Jinting Han people

In February, as time went by, the situation in Luoyang not only did not deteriorate, but instead showed signs of escalating.

As the Empress Dowager's faction made further concessions, incidents of unrest in Luoyang, perpetrated in the name of the Crown Prince's faction, increased dramatically. The disturbances by the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Guards were no longer news; students at the Imperial Academy and the National Academy even jointly submitted a petition hoping to reinstate the deposed Crown Prince. Worse still, some gathered to demonstrate and set fire to the residences of Zhang Hua, Duke Lu, Pei Wei, and Wang Yan. Even among the outer and imperial armies, officers were assassinated again.

Chaos, disturbance, death, clamor... the entire city of Luoyang presented a morbid state of coexistence of fanaticism and disorder.

This is something that the people of Luoyang have never seen in the past hundred years, but it is also a scene that actually happened in Luoyang a hundred years ago:

After more than a decade of the turmoil of the Partisan Prohibitions, and with the death of Emperor Ling of Han, the anger of young scholars like Yuan Shao and Cao Cao could no longer be contained. They rallied around He Jin, determined to wage war against the Ten Attendants. To this end, they assassinated the families of the Attendants and proclaimed their cause in the bustling marketplace, where onlookers cheered loudly. Among them was a young man named Liu Bei, who listened silently. Behind him, countless assassins and wandering knights moved like ghosts through the streets.

Anyone with even a basic understanding of history would realize at this moment that peace was rapidly coming to an end in the heart of this empire, and rebellion was about to sweep across the land.

Even the Empress, who was not well-educated, sensed something was amiss. She was puzzled by the situation: she had successfully deposed Sima Yu without any incident, so why did it cause such a huge upheaval after the deed was done?
She summoned Sun Xiu, unaware that the man before her was the culprit behind everything, and instead poured out her grievances to him:

"I thought that after taking down the Crown Prince, the world would return to stability. But his followers have grown like grass in the wind. Seventy-six people were imprisoned in a month, yet they still can't be all caught. What is the reason for this?"

"Sima Yu is nothing but a spoiled brat, raised by the two palaces, ignorant of the hardships of the common people, and he does not cultivate his virtue. So why is he so popular? Where did things go wrong?"

Sun Xiu pretended to ponder for a moment, then answered the Empress without changing his expression:
"Your Highness, all of this is because you didn't kill the deposed crown prince!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress frowned slightly. She didn't understand the logic behind it and said:
"How could I not want to execute the deposed crown prince? It's just that he was only recently removed from office, and all the officials in the court are watching this matter closely. If I were to execute him now, it would surely invite controversy. Even a dog can bite to death when provoked. If it causes trouble, I'm afraid it would be difficult to handle."

As a ruler who had reigned for many years, the empress, though lacking in political wisdom, was not an idiot; she understood basic political logic.

But Sun Xiu had already prepared his words. He immediately put on a pained expression and said to the Empress:
“What Your Highness says is reasonable, but who is this deposed crown prince? He is the crown prince appointed by Emperor Wu, a prince from a previous generation. Since he was five years old, although he has no title as crown prince, he has the power of one. It has been almost twenty years now, and His Majesty is like this. No matter how dissolute he is, he is still the one everyone wants!”

"Besides, even if he doesn't cultivate virtue, he is undeniably clever. Who knows, these troublemakers now might just be a trap he secretly set up!"

"Foreshadowing?"

This tactic took the Empress by surprise and immediately piqued her interest, prompting her to ask, "Why do you say that?"

Sun Xiu shook his head and said, "Your Highness, I've always been puzzled. Although I knew some of the deposed crown prince's plans and helped you take him down, his final behavior was still too strange."

"When he went with Zhongshu to deliver the imperial edict, he appeared relaxed and showed no signs of defeat. In Jinyong City, the guards said that the deposed crown prince not only showed no fear or hesitation, but also had a great appetite, eating three catties of meat every day. Even with executioners around him, he could sleep soundly as usual. Is this the behavior of a person who has lost his way?"

