Jinting Han people

Chapter 153 Chang'an Handover (4k)

In the middle of the twelfth lunar month, as Pingyang Ling Zhang Yu's condition improved, Li Ju and his party bid farewell to Xiayang and embarked on the journey to Chang'an again.

Having been delayed for more than ten days due to illness, Zhang Yu dared not delay any longer and set out on his journey, planning to travel day and night to Chang'an. Unfortunately, the weather was not favorable. Just as he reached Heyang from Xiayang, a heavy snowstorm suddenly fell. Snowflakes as big as goose feathers blanketed the ground, completely covering Guanzhong overnight. The snow piled up to three feet deep, making it difficult to move.

Such weather meant that they could only walk about ten miles a day. The journey that they had originally planned to complete in three days had to take them another ten days. By the time they arrived in Chang'an, it was already the first month of the second year of Yuankang.

Although it was the first month of spring, spring in Guanzhong always came later than in Guandong. When the group arrived in Chang'an, the sky was pale from north to south, and the Wei River was still frozen with no signs of thawing.

It was Li Ju's first time to travel so far, and also his first time to see the ancient city of Chang'an. Although Pingyang's population was not much different from Chang'an, there was no doubt that the grandeur and majesty of this city were comparable only to Luoyang.

He walked past the tombs of the Han emperors and crossed the Wei Bridge into Chang'an City. Along the way, he could see tall buildings like Changle Palace, Weiyang Palace, and Jianzhang Palace, rising from the ground like giants. This reminded him of the achievements of the Former Han Dynasty: Han Xin's northern campaign, the capture of Longcheng, the conquest of Langjuxu, the eastern expedition to Korea, and the conquest of the Western Regions...

The glorious history of centuries past seemed bound up with this ancient city. Seeing the banners of the Western Expedition Army everywhere in Chang'an, Li Ju began to yearn: could he also participate in it, create a glorious history, and be remembered by the world?
He could not get an answer to this question for the time being. Now he had to wait with County Lady Zhang Yu to meet King Liang Sima Rong.

It was winter and spring, the time when the most personnel were being transferred across the prefectures and counties. Zhang Yu was in a hurry because he wanted to arrive early and finish his work quickly. But delays were delays. If he wanted to see Sima Rong at this time, he could only wait in line.

This wait lasted another ten days, until the snow melted, the Wei River thawed, the willows on Baqiao sprouted new buds, and peach blossoms bloomed on the slopes of Mount Zhongnan. Then, a large convoy arrived at the gates of Chang'an, bearing crucial news: Sima Lun, Prince of Zhao, would replace Sima Rong, Prince of Liang, as the new General of the Western Expedition, commanding all military forces in Yongliang.

After completing the handover, King Sima Rong of Liang was transferred back to Luoyang in February and appointed as General Wei.

This news undoubtedly represented a huge political change. Those who could be appointed as the General of the Western Expedition and stationed in Guanzhong were basically the most prestigious and trusted leaders among the royal family. The announcement of this appointment undoubtedly showed the court's distrust of Prince Liang, after all, Prince Liang's qualifications were somewhat too high.

But this new candidate in charge of Guanzhong is a bit confusing.

Why the Prince of Zhao? As the youngest son of Sima Yi, Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Lun had no achievements in his life, and of course, the same was true for the Prince of Liang. But Sima Rong had at least spent many years in the military, and even if he had no achievements, he had at least worked hard. In comparison, the Prince of Zhao's experience was too shallow, and was completely unworthy of consideration.

The resignation of the Prince of Liang had been anticipated, but speculation about his replacement had largely focused on Sima Mi, the Prince of Longxi. Unexpectedly, it was the Prince of Zhao who arrived. Discussions within the Western Expedition Command were rife, and the final conclusion was reached: perhaps the Prince of Zhao would please Empress Jia.

Li Ju came to much the same conclusion. He was deeply disappointed and privately said to Zhang Yu, "My Lord, isn't the Queen destroying the country by employing people in this way?"

Zhang Yu said, "We already know in Pingyang, why do we have to go to Chang'an to find out? I'd better report on my work soon. I originally wanted to seek a position in the Zhengxi Army, but now I think it's better to resign and return home. I want to have a good rest."

The tone of the Pingyang magistrate was full of fatigue. It was obvious that the waiting during this period had exhausted him. His soul had flown back to his hometown and he had no intention of thinking about official affairs anymore.

Li Ju also noticed this and felt somewhat confused: What should he do with his future career? Should he continue to serve as a county clerk for Xinxianjun? But the new Pingyang magistrate was probably a relative of the Song prefect, so returning would probably have no future. He couldn't really go to Xiayang and serve as a county clerk, could he?
He looked at the bustling crowds in Chang'an and the military flags flying on the streets, feeling somewhat unwilling. Thinking of the letter of recommendation written by Liu Xian in his arms, he still wanted to fight for a position in the Zhengxi Army.

