Luoyang, the military arsenal.
This was the first time Cao Wei came to the Luoyang Military Arsenal.
As the capital of the heavenly sovereign, Luoyang had a military arsenal that stored military equipment from the central army and some reserves. The arsenal contained bows, arrows, swords, spears, armor, shields, gongs and drums, flags and military vehicles.
The Luoyang military arsenal was extremely spacious, extending 400 steps in width from east to west and 800 steps in length from north to south, with a total of four sub-storage areas. The one Cao Wei entered at this time was a warehouse specifically for storing bows, crossbows, arrows, and other related equipment.
The Military Storage Master who followed Cao Wei reported to the emperor: "Your Majesty, there are a total of 130,600 crossbows in this warehouse, 340,000 crossbow arrows, 74,000 bows, and 130,000 bow and arrow sets."
Cao Wei turned his head to glance at the Military Storage Master, then looked at the Guards' General Dong Zhao standing behind him.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the position of Guards' General was responsible for overseeing palace guards and military equipment and ceremonial objects. After Cao Pi took over from the Han to establish the Wei Dynasty, the original duties of the Guards' General were taken over by military units such as the Military Protection Camps.
The current Guards' General can only take care of things related to the military arsenal and ceremonial objects. That is why Dong Zhao, the Guards' General, personally accompanied Cao Wei during his tour of the military arsenal. Moreover, there really isn't anything else for the Guards' General to do.
If a person who knows little about military affairs heard that the Military Storage Master reported there were over a million arrows and bows, they might think it was quite impressive.
Cao Wei himself was not well-versed in military matters, but Cao Wei was a reader.
Cao Wei turned to Dong Zhao and asked: "Old General Dong, the historical records say that during the Western Han Dynasty, Li Ling, when he attacked the Huns beyond the Great Wall, expended all five hundred thousand arrows in a single day. I recall that Li Ling only commanded five thousand infantry."
"Now that there are only several million arrows in the arsenal, how can that be enough?"
Dong Zhao, as a former top strategist of Wei's country, was now 70 years old but still full of vitality. When the emperor asked, he promptly answered with a respectful bow.
Dong Zhao said, "Your Majesty, as the Guards' General, the military arsenal is my responsibility. As of now, the crossbow arrows and bow arrows in the Luoyang military arsenal constitute half of the central army's stockpile. The other half of the central army's stockpile is stored in Chang'an and Qiao County."
Cao Wei asked in doubt, "Why Chang'an and Qiao County? Could it be related to the frequent deployment of the central army?"
Dong Zhao said, "Your Majesty, this is the first time I have the honor to address Your Imperial Highness. I have long heard that Your Imperial Highness, although young in years, is very astute and wise. As a ruler or an administrator, one of the essential abilities is to connect known information."
During Cao Cao's period, Dong Zhao was a confidant. However, during Cao Pi's reign, Dong Zhao's position was replaced by Chen Yun, Sima Yi, Liu Ye, and Xin Zhi, who were closer to the emperor.
Now with the new emperor on the throne, Dong Zhao only got the chance to address him alone several months later, and he did not want to miss this opportunity.
Dong Zhao replied, "Exactly so. In order to facilitate transportation, half of the central army's equipment is stored in Luoyang, and the other two-tenths are stored in Chang'an and Qiao County. There are precious items in the eastern warehouse of the military arsenal that Your Majesty may take a look."
Cao Wei's heart began to harbor a hint of confusion. If among Wei's strategists, Dong Zhao could be considered the mastermind, then no one else could take that title.
It's no wonder. It's all because the series of political maneuvers that led to Cao Cao being elevated to the position of Marquis of Wei and then King of Wei were all orchestrated by Dong Zhao in his time.
Dong Zhao is someone who can count every step and plan meticulously. Clearly, there must be something valuable in the warehouse on the eastern side that Dong Zhao can make use of. Cao Wei did not ask for clarification and followed the Military Storage Master to slowly walk into the warehouse on the eastern side.
Dong Zhao moved from the back to the front of Cao Wei, stopping in front of a large table. Pointing at the three items on the table, he said, "Your Majesty, please look. These three are the treasures in our military arsenal: Emperor Gaozu's sword that cut through the serpent, Confucius's sandals, and Emperor Wang Mang's head."
Cao Wei showed interest. To actually see the real objects that existed only in legends was a rare occurrence.
