Jinting Han people

As the situation evolved, Liu Xian indeed believed that the time was ripe for an uprising.

If we compare the Jin dynasty to a patient, after Sima Yan's death, the Jin dynasty's illness had already taken root in its head and was difficult to cure. At this stage, the lesions were not obvious, but the patient would occasionally feel dizzy and lightheaded, which would then lead to slow movements and clumsiness, although he could still take care of himself.

After Sima Yu was murdered, the Jin dynasty was declared terminally ill and beyond saving. However, this was only the initial stage of the illness, requiring bed rest. With proper recuperation and doing nothing, it could prolong its life for a while.

When Sima Lun usurped the throne and was subsequently killed, it was like a fatal blow to the head; instead of curing the headaches, it worsened the condition. Currently, the patient is still conscious, but nearly paralyzed on one side, with half of his hands and feet already unconscious.

But now that things have come to this point, whether we try to save him or not, the illness probably can't be delayed any longer. The patient's problem now is no longer how to prolong his life, but rather making a choice: whether to wait for the illness to flare up and cause death, or to opt for euthanasia. The outcome of death is irreversible.

For Liu Xian, the moment the patient died would be his chance to start his rebellion, his real chance to rise up.

Therefore, his trip to Hedong can be seen as a precautionary measure, making corresponding preparations for this long-awaited opportunity.

Because the matter was so significant, he had kept it a secret, not even speaking of it to his closest friends, lest he bring trouble upon himself. However, not long after their meeting, the old man, whom he had only met three or four times, exposed his true intentions.

But this exposure didn't surprise him. Or rather, when the old man spoke, he had a premonition that perhaps the meaning of his birth was to one day be able to sit in front of these old men and listen to them say these things.

But Liu Xian still didn't want to involve these old people, saying, "Uncle Xue, I appreciate your kindness, but this matter is of great importance, and I will make my own decision. It's not advisable to make a fuss about it right now."

Since establishing his ideal, Liu Xian has been thinking about restoring his kingdom every moment. But the problem is that his greatest asset, his identity as the heir of the Duke of Anle, is also his greatest shackle.

When Zhang Hua staged his demonstration at the 100-day celebration, no one wanted to be associated with Liu Xian. To put it nicely, he was a model of the court's benevolence, a loyal subject of the previous dynasty; to put it bluntly, he was the remnant of the previous regime that the court was most wary of. Every word and action of Liu Xian was subject to the most rigorous scrutiny. He couldn't enter officialdom like an ordinary person, couldn't freely interact with scholars, and couldn't even easily resign and retire to some deserted place for a long journey.

Liu Xian had to be under the constant watchful eye of the court; any indication of dissatisfaction would immediately result in severe repercussions. His current status as a staunch defender of morality was not solely due to the moral education of his mother and teachers, but also to the inevitable shaping influence of his environment.

For the same reason, many people who knew Liu Xian were intimidated by his status and unwilling to develop a close relationship with him. They kept many things that ordinary people could talk about to themselves. Very few scholars were willing to join Liu Xian's staff.

Now, with the development of the situation, these restrictions on Liu Xian have been relaxed a lot, but the last leg of a journey is the hardest, and it is precisely at this time that we must be more careful.

Therefore, he emphasized again: "Uncle Xue, you are already so old, you should rest more."

Xue Yi understood his predicament. When he first heard that Liu Xian had taken office as the magistrate of Xiayang, he had the same worries and therefore dared not meet with Liu Xian for a long time. But now, after learning about the specific political situation in the court, he couldn't help but be tempted.

The old man then said to Liu Xian, “Your Highness, I understand your thoughts. It’s not time to formally start an uprising yet. But you absolutely cannot exclude us old ministers… We were forced to leave our homes and were exiled here by Sima Zhao almost forty years ago…”

"Forty years, that's a long time, I can hardly remember it, yet it still feels so short. In the blink of an eye, I've grown old..."

“Forty years…” Hearing Xue Yi’s words, Liu Xian was somewhat bewildered. Forty years was longer than his lifespan.

After sighing, the old man said sadly, "Forty years have passed. Our previous generation, those who participated in the Northern Expedition, have all died of old age. Our generation, those who witnessed the chaos in Chengdu and knew that we were slaves of a conquered nation, are all over sixty years old, at the age of knowing one's destiny, and will not live much longer. As for the next generation, they were born in this era, and they have no longing for their homeland. How can this not break our hearts?"

