Jinting Han people

After everyone gathered at Xuezhuang, in order to maintain secrecy, Liu Xian immediately used the pretext of hunting to go to the hunting grounds of Yunqiu Mountain in Fenbei to discuss matters.

Yunqiu Mountain is a branch of the Lüliang Mountains, boasting beautiful scenery, numerous strangely shaped rocks, and a rare year-round ice cave, historically considered a popular place for Taoist practice. However, at this time of year, the weather is cold, so few people visit, and the mountains and forests are exceptionally tranquil.

Liu Xian and his companions stayed in a wooden hut that hunters used as a temporary resting place. The hut was simple, but at least it had a brazier for warmth. It was here that Liu Xian discussed matters with his old friends.

The meeting took place in the evening. After a stroll through the mountains, they caught two rabbit burrows and shot two foxes. Back in the cabin, they skinned and roasted the meat while discussing current events.

Liu Xian first asked Lü Song, "How is Lord Zhang of Xinping County doing now?" He had not received any definite news when he last met Li Han, so now that he had met one of his own, Liu Xian naturally wanted to know more.

Niyang and Xinping are close by, so Lü Song naturally knew the details. He said, "Prefect Zhang has not been given important positions in the past two years and is very disappointed with the Prince of Hejian. He has repeatedly thought of resigning, but every time he submits his resignation, the Prince of Hejian rejects it."

Liu Xian chuckled upon hearing this. This was indeed the Zhang Jingwu he knew—passionate yet somewhat pedantic. Most people, if they disagreed with their lord, would simply resign and quietly retire. But this Zhang Jingwu repeatedly submitted his resignation, waiting for his superior's approval before leaving. Only he could probably pull off something like that.

Hearing this, Li Ju also agreed, saying, "I understand Brother Jingwu's feelings. Alas, in the past two years, the country has been in a critical moment, constantly on the verge of collapse. The King of Hejian has actually aided and abetted the tyrant, first siding with the Hou Party, then with the King of Zhao, and now he even has the intention to carve out his own territory and seize power. How can one not feel disheartened by such disregard for the overall situation?"

Although he had become much more composed, Li Ju's political views remained unchanged. He always advocated prioritizing the overall situation, believing that since scholars and princes enjoyed the court's preferential treatment, they had a responsibility to seek the well-being of the people, and making some compromises on interests was perfectly justifiable.

But He Ganlin, who was standing nearby, had a different opinion. He said, "General Li is right, but in my opinion, this Prince of Hejian is quite capable! At least in the last two years, he has not collected much rent or imposed heavy corvée labor. Apart from collecting some commercial taxes, he has reclaimed land, recruited refugees, and pacified the border. Everyone's life has improved a lot. It's just that he has been conscripting soldiers recently. Otherwise, everyone would say that things are even better than during the Taikang era."

Sun Xi sneered, "This is just a show before the war even starts. If we really wait until the two sides start fighting, I don't know how many people will be crushed by the annual supply of grain to the front lines."

No one could refute this statement, and everyone fell silent.

Liu Xian disagreed with this statement, because Zhang Fang had already told him about the corresponding plans. According to Zhang Fang's cannibalistic mentality, there might not actually be any logistical pressure, but revealing this truth would probably be more terrifying than paying taxes.

But fear can breed motivation, and the time for a showdown has finally come.

Liu Xian glanced at his old friends, took a sip of tea, and slowly said, "What you've said are just small things. You need to broaden your horizons."

"Oh? What are your thoughts, brother?" Li Ju asked.

Liu Xian put down his cup and sat up straight, saying:
"We must see that the Sima clan has reached a point where it is beyond redemption. The princes above cannot love and help each other, the scholars below like to stir up trouble, corruption is rampant among officials, and people's lives are treated like dirt. Although the state has not been completely destroyed, it is on the verge of collapse. The world will be in turmoil, and heroes will vie for power. This is probably only a matter of two or three years."

This was a premonition shared by everyone, but most were unwilling to think about it, because in such an apocalyptic future, one cannot expect anything from their own future. However, after Liu Xian pointed it out, they couldn't deny it, because all the signs were so obvious and there was no way to avoid them.

"Why did you call us here, brother?"

All eyes turned to them. They all knew that Liu Xian had gathered them together because he had something heartfelt to say. In fact, having waited this long, they could roughly guess what Liu Xian was going to say. But guessing and hearing it with their own ears were two different things.

Liu Xian looked at his outstretched palm and solemnly said:
“I dare not hide it from everyone. I am proud to be a descendant of Zhaolie and have always had the ambition to restore the Han Dynasty and relieve the people from their suffering. But I know that the road is difficult. Emperor Wu of Jin spared the lives of dozens of my family members, which is a great kindness. If I had betrayed Jin and started a rebellion in my early years, I might have been unethical and would have been condemned by the world.”

