Chapter 13: A Personal Examination
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Early that morning, Emperor Wu of Han rose before dawn and stood atop the high platform of the Observatory, silently gazing at the sky.
He had kept up this habit for several days now, yet Su Wen had no idea what the emperor was doing.
“Will it rain today?”
Gongsun Qing smiled. “There is no rain in sight. The signs are clear.”
As the only fangshi still alive and serving at Emperor Wu’s side, Gongsun Qing remained deeply trusted by him. For more than a decade, the emperor had spent untold sums in pursuit of immortality. Only when the empire’s finances could no longer bear the strain had he been forced to abandon that grand ideal. Even so, he retained Gongsun Qing as a palace gentleman and frequently summoned him to court.
“Is that so?” Emperor Wu did not look at him. He merely raised his head toward the faint rosy glow of dawn and fell into thought.
“In the time of the Yellow Emperor, when the heavens were sealed, there was drought. The Qianfeng era lasted three years,” Gongsun Qing ventured.
Emperor Wu turned the question back on him. “Drought in the heavens—does that mean the sky was sealed?”
“Indeed,” Gongsun Qing replied respectfully.
A moment later, torrential rain began to crash down from the heavens, crackling like a string of firecrackers.
Gongsun Qing’s eyes widened in disbelief. His expression grew awkward, and he hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Your Majesty has moved Heaven with your devotion. When the Son of Heaven prays for rain, how could Heaven refuse to send it? Your Majesty has already touched the heart of Heaven. Immortality cannot be far away now.”
Emperor Wu slowly turned his head. “You said I am nearly an immortal, capable of communicating with every deity under Heaven?”
“Indeed.”
The emperor thought for a moment, then called to those around him, “Someone come here.”
Gongsun Qing brightened. His Majesty was going to reward him again. Over the years, he had received more gifts from the emperor than he could count.
“Have him executed by waist-cutting.”
With that, Emperor Wu clasped his hands behind his back and walked away.
Gongsun Qing’s eyes bulged. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare my life! This—this… I do not know what crime I have committed, Your Majesty!”
But Emperor Wu could no longer hear him. All that remained was the emperor’s bitter, self-mocking smile.
“They have all been deceiving me. Has anyone ever treated me with true sincerity?”
…
Fortunately, the great drought of the first year of the Zhenghe era was far less severe than the three consecutive years without rain six years earlier. It lasted only a month, at least, and did not plunge the country into turmoil.
The economic losses suffered by the Han during those three years of drought six years ago had been measured in the trillions.
Holding an umbrella and carrying two jars of fine wine, Liu Jin made his way toward the outskirts.
When he arrived outside Old Master Qiu’s residence, he knocked on the gate. A gatekeeper came to receive him. After Liu Jin explained his purpose, the man led him inside.
“Old Master!”
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Liu Jin found Old Master Qiu in the main hall. He cheerfully set the two jars of wine on the table and said with a smile, “These are for you!”
Emperor Wu smiled. “You seem to be in a good mood. I take it you have met your grandfather?”
“Not exactly, but he accepted my copper peach.”
“Old Master, you really are something. You were right after all. Thank you.”
Emperor Wu beamed, then said blandly, “Boy, when it comes to reading people’s hearts, I have never been wrong.”
“Impressive, impressive!”
Liu Jin poured him a cup of wine. There was not much in the pottery cup, and Emperor Wu unhappily complained, “How stingy of you. You cannot even bear to pour me this little wine?”
“Drink less. You are getting on in years, and too much is bad for your health.”
“I would never have guessed it. Your household contains enough books to fill a herd of oxen, and you are actually an old man who loves to read.”
Bamboo scrolls and books could be seen everywhere in the main hall.
Emperor Wu smiled. “The more books one reads, the more principles one understands, and the clearer one becomes about the workings of the world. How many books have you read, young fellow?”
“I have read a little.”
“What must be done for the people to submit?”
