Jinting Han people

Has the Crown Prince been imprisoned in Jinyong City?
Upon hearing this news, Liu Xian felt as if his heart was on a stove.

The last person imprisoned in Jinyong City was the former Empress Dowager Yang Zhi. Although nominally she was only deposed and not killed, Yang Zhi's fate is well-known. The Empress removed all of the deposed Empress Dowager's fingernails, causing her excruciating pain, and then ordered that all food and drink be cut off. This dignified founding Empress Dowager, after drinking only well water for eight days, starved to death within Jinyong City. The gruesome nature of her death was truly rare among deposed empresses throughout history.

The Empress hated Sima Yu far more than Yang Zhi, so his fate was self-evident.

Thinking of the responsibilities he bore, Liu Xian felt anxious and immediately struggled to get up, but was then pressed back down by Wang Cui.

Wang Cui asked in confusion, "Huai Chong, your wounds haven't healed yet. You should rest and recuperate. Why are you getting up?"

Liu Xian said bitterly, "Since the Crown Prince is still in Luoyang, there's still a chance! I'm going to contact some people and kidnap the Crown Prince!"

Wang Cui sighed and said, "Stop lying to yourself. Even I can see that the outside world is already under the control of the Empress Dowager's faction. What can you do outside?"

“Wang Yifu was the Crown Prince’s father-in-law, but he didn’t speak up for the Crown Prince. Instead, he directly told the Crown Princess to divorce the Crown Prince. When the Crown Princess heard the news, she wailed all the way home. Everyone who saw her felt sorry for her and was extremely disheartened by Wang Yifu.”

"So many officials in the Eastern Palace have been so enthusiastic towards the Crown Prince for the past six months. And now? The Eastern Palace is empty! It is supposed to be the residence of the Crown Prince, but now not a single official dares to go there, and even the palace maids have all run away. Only the ponies that the Crown Prince used to buy are left there because they are unrideable and the meat is sour and coarse. Now the Eastern Palace has become a racetrack!"

"And do you think the Empress isn't worried about the Crown Prince's restoration? She has already given the order to move the Crown Prince from Jinyong City to Xuchang Palace and imprison him. Do you think you can just run off to Xuchang with him?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian was speechless. He had vaguely anticipated the Crown Prince's fate, but he hadn't expected the situation to deteriorate so rapidly.

Liu Xian had anticipated that the princes would stand idly by. After all, in their previous interactions, he had personally experienced that most of the princes in power in the capital harbored their own ambitions. Even Sima Yun, the Prince of Huainan, a universally acknowledged wise prince, was unwilling to merely serve as Sima Yu's advisor. Therefore, he had never dared to hope that the princes would lend Sima Yu a helping hand; he would be grateful if they didn't kick him while he was down.

But to his utter surprise, the Crown Prince's government offices proved to be so utterly ineffective.

Sima Yu's previous actions demonstrated that he knew the princes were unreliable, and that many of the guards in the Eastern Palace were also unreliable. Therefore, he didn't place his hopes for a coup on these individuals, but instead secretly courted and bribed officers of the Imperial Guards through private talks. Sima Yu kept this list highly secret, never revealing a single detail to Liu Xian. Although Liu Xian was somewhat dissatisfied, he actually agreed with Sima Yu's approach. For those who aspire to great things must be cautious in their words and actions; many great undertakings have failed precisely because of careless speech.

Back then, Sima Yi was able to succeed in the Gaopingling Coup because Sima Shi secretly raised assassins. And Sima Shi's ability to unexpectedly gather three thousand assassins must have been largely due to his taciturnity and tight-lipped nature.

Liu Xian had assumed Sima Yu's arrangements were similar, but it turned out that the people he had recruited acted as if they had never existed. Despite such a significant event, it caused absolutely no stir.

This is completely illogical, unless someone completely foresaw Sima Yu's arrangements, or those Sima Yu recruited betrayed him. Otherwise, things wouldn't have come to this.

But who were the people Sima Yu recruited? And who orchestrated their disappearance? This is a mystery Liu Xian will likely never know. Given the current situation, it seems unlikely Liu Xian will ever see Sima Yu again.

But as someone who had broken his promise, Liu Xian still wanted to see Sima Yu one more time, so he asked, "When was the Crown Prince taken to Xuchang?"

Wang Cui understood what Liu Xian was thinking. He hesitated for a moment and said, "You should take care of yourself first. The escort is scheduled for today. In two hours, the Crown Prince will be sent away. How can you possibly go out in this condition? Moreover, the Empress has already issued an edict, explicitly forbidding everyone from going to see off the Crown Prince. Anyone who disobeys will be punished for treason. You are a well-known member of the Crown Prince's faction. Going there at this time would only be asking for trouble."

