Royal Domain, the Ying Lineage was a peculiar presence. It was the only great lineage that had followed the kings of Zhou since their days in Qizhou yet held no fiefs outside the Royal Domain. For generations, its members had raised horses for the Son of Heaven of Zhou, and they were among the great military nobles within the Royal Domain.
Many members of the Ying Lineage accompanied the Marquis of Qi on his westward journey. Luo Su circled the section on horse administration. Such talent belonged in a place like the northwest; keeping it within the Royal Domain was a waste. The Xu Clan, Jiang Clan, and Fei Clan of the Ying Lineage were all relatively practical clans.
The Si Clan comprised three houses: Qi, Zeng, and Chen. All descended from maternal relatives from Qi State who had once followed queens and royal consorts into the Royal Domain.
Qi State, descended from King Yu, had been granted the dignity of a duchy during the great enfeoffment, just like Song State. Yet their present national strength could no longer be mentioned in the same breath. By contrast, these descendants of the Si Clan who had migrated into the Royal Domain were flourishing.
Unlike the lords outside the Royal Domain, they were not separated by great distances. Through intermarriage, these clans came to live intermingled. Even a standard estate or settlement might contain people from three lineages.
Looking over the clans of the Dukes and Ministers he had organized, Luo Su began recalling their political leanings throughout his many years in office. He intended to speak with the patriarchs of their principal branches.
After weighing the matter, Luo Su decided to begin with the Zhou Clan of the Ji lineage, the Shen Clan of the Jiang lineage, and the Fei Clan of the Ying Lineage. These three great clans were the most likely to support him.
The Zhou Clan of the Ji lineage counted as his own royal kin. Though there had been relatively little contact between them, successive Marquises of Luo had governed within the Royal Domain and had shown this related clan a fair amount of consideration. Now it was time for them to repay that kindness.
The Shen Clan of the Jiang lineage had once been an important state on Yin Shang's western frontier. Later, as the Ji and Jiang lineages joined forces, it had entered the Zhou State. Now the Jiang-surnamed Lü Clan was the most illustrious house of non-Ji lords in the Zhou State. The Shen Clan probably did not feel particularly pleased about that.
As for the Ying Lineage, its clans had fewer members and more frequent contact with one another. Meeting any one branch would suffice.
After many days of marching, the Marquis of Qi finally reached Haojing. Led by the Marquis of Cheng, the western lords respectfully welcomed the King's banner into the capital.
The Marquis of Qi stood upon his chariot. Though an old man, he possessed much of the bearing of his ancestor Taigong Wang. Clad in armor from head to foot, he was unmistakably a veteran of the battlefield.
Looking at the dense mass of people before him, the Marquis of Qi took out the decree and called loudly, "A command from the Regency Council. Receive the decree, my lords."
The Regency Council possessed all the Son of Heaven's powers, so issuing edicts was perfectly normal. Confronted with a decree of this rank, the lords all bowed their heads. Everyone beneath them, whether vassal rulers, ministers, grandees, or Prime Scholars, bowed their foreheads to the ground.
"The Regency Council, acting in the king's stead and overseeing all military and state affairs of the Zhou State, commands:
"The Marquis of Qi is hereby appointed Bearer of the King’s Mandate and Royal Envoy overseeing all internal and external military and state affairs in the western Zhou State, Grand Guardian, Bearer of the King’s Mandate and General-in-Chief of the Western Expedition, head of the Summer Office, and acting lord charged with guarding the west."
"All western lords, whether royal kin, noble relatives, dukes, or marquises of high rank, shall obey his commands.
"Reverently heed this!"
It was brisk and decisive, entirely in keeping with Luo Su's usual manner. Just as everyone was about to rise, they heard the Marquis of Qi say leisurely, "Do not hurry, my lords. There is another edict."
This time, even the lords bowed their foreheads to the ground.
"The Regency Council, acting in the king's stead and overseeing all military and state affairs of the Zhou State, decrees:
"Beneath the whole of heaven, no land is not the king's; to the farthest shores of the earth, no man is not the king's subject.
"Since the Sage King's time, you lords have served as the Son of Heaven's protective fence. You are descendants of the Zhou State's great ministers. Marquis of Cheng Yun, lord charged with guarding the west, your ancestor, Marquis of Cheng Lin, was the Sage King's full younger brother. The Sage King called him capable, and King Kang praised him as possessing the talents of one of the Three Excellencies, fit to shoulder great responsibilities.
"When the Sage King marched east, the Marquis of Cheng remained in Haojing, gathering provisions and instructing the Son of Heaven. How high his spirit soared!
"Mindful of his kindness and achievements, the Son of Heaven bestowed upon him two hundred li of land, laying the foundation for Cheng State's prosperity.
"When the court moved east, it also entrusted the ruler of Cheng State with the heavy responsibility of guarding Haojing City, that sacred seat of ancestral temples.
"Never did We imagine you would prove so incapable, allowing the Dog Rong to wreak havoc in Haojing's Royal Domain. You cannot control three hundred li of territory. What use are you!
"We truly do not know how, after your death, you will face your ancestors.
