Jinting Han people

Chapter 103 Wedding Banquet Part 4 (k)

Time flies so fast. A year has passed since Liu Xian broke up with Jia Mi and was forced to participate in the party struggle.

After more than a year of fermentation, although the reason is unknown, the conflict between the two can be said to be well known. However, for the two people involved, they have never met each other since then.

Liu Xian wanted to out of sight, out of mind. When he thought of Jia Mi's perverse logic, that anyone unwilling to be his dog was his enemy, he felt like a slimy caterpillar crawling on his body, his hair standing on end and goosebumps forming. Jia Mi, on the other hand, was wary of Liu Xian's strength. Although he verbally refused to admit defeat that day, he was unwilling to risk giving Liu Xian another opportunity to use violence against him.

So when they were still in the palace, the two basically avoided each other, and after Liu Xian moved to the Guangling Prince's Mansion, which is now the Prince's Mansion, they had no intersection at all.

But after all, we were all in Luoyang and serving in the same dynasty. Sometimes we would meet each other every day and there was no way to avoid them.

It was just that when they couldn't avoid each other, they would just pretend the other didn't exist. But now, in order to discuss the anti-Yang plan, the two had to meet under the same roof.

When Liu Xian entered the room, he saw Jia Mi in the house and almost subconsciously planned to turn around and leave. However, Jia Mi was chatting and laughing with several companions around him. He heard footsteps, glanced over, and when he saw Liu Xian's figure, his body inevitably trembled.

Fortunately, this so-called secret meeting today wasn't just for a few people. After a momentary slip of the tongue, the two quickly covered it up with cunning tactics. The lights in the room were dim, so no one noticed.

Having said that, this secret meeting involved too many people, it could hardly be called a secret meeting.

The room wasn't large, but there were thirty or forty people sitting around. Aside from the Chu King and Queen's faction, who had already agreed to work together, Liu Xian saw many familiar faces, such as Wang Dun, who served in the Eastern Palace with him, Shi Chong, Wang Ji, and Xun Ji, among the Eight Founding Dukes, and even Wang Kai, the former uncle of the emperor. As for those unfamiliar faces, Liu Xian knew from their names that they were either highly influential or held sensitive positions, representing the will of a powerful figure.

Of all the people involved, Jia Mi and Liu Xian weren't the only ones with grudges against each other. It could even be said that false accusations were commonplace in factional struggles, something everyone had grown accustomed to. But now, for the common goal of opposing Yang, everyone had put aside their past grudges and gathered here.

Because it means a bloody storm.

It also means a reshuffle of power in the court.

Everyone is eager to get a high position in this reshuffle, so Yang Jun's intention to retreat is naturally impossible to be recognized.

Sure enough, when everyone was present, Jia Mi, as the highest-ranking noble present, personally presided over the secret meeting. He did not get straight to the point, but pointed at the candlelight and said in a very pretentious manner: "Shi Heng, I have drunk too much today, and my eyes are blurry. I see the candlelight as a person, and the person as the candlelight. I wonder if you can write a poem about this!"

Sitting next to him was Lu Ji, currently serving as the chief priest in Yang Jun's palace and also a retainer of Jia Mi. Hearing the music, he understood the elegant meaning and said, "Duke Lu, today we are discussing state affairs. Haven't we discussed poetry and prose enough at the banquet just now?"

"Not enough! Not enough!" Jia Mi sighed. "I wish I could spend my whole life talking about poetry and songs, wandering around the Golden Valley Garden day and night with friends like you, writing articles about pleasure and debauchery, and living a peaceful and leisurely life."

"Then why is Duke Lu here?"

"Of course, it's for the country and the people." Jia Mi said this, sitting upright, a rare righteousness appearing on his charming face. He said naturally, "I am the descendant of a famous minister, and my family has been blessed by the country for generations. Now that the country has treacherous ministers who are trying to destroy the peaceful life of the people, how can I sit idly by and watch?"

Shi Chong continued, "I wonder who the treacherous minister Duke Lu is talking about?"

This was exactly what Jia Mi had been waiting for. He said decisively, "It's the current Grand Tutor Yang Jun!"

"This Grand Tutor's crimes are too numerous to list!"

"When the previous emperor passed away, he isolated himself from the outside world and committed countless acts of political chaos. There's no need to recount them! Now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne and entrusted him with important tasks for the country, what's the result?"

"He marginalized wise ministers like the Prince of Runan, favored villains like Zhu Zhen, and took up residence in the Taiji Palace without authorization. In just a few months, he had brought chaos and chaos to the court!"

