Jinting Han people

Of the nine provinces in the world today, Ji Province must be the most prosperous in terms of population and abundant resources.

This is not hard to understand. Ji Province is located north of the Yellow River, east of the Taihang Mountains, and south of the Yi River and the Juma River. Although its area is only of medium size among all the provinces in the land, it is mostly fertile land with soft, moist soil and flat terrain. Even on a global scale, this is extremely rare. Therefore, since Emperor Guangwu raised his army in Hebei and resumed the Han dynasty, Ji Province has been known as the foundation of a hegemon.

However, after the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao led tens of thousands of elite troops from Hebei southward into the Central Plains with overwhelming force, only to suffer a crushing defeat. People had many complaints about this, believing that although Ji Province was wealthy, it did not produce as many talented people as the Central Plains and Guanzhong.

People speculated that the reason was probably because the land in Jizhou was too fertile, which ironically fostered laziness among the people of Hebei. They thought everything was like farming in Hebei—requiring little care; as long as they sowed normally in spring, they would almost always have a bountiful harvest in autumn. As a result, they developed a spoiled and lazy disposition. How could such people possibly win a war? No matter how much grain they hoarded, if they couldn't fight, it was just sending money and supplies to the enemy.

Such remarks have a wide audience, especially in impoverished areas like Guanzhong and Longxi, where they are particularly popular. However, the people of Jizhou don't care. If someone tries to provoke them with such regionally discriminatory questions, the people of Jizhou, with their optimistic spirit, respond incisively:

"Hey! What's there to care about? They're just jealous of us because they can't farm well!"

Regardless, Ji Province was indeed the wealthiest province in the land. As early as the first year of the Taikang era, its number of households reached 320,000, comparable to the three major provinces of Jing Province, Yang Province, and Yi Province, second only to the capital region of Sili. This was after the Sima clan established the state and, in order to strengthen central authority, successively transferred the four most prosperous counties of Ji Province—Wei Commandery, Yangping Commandery, Dunqiu Commandery, and Guangping Commandery—to Sili Province.

Twenty years have passed. Floods have frequently struck the north and south of the Yangtze River, war looms in the Guanzhong Plain, and hailstorms plague the Central Plains. Looking across the land, only Ji Province remains peaceful and tranquil. Its population growth is unparalleled in the land. At the end of the ninth year of the Taikang era, the Ministry of Works conducted a census, finding that Ji Province's population had doubled, now reaching approximately 600,000 households and 3 million people. This does not include the considerable number of hidden households within the powerful families of the prefecture.

Therefore, when Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, enfeoffed his princes, he initially valued Ji Province the most. After the founding of the dynasty, he successively enfeoffed the Princes of Anping, Pingyuan, Zhao, Hejian, Changshan, Bohai, Gaoyang, Zhongshan, Zhangwu, and Qinghe in Ji Province. At the same time, he also appointed three founding dukes—the Duke of Boling, the Duke of Julu, and the Duke of Leling—within it. It was truly strange that such a vast province of Ji, with its thirteen commanderies, did not have a single commandery or kingdom directly under the full jurisdiction of the imperial court.

However, thanks to this, the governance and supervision of the states in Ji Province became more relaxed, which gave Liu Xian the opportunity to defect to Sima Yi.

The Changshan Kingdom, where Sima Yi, the King of Changshan, was enfeoffed, was located in the northwest of Ji Province. To the west lay the Taihang Mountains, and to the north lay the famous Hengshan Mountain, the birthplace of Emperor Ming of Han. To travel here from Luoyang, travelers would typically head north from the river bridge, then east along the Yellow River, reaching Wei Commandery before turning north. Along the way, they would pass through Guangping and Zhao Commanderies, traveling approximately 1,500 li before arriving at Changshan's capital, Zhending.

However, Liu Xian had escaped during an extraordinary period, so he couldn't possibly take the normal route. Especially considering that he might have to pass through Ye City and Zhao State, if his identity were discovered and he was taken back to Luoyang, then everything would be over.

Therefore, Liu Xian decided to take a longer route.

He first traveled north from Hanoi to Tianjing Pass, from where he crossed the Taihang Mountains and arrived at the Shangdang Basin in Bingzhou. Since the Hao San Rebellion, Shangdang has been in ruins and has yet to recover its vitality.

Then we passed Yeli Mountain and entered the Taiyuan Basin. The landform here is extremely unique. Unlike the loess plateaus of Guanzhong, there are two strange mountains pressing against each other, with the Fen River dividing the flat basin in the middle, giving people a wonderful feeling, as if they are in the cracked palm of the god.

Leaving Jinyang, we arrived at Jinchang in Xinxing County. The area was sparsely populated; aside from the soldiers guarding the pass, it was mostly inhabited by Xiongnu people farming and herding. The Hutuo River, the longest river in Hebei, flows through this region, traversing the majestic Taihang Mountains and flowing eastward to the sea. The valley it crosses is the famous Jingxing Pass, one of the Eight Passes of Taihang.

