Jinting Han people

On the Jiazi day of the first month of the second year of the Tai'an era, Sima Yi held a grand court assembly in the Taiji Hall as usual, and all the officials went to pay homage to the emperor to congratulate him.

Because of the recent war, this grand court assembly was rather hasty. There were no graceful palace maids dancing in the halls, nor the elegant sounds of bells and chimes. Incense was scarce, and only countless braziers and candles illuminated the palace, highlighting its emptiness and desolation.

In this situation, people unanimously recalled the same event—the grand court assembly convened by Sima Jiong for the first time, a magnificent and lavish scene that was truly unforgettable. But who could have imagined that less than two years later, more than half of the important figures who participated at that time would have passed away?

The officials and nobles celebrating with the emperor in the court could even smell a faint stench of blood, the lingering, somber scent of the coup. Because of the war, by the time Sima Yi sent men to rebuild the palace, the blood of Liu Zhen and others had soaked in the halls for three whole days, and no amount of washing could remove it.

The ominous sign that appeared at the grand assembly cast a lingering shadow over the hearts of all those present.

Afterwards, Liu Xian returned home and had a reunion dinner with his family. Around 5:45 PM, he left the mansion and entered the palace again, heading straight to the Yunlong Gate tower.

Upon entering, one can see that Sima Yi, the Prince of Changsha, is lying on the bed with his upper body bare, while a maid changes the dressing on his injured arm. The smell of herbs is strong, but it still cannot mask the stench of his wound.

When Sima Yi saw Liu Xian arrive, he tried to get up, but then he aggravated his wound and had to lie down again. He pointed to the wound with his left hand and said to himself with a self-deprecating laugh, "The wound is oozing pus, how annoying!"

During the decisive battle at Jianchun Gate, an arrow flew from the Qi army and struck Sima Yi squarely in the right arm. The arrowhead was sharp and long, the kind specifically designed to pierce armor, and it lodged itself in the bone below the shoulder. Fortunately, it didn't pierce the main artery, and the arm was saved. However, how long the wound would require to heal was uncertain.

While Sima Yi was changing his bandages, Liu Xian sat on a seat to the side and waited. After about 45 minutes, Sima Yi finally sat up and apologized to Liu Xian, saying, "This should be a time for family reunion. I feel really bad for making you, Lord Sima, come and keep me company."

Liu Xian laughed and said, "Your Highness is joking. Countless people in the world covet this kind of hard work. What is there to feel bad about?"

Sima Yi summoned Liu Xian to the palace not for any other reason than to discuss the aftermath of the coup.

Nearly a month has passed since Sima Jiong was killed. Although Sima Yi was able to force the Western Army to retreat with the support of Sima Ying, this only temporarily solved one problem. In comparison, the political changes brought about by the death of the Prince of Qi had far more significant impacts.

First, there is the question of how to deal with the remaining members of the Qi King's faction.

Although Sima Yi had already temporarily executed over two thousand people as a precaution, the remnants of the Prince of Qi's faction in Luoyang were countless. Especially among the outer armies, there were approximately fifty thousand former subordinates of the Prince of Qi transferred from the Eastern Expeditionary Army. And in the court, the Prince of Qi's influence was not to be underestimated. Although Sima Jiong's most trusted advisors had been killed, what about the others? Almost everyone else had some connection with the Grand Marshal's mansion, including even Sima Yi and Liu Xian themselves.

This is only within Luoyang. Outside of Luoyang, in the vast expanse of southern China, whether the Qi King still obeys the imperial edicts after his death is also an unknown.

When Sima Jiong was alive, he appointed Sima Xin, Prince of Xinye, as the military governor of Jingzhou; Sima Xiao, Prince of Fanyang, as the military governor of Yuzhou; and Sima Mao, Prince of Dongping, as the military governor of Xuzhou. Apart from Jingzhou, which was under the jurisdiction of the Prince of Xinye, Yuzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Yangzhou, and other regions were all filled with Sima Jiong's former subordinates. Now that Sima Jiong was dead, how would these three princes react? Would they be swayed by Sima Jiong's former followers and resist the court? These were questions that Sima Yi could not help but ponder.

Secondly, there was the question of how to handle the relationship with Sima Yong, the Prince of Hejian.

Besides the remnants of the Qi King's faction, Sima Yong's faction also secretly resided in Luoyang, which led to the open and covert struggles between the two sides, forcing Sima Yi to launch a coup. Now that Sima Yi has become the new regent, Sima Yong's attempt to seize power has failed. Those Sima Yong's supporters lurking in Luoyang will inevitably cause further trouble. How to guard against them is a matter that Sima Yi needs to carefully consider.
Secondly, there was the war in Yizhou.

Because of the internal strife in Luoyang, the imperial court has been slow to send troops to aid Luo Shang. According to Luo Shang's battle reports, Li Te has won a series of victories in the past six months, successively capturing five prefectures: Guanghan, Zitong, Baxi, Wenshan, and Xindu. Recently, he even captured Shaocheng in Chengdu. Luo Shang can only hold out against him in the old city of Chengdu, but he is at risk of being forced to retreat at any moment. If Li Te advances further, the situation in Yizhou will become uncontrollable.

