Jinting Han people

Chapter 105: The King of Chu's Determination (4k)

In the second month of the first year of Yuankang, after a year of settling down, King Sima Wei of Chu once again embarked on his journey back to Beijing.

It was the spring rain season, and fine drizzles had been falling for five or six days in a row. The ground became as smooth as ointment, and horses stumbled from time to time as they walked on the road. Looking from afar, the surrounding undulating hills and green forests were all immersed in a hazy rain mist.

When Sima Wei passed by a small slope, he saw the forsythia on the slope dotted like stars on the green waterfall. He couldn't help but break off a branch with his own hands. The branches in spring seemed to be tender and crisp. With a crisp "click", Sima Wei moved the branch covered with water droplets in front of him and sniffed the fragrance and water vapor in it.

"When the late emperor was still alive, he taught me that as a prince, I must be able to see the emotions of heaven and earth." Sima Wei put down the flower branch in his hand and turned to Qi Sheng beside him and said, "Now seeing this beautiful landscape, my heart is attached to tenderness, just like the endless spring rain. Qi Sheng, do you think this feeling is right or wrong?"

Qi Sheng's horsemanship wasn't very good, and he was staggering as his horse staggered. Hearing his master's words, he smiled and said, "Your Highness is a wise king comparable to the Duke of Zhou. Your heart holds the whole land in your heart. The tenderness in your heart is naturally tenderness towards the people of our Great Jin. We are so lucky!"

"Qi Sheng, you're going too far. Don't you realize that?" Sima Wei objected, but a satisfied smile remained on his face as he continued, "What I'm about to do is start a war in Luoyang. This is something no one has dared to do in decades. Whether I succeed or fail, it will undoubtedly be controversial. I wonder how future history books will record me."

The Chief Clerk, Gongsun Hong, said from the side, "Your Highness, the records in later history books are never important."

"Irrelevant?"

"Yes, it doesn't matter!" Gongsun Hong waved his whip intermittently, saying leisurely, "Your Highness, the so-called merits and demerits recorded in history books are determined by historians, but in reality, do historians' likes and dislikes matter? Future generations are not stone, and they will not believe everything the historian says."

"Future generations can only see the deeds of their predecessors. As long as their names are recorded in history books, whether they are infamous or virtuous, they will know that they were extraordinary people who changed the world and who need to be remembered."

"Lord Father Yan once said, 'If a man cannot eat from five cauldrons in life, he must be cooked in five cauldrons in death. How can a swan compare its ambitions with a sparrow? Your Highness, as long as you accomplish extraordinary things, you will be immortalized."

"Eternal immortality..." Sima Wei closed his eyes and sighed, "Yes, you're right! When we are alive, we must do things that ordinary people cannot achieve. Whether it's evil or good, we must stand out from the crowd!"

He opened his eyes, dropped the branch in his hand, looked up at the sky and said, "My great-grandfather, Emperor Xuan, served Cao Wei loyally for three generations, improving internal governance and defending against foreign invaders. He was a loyal and wise minister on par with Zhuge Liang of Shu Han."

"But as for what happened later, although we are not allowed to discuss it now, everyone knows it. He was not Zhuge Liang after all. He did the things that Cao Mang did, and that is how we have the Great Jin Dynasty."

"In terms of moral integrity, he cannot compare with Zhuge Liang, but in terms of achievements, how can Zhuge Liang compare with Emperor Xuan?"

Facing the dark clouds in the sky, Sima Wei smiled proudly and said, "Back then, the Three Kingdoms were at war with each other, and the nine provinces were constantly at war. In the end, it was my Great Jin that unified the three kingdoms and ended the chaotic times. Whether I was a traitor or not is not important at all."

"I went to Luoyang this time to kill people just like I did at Emperor Xuan's Gaoping Mausoleum."

"Zhuangzi said, 'Those who steal a hook shall be executed, those who steal a state shall be made princes.' In my opinion, killing is indeed a crime, but to be a hero who rids the people of harm, one must kill a thousand, ten thousand people!"

"Your Highness, Holy Ming!"

This was the first time that Sima Wei had publicly spoken such bloody words. Upon hearing these outrageous words, Qi Sheng and Gongsun Hong were not surprised but delighted. They both followed suit and loudly agreed.

They had followed Sima Wei for many years, and what had driven them to act together was never loyalty to him, but Sima Wei's ambition. Only ambition, blazing and unbridled ambition, could stir up a wave that swept across the court and the country, allowing even those from humble backgrounds to soar and achieve great deeds that would be recorded in history!

