Jinting Han people

Sima Jiong's questioning was the same question posed by the Qi King's faction.

The Prince of Hejian's submission of the impeachment petition was tantamount to declaring war on the Grand Marshal's office. In the midst of war, there was no room for kinship, only life and death. Sima Yi, who had reportedly brought Li Han a secret edict declaring his intention to depose the Grand Marshal and send him back to his residence, was undoubtedly their target.

Sima Yi straightened his posture and slowly replied, "Reporting to the Grand Marshal, I truly know nothing of this memorial, nor have I heard of any secret edict."

But this statement was clearly unconvincing. In the silent hall, the other officials, though not daring to whisper among themselves, couldn't help but exchange glances and express their disbelief upon hearing this.

Ge Yu was known for his fiery temper. As soon as Sima Yi finished speaking, he immediately stood up and angrily rebuked Sima Yi, "Lies! Didn't Li Han go to your residence the night he escaped? You dare to say you knew nothing about it?"

Faced with such aggressive accusations, Sima Yi merely glanced at him, as if looking at a mosquito, without uttering a single word. The reason was simple: the difference in their social standing was too great, and Sima Yi's pride made him unwilling to respond to the questions posed by these lackeys of the King of Qi.

However, escalating the conflict under such a tense atmosphere was absolutely undesirable. Seeing that Ge Yu's face had turned purplish-red and that Sima Yi was still unwilling to defend himself, Liu Xian took the initiative to mediate, saying, "Lord Ge, this is precisely Li Han's conspiracy to frame General Huo Qubing!"

"Conspiracy? What conspiracy?"

Liu Xian quickly said, "Please think this through, Lord Ge. If the General of the Cavalry really colluded with the Prince of Hejian and fabricated such a secret edict, why would he not try to conceal it and so openly summon Li Han to discuss it? And why would he let Li Han leave that night? If these actions are exposed, wouldn't they put the General of the Cavalry in a deadly predicament? Is the General of the Cavalry such an unwise person?"

"Unwise?" Dong Ai sneered twice, stroking his chin and questioning, "Over the past year, there has been a great deal of discontent in Luoyang, with rumors spreading everywhere. I think it's possible that someone doesn't take the Grand Marshal seriously."

Dong Ai emphasized the last sentence. His meaning was clear: he was blaming Sima Yi for all the rumors circulating in Luoyang these days that were unfavorable to the King of Qi.

Sima Jiong's gaze swept over the silent Sima Yi, his suspicion deepening. He coughed slightly, and before he could speak, Liu Zhen immediately stood up and shouted, "Lord Dong is right! I think the Prince of Changsha is a treacherous minister who has been instigating conspiracies all along. How can we show mercy to treacherous ministers!"

At this point, he directed the two strongmen behind King Qi, shouting, "What are you all standing there for? Quickly seize this gang of traitors and behead them in public!"

After saying this, he drew a knife, took a few steps forward, passed the crowd, and immediately approached Sima Yi.

Everyone was shocked. Wang Rong, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, knelt down and shouted, "It can't be like this! Grand Marshal, stop him!"

Even Sima Yi was shocked. He was about to get up when Liu Xian grabbed him and pressed him down. Liu Xian then stepped forward, shielding Liu Zhen and Sima Yi with his body, and grabbed Liu Zhen's knife with one hand. In his haste, he shouted to Sima Jiong on the platform, "Grand Marshal, are you trying to destroy a pillar of the state and repeat the mistakes of the traitor Zhao? Don't regret it later!"

The scene fell silent for a moment, and Sima Jiong's expression finally softened slightly as he asked, "What does 'Sili Xiaowei' mean? Tell me."

Liu Xian loosened his grip on the blade, knelt on one knee, and said, "Grand Marshal, isn't the Prince of Hejian spreading this conspiracy precisely to get you to kill the General of Chariots and Cavalry? Think about it carefully, when did Zhao the Rebel incur the wrath of the people? Wasn't it because he killed the Prince of Huainan, disappointing the world?"

