Chapter 056: The Four Great Families of Hanzhong (Second Update)

Chapter 056: The Four Great Clans of Hanzhong, Second Update

After careful consideration, Wei Ba ultimately accepted Peng Xiaoyu’s suggestion. Beyond simply wishing to avoid daily encounters with Yang Yi—thus reducing the chances of conflict—he was also self-aware enough to realize that, with his current ability in intrigue, he’d be hopelessly out of depth at the Prime Minister’s residence. To decipher the words of those eminent figures would be like reading English comprehension: by the time he managed to understand the first sentence, the conversation would already be over.

Of course, he could never admit this reason to Zhuge Qiao.

“When it comes to the principles and methods of mathematics, I might manage a discussion in theory,” Wei Ba said earnestly to Zhuge Qiao, “but if I had to untangle the intricacies of the ledgers, I truly couldn’t handle it. If Military Advisor Yang and I were to compete in arithmetic, I would readily concede defeat.”

Zhuge Qiao regarded Wei Ba with some skepticism, unable to tell whether these words were sincere or simply polite. He had been present at the scene himself: Yang Yi had struggled to devise the questions, while Wei Ba solved them with ease. Now to hear Wei Ba say his mathematical skills were inferior to Yang Yi’s—was this just a gesture to save Yang Yi’s face, or another subtle blow?

Zhuge Qiao could not ask directly; such matters could only be weighed in his own mind. After a moment’s thought, he smiled and said, “I’m quite curious as to which wise master could have taught you such mathematics. I wonder if I might have the honor of meeting him?”

Wei Ba chuckled inwardly. Just as he had managed to ensnare the old fox Cheng An, now Zhuge Qiao was here inquiring about this very matter. He congratulated himself on his foresight.

“In fact, you’ve met him already—he is none other than Senior Scribe Cheng An, who serves under my father.”

“Cheng An?” Zhuge Qiao looked at Wei Ba with suspicion. He knew Cheng An and his background, but had never heard of any particular mathematical prowess.

“Master Cheng is one of the Four Great Clans of Hanzhong, with deep scholarly roots. But he is modest by nature, and most people are unaware of his learning,” Wei Ba said with a smile. “Unlike me, he is not one to show off—just learning a few tricks and then stirring up trouble everywhere.”

Zhuge Qiao smiled faintly and let the matter drop. He had come precisely to identify the sage behind Wei Ba. Since Wei Ba named Cheng An, he saw no need to press further. He understood very well that bringing Wei Ba into the Prime Minister’s residence was merely a gesture to preserve Yang Yi’s dignity. That Wei Ba wisely declined was all the better. But Cheng An—this was someone he did wish to draw away. He could not do so himself; it had to come by Wei Ba’s own recommendation.

“Hanzhong truly produces remarkable men,” Zhuge Qiao said. “For General Zhenbei to have governed Hanzhong so successfully for many years, it is clear that Master Cheng has played no small part. With such eminent local families as allies, I’m sure even greater achievements await you.”

Wei Ba’s eyes narrowed slightly and the corner of his mouth twitched. “You flatter us, Brother Zhuge. In fact, my father only just learned of this matter himself; otherwise, he would have recommended Master Cheng to the Prime Minister’s residence long ago.” He laughed. “You know my father—he is a born soldier, with all his thoughts set on drilling the troops, awaiting the Prime Minister’s command to charge forward as his vanguard, storming through battle. As for cultivating the learned, ha ha…”

Zhuge Qiao laughed as well. He knew all too well what sort of temperament Wei Yan possessed—reportedly much like the late Guan Yu: kind to soldiers, dismissive of scholars, frowning at the sight of a learned man and preferring to speak with fists and swords. His feud with Yang Yi was certainly in part due to Yang Yi’s personality, but fundamentally, it was simply in Wei Yan’s nature. Hearing Wei Ba’s words, Zhuge Qiao understood what to do and was quite pleased. Wei Ba had taken the hint, sparing him from having to face the intractable Wei Yan himself.

After Zhuge Qiao left, Wei Ba could only smile wryly. Events were unfolding just as Peng Xiaoyu had predicted—not that this proved Peng Xiaoyu’s genius, but simply that there is nothing new under the sun: throughout history, it is always the same few plays being staged over and over.

Wei Ba immediately went to see Wei Yan, relaying Zhuge Qiao’s intentions in more diplomatic terms, and suggested that Wei Yan recommend Cheng An for a position at the Prime Minister’s residence. This would put the Prime Minister’s mind at ease while also giving Cheng An a better future. Serving as scribe in the Governor’s office was hardly a path to success; naturally, they hoped to attain a proper magistracy or county governorship. Though Cheng An was no longer young, his ambition for office had not waned—otherwise he would have retired home long ago.

Wei Yan had no objections; he was quite willing to move Cheng An aside to make room for Wei Ba’s promotion. Hearing Wei Ba’s suggestion, he immediately drafted a formal letter of recommendation, summoned Cheng An, and explained the intention of putting him forward for a post at the Prime Minister’s residence. Cheng An, a shrewd old man, quickly grasped what was at stake, and was deeply grateful to Wei Yan for giving him this opportunity. He knew better than anyone how important a position at the Prime Minister’s residence was—those who left its service were at least made magistrates, some even rising directly to high office.