"But now I have served the Jin dynasty for more than ten years, assisting three kings. I can say that I have done my best for the Jin dynasty and have no regrets. Yet the country is getting worse and worse, which is regrettable. If this continues, what will we gain? It is clear that Heaven is not on Jin’s side. Therefore, from today onwards, I plan to start a rebellion to revitalize the Han dynasty and bring peace and prosperity to the people. I hope that you will all lend me a helping hand."

After saying that, he clenched his fist, bowed to the crowd, and waited for their response.

The first to speak up was Lü Song, who said excitedly, "I knew it all along. How could a hero like Lord Liu possibly be subservient to someone else? Our clan has long been prepared to help you achieve your great cause!"

Since he had already said so, and the others were all Liu Xian's staunch supporters who had no goodwill towards the Jin dynasty, how could they disagree? They all expressed their willingness to pledge their loyalty.

The only thing that Liu Xian was really interested in was Li Ju's opinion.

Li Ju did not immediately respond, but instead lowered his head in deep thought, seemingly reminiscing about the past. After a while, he asked Liu Xian, "With your wisdom and resourcefulness, it is indeed not difficult for you to carve out a territory. But given your status, it would be difficult for you to take your family with you from Luoyang. If you cannot take your family with you, what do you plan to do?"

This had nothing to do with Liu Xian's words, but Liu Xian understood that his sworn brother wanted to test his loyalty. He smiled and said calmly, "Shi Hui, I will treat the descendants of the Sima family leniently. In exchange for this, I will ensure the safety of my family."

These words, spoken with an air of grandeur and authority, finally won over Li Ju. He cupped his hands and said with a smile, "It seems that you have it all figured out, brother. I am willing to be your vanguard and pave the way for you!"

Upon hearing Li Ju's agreement, Liu Xian was overjoyed. This was precisely his primary purpose in coming to Hedong; without winning Li Ju's favor, all other arrangements would be meaningless. But with Li Ju's help, he had at least a 60% chance of success.

Now it's time to formally detail the plan.

"Good! Good!" Liu Xian grabbed Li Ju's hand and held it tightly with both hands. He said, "Shi Hui, I want you to be the governor of Hedong. What do you say?"

"Prefect of Hedong?" Li Ju was taken aback. He was somewhat incredulous. "Brother, the appointment and removal of this position is probably not something you can control, is it?" This was not because Li Ju did not believe in Liu Xian's abilities. If it were a prefect in an ordinary place, perhaps Liu Xian could arrange it through connections. However, the position of Prefect of Hedong was too prominent, and there were often multiple forces vying for power. It was difficult for an individual to control it.

It should be noted that during the Han Dynasty, the Imperial Guards were traditionally known as the "Three Rivers Cavalry." The Three Rivers refer to the three commanderies of Henan, Henan, and Hedong, meaning these three commanderies were prosperous and served as the source of soldiers for the capital region. Hedong Commandery, located west of the pass, was particularly renowned for its martial prowess. Sima Yi's success in overthrowing Cao Wei was largely due to his heavy reliance on talented individuals from Hedong. For example, the Pei clan of Wenxi and the Wei clan of Anyi were prominent families in Hedong. In such a place, appointing someone like Li Ju, from a humble background, as governor was simply too conspicuous.

Liu Xian explained, “Shi Hui, times have changed. These are extraordinary times, and many old rules no longer apply. Once the King of Hejian and the King of Qi go to war, the main battlefield will definitely be Hongnong and Henan, but Hedong will also become the front line.”

He used a twig to draw two lines on the soil inside the house, pointing to the lower line and saying, "The King of Qi has many soldiers, and the King of Hejian has fierce generals. If they confront each other in such a narrow terrain surrounded by mountains as Hongnong, it will be difficult to determine a winner in a short time."

Liu Xian then pointed to the line above and said, "In this way, the importance of Hedong becomes apparent. Whether it is the King of Hejian sending an army from Hedong to bypass Hebei and attack the capital region, or the King of Qi sending troops from Hedong to cross the river and attack Chang'an, it would be enough to change the course of the war."

"However, it must be said that Hedong is inconvenient to communicate with Luoyang, but it is only separated from Guanzhong by a river. If the General of the Western Expedition wants to fight for Hedong, it can arrive in just a few days, but it will take more than a month for the King of Qi. Therefore, if the King of Qi wants to appoint a new governor in Hedong, there is a risk that he will be isolated in Guanzhong and be attacked and destroyed by the King of Hejian."

"If he were rational, he wouldn't let his subordinates take this risk. He would rather defend passes like Zhiguan and Tianjingguan and engage in a war of attrition at those passes."

“But if I recommend you, Shi Hui, to be the governor of Hedong, there will be no such worries. You are a poor scholar with an upright background, and you made great contributions in suppressing the rebellions of Hao San and Qi Wannian. What is most commendable is that you retired after your achievements, without clinging to power, which shows your noble character and integrity. This will put the King of Qi at ease. As long as you can stand here, stick to the court, and not obey the orders of the King of Hejian, keeping Hedong from fighting, that will be a great achievement.”

