Jinting Han people

Just before Liu Xian was about to lead his army back to Luoyang Palace, Sima Jiong was still numbly waiting for news from the East Gate in Mingguang Hall.

Sima Jiong should have been with the army and personally commanded such an important battle, but the raging fire that suddenly broke out in his sleep without warning, which burned down half of Luoyang, terrified him.

He was pulled onto horseback by Bian Cui, the Grand Secretary, and fled to the palace in a panic. Along the way, Sima Jiong seemed to be suffering from hysteria, constantly asking those around him, "What exactly happened? How did this fire start?"

But the only answers he received were the biting, knife-like wind and the silence of his subordinates.

This plunged Sima Jiong into utter confusion. He was dragged to the Mingguang Hall by his subordinates in a daze, where, like a puppet, maids changed his clothes, served him tea, lit a brazier, and wrapped him in a deerskin robe. Throughout this, he seemed completely oblivious to everything around him.

He simply stared blankly at what lay before him, trying to glean some profound truth from this void. After all, Sima Jiong had been burdened with far too many questions lately, almost like a mountain weighing him down, making it hard to breathe. If he couldn't figure these questions out, he wouldn't know which path to take next, or how to live his future.

Sima Jiong pondered deeply: What did I do wrong to end up like this? What did I do wrong? Why is Heaven so cruel to me?

To be fair, Sima Jiong certainly made mistakes in his life. But who doesn't make mistakes in their life? Who dares to say that all the choices they've made in their life were correct? If someone says that, then they certainly have no self-awareness whatsoever.

But Sima Jiong could say to others with a clear conscience: as a son, he was filial to his parents; as a subject, he was respectful to the emperor; as a prince, he did his best to maintain the stability of the state; even though he could have gained more, he restrained himself for the sake of more people.

Therefore, Sima Jiong can be considered a good person.

But along the way, he repeatedly encountered setbacks and turmoil. The more he did, the more mistakes he seemed to make, as if fate was playing a cruel joke on him. Just when he was about to see a turning point and hope, things always plummeted.

A year ago, Sima Jiong was still planning new reforms and pacifying Guanzhong. Now, he was locked in a fierce battle with the King of Changsha. How could he possibly fight against the King of Hejian and the King of Chengdu? He was filled with pessimism.

Is it possible that fate is not on my side?

Sima Jiong knew in his heart that the fire last night was likely caused by a traitor within his ranks. Yet, deep down, he felt it was a premonition from heaven, a sign that he was destined for failure. Sima Jiong initially couldn't accept this, but after so many upheavals, for some reason, he seemed to have become more accepting. Compared to endless turmoil, perhaps an end wasn't such a bad choice after all.

Only then did Sima Jiong come to his senses, and he learned that the King of Changsha was about to leave with the Emperor. Dong Ai and others immediately volunteered to fight for Sima Jiong, expressing their determination to recapture the Emperor. Sima Jiong watched these people speaking passionately and eloquently before him, neither denying nor affirming their claims, and finally simply said, "Then I'll listen to you."

What he really meant was, "Then let fate decide."

Sima Jiong no longer believed he could win, but as the commander-in-chief of the three armies, his fate was no longer just his own. He could not give up easily, but he did not know how to persevere.

So he sat in the Mingguang Hall, awaiting the final outcome of the battle. He ordered someone to bring him a zither and a pot of Yibai wine. After drinking the scalded wine, he listened to the distant shouts of battle. Sima Jiong felt his hearing becoming hazy, and his whole body felt hot. In his intoxicated state, it seemed as if he were the only person in the world. He gently stroked the zither strings and began to play the music of state rites.

This piece, titled "Xuan Fu Zheng," praises the great achievements of Emperor Xuan of Jin, Sima Yi, in seizing power through a coup. Its lyrics are as follows:

"Emperor Xuan, in assisting the emperor, was a man of profound virtue and wisdom. He restored order to the country and followed the will of Heaven. He recruited talented individuals, both civil and military, and carefully selected his children. His children were virtuous and passed down his teachings. He brought peace to the country and governed the people, transforming customs and traditions. He established the imperial foundation and his great achievements endured. His brilliance and virtue were truly magnificent. His merits benefited all generations and established the order of the universe. With the order established, clouds moved and rain fell, and the winds swept across the land."