But more than his own bright prospects, he was even more pleased to see that, though Wei Yan remained as stubborn as ever, he now had an insightful son. For Wei Ba to refrain from swaggering into the Prime Minister’s residence after trouncing Yang Yi was itself a mark of maturity. Cheng An could not help but look at him anew, reappraising him.

“Thank you, General—I am truly grateful,” Cheng An said with a broad smile. “The Young General is wise in affairs and skilled in mathematics; to have him succeed me is most appropriate. Of course, he is still young and unfamiliar with certain matters, but it doesn’t matter—the clerks in the office will surely assist him with all their heart.”

That was precisely what Wei Yan wanted to hear. Cheng An, as a leading figure among the native-born gentry of Hanzhong, was the natural leader of the Governor’s clerks. If he withheld his support, it would be all too easy for the clerks to make trouble for Wei Ba.

“Aren’t you going to thank Master Cheng for his guidance?” Wei Yan gave Wei Ba a meaningful glance. Wei Ba bowed deeply, and Cheng An quickly stepped forward to help him up, explaining the situation among the Governor’s clerks in detail. Only then did Wei Ba realize that the so-called “Four Great Clans of Hanzhong” was not just idle talk from Peng Xiaoyu—these families were truly formidable.

The first of the Four Great Clans was the Zhao family, represented by Zhao Xuan, who had served as governor of Jianwei. His seven sons all bore the character “Gui” in their courtesy names and were famed for their virtue, thus collectively known as the “Seven Gui of the Zhao family,” nearly all of whom had held high office. Their wealth and influence made them the foremost family in Hanzhong.

Second was the Li family. Though not as wealthy as the Zhao, they produced the Minister over the Masses, Li He, whose son Li Gu was a renowned scholar who rose to Grand Commandant but committed suicide in prison after offending the powerful General Liang Ji, a tragedy mourned by all. In terms of reputation, the Li family even surpassed the Zhao, but after Li Gu’s death, official suppression caused their decline, and they could only rank second.

Cheng An’s own Cheng family was a classic local powerhouse, never producing a famous official but serving in regional posts for generations. Cheng An’s father, Cheng Bao, had been a senior official skilled in strategy, once briefing Emperor Ling on the situation in Yizhou. He later served as governor but died en route to his post.

Last among the four was the Zhang family, whose lineage stretched back even further than the others, tracing their descent to the Han dynasty’s Lord of Bowang, Zhang Qian, with distinguished members in every generation. The most recent notable figure was Zhang Ze, who served as Protector-General of the Qiang and later as General of the Frontier, though he had been appointed by Cao Cao; thus, under Shu Han, the Zhangs’ position was somewhat awkward, relegating them to the lowest rank among the four.

Though these families might seem insignificant in the context of the entire Han or even Yizhou, within Hanzhong they were true powerhouses. All four had members serving in the Governor’s office, but since Wei Yan had never cared for, and even deliberately marginalized them, Wei Ba had been unaware. Now, after Cheng An’s explanation, he realized that the Governor’s office belonged as much to these four clans as to the Wei family. Had he not yielded the position at the Prime Minister’s residence to Cheng An, trying to take over his duties would have been a disastrous start.

“After I leave, the person most familiar with the office’s affairs is Zhao Su,” Cheng An said leisurely, sipping water. “Zhao Su is the eldest grandson of Zhao Yao and the most outstanding of his generation. However, he is indifferent to fame and fortune, fond of Daoist teachings, and often kept company with Taoist priests. He dislikes rules and conventions. When dealing with him, Young General, do not take offense. He is quite capable, nonetheless.”

“Thank you for your guidance, sir,” Wei Ba replied, secretly thinking that Zhao Su must be a semi-reclusive sage, or else why would Cheng An single him out?

After a few more instructions, Cheng An finally departed. Wei Ba and his elder brother Wei Feng exchanged glances; this was the first time Wei Feng realized there were so many hidden talents in the Governor’s office. He had always known Cheng An and the others were capable, but had never heard of the Four Great Clans, nor guessed at the extent of their power.

“Brother, I’ve truly been living in ignorance. Who would have thought Master Cheng and the rest were so…”

Seeing his brother’s self-reproach, Wei Ba quickly reassured him, “They deliberately kept a low profile so you wouldn’t find out. Besides, being too close to these local magnates isn’t necessarily a good thing—it might even make people suspect our Wei family of disloyalty.”

Wei Feng nodded repeatedly, patting Wei Ba on the shoulder in thanks. Wei Yan, however, had been silent all along. Finally, upon hearing Wei Ba’s words, he smiled in satisfaction. “You’ve hit the mark exactly. Such powerful clans are to be used, but never trusted. If the branches grow stronger than the trunk, how are outsiders like us supposed to govern? Should I just be a figurehead governor, sitting with folded hands?”

The Wei family hailed from Nanyang, a land of emperors and powerful clans, where serving as governor was no easy task—most were reduced to mere puppets, with real power in the hands of the great families. Wei Yan knew this all too well. Back home in Nanyang, he had perhaps envied those who held such power, but now, as governor himself, he could not tolerate these clans usurping his authority.

Unlike Wei Feng, he had some understanding of the Four Great Clans’ strength, but had always refused to let them dominate; otherwise, he would long since have lost control of the Governor’s office. Seeing Wei Ba’s discernment, he was very pleased.

——

Second update. Please keep supporting, bookmarking, and recommending!