Jinting Han people

Liu Xian was not surprised by Sun Xiu's visit.

Although Liu Xian didn't understand many aspects of Sun Xiu's inner thoughts, he understood at least one thing: Sun Xiu had finally won a battle against him, and as a victor, he wouldn't hesitate to swagger back.

The princess was displeased that Sun Xiu had interrupted their conversation. She also disliked Sun Xiu's fawning over the empress, so she instinctively prepared to refuse. However, after noticing Liu Xian's serious expression, she hesitated and asked, "Do you want to see him?"

“I’m sorry to trouble you, Princess,” Liu Xian replied. “I am not a petty person. Since he dared to come to see me, I will naturally not avoid him.”

Although Liu Xian didn't want to see Sun Xiu's true colors, based on various signs before and after the incident, he could vaguely guess that Sun Xiu was the biggest instigator of the Crown Prince's deposition. Although he was still behind the scenes, his actual power was already considerable. Liu Xian didn't envy his power, but he really wanted to understand what this man was planning to do and how he would end things.

Thinking this, Liu Xian returned to his bedroom, changed into a proper winter outfit, and sat upright in front of the brazier, waiting for Sun Xiu to arrive.

Soon, Sun Xiu's footsteps could be heard outside the door. Liu Xian thought he was calm, but as the footsteps drew closer, he found that his shoulder injury began to burn and ache, and then his whole body began to tremble uncontrollably, and his hands felt empty.

This was the urge to kill with a sword. Only then did Liu Xian realize the immense malice he harbored towards Sun Xiu. It was almost instinctive; it seemed the two were born incompatible.

But when Sun Xiu's face appeared at the door, all of that feeling vanished. Liu Xian understood that this wasn't because he had regained his composure, but rather because he had subconsciously entered a fighting state.

Sun Xiu's face was still as comical as ever. He carried a bundle of codonopsis pilosula and winked at Liu Xian, saying, "Hey, Liu Xian, I heard you were injured out there, and I was so worried. Then I heard you were alright, and I was so relieved! Haha, here, this is the medicine I brought for you. I hope you recover soon!"

Before Liu Xian could reply, he continued, "I was worried that your ambitions would wane and you would become discouraged. But when I heard you playing the tune outside the door, I was truly filled with renewed vigor! Good news, good news. It seems I was just worrying unnecessarily."

Sun Xiu spoke so naturally, as if he wasn't the one who planned the ambush, and Liu Xian hadn't tried to assassinate him, as if the two were old friends who had known each other for many years.

Liu Xian's eyelids twitched, but he didn't react. He calmly said, "Thank you for your concern, Chief Secretary. I am flattered."

Sun Xiu then broke the silence, sitting down in front of Liu Xian and laughing, "What's there to be flattered about? Over the years, many people have hated me, but very few have been as ruthless as you, Liu Xian, in directly trying to kill me! How could I not treat you differently?"

This was a blatant mockery of Liu Xian, instantly enraging him. His face flushed red, a rare occurrence, and he even instinctively reached for his sword. But after grasping only empty air, Liu Xian quickly regained his composure. He no longer concealed his disdain for Sun Xiu, and sneered:
"Is the Chief Secretary saying this to encourage me to keep up the good work?"

"Oh dear, of course not." Sun Xiu raised his hands in surrender, while adding in a playful tone:

"I'm just blaming myself. How could someone as good as Liu Xian harbor such deep hatred for me? It shows how sinful I was in the past! I've come to apologize to you! I hope we can resolve our grievances and work together to create a better future!"

"The future? You and me?" Liu Xian felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He said sarcastically, "Go and talk to all those wronged souls in Kansai, and see if they will forgive you!"

"They're already dead, what does it matter if they're dead?"

Sun Xiu sighed deeply: "What's past cannot be changed, but the future can still be pursued. Let bygones be bygones. How many people have died since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors? We are the living, and we must be responsible for the living."

"Besides, Liu Xian, you have to give me a chance. Maybe I've already repented, turned over a new leaf, and become a good person like you who is completely devoted to the country and its people?"

Liu Xian sneered, "Chief Secretary Sun, this joke isn't funny. You're not going to tell me that the Crown Prince's deposition has nothing to do with you, are you?"

Sun Xiu said proudly, "That is of course relevant, but I think a smart person like you wouldn't be unaware of it. The great river yearns to surge, and people's hearts call for change. From the moment the Crown Prince was appointed as the Crown Prince, he was destined to fail."