This is the well-known Incident at Gaoping Mausoleum. Back then, Emperor Xuan lay low in his princely residence, enduring hardship and biding his time, before finally defeating Cao Shuang and laying the foundation for the Sima clan's power. At that time, he restored order, governed the people, and promoted agriculture, earning the love and respect of the gentry and the common people. This led to the prosperity of the country for decades to come, paving the way for the later conquest of Wu and Shu and the unification of the country.

At the beginning of his reign, Sima Jiong often used this incident to inspire himself, and thus frequently played this piece. But now, when he played it again, no matter how stirring and magnificent the melody was, he felt a sense of loss and emptiness, truly unsure of where his own fate and that of the country would lead.

When he finished playing the piece, he opened his eyes and found that there was a listener in front of him who turned out to be Zu Ti.

Instead of asking Zu Ti why he was there, he asked, "Shizhi, do you understand music theory?"

Zu Ti gazed at him calmly and replied, "I do not understand music theory."

Sima Jiong said, "It's a pity. I always feel that something is missing from this piece. Can you tell?"

He had hoped that Zu Ti would give some kind of answer, but to his surprise, Zu Ti said bluntly, "The Grand Marshal's zither playing lacks a bit of murderous intent."

"Killing intent?" Sima Jiong chuckled, muttering to himself, "Although I am not a bloodthirsty person, I did capture Empress Jia in the palace, led an uprising in Henan, and even killed my own brother. You actually say I lack killing intent?"

Zu Ti replied, “Grand Marshal, how can bullying others by abusing your power be called murderous intent? A true hero kills himself before killing others. If you are not prepared to die, how can you bear the retribution when those wronged souls come to claim your life after you die?”

Upon hearing this, Sima Jiong remained silent for a long time. As the King of Qi, he had never thought about what would happen after death. After all, he was still very young, not yet thirty years old. Hearing Zu Ti's words, he realized with a start that he had always been thinking about the glorious scene of success, but had never thought that he was so close to death, and that he truly did not have the courage to kill himself.

Zu Ti continued, “The only major event that a person can decide for themselves is their own death—when and how they will die. If one cannot overcome this hurdle, then life is but a dream. Confucius said, ‘If you do not know life, how can you know death?’ And the reverse is also true.”

Sima Jiong pondered these words for a long time. When he seemed to understand something, he wanted to say something to Zu Ti, but found that Zu Ti had already disappeared, just as he hadn't known when he had arrived. But Sima Jiong didn't mind. Instead, he asked for another pot of wine and drank alone in the hall.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the hall, far more real and tangible than the faint shouts of battle he had heard in the distance. There were the clanging of swords, the clatter of horses' hooves, and the groans of wounded men bleeding. These sounds conjured a horrifying image in his mind: blood flowing everywhere outside the hall, corpses strewn across the ground, and among them, his own.

He struggled to his feet, shaking his head, trying to go outside to see what was happening. But after only a few steps, he saw the Grand Secretary Bian Cui rush in, his face pale, and say to him, "Grand Marshal, hurry! Bandits are attacking!"

But Sima Jiong seemed not to hear these words and continued walking out of the hall until he reached the gate. The biting wind on his face finally made him less drunk.

He saw Qi soldiers in bright yellow armor fighting against black-armored cavalry on horseback before the main hall. But just as he had imagined, although the Qi army outnumbered them, they were caught off guard, and their main formation had been breached by the enemy cavalry. On the road trampled by horses' hooves, there were many corpses that could no longer rise, and black blood beneath them.

However, after breaking through the main formation, the Shanggu cavalry did not rush to inflict heavy casualties. Based on their battlefield experience, they concentrated their superior forces and used the mobility of their armored cavalry to attack the smaller formations that still had the strength to resist, repeatedly cutting them apart. Just like tigers among sheep, they pursued and drove away any enemy they encountered, aiming to completely disorganize and disrupt the Qi army, turning them into helpless lambs.

And so it was. The Qi soldiers became increasingly disorganized as the battle progressed. Every time they tried to retaliate, they were driven away by the hooves of the horses. No matter how much courage they had, they could not muster it when they were caught up in the chaos. After about 15 minutes, the soldiers in front of the palace completely collapsed. They scrambled to avoid the sharp edge of the Shanggu cavalry, undulating like waves. With each undulation, the cries of agony subsided, eventually creating a blood-red ripple.

