Jinting Han people

As a high-ranking official of the third rank in the country, and one of the only three prime ministers in the court, Jia Mo, the Chamberlain, died mysteriously on his way to the Golden Valley Garden, which aroused much discussion among the officials.

Because so many people were involved in this matter, and Jia Mi was holding a literary gathering in the Golden Valley Garden that day, with more than forty scholars in attendance, and nearly a thousand guards and maids in the Golden Valley Garden, it was almost impossible to silence so many people.

Therefore, although Jia Mi repeatedly ordered everyone not to spread rumors, many people still found out the truth and then lamented: "Duke Lu is really incompetent. He actually fell for the Crown Prince's deception and killed his own strategist. Without Jia Shizhong's long-term planning, the Empress Dowager's faction is likely to decline completely!"

Even a perceptive person could realize that the Crown Prince's swift elimination of the mastermind behind the Pingyang Jia clan's scheme indicated that he was about to launch a full-scale attack on the Empress's faction! What exactly did the Empress intend to do? Would she concede? Or would she directly confront them head-on, repeating the tragic bloodshed of the witchcraft incident of the past?
However, unlike the witchcraft incident, this time, the Crown Prince's faction seems to have an absolute advantage, and no matter how the Empress struggles, she will probably not escape the fate of being defeated.

For a time, not only the officials of the Empress Dowager's faction, but all the officials in the capital were silent with fear, and almost everyone was waiting for the Crown Prince's ultimatum.

Sima Yu did not hide anything and sent someone directly to Pei Wei's residence to tell the Empress: "Your Majesty must abdicate and relinquish power this year. If you still fail, we will not spare you with weapons."

At this time, Pei Wei had just received the Empress's appointment to temporarily oversee the affairs of the Secretariat in place of Jia Mo. He had never been optimistic about the fate of the Empress's faction, and upon receiving news of the Crown Prince, he was even more apprehensive. He hurriedly advised the Empress:
"Throughout history, those maternal relatives who have managed to preserve their families have invariably been those who do not vie for fame or fortune. On the other hand, those maternal relatives who cling to power often end up being wiped out. It is never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost. Your Highness, we cannot make the same mistake again!"

Faced with such words, the Empress remained unmoved, but also showed no anger. She did not immediately express her opinion, but simply escorted Pei Wei out of Luoyang Palace. This was the first time the Empress had acted this way since assuming power. Hearing this, the court officials were greatly relieved, discussing among themselves: It seems the Empress is somewhat afraid; in this light, there is still a possibility of avoiding bloodshed in Luoyang.

Returning to Liu Xian's side, although he maintained a calm demeanor after succeeding, he was inwardly worried about Lu Ji's situation. Several times, he pretended to take a walk and passed by Lu's residence to eavesdrop on what was happening there. Sure enough, Lu Ji did not return home normally for several days, which made him anxious. It seems that Jia Mi is determined to find out the inner workings from among the attendees.

However, this was destined to be a difficult task. As far as Liu Xian knew, almost none of the scholars who usually followed Jia Mi had no connection with the Crown Prince, and only a handful had even minor contact with him. The majority, like Wang Cui, Lu Ji, and Liu Kun, maintained extensive connections. As long as they remained adamant about not admitting anything and didn't reveal any flaws, it would be very difficult for Jia Mi to judge their loyalty.

Therefore, Liu Xian did not take the initiative to contact Lu Ji. He knew that at this moment, it was even more important to remain calm and trusting, as this was the best way to help.

On the day the news of Jia Mo's death was released, Lu Ji finally returned to his residence. Liu Xian breathed a sigh of relief. Two days later, he contacted the Crown Prince again through Jiang Tong.

Sima Yu was very satisfied with his results and instructed Jiang Tong to report back to him: "We'll be making our move at the end of the year, so prepare early! Do you remember the previous plan? Wait for my message, and we'll meet again at the Taiji Hall!"

The implication was that this was the deadline if Liu Xian intended to take action against Sun Xiu as planned.

Upon receiving the reply, Liu Xian naturally understood and already had a plan in mind.

He planned to lure Sun Xiu out the day before the coup, under the pretext of discussing a new round of assassination plots.

This is an impeccable reason. Back in April and May, the two had briefly collaborated on an assassination attempt. And now, it's clear to everyone that the political situation is at a critical juncture. In order to learn about the Crown Prince's latest plans, Sun Xiu will inevitably go out to probe Liu Xian's intentions. Moreover, it will certainly be a secret meeting, just like before. At that time, no one else will know when he leaves, where he is, or who he is meeting.