Liu Xian said, "So you're going to be the one to breach the riverbank? Aren't you afraid? You know, the first person to breach the riverbank is often drowned by the raging torrent! Becoming the first sacrifice of the flood!"

"Haha, if you don't even dare to take this little risk, how can you become a trendsetter?"

Sun Xiu stood up, patted his chest, and looked down at Liu Xian, saying:

"Throughout history, those who have accomplished extraordinary things have all been extraordinary individuals, and naturally, they have also taken extraordinary risks. Faced with this raging river, why should we pretend to be calm? Thousands of years ago, Yu the Great taught us a principle: it is better to dredge than to block! Since the river is going to overflow, we should let it overflow! Only those who dare to steer the raging torrent have the opportunity to build an unparalleled empire!"

“I, Sun Xiu, am but a poor scholar from Langya, a Taoist priest of the Celestial Masters sect. I am ugly and not particularly talented. By all accounts, I am so insignificant, born to be trampled underfoot by people like you. But now I have become who I am today. I have broken through the so-called propriety, righteousness, and shame, and I have also broken through the so-called rules of aristocratic families. Soon you will see that I will rise to the highest point in all of Luoyang and become the leader of all.”

"Do you know why?"

"Because there are millions of people like me in this world. Perhaps I am dirty, perhaps I am lowly, perhaps I am unscrupulous. But I am Kuangliu, Kuangliu is me! I know that everyone in this world is like me, and they all have a me in their hearts!"

"Take you, for example! Liu Xian! You clearly yearn for the restoration of your kingdom, for this unprecedented chaos, and for proving yourself through it. When you see those hypocritical scoundrels in the court, don't you want to kill them with a single blow? Don't you want to trample Jia Mi, who humiliated you, under your feet? Don't you want to completely destroy this corrupt and maddening old world?"

"Admit it, there's a part of me in your heart too! You and I are exactly the same kind of person! From the first time I saw you, when you pointed your sword at me, I knew you were a madman just like me, because your eyes burned with fire! Just like me, a fire that wanted to destroy the world!"

After a long and passionate speech, Sun Xiu's words were so fervent that even the princess, who was secretly listening from behind the scenes, was stunned.

The princess was initially only worried about Liu Xian, thinking that if Sun Xiu had any schemes, she would immediately rush out to protect her beloved. But she never expected to hear such treasonous words. Yet, Sun Xiu's words opened a door she had never seen before, giving her an unprecedented sense of belonging.

Over the years, Xiu Hua has become increasingly aware of the hypocrisy around her. As she grows older, she discovers that everything she once cherished has become unrecognizable. After marriage, her brother, who cared for her most in the past, passed away. While her relatives appear to be friendly and respectful, in reality, they are scheming and vying for power and profit. They operate under the guise of moral principles, but their actions are nothing but despicable and shameful acts.

Her marriage was also unhappy. Although she and her husband had a son and a daughter, and her husband loved her deeply, this love was not what she wanted. Her father had never considered her opinion when he decided on this marriage. Therefore, Xiu Hua grew increasingly resentful of the world, even wanting to destroy it. At the same time, she often felt she was going mad, because she knew this world was not beautiful. But now, hearing Sun Xiu's words, she couldn't help but think: perhaps the world was inherently ugly and deserved to be destroyed.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but want to hear Liu Xian's answer and know how he viewed the world.

Liu Xian remained silent for a long time, gazing at Sun Xiu, who was gesticulating wildly before him, with an unprecedented level of seriousness in his eyes. After a surge of emotion welled up inside him, he slowly stood up and solemnly addressed Sun Xiu:
“Sun Xiu, no wonder I despise you so much, it turns out you are truly my rival. Compared to you, Jia Mi is utterly insignificant.”

“I admit, you are indeed remarkable. You have the power to inspire people, you have extraordinary courage, and you have superb skills, although I don’t know how you do it. But among people of this world, you are a first-rate talent. I really underestimated you before, and that was my mistake.”

“I won’t deny that I’ve hated this world too. Just as you said, I also wished this corrupt country would be destroyed. But I’m different from you. I don’t know what you’ve been through, but you hate this world so much.”

"You hate that the world makes you feel so lowly, you hate that you are worthless and have never received selfless love from others. Therefore, you are in pain, there is nothing you can trust, and you can only get pleasure from destruction. Not only that, you also want to spread this pain to everyone."

“Of course I have people I hate to the core, but unlike you, I’ve had people who love me since I was a child, so I also try to love others. I like to see people laugh, not the kind of fake and empty smile you have, but the kind of smile that comes from the heart. I can always see such smiles, and I can always draw strength from them.”