"The Prince of Huainan is the Emperor's brother, and the Prince of Changsha is also the Emperor's brother. What loyal minister in the world would kill the Emperor's brother? At that time, wouldn't it be perfectly justified for the Prince of Hejian to attack you? I hope the Grand Marshal will think twice!"

As they were talking, Liu Xian stepped on Sima Yi's foot behind him. Sima Yi finally reacted and swore to the heavens, "Grand Marshal, I have absolutely no collusion with the Prince of Hejian! If I have done so, may I be struck down by heaven and earth!"

Seeing this, officials led by Wang Rong and Sima Yue all rose to persuade him, creating a noisy atmosphere in the room. Sima Jiong's expression finally returned to its usual warmth. He said to Liu Zhen, "Why did you draw your sword when everyone is discussing matters? Sit down quickly!"

As soon as he spoke, the room fell silent. After everyone returned to their places, he said to Sima Yi, "Liu Zhen is straightforward and outspoken, and may act rashly, but I admire his courage to think and speak. Please don't mind, General, it's all for the stability of the country."

Sima Yi nodded in agreement. Sima Jiong then said with a smile, "I reckon he wouldn't dare to behead him." Everyone laughed in agreement. However, in reality, the Changsha King's followers present were all sweating profusely.

Sima Jiong then said seriously, "Since it is a rumor spread by the King of Hejian, I will not pursue it for the time being."

"But the King of Hejian claims he will send 100,000 troops, and the King of Chengdu will also raise an army in response. What measures do you have to defend against the enemy?"

As soon as the words were spoken, silence fell again, this time not because of fear, but because of the difficulty; they truly did not know how to respond.

Logically, Sima Jiong should have consulted Sima Yi on this matter, as he was the General of Chariots and Cavalry, with the authority to oversee all military affairs, both inside and outside the capital. However, Sima Jiong clearly did not intend to let him speak, but instead turned his gaze to Wang Rong, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and said to him, "Lord Junchong, you are a famous general who destroyed Wu, why don't you tell us what to say?"

Wang Rong was already seventy years old this year, and his hair was completely white. He had no intention of getting involved in this topic, but since he had been chosen, he had no choice but to stand up straight and bow, saying, "Grand Marshal, before defending against the enemy, we must first make strategic calculations, compare the strength of both sides, and then make arrangements."

"The King of Hejian claims to have 100,000 troops, which must be a lie. It is true that the General Headquarters of the Western Expedition has 100,000 troops, but firstly, there is a rebellion in Bashu in the south, and Qinzhou in the west is loyal to the court. He cannot mobilize his entire army and must leave troops to defend. According to my estimate, the King of Hejian should be able to send 70,000 elite soldiers and 20,000 cavalry."

"But the problem is... how many troops will Hebei send?"

"The Northern Expeditionary Army originally had 140,000 soldiers, and since last year, it has taken over Ji Province. Ji Province is rich in resources and has a population of up to one million that can be conscripted. If the army is expanded slightly, it should not be a problem for the King of Chengdu to send 200,000 troops."

"Grand Marshal, with your current forces, how many men can you mobilize?"

This is a very acute problem, but one that we cannot ignore. The anti-Qi coalition has nearly 300,000 troops, while Sima Jiong's side has not only failed to grow stronger, but has actually declined.

When Sima Jiong attacked Zhao, he commanded an army of 400,000, claiming to have a million. Although his army was formidable, he prematurely exhausted the reserves of the Eastern Expeditionary Army, leaving insufficient provisions to mobilize such a large force.

During this period, in order to quell the rebellion in Shu and gain control of Yizhou, Sima Jiong ordered the Southern Expeditionary Army to send 30,000 troops from the Yangtze River into Shu to quell the rebellion, but they were unable to return to reinforce. At the same time, he ordered Liu Shen to lead an army of 50,000 from Guanzhong into Shu, but they were also held hostage by the Prince of Hejian.

As the saying goes, "one's strength diminishes while the other's falls," the forces Sima Jiong can currently mobilize are probably insufficient to overwhelm the anti-Qi coalition, and may even be at a slight disadvantage. This is under the premise that Sima Jiong's soldiers are not as skilled in battle as the coalition forces, and that his forces have not yet been fully mobilized.

