Chapter 100

Two hours later, it was already night. The night was as dark as ink, and the city of Jinyang was under strict curfew, with a heavy and tense atmosphere.

In the continuous residences on the eastern side of Jinyang, a single lamp flickered uncertainly. The light cast the shadows of several grim faces.

"Brother, please make a decision quickly!" a bearded man said anxiously.

Another scholar with a yellow face also urged, "Yes, Brother, your hesitation will not help us achieve great things."

The man called Brother was a middle-aged man in a green robe with a square face. He pondered and said, "My dear brothers, it's not that I am indecisive, but this matter is of great importance. The Wang family of Taiyuan has deep roots and extensive branches. Your branch's dealings with the Xiongnu are merely a strategy to have multiple options, and any losses would not affect the overall situation. Our Chizhi family is a small household, and if things go wrong, it could mean the destruction of the entire clan..."

A third person interjected, "Chizhi, at this point, do you still want to stay out of it?"

The man in the green robe could not help but frown. "Tian Sheng, I am discussing this with your Uncle Wang and Uncle Gao. Younger generations, do not speak rashly. If I intended to stay out of it, I would not have come to your house tonight."

The young man named Tian Sheng stepped out of the shadows with his hands behind his back and said coldly, "This is a critical time, Uncle, do not blame me for being impolite. If you decide to stay out of it, heh heh, you might not leave this house tonight."

"You..." The man in the green robe stood up abruptly, but then sat back down dejectedly. He was not afraid of the young man's threats; the Chizhi and Tian families had been close for generations, and this friendship could not be shaken by a few words from a hotheaded youth. "Sigh, although our Chizhi family has not been favored in officialdom, we are a loyal and filial Chinese family. The Xiongnu are fierce and uncultured, with no sense of honor or integrity. Dealing with them under duress is one thing, but if we ally with them, it would be like plotting with tigers."

The man in the green robe was named Chizhi Zao, from Zhongdu in the State of Taiyuan. Although his family was not a well-known noble house, it was a prosperous and influential clan. After the Governor of Bingzhou, Yuanshi Gong, moved the major families to Jinyang, the Chizhi family also relocated there.

However, what others did not know was that the Chizhi family of Zhongdu, along with the Tian family of Yangqu, the Wang family of Jinyang, and the Gao family of Jingling, had long been in contact with the Xiongnu and had even accepted local official positions from the Xiongnu Han Kingdom. They had been extremely secretive, even deceiving the officials under Yuanshi Gong. Now, Chizhi Zao and the other three family heads—Tian Sheng, the bearded man Wang Pei, and the yellow-faced scholar Gao Huai—were meeting secretly at night to discuss the plan for the Xiongnu secret envoy to enter the city and coordinate an attack on Jinyang. Chizhi Zao's hesitation at this critical moment was making the other three very impatient.

Seeing Chizhi Zao's hesitation, Tian Sheng sneered. "If you truly do not wish to ally with the Xiongnu, why did you accept the official position from the Han Kingdom earlier? It's too late to be cautious now!"

Chizhi Zao was speechless, about to retort when Wang Pei said solemnly, "There's no need for arguments. Brother, please look at this first!" He took something from his sleeve and handed it over.

It was a plain silk scroll, neatly folded into a small square. When unfolded, it was about a foot square. Chizhi Zao focused and saw that the silk was covered in flowing and dynamic calligraphy, with sharp and expressive strokes, not inferior to any famous calligrapher he had ever seen.

Chizhi Zao unfolded the silk completely and read softly, "Treason and rebellion have existed since ancient times; the heads of traitors will hang on the streets, and the time will come. Now, I, the solitary king, have been entrusted with the responsibility of the battlefield, wielding the authority of the military. Leading thousands of tiger cavalry, I will advance and capture a large city. This is the moment for brave warriors to establish their merit and for loyal ministers to serve. Do not hesitate! Now, the magistrate of Zhongdu, Chizhi; the magistrate of Yangqu, Tian; the magistrate of Jinyang, Wang; and the chief of Jingling, Gao, have shown their sincere intentions and collaborated in a grand plan, alleviating my worries, which greatly comforts me. I will not be stingy with rewards and will entrust you with the positions of governor and prefect to repay your great contributions. All those who are coerced into rebellion will be pardoned."

