Chapter 19: Revelation of Destiny

Early the next morning, Zhang Chi rose and made his way to the Military Office. Since Santong and Daoxuan both held no official rank, it was not suitable for them to accompany him on such an occasion; thus, only Ding Yizhi went along with Zhang Chi.

The two walked past the Vermilion Bird Gate and arrived at the imperial avenue in front of the palace city. Along this grand thoroughfare were arrayed the official buildings, government offices, and temples of Jiankang.

Ding Yizhi led Zhang Chi to the gates of the Military Office and said, “Elder brother, here we are. Let me go in with you.”

To tell the truth, Zhang Chi still harbored doubts about this cousin of his. In fact, he was not the man’s real cousin, and both of them knew it, so why was Ding Yizhi so insistent on claiming kinship? For days, Zhang Chi had mulled over this question without finding an answer.

Ding Yizhi remained silent on the matter, and Zhang Chi did not press him. Zhang Chi had always been easygoing. Since he had only just crossed into this world, and Ding Yizhi was born into an illustrious clan, handsome and elegant—if it was wealth he wanted, he had more of it than Zhang Chi; if beauty, he had that in greater measure too—what possible motive could he have in befriending Zhang Chi?

...

Wang Daozi, Prince of Kuaiji, was at this moment seated in the grand hall of the Military Office, his brow furrowed deep in thought.

As the Emperor’s uncle, with the feeble and incompetent Emperor An on the throne, the real power in the court had long been in his hands. By rights, with such rank and authority, what could possibly trouble him? Yet in these last days, one matter had indeed weighed heavily on his mind.

The reason was simple: in the streets and alleys, children were singing seditious rhymes.

“Destiny’s secret revealed, the world in revolt. The lord of humble birth, white horse and azure robe.” Reading this rhyme submitted by Wang Xun, Sima Daozi’s anger surged. “This is clear incitement to rebellion!”

He ordered Wang Guobao, “Arrest all children singing this rhyme, along with their families. We must not let such seditious songs spread.”

In these times, rumor held immense power. The decline of every dynasty was always foreshadowed by such children’s songs, so Sima Daozi’s anxiety was understandable.

“I fear this is no random rumor, but something deliberately spread,” Wang Guobao said.

His words reminded Sima Daozi: “Yes, apprehend the children and interrogate them as to the source.”

Sima Daozi had been at the heart of government for years; when angered, he exuded a certain authority.

“Yes, my lord.” Wang Guobao nodded, then mused aloud, “Now that the court seeks to tighten control over the regional governors, perhaps they have caught wind of it and begun to stir?”

Sima Daozi pressed a hand to his brow, thoughts heavy. The aristocratic clans each commanded their own armies; at the thought, he felt as though seated on pins and needles.

If Wang Guobao excelled at anything, it was reading faces and moods. Now, seeing the prince’s brow so deeply furrowed, he stepped forward and said, “If the court would curb the regional governors, it cannot avoid removing General Wang Gong and the Inspector of Jingzhou, Yin Zhongkan, from their posts. Your Highness should act swiftly, lest changes overtake us.”

“Have you a plan?” Sima Daozi asked.

Wang Guobao pondered a moment, glancing at Wang Xun beside him.

Though Wang Xun held the high office of Chancellor, with Wang Guobao in favor, Wang Xun had little real power. He was much older than Wang Guobao and now stood by, eyes closed, stroking his beard. After a while, he opened his eyes, saw Wang Guobao looking his way, and said, “My lord, you and I serve together; besides, your daughter and my son are now betrothed. We are as one family—what need for secrets between us?”

Only then did Wang Guobao feel at ease. Lowering his voice, he said to Sima Daozi, “The new Emperor has only just ascended the throne. Why not summon those two to the capital under the pretext of a report, strip them of their military authority, and if they refuse—”

He left the sentence unfinished, but none could miss his meaning. With a faint smile, he added, “So long as the army is in our hands, all else is manageable.”

Sima Daozi nodded. “Your plan is sound.”

As the three conversed, a servant announced from outside, “My lord, the man recommended by the Three-None Academy waits at the gate.”

“Admit him,” Sima Daozi said, his severe expression relaxing at last.

Zhang Chi, dressed in a plain blue robe, entered the hall with Ding Yizhi. After the formal courtesies, Sima Daozi noted that Zhang Chi’s face bore no trace of powder or rouge and felt displeased. In the Wei and Jin dynasties, bearing and appearance were of utmost importance. To appear before others without cosmetic adornment was as unthinkable as appearing for a modern job interview in casual shorts, especially when Zhang Chi wore nothing but a simple scholar’s robe.

Zhang Chi was oblivious to this. He had never been in the habit of wearing makeup, but to Sima Daozi, it was something else entirely. In his eyes, it was as if a job applicant had shown up not just without a suit, but in garish beachwear.

His displeasure showed on his face as he asked, “Are you the one recommended by Lady Wang for the post of staff officer?”

Zhang Chi nodded, and Sima Daozi continued, “Since Lady Wang recommends you, you must possess some unique skill. What is it you excel at?”

Before Zhang Chi could answer, Ding Yizhi spoke: “My lord, my brother Zhang Chi is distinguished by his learning and discernment.”

“And who are you?” Sima Daozi inquired.

“I am Ding Yizhi of Shanyin, Kuaiji,” he replied.

As Prince of Kuaiji, Sima Daozi was familiar with the Ding clan of Shanyin. “So he is your elder brother? Perhaps he truly has some talent. What, specifically?”