The stench of rotting blood had already filled the hall. Bian Cui knew the situation was critical, so she quickly grabbed Sima Jiong's hand and pleaded with him, "Your Highness, hurry and leave! It will be too late if we don't leave now!"

Sima Jiong asked blankly, "Where to? Where should I go?"

Bian Cui said, "Go find Dong Longxiang and the others; there's still a chance if you go there."

After saying this, Bian Cui pulled Sima Jiong and fled towards the back hall.

Behind them, Han Tai was still organizing the defenses. However, he had essentially abandoned fighting in front of the palace, instead gathering a small number of armored soldiers who stood in formation on the steps, spears in hand, to block the enemy from pursuing them into the palace. At this time, Sima Jiong still had more than three hundred armored soldiers with him, who escorted him towards the back of the palace. If they left Mingguang Palace from there and then went through Daxia Gate, they could escape outside Luoyang City.

Little did Liu Xian know that he was prepared. He did not rush into the palace, intending to divide his forces and encircle the enemy. So he sent Gongsun Gong to block the back gate of Mingguang Palace. There were not many Qi soldiers at the back gate, and they were all killed by the Shanggu cavalry before they could even cry for help, leaving behind a field of corpses.

When Sima Jiong arrived, Gongsun Gong was already prepared for battle. Before the Qi soldiers could even leave the palace, he spurred his horse, brandishing his long spear, and charged towards Sima Jiong and his men with a shout. Before Sima Jiong could react, he saw one of his subordinates pierced through the chest and sent flying to the ground. Blood spurting from his chest splashed directly onto Sima Jiong's face, leaving warm, specks.

The group was shocked. Bian Cui quickly ordered her subordinates to hold them off, and then pulled Sima Jiong back into the palace. The palace was now empty except for the serving maids and Sima Jiong's family, all of whom were sobbing. The sounds of fighting mingled with the sounds of battle, creating a chaotic and unsettling atmosphere.

Upon hearing this sound, Sima Jiong asked Bian Cui with a wry smile, "Xuanren, what should we do now?"

Bian Cui didn't know what to say, because this was an inescapable dead end, but he still refused to admit defeat, and said with his head down, "Grand Marshal, persevere, there is hope if we persevere."

"A turning point? Where is there a turning point?" Sima Jiong looked towards the top of the palace and said self-deprecatingly, "I am so incompetent that I have caused you all to have to make amends for me time and time again. What good will it do if we continue to fight?"

Bian Cui was somewhat confused and asked, "Your Highness, but what else can you do if you don't fight now?"

Sima Jiong made up his mind and said, "I have already taken many lives along the way, and there is really no need for me to implicate others any further."

"I plan to surrender. If I surrender, I might still have a way to survive."

He said this, but in reality, Sima Jiong knew that, judging from the results of the previous coups, surrendering would likely mean certain death. But he was unwilling to struggle any longer. Even if he did leave, what good would it do?

The thought of the countless challenges that awaited him in the future made Sima Jiong feel that death would be preferable. He only regretted that he hadn't been able to make up his mind before, and had suffered so much torment for nothing.

Before Bian Cui could offer any further advice, Sima Jiong turned and went back into the palace. He drew his sword and found a piece of white cloth inside the palace curtains. His sword was a fine one, but his hand trembled, so he had to make two or three cuts before he could cut the cloth off.

Then he found a long pole, hung a white cloth on the top of the pole, and in the same way, draped a white cloth over himself. Then he picked up the white flag and walked out, saying as he went, "Sima Jiong is here! Do not kill him anymore! Qi King Sima Jiong has surrendered!"

Perhaps because he had been drinking, he tried to shout, but his voice wouldn't come out. But everyone on the battlefield heard him, and they all turned their gaze to Sima Jiong and the white flag in his hand. Before they knew it, the fighting on the battlefield had stopped.

Several knights spurred their horses down the steps and galloped towards Sima Jiong. The armored soldiers on the steps tried to continue protecting him, but Sima Jiong stopped them and shouted for them to leave. Then, Sima Jiong broke away from the crowd and walked up to the enemy knights.

Liu Xian dismounted, removed his helmet, and said to Sima Jiong, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Qi."

Sima Jiong looked him up and down, and seeing that his armor was covered in bloodstains, he gritted his teeth and said, "So it was you. I can't say I was wronged to lose to you."