“Your Highness, we have no other aspirations in this life but to bear the identity of slaves of a conquered nation and go to meet our ancestors. Perhaps this year, perhaps next year, perhaps next month, perhaps tomorrow. Even if you were to make up your mind to restore the country, we, who are halfway to the grave, would probably not live to see the day of your success.”

“But that is precisely why, Your Highness,” Xue Yi gripped his cane tightly, tapped it on the ground, and said earnestly, “I hope that when we die, we will have something to say, so that even when we meet the spirits of our ancestors, we can hold our heads high and tell them: ‘The nation is about to be restored!’”

The nation is about to be revived! As he said this, Xue Yi suddenly trembled as if he had been electrocuted, and a complex and tangled sadness appeared on his aged face.

Faced with such deeply emotional words, Liu Xian knew what he was thinking of. It must be the words the general had written before his death: "May Your Majesty endure a few days of humiliation, for I wish to restore peace to the nation from peril, and to restore brightness to the sun and moon from darkness."

No one expected that forty years would have passed in the blink of an eye.

After listening to Xue Yi's words, Liu Xian was deeply moved. He finally understood that restoring the kingdom wasn't just his own ideal, but also the unwavering belief of these old men. Although they usually buried this belief deep within their indifference, it would sprout and grow whenever there was even a glimmer of hope. And if he isolated them, even if he wanted to protect them, they wouldn't feel at ease.

Faced with such elderly people, he should trust them. Liu Xian thought to himself that this was the most renowned virtue of his family for hundreds of years; even after countless betrayals, they dared to believe. Moreover, the fact that these remnants of Shu Han were here was his family's mistake, and this was the compensation he should give them.

At this point, Liu Xian finally changed his mind and said, "Alright, Uncle Xue, I agree to your request. But please don't publicize it widely. You must promise me that you will only tell those you trust, and we will prepare for this together." "Good! Good! Your Highness!" Xue Yi's eyes shone with excitement. He seemed to have finally rediscovered his original intentions and immediately began writing letters to his old friends.

In fact, Liu Xian's concern that the elderly might leak secrets was somewhat unnecessary. Xue Yi contacted trusted old friends, who were around the same age as him, in their sixties or seventies. As Xue Yi said, they were all old and frail, with various illnesses, and unable to travel regularly, so they could only communicate by letter.

Within four or five days, about sixty letters were received in response. They came from different Shu Han descendants, including members of the Zhuge, Pang, Ma, Jiang, Chen, Huang, and Wu families. The letters were short but conveyed the same message: "Please give the order, Your Highness. We are willing to go through fire and water and die for whatever you ask."

Although brief, Liu Xian found it to be the most moving statement, even bringing him to tears. To leave no trace, after writing down the list, he burned the letters, thinking as he burned them: having come this far, he must succeed.

Meanwhile, Liu Xian was also secretly gathering his old subordinates. In the past few days, he also wrote to Pingyang, Xiayang, and Niyang, informing Li Ju, Xi An, Lü Quyang, and others to secretly send someone to meet with him, and specifically instructed them not to expose this to the General Headquarters of the Western Expedition.

The first to return was Xue Xing, who had been doing business elsewhere. As he had told Liu Xian beforehand, he had been running a horse trading business for the past two years. In October, he went north to the Hetao region to buy horses from the Tuoba Xianbei. This was the time when the horses were at their fattest, and he wanted to select some good stallions. He happened to be returning from his southward journey, bringing back more than ten stallions, about two hundred mares, and about two thousand Hetao lambs.

Upon seeing Liu Xian at home, he was initially dazed, as if he were dreaming, but then he laughed excitedly and asked Liu Xian, "Lord County Magistrate, when did you arrive?"

After saying that, he quickly rummaged through the goods and found a jar of local medicine with a fishy smell. He gave it to Liu Xian and said, "I remember you have suffered many arrow wounds. This is a local medicine that the Xianbei people use to treat arrow wounds. It is very effective. You can rub it on yourself from time to time. It may have a miraculous effect."

The second person to be sent was Xi An, the magistrate of Xiayang, who lived only across the river. It would only take about two hours to cross by taking a side road and then the Longmen Ferry. However, he could not leave the county, so he sent a trusted acquaintance.

This man was He Ganlin, a native of the Hu people in Xiayang County. During the rebellion of Qi Wannian, Liu Xian had given many important positions to the two Hu tribes in Xiayang. After the rebellion was quelled, the two Hu tribes, being illiterate, could not take up official positions in the Western Expeditionary Army, but they received a lot of land and rewards. After returning home, the two tribes' assets had grown considerably, and their lives were naturally different from before, becoming more and more prosperous.

