Jinting Han people

The previous banquet was a family affair. After being officially promoted to Commandant of the Capital Region, Liu Xian, as was customary, would host a formal celebratory banquet at his residence to entertain his colleagues and friends.

Originally, Liu Xian only intended to hold a simple event, but after the news spread, congratulatory invitations poured in, piling up on two tables within half a day. It turned out that all the princes and dukes in the capital, regardless of their previous relationship with Liu Xian, said they would come to the banquet to offer their congratulations. The gifts brought by all sides were so numerous that they could fill three side rooms.

Just then, his wife, A'luo, returned to Luoyang with the Princess of Changsha's entourage. Holding their daughter, Lingyou, in one arm, she looked around with the other, exclaiming with delight, "You've really made it big! Even when my father was alive, he never received so many invitations."

Liu Xian sighed helplessly, "This isn't a wedding invitation, this is all trouble!"

"Trouble?" Perhaps because of her husband's successful career, A'Luo's face was filled with pride for him. She put down the invitation in her hand, turned to lean against Liu Xian, reached out to massage Liu Xian's eyebrows, and laughed, "I thought my Lord Songzi was omnipotent and never encountered any trouble."

Liu Xian smiled at his wife, stroking the wedding invitations with one hand, and explained, "They said they came to offer their congratulations, but actually, they came to give me a heads-up beforehand, hoping I would consider their feelings and let them off the hook!"

"Let them go?" A'Luo was somewhat confused.

"It's about investigating Zhao's traitorous clique." Liu Xian briefly explained the reason before turning to play with his daughter, not wanting to say anything more to his wife.

This was to be expected; although he had not yet officially taken office, trouble had already befallen Liu Xian.

Previously, Sima Jiong had stated during a meeting that, in order to demonstrate the new court's stance, it was imperative to purge the Zhao King's traitorous faction. However, there were simply too many people who had cooperated with Sun Xiu; almost every powerful figure in the court had some connection to him. Rewarding those in power was relatively straightforward, but deciding who to purge and how to do so was a complex matter.

During Liu Xian's absence, all the generals who had fought against the rebel army and refused to surrender had been exterminated by the Grand Marshal's household, resulting in a loss of about two thousand people in Luoyang. However, this was merely a prelude to the inevitable consequences; the subsequent accountability and repercussions were what truly caused anxiety. It could be said that the entire Luoyang court was under scrutiny, and anyone could be dismissed or demoted, making the powerful and influential in Luoyang live in constant fear.

The task of drafting the list was the responsibility of the Prince of Qi's residence, and in principle, it shouldn't have been Liu Xian's concern. However, now that Liu Xian had become the Commandant of the Capital Region, things were different. The Commandant of the Capital Region managed all the prisons in the capital, so after the Prince of Qi's residence drafted the list, it would be handed over to Liu Xian immediately. Only after Liu Xian approved and stamped the list could arrests, releases, or even the execution of prisoners be carried out.

In other words, if they were truly being targeted by the Prince of Qi's household and lacked the confidence to persuade the Prince of Qi to pardon them, Liu Xian would be a potential avenue for intervention. Just in case, this led to a flurry of nobles taking the opportunity to curry favor with Liu Xian.

Liu Xian had already decided not to avoid powerful figures, but now, without having done anything, he was suddenly faced with a host of troubles, which made him somewhat uncomfortable. He thought to himself, it's just a banquet; wouldn't it be too embarrassing to return all the gifts?

A'Luo saw through his thoughts at a glance and laughed, "What's wrong? You're not the first Commandant of the Capital Region. Can't you learn from the experience of your predecessors?"

Liu Xian suddenly understood, so that very night he went to the Lingzhou County Duke's Mansion to specifically seek advice from Fu Zhi.

Fu Zhi served as the Commandant of the Capital Region during the reign of Sima Yan and has survived numerous political upheavals. When the Empress Dowager's faction and the Crown Prince were locked in a power struggle, he feigned a stroke and resigned to recuperate at home, thus successfully avoiding the first political crisis. Later, during the conflict between the Prince of Zhao and the Prince of Huainan, he allied himself with Sun Xiu, serving as the Director of the Imperial Secretariat. However, after the Prince of Huainan's defeat, he defended Sima Yan, the Prince of Wu, saving his life. Furthermore, after the three princes entered the capital, he was the first to plead guilty to the Prince of Qi, requesting that Sima Jiong punish him.

How could Sima Jiong possibly punish such a veteran of three reigns who had come to surrender? In the end, he merely removed Fu Zhi from his position as Grand Master of Ceremonies, but allowed him to remain as Attendant-in-Ordinary. People said that Lord Fu truly inherited Liu Bei's (Liu Bei's) skills, having remained steadfast through six different factions without a single fault. Liu Xian deeply admired this, and therefore, when he thought of consulting a senior figure, he was the first person he thought of.

