Jinting Han people

Chapter 209: Singing a Hundred Years Song to the Moon (4k, additional content by the leader)
After hearing this, Liu Xian stared at Lu Ji in disbelief, and it took him a long time to realize what this sentence meant.

Lu Ji also felt quite ashamed under Liu Xian's gaze. He could only drink a glass of wine and console himself: "Huai Chong, this is a cruel world. If we want to achieve something, we can't be too naive."

"That's right, Huai Chong, I have secretly switched allegiance to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian poured himself a glass of wine and looked at his friend for a long time without saying a word.

Since the Han Dynasty, the concepts of loyalty and filial piety have been deeply rooted in people's minds. Although people in the Western Jin Dynasty were no longer as enthusiastic about discussing loyalty as they were during the Han Dynasty, regardless, despite the state's lack of active promotion, loyalty remained a valued quality under the four hundred years of the Han Dynasty.

This is just different from the understanding of loyalty in later generations. Later generations often understood loyalty as pure loyalty to the emperor, that is, loyalty only to the emperor. However, in the Han and Jin dynasties, the "emperor" in loyalty to the emperor did not only refer to the emperor.

During this period, the bureaucratic selection system was not yet perfect, so local officials at all levels had their own personnel selection power. Therefore, for ordinary officials, their monarch was not only the emperor, but also the local chief official who promoted and recommended them.

Therefore, scholars were required to be loyal not only to the emperor but also to their immediate superiors. Even if their positions were later reversed, they were required to maintain the proper relationship between ruler and subject. This view of loyalty to two rulers was later called the "dual monarch concept."

The reason Cao Cao, Sima Yi, and others were able to usurp power was essentially because they exploited this established morality, placing their position directly under the monarch above that of the Son of Heaven, ultimately seizing the throne. This behavior also brought about a huge subversion of the concept of loyalty to the emperor. Although the world did not say much about it openly, they could not help but curse these two people's shamelessness in private.

Before this, Lu Ji was able to enter the officialdom of the Jin Dynasty only through the recommendation of Jia Mi. Although he was arranged by Jia Mi to be a disciple of Yang Jun in the middle of the journey, he entered Jia Mi's secretary as a writer after Yang Jun's downfall.

But at that time, the Hou Party and the Three Yangs were allies after all. Therefore, although Lu Ji changed his allegiance for a period of time, he was essentially still a member of Jia Mi and Lu Gong's party. There was nothing to blame him for openly. At most, some people criticized him privately.

Liu Xian actually had some reservations about Lu Ji's connection to Jia Mi. On the one hand, he understood Lu Ji; he was conceited about his talent and wanted to recreate the glory of his ancestors at court, so he sought to curry favor with the most powerful people in the court. This was understandable; on the other hand, it was detrimental to Lu Ji's reputation. His current position in the literary world was comparable to that of Cao Zhi during his lifetime; he was universally recognized as the best in the world.

It is really uncivilized for such a literary master to spend all his time with frivolous villains like Jia Mi and write poems and articles with little taste.

But having chosen this path, Liu Xian still hoped his friend would do the right thing. That is, he would sincerely contribute to the country while maintaining his integrity, advising and restraining his lord. Even if Jia Mi fell from power, Lu Ji would be able to say with a clear conscience that he had fulfilled his responsibilities to both his superiors and his subordinates.

But now Lu Ji had actually told him that he had given up on Jia Mi and was secretly in contact with the Crown Prince. He couldn't help but feel extremely complicated. As the saying goes, one can do it once or twice, but not a third time. If this matter were to get out, no matter what the outcome, Lu Ji's reputation would surely be ruined.

For some reason, Liu Xian suddenly felt very sad. He asked Lu Ji, "Is it hard to be with Jia Mi?"

As soon as he said this, Liu Xian felt that he had said nonsense. He knew very well what a disgusting person Jia Mi was, let alone Lu Ji, who lived with him day and night.

