Jinting Han people

Three days after the defeat at Ji County, in Luoyang. Early summer was drawing to a close, the heat was rising, and the sun was becoming increasingly scorching. The sunlight shone directly on the earth, generating waves of heat that made the people walking on the streets listless.

Even in this sweltering heat, the Wan Jin Lou remained cool. Wisps of white steam rose from the intricately carved ice chest, and purple silk curtains hung between the pavilions. Inside, more than ten maids gently fanned themselves with palm-leaf fans, causing the curtains to sway slightly and the light and shadow within the pavilions to constantly shift, much like Sun Xiu's mood as he sat on the throne.

On his left and right sat three military men in military uniforms and headscarves, and three scholars in Confucian robes and turbans. They were Xin Ran, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat; Man Fen, the Commandant of the Capital Region; Sun Qi, General of Chariots and Cavalry; Liu Kun, the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince; Lu Ji, the Left Military Advisor; and Xun Song, the Right Military Advisor.

As the current rulers of the court and renowned figures of elegance and refinement, they, some carrying feather fans and whisks, others wielding swords and knives, exuded a certain air of suave charm. Yet, at this moment, their expressions were unusually solemn.

After a long while, Sun Xiu shook the letter in his hand and said to the messenger on the ground, "You haven't told anyone about this news yet, have you?"

The envoy repeatedly kowtowed and said, "Reporting to the Secretariat, I received the news and, as you instructed, came here immediately without telling anyone!"

Sun Xiu nodded, a slightly pleased smile appearing on his comical monkey face. He said, "Good, haha, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You did a great job!"

"Without my orders, you are not allowed to mention this to anyone, understand?"

The messenger on the ground replied, "Yes, I know. Even if His Majesty's edict came, I would not speak without your order."

"Okay, okay." Sun Xiu nodded again, smiled and waved her hand, saying, "You've come all this way, you probably haven't had lunch yet, you must be tired. I'll ask the kitchen to cook you a meal, you can go back and rest after you've eaten."

The envoy was somewhat tempted upon hearing this, but hesitated, saying, "What ability do I have to gain such favor from the Central Secretariat?"

"Haha, what's the big deal? I never mistreat anyone who works hard for me. You deserve it! Go on!"

Having said that, Sun Xiu waved to several maids and pointed at the envoy, saying, "You must treat him well and not neglect him!"

Upon seeing this, the envoy was moved to tears and left with profuse thanks.

After he left, Sun Xiu raised his hand again and said to Xin Ran, "Send someone to follow him. Once he's eaten and drunk his fill, kill him with one stroke. Then give his family some silk and say that he unfortunately died in battle. Understand? We must be kind in our actions and not kill people for nothing."

Xin Ran nodded, then went out and gave a few instructions. After he sat back down, Sun Xiu ordered all the maids in the pavilion to leave, leaving only the seven of them in the room.

At this point, Sun Xiucai threw the letter in his hand on the table and muttered to himself, "Hey, what's going on? When the victory report came last month, they said they had killed tens of thousands of enemies and that Hebei was nothing to fear. How come it's turned into this in the blink of an eye?"

What he threw on the table was Shi Yi's latest battle report on Ji County.

After the defeat, Shi Yi led his men on a two-day, frantic march of over two hundred li (approximately 100 kilometers). Reaching Huai County and seeing no pursuers, he finally stopped and wrote this battle report to Sun Xiu, detailing what he had seen and heard. Of course, he omitted the fact that he had fled first, was vague about the casualties, and was unaware that Sun Xiu had been captured.

Those around him had also read it. Liu Kun said, "According to Shi Yi's report, this defeat was not due to his poor command, but mainly because your son acted recklessly. The enemy commander commanded well and had more troops, so it was only natural that our army was defeated."

Sun Xiu raised an eyebrow at Liu Kun, inwardly displeased, thinking to himself: This brat has no sense, lecturing my son now. But Liu Kun was related to Sima Lun by marriage, so he couldn't show his displeasure outwardly. He changed the subject, saying, "Hmm? You mean the rebel army has changed commanders?"

Lu Ji continued, "Judging from the previous victory reports, the enemy underestimated us last time, sending multiple vanguards without a commander. This time, they should have learned from their mistakes and appointed a commander. Moreover, judging from the deployment in this battle report, the enemy should first lure our troops into an attack, and then seize the opportunity to send someone to attack the city. This requires the entire army to be of one mind and the command to be meticulous and experienced, which is not something an ordinary commander can do."

"Then who is it?"

"According to the battle report, the enemy army was divided into two routes, left and right, which were clearly separated. Although the right route army was nominally under the banner of the King of Chengdu and was of a higher rank, the left route army, under the banner of the King of Changshan, was responsible for crossing the river first, forming ranks, luring the enemy, and launching the main attack. I think the actual command was given to the King of Changshan's troops."

