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And so Yan Xiang began the journey from Xuchang to Shouchun, where he
was expected to take up the post of Inspector of Yang Province: the former
adviser to Yuan Shu would have the full support of the Han government, though
that would not be in the form of any sort of standing army. It would not take
long for word of Yan’s appointment to reach Jiangdong - not least because it
would be announced to Bofu’s court by an imperial messenger - and it would
cause as much anger as Cao Cao had guessed.
But the Excellency of Works was a desperate man that
was resorting to desperate measures: within days, he was supressing an imminent
coup within the capital and vehemently denying the authenticity of a secret imperial
decree - dubbed the ‘Girdle Edict’ in reference to how it was supposedly
smuggled out of the palace - that denounced Cao as a traitor and a tyrant and
called upon the warlords to unite and destroy him. Word of that edict - and the
potentially more damaging fact that he had ordered the death of Imperial
Consort Dong, the pregnant daughter of the conspirator Dong Cheng and a
favourite of Emperor Xian - would take time to circulate, but the challenge to
Cao Cao’s court in Xuchang would be a divisive and agenda-changing issue that
threatened to bring about more chaos than anything that had come before.
*************
Bofu’s fleet began a swift withdrawal from the Shaxian region after
having left troops to contain Huang Zu. Bofu - who had returned to Shaxian
after placating Hua Xin - turned to Gongjin and asked, “Why am I going back to
Qu’e…?”
“Matters of state,” Gongjin replied. “Firstly, we must discuss the
potential consequences of our own actions: Xuchang is bound to have found out
that Xu Gong is dead by now, and our continued attacks on Jing Province might
be sending out erroneous messages that tally well with the slander.”
“…And secondly…?” Bofu prompted.
“Secondly,” Gongjin said, “we must reassure Cao Cao of our goodwill…
though that might be difficult if he’s done what I understand him to have
done.”
“…To us…?” Bofu asked apprehensively.
“In a sense, yes,” Gongjin replied. “He’s… … …Bofu, Wu Jing has sent
word that he’s appointed a new Inspector of Yang Province.”
“Not Liu Xun,” Bofu groaned.
“No,” Gongjin said. “…In a way, better,
but in another way, worse… he’s
appointed Yan Xiang.”
Bofu laughed ironically and said, “Please tell me that you’re playing
some sort of prank. I didn’t even know he was alive; that’s a shock enough! But
Cao Cao’s…?”
“I know, I wondered if there’s been some sort of mistake, or that it is
another Yan Xiang,” Gongjin replied. “But it’s him. Somehow, he survived
everything and now he works for Cao Cao.”