Besides these, there were also issues such as communication with the Prince of Chengdu, the rewards for the coup, and the compensation for the wounded soldiers—a multitude of problems at once. During this period, Sima Yi spent his days pondering these issues, but he couldn't reach a conclusion. As the new year began, some things could no longer be delayed.

However, in Liu Xian's view, Sima Yi's most serious problem right now is his own.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Liu Xian, Sima Yi slowly sat back down in his seat, flipping through the documents on the table with one hand. His face showed impatience. After a long silence, he suddenly sighed and said:

"Killing so many people, and all we get in return is this? It's laughable."

Liu Xian frowned upon hearing this, as it was not in line with Sima Yi's style.

In the past, Sima Yi was young and decisive, possessing an unstoppable vigor and vitality. Like a gust of wind, if something was placed on his desk in the morning, a result would be invariably available by the afternoon, without any delay or hesitation. Even if he later realized he had said or done something wrong, he wouldn't regret or feel remorse for his mistakes. Instead, he would readily admit his errors and then work doubly hard to do even better in the future.

But the current Sima Yi, perhaps due to his injuries, seemed to have lost much of his murderous aura. His speech was soft, and his movements were no longer as exaggerated. The resolute and strong edge in his eyes had softened, to the point that his actions even resembled those of Sima Jiong. This made Liu Xian worry: regarding the matter of killing the Prince of Qi, Sima Yi's heart was probably not as calm as it appeared on the surface.

However, as soon as he said it, Sima Yi realized that he had lost his composure and quickly said to Liu Xian, "Since taking this position, I have to think about scheming and infighting all day long. This is more annoying than being injured."

"Your Highness, please do your best."

Liu Xian certainly wouldn't blame Sima Yi, since he had previously believed that Sima Yi's choice to stay in Luoyang was unwise. However, it must be said that the struggle with the Prince of Qi completely disrupted Liu Xian's plans to leave the capital, causing him to become overly involved in the political infighting. After the coup, Liu Xian could no longer sever ties with the Prince of Changsha; their relationship was like that of Dong Ai to Sima Jiong, or Sun Xiu to Sima Lun—they were bound together by fate, sharing both glory and ruin.

On the bright side, Sima Yi's successful assumption of the regent position also means that Liu Xian, the leader of the Changsha King's faction, has also touched upon the core of power. If he can help Sima Yi stabilize the situation, he can also take the opportunity to expand his own influence. The only problem is, if the situation truly stabilizes and the numerous wars are quelled, how will the two get along?
Fortunately, the two are currently facing too many difficulties, and it will probably be a long, long time before they can think about this issue. Therefore, seeing Sima Yi's confusion, Liu Xian encouraged him, saying, "Your Highness, there is no need to be discouraged. Political matters are not much different from those on the battlefield. It's just a matter of you fighting your battles and me fighting mine. You are also a veteran of many battles. Even the Prince of Qi, with five times the number of troops, was no match for Your Highness. Why should you be afraid of those petty scheming men?"

When Liu Xian spoke these words, he was full of passion and fervor. Sima Yi looked at him and recalled the trials and tribulations they had gone through together over the past three years. He calmed down and nodded, saying, "What you say makes sense, Lord. However, there are just too many things to do. Where should I begin?"

Liu Xian had been pondering this matter for some time now. He had already gained some insights, so he offered his advice: "Your Highness, I think this matter is not difficult. In the final analysis, handling state affairs is nothing more than the two words: employing people."

"The reason why King Qi succeeded before was that he was able to get people, while the reason why he failed later was that he did not know how to use people. He could not promote the talented and made good use of the mediocre. He was unwilling to show kindness and care to the common people, and he was often too lenient to the princes and ministers who held their positions without doing their jobs. In the end, the people's hearts were scattered, and he ended up like this."

"In my opinion, Your Highness should re-examine the remains of Prince Qi and give him a proper burial. Afterwards, you should give important positions to talented individuals from humble backgrounds among Prince Qi's followers, such as Zu Ti, Gou Xi, and Pan Ni, to appease the remaining supporters of Prince Qi."

"Even so, there are many people in the capital who are dissatisfied with Your Highness. Your Highness need not force them to stay in Luoyang. You can open the city gates and let these scoundrels out!"

"Release them?" Sima Yi asked with great curiosity, "Why release them?"

Liu Xian analyzed, "Your Highness, you are currently powerful but powerless. Without the assistance of the Prince of Chengdu, your imperial edicts will not leave the capital region. Most of the powerful figures in Luoyang are sycophants, either favoring the Prince of Chengdu or allied with the Prince of Hejian. Forcing them to stay in Luoyang is nothing more than betraying you."