Liu Xian thought: Hongyuan is ultimately an honest and kind person, not very politically savvy. The current situation seems to suggest that the Empress has defeated the Crown Prince, but in reality, that's not the case at all. On the contrary, the Empress's power is already as fragile as a floating duckweed; otherwise, how could Jia Mo have died so easily?
Sima Yu's downfall wasn't due to the Crown Prince being unable to defeat the Empress, but rather because those who disliked the Empress also wished for Sima Yu's death. After all, the stability of the court essentially depended on Sima Yu. As long as Sima Yu lived, the Jin court would maintain basic order, and everyone else would be blocked from ascending to power by the banner of righteousness.

Therefore, for the various forces in the capital, Sima Yu had no choice but to die.

Although he did not know the specific details, Liu Xian could vaguely sense that the downfall of Sima Yu must have been orchestrated by other vassal kings.

Now that Sima Yu has fallen from power, their goal has been achieved. As long as the Empress kills Sima Yu, these vassal kings who have accomplished nothing in Luoyang will immediately unite, raise the banner of revenge for the Crown Prince, and confront the Empress's faction head-on.

Although the Empress's faction had nominally reached its zenith, in reality, they were finished. Even if the Empress ordered the purge of the Crown Prince's supporters, no one would seriously carry it out, as it would tarnish their reputation for avenging the Crown Prince. The Empress now had only one thing she could accomplish: kill the Crown Prince.

Although Liu Xian was part of the Crown Prince's faction, he still had some veterans of the Chu Kingdom willing to protect him, and he also possessed a certain degree of political influence. Having survived Sun Xiu's ambush and with the Crown Prince not by his side when falsely accused of treason, he was politically invincible.

But Wang Cui's doubts weren't entirely unfounded; the Crown Prince had already fallen. His original plan to help Sima Yu seize power before being sent to govern Qin Prefecture seemed doomed. What should he do next? What would become of him? These questions flooded his mind, causing Liu Xian considerable distress.

But no matter what, there was at least one thing he had to do, otherwise he would never be able to have peace of mind.

Liu Xian let out a long sigh and said to Wang Cui, "Hongyuan, if you are worried, please drive a carriage and pull me in so I can take a look at the Crown Prince from afar! I accompanied His Highness the Prince of Chu on his final journey back then. Since I cannot say goodbye in person this time, I must at least be present when he leaves Luoyang."

"..."

"A person living in this world must have something to cherish. If we live without love and hate, what is there in our lives to remember?"

After a long silence, Wang Cui's eyes were filled with complex emotions. He finally nodded and said, "You're right, this is indeed a big deal. Let's go take a look!"

Wang Cui then turned to the princess beside him and said, "Madam, go and prepare some warm clothes. I'll prepare the carriage. After lunch, Huai Chong and I will go out for a while." Although the princess had been listening the whole time, she was lost in thought. She was called by Wang Cui twice before she suddenly realized what was happening and replied, "Okay, okay, I'll go and prepare right away."

And so, after seven days, Liu Xian finally saw the outdoors again.

What a heavy snowfall! The eaves, the grass, the bushes, the pond, the bare trees, and even the distant Beiman Mountain are all covered in a thick blanket of snow. Everywhere you look is white, and everywhere is covered in snow. Even the heavy, swirling snowflakes falling from the sky seem to have filled the entire world with snowflakes.

After getting up, Liu Xian changed into a fox fur coat, leaned on a wooden cane with his left hand, and struggled to sit in the carriage. He then leaned against the carriage wall and looked out the window at the scenery. The cold wind was penetrating everywhere, and soon Liu Xian's face became numb and his whole body was cold.

Wang Cui took a blanket from under the carriage and placed it on the seat. He said to Liu Xian, "You should lie down and rest first. You're not fully recovered yet, so try to avoid the cold wind. I'll wake you up when it's time."

Liu Xian said, "I really didn't notice, Hongyuan, that you've become so caring."

Wang Cui said proudly, "After being married for a long time, and having children with my wife, I have a happy family and of course I know how to take care of people. Unlike you, who are almost thirty and still make your family worry every day."

Only then did Liu Xian have time to think of A Luo and the others. He asked, "Did you tell my family about my situation?"

Wang Cui said, "Of course I told you. It's no secret that you were assassinated. Everyone in Luoyang, regardless of their name, knows you're with me. They just don't know the extent of your injuries, or whether you're alive or dead."