Having not seen Fu Zhi for a long time, the old man looked quite well. Upon seeing Liu Xian approach, he joked, "Oh, isn't this the fearsome new Crouching Tiger? Here to capture me and imprison me?"

Liu Xian laughed and said, "Lord Lingzhou, you flatter me. You are an old tiger with a formidable presence. I am but a young tiger. How could I possibly capture you?"

Both of them laughed heartily. Fu Zhi was a very approachable person. Although he was much more senior than Liu Xian, he treated Liu Xian as an equal. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Liu Xian told Fu Zhi about his problem and asked him, "This is the first time I've encountered such a situation. In your opinion, Lord Lingzhou, how should we handle this?"

Fu Zhi was taken aback at first, then chuckled and said, "What's so difficult about that? Isn't it very simple?"

Liu Xian asked curiously, "Simple?"

Fu Zhi asked Fu Chang to bring him a bowl of tea. He took a sip and then said, "You're just too trusting. We're not living in the Han Dynasty! In the Han Dynasty, accepting gifts without a reason might be considered embezzlement. But in our Great Jin, as long as you don't do anything wrong or neglect your duties, it's just normal reciprocity."

“If someone gives you gifts and you accept them all but don’t do anything for them, who can say anything about it? You are the Commandant of the Capital Region! The power to interpret the laws of the country is in your hands. If you accept the gifts but don’t take them, consider it good luck for them. Whether they want to do things for you or not depends on your attitude.”

Fu Zhi spoke lightly, and Liu Xian found it amusing. He said, "So, becoming the Commandant of the Capital Region means becoming a tyrant?"

Fu Zhi laughed for a while, then straightened his posture and said, "It depends on the person. Ordinary officials can't be this kind of bully. I can't. But you can. Over the years, you've been incorruptible and upright. No one in the court has dared to say anything bad about you."

"Now everyone in Luoyang knows that you, Liu Huaichong, hate evil and are ruthless. When you were weak, even Jia Mi and Sun Xiu couldn't do anything to you, let alone now that you have the support of the three kings. Do you really think they expect to get anything from you? They just want to buy peace of mind, to make you hesitate more when you do things, so that you won't be unjust."

"That's the interesting thing about the world. Just because you, Huai Chong, don't like being a bully, you're already seen as a bully with no scruples in the eyes of the officials in the court."

Fu Zhi clapped his hands, pointed to himself, and said with emotion, "I thought that after serving as an official for decades and experiencing many ups and downs, I was already well-versed in the ways of officialdom. I never expected that the younger generation would be so formidable! You have walked the most difficult path of righteousness for more than ten years, and now you seem to have the air of an invincible benevolent person."

Liu Xian was somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this, and repeatedly said, "Lord Lingzhou, you flatter me." "Haha, there's no flattery at all. Having reached this point, the opinions of others are no longer important." Fu Zhi laughed, patted Liu Xian's shoulder, and pointed to the night sky outside the window, saying, "Huai Chong, Huai Chong, keep going well. I believe everyone is curious about how far someone like you can go."

Fu Zhi's optimistic words dispelled Liu Xian's doubts. He held the banquet as promised, and just as Fu Zhi had said, most of the gift-givers dared not come. Those who attended in person included about ten friends such as Zu Ti, Liu Kun, Liu Qiao, Jiang Tong, and Wang Cui, as well as Sima Yi, the Prince of Changsha; Lu Zhi, representing the Prince of Chengdu; Dong Ai, representing the Prince of Qi; and several elders related to Liu Xian, such as Ji Shao and Yue Guang.

Sima Yi specially toasted Liu Xian and said, "Huai Chong, without your assistance, the country would not be where it is today. Now that you have become the Commandant of the Capital Region, you will surely be able to act like Li Ying in upholding the law, so that the court will be upright and the people will be at peace."

Li Ying was a leader of the upright officials during the Later Han Dynasty. When he served as the Commandant of the Capital Region, he confronted the eunuchs directly, bringing order to the capital. Sima Yi used this as a metaphor for Liu Xian, clearly indicating his willingness to fully support Liu Xian in reforming the capital.

Liu Xian also admired Sima Yi. During this time, the Prince of Changsha was busy taking over the Imperial Guards, rectifying military discipline, providing relief to the poor and weak, and severely punishing lawbreakers. He was quite effective, and others said that he had the style of his brother, the Prince of Chu.

He replied, "I will certainly not disappoint Your Highness."

As he toasted and drank with his friends, Liu Xian recalled the ups and downs of his official career over the past ten years. He couldn't help but feel a little proud, but when he looked around, he noticed that a few people were missing from his side, and a sense of sadness arose. Then, thinking about his unfulfilled ambitions, he felt that he had a long way to go.

Liu Xian had an idea and said to Liu Kun, "Yue Shi, you have experience as the Chief Clerk of Sili. Now that I am to be the Commandant of Sili, how about you lend me a hand?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was in an uproar. Zu Ti joked from the side, "Huai Chong, you're using this as an excuse to seek repayment. That's not the behavior of a gentleman."