Lu Ji replied somewhat listlessly, "It's not that bad actually. I'm just tired."

"These past few years, I've been just muddling along, not doing much. On weekdays, I've often been around Duke Lu, reciting poems and writing couplets together, enjoying the scenery, saying nice things to him, writing articles for him, and if I have some free time, I'll even weed in front of his door."

This is a very leisurely life, and it is also the life that many poor people dream of, but Liu Xian knew why Lu Ji said he was tired.

He was a man determined to rule the country and bring peace to the world, with a wealth of talent and strategic strategies he wanted to display. But now, Jia Mi treated him like a Sima Xiangru-like jester. How could he accept this? Lu Ji must have questioned himself daily, wondering what the meaning of his life was, and constantly tormented himself. While weeding in front of Jia Mi's gate, he probably even wanted to die. Liu Xian couldn't even imagine that scene.

Of course, Lu Ji knew what Liu Xian was thinking. He smiled and said, "Huai Chong, you don't think I'm the only one who would do something like this, do you?"

"What kind of person is Pan Yue? A handsome man praised by the capital, he also wants to fish for the Duke of Lu. Zuo Si's "Ode to the Three Capitals" has finally been completed. It can be said to be an astonishing talent, but he still has to make wine for the Duke of Lu. Zhuge Quan of Langya, the nephew of Zhuge's wife during the reign of Emperor Wu, usually guards the dog for the Duke of Lu. There are all kinds of people. What can't they do to please the Duke of Lu?"

"One of the most famous incidents, I remember, happened last year when Shi Chong encountered Guangcheng Jun, Duke Lu's grandmother, on the road. He quickly dismounted from his ox cart and, in public, bowed before Guangcheng Jun's carriage. They didn't exchange a single word until the dust from Guangcheng Jun's carriage had cleared, and then he leisurely departed. People in Luoyang now call him 'Bow down to Shi Jingzhou in the dust'. It's incredible!"

Liu Xian was speechless when he heard this. Although he knew Jia Mi enjoyed humiliating people, he found it hard to imagine that the flattery around him would reach such a level. The most important thing for a scholar is integrity. The saying "a scholar can be killed but not humiliated" means this. If he treated the people around him like this, was he really not afraid of retaliation one day?
Shi Chong was indeed capable of such a thing, considering his family was one of the Eight Founding Dukes. Shi Bao, born in humble circumstances, weathered the Battle of Dongxing and the Three Rebellions of Huainan before ultimately becoming a Duke, universally acknowledged as the most superior of the Eight Founding Dukes. Yet, his descendants were now so fawning towards Jia Chong's descendants, having lost even the slightest bit of dignity?

After hearing this, Liu Xian felt deep sympathy for Lu Ji. No matter who it is, they would probably feel depressed and painful in such an environment.

Lu Ji could probably guess what Liu Xian was thinking. He stopped drinking and instead looked at his reflection in the wine. He suddenly said, "Huai Chong, do you know how old I am this year?"

Without waiting for Liu Xian to reply, Lu Ji continued, "I'm turning thirty-five soon. How old are you?"

"Twenty-four." Liu Xian replied.

Lu Ji smiled bitterly and said, "I wasn't as fortunate as you when I was young. When I was twenty, the same age you were when you were exiled to Xiayang, my country was destroyed. My three elder brothers died in battle. Because I was from a prominent family in Jiangzuo, the court was wary of me. After all my ancestral property was confiscated, I was barred from officialdom for eight years. It wasn't until I was twenty-nine that I was allowed to enter the capital with my younger brother, Shilong. It wasn't until I was thirty that I officially held an official position. But until now, apart from writing articles for Duke Lu, I have achieved nothing."

"I'm thirty-five now. You know, my grandfather, Lord Lu Boyan, was deputy commander in the Western Expedition against Guan Yu at the age of thirty-six. My father, Lord Lu Youjie, was already stationed in Xiling at the age of thirty-four, commanding the entire Jingzhou defense zone."