"So, Shi Hui. Are you confident you can handle this position?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ju finally understood that this was a gamble for Liu Xian. If Li Ju could establish a foothold in Hedong Commandery and hold out until the King of Hejian was defeated, then Liu Xian would have a truly trustworthy base of operations and a foundation for raising an army to contend for the world. But if Li Ju failed, then Liu Xian's next opportunity to raise an army would be uncertain.

Li Ju felt a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, but he also knew that Liu Xian trusted him and had entrusted him with such an important task. He hesitated for a moment and asked:
"Brother, I'm afraid it would be difficult for me to do it all by myself."

Liu Xian smiled and pointed to the people around him, saying, "Of course, it's not just you. Shi Hui, they will all help you."

Then he took out a list from his pocket, handed it to Li Ju, and solemnly said, "This is all the connections I have in Guanzhong. It includes not only my old friends from my homeland in Hedong, but also some of my friends in the Western Expeditionary Army, and my former subordinates in Xiayang County and Beidi County. You can make use of them."

"From this day forward, your orders are my orders. If anyone disobeys you, you can send me a message and I will take care of it for you."

"But the most important issue here still depends on yourself. Shi Hui, the King of Hejian is a ruthless man. You need to risk being targeted by him, which could be political slander, assassination, or even a large army pressing in. But no matter what, I hope you can stay here. Can you do it?"

Having said all that, Li Ju took a deep breath, solemnly drew an arrow from his quiver, and declared to everyone:
"Heaven and Earth bear witness, I, Li Ju, hereby swear that if I fail my brother's trust, my fate will be like this arrow!"

After saying that, he forcefully snapped the arrow in two with both hands, and everyone present was deeply moved.

Now that Li Ju had agreed, the remaining arrangements were quite simple. Liu Xian gave instructions to the remaining people one by one:
"Brother Sun, I intend to recommend you as the magistrate of Dongyuan County. As long as Shi Hui can serve as the governor of Hedong, the Zhiguan road will be of paramount importance. You will serve as Shi Hui's external support and manage affairs in Dongyuan. I want you to open up trade routes in Dongyuan and, incidentally, make contact between me and Shi Hui."

"Ji Da (Xue Xing), now that I've become the Commandant of the Capital Region, you can come to the capital to do business. With me in charge, no one will dare to make things difficult for you. Warhorses are in short supply right now, so don't sell them anymore. Just stockpile them in Hedong. I'll pull some strings for you. Once the trade route to Dongyuan is opened up, you can sell salt in Guanzhong! Use half of the profits to expand your business and the other half to help Shi Hui get in touch with Chang'an!"

"Please also tell Uncle Xue and the other uncles in Hedong that I don't need them to do much, but they must stockpile grain and build fortified villages. Make sure that if a major war breaks out, Hedong can truly hold its ground."

"Brother He Gan, please tell Zhi Nu (Xi An) to maintain relations with the Tuoba Xianbei as much as possible, and not to be stingy with money. If necessary, I may have to borrow a surprise force from them."

"Lü Song, go back and discuss with Qu Yang which tribes in Qin and Liang are working for the King of Hejian. Try your best to persuade them, claiming that the King of Hejian is unlikely to succeed, and ask them to remain neutral and not get involved in the conflict between the east and west..."

"..."

Liu Xian had been devising his plan to establish a foothold in Hedong for over two months. Now, he explained it point by point, his expression increasingly animated and radiant. Although the time for rebellion hadn't yet arrived, Liu Xian spoke as if he already foresaw the day of success. After speaking for nearly an hour, it finally came to an end. Liu Xian felt time had flown by, and a lingering sense of unfinished business remained in his heart, like a drop of dew falling into the ocean.

Most people were convinced by Liu Xian's plan. Although he said it would be difficult to establish a foothold in Hedong, if his plan were followed, most of the risks would be avoided. The only thing to worry about was his own safety.

Li Ju said, "Brother, what are your plans? Aren't you going to stay here a little longer?"

Liu Xian shook his head slightly and said, "No, I am still nominally in Xing County, and I haven't finished repairing the Bianying Canal in Henan. I can't stay here for long. I need to go back to Henan and find a good opportunity to legitimately obtain military power. Otherwise, if I rashly start a rebellion, Hedong is located at the crossroads of east and west. Without the court's permission, it will surely be attacked by both the east and west, and it will be impossible to succeed."

"Therefore, the best opportunity will probably come after the East-West war, when both sides are exhausted. Before that, I will continue to build up public support and connections in Henan, and win over as many people as possible to our side."

Liu Xian glanced at Li Ju and the others again and said solemnly, "The important matters of Guanzhong are now in your hands. When we meet again in Hedong, it will probably be the time for the uprising. Please take good care of yourselves."

Everyone wished each other well, imagining their future success, their hearts pounding with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. (End of Chapter)