"This is..." Chizhi Zao's eyes gleamed with greed as he asked in surprise.

Wang Pei said, "This is the wax-sealed letter brought by the Xiongnu envoy, personally written by Prince Liu He, the Left Xianwang, showing his sincerity."

Seeing Chizhi Zao's uncertain expression, Gao Huai added, "Prince Liu He is both a scholar and a warrior, not only a brilliant military strategist but also well-versed in classics and history, and skilled in painting and calligraphy. He is a standout even among Han noble families. Moreover, Prince Liu He is magnanimous and trusts his subordinates, as this letter proves. Brother, isn't such a person better than the incompetent princes of the Jin dynasty?"

He leaned forward, placing his hand on the table. "Brother, the Great Chanyu Liu Yuan has proclaimed himself the Han King, calling for the restoration of the Han dynasty. His ambitions are far greater than just Bingzhou. The Chizhi family of Zhongdu, descendants of the Yellow Emperor and the Shang dynasty, has a thousand-year history and is a noble family. But because of a conflict with the local chief, you have been suppressed for decades. Don't you want to seize this opportunity to rise to prominence?"

"If you insist on not helping... heh heh... the current situation is clear. Tens of thousands of Xiongnu troops are outside the city, ready to attack. Once the city falls, everyone will perish. The Chizhi family might not exist after that..." Tian Sheng added coldly, but was pulled back by Wang Pei.

"Fine! Fine!" Chizhi Zao sat motionless for a while, then sighed deeply. He straightened his back and said through gritted teeth, "How do you plan to act?"

Wang Pei, Gao Huai, and Tian Sheng exchanged glances and secretly sneered.

Chizhi Zao, the old fox, had pretended to be loyal and upright. Who was he fooling? Did he really want to perish with the city? For a major family, ensuring the continuation of the clan was the most important thing. His long speech was just to secure the Xiongnu's promise for the future of the Chizhi family.

Among the four powerful families, the Chizhi family was the most numerous and powerful. Therefore, in Prince Liu He's letter, the Chizhi family was listed first among the four families, and after the plan succeeded, they would be rewarded with the position of governor. Since Prince Liu He, the Left Xianwang, had personally promised this, the old man could not resist and was ready to act.

The Chizhi family's private army was both numerous and elite, and Chizhi Zao himself was a hidden talent. To achieve great things, his full commitment was essential.

Wang Pei took out a map of Jinyang and laid it on the table, lowering his voice. "Chizhi Clan Head, look. If we mobilize our elite private armies, we will have at least four hundred men. With these four hundred men, we have a seventy percent chance of capturing a city gate. We just need to take a city gate when the Xiongnu army attacks tomorrow, and that will be a great achievement..."

Chizhi Zao glanced at Wang Pei and interrupted him, "Brother, although the current military strength in Jinyang is weak, there are still five or six hundred soldiers guarding each city gate. Are you sure we can capture a city gate? It's not an easy task. Moreover, the Xiongnu army is ten times larger than the Jin army. Their attack tomorrow will be like a landslide... capturing a city gate is a great achievement, but not a remarkable one!"

The other three asked in unison, "What is a remarkable achievement?"

Chizhi Zao's eyes flashed with determination, and he pointed to the center of Jinyang on the map. "We don't need to wait for the Xiongnu's move. We will rise up tonight and capture the governor's residence!"

"Most of the capable soldiers in Jinyang are deployed along the city walls, leaving the city center almost defenseless. Therefore, we can capture the governor's residence and seize all the officials and military leaders. Without central command, the Jin army at each city gate will surely collapse without a fight. If we are fortunate, we might force Jinyang to surrender before the Xiongnu attack... that would be a remarkable achievement worthy of the prosperity of our entire clan!"