"Therefore, Your Highness, I suspect he has a backup plan."

This angle also highlighted the Empress's wariness of Sima Yu; her dark, bluish face gradually turned cold with suspicion, and even the temperature of her tone dropped considerably.
"What a troublesome bastard! Tell me, what other tricks does he have up his sleeve?"

Seeing that he had aroused the Empress's suspicion, Sun Xiu quickly laid out his analysis in full, saying:

“Your Highness, in my opinion, the deposed crown prince is intelligent, but he lacks courage. So, he probably never intended to lead troops to force the emperor to abdicate.”

"What's the point?"

"Throughout history, there have been rulers who ascended the throne by killing their fathers, but there has never been a ruler who ascended the throne by killing his mother. Even if someone as licentious as Zhao Ji was used by her male favorites to try to threaten the throne, Qin Shi Huang could not do anything to her. Even if someone as foolish and perverse as Wu Jiang encouraged her sons to fight for power, causing internal strife in Zheng, Duke Zhuang of Zheng could only release her. It can be seen that in filial piety, respecting the mother is more important than respecting the father."

"Therefore, if the deposed crown prince really leads troops into the palace and forces you to your death, he will inevitably be condemned by everyone, and his throne will probably be unstable. Now that I think about it, there is probably only one way for him to ascend the throne without any burden."

"What way?"

"That means Your Highness personally deposed him, severed the bond between you and him as mother and son, and then ordered the death of his birth mother, Consort Xie. That would create a blood feud between you and him, the murderer of his mother. At that time, he was far away in Xuchang, and the Crown Prince's faction in Luoyang launched a coup, bringing him back from Xuchang. Do you think he would then have rightfully secured the throne?"

Sun Xiu's words were so vivid and detailed that even the Empress was startled, yet she also felt a lack of confidence, muttering to herself:
"This bastard actually possesses such power?"

"Your Highness, facts speak louder than words!"

Sun Xiu seemed to believe his own words, listing the current situation as follows:

"If he hadn't made prior arrangements, how would we have resolved this chaotic situation? These princelings are simply insane! They've caused trouble again and again, not only unafraid of imprisonment but also unafraid of swords! Someone must have promised them great benefits beforehand! And who else but the prince could do that? Could it be the Prince of Huainan? But he doesn't even hold an official position in the court!"

"Don't forget, Minister Jia still died under mysterious circumstances!"

This finally convinced the Empress, who felt that Sun Xiu's willingness to speak to her to this extent meant he must be loyal to her.

But she still hesitated: "If I kill him now, will the chaos really be quelled?"

"Your Highness, most people are of lowly birth, fearing power but not virtue. If you bring a radical solution to the Crown Prince's faction, they will lose their leader, leaving only the princes. Who will submit to whom? This is the only way!"

The Empress's last doubts vanished. She realized she had indeed been somewhat weak lately. Faced with the enemy's relentless advance, she had simply retreated. Wasn't this a betrayal of her father's teachings? She considered herself an Empress, and as such, she should rule with an iron fist.

Thinking this, she regained her usual arrogant demeanor. In front of Sun Xiu, she waved her hand to summon the eunuch Sun Lü and commanded:
"I heard that the deposed crown prince is unwell. Go find the Imperial Physician and ask him to prescribe a good medicine. Then personally deliver it to Xuchang. Return whenever the deposed crown prince's health improves."

The Empress deliberately emphasized the words "good medicine," implying that she intended to administer a deadly poison to Sima Yu.

Having served the Empress for many years, Sun Lü naturally understood the implication and immediately obeyed the order. Sun Xiu, the mastermind behind the scheme, was also rewarded with a box of agate.

Sun Xiu felt his performance was perfect, and he was in a good mood on the way back. Upon arriving at the Zhao Prince's residence, he shook the agate in the box, listening to the clinking sound, and couldn't help but hum in a high-pitched voice: "Life is less than a hundred years, yet worries are endless."
The days are short, the nights are long, why not light a candle and wander around?

