Chapter 35: Treason

After drinking a cup of wine poured by Liu Zhang himself, Shen Mi looked at him with eyes that seemed to glow. He bowed and said, "I thank the Governor for the wine."

His heart was pounding with excitement. Just as Xingba had said, Governor Liu was a man of outstanding bearing and humility—a truly rare and enlightened lord. As someone of partial Ban-Dun Man descent, he was accustomed to being looked down upon by noble clans and even the common people of Ba Commandery. Yet, the Governor before him not only disregarded his mixed heritage but had personally served him wine. This made him wish he could sacrifice everything for Liu Zhang on the spot.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm his surging emotions, Shen Mi bowed to Liu Zhang, who was returning to his seat at the head of the hall, and said, "Governor, I have a matter of great importance to report." As he spoke, he cast an inadvertent glance at Huang Quan, Dong He, and Wu Ban, the guard standing watch at the palace entrance.

Liu Zhang understood his meaning. He waved his hand and said with a smile, "There are no outsiders here. Please speak freely, Wenyuan."

Upon hearing this, Huang Quan and Dong He remained composed, as this was expected of them, but Wu Ban, standing at the door, could not help but shiver.

Seeing Liu Zhang's reaction, Shen Mi felt relieved and began: "I have a close sworn brother named Lou Fa, courtesy name Zichu, who remained in Ba Commandery to lead our troops, which is why he did not come to pay his respects to you."

"He sent word that a man named Liu He, claiming to be the Assistant Governor of Jing Province, has arrived in the Ba region. He is acting as a mediator, connecting with the great clans of Ba Commandery and visiting local officials. It appears he has ulterior motives. I hope the Governor will make preparations early."

Having said this, Shen Mi looked at Liu Zhang, waiting for a response. Originally, Gan Ning was supposed to deliver this news, as his relationship with Liu Zhang was closer and built on trust. However, Gan Ning had told him that since he was a newcomer, he needed a token of merit to present, so he had let Shen Mi report this confidential matter instead. Shen Mi felt a warmth in his heart; Gan Ning had handed him a monumental achievement, and in return, he had not forgotten to mention Lou Fa.

Liu Zhang, sitting at the head of the table, was somewhat surprised. First, since Gan Ning had joined his service, he had nearly forgotten about Liu He. In history, this rebellion in Ba Commandery during the first year of Xingping had failed. With a fierce general like Gan Ning in his ranks, he had assumed Liu He would not be able to accomplish anything and had cast the man aside. He had not expected Liu He to possess the skills of a strategist; without Gan Ning and Shen Mi to intervene, he might actually have succeeded in uniting the great clans and officials of Ba. On second thought, this was only natural. His father, Liu Yan, had slaughtered the powerful families of Ba to establish his authority, causing everyone in the region to turn against him—a real burden left for his son.

Secondly, he looked at Liu Biao with newfound respect. This man, whom history remembered as a mere armchair strategist, clearly had ambitions. At a time when Liu Yan had just passed away and he had just taken office as the Governor of Yi Province—without yet having secured the loyalty of the people—Liu Biao had sent an assistant governor to seize the region. It seemed that anyone capable of making a name for themselves at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty was not to be underestimated.

However, one thing was strange. Pang Jing, the house steward in charge of gathering intelligence, had always reported that the situation in Jing Province was calm. If Liu Biao was truly so arrogant as to attempt to incite a rebellion in Ba Commandery through Liu He alone, without mobilizing the forces of Jing Province, it was quite peculiar.

Huang Quan and Dong He exchanged a look after hearing Shen Mi's words, deep in thought as they considered how to respond to the inquiries they knew would follow from Liu Zhang.

After a moment of reflection, Liu Zhang regained his composure and thanked Shen Mi. He demonstrated his trust, showing no suspicion toward Shen Mi’s report despite his status as a newcomer.

"Governor, there is no need for thanks. As a man under your rule, it is only right that I serve you with loyalty and withhold nothing," Shen Mi replied, immediately declining the gratitude. He was deeply moved that Liu Zhang had shown him unreserved trust, ignoring his background and his recent arrival. *A lord without equal in this world,* he thought, firmly deciding that he would serve Liu Zhang for the rest of his life.

"Do you know if these scoundrels have set a date for their rebellion?" Liu Zhang asked, pinpointing the most crucial piece of information he needed.

"Around the sixteenth of this month, there will surely be a change," Shen Mi replied based on the intelligence from Lou Fa. "The rebels are still busy contacting others and preparing weapons and supplies, hoping for a foolproof outcome."

Liu Zhang calculated silently. Today was the third day of the fifth month. If the rebellion in Ba Commandery was to occur around the sixteenth, he had little more than ten days to plan. Of course, he had to prepare for the worst; such things rarely had a precise schedule. It was possible that Liu He had already decided to act today, and given the lack of instant communication in this era, the news would take time to reach Chengdu.

He looked at Huang Quan and Dong He, seeking their advice.

"My Lord, we should send a great general to the region before the matter unfolds. They are not yet fully prepared and will be caught in a panic. There is no reason we cannot prevail," Dong He proposed. His logic was straightforward: strike while they were unprepared for an easy victory.

Huang Quan held a different view. As a native of Ba Commandery, he understood the local situation better. "My Lord, only a few of the great clans would dare to support a rebellion. The conspiracy has not yet been exposed. If you were to send troops rashly, the people of the Ba region would be thrown into a state of panic, not understanding the intent behind your actions. By then, if this villain Liu He were to stir them up further, the entire commandery might rise in rebellion."

Huang Quan did not explicitly state why the clans would be terrified, but Liu Zhang sighed inwardly, understanding the subtext perfectly. The fear stemmed from his father's previous slaughter of the Ba clans to establish power. If Liu Zhang sent troops now, the clans might fear he was coming to continue his father’s purges. As Huang Quan warned, even those who did not wish to rebel might be forced to join the uprising out of fear of being the next family to be wiped out.

Huang Quan, acting in the best interest of his future brother-in-law, continued, "My Lord, you have just arrived in Yi Province. Only the people of Shu Commandery know your true character; your grace and integrity have not yet reached the Ba region. If you send troops now, even if you later produce evidence of their rebellion, others might believe it was fabricated by you. This would make it difficult to pacify the hearts of the people and would be detrimental to your future plans."

Dong He, realizing the weight of Huang Quan’s words, agreed, "Gongheng’s considerations are thorough, My Lord. You should weigh them carefully."

"However, we cannot do nothing and wait for the situation to rot before sending troops to suppress it. By then, the resulting devastation would leave nothing left in Ba Commandery. We must try to stabilize the clans who do not wish to rebel," Huang Quan added. He recommended a man who could stabilize the situation: "We should consult with Assistant Governor Wang. Only he can step forward to handle this. With his reputation, we can win over many of the clans that are currently watching from the sidelines, keeping them from supporting the rebels. Then, the number of rebellious clans will be small, and their strength will be limited. Once they rise, you can send a general to suppress them easily."

Liu Zhang nodded. Wang Shang, as a respected elder among the Yi Province scholars, was indeed the most suitable choice. None of his other subordinates held such prestige. Perhaps Zhao Wei, who was from Ba, could do it, but Liu Zhang suspected Zhao Wei might actually hope for the rebellion to grow even larger.

"Gongheng’s words align perfectly with my own thoughts," Liu Zhang said, affirming the strategy.