Although the words were not explicitly stated, Sun Xiu quickly understood Lu Ji's meaning: the commander-in-chief of this battle was clearly Liu Xian, the Prefect of Changshan.

Upon hearing this news, he couldn't help but feel both angry and resentful.

During the coup in Luoyang last year, he thought he had Liu Xian completely under his control, and was just waiting for the coup to end so he could nip this menace in the bud. Unexpectedly, Meng Guan, that idiot, made some inexplicable stupid mistake and temporarily let Liu Xian go, allowing him to escape to Hebei. Now Sun Xiu was truly helpless; he had countless matters to attend to, and there was no way he could possibly deal with the Prince of Changshan.

Now, he has indeed become the ruler of Luoyang as he wished, and the situation in Henan and Hebei is gradually improving. So why has Liu Xian suddenly become a troublesome problem that he cannot handle?
He looked up and asked Sun Qi beside him, "Boqi, what do you think we should do? Should I imprison Liu Xian's family to force him to submit?"

Before Sun Qi could speak, Lu Ji quickly interrupted, saying, "Secretary, Liu Xian is the heir of the Duke of Anle. His family is descended from the Han dynasty and is one of the two kings and three ministers. If his family is treated like this, it will surely chill the hearts of the people of Shu!"

Sun Xiu sneered, "There's already a rebellion in Bashu! What do I have to fear about the people of Shu feeling disheartened?"

It turned out that while the people of Guandong were rising up against Zhao, those of Guanxi were not idle either. Zhao Xin, the former governor of Yizhou, was originally a member of the Empress Dowager's faction. Now that the Empress Dowager's faction had fallen, he was greatly afraid. Faced with Geng Teng, the new governor of Yizhou appointed by Sun Xiu, he not only refused to relinquish power, but also took the opportunity to start a rebellion. He won over the Di people who had fled to Shu during the Qi Wannian Rebellion, and with Li Xiang as his general, he successively attacked and killed Geng Teng, the governor of Yizhou, and Chen Zong, the Western Barbarian Commandant. Then he sent 10,000 men north to blockade Jiange, clearly intending to establish his own independent regime.

In the past, this would have been an unprecedented event, with the imperial court mobilizing the entire nation to defeat Zhao Xin. But now, Sun Xiu faces a coalition of 500,000 troops from Guandong, so how could he possibly attend to Zhao Xin? Naturally, he no longer cares about appeasing the people of Shu.

Sun Xiu then pretended to earnestly advise Lu Ji, saying, "Shiheng, you are too kind-hearted. Don't be too concerned about friendship. If you want to achieve great things, you must be ruthless and heartless. We were able to succeed before because you betrayed Liu Xian's information. How can you go back on your word now?"

These words made Lu Ji's face turn pale and then red. After a long silence, he finally said, "Secretary, it's not that I'm going back on my word! I'm doing this for your sake. You must know, the battle report didn't mention your son. Whether he's missing, captured, or killed in action, we don't know. If your son is in the enemy's hands, and you act like this, you'll be harming him!" This convinced Sun Xiu, who snorted resentfully, his shoulders trembling as he still tried to be defiant, saying, "My second son is the imperial son-in-law. Even if he's captured, what can Liu Xian do to him?"

"We dare not do anything, but the most urgent task is to consider the future and what to do about defense."

This truly touched on Sun Xiu's blind spot. Thinking about this failure, he felt extremely troubled and could only ask, "In your opinion, what should we do?"

Lu Ji said, "Zhongshu, we should immediately burn down the river bridge to prevent the north and south banks of the Dahe River from supporting each other. Then we should build a fortified city at Mengjin on the north bank and hold it firmly. We can use water transport to maintain supplies within the city and keep the enemy army tied down on the north bank of the Dahe River. They are numerous and consume countless amounts of grain and fodder every day. As long as we can hold out until this year, when Wang Jun of Youzhou subdues the Ning Shuo military command, the enemy will be unable to advance or retreat, and our army will be able to win."

After Lu Ji finished speaking, the others nodded slightly, for Lu Ji was speaking the orthodox principles of warfare. Warfare is not merely about killing and manipulating troops; it's also about securing reinforcements and supplies. The Northern Expeditionary Army had mobilized over 200,000 troops from Ji and Bing provinces. The deeper they advanced into Luoyang, the longer their supply lines became, and the greater their food consumption. If they reached Mengjin, the daily consumption would be an astronomical, incalculable figure.

Do you remember Mengjin over a hundred years ago? It was here that the Hebei allied forces ran out of supplies and were forced to scatter like birds and beasts. If Dong Zhuo hadn't lost control of his internal affairs, allowing Wang Yun to persuade Lü Bu to betray him, Dong Zhuo might have been able to hold onto Guanzhong for decades!

Liu Kun agreed with this view, saying, "Since we have fewer troops, we should prioritize defense and avoid rash battles."