"Why doesn't Yang Jun understand this?"

Qi Sheng laughed and said, "It's not that he doesn't understand, it's just that he's like a slow horse clinging to beans in the barn. Your Highness, many principles are one thing to know, but whether one dares to apply them is another."

"When Yuan Shao and Cao Cao fought at Guandu, was it because he lacked strategy that he was defeated? Of course not! The reason for his defeat was that he was full of plans but indecisive. He hesitated and hesitated at every turn, which naturally led to his complete defeat in the end!"

"Your Highness is where he is today because he is brave enough to make decisions and is not afraid of risks!"

"Decide? Great! Hahaha, then I have two things I haven't figured out yet. Can you guys help me with some advice?"

The reason why Sima Wei was so emotional was because he now had two pieces of yellow silk in his arms, which he received before he left Xiangyang, that is, yesterday.

The first one was written by Liu Xian. In the letter, he described in detail the recent developments of various parties in the capital, and focused on the status of Taifu Yang Jun. He pointed out that facing the general offensive of public opinion launched by the court and the public, Taifu Yang Jun could no longer withstand it and was very likely to plan to give up his throne peacefully!
Sima Wei sneered and asked his two aides, "Yang Jun is about to surrender. What do you think I should do with him?"

Qi Sheng could certainly see the pros and cons of this. He smiled and said, "He doesn't retreat when he should, and doesn't advance when he should. What's the point of discussing things with such a naive villain? If Your Highness captures him, you will be recognized as a meritorious official by the court and the public! If Your Highness makes peace with him, wouldn't that mean you acknowledge his status as an assistant minister? It will be extremely difficult to defeat him again in the future!"

Gongsun Hong was even more blunt, sternly saying, "What's there to discuss? Just kill them! It's just a matter of how many to kill!"

These two sentences further fueled the fire within Sima Wei. He gazed northward toward Luoyang and asked, "What do you think, how can we eliminate all the evil?"

"Yang Jun is the main culprit who disrupted the government. Of course, his entire clan must be exterminated!"

"Yang Yao and Yang Ji are Yang Jun's brothers. They also participated in the political chaos. Naturally, their entire clans will be exterminated!"

"And those close relatives of Yang Jun, like Duan Guang and Li Bin, are all Yang Jun's accomplices. Without them, how could Yang Jun have reached this point? We must also exterminate all three of their clans!"

"After the Gaopingling Incident, Emperor Xuan reorganized the government, exterminated eight prominent families, and killed nearly four thousand people. How can Your Highness fall behind? You must kill at least five thousand people! This will demonstrate Your Highness's resolve!"

Qi Sheng and Gongsun Hong exchanged barbs, oblivious to the number of heads they would lose with each word. After hearing Sima Wei's statement, they had entered a frenzy, each head a testament to their progress. They only wished they could kill every last one of Luoyang's inhabitants and rebuild a new Luoyang. In the end, even excuses ran out, and they simply encouraged the killing spree.

Sima Wei knew these words were immoral, but he agreed with them wholeheartedly. Killing people is something everyone does; it's the price they have to pay for a better tomorrow.

But he said, "But I have to reply to Yang Jun. How do you say it?"

Qi Sheng and Gongsun Hong exchanged a glance, smiled, and said, "Since Yang Jun is ready to surrender, why not let him have a few sweet dreams?"

"You mean, pretend to agree?"

"We were so aggressive before, and now that he's relented, we just agree. That's a bit hypocritical and doesn't go against human nature." Qi Sheng, Sima Wei's aide, wasn't as talented as Liu Xian, but he wasn't entirely without talent. He analyzed the situation carefully, saying, "Your Highness, why not propose a harsh condition and start bargaining with Yang Jun? Even if he refuses and continues to haggle with you, he'll generally feel that your Highness is sincere."

"When he becomes complacent... that's when I'll deliver the fatal blow!" Sima Wei understood, then clapped his hands and laughed. "Okay, Qi Sheng, tonight you write a secret letter and send it to Yang Jun's residence in Luoyang overnight. Tell him I want the positions of Central Guard General and Minister of the Chancellery. I won't compromise on anything else!"

The Central Guard General and the Shangshu Ling, one is the direct leader of the Imperial Guards, and the other is the most critical core position among the three provinces. As long as these two positions are held, the life and death of Yang Jun and his party basically depends on Sima Wei's thoughts.

Gongsun Hong then asked, "What is your second question, Your Highness?"