"In that case, it would be better to recommend them and let them leave Luoyang for Chang'an or Yecheng. Although this would enhance the prestige of the two kings, at least it would reduce many hidden dangers in Luoyang. Your Highness can take this opportunity to improve relations with the two kings and also gain the reputation of respecting the virtuous and yielding to the capable. This would be a win-win-win situation, so why not do it?"

"After this, you can reorganize the Imperial Guards and win back the hearts of the people. It is not impossible for you to restore the country."

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi was immediately full of praise, exclaiming, "Your strategy is absolutely brilliant! Having you is like a fish in water!"

The two immediately finalized their nominees in the palace. Wang Yan, who had appeased the foreign troops during the coup, was the first choice. Wang Yan's support was at least half the reason for Sima Yi's coup's success, but it also cast a long shadow over the two leaders. Wang Yan's influence over the imperial guards was terrifying; whoever he supported could secure their position as regent, and whoever he switched sides would be unable to maintain their power. Therefore, Wang Yan's very existence was the biggest destabilizing factor in Luoyang, and he had to be moved away from the city.

In addition, Liu Xian also suggested relocating other influential figures from prominent families, such as He Sui, Pei Song, Xun Zu, and Chen Zhi, from Luoyang. However, this involved too many powerful clans, and Sima Yi still hesitated about this group. He and Liu Xian discussed it for a long time and selected some people who were clearly on good terms with Wang Yan, but still retained a portion of them.

Liu Xian then suggested that Sima Yi give important positions to Yue Guang and Ji Shao, two highly respected figures who could fill the vacancy left by Wang Yan's departure. Sima Yi agreed, but correspondingly, he believed that a number of members of the imperial clan should also be promoted. These included Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai; Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya; Sima Yan, the Prince of Wu; and Sima Chi, the Prince of Yuzhang, who had supported him during the coup.

This involved family matters among the princes, which Liu Xian naturally couldn't interfere with. But frankly, Liu Xian looked down on these members of the imperial clan. The reason the world was in such chaos was precisely because the princes were mediocre in ability yet eager to seize power. Allowing them to occupy important positions, without anyone being able to criticize them, only made them a destabilizing factor. However, these were things that couldn't be said aloud, and Liu Xian knew that Sima Yi wouldn't like to hear them.

By the time the two finished their discussion, it was almost 1:45 PM. Sima Yi had resolved some of his troubles and was in a much better mood. He smiled at Liu Xian and said, "Talking with the Prefect is like drinking fine wine. It's hard to believe it's already this late."

"It's getting late, and it'll be late for the Lord to return to his residence. Why don't you rest at the palace?"

Liu Xian was about to decline when Sima Yi waved his hand and said, "From now on, you will have to come and go to the palace frequently. Get used to it as soon as possible."

"Your Highness means..."

Sima Yi pulled a blue paper edict from the table and handed it to Liu Xian. Liu Xian unfolded it and saw that it read: "Liu Xian, the Commandant of the Capital Region, is loyal, honest, and sincere. He is talented in both internal and external affairs, knowledgeable in governance, and virtuous. In order to demonstrate his loyalty and filial piety, he is hereby appointed as a Palace Attendant, holding the imperial insignia, and granted the title of Grand General of the Guards, concurrently serving as the Commandant of the Capital Region."

Liu Xian was shocked after reading it. Although he knew he would receive a reward, he never expected to rise to such heights.

The title "Kaifu Yitong Sansi" means that Liu Xian's rank was equivalent to that of the Three Dukes; "Chiji" means to exercise imperial power and have the authority to mobilize troops and kill at will. Liu Xian could execute officials below the rank of prefect without question; and "Wei Jiangjun" means the highest-ranking general in charge of the palace guards, second only to the General of the Cavalry and the Grand General in the officer system.

Looking across the land, disregarding real power and considering only rank, the only princes still above Liu Xian are probably those who govern local areas. And Liu Xian is only thirty-one years old this year, born into the families of two princes and three ministers—it's simply unbelievable.

Sima Yi cupped his hands and said, "I don't trust anyone else to handle matters in the palace. I'm afraid it's best if the Prefect takes charge of it. I also ask the Prefect to do his best and not disappoint me."

Liu Xian solemnly replied, "I dare not disobey."

After bidding farewell to Sima Yi, Liu Xian took a deep breath to relax. The air was cold in the first month of the lunar calendar, so he simply went to the nearby Secretariat, found a room for the Attendants to rest in, and lay down on the bed fully clothed.

He had intended to go to sleep early, but such a significant promotion inevitably made Liu Xian somewhat excited. He tossed and turned several times, but instead became even more energetic.

By the dim light of the brazier, Liu Xian caught sight of a dice roll on the table. He immediately thought of the bet he had made with Zu Ti before the coup. He simply sat up and started throwing the dice by himself on the couch, wanting to see if he could roll a dice roll with his current luck.

Unexpectedly, after playing only two rounds, someone knocked on the door and asked, "Is Lord Liu in?" (End of Chapter)