After crossing Jingxing, continue eastward along the Hutuo River for 150 li to reach the destination, Changshan Zhending.

The journey was truly arduous. Normally, the official road from Jizhou to Changshan was smooth and easy, and it was common to travel a hundred li a day on horseback. But the road Liu Xian chose not only required an extra six hundred li of detours, but also consisted mostly of rugged and treacherous mountain forests, with one mountain after another. Traveling fifty li a day was enough to make anyone complain bitterly.

Especially his wife, Cao Shangrou, was traveling far from home for the first time. Initially, she was enthusiastic, treating it as a leisurely trip. However, as the journey continued, she became ill with the change in environment, lost her appetite, and spent her days listlessly in the carriage. Therefore, Liu Xian had to slow down and rest in Jinyang for three days.

This meant that he barely entered the territory of Changshan Kingdom a month after leaving Luoyang.

It was late April, the temperature was gradually rising, and it rained intermittently—a season prone to disease outbreaks. After completing her journey through Jingxing, A'Luo felt even more unwell. Liu Xian, worried about his wife, intended to seek out a renowned doctor within Jingxing County, but after searching for a long time, he was recommended a shaman. This greatly angered him. Having met Sun Xiu, Liu Xian harbored a deep aversion to Taoist priests and shamans; how could he possibly allow them to treat his illness?

He had no choice but to ask his wife to be patient for a while longer, and that they could take a closer look once they arrived in Zhengding.

However, despite the hardships of the journey, safety was guaranteed. With the development of the manor economy, the wealthier the region, the greater the influence of the gentry. Aside from the frontier and important towns surrounding the capital, the traditional village and outpost system of the Han Dynasty was almost completely abandoned, making nationwide arrests impossible. Liu Xian did not reveal his identity along the way, and aside from occasionally having to detour due to bandits, he didn't encounter any real difficulties.

After successfully arriving in Puwu, this journey is finally coming to an end.

Puwu was only about forty li from the capital, Zhending, but Liu Xian did not go directly to Zhending. Instead, he first visited Wang Yu, the magistrate of Puwu. He introduced himself and asked Wang Yu to inform Sima Yi of his arrival in Changshan so that a formal welcoming ceremony could be held.

Liu Xian was not a person who liked such extravagant ceremonies, but considering that he did not have a deep relationship with Sima Yi, and that he was new to Changshan and unfamiliar with the place, it was necessary for him to use this method to test Sima Yi's level of trust in him.

Actually, it was Li Sheng's idea.

He said to Liu Xian, “My lord, although the King of Changshan is willing to accept you and has shown some sincerity, acceptance does not equate to trust.” “Now that the Empress Dowager’s faction and the Crown Prince have both perished, the king is no longer a king, the country is no longer a country, and the signs of chaos in the world are already very clear. The common people may not understand yet, but for those with insight, it is common knowledge. Therefore, the King of Changshan will have many considerations before accepting you.”

“Revenge for the Crown Prince is the greater good now, and you are a key member of the Crown Prince’s faction. Accepting you would be entirely beneficial. However, how to use you will depend on the individual circumstances.”

"If the King of Changshan is merely a mediocre person who only wants to defend his fiefdom, then he probably wouldn't value you; he's just trying to show his stance."

"If the King of Changshan were even slightly wise and wanted to take this opportunity to recruit soldiers and expand his power, he might give you a little use, but only as a henchman."

"But if the King of Changshan is not only wise and powerful, but also an ambitious man who wants to take this opportunity to kill his way back to the capital, he will surely regard you as his confidant and strategist, and then things will be different."

"Therefore, this test is essential. Only by observing the attitude of the King of Changshan and determining what kind of person he is can you make a long-term plan and prepare a strategy."

Liu Xian wholeheartedly agreed. However, to be honest, after meeting so many princes in Luoyang, Liu Xian didn't have high expectations for Sima Yi. Putting aside the fact that the current emperor was an idiot, the most powerful Prince Zhao, Sima Lun, was practically a puppet of Sun Xiu; Prince Liang, Sima Tong, was a hypocrite with a sanctimonious facade; Prince Chengdu, Sima Ying, and Prince Qi, Sima Jiong, were somewhat better, but only to a limited extent—one lacked his own opinions, and the other's scheming was written all over his face; even the most renowned Prince Huainan, Sima Yun, was actually driven by emotion and lacked a sense of the bigger picture.

In this situation, Liu Xian thought of Sima Wei, the Prince of Chu. All things considered, he was indeed the most senior and talented among the princes. However, he was also somewhat impatient for quick success, which is why he fell for the schemes of Zhang Hua and Jia Mo.