Unexpectedly, Sun Xiu opposed the suggestion. He rarely showed a serious expression and shook his head in rejection, saying, "No, we must not burn down the river bridge."

"Why?" Sun Qi asked, puzzled. "Does the Secretariat think that the river bridge cannot be rebuilt after it was burned down? Please rest assured, the Secretariat has the documents of Du Wuku's design for the river bridge. After the great battle, we will send people to repair it."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

Sun Xiu tapped his forehead with his left index finger and said slowly, "Perhaps I don't understand warfare as well as you do, but at least I understand people's hearts."

"Human nature?" The crowd was somewhat puzzled.

"Yes, although I don't know exactly how much effort Du Yu put into building this river bridge, I do know that it was an unprecedented feat. Since its completion in the first year of Xianning, nearly a million people have crossed the river bridge every year, and its fame has spread far and wide. Everyone in the world regards it as a miracle, and some people even regard the river bridge as a symbol of the nation's destiny."

"For nearly thirty years, nothing major had ever happened to the river bridge, but after His Majesty ascended the throne, I burned it down. Alas, alas, what would happen if this got out to the common people? They might say that by burning down the river bridge, His Majesty's reign was over."

"If that's the case, how can we manage? The most important thing to secure the country is to stabilize the people's hearts. If the people's hearts are in turmoil, how can we fight a war?"

Sun Xiu's vivid performance silenced everyone present. They had to admit that Sun Xiu was right. So what should they do next?

Lu Ji had long harbored the dream of leading an army. Although he had already become a military advisor, many of the targeted military deployments for the King of Qi were his own ideas. However, he was still not satisfied. Seeing the defeat at the front and the urgent need for someone to lead troops to defend against the enemy, he gritted his teeth and said, "If the Grand Secretary does not mind, I am willing to lead 20,000 troops to defend against the enemy north of the Yellow River and prevent the enemy army from entering Henan!"

Unfortunately, despite his statement, Sun Xiu shook his head with a smile and said, "Hey! Shiheng is my right-hand man, how can he leave me? I will entrust this matter to someone else."

"Alright then!" After pondering for a moment, Sun Xiu said to Liu Kun, "Yue Shi, I'm allocating 10,000 men to you to build a city wall on the north bank of the river bridge. You must hold it there."

Liu Kun was somewhat troubled upon hearing this. He thought to himself: If the bridge across the river is not cut off, what is the point of defending the city? Can he really stop the enemy from crossing the river?
Sun Xiu saw his concerns and reassured him, "Don't worry, just do it! I have a brilliant plan!"

Although in name, after Sima Lun ascended the throne, he generously rewarded his meritorious officials and bestowed titles upon them, displaying an air of ambition to rule the world alongside the people, in reality, everyone knew that Sun Xiucai was the true power holder in the court. What he said was law, and once he made a decision, even the emperor could not change it.

Liu Kun was also someone who longed to take risks and make a name for himself. After thinking about it, he finally agreed and said, "Since the Secretariat says so, then I will give it a try."

After the others left, Sun Xiu leaned against the chairperson's table and lay down for a while. A moment later, Xin Ran returned and said to Sun Xiu:
"The messenger is dead."

Sun Xiu nodded and sighed, "After becoming prime minister, many things are difficult to handle. I can no longer pass things on to others like before."

He dusted himself off, then got up and leaned closer to Xin Ran, whispering in her ear, "Later, send men to take Liu Kun's family into custody, and then let him know that if he dares not be loyal to His Majesty, he will face the consequences!"

Xin Ran nodded, then heard Sun Xiu continue, "You also need to keep an eye on Liu Xian's family. Once my second son escapes back, you immediately arrest them, behead them all, and send them to Liu Xian! What a load of crap, the Anle Duke's Mansion, just a bunch of parasites!"

Then, Sun Xiu gave another instruction: "Go and write another letter to urge the Western Expeditionary Army Command when exactly the reinforcements will be sent."

“Hmm, no…” Sun Xiu thought for a moment, then changed his mind and clapped his hands, saying, “Go and report the victory to the Western Expeditionary Army Command. Tell them that I have won consecutive victories in Henan and Hebei, and the enemy army is already struggling to hold on. If they don’t come soon, then they don’t need to come at all!”

Xin Ran nodded repeatedly. After he withdrew, Sun Xiu went alone to the star-gazing platform on the rooftop and once again looked down at the masses of people in Luoyang. Since Sima Lun ascended the throne, this Zhao Prince's Mansion, which he had built at great expense, had been directly handed over to Sun Xiu.

At this moment, Sun Xiu is also facing the most important hurdle in his life. Once he gets through it, the future will be bright and smooth, and his career will be even greater and more glorious than that of Cao Cao and Sima Yi.

"Hmph, hmph, hmph, just a minor setback." Sun Xiu rolled up his sleeves, looked north, and muttered to himself with a cold laugh, "Liu Xian, you think you can compete with me? You're still a bit lacking." (End of Chapter)