"If that were all, it would be fine. Yang Jun is the Empress Dowager's biological father after all. The Empress told me that if it was just a little bit of daily irritation, then I'd just put up with it. But Yang Jun has monopolized all the power, and he's still not satisfied!"

"The day before yesterday, while meeting the Emperor in the palace, he was drunk and actually said to His Majesty and the Empress, 'Your family is immoral and cannot maintain the stability of the country. Why not abdicate and let someone else take over to save your life?' Ha! What is he planning in his mind? Can he still hide it?"

"Yang Jun is planning a rebellion!"

Everyone's eyelids jumped when these words were spoken, and they all felt the murderous intent in the words. Everyone had guessed what crime the Empress would bring against the Grand Tutor, and the result was as expected. Empress Jia was so vicious that she would either not do it or go all the way! Since she had given the charge of treason, her goal was naturally to kill Yang Jun's entire family!
At this time, Wei Guan, the Duke of Zhiyang, could no longer sit still. He coughed, and Jia Mi immediately fell silent. Everyone looked at him.

As the oldest and most experienced person on the field, Wei Guan was already over seventy years old, his hair almost completely white, and his face covered in wrinkles like the hills of Longyou. But no one dared to underestimate him, because this old man was a hero who had contributed to the destruction of Shu and served as the supervisor of the Wei army during the campaign against Shu.

During the Chengdu Rebellion, he saw through Zhong Hui's scheme, feigned illness, and deceived him. He then launched a desperate counterattack, leading the troops to kill Jiang Wei and Zhong Hui, and then instigated his soldiers to kill Deng Ai and his son in a prison cart. It can be said that Wei Guan was the ultimate victor in the Chengdu Rebellion, an immortal legend for his victory over three renowned generals.

In the years that followed, the old man held important posts in various border areas, eliminated border troubles, and made political achievements. He is also the only living founding county lord.

By now, Wei Guan had become semi-retired, having been ostracized by Yang Jun. Seeing Wei Guan there, everyone present was incredibly excited, believing that with Duke Ziyang present, the coup would surely succeed.

Now Wei Guan spoke. His tone was weary, but his words carried weight. He said, "A crime as serious as treason cannot be determined with just a few words. May I ask, Duke Lu, do you have any concrete evidence that Yang Jun rebelled?"

"Oh?" Jia Mi narrowed his eyes and asked, "What does Duke Ziyang mean?"

Wei Guan did not look down on Jia Mi because of his young age. He said earnestly, "Duke Lu, the charge of treason will bring disaster to three clans. It's better not to mention it, but if you do, it will cause rivers of bloodshed. Therefore, you can't make rash remarks. Even if the emperor himself convicts him, without solid evidence, it will be difficult to convince the people."

"It will either alienate the government and the opposition, or even trigger greater unrest."

"If there's no concrete evidence, I suggest caution. Given the current situation, it's enough to charge Yang Jun with disrespect."

Surprisingly, this was a secret meeting against Yang Jun, but Wei Guan's words hinted at a desire to protect some of Yang's followers, which made Jia Mi's smile a little stiff. He took a sip of water and said with a smile, "The Duke of Ziyang does have good intentions, but if even the words of His Majesty and the Empress are not considered solid evidence, then do we have to wait until Yang Jun truly usurps the throne before we take action?"

"This is a moment of life and death for the nation and its people. We must eradicate all evil. Wasn't that what Duke Ziyang did when he was in Chengdu?"

Jia Mi spoke kindly, but his dissatisfaction with Wei Guan was also clearly revealed in his words. The two of them stared at each other, making the atmosphere a little cold. After a moment, Wei Guan looked away and said to the crowd, "I am only offering a few opinions. Whether the Duke of Lu listens or not, or whether the Queen listens or not, is not something I can influence."

The implication was that he had given in. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but they could also hear a hint of sarcasm in his words.

Jia Mi glared at Wei Guan fiercely and continued to speak to the crowd:

"This is what happened. I came to see you today because of the Queen's instructions. I hope you can all work together to kill the thieves and restore peace to the Great Jin!"

After saying this, he raised his arms and bowed solemnly to everyone, saying, "I'll count on you all to do your best!"

After Jia Mi said this, the people who came to the meeting naturally gave him face and said things like "How dare a minister refuse to do his best for the country?"

But all that has been said above is just the pretext for this secret meeting.

By now, opposition to Yang Jun had become a consensus among almost all politicians. However, Yang Jun was Emperor Wu's appointed regent, having previously overseen government for seven or eight years. His influence had become immense, encompassing the three provinces, the imperial guards, and local authorities, encompassing no fewer than a thousand officials. Consequently, even a leading member of the imperial clan, Sima Liang, Prince of Runan, struggled to make up his mind when faced with Yang Jun, ultimately fleeing the capital in fear. To eradicate such a power, to root it out completely, required thorough preparation.