Given the state of the imperial clan, Liu Xian could only lower his expectations. He would be grateful if Sima Yi's talent and abilities were comparable to Sima Jiong's.

But the result was beyond his expectations. Ling Shou received a reply to Zhen Ding within half a day of sending the letter.

In his letter, Sima Yi said that he had been waiting for Liu Xian for a long time, and was overjoyed to receive Liu Xian's message. He immediately agreed to Liu Xian's request, and arranged a banquet in the west of the city overnight. He also said that he would follow the ancient custom and come to greet Liu Xian by official carriage early the next morning. At the same time, he also included twenty bolts of silk as a gift before the arrival of Liu Xian.

Liu Xian was deeply moved by this, and he said to Li Sheng, "From the perspective of respecting etiquette and admiring antiquity alone, this Prince of Changshan can be considered the most outstanding among the princes."

After a month of continuous travel, Liu Xian was also a bit tired. Seeing Sima Yi's attentiveness, he felt relieved and had a good night's sleep in Lingshou.

The next day, the carriage arrived as promised. It was a large carriage drawn by four horses, entirely vermilion in color—the hubs, screen, and curtains were all vermilion, only the canopy was pure white, signifying the host's high regard for the guests. Accompanying them were forty knights, all riding seven-foot-tall horses, tall and imposing, dressed in blue leather armor. Liu Xian's eyes lit up: although not quite on par with the Shanggu Camp, it was clear that considerable effort had been put into their service.

The leader introduced himself as Shangguan Si, a retainer of the Prince of Changshan, who had come to welcome Lord Liu. He then invited Liu Xian to get into the carriage. Without waiting for Liu Xian's instructions, he added, "I heard that your wife is unwell. His Highness has specially arranged for a doctor. Please set off as soon as possible, Lord Liu!" After Liu Xian agreed, he arranged for Shang Rou to ride in the carriage behind them, with forty knights automatically guarding their sides. Thus, they proceeded towards Zhengding.

Such a grand procession was naturally extremely conspicuous as it traveled the road. The people along the way pointed and whispered among themselves at Liu Xian in the carriage, clearly curious about his identity. Throughout the journey, all other carriages gave way to Liu Xian, and officials and soldiers they encountered all bowed respectfully. Upon reaching the city gates, a young man, dressed in formal robes, led a group of officials, standing before the city walls, his face showing no sign of annoyance or impatience.

After the carriage came to a stop, the young man quickly walked to the front of the carriage and bowed first, saying, "I heard that you have come from afar, and I also heard that Bao Xu returned to Chu and Dou Rong went east. It is truly an honor for Changshan!"

He was Sima Yi, the Prince of Changshan.

This wasn't Liu Xian's first meeting with Sima Yi; in fact, they had met many times at the Chu Prince's residence. At that time, Liu Xian was merely the heir apparent to the Duke of Anle, and Sima Yi was still the Prince of Changsha. However, due to the passage of time, Liu Xian's memory of the more specific details had become somewhat hazy. He only remembered that Sima Yi was a somewhat cunning and endearing young man.

But now, upon seeing him again, Liu Xian saw a polite and upright young man in his early twenties. He was about the same age as Meng Ping, a little shorter, and while he didn't exude an air of nobility, his eyes were resolute. Upon closer inspection, this was probably due to his slightly prominent brow bone and the neat, sharp edges of his eyebrows. In short, Liu Xian's first impression was of a confident yet amiable young man. Looking closely at his face, he also bore a striking resemblance to Sima Wei from years past.

This left Liu Xian somewhat dazed. After regaining his senses, he quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Your Highness's courtesy is so thorough that it makes me feel unworthy."

"Not at all, not at all." Sima Yi grabbed Liu Xian's hand and openly praised him in front of his subordinates and officials: "Famous scholars are as numerous as grains of sand in the world, but they are nothing more than official documents. Truly talented and capable ministers who can correct the mistakes of the monarch and help stabilize the country are as rare as pearls. But you, Lord Liu, are not only a capable minister, but also a wise minister!"

Liu Xian quickly waved his hand and said, "I am unworthy of such praise."

"Hey!" Sima Yi patted Liu Xian's hand, looked at him and said, "Now the royal family is in decline, the rites and music have collapsed, and the people are restless. This is the time for the royal family to serve! I alone have the heart to respect the king and wish to emulate the wisdom of Duke Huan of Qi, to restore the imperial way and bring peace to the people. However, I lack good ministers to assist me and good strategies. Your arrival is like a gift from heaven to me, Guan Zhong! I hope you will not hesitate to use your talents to lend me a helping hand!"

After speaking, he led Liu Xian to his seat, showing him great concern and introducing him to the local customs and culture of Changshan. His speech, insights, and demeanor were all exceptional. (End of Chapter)