On the Xinsi day of the first lunar month, they finally got their number and entered the General's Mansion.

The General's Mansion, also known as the Western Expedition Army Headquarters, was located in the former Weiyang Palace of the Han Dynasty in Chang'an. Since the county magistrate could only bring one person to meet the General, and Li Ju was the most diligent and conscientious in his work, Zhang Yu ordered Li Ju to accompany him.

Like most courtyards, the Zhengxi Military Headquarters at this time was divided into a front yard for office use and a private back yard. The front yard was bustling with people, and was full of officials proofreading documents.

But when we arrived at the residence of Sima Rong, the Prince of Liang, the environment changed to another style. How should I put it? It was very strange.

Logically speaking, Prince Sima Rong of Liang was a very leisurely person, so his residence could be of two styles: either the elegant and quiet style of a traditional scholar, with screens and paintings, or the lazy and spacious style of an elderly person, with very few daily necessities, just flowers, plants and potted plants.

But in this residence, it is not the case at all.

First, there was a bunch of beautiful concubines, all dressed up gorgeously. They swung on the swings in the courtyard without any hesitation. Their laughter frightened Li Ju and others, who mistakenly thought they had broken into someone's inner room.

But the official leading the way seemed not surprised and continued to walk in. Then Li Ju saw many long banners, candlesticks, and burning incense. He also heard the faint sound of chanting in the houses he passed by, as if some large-scale ritual was being performed.

In the lake beside the main hall, one could see a formal altar, upon which were placed offerings such as lambs. A man in a dark-brown Taoist robe stood with his back to them, holding incense sticks high and chanting something at the altar, though his tone sounded more like singing.

All this he saw and heard made Li Ju confused. This seemed to be a Taoist priest's mansion, not a prince's.

However, this was not something that a small county official like him could interfere with. After he understood this, he pretended that he had seen nothing and continued walking with Zhang Yu.

After the official leading the way said "we're here", Li Ju raised his head and saw two old men talking inside. Although both had wrinkles on their faces, one had gray hair and a gentle expression, while the other had black hair and sat upright, seeming to be very energetic.

After listening in a bit, I realized that the older one was Sima Rong, King of Liang, and the younger one was Sima Lun, King of Zhao.

Sima Lun, meanwhile, held a small bronze tree in his arms. Its branches were adorned with bronze pieces in the shapes of the sun, moon, dragon, tiger, unicorn, and phoenix. Thousands of copper coins hung from its branches. Gently shaking it, the coins and pieces clashed with each other, creating a remarkably crisp, jingling sound. He intended to give this bronze tree as a gift to his brother.

"Eighth brother, this is a money tree that I asked the Heavenly Official to bless. It can be used to pray for blessings and ward off disasters, and it can also bring good luck and wealth. You are old and in poor health, so you can use this to ward off bad luck."

Liang Wang Sima Rong looked at this money tree in silence and sighed, "Ninth brother, I'm not saying anything bad about you. We royal family members believe this privately and no one will say anything bad about you. But some things should not be brought to the surface, otherwise people will criticize you."

Sima Lun stroked his beard and said disapprovingly, "What are you criticizing? It's just that those fools don't understand! If you don't believe in the Fa, not only will you suffer in life, but even after death, you won't be reduced to ashes, and you won't be able to enter the immortal hall like us." "Eighth brother, these years, I have been taking elixirs and praying to the gods every day to prolong my life and maintain a strong body. Even now, I can have sex with three women in one night without falling."

"Look at you, you're only eight years older than me, and now you've become so old. You don't even have a daughter, let alone a son. This is all because of your disbelief."

Sima Rong was at a loss for words when he heard this. He said, "Whether I have children or not is secondary. Ninth brother, Guanzhong is the birthplace of my family. You didn't come to the Zhengxi Army Headquarters to have fun."

"Of course I'm not here for fun." Sima Lun fiddled with the copper pieces on the money tree and replied calmly, "Eighth brother, don't you see I'm arranging for people to pray and improve the feng shui? As long as God blesses us, Guanzhong will be safe and sound."

Hearing this answer, Sima Rong was speechless and could only sigh: "You, you..."

Li Ju, standing outside, also realized that the decoration of the mansion was arranged by King Zhao. He had never expected that the newly appointed General of the Western Expedition would actually use prayers to govern Guanzhong. This struck Li Ju as absurd. Could praying and then sitting down bring order to the country?

While he was thinking, the two princes also received the notice, calling Zhang Yu in to report on his work.

Li Ju quickly composed himself and followed Zhang Yu inside. He had prepared for this performance review for a long time, and he was confident he could answer any challenging questions satisfactorily. If he could use this opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and secure a future for himself, it would be fantastic.