Liu Jin answered without hesitation, “Promote the upright and set them above the crooked, and the people will submit. Promote the crooked and set them above the upright, and the people will not submit.”
Emperor Wu gave a slight nod, casually tossed the bamboo scroll aside, picked up another, and asked, “If the king wishes to put his ambitions into practice, why does he not return to the root of the matter?”
Liu Jin replied, “Give each household five acres of land and let them plant mulberry trees there, and those over fifty will be able to wear silk. Raise chickens, pigs, dogs, and swine without missing their proper seasons, and those over seventy will be able to eat meat. Do not seize the farming seasons of a hundred acres of fields, and a family of eight will have enough to eat.”
Emperor Wu looked at him in surprise. “You have memorized both the Analects and the Mencius?”
Liu Jin smiled. “I have read a little of them.”
Emperor Wu asked again, “Which is more difficult for an emperor—the founding of an empire or the preservation of one?”
Liu Jin pondered for a moment, then answered solemnly, “That is a rather profound question, Old Master.”
“Still, I believe preserving an empire is harder.”
“Why?”
Liu Jin said, “The rise of an emperor must follow an age of decline and disorder. He topples the foolish and treacherous, the people gladly support him, and the four seas submit to his mandate. With Heaven granting its favor and the people giving themselves to him, founding an empire is not difficult. But once it has been won, ambition gives way to arrogance and indulgence. The people long for peace, yet forced labor never ceases. The people grow impoverished, yet extravagant projects continue without end. The decline and ruin of a state always begin in this way. Judged by that standard, preserving an empire is harder.”
Emperor Wu fell into thought, then gave him a long, searching look.
You call that having read only a little?
How did I never realize that such modesty was part of your nature?
His words were reasoned and persuasive, so much so that one could not help but believe them. The truth was laid plainly before them; there was no arguing against it.
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Yet Old Master Qiu’s expression soon darkened. In a strangely sarcastic tone, he said, “You ought to become a censor. Then you could remonstrate with the Son of Heaven.”
Liu Jin failed to catch his meaning. He merely smiled, poured him another cup of wine, and said, “All right, all right. Let us not talk about that. I was only boasting to you. How could I possibly have the ability to remonstrate with the emperor?”
“Perhaps you do.”
Liu Jin waved his hand, showing no intention of continuing the discussion.
“By the way, I told you to send a golden peach. Why did you send a copper one instead?”
“Are you short of money? I can lend you some.”
Liu Jin shook his head. “It is not that I lack money. My grandfather is not especially fond of me… I sent a copper peach first, just to test the waters. If he treats me well, I will send him a golden peach.”
“My grandmother treats me well, so I gave her a golden hairpin while I was at it.”
At this, Emperor Wu’s expression changed slightly. He pointed at Liu Jin and roared, “You!”
“What is it?”
Liu Jin regarded him suspiciously.
Emperor Wu struggled to calm himself before saying, “Are you not showing favoritism? If your grandfather found out, would he not be hurt?”
“How would he find out? Besides, he probably would not think much of anything I sent him.”
“If he thought so little of it, why did he accept it? And what if your grandmother tells him the truth?”
“He does not see my grandmother. It is fine. He will never know.”
“There will always come a day when the truth is revealed. Have you considered that?”
Liu Jin thought seriously for a moment. “You make a good point, Old Master… All right, next time I will give him a golden peach as well.”
“The meaning would no longer be the same!”
“Old Master, why do I feel that you care more about this than my own grandfather?”
“I am doing this for your sake.”
Liu Jin nodded. “I know. I appreciate your concern. But the gifts have already been sent. I cannot ask for them back and say, ‘Oh, Old Master, I gave you the cheap one and Grandma the expensive one. Could you give me another to make up for it?’ Would that not be even more embarrassing?”
At those words, the muscles in Emperor Wu’s cheek gave an almost imperceptible but violent twitch.