Why bother?

“Our Li family flourishing and spreading is naturally a fine thing!” Li Miao sneered, “Uncle, let me ask you: if one day Uncle Li Shao follows my father to meet our ancestors, who will inherit the foundation of Hebei?”

“That...” Li Yin was suddenly stumped by his nephew’s question.

“When the Grand General passes, the position should go to Li Tan,” Huang Yi interjected. Li Tan was Li Shao’s legitimate eldest son, and the principle of primogeniture was a long-standing tradition among the gentry.

Yet Yang Hong on the other side shook his head, “The old lord once said that Li Benchu seems to favor his youngest son, Li Shang, more.”

“Favoring the youngest is not the same as making him the heir, is it?”

“If Lady Yang, Li Tan’s mother, were still alive, then Li Tan would certainly inherit Uncle Li Shao’s mantle. However, Lady Yang has already passed away, and now Uncle Li Shao’s current wife is Lady Liu, Li Shang’s mother. With Uncle Li Shao’s affection for Li Shang, the position of Grand General may well fall to Li Shang!” Li Miao laughed coldly. Li Tan’s mother hailed from the Yang family, a marriage alliance between two prominent families. By rights, Li Tan, as the legitimate eldest son, should inherit Li Shao’s legacy.

Yet Lady Yang died more than a decade ago, leaving Li Tan alone. Li Shao later took a new wife, Lady Liu, who, though not as illustrious as the Yangs, was still a notable family in Hebei. Li Shao married her to consolidate his power, and Lady Liu, being capable, bore a son who inherited Li Shao’s looks—he was a spitting image of Li Shao in his youth. This endeared Li Shang to his father, and as the youngest, he was doted upon all the more. With Lady Liu whispering in his ear, Li Shang soon overshadowed Li Tan in their father’s eyes.

If Li Tan were content with a quiet life, perhaps he’d let his younger brother inherit their father’s mantle. But Li Tan was unwilling. He was the legitimate eldest, the son of both Li and Yang families—why should he yield to his younger brother?

One side had Li Shao’s favor and the influence of his mother; the other had Li Tan, the legitimate heir, supported by the Yangs and a cadre of loyal strategists and warriors who adhered to tradition. These brothers were destined for conflict.

Li Miao had seen it from the days within the Li family. One reason Li Shang always lost in his disputes with Li Miao was that their statuses were equal, but Li Miao had Li Tan as an ally, undermining Li Shang from within.

Whenever Li Miao and Li Shang clashed, both would accuse the other, and by rights, they should both be punished equally. But at such moments, Li Shang’s elder brother, Li Tan, would step forward and deliver a “fair judgment,” declaring Li Shang at fault—leaving Li Shang unable to clear his name no matter what.

“Uncle, when you go to Hebei, which side will you stand on?” Li Miao smiled as he questioned Li Yin.

“I...” Li Yin was at a loss; both Li Tan and Li Shang had their advantages. Li Tan was the legitimate heir, Li Shang had his mother’s support and Li Shao’s affection. To join either side was to make an enemy of the other. To join neither was to offend both, as each would suspect him of favoring the other.

“With such internal strife, and with Cao Cao as an external threat, my uncle Li Shao will find it hard not to be defeated!” Li Miao said to Li Yin. One needn’t fear a godlike opponent, but a pig-like ally is dreadful. Now, it seemed Uncle Li Shao not only had pig-like allies but also godlike enemies; how could he hope to avoid defeat?

“Your Uncle Li Shao, his power is that great?” Li Yin was still reluctant to admit defeat; Hebei was nearly pacified, Gongsun Zan had withdrawn to Youzhou after the battle at Jieqiao, and dominance in Hebei was only a matter of time.

“How did my father’s power before his death compare to Uncle Li Shao’s?” Li Miao asked, looking at Li Yin.

“Ah!” Li Yin was finally persuaded. Before Li Shu claimed the imperial title, he controlled all of Yangzhou and Yuzhou, Nanyang in Jingzhou, and half of Jiangdong, commanding an army of three hundred thousand—rivaling Dong Zhuo in his heyday. Now, with the fierce generals of Jiangdong, Liu Xun of Lujiang, Liu Pi of Yuzhou, and Zhang Xiu of Wancheng, these four or five warlords combined only matched his father’s original strength. This showed how formidable Li Shu had been.