“Before the situation becomes clear, I suggest you stay at my house and recover from your injuries. The situation is still unclear, and you are hated by the Hou Party. It would be better for you to come out now. Anyway, no one knows the extent of your injuries, so it’s better to use this time to delay. It’s not too late for you to come out after things have calmed down.”

Wang Cui's tone was casual, but Liu Xian was deeply moved because he understood that this was a very significant favor. Wang Cui meant that if anyone caused trouble for Liu Xian, he was willing to step in and resolve the situation. In this sensitive situation, even brothers and family would find it difficult to take such a risk.

However, to be fair, it is indeed a rare and excellent idea. The Crown Prince's current situation is beyond saving, and he truly needs time to carefully consider where he should go in the future. Thinking about this question now only leaves him feeling lost.

While Liu Xian was deep in thought, the carriage had already passed through Jin Yang Gate and was heading straight for the Luo River, the only route Sima Yu would take when he was escorted out of the palace. From here, Sima Yu would leave Luoyang, pass through Huan Yuan Pass, and head southeast along the Ying River, eventually arriving at Xu Chang Palace, where Emperor Xian of Han had been imprisoned.

But when they were still some distance from the Luo River, Wang Cui exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, why are there so many people here?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian also looked up at the carriage window and was equally surprised to find that the banks of the Luo River were packed with people. Not hundreds, not thousands, but a dense, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, numbering nearly ten thousand.

Among them were commoners and officials, some dressed in coarse cloth, others in brocade, forming a magnificent human wall along the Luo River. Standing at one point, one could see no end in either direction. And at this moment, they stood there, like withered trees growing from the earth, woodenly waiting for spring in the snow.

From the passing crowd, Liu Xian spotted familiar faces such as Liu Qiao, Wang Dun, Jiang Tong, Zu Ti, Liu Kun, Pan Tao, Du Rui, and Lu Yao. After walking a while longer, he even seemed to see the banners and carriages of the Prince of Qi, the Prince of Huainan, and the Prince of Donghai. The Empress had clearly issued a decree, but it seemed to have gone unheard by so many people present.

They simply looked up, gazing in the direction where Sima Yu was about to arrive.

The time was almost up, and under the raging snowstorm, a group of figures could be vaguely seen on the path. They walked very slowly, which was understandable; with such heavy snow and the bitter cold, one could only move slowly. Therefore, it was quite a while before Sima Yu appeared before them.

At this moment, Sima Yu was dressed in prison clothes, with a sheepskin coat over it, a simple hood on his head, and shackles on his hands. But to everyone's surprise, the deposed crown prince showed no anger. His young face was full of sunshine, a smile played on his lips, and his eyes seemed to radiate endless light. Even though his attire was very shabby, it was still difficult to hide his cheerful aura.

In contrast, the minor officials accompanying Sima Yu were somewhat timid. They should have rebuked the crowd before them and threatened to imprison them. However, looking around at the endless crowd, they wisely remained silent, and thus, they walked with trepidation.

As Sima Yu traveled along the road, onlookers on both sides knelt and bowed in the snow, weeping loudly with tears streaming down their faces. It seemed that everyone in the mountains and valleys felt heartbroken for Sima Yu's plight.

Faced with such a desolate scene, Sima Yu remained unmoved. He surveyed his surroundings as if strolling leisurely, his smile incongruous with his surroundings.

Liu Xian, hiding inside the carriage window, also witnessed this scene. Seeing Sima Yu's smile, he couldn't help but wonder: Was this man using laughter to suppress his sorrow? Or did he find the scene comical and ironic? Or was he simply comforting himself?

Liu Xian couldn't understand it; he just felt ridiculous himself.

But soon, as Sima Yu passed by the carriage window, their eyes met. Sima Yu saw Liu Xian's pale and guilty expression in the window, and he was initially surprised, but then couldn't help but laugh.

Sima Yu raised his finger and, as if pulling the trigger of a crossbow, shot Liu Xian out of thin air, his face beaming with a smile as bright as spring sunshine. Then he waved goodbye, as if the game was over.

He walked through the long crowd, accompanied by the hypocritical and endless cries of grief, his figure gradually merging into the vast snowstorm, leaving behind only a dark mass of people, continuing to stand in the bone-chilling darkness.

This was the last time Liu Xian saw Sima Yu. His composure left a deep impression on Liu Xian, who couldn't help but think: Sima Yu is indeed an extraordinary person. His state of mind has transcended worldly affairs. He has let go of his attachments and faced life and death with a smile. This is the legendary Xuanming realm.

But what will happen to those left behind in Luoyang after he leaves? (End of Chapter)