Sima Wei did not say it directly, but slowly took out another piece of yellow silk from his chest. This was written by Meng Guan, and it recorded the coup plan that many forces agreed to during the last secret meeting.

He handed the yellow silk to Gongsun Hong, and after he had read it, he asked, "What do you think of this draft?"

After examining the situation, Gongsun Hong replied, "Although Meng Guan may be a bit overconfident, overall, he's a sure bet."

"Well, this is also what I am satisfied with, but there are still some things I am not satisfied with..."

Gongsun Hong was very puzzled: "Unsatisfied... What is your Highness dissatisfied with?"

Sima Wei handed the yellow silk to Qi Sheng again and said calmly, "Meng Guan's vision is too narrow. He only sees the present, but not the future. If we follow this draft, it may be detrimental to future events..."

"Later?" Hearing these two words, Gongsun Hong understood a little. He smiled and said, "So, Your Highness no longer has Yang Jun in his mind, but is thinking about the situation after Yang Jun's death?"

Sima Wei nodded and said, "Yes, in the future, although this draft is safe, the whole city is under martial law, and there will probably be no trouble, but in this case, how can I show that I have extraordinary achievements?"

"Your Highness was the leader of this anti-Yang movement. How could Your Highness not have played an extraordinary role in the demise of the Yang faction?"

"Hahaha, Gongsun, you're playing dumb!" Sima Wei laughed. He puffed out his chest and said in a carefree tone, "Although many people support me now, it's just to deal with Yang Jun. Once Yang Jun dies, how many people will still support me? That's another matter."

"Those who hold power are the most envied. After Yang Jun, it's me."

"If I don't find a way to achieve undeniable merit, I wonder what the people of the world will say when I assist in the administration!" He pulled the reins to a halt, and the entire team followed suit. Facing the doubts of several staff members, he slowly said, "I must find a way to make my name known to the world."

This young prince had such far-reaching ideas in his mind, which surprised his staff. However, after weighing the pros and cons, Qi Sheng still raised a question: "But Your Highness, if you show off too much this time, it will also alert others!"

Gongsun Hong also agreed with Qi Sheng and said, "Your Highness, you are only twenty years old this year. You have a long time to live. Why rush into it?"

"There's a long way to go? Ha, maybe!"

Sima Wei was indeed very young. Throughout history, no one other than the emperor had been able to approach supreme power at his age. But Sima Wei was not an emperor after all. As he approached, he instead felt a sense of urgency and anxiety. He deeply realized that before truly grasping supreme power, everything seemed false, like soaring on the clouds. It might be wonderful, but it also brought fear. The scenery in the sky was far less comforting than the tangible Hou Tu.

Therefore, he still insisted on his point of view and said, "How about this, Gongsun Hong, you also write a secret letter and have Liu Xian pass it to Jia Mi, telling the queen that Yang Jun's mansion and land will be handled by me."

"Your Highness, this is..."

Sima Wei said quietly, "After the coup, I will raze Yang Jun's mansion to the ground and carve a stone tablet to mark his death!"

"I intend to give all of Yang Jun's gold and silver to the generals and soldiers, and I intend to distribute Yang Jun's land and property to the poor peasants who have no land to farm."

"Gongsun Hong, you will be in charge of this matter. Afterwards, give me an account book with every detail. As for rewards, don't leave out any soldier, even the foot soldiers. And as for land and food, don't give them to the wealthy and powerful. Every acre of land must be distributed to the truly poor farmers."

"You should tell them that King Sima Wei of Chu has made up his mind to rectify the government, reform the civil service, and restore order to the world! This is just a small step for King Sima Wei of Chu!"

"Your Highness, isn't this too…" Gongsun Hong immediately wanted to object, as this would undoubtedly anger many people, but then he was impressed by his lord's courage. He was already eager for quick success, but unexpectedly, Your Highness was even more eager! But as Your Highness had said before, to accomplish extraordinary feats, how could one lack extraordinary courage?
He thought about it for a long time, and finally lowered his head and said, "I'll do it right away!"

"Good!" Sima Wei smiled with satisfaction again, and rode his horse forward again. Looking at the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers in the misty spring rain, he let out a long breath, and then thought: Was my great-grandfather Sima Yi in the same mood when he returned from the conquest of Liaodong?

On this long journey of life, the men of the Sima family will not compromise, will not stop, and will not hesitate. They are destined to have hearts as hard as stone until they stand at the highest point in the world.

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(End of this chapter)