"And you other western lords: the Marquis of Cheng bears responsibility for guarding the west, but every one of you is royal kin or a noble relative, enjoying your present lofty position through blood ties. Do you have no duty to serve as the Son of Heaven's protective fence?
"The late king once said that the growing power of the Western Rong was like a fire sweeping across the plains, and that the Son of Heaven should visit Haojing and rebuild the ancestral homeland.
"Yet from what We now see, the western lords are truly wanting. Should We visit this place, and you vassals remain as you are, the Western Rong would flaunt their might before Us.
"Where would the Son of Heaven's majesty be? Where would the Zhou State's Mandate of Heaven be?
"This edict ends here. Your subsequent conduct shall be observed."
This edict could be said to have drenched all the western lords in a torrent of abuse, especially the Marquis of Cheng, whom it had singled out by name.
His sweat-drenched head and face made it clear that he had been deeply apprehensive while listening, afraid he would become the chicken killed to warn the monkeys.
Yet as they heard the latter part, their spirits lifted. For the first time in decades, they had heard an official statement about moving the capital back to Haojing.
Those who still retained a sense of honor had already flushed scarlet with shame at these words. After rising, they covered their faces with their sleeves.
As for the shameless men who knew only daily indulgence, their attitude was quite casual. Let them curse. It would not cost them a scrap of flesh.
The western men of insight discerned Luo Su's meaning in the edict. He was telling them that the court in Luoyi's Royal Domain already knew their plans. If they stopped immediately and knew when to draw the line, they could still preserve a measure of dignity.
If they did not want that dignity, the ten-thousand-strong army the Marquis of Qi had brought and his office as "Royal Envoy overseeing all internal and external military and state affairs in the western Zhou State" were not merely for show. He was responsible for helping those unwilling to preserve their dignity find a dignified end.
The Marquis of Cheng, together with the Marquis of Mao, the Marquis of Tai, and the Marquis of Bi, smiled and said to the Marquis of Qi, "Duke of Qi, we have prepared a banquet for you in Haojing City to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey. Fine wine and food for the soldiers are also ready."
One did not strike a smiling face, and the Marquis of Qi did not care what these men were truly thinking. He would simply counter each move as it came, meet soldiers with generals and floods with earthen banks. "Thank you for taking the trouble, my lords. Lead the way."
Seeing that the Marquis of Qi's attitude was reasonably agreeable, many of them felt the hearts lodged in their throats settle a little. If he was still willing to talk, there was still room to turn things around.
From the conduct of these lords, ministers, and grandees, the Marquis of Qi judged that they were indeed flustered, but not terrified.
Such an attitude showed that they had certainly done something wrong, but probably not enough to warrant stripping their titles and abolishing their states.
In other words, they had most likely not coordinated with the Western Rong from within during this incursion. Still, they probably could not escape some connection to it. The particulars would have to be investigated later.
The Marquis of Cheng moved close to the Marquis of Qi and asked with an ingratiating smile, "Duke of Qi, may I ask how the Grand Tutor reacted upon hearing of this matter?"
Though they knew these two decrees essentially represented the stance of the court in Luoyi's Royal Domain, they still wanted to know Luo Su's personal attitude.
The Marquis of Qi glanced at the Marquis of Cheng, then patted his shoulder. "The Grand Tutor's prestige is immense. In the Regency Council, his word settles matters. He sent me only because he is occupied with important affairs of state. If I cannot fulfill my assignment, the Grand Tutor will certainly come in person."
Luo Su's power had not quite reached that level, but the Marquis of Qi naturally had to embellish it. Otherwise, as an outsider, he could not frighten these old foxes with his official position alone.
The Marquis of Qi was himself a lord outside the Royal Domain and understood their thinking all too well. However powerful Qi State might be, heaven was high and the emperor far away.
Luo Su, however, dealt with the lords frequently and was one of the Three Excellencies with an illustrious reputation. Moreover, since the Sage King's time, the rulers of Luo State had held offices among the Three Excellencies for four consecutive generations.
For the foreseeable future, the rulers of Luo State would continue to hold firmly to those lofty offices. No lord would deliberately offend such a presence.
The Marquis of Cheng Yun looked somewhat embarrassed and offered his compliments. "My ancestors were outstanding men of their age. I have shamed them. My incompetence in dealing with outsiders has emboldened the Dog Rong to invade the Royal Domain.
"Fortunately, the Grand Tutor has sent you to the western frontier to oversee these great affairs, Duke of Qi. You are a veteran commander of the Zhou State, and even here on the western frontier, I have heard of your renown. Now that you have come, the Dog Rong will surely be defeated. Now that you have come, the Royal Domain will surely enjoy peace."
The Marquis of Cheng's extravagant flattery made the Marquis of Qi uncomfortable all over. He hurriedly said, "You exaggerate, Marquis of Cheng. Yours is a great state of three hundred li, teeming with talent. Surely the mere Dog Rong can be dealt with as easily as reaching out your hand."
After this round of flattery and their preliminary conversation, the Marquis of Qi's impression of the Marquis of Cheng was that he was smooth, exceedingly thick-skinned, and not particularly easy to handle.
Moreover, no one else had come over to join the conversation along the way, which showed that the Marquis of Cheng still possessed some authority as the lord charged with guarding the west.
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