But as soon as he finished speaking, he realized that his life and death were in someone else's hands, and fear rose in his heart. Sima Jiong tried to appear calm and show the demeanor of Sima You's son, but it was obviously not very effective. His face was as pale as paper, his hands and feet felt weak, and he almost couldn't hold the white flag in his hand.

Liu Xian, however, showed no intention of mocking him. He gazed at him intently and asked, "Has Your Highness Prince Qi made up your mind?"

These words brought Sima Jiong back to reality. All his fear and hatred vanished, leaving only a light, self-deprecating tone. He said, "I was just an overconfident person who had a very long dream. Now I've woken up."

He took off his belt and handed it to Liu Xian, saying, "Tie it up. I just hope that this matter will be over after this."

At that moment, all the surviving Qi soldiers present, including Bian Cui, knelt on the ground, many weeping softly, tears streaming down their faces. Even Liu Xian himself was moved by Sima Jiong's composure at that moment, thinking to himself: "The King of Qi enjoys such popular support; among his peers, perhaps none can compare. He truly lives up to the reputation of Sima You's son."

Liu Xian did not bind Sima Jiong, because there was no need to. He simply had Sima Jiong mount his horse, and then a group of knights surrounded him and immediately took the Prince of Qi hostage and led him out of the palace. At this time, the sounds of fighting could still be heard outside the city, and after walking only a few dozen steps, one could see the dead lying piled up in the ditch below the wall.

Upon seeing this scene, Sima Jiong closed his eyes slightly, as if remembering something, and said to Liu Xian, "Lord Liu, if I am killed, please grant me a favor."

"Please say."

“My sons are still young and have committed no crime. It is enough to imprison them in Jinyong City, but to implicate them further would be too much of a punishment. If the King of Changsha intends to kill them, I hope that Lord Liu can help me save my sons’ lives.”

"It's nothing serious, I'll help."

After the conversation, the Songzi camp appeared on the west side of Jianchun Gate. The Qi King's soldiers, who were fighting fiercely, were all shocked to see that their lord had surrendered. Dong Ai, who was still in charge of the battle, was particularly bewildered and asked, "When did the bandits leave?"

He then swung his sword at the stone, breaking his own blade in two, and angrily exclaimed, "Does the Grand Marshal intend to harm me?! With our lord dead, how can we possibly live?!"

But the die was cast, and it was too late to say anything. The Qi soldiers had completely lost their will to fight. Even though they charged forward several times, killing thousands of enemies in a few hours, and thousands more perishing on the battlefield, they still needed someone to pledge their loyalty to. At this moment, they could only lay down their weapons and make way for the Songzi camp.

When Liu Xian brought Sima Jiong back to Jianchun Gate, he saw Sima Yi taking off his shirt and treating an arrow wound on his arm; he had also been shot by an arrow.

All around him lay the corpses of those shot down, a testament to the ferocity of the battle. Had Sima Jiong personally led the charge and boosted morale, there might have truly been a chance to reclaim the emperor.

However, this is just speculation. The reality is that this coup has exhausted everyone's energy, and everyone is completely worn out.

Sima Yi and Sima Jiong stared at each other for a moment without exchanging a word. After applying the medicine, Sima Yi put his clothes back on. Then, he personally tied Sima Jiong with ropes, dragged him to see the emperor, and publicly recounted Sima Jiong's crimes. He then ordered on behalf of the emperor that Sima Jiong be beheaded outside the Changhe Gate.

Sima Jiong didn't say much, but as he was being dragged away, he kept glancing back at the emperor, seemingly wanting to speak but holding back. This made the emperor feel reluctant to let him go, and he considered saving him. But it was too late to change anything. Shangguan Si, as the executioner, forcibly dragged the Prince of Qi to the front of the Luoyang Palace and beheaded him as a warning to the public.

The entire Qi army surrendered, and Qi military officers such as Dong Ai, Ge Yu, Lu Xiu, and Han Tai, who had fought valiantly on the battlefield, were imprisoned. The next morning, in order to eliminate future troubles as soon as possible, Sima Yi, following precedent, also executed all these military officers and their families, resulting in the deaths of more than two thousand people.

Thus, the once-powerful Qi King's faction officially came to an end.

But this does not mean the struggle is over.

Three days later, Li Han led the main army of the Western Expeditionary Army and once again besieged Luoyang. (End of Chapter)