Yet in the end, all that remained was the small pavilion at Jiangting.

“Uncle, if you wish to go to Hebei, as your nephew I won’t stop you. Let us part on good terms. I will assign a hundred battle-hardened soldiers to escort you to Hebei,” Li Miao said to Li Yin.

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t!” Yang Hong was anxious. He only wanted Li Miao to spare Li Yin, not to send him away with a hundred troops! Li Miao’s army was a ragtag band as it was; losing another hundred men would make things even worse.

Thus, Yang Hong firmly opposed the idea.

“My mind is made up, Minister Yang. Say no more.” Li Miao looked at Li Yin; he was anxious too. A hundred soldiers might not seem much, but it was a third of Li Miao’s strength. If he lost them, he didn’t know what he’d do. He was gambling that Li Yin wouldn’t actually go to Hebei; if he lost, he’d lose a third of his power, but if he won, he’d gain Li Yin’s true loyalty.

Li Miao knew his uncle regarded him with a certain disdain. If not for Li Shu being his father, Li Yin might have seized control and eliminated him long ago. Don’t doubt Li Yin’s capabilities; when Li Shu was ill, Li Yin was in charge, and Yang Hong could not intervene.

“To escort me to Hebei, you say?” Li Yin was tempted. Though Li Miao had painted a bleak picture, he had overlooked one thing: what if Li Shao didn’t die? If Li Shao lived, the Li brothers wouldn’t dare act, and Li Yin could simply wait for Li Shao to unify the realm. When the brothers eventually fought, it would be none of Li Yin’s concern.

“Are you really leaving?” Li Miao saw the joy in Li Yin’s eyes and felt a pang of disappointment. Go, then! A scheming uncle is best gone; it would save Li Miao the trouble of guarding against him. Li Miao wanted to keep Li Yin because he was the only proper strategist left; Yang Hong didn’t count.

At best, Yang Hong was a favorite or loyal retainer—a sycophant. There’s a difference between sycophants and traitors. Traitors are sycophants with ability—they not only flatter, but have great ambition, and may even seek to supplant their master.

Sycophants, on the other hand, lack ability but are absolutely loyal, knowing their fate is tied to their master’s. Should the master perish, so do they.

Such people can be trusted absolutely. You can give them tasks; whether they succeed is another matter, but at least they won’t betray you.

Take the famed Qin Hui, for example. To the common folk, he was a notorious traitor, but to his lord, he was a paragon of loyalty.

Why? Because Yue Fei wanted to defeat the Jin and restore the captured Song emperors Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan. If those two returned, where would the current Song emperor stand? With his father and elder brother back, he’d have to abdicate.

Thus, Qin Hui thought only of his lord’s interests; the people, national affairs, all were irrelevant.

Yang Hong was such a man. It was he who advised Li Shu to claim the throne and exploit Huainan; his heart held only Li Shu, nothing else.

“Zhang Xun, where are you?” Li Miao called to Zhang Xun at his side.

“Here, Your Majesty!” “Immediately assign a hundred battle-hardened soldiers, all veterans of the field, to His Highness the Prince of Fortune!” Li Miao was already disappointed in Li Yin. “Qin Huai, you will lead these hundred soldiers to escort His Highness to Hebei. If possible, stay in Hebei with him!” Li Miao was preparing to see his uncle off, and if these hundred soldiers were lost, so be it. He would owe Li Yin nothing further—this was Li Miao’s compensation for Li Yin’s loyalty to his father until death.

“If any of you wish to go with His Highness, go together! Go, all of you, just go!” Li Miao said dejectedly.

“Your Majesty, do you not want us anymore?” Yang Hong and the others were startled, quickly kneeling before Li Miao in fear.

“Going to Hebei is far better than staying here with me. Go, live peaceful days. This is all I can give you.”

“Your Majesty, forgive Qin Huai for his disrespect, but I cannot obey your command!” Qin Huai knelt before Li Miao.

