“Tao Jia, a native of Jianping. For generations his forebears commanded the Central Army. When it came to Jia, he first entered the Imperial Guard, was soon promoted to Captain, and through accumulated merit rose to General. Later, when the Western Tribes rebelled, he was appointed General of Agile Cavalry, but was defeated by Wang You of Tai Province, imprisoned, and had his death sentence commuted by one degree. He was released under a general amnesty and never again held military command. Whenever he thought of past events, he was filled with such regret he wished for death.”
– Later Zhou History · Biography of Tao Jia
Many who were illustrious in life ultimately fail to leave even a single line in the official histories. If Tao Jia could see what came after his death, he would likely consider himself rather fortunate to have been granted a full biography in the histories.
His biography is not short, yet everything in the first half of his life, up to the age of forty-six, is dismissed in just a few brief strokes.
Tao Jia truly began to shine only after Emperor Xiaoming ascended the throne.
Emperor Xiaoming seemed to be one of those rulers naturally blessed with harmony between sovereign and ministers. She often said that her ability to govern the realm well was due to the assistance of her officials, and the officials, in turn, believed that without the Sovereign, they could never have achieved what they had today – especially in Tao Jia’s case.
Just when Tao Jia thought he would spend the rest of his life in disgrace, he encountered the Sovereign who pulled him up from the depths.
At a time when the realm was beset by storms and instability, the Emperor entrusted Tao Jia with command of the vanguard, sending him once more to the very land that had brought him defeat and humiliation. There, Tao Jia washed away his former shame with victory, and in a single leap rose to become the foremost general of the court.
Just as Tao Jia believed that the rebellion of the Western Tribes would be the final battle of his life, the Emperor once again ordered him to lead troops eastward on campaign.
His merits grew ever greater, and his campaigns went smoothly, yet Tao Jia felt a fatigue unlike any he had known before. His spirit remained as resolute as ever, his mind still sharp, but his body was gradually failing to keep up.
Seated on horseback, the old general Tao exhaled a long, turbid breath. Fortunately, there were already many outstanding young men in the army. He would watch over them a while longer – once the younger generation had matured, he could return to Jianping to spend his old age in retirement. That way, he would not have failed the Emperor’s grace.
As for titles like “general,” they were nothing more than empty honors.
Being able to frequently enter the imperial city and have audience with the Sovereign – that was what brought him the greatest joy.
Time passed swiftly. After pacifying the four quarters, the Emperor began making preparations to build a new capital and planned to relocate the central government to the southern lands.
Tao Jing said, “Her Majesty will be touring Taikang – will Father follow?”
Tao Jia set down the book in his hands, his face bearing its usual kindly smile. “I’m getting on in years – I’d rather not move about anymore.”
“But Her Majesty is in Taikang…”
“It is precisely because Her Majesty has gone to Taikang that someone must remain in Jianping.”
Even with attendants and younger family members serving at his side, Tao Jia still polished his armor every day, its sheen as bright as ever. His life could be called complete, yet within that completeness lingered a small regret.
If only he had been born twenty years later – he could have continued to wield his blade and ride into battle, campaigning across the land for the Emperor.
Now, he could still witness the state of Luojia submitting and offering tribute, but beyond that… he feared he would no longer be able to see what came next.
In October, the Sovereign, far away in Taikang, bestowed feather quilts upon the households of the officials who remained in Jianping.
The quilts were made from the feathers of birds; compared to cotton quilts, they were lighter, softer, and more breathable.
Perhaps because the new quilt was so warm, Tao Jia had a dream that night.
It was still the autumn of the eleventh year of Changxing, yet the one who ascended the throne was not Her Majesty. Tao Jia strained to see clearly, only to glimpse familiar yet strange faces flickering in the distance, each one far removed from him.
The Western Tribes still rebelled. Tao Jia saw himself submitting a memorial to the court – so desperate to draw attention that he even smeared blood onto the cloth – laying out in detail the strategies for response, only to be met with ridicule from those around him.
“A defeated general – how dare you speak so much!”
Members of the Li clan, a powerful family of Jianzhou, dragged Tao Jia out and berated him, accusing him of putting his own interests above the state and the realm.
All the scenes were hazy and indistinct, yet the pain was unbearably real.
Tao Jia felt as though, at times, he had gone to the front lines, and at other times he had not – but no matter what, what awaited him was either deeper humiliation or an insignificant death.
The rebellion of the Western Tribes was only the beginning; what followed was the collapse of the entire realm.
In his sleep, two lines of murky tears streamed down Tao Jia’s face.
Tao Jing, his adopted son, was serving as an official away from home. His granddaughter Tao Lu, who remained behind, went early in the morning to pay her respects in her grandfather’s courtyard.
Tao Lu, keeping track of the time, realized it had already passed the hour when her grandfather usually rose. Unease crept into her heart. Steeling herself, she excused the intrusion and had the door opened – only to find something was wrong, and immediately called for a physician to come to the residence.