At this point, Lu Ji suddenly looked up and said to Liu Xian, "Huai Chong, I won't accept this!"

"I know that what I've done is shameful! I lack integrity and will be ridiculed, but so what? If I can't revive the Wujun Lu family, fail to achieve great things, and spend my life writing only poetry and songs, that would be the greatest shame! It would bring shame to my ancestors!"

"So I don't care what others say. I just want to seize every opportunity I can get! If Duke Lu can give me the opportunity to realize my ambitions, I will join Duke Lu! If the Crown Prince gives me the opportunity to show my talents, I will join the Crown Prince! There is no need to hesitate!"

When Liu Xian heard Lu Ji say this, he knew he was having a heart-to-heart conversation. Looking at the pale, beautiful face across from him, with its slightly graying temples, Liu Xian suddenly felt as if he were facing himself ten years from now. If he continued to be oppressed by Jia Mi, and ten years from now, he was still a county magistrate, unable to go home, would he also go crazy? What was tolerable yesterday and today does not mean it will be tolerable tomorrow, let alone ten years from now. Tomorrow after tomorrow, how many tomorrows there are? If one were to be a prisoner of power for the rest of his life, it would be unbearable.

Liu Xian was distracted and didn't notice what Lu Ji said next. Suddenly, he heard him say, "Although the current political situation in the court is calm, there have been great changes. Let me tell you." Only then did he come back to his senses.

Lu Ji said slowly, "You should have heard that the Hou Clan still largely controls the government, but they are unable to prevent the growth and rise of the imperial clan. There are already many new figures among the younger generation of princes."

"First, among Emperor Wu's sons, King of Chengdu Sima Ying and King of Wu Sima Yan have both come of age. King of Chengdu is very courageous, often ignoring threats from the Empress's party and openly interacting with the Crown Prince. King of Wu has an eye condition, but he has a very good relationship with King of Huainan and also supports the Crown Prince. With these two joining, the power of the royal family has greatly increased."

"Then there's Sima Yue, the former crown prince of Longxi, who has now been crowned King of Donghai and is aggressively recruiting troops within his fiefdom. Similarly, there are Sima Hu, King of Fanyang, Sima Rui, King of Langya, Sima Chang, King of Shunyang, Ma Mo of the Pingchang Company, Ma Xin of the Xinye Company, and Ma Teng of the Dongying Company. They share a common affiliation and are all interested in siding with the Crown Prince."

"But the most dazzling figure right now is Sima Jue, Prince of Qi. He is benevolent and generous, emulating the spirit of his father, Sima You, Prince Xian of Qi. He is widely regarded as the most talented of the current imperial clan. Under pressure from the clan, he has been appointed Imperial Attendant, commanding the posts of General of the Left Army and Colonel of the Auxiliary Army!"

After listening to this, Liu Xian felt that the royal family system designed by Sima Yan was indeed powerful. When Empress Jia almost completely controlled the center of power, he was able to accumulate a lot of power just by relying on the system itself. In just four years, he had regained many positions in the imperial guards and seemed to be ready to compete with the empress's party again.

He asked Lu Ji, "In Shiheng's opinion, can the Empress still control the royal family and the Crown Prince?"

Lu Ji replied, "Now, although the power of the royal family has recovered somewhat, it is still not enough to fight against the queen."

"Back when Emperor Wu was in power, the imperial guards were all members of the royal family, and several of them served as military governors in the local areas. But now, the royal family has probably taken back half of the military power of the imperial guards. This is a good thing, but it's far from enough."

"The Queen will not hand over all the military power of the Imperial Guard to the royal family. The current ratio is probably the limit. Therefore, if the Crown Prince wants to take power, he must gain the support of the local royal family."