But contrary to his expectations, Zhang Yu's report was very brief, and the two princes did not ask for detailed questions. When they learned that Zhang Yu was going to resign and return home, they only asked about his reasons for resigning and the recent situation in Pingyang. It seemed that there was nothing more to say.

But this is also reasonable. After all, Zhang Yu is just a county magistrate, at most a larger county magistrate. In the eyes of the prince who governs several states, this is completely commonplace and insignificant.

After Li Ju realized this, he couldn't help feeling annoyed. He could only comfort himself in his heart: he was still young, and it would be okay to stay in Pingyang for a few more years. There would always be a chance to make a breakthrough.

Soon it was the end of the report, and as usual, King Liang Sima Rong asked, "Before you leave office, does anyone want to recommend someone?"

Pingyang Magistrate Zhang Yu immediately said, "Your Highness, this attendant of mine, Li Ju, Li Shihui, the Pingyang Hermit, is truly a man of extraordinary talent. I earnestly request that Your Highness employ him."

"Oh?" Sima Rong turned his gaze to Li Ju, looking him up and down, and asked, "Does he have any real achievements?"

Zhang Yu replied, "He only came of age two years ago. He's very young, but he's extremely cautious in his actions. He strives for perfection in everything he handles, never prone to impatience. He's also quick-witted and eager to learn, always willing to consult with colleagues. There's nothing in the county government he doesn't know. Furthermore, he's practiced martial arts since childhood, and has honed his skills. He's a master of both civil and military skills."

"What's even more rare is his extraordinary moral character. This time, when I came to report on my work, the journey was long and plagued by bandits. Most county officials refused to accompany me, and the few I chose to join me were mostly complaining. But Shihui not only had no complaints, but also took care of me many times and repelled some bandits we encountered along the way."

"When passing by Xiayang, he shot down a horse thief with a single arrow from a distance of a hundred feet, helping the mayor of Xiayang to quell the bandit problem. The mayor of Xiayang was extremely grateful and even wrote him a letter of recommendation."

After saying that, Zhang Yu stretched out his hand to Li Ju. Li Ju was stunned for a moment before he reacted. He quickly took out the letter of recommendation in his arms and handed it to Zhang Yu, feeling deeply moved.

Zhang Yu fished out a jade pendant from his sleeve pocket, calmly placed it under the letter, and handed it to Sima Rong, King of Liang. Sima Rong took it, while Sima Lun looked straight ahead and pretended not to see it.

A blatant bribery was thus carried out and ended smoothly.

But Sima Rong wasn't completely unmoved. Upon hearing the name Xia Yang, his eyelids twitched, and he glanced at the King of Zhao. Seeing that he was still fiddling with his cash cow, the King of Liang unfolded the letter, took a quick look, and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh, Liu Huai Chong has stabilized the situation?"

After reading it, Sima Rong pondered for a moment, then looked at Li Ju for a moment, then turned to Sima Lun and said with a smile: "Ninth brother, I will make a decision. How about promoting this young man to the rank of Yamen General?"

Yamen General? Li Ju was so delighted at the news that he was a bit bewildered. He knew that this position was, in simple terms, the personal guard of the General of the Western Expedition. The number of men under his command was small, and the authority was not great, but the official rank was as high as the fifth rank.

Sima Lun, standing by, took it as nothing. He said, "Since Eighth Brother has said so, I have no objection."

After saying this, Sima Lun clapped his hands and said to the person outside the door: "Master Sun! Master Sun! Come here!"

A man who looked like a monkey and a rat ran in. Li Ju took a closer look and realized that he was the Taoist priest who was offering sacrifices and chanting scriptures outside the door. He moved very swiftly and crouched before the King of Zhao like a weasel, asking, "Your Highness, what are your instructions?"

Sima Lun took Liu Xian's letter and handed it to Sun Xiu. He then pointed at Li Ju and said, "Transfer this boy to the position of Yamen General. You take him through the formalities."

The man responded with a fawning, fox-like voice, and then led Li Ju out. As they walked toward the front yard, he took the initiative to introduce himself to Li Ju, saying, "I'm Sun Xiu, the Chief Clerk of King Zhao. You can call me by my title."

Li Ju didn't like the man's flattering temperament, but due to interpersonal relationships, he nodded and bowed, saying, "Meetings, Mr. Sun."

Sun Xiu didn't care about his rudeness, waved his hand, and then looked at the letter in his hand with a smile.

Seeing the words "Xia Yang Chang Liu Xian" at the end, he suddenly felt that they looked familiar. After thinking for a moment, he remembered Jia Mi's instructions from Jingu Garden and couldn't help but clap his hands and said, "Oh, so it's this unlucky guy!"

Li Ju was completely confused by this incoherent sentence. But when he saw Sun Xiu's smile change again, his mouth wide open like a night owl holding a mouse, he suddenly felt a chill.

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(End of this chapter)