Ding Yizhi smiled slightly. “Of late, among the renowned scholars of Jiangdong, it is said that in the past two centuries of Wei and Jin, only three have achieved the status of ‘absolute’—has Your Highness heard of this?”

“What are these three absolutes?” Sima Daozi asked.

“They are: Zhang’s poetry, Wang’s calligraphy, and Zijian’s prose,” Ding Yizhi replied.

“And to whom do these refer?” Sima Daozi pressed.

“Zijian’s prose refers, of course, to the rhapsodies of Cao Zhi, whose literary talent spans the ages, able to compose ten thousand words effortlessly; that is the first absolute,” Ding Yizhi said.

Sima Daozi nodded, and Ding Yizhi went on, “The second is the calligraphy of Right General Wang—Wang’s hand is vigorous yet graceful, unmatched in any era; that is another absolute.”

At these words, even Wang Xun, stroking his beard, nodded repeatedly. The Right General Wang referred, naturally, to Wang Xizhi—Wang Xun’s own uncle. Having grown up under such influence, his own skill in calligraphy was considerable. Now, hearing praise for his uncle, he could not help but feel delighted.

“The third absolute,” Ding Yizhi continued, “is my brother Zhang Chi’s poetry—his verses are grand and powerful, their spirit lofty and transcendent. Thus completes the trio.”

“Nonsense!” Wang Xun could contain himself no longer. To place his uncle Wang Xizhi on a par with Cao Zhi was one thing, but to rank some young upstart alongside them—how could he endure such a slight?

Seeing Ding Yizhi speak with such conviction, Wang Xun fell silent, merely stroking his beard and sizing up Zhang Chi.

Wang Xun was a man of deep cunning; now, in his anger, he merely smiled, unsettling Zhang Chi.

“Can you ride a white horse, Master Zhang?” Wang Xun suddenly asked.

Zhang Chi, puzzled, nodded mechanically.

Wang Xun bowed to Sima Daozi and stepped back, saying no more. His remark, of course, was a subtle reminder of the earlier rhyme: “Destiny’s secret revealed, the world in revolt. The lord of humble birth, white horse and azure robe.”

The Wang clan of Langya had long held high office; Wang Xun had spent his life at court. Though he was now aging, the saying that age brings cunning rang true. Zhang Chi wore a plain blue robe, and with Wang Xun’s practiced eye, it was clear at a glance this was no man of noble birth.

Wang Xun, versed in the arts of power, had no need to point a finger—his simple question, “Can you ride a white horse?” when paired with the blue robe, was enough to quietly cast suspicion on Zhang Chi as the subject of the seditious rhyme. With no evidence, he would not openly accuse, but it was a seed sown for others to exploit.

Sima Daozi, though given to pleasure and indifferent to state affairs, was not without wit. He understood Wang Xun’s meaning at once.

“Very well,” Sima Daozi began, then hesitated. He was inclined not to use Zhang Chi, yet, remembering that the man was Lady Wang’s recommendation, he was hesitant to offend her and so frowned and said, “Since Lady Wang recommends you, you shall, as she suggests, take the post of staff officer in the New Army. However, as you are unfamiliar with military affairs, I will assign a general to assist you. May you both serve the court well together.”

“Master Ding, your family is an illustrious clan of Kuaiji, and as the New Army is newly formed, we are in need of talent. Why not join as well, and take the post of director of records? What say you?” he asked Ding Yizhi.

“My thanks for your favor, my lord,” Ding Yizhi replied with an elegant bow.

...

When Wang Guobao had given final instructions, the two men left the Military Office—it was already midday. As they walked, Ding Yizhi said to Zhang Chi, “Since the Jin dynasty, staff officers have had the authority to command troops independently. Brother, do you know why the Prince of Kuaiji has assigned a general to serve alongside you?”

Zhang Chi, unfamiliar with such matters, thought for a moment and replied, “Perhaps the prince worries that I am inexperienced in military affairs, and wants someone more seasoned to assist me?”

Ding Yizhi smiled. “Brother, you are truly kind-hearted.”

“Then is there another reason for the prince’s arrangement?”

“Brother, the world is on the verge of chaos; vigilance against others is never amiss,” Ding Yizhi said. “Which of the young gentlemen of great clans truly knows the art of war? They all hold high office and wield great power. Had you not been recommended by Lady Wang, today’s meeting might not have gone so smoothly—indeed, you might have faced disaster.”

Zhang Chi could make little sense of these intricacies. “But Lady Wang holds no official rank. Why would the prince, a man of such stature, be wary of her?”

“It is not her status, but her intellect, that he fears,” Ding Yizhi said with a slight smile. “Though she has no office and is but a woman, her mind embraces the world. One might even say the fate of the realm hangs upon her decisions, and it would not be exaggeration.”

Zhang Chi had known Lady Wang was formidable, but not to such a degree.

“It is a pity,” Ding Yizhi continued, “that her father, Wang Guobao, is obstinate and self-serving—he has cunning but lacks courage. With such a father, Lady Wang’s brilliance may never find full expression.”

“And as for Wang Xun, his depths are unfathomable. I fear Wang Guobao will not ultimately prevail against him,” Ding Yizhi added.

From these words alone, Zhang Chi could see that this cousin he had inadvertently acquired was a man of rare insight.

“I suspect, brother, that when you reach the military camp, the general appointed to assist you will only bring you trouble. Take care, and be on your guard.”