"The prince currently in Yecheng is Sima Yong, Prince of Hejian. He's from a remote clan, personally promoted by the Empress, so he probably won't side with the Crown Prince. Sima Jian, Prince of Le'an, is currently in Xuchang. Sima Jian is now over seventy years old and ill at home, unable to travel. Therefore, Xuchang is still in the hands of the Empress. Then there's Prince Zhao, currently in Chang'an..."

At this point, Liu Xian understood Lu Ji's intentions. The Prince of Zhao had originally been considered a member of the Empress's Party, but now that Sun Xiu, who actually held power in Guanzhong, had been impeached, there was a possibility that he might waver and side with the Crown Prince.

Originally, there was no one in the three major cities who supported the prince. Now that there is finally one, Sima Yi must seize this opportunity to secretly gain the support of King Zhao.

If Liu Xian had held on to Sun Xiu and forced him to step down, and Prince Zhao had stepped down as well, then the next person to be moved to Chang'an would still be Empress Jia's people, and there would be no possibility that Prince Zhao would switch to the Crown Prince.

So no matter from which angle, Sima Yi would not agree with Liu Xian's advice. At the moment, letting Sun Xiu and Liu Xian live in peace is already the result that Sima Yi respects Liu Xian very much.

Thinking of this, Liu Xian knew that his objection was useless. He raised his head and sighed for a moment, then said to Lu Ji, "Shi Heng, I understand what the prince means. I won't cause any more trouble, but please tell him to think more about the people in Guanzhong."

"Your words are of little weight, so there's no point in saying these things," Lu Ji said to Liu Xian, comforting him. "Huai Chong, just be patient. The situation has already started off well, and your return to the capital won't be too far away."

The important conversation basically ended here. Lu Ji opened the window, and the spring breeze blew through the tips of his hair, making his temples sway like willow leaves. Facing the bright moon outside the window, people always feel lonely and then their imaginations run wild.

Lu Ji turned around and said to Liu Xian, "I recently wrote a song called 'A Century Song'. Do you want to listen to it?"

Liu Xian picked up the bamboo chopsticks and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll clap for you!"

Under the pouring moonlight, Lu Ji closed his eyes, reminiscing and singing, and Lang Lang's voice was full of his sighs about life.

The so-called "Song of a Century" is actually about writing from a person's childhood to old age, from ten years old, twenty years old, thirty years old, to eighty years old, ninety years old, and one hundred years old.

When Lu Ji sang about his childhood, the poem goes, "My face is as bright as a lotus flower, my body is as windy as the air and I walk as fast as flying. The little kids follow me around, we go out for fun all day and return home at dusk." It's all about the carefree joy of playing.

When singing about youth, the poem goes like this: "I have made a name for myself and have earned a reputation, I am strong enough to lift a tripod and my ambitions are as high as the clouds. Food tastes like a leaky bottle and the air is like smoked smoke, I leave home to study the country's classics and literature", which describes the high spirits and vigor of ambition.

When singing about the prime of life, the poem goes like this: "Carrying lotus flags and staffs to guard the country, drums and bells ringing, the Zhao women sing. Dressed in gorgeous silk and gold and green, they talk, laugh and dance gracefully as they pass by each other." It describes the high-spirited and ambitious mood after achieving success.

When singing about old age, the poem goes like this: "My energy has diminished, but my strength has been lost. I don't want to look at the clear water and the bright mirror. I lose joy in music and wine, and sigh alone as I look at my body and hair." It describes the fear of death and weakness in old age.

While listening, Liu Xian looked at Lu Ji's expression. He found that Lu Ji never considered failure in his poems, only success. What he feared seemed to be the destruction of time on people.

Shi Heng's will was extremely firm. He left no room for turning back, even if it cost him his life.

Liu Xian thought, actually, he and I are the same.

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　　How should I put it? I want to thank my old enemy Chen Ruicong who performed for the Silver Alliance and begged for rewards. I never thought that there was such a way of humiliation. You are such a genius. My comment is, thank you!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)