The purpose of this secret meeting was to come up with a basic draft before Sima Wei came to Beijing.

But before that, we must also take stock of the strength of the Anti-Yang Faction.

Jia Mi said, "You all need not worry. Although Yang Jun is powerful, there are more people loyal to the country. This is the truth that good cannot prevail over evil! Before I came here today, I did not expect to meet so many loyal people! You may wish to inform each other first, so as to show the sincere heart of the nobles to serve the country."

Since everyone had been communicating secretly and developing on their own before, no one knew how far the anti-Yang faction alliance had developed. Now is the time for it to show its prowess.

Meng Guanxian said, "His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu has already discussed things with His Royal Highnesses the Princes of Qinghe, Changsha, and Chengdu. Once he arrives in the capital, they can all work together! He will personally lead the imperial army to defeat the rebels!"

"And the King of Huainan is also willing to go to the capital with the King of Chu to help the country in its crisis!"

These two sentences were extremely powerful and directly represented the four princes' full support for overthrowing Yang.

Wei Guan continued, "I have already contacted the King of Runan. He is stationed in Xuchang and cannot arrive first, but he can lead his troops to provide support and serve as a deterrent."

It turns out that he represented Sima Liang, but Sima Liang's statement was a bit insincere.

Shi Chong said, "The King of Xia Pi is also willing to overthrow Yang and has promised to give out 10,000 pieces of silk as a reward to the soldiers who overthrow Yang."

Sima Huang, the King of Xia Pi, is now the General of Chariots and Cavalry, and also serves as the Guard. With his joining, the control over the imperial guards will be stabilized.

As some unfamiliar faces expressed their opinions, Liu Xian gradually heard the names of Sima Rong, King of Liang, Sima Lun, King of Zhao, and Sima Tai, King of Longxi. Without exception, they were either in the capital or in military garrisons, but none of them prevented them from actively participating in the anti-Yang movement. The appearance of this series of names basically represented the royal family's collective rejection of Yang Jun. It was no longer necessary to ask who had participated in the anti-Yang movement, but how many remained.

This is indeed the case. Among the adult princes, except for Sima Jian, King of Qin, Sima Yong, King of Hejian, and Sima Mao, King of Dongping, all other princes expressed their support for overthrowing Yang.

Liu Xian, representing Sima Yi, finally expressed his opinion, "The Crown Prince also agrees to attack Yang Jun. He said he only regrets that he is too young to personally wield the sword and kill the enemy!"

At this point, everyone felt reassured.

If everyone was already feeling optimistic when they arrived, now they were radiant from the inside out, and they couldn't wait to lead their troops to chop off the Taifu.

Because the anti-Yang forces have become so huge that it is difficult to describe.

These princes who expressed their opinions almost covered all the fiefdoms and military towns in the local area, and their retainers were spread across almost all the functional departments of the court. Together with the several noble families who had almost taken their sides, they were almost a complete small court, not to mention that there were also the queen and the prince among them.

As long as everyone can reach a unified opinion, there is nothing that cannot be done.

Yang Jun's so-called Taifu Mansion and his so-called painstaking efforts were nothing more than a small stone before the surging wave in the face of such anti-Yang forces. They were not worth mentioning at all. As long as a wave came, they would be swept away in an instant.

It can be said that even if they openly fall out now, Yang Jun can do nothing about it.

At the same time, Liu Xian had a vague guess: Yang Jun personally went to the wedding banquet to express his concession. Was it because he noticed this and made such a decision?

Or perhaps, the old man had received news that there would be such a secret meeting after Wang Cui's wedding, but he had no idea how to stop it, so he admitted defeat and begged for mercy in such a hurry?

Unfortunately, the discussion on peace with the Grand Tutor did not appear in this secret meeting from beginning to end.

But this is not all of Yang Jun’s disadvantages.

After Jia Mi and the others had expressed their opinions, he tapped the table lightly and said to Lu Ji beside him, "Shi Heng, they say that knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles. As the chief priest of the Taifu Mansion, please share with us the Taifu's recent arrangements."

As Yang Jun's aide, Lu Ji appeared at the secret meeting to overthrow Yang. This was very ironic in itself, but the people present were not surprised at all.

After all, until now, the Queen is still an ally of the Grand Tutor on the surface, but she has revealed countless secrets in secret. Yang Jun did not realize this from the beginning, and his fate of defeat was already doomed.

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(End of this chapter)