He Ganlin said to Liu Xian, "My lady! When will you lead us into battle again? We all want to live a better life!"

This made Liu Xian chuckle. He said, "There will always be an opportunity."

The third messenger to arrive was Lü Quyang of Niyang. As Liu Xian's junior brother, Lü had recommended him to be the magistrate of Niyang before Liu Xian left the Western Expeditionary Army. It is said that his prestige among his clan had greatly increased, and many members of the Lü clan of Lueyang came to join him. Like Xi An, he could not leave the county at will, so he sent his younger brother to meet him.

His brother was named Lü Song, and he ranked fourth among his peers, hence the nickname "Fourth Brother." This was Lü Song's first time meeting Liu Xian, but he was extremely respectful. After bowing three times to Liu Xian, he immediately said, "I have long admired Lord Liu's name, and today I finally meet you!"

Then, he said something that astonished Liu Xian: "You are a descendant of the Han Dynasty. Our entire clan will follow Lord Liu. Whatever you ask for, we will grant it."

It turns out that the reason why the Lü clan of Lueyang has the surname Lü has a story behind it. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the Lü clan rebelled, and Zhou Bo and Chen Ping led the people to quell the rebellion, laying the foundation for the stability of the Former Han Dynasty. At that time, Longban was not yet under the control of the Han Dynasty. A Han man went up Longban and entered the Qiang and Di tribes, claiming to be Lü Wenhe, a relative of Empress Lü. He multiplied and lived in the area, and his descendants took Lü as their surname.

Although the Lü clan had a blood feud with the Han dynasty, Lü Wenhe also inspired the Qiang and Di peoples to aspire to Sinicization. To this day, they are among the most Sinicized Qiang and Di tribes. Now, upon hearing that Lü Quyang had made contact with Liu Xian, the tribesmen were overjoyed, believing it to be the will of Heaven. They believed that with the Lü clan assisting the Liu clan, they would surely achieve great things and shed their barbarian reputation.

Therefore, Liu Xian suddenly gained an ally.

Finally, Li Ju arrived late. As Liu Xian's sworn brother, he had been living in seclusion in Pingyang for years, studying and honing his martial arts skills. His residence was not easy to find, which took him some time.

When Liu Xian saw Li Ju again, he came to greet him. Both of them were extremely happy and excited, first embracing each other, and then looking each other over. After two years of growth, Li Ju had shed the last trace of his naivety. He was no longer the young man who wore his heart on his sleeve. Instead, he had gained a sense of maturity, and his selfless smile exuded a charming and approachable quality.

Li Ju joked, "Brother, these days since we parted have been filled with worry and fear. Two years have passed, and I can say that I have fulfilled my trust and returned my sister-in-law to you."

Having said that, he hurriedly went to the carriage behind and pulled back the curtain, whereupon a woman was seen leading a child out. Although the woman was wearing a hood and a veil, her figure was graceful and her hair was piled high like clouds. Her eyes, visible through the veil, were full of affection, and one glance revealed her to be an absolute beauty.

The winter wind howled as the newcomer brushed a strand of hair aside and casually removed her veil, revealing a face that was unforgettable. Although Liu Xian had already guessed, he was still both surprised and delighted when their eyes met. The newcomer was none other than Green Pearl, and the young boy standing beside her, holding her hand, was Liu Xian's eldest son, Liu Lang.

Liu Lang is eight years old this year, but because he rarely sees Liu Xian, he is still somewhat timid even though he recognizes Liu Xian. Green Pearl bent down, pulled him in front of her, and whispered, "Quickly, serve the medicine, quickly call your father."

But Liu Xian couldn't wait any longer. He picked up Fengyao in front of everyone, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and his son cheered. Liu Xian pulled Lüzhu aside and sighed, "Fengyao is growing up so fast! In about two years, I probably won't be able to carry him anymore."

Those present couldn't help but laugh at the heartwarming scene. But Green Pearl felt little joy at the reunion; instead, she felt a pang of sadness. She knew Liu Xian all too well, and she knew what this reunion meant. This reunion was only temporary. The man before her, who had been lying low for over a decade, was finally about to take his first step out of his shackles, beginning his gamble with fate as a chess player.

Every move from here on will be a matter of life and death for everyone. (End of Chapter)