After all, all of Liu Xian's friends were highly self-important and ambitious. Over the years, even though they had a very good relationship in private, they never used it to seek personal gain in the officialdom. This was because they were too proud and did not want to owe anyone a favor, thus losing a position of power and being unable to remain friends.

However, Liu Kun was a natural follower of the King of Zhao. Although he would not be purged by the three kings due to the defection on the battlefield, he would likely find it difficult to gain important positions in the short term. Liu Xian felt this was a rare opportunity and wanted to recruit him.

In response, Liu Xian publicly stated: "Yue Shi, we were friends before, and no matter what position we hold, we will still be friends in the future. If you find a better place in the future, just tell me and you can leave at any time."

The crowd booed again, but their eyes involuntarily swept towards Liu Kun, waiting to see how he would respond.

Liu Kun hesitated for a moment, then laughed and said, "Huai Chong, it's no fun just talking. My price is very high. I won't go unless I'm a junior official."

The Biejia Congshi was the second-in-command of the Sili Prefecture. When the Sili Xiaowei was absent, he could act on behalf of the Sili Xiaowei. It was indeed a high-ranking and powerful position.

But how could Liu Xian refuse? Overjoyed, he took Liu Kun's hand in front of everyone and said with a smile, "Great! With Yue Shi's help, this is truly the most joyous occasion of the day!"

He was happy, but the other friends present had mixed feelings. Zu Ti sighed and said, "Huai Chong, I thought I could catch up with you in this campaign to serve the king, but unknowingly, you have already gone ahead of me."

Zu Ti is now a Grand Marshal, a low-ranking official position, but wielding immense power. He is involved in most military matters concerning the Prince of Qi. However, this is not a prominent position in the imperial court, which is why Zu Ti harbors resentment towards it.

However, this was just a minor incident at the banquet, and the overall atmosphere was still very pleasant. It was only towards the end of the banquet that an unexpected guest arrived.

"What? You said that Lord Ziya has come?" Liu Xian was extremely surprised to hear the news of Liu Song's visit, because Liu Song's illness was already very serious during the last peace talks. Could it be that he has improved now?

He rushed out to greet him, only to find that Liu Song was so ill that he could barely stand and needed servants to support him. Upon speaking with him, he learned that Liu Song had come to entrust his final affairs.

He said to Liu Xian, “Huai Chong, I have no son, only a daughter, so my disciples are essentially my descendants. I didn’t have many disciples in my life, but you are the most accomplished. You are my successor. I am about to die, and I have many books in my collection, all related to law. I don’t know who to pass them on to. Now that you have become the Commandant of the Capital Region, I will leave them all to you.”

After saying this, he had his servants unload all the books he had brought, which totaled eight large boxes. Inside were various criminal cases and Liu Song's own notes on adjudicating cases.

Liu Xian knew that this was Liu Song's life's work. He couldn't help but grasp Liu Song's hand tightly, carefully examining the over-seventy-year-old man. He found his palms icy cold, his body trembling, and with a slight touch, he could feel the bony bones beneath the skin. The once spirited tutor of the Prince of Shiping had now fallen to this state. Recalling the past, he sensed the old man's sorrow, released his hand, and solemnly bowed three times and nine times to Liu Song, performing the disciple's rites, saying:
"Teacher, rest assured, your student will definitely inherit your knowledge, carry it forward, and promote it throughout the world!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Song finally chuckled twice. He said no more, patted Liu Xian's forehead, and then waved goodbye.

Three days later, Liu Song died of illness at home.

Liu Song was the foremost legal scholar of his time. For decades, he devoted himself to the study of law, mastering all the criminal laws from the Qin and Han dynasties to the Wei and Jin dynasties. No one could surpass him, and some even considered him the greatest legal scholar of all time.

He was also the first legal scholar in history to propose the principle of "legality of crime and punishment." Other officials were convicted mostly based on the so-called spirit of the rule of law stipulated in the *Tai Shi Law*, using methods that questioned the defendant's conscience. However, Liu Song believed that judgments should be based on specific legal provisions; without detailed provisions, no conviction could be made. For this reason, he clashed with Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, several times, and was demoted several times, but his principles remained unchanged. During his tenure as Minister of Justice, every criminal case he handled was accepted with utmost respect, and he was compared to Zhang Shizhi, a famous minister of the Former Han Dynasty.

Regrettably, Liu Song dedicated his life to legal reform in the Jin Dynasty, aiming to abolish the vaguely worded *Tai Shi Law* and instead build upon and innovate upon the more detailed but less comprehensive *Han Law*. However, due to his low social standing and the fact that his ideas affected the interests of most powerful figures, his proposals were never adopted until his death. Even if he were to pass on his mantle to Liu Xian now, he could not foresee what would happen next. (End of Chapter)