At that time, if he suddenly launched an attack and killed Sun Xiu, no one would know the truth in a short period of time. And the next day, with Sima Yu's coup imminent, the Prince of Zhao's faction would not have Sun Xiu's strategy and would not have time to react. In the end, they would be panicked and, with a little guidance, would have no choice but to join the Crown Prince's faction.

Of course, most importantly, as long as Sun Xiu can be eliminated, Liu Xian's worries will be resolved.

To be honest, Liu Xian himself didn't know why he harbored such hostility towards Sun Xiu. In his view, while Sun Xiu certainly had some talent, he displayed his ugly side too obviously, making him a notorious villain known to everyone. Such a truly despicable person, in theory, might be extremely destructive, but it was almost impossible for him to accomplish anything significant.

This person is solely focused on his own advancement, lacking any sense of morality or principles. Therefore, he has no true friends, treating everyone he meets as mere tools. How can such a person unite a group of people and achieve anything truly great?
Just like in Guanzhong, Sun Xiu was the Chief Secretary of the King of Zhao, second only to the king. He could maintain peace by doing nothing, but in the end, due to his shortsightedness and self-righteousness, he was once a prisoner.

Therefore, Liu Xian despised Sun Xiu from the bottom of his heart.

Yet, it was precisely this kind of person who displayed an indomitable vitality, able to survive no matter what difficulties he encountered. Like a weed, he could grow wherever there was soil, and he seemed to thrive even more than Liu Xian.

What exactly did Sun Xiu go through, and what beliefs did he hold that allowed him to survive so long and be so lively? This puzzled Liu Xian greatly, and he didn't want to know. He just instinctively sensed Sun Xiu's immense destructive power: this rat was gnawing at far more than just the foundation of the Jin dynasty.

A few days later, Liu Xian visited Lu Ji again. Since there was nothing important to discuss, he only wanted to inquire about Lu Ji's well-being, so this time he didn't need to go to Longmen. The two met at an ordinary tavern.

After taking their seats, Liu Xian ordered a few simple dishes and two jugs of Shaoxing wine, which were simmering in the pot with kumquats. The two chatted while gazing at the scenery outside the window.

This is a restaurant called Jiantoufang, located in the eastern part of the horse market, relatively remote in Luoyang. However, the crowd downstairs is still endless, bustling like a long dragon. Even though the political atmosphere in Luoyang is unprecedentedly tense, it seems to have no impact on ordinary people.

Upon seeing this, Lu Ji couldn't help but sigh, "Looking down on those on the road, all they care about is profit and scheming. They aspire to serve the imperial family and cherish the vast lands."

Liu Xian remembered that this was Cao Zhi's "The Shrimp," which he used to describe himself as having lofty aspirations. Ordinary people live their lives only to pursue fame and fortune, while he did it to realize his own ambitions.

Liu Xian asked with a smile, "What's wrong, Shiheng? Did you suddenly have a feeling?"

Lu Ji took a sip of warm wine and said, "Huai Chong, I was just thinking for a moment. You said that ordinary people live to pursue fame and fortune, at least they are open and honest. But for people like us, to say that we fight to realize our ambitions, is that a bit self-deceptive?"

Although he didn't say much, Liu Xian understood Lu Ji's feelings. Officialdom was always presented in a grand and dignified manner, but the unsavory secrets hidden beneath were countless. The gap between ideals and reality was always vast, leaving people feeling lost about the future and themselves. With a coup imminent and Lu Ji about to openly switch allegiances, he must have felt considerable pressure.

Liu Xian comforted him, saying, "Political struggles have always been like this, a life-or-death struggle. The key is what you can do for the people after you seize power. Those who can benefit the people will be remembered in history, while those who prey on the people will be infamous for eternity. It's all the same."

At this point, Liu Xian also recited a poem: "Those who are noble may be noble, but are regarded as dust. Those who are lowly may be lowly, but are regarded as heavy as a thousand pounds."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ji couldn't help but laugh and said, "You have done some things for the people of Guanzhong, no wonder you are so at ease."

"When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. Whether a person is at peace or not, nothing can bring them back to life. It's better to be at peace."

Liu Xian picked up a pickled radish with his chopsticks, chewed it, and smiled:

"Besides, the one who died was someone like Jia Mo. Although he was a virtuous man, what good things had he actually done all these years? I don't know, but I do know a lot about how he aided and abetted evil. To grieve for him would be too sentimental."