As Cao Wei approached the table to carefully examine the three items, his initial interest quickly faded. The Emperor Gaozu's sword that cut through the serpent was a bronze sword with a rusty color; Confucius's sandals were a pair of oversized wooden shoes; and Emperor Wang Mang's head was a human head preserved in varnish inside a lacquer box.
Cao Wei picked up the sword that Emperor Gaozu used to cut through the serpent, waved it a few times, and said, "I know that these are all treasured items, but I didn't realize they were so dilapidated."
Dong Zhao stood aside with a serious expression and said, "Your Majesty, these are sacred objects. Please be careful with them."
Cao Wei's eyebrows furrowed slightly. These few items, symbolically speaking, represent the divine right of the sovereign (Emperor Gaozu's sword that cut through the serpent), the law of governance (Confucius's sandals), and martial valor (Emperor Wang Mang's head). However, it was unclear how Dong Zhao would interpret them.
Since Dong Zhao was about to elaborate, Cao Wei asked in accordance: "Old General Dong, what is the explanation for the term 'sacred objects'?"
Dong Zhao said, "Except for Your Imperial Highness himself, who do you think is worthy to hold this sword that cut through the serpent?"
Cao Wei certainly did not wish to allow it, for such a legendary weapon that symbolized the great achievements of Emperor Gaozu, how could it be held by a subject!
Cao Wei replied, "How could I? This sword is not to be held by a subject."
Dong Zhao said slowly, "The heaviness of the cauldron, can it be questioned? In my view, these three treasures are like the nine cauldrons of sacred objects. Your Majesty, please look at this head of Wang Mang."
It was a decapitated head sealed with lacquer. At this moment, Dong Zhao gently tapped on it with his finger.
Dong Zhao said, "This head of Wang Mang can break the sword that cut through the serpent."
Cao Wei was not in the mood to play word games with this seven-decade-old gentleman. Cao Wei looked into Dong Zhao's eyes: "Old General Dong, please speak directly."
Dong Zhao did not rush: "Emperor Qin Shi Huang achieved the throne through the legacy of six generations. Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang held the sword that cut through the serpent to become emperor, which was to subdue chaos and end the Qin Dynasty."
"How did the late emperor obtain the throne of an emperor? Was it just because of hereditary succession?"
Cao Wei understood that Dong Zhao was using this opportunity to elaborate on the legality of Wei's rule by discussing these three items.
Cao Wei said, "Could it be related to this head of Wang Mang?"
Dong Zhao bowed to the emperor and said, "Exactly so. After becoming emperor, the late emperor once said to me, 'I understand the affairs of Yao and Shun.'"
"And Emperor Wu and the late emperor were able to successfully replace the Han Dynasty step by step precisely because of the story of Wang Mang."
Cao Wei nodded, indicating for Dong Zhao to continue speaking. Dong Zhao also understood that this might be his only chance, at such a good time and place, to show his merit to the emperor.
Dong Zhao did not dare to delay: "The reason why Wang Mang replaced the Han Dynasty was first because the mandate of Heaven was not with the Han, and second because he replaced Han rituals with those of Zhou."
"The Mandate of Heaven concept of the Han Dynasty, as proposed by Dong Zhongshu, states that a sovereign should be sovereign, a minister should be minister, a son should be a son, and a father should be a father. How can a son replace his father? How can a minister replace his sovereign?"
"Wang Mang was highly skilled in Confucianism, but he couldn't find a way within the Confucian teachings. Therefore, he had to trace back to the Zhou rituals. He borrowed the story of the Zhou Dynasty replacing the Shang Dynasty to justify replacing the Han Dynasty successfully."
Cao Wei had never heard such words before, "Please continue, Old General Dong."
Dong Zhao continued, "Your Majesty can see the story of Emperor Wu. He established Wei as a principality, which was parallel to Han, like Zhou to Shang. Adding nine ceremonial items is equivalent to administering for Han on behalf of Emperor Zhou."
"Let me be frank, the Great Wei has continued the old system of Wang Mang, thereby replacing Han with Wei and establishing new legal principles."
Cao Wei understood that the promotion to a prince and then a king by Cao Cao was planned by Dong Zhao himself, but it seemed that Dong Zhao's intention today was not just to educate Cao Wei.
Cao Wei asked, "Old General Dong, are you teaching the emperor to conduct himself with both name and substance?"
Dong Zhao shook his head slightly and said, "My intention is to say that Your Majesty in governing does not need to seek for reputation, but rather to focus on seeking truth."