After he finished singing, he staggered off the carriage and stood before the government gate, where a dozen or so minor officials bowed and waited.

Liu Ji, who was in the lead, bowed first, accepted the cloak from the Chief Clerk of the King of Zhao, and then said, "Chief Clerk, all the people you summoned have arrived. Shall we discuss matters now, or should we rest for a while before discussing matters?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Xiu asked, "Liu Xian has arrived too? How is he?"

"Upon seeing the guests attending the meeting, he turned pale and remained silent."

Sun Xiu immediately burst out laughing. He put his hands in his sleeves, his mood brightening even more. He shrugged and said, "Haha, let's go to Wan Jin Lou to discuss matters then. Everyone's time is precious!"

Those who attended the meeting were mostly confidants of the King of Zhao's faction. They were Liu Kun of Zhongshan, Zhang Lin of Changshan, Meng Guan of Bohai, Xu Chao of Qinghe, Sun Qi of Le'an, Xie Tan of Boling, Shi Yi of Jiaozhi, and Lü He of Julu. Of course, Liu Xian, who had just arrived, was also present. In addition, there were representatives from the King of Liang, the King of Huainan, the King of Qi, and the King of Donghai, namely Lu Bo, Chen Kuang, Zu Ti, and Yang Miao, respectively.

As soon as everyone was seated, Sun Xiu announced loudly with a smug look on his face: "Good news, everyone! The wicked empress has finally made up her mind to kill the deposed crown prince. How cruel! It seems that the time for us to avenge His Highness the crown prince is fast approaching."

As soon as he finished speaking, he scanned the expressions of everyone, gave Liu Xian a special look, and then smiled and said, "Xuchang is more than 300 li away from Luoyang. If we set off at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, a fast horse can travel 100 li a day. The people we send can reach Xuchang in three days. I estimate that it will take one day to kill the Crown Prince and then three days to return and report. After another two days to spread the news, I estimate that nine days from now will be the time for us to make our move."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian was startled, but looking around, he saw that everyone present was making no attempt to hide their joy, so he could only remain calm and wait for Sun Xiu to continue.

Sun Xiu then said leisurely, "A coup is like fishing. We've already finished the procedures of finding the spot, feeding the bait, and casting the net. Now, only the final step of hauling in the net remains."

"That means wiping out the entire Hou Party in one fell swoop!"

"I believe you have all waited too long for this day, and I have waited too long. But the more this is the case, the more vigilant we must be. Back then, when Zhi Bo besieged Jinyang, how spirited he was! Yet he ultimately died at the hands of the three Jin states. This should give us pause for thought and make us wary!"

"Therefore, we must be extremely careful to be responsible for the people of the world."

At this point, Sun Xiu's expression became solemn and dignified, seemingly unapproachable. He called it a discussion, but in reality, he was issuing orders.

He spread out a map of the entire palace and first said to Zhang Lin:

"We'll make our move the day after the envoy returns. Zhang Jun, haven't you always disliked Zhang Hua? Haha, I'll give you a chance. You seize control of Qianqiu Gate and the Central Secretariat, and capture that old scoundrel Zhang Hua alive!"

Zhang Lin had once asked Zhang Hua for his appraisal, but Zhang Hua, considering Zhang Lin to be from a martial arts family, refused to meet him. This greatly angered Zhang Lin, who was overjoyed at the prospect of revenge. He accepted the order, saying, "Yes! I will not let that old scoundrel Zhang Hua escape!"

Sun Xiu then pointed out Xu Chao and Shi Yi, laughing, "Zhang Hua is certainly hateful, but the traitors in the other three provinces cannot be let off the hook either! You two must shoulder this heavy responsibility! Xu Zhonglang, you go and control the Sima Gate; Shi Zhonglang, seal off the Yunlong Gate and take over the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of State Affairs. After this is accomplished, His Highness will surely reward you two for your merits, and bestowing upon you the title of Marquis will be no problem!"