Lu Ji didn't say much. He picked up his wine cup and took a small sip. He sighed and said, "Maybe it's because I'm getting old. I'm already forty this year. Although I have a good reputation, I haven't accomplished anything substantial. I spend all my time buried in old papers and just writing a few articles. I don't know when I'll be able to realize my ambitions."

"It'll be soon, it'll be soon. Someone as famous as you, how could you not have a chance?"

Lu Ji clearly didn't want to discuss this topic anymore, and instead asked, "With such a momentous event imminent, what are your chances of winning?"

Liu Xian didn't want to discuss these things in the bustling city, so he just vaguely said, "How can you look at the odds when doing something like this? Things have come to this point, are we just going to give up if there's no chance?"

Lu Ji understood immediately, but he continued the previous topic and slowly said, "However, I always feel that something is amiss, and I wonder if something unexpected will happen."

As he said this, Lu Ji dipped his finger in the wine and lightly wrote the character "Sun" on the table, then wrote the character "Zhao," and then quickly crossed it out. He said to Liu Xian, "I've heard that they've been very active in the palace and the court recently, and they've become a force to be reckoned with."

He paused, then said carefully, "I think they might change the entire situation in the court."

Liu Xian's eyes widened, then he chuckled, "Great minds think alike! I've been considering these things before, and my conclusions are similar to yours. Therefore, I've already made a plan. Before they make any moves, I intend to..."

He wiped his hand off his neck and whispered, "Get rid of that monkey that's jumping around."

This statement greatly surprised Lu Ji. He lowered his voice and asked, "Isn't this a bit too reckless? If we're not careful, it could disrupt the entire operation!"

Liu Xian said confidently, "I already have a plan, so you don't need to worry. No matter how difficult it is, can it be more difficult than what happened before? That day, I was frozen for a whole day and night and almost died in the snow. And no one will really care about a despicable person like him."

At this point, Liu Xian drank another cup of wine, patted Lu Ji on the shoulder and said, "Shiheng, let's look forward! This year is over, and next year will be a completely different year. A great era is coming, and not only you and me, but everyone's fate will be changed. I firmly believe this."

"Change? How will it be changed?"

"Our destiny is in our own hands, and only we ourselves know the answer."

As he spoke, Liu Xian's mind drifted to the future. He was actually quite uncertain about what lay ahead, as he couldn't see the course of many events as clearly as he had in Kansai. But at this moment, he remained optimistic because he had many friends and companions who believed in him. This gave Liu Xian reason to be confident that he would be able to find his own way out of this predicament.

After this meeting, Liu Xian focused on reorganizing his three thousand guards. It must be said that Xi Jian and Huan Yi were quite capable of organizing troops. In the past six months, they had made great progress in reforming the atmosphere among the guards. They did not have the laziness often found in other imperial guards, nor had they been tainted by bad habits such as visiting prostitutes or gambling. As a result, the soldiers were in good spirits.

Liu Xian briefly tested his soldiers' formations, archery, and horsemanship, and the results satisfied him. His three thousand men were among the best warriors in Luoyang, even among all the imperial guards. Liu Xian thought to himself: Everything is ready now, except for the final push.

No, there's something else. Liu Xian thought of Sun Xiu again, and of his shrewd yet ugly monkey-like face.

It's time to make a clean break.

With that in mind, Liu Xian, following their previous plan, secretly sent a letter to Sun Xiu's residence, inviting him to meet. The meeting place was the same as before, a tavern in the southeast of Luoyang, near Kaiyang Gate, and the time was set for dusk on the day of Xinmao in the twelfth lunar month.

Not long after, Sun Xiu replied in the same way. He left a piece of paper under the willow tree at the back gate of the General Who Pacifies Bandits' Mansion. The content was very simple: he agreed to meet Liu Xian.

On the day of Xinmao in the twelfth lunar month, the weather was cold and gloomy. As usual, Liu Xian told his family and staff that he planned to go out for a walk to clear his mind. He then took the Changsheng and Zhangwu swords, tied them to his waist, put on a long coat, and left the mansion alone.

A'Luo prepared Tusu wine at home, knowing Liu Xian would return soon. She busied herself in the kitchen, preparing for Liu Xian's first New Year back in Luoyang, planning a grand feast. Meanwhile, the streets were bustling with activity, filled with men and women in colorful clothes playing games with lanterns. Everyone said it was an ordinary yet joyful day. (End of Chapter)