“I am a descendant of the Han Dynasty, and I am proud of it, not because of its nobility, but because it brings people the greatest comfort and the most steadfast faith. People are born alone and die alone, but it is precisely because of this that the unity of people is an incredible miracle.”

“I know there is a group of people in the world who come from all over the country and have different social statuses. They seem like they will never cross paths. But they are willing to come together for an ideal and a belief, and sacrifice their lives for it. That is what makes humans different from beasts, and that is what makes humans human.”

"As Chinese history has progressed to this point, there have been far too many people like you who want to turn people back into beasts. How can someone like you be changed? I don't know. But I do know, and I've seen, what kind of madmen a person who has no attachment to life can become. The pain they bring is contagious, and once it spreads, it will destroy everything. And then what? Then comes an even greater emptiness, and in the end, they will gain nothing."

“Sun Xiu, if you truly hate the scars of this world, you should overcome them and become an upright person, instead of becoming one with the scars.”

After Liu Xian finished speaking, Sun Xiu's smile vanished completely. His ugly, comical rat-like face turned pale and then red, as if Liu Xian had peeled away his outer shell. But he immediately realized his lapse in composure, and his expression shifted to one of neither crying nor laughing. He said in a hoarse voice:

"Ha, Liu Xian, do you always use such high-sounding words to glorify yourself?"

"Who do you think you are, daring to lecture me like that? You're nothing but an insect in the dark corner, seizing power through intrigue and assassination. How are you superior to me? Liu Xian, you don't actually think you're so popular, do you?"

"All those so-called friends of yours—Liu Kun, Lu Ji, Meng Guan, Zu Ti, Jiang Tong… and many others you don't even know—are all on my side. You can't be unaware of who betrayed your information, can you? You don't want to deceive yourself into thinking it was a moment of carelessness that led to this predicament, do you?"

"I am the one who deserves everyone's support, you are just a lone wolf!"

"No one will stand by you, and you can't do anything about it. However, I misjudged you before; it turns out you're better at empty talk. No one likes you, yet you act like the sun, able to shine on everything? You don't know how to use people, and you don't understand human nature at all!"

As Sun Xiu finished speaking, Liu Xian's face turned ashen, and the two faced each other with dark expressions.

For a moment, the world was silent, with only the sound of charcoal burning inside.

After a moment, Sun Xiu felt he had regained the upper hand, and the smile on his face gradually returned. He scratched his head and said, pretending nothing was wrong:
"Hi, whenever we meet, the conversation always veers off-topic."

"I've come to see you today for only one thing. The deadline is fast approaching, and I need someone to lead the vanguard to attack Jingu Garden and capture and kill Jia Mi. I know you are the most suitable candidate. I'm giving you a chance to trample Jia Mi under your feet. So, are you willing to come?"

After staring at Sun Xiu for a moment, Liu Xian nodded slightly and said, "Of course I have to do this."

Upon hearing this, Sun Xiu burst into laughter, as if he had won a great victory. His smile was so bright that he couldn't contain himself. He immediately punched Liu Xian on the shoulder and said, "Haha, Liu Xian, I knew you were a smart man! You've finally figured it out! With you joining the King of Zhao's ranks, what can't we accomplish?"

"This is the torrent of human nature; once we unleash it, nothing can stop it!"

"You don't need to hide here anymore. Luoyang is now the domain of the Crown Prince's faction. You are the Crown Prince's favorite, which means you are everyone's friend!"

After saying this, Sun Xiu staggered out as if he were drunk, leaving Liu Xian alone in the room in a daze.

Once Sun Xiu's footsteps had completely faded away, the princess entered through the back door. Looking at Liu Xian's lonely figure, she felt a pang of worry for him, but at the same time, she also felt anger and confusion.

She questioned Liu Xian, "Why did you agree to him? Do you regret what you said?!"

Liu Xian sat down and remained silent.

Xiu Hua became even more enraged. She took two steps closer and asked again, "Did you approach me and my fifth brother in the past to plot a coup to seize power and restore the country?!"

Liu Xian's face was numb, and he remained silent.

Seeing Liu Xian like this, Xiu Hua felt a pang of sadness for some reason. She unexpectedly crossed the line between men and women, suddenly embracing Liu Xian from behind, tears streaming down her face, choking back sobs:
"I have loved you for a long time now, I have always loved you in the past."

"Please, I'm willing to do anything for you, please don't become like he said, okay?"

This sudden confession completely disrupted Liu Xian's plans. (End of Chapter)