Both men were greedy for money and titles, and upon hearing this, they were overjoyed. They patted their chests and assured each other, "We serve the country, how could we care about such petty gains?"

Then Sun Xiu turned his attention directly to the emperor, saying to Lü He:

"Of course, since we are eliminating a scourge for the country, we must pay even more attention to His Majesty's safety! Governor Lü, you are His Majesty's bodyguard. Once this happens, you should escort His Majesty to the Taiji Hall and deliver the edicts I have prepared to him so that he can affix his seal. Only in this way can our actions be legitimate!"

Next came the main event: capturing the Empress alive. Sun Xiu said to Zu Ti:

"Who else but His Highness Prince Qi could undertake this mission? The Empress's mistreatment of the Dowager Princess Qi and her ostracization of Prince Qi provide him with the perfect opportunity for revenge! Although I also wish to rid the nation of this great scourge, only Prince Qi is worthy of this great achievement!"

However, the most lucrative task was still confiscating property, and he generously distributed this task among the princes: the Prince of Liang confiscated the property of the Duke of Lu, the Prince of Huainan confiscated the property of the Duke of Julu, the Prince of Donghai confiscated the property of the Duke of Leling...

He said very considerately, "I know that you all risked your lives to serve the country, which is not easy! The gold, silver and servants confiscated this time do not need to be handed over! Distribute them as rewards to the soldiers! This will be a joyous day, and sharing joy is better than enjoying it alone."

This series of arrangements left Liu Xian in awe.

Sun Xiu's ability to win over the various powerful clans wasn't due to overwhelming strength or unique tactics. Frankly, it was about exploiting their greed. He made those with grudges seek revenge, and those demanding money share their spoils. This requires the leader to both restrain their own greed and keenly understand the greed of others; only someone of great wisdom could accomplish such a feat. Liu Xian thought: "To be able to do this, no wonder he can manipulate events so drastically."

At this moment, it was finally Sun Xiu's turn to go to Jingu Garden. He said to Liu Xian and Meng Guan, "As for this task, I will entrust it to the two of you."

He revealed his usual smirking expression, took two steps closer, and said with a smile, "I've heard that the Golden Valley Garden is filled with countless rare treasures and beautiful women. I'm so envious! Unfortunately, beauties, like Lord Lu, are often thorny when they're beautiful. It's said that there are hundreds of assassins and death squads inside, as well as towering arrow towers. It's not easy to deal with them. I'll have to trouble you two."

"Especially Lord Shanggu, bring three hundred Shanggu soldiers and show these scumbags what you're made of!"

He spoke of Meng Guan, but his eyes were fixed on Liu Xian. After a sarcastic smile, he quietly retreated.

Liu Xian immediately understood that these three hundred Shanggu soldiers were prepared to guard against him.

However, he was prepared for things not to go so smoothly, so after exchanging pleasantries, he acted as if nothing had happened.

He didn't exchange many words with Meng Guan either. The two men, who had risked their lives together on the battlefield, were now like strangers, not uttering a single word to each other.

Then came the waiting—both for a reply and for news of the Crown Prince's death. On the sixth day, he finally received two replies. One of them was from Sima Yi, the Prince of Changshan, who replied: "The nation has suffered such a great calamity, and I, Yi, am unable to fly to the enemy's court to personally eliminate this monstrous villain. How hateful! You shall come yourself, and I will leave the position vacant to await your arrival!"

Liu Xian was overjoyed to receive this reply, but when he thought of Sima Yu's impending doom, he couldn't help but sigh.

However, to his surprise, on the seventh night, news of Sima Yu's death did not arrive as Sun Xiu had predicted. The same thing happened on the eighth and ninth days. Sun Xiu's coup plan had to be postponed again and again… (End of Chapter)