“Qin Huai, how dare you? Are you not afraid I’ll kill you?” Li Miao was angry—none of them would listen to him.

“Then Your Majesty may kill me.” Qin Huai knelt. He was utterly loyal to Li Miao; while Yang Hong’s loyalty was tied to Li Shu, Qin Huai’s was solely for Li Miao. Even if Li Miao ordered him to kill Li Shu, he would obey, for Li Miao had saved his life and paid for his mother’s burial—Qin Huai owed him everything.

“Qin Huai, why must you?” Li Miao smiled bitterly. Qin Huai’s loyalty was not a result of Li Miao’s benevolence, but because, when Li Miao saw Qin Huai fighting a dog for food, with Li Shang present, the two bet on whether the dog or the man would win. Li Miao bet on the dog, but the stubborn boy managed to scare off the much larger hunting dog.

It embarrassed Li Miao, so he sought revenge, bought Qin Huai to bring him to his mansion and make him suffer—but once purchased, Li Miao forgot about it. Qin Huai remained at the Li residence, and as the family rose and fell, others died or fled, but Qin Huai stayed. With some ability, he was promoted from among the lesser ranks to serve under Zhang Xun as deputy general.

“Then I'll trouble General Zhang Xun!” If Qin Huai wouldn’t go, only Zhang Xun could.

But Zhang Xun, too, declined.

“Uncle, these hundred soldiers are yours. With your talents, leading them will be no trouble at all!” Li Miao could only hand over the troops without officers; with his abilities, Li Yin could easily command a hundred men.

But to Li Miao’s surprise, Li Yin shook his head.

Li Miao was truly angry. “Uncle, I have no officers left to assign you. Do you mean to drive me to my death?”

“No!” Li Yin shook his head, gritted his teeth, and suddenly knelt before Li Miao. “Li Yin of the Li clan greets the family head.”

“Family head?” Li Miao’s pupils widened. “What did you call me?”

“Li Yin of the Li clan greets the family head!” Li Yin repeated.

Family head! If Li Yin called him Your Majesty or lord, Li Miao wouldn’t care—it was commonplace. But to be addressed as family head was different.

Li Miao’s father was the legitimate eldest son; after the previous family head died, Li Shu succeeded him. Now that Li Shu was gone, the position of family head passed to Li Miao, his only son. Li Miao hadn’t cared—he was all alone, what need for a family head?

But now Li Yin called him family head? The notion of loyalty to sovereign and country might matter to commoners or poor scholars, but it meant nothing to the gentry. For them, the family came first, then the country. The family was their clan; for the family, they could even betray the state. Members of the same clan could serve rival powers, but their interests remained rooted in the family.

Such people could betray the state, but one principle they followed was loyalty to the family head. Once they acknowledged you as family head, it signified genuine submission.

“Uncle, you...” Li Miao was baffled. Just moments ago, Li Yin was ready to leave; now he suddenly pledged himself as family head. It made no sense. “Uncle, aren’t you going to Hebei to join Uncle Li Shao?”

“No, I, Li Yin, will follow the family head from now on!” Not going? Outwardly Li Yin was full of loyalty, but inwardly he felt bitter. He wanted to go to Hebei, but he knew if he entertained the thought, or accepted Li Miao’s generous offer of a hundred soldiers, he could bet a hundred percent he wouldn’t reach Hebei—he’d be killed en route.

Not by bandits, but by his own men. Li Miao might mean well, wanting to honor their familial bond, but his subordinates would see it differently. To them, it would seem Li Yin was coercing Li Miao.

Given their temperament, the chance of them killing Li Yin on the road and returning was a hundred percent.

To go to Hebei was death; to stay here was also death—both were dead ends. But in Jiangting, he could live a few more days and suffer less. These two uncle and nephew were alike: better to live poorly than die nobly.

As for acknowledging Li Miao as family head? Everyone was doomed, so calling him that cost nothing, and would even earn him better treatment from the soldiers. Li Yin did not wish to see nothing but dead faces every day.

Sure enough, after Li Yin addressed him thus, the soldiers led by Zhang Xun and Qin Huai treated him much more kindly.

“Uncle!”

“Nephew!” The two shameless men, tears in their eyes, embraced.

End.