The Grand Protector Tao, who had long held the line in Jianping, had fallen ill. He never managed to open his eyes, only murmuring “Your Majesty” over and over into his pillow, half-conscious.
Tao Lu spoke cautiously, “Her Majesty is currently in Taikang.”
Tao Jia slowly repeated, “His Majesty is in Taikang…”
Anxious, Tao Lu hurried to reassure him, “Her Majesty went to Taikang last spring and hasn’t returned yet this year. But please don’t worry, Grandfather – every year the Sovereign will surely spend some days in Jianping. When the time comes, you’ll naturally be able to see Her Majesty.”
Tao Jia still seemed not fully awake. Tao Lu repeated it several more times, and gradually, a look of relief appeared on his face. “As long as Her Majesty is there… as long as Her Majesty is there.”
The physician told Tao Lu that the Grand Protector was advanced in years – when people grow old, they tend to dwell on things; when the mind is unsettled, confusion of thought is hard to avoid.
Tao Lu felt that although her grandfather said he would not go to Taikang, in his heart, he still longed deeply for the Sovereign.
In November, the Emperor returned to the capital. Tao Jia, whose health was already failing, somehow managed to climb out of bed early that morning and, leaning on his cane, went out to the outskirts to receive the imperial procession.
Although Tao Jia now held the rank of Grand Protector, when they met, the Emperor personally supported him and addressed him as “Old General.”
The Sovereign inquired in detail about Tao Jia’s daily life – his food and clothing – and also instructed the imperial physicians to visit his residence regularly for treatment.
Chi Yi knew that it was precisely because the Emperor had heard that Grand Protector Tao’s condition was not good that she had decided to return to the capital ahead of schedule.
After arriving at Taiqi Palace, the Emperor summoned the Director of the Imperial Household Department.
By this year, Hou Suo’s hair had already turned grey, and his posture had grown somewhat stooped. He intended to submit a memorial requesting retirement once the younger generation had matured.
Time passed swiftly, and the familiar faces at court grew fewer and fewer.
It was also in this year that the Emperor – who had long made no preparations for a mausoleum – finally began the construction of her own imperial tomb.
The Sovereign personally declared that after her death, there was no need for a lavish burial – everything should be kept simple. Only 10 to 20 hectares of land were enclosed outside the capital. Compared to the mausoleums of previous emperors, the Heling Mausoleum was especially modest in scale. By the Emperor’s original intention, it was meant to be even smaller, but considering that space needed to be reserved for her ministers, the size was ultimately set at around 20 hectares.
“I have reserved a place in Heling for Old General Tao. A hundred years from now, General, I ask that you continue to stand guard by my side.”
Tao Jia knew that he was old. His hands could no longer draw a bow, and even wearing the spectacles made in Jingyuan, he could barely make out the characters before his eyes. Yet this time, his fortune seemed good – he would arrive there ahead of everyone else, to wait for the Sovereign.
“In the second year of Zhaoming, when a powerful minister in Luonan arbitrarily deposed and enthroned rulers, Xiao Xichi led troops west to suppress him. Within a little over a month, she captured the rebel leader and had him paraded through the commanderies. In October, she was promoted to Grand General of the South, appointed to command the Protectorate of Annan, and given authority over affairs along the southern coast.”
– Later Zhou History · Biography of Xiao Xichi
Xiao Xichi was the last tribal leader of the Qingyi tribe. After her, the Qingyi people were fully integrated into the Great Zhou and no longer existed as a separate tribe.
As a tribal leader born during the reign of Emperor Li, Xiao Xichi’s youth was marked by misfortune. She was taken from her homeland to Jianping and spent a long period there as a hostage. In later years, Xiao Xichi sometimes suspected that Emperor Li’s refusal to release her was not necessarily due to fear of the Qingyi tribe’s strength – it might just as well have been that he had overlooked her existence, or simply wished to make things unpleasant for someone.
It was not until Emperor Shizu of Zhou ascended the throne that Xiao Xichi finally gained the opportunity to return home. According to official records, she was released back to Qingyi because of her merit in suppressing the Northern Park Rebellion, and at the same time was granted command of the Chongchang border camp.
Even though the Central Plains aristocracy still harbored prejudice against borderfolks at the time, her contemporaries in court had to admit that Xiao Xichi was a general with few faults to be found. She was open-minded and magnanimous, accomplished in both civil and military affairs, skilled in both naval and land warfare, and deeply trusted by the Sovereign. Over the years, no matter how many people impeached or remonstrated against her, the Emperor’s favor toward her remained unchanged.
However, the Great Zhou had its own system for appointing officials, and even imperial trust could not override certain reasonable rules. After Luonan ceased to be a vassal state, Xiao Xichi – whose rank continued to rise – encountered a problem: because her homeland lay too close to Luonan, it was no longer appropriate for her to continue serving as Annan Protectorate. She therefore temporarily entrusted local affairs to her deputy and personally went to Taikang to discuss her future arrangements with the court.