In truth, these circumstances were no secret, and most of the officials present were aware of them. Therefore, when Wang Rong raised this question, the faces of Qi Wang's supporters, including Sima Jiong, were all displeased, and none of them wanted to answer. Dong Ai, still trying to maintain a show of authority, said, "With the Grand Marshal's reputation, a single call from him could garner over a million responses. Are you trying to boost the morale of others while diminishing your own prestige by asking this question?"

Seeing this, Wang Rong said, "If that's the case, the Grand Marshal should just send troops to quell the rebellion. Why should this old minister say more?"

Since he remained silent, the room fell silent once again. This time, however, it was Sima Jiong and his advisors from the Grand Marshal's office who found themselves in an awkward situation.

Sima Jiong coughed twice again and said in as calm a tone as possible, "I intend to send an envoy to the north to negotiate peace with the King of Chengdu. The King of Chengdu and I are allies who advocate righteousness. How could we turn to arms because of a little provocation from the King of Hejian?"

He then asked, "Who among you is willing to go?"

After a moment of contemplation, Sima Yue, the Director of the Imperial Secretariat, said, "Grand Marshal, perhaps Yan Fu is the most suitable candidate."

This is indeed the best choice. Yue Guang, the Minister of Personnel, is not only a leader of the aristocratic families but also the father-in-law of Sima Ying. His second daughter, Yue Can, is now the Princess of Chengdu. It would be most appropriate for him to be the envoy to negotiate peace.

But the last time the Northern Expeditionary Army marched south, Sun Xiu sent Yue Guang to negotiate peace, but the effort failed. Would this time be any different? Thinking of this, a dark cloud hung over the hearts of the officials present.
Le Guang readily agreed, but afterwards, Wang Rong still couldn't hide his pessimism about the situation and went straight to Sima Jiong to ask, "Grand Marshal, if Yan Fu fails, how does the Grand Marshal plan to deal with the enemy?"

Sima Jiong was naturally displeased. He said, "So what? It's just about raising troops to fight the enemy."

Wang Rong asked, "Does the Grand Marshal have absolute confidence in victory?"

Sima Jiong said impatiently, "So what if I have it? So what if I don't?"

Wang Rong kowtowed repeatedly, and then said, "My family has received the Jin dynasty's stipend for generations. Since the time of Emperor Xuan, I have followed the Jin dynasty through five reigns, and it has been fifty years now. The current situation is extremely precarious. Please forgive me for speaking my mind, even if it is unpleasant."

As the last of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, Sima Jiong could not refuse when Wang Rong put on such a sincere and open expression. In order to maintain his image of being courteous to scholars, even though he was unwilling, he could only say in his heart, "Jun Chong Gong, please speak freely."

Wang Rong straightened up with difficulty and said in a persuasive tone, "Grand Marshal, given the current situation, I'm afraid you can no longer stay in Luoyang."

"The King of Chengdu is in Hebei, and the King of Hejian is in Guanzhong. They are sending troops from both directions, heading straight for Luoyang. No matter how many troops you have, even without considering the time for mobilization, if you gather them all here, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Once war breaks out, the capital region will be reduced to scorched earth, the city will be reduced to ruins, the people will be displaced, and the nation will be devastated, regardless of the outcome of this war."

"By then, even if Your Highness wins, it will be as good as losing. What kind of court is it without Luoyang? At that time, there will be war everywhere, and bandits will run rampant. Will there still be any Jin dynasty left in the world?"

Wang Rong's words successfully moved Sima Jiong. He hadn't wanted things to come to this point; it was all Sima Yong's underhanded scheme, and he was simply reacting to his moves. If he had a better option, he didn't want to become a sinner in history. Therefore, his expression softened, and he asked, "Then, Lord Junchong, do you have any good ideas?"

Wang Rong sighed heavily and slowly said, "In order to quell this conflict, this old minister dares to offer a suggestion. Your mistake, Grand Marshal, is nothing more than a breach of etiquette, which is not serious. As long as you are willing to relinquish your power and position, take the initiative to resign, and return to your fiefdom, who can criticize you? This old minister is willing to guarantee with his life that as long as you uphold propriety and yield, your safety will be guaranteed."