When Xiao Xichi arrived in Taikang, the court – due to the Emperor’s high-paced working habits – had already reached a decision: a new prefecture would be established in the southern coastal region, and Luonan would be transferred to it. This, at least, barely circumvented the existing rules requiring officials to recuse themselves from affairs involving their home regions.
The Vice Minister of Personnel remarked, “But the new prefecture currently has only Luonan…”
Wen Yanran smiled. “The other commanderies should follow soon enough.”
The Vice Minister of Personnel stammered, “…Your Majesty is indeed sagacious.”
Once the solution was settled, the court suddenly had a host of trivial matters to deal with. When Xiao Xichi entered the palace to pay her respects, the Emperor was already buried in reviewing these issues.
Wen Yanran did not deliberately avoid having her see the memorials. When Xiao Xichi came in, she was invited to sit down, and the emperor picked out a few documents with a smile. “Minister Xiao, you have long served in the southern regions. Why not volunteer to personally handle these matters?”
Xiao Xichi replied sincerely, “I am from the southern lands, Your Majesty, and so must recuse myself. Moreover, I am a military officer, not versed in civil affairs.”
Although Chi Yi and the others hadn’t seen the spoilers in the comment sections, they knew that during her time as a hostage, Xiao Xichi had not wasted a moment. On the contrary, she had diligently studied to strengthen herself. From her performance while serving as Annan Protectorate, it was clear that the claim that she “did not understand civil affairs” was entirely unfounded.
Wen Yanran glanced at her. “Affairs in Luonan are closely tied to border defense, and I myself do not understand military matters. I truly need your assistance.”
Xiao Xichi replied, “…Your Majesty is too modest.”
Seeing the two of them – one claiming not to understand civil affairs, the other not to understand military affairs – the palace attendants considered this a perfect example of harmony between ruler and minister.
In the end, however, Xiao Xichi was not kept by the Emperor to serve as a soldier. The Southern School had now begun offering courses in martial affairs, and she was recruited by Ren Feihong, who happened to pass through, to temporarily serve as a teacher for a few days.
To avoid frightening the students, Xiao Xichi did not use her real name. The students, seeing her unfamiliar face and noting that she did not appear to be of aristocratic origin, were naturally a little resentful. Yet it took only one morning for their initial resistance to turn into self-admiration.
With just one hand, Xiao Xichi easily sent several young students from the Tao, Zhong, and Yan families flying across the room. These students were all from families of military officers and had been trained from childhood, yet under Xiao Xichi’s command, they couldn’t last even a single round.
Tao Lu sat on the floor, sighing. “Teacher, you’re amazing… how did you cultivate the skills you have now?”
Xiao Xichi smiled. “Half diligence, half talent.”
Hearing this, Tao Lu flopped down completely – diligence could at least be worked on, but talent? That was a blow. Could they really just be reborn to make up for it?
Seeing the student looking a bit dejected, Xiao Xichi offered some comfort. “Actually, the greatest generals do not need to rely on sheer strength. Even if they remain behind the command tent, they can anticipate the enemy’s moves from a thousand miles away. Even without personally going to the battlefield, every change in the field is within their grasp. As long as the soldiers follow their arrangements, they can easily defeat the enemy.”
The students refused to believe it. “There’s no one like that in the world!”
Xiao Xichi smiled, as if reminiscing. “Of course there is.”
Zhong Chang noticed that today’s new teacher had features more sharply defined than those of the Central Plains people. Remembering some rumors he had recently overheard at home, he couldn’t resist testing her. “Are you talking about yourself?”
Xiao Xichi smiled at them and shook her head. “Quite the opposite. I am the one in command, the one whose hands control it all.”
She had spent so many years of her youth in Jianping, moving cautiously step by step, wary of everyone, trusting no one. Yet even in such circumstances, the Sovereign personally removed the restraints on her and allowed her to return to her homeland.
It was not until Xiao Xichi returned to Qingyi that she suddenly realized – from the moment she had received her traveling gear from the Emperor’s hands, the self freed from past restraints had, in turn, taken on new obligations.
Zhong Chang looked at the new teacher before him, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind – he seemed to have guessed the identity of the formidable person the teacher had spoken of.
Xiao Xichi did not linger long in Jianping. With the establishment of the new prefecture, she would need to return to Luonan to continue her duties. Wen Yanran personally went to see her off and asked, “When will you return to the capital next?”
Xiao Xichi did not answer directly, only saying, “If Your Majesty builds your tomb, then please reserve a place for me.”
She was a border general, destined not to remain long at the side of the Emperor in life. But if her spirit endured after death, she wished to take the form of pine and cypress, ever green beside the imperial tomb.