After these words were spoken, the scene became eerily quiet. If the people were merely afraid to speak before, now they lowered their heads and dared not even make a glance.

Liu Xian saw Sima Jiong clench his fists, his eyes fixed on Wang Rong as if he wanted to devour him. In an instant, Ge Yu, standing before him, directly challenged him:
"What are you saying, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat? Back then, Sima Lun allowed Sun Xiu to change the calendar, and the whole world was in an uproar, but no one dared to take the lead. Who was it that risked arrows, personally donned armor, and charged into battle to achieve what we have today? It was the Grand Marshal!"

"Yes! The Grand Marshal's distribution of rewards and honors may indeed have been somewhat incomplete due to the complexity of the matter. However, the Three Excellencies' failure to heed advice and consider the affairs of the state, resulting in delays in the reporting of rewards and honors, is the responsibility of the Grand Marshal's office?!"

"Slanderous and rebellious acts like those of the Prince of Hejian deserve to be punished! How ridiculous that the person who forged the document could dismiss the Grand Marshal and send him home! Since the Han and Wei dynasties, countless princes and nobles have been dismissed and sent home, but since Cao Shuang, who has been able to keep their wives and children? Anyone who holds such views should be beheaded!"

Having said that, he looked at Liu Zhen, who immediately understood and drew his sword again to step forward. Faced with the gleaming blade, Wang Rong panicked, trembled, and immediately fell to the ground, struggling to get up but unable to. Before Liu Zhen could move forward, Sima Jiong slammed his fist on the table again and shouted, "Stop! Stop right now!"

He said to Liu Zhen, "The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat is a veteran official of five dynasties. What are you doing with that knife? Do you want to disappoint me?" He then turned to Wang Rong and asked, "Is Lord Junchong alright? Can he still stand up?"

Wang Rong stammered, "Reporting to the Grand Marshal, this old minister urgently needs to relieve himself. May I go to the toilet first?"

“Of course, it’s a small matter.” With that, he instructed a servant, “Take the Minister to the toilet.”

The servant helped Wang Rong disappear into the hall, but after a couple of quarters of an hour, no one returned. Could it be that he had been secretly executed by Sima Jiong? Just as everyone was worried about Wang Rong's safety, the servant ran back, covering his nose, and hesitantly said to Sima Jiong, "Grand Marshal, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat... he seems to have fallen into the latrine due to the effects of the poison... we need someone to pull him out..." As he spoke, his voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

Sima Jiong was taken aback. After hesitating for a moment, he frowned and said, "Send two people to rescue him and then send him back to his residence!"

He glanced again at the Changsha King's followers sitting in the hall, and couldn't help but snort coldly, saying, "Let's end the meeting here tonight, meeting adjourned!"

Only then did Liu Xian, Sima Yi, and the others breathe a sigh of relief, knowing they had survived this life-or-death ordeal. They looked at each other silently, but all felt a profound sense of relief at having escaped death.

After bidding farewell, the group returned to their respective residences. The staff of the Sili Prefecture were overjoyed to see Liu Xian unharmed, as if they had seen the dead come back to life. Liu Xian said to Liu Kun and the others, "I've only survived this one ordeal. Let's think about what's to come."

The rapidly changing political situation has forced Liu Xian to rethink his future plans. A major battle is imminent, but Sima Jiong doesn't trust the Changsha King's faction. Forget about regaining military power; even his survival seems uncertain. How should he proceed?
As Liu Xian was deep in thought, the next morning, he was shocked to find an arrow on the trunk of a willow tree in his backyard. A silk scroll was tied to the end of the arrow. When he opened it, he saw that the handwriting was familiar to him. It read: "After the meeting last night, the King of Qi and his staff discussed that if peace talks failed, they would have malicious intentions towards Changsha. You should think carefully."

The inscription was signed with four characters: "Old Friend of Jin Valley." (End of Chapter)