Jinting Han people

The old man before them was none other than Marquis He Pan of Xicheng.

Calling him an old man isn't entirely accurate; He Pan is fifty-two this year, just past the age of knowing one's destiny. Looking at his face, he appears ten years younger. Aside from the fine lines that have appeared on his face, He Pan has a long head, high cheekbones, clear eyes and sparse eyebrows, distinct features, and a lean face, giving him an air of untouched worldliness. However, his straight nose, thin lips, and meticulously groomed beard suggest a lingering arrogance characteristic of middle age, making him seem less affable.

He Pan squinted at Liu Xian a few times, and his first question was, "You are Liu Xian?"

Then he waved his hand dismissively and said, "Are you setting me up in ambush?"

Liu Xian smiled and bowed, saying, "This junior wishes to see Master He, but has no choice but to resort to this tactic."

Seeing He Pan's attire, he said, "Is Mr. He going fishing? Would you mind if I accompanied you?"

Upon hearing this, He Pan stared at Liu Xian for a moment, then shook his head and sighed, "You're quite shameless. I wonder where you learned that from. If I remember correctly, Chen Shou was quite concerned about his reputation."

"I was merely showing respect to my elders; what's wrong with that?"

"There's nothing wrong with it, it's just that it's a bit of a nuisance to this old man."

He Pan felt somewhat helpless. No matter how unwilling he was to meet Liu Xian, since the other party had been waiting here for almost a day, as a member of the gentry, he had to maintain basic decorum. He had no reason to refuse to see him. Otherwise, if word got back to the literati, he would be seen as lacking manners.

"Never mind, never mind," He Pan thought to himself. It wasn't really a big deal. The reason he had repeatedly refused Liu Xian wasn't just because he was from Shu and wanted to avoid suspicion with the Anle Duke's family—at this point, what was the point? More importantly, it was because he genuinely wanted to live in seclusion and no longer wanted to participate in court politics.

Most of those who did not participate in the court proceedings did so because they did not have a high opinion of Sima Yi, the Prince of Changsha, as his power was indeed not the strongest among the princes. However, for He Pan, his aloofness stemmed from a long-standing disillusionment with the court. In fact, since Wang Jun's death, his repeated attempts to recommend Shu officials had failed, and his various suggestions to the court had been ignored, which had already demoralized him. When Crown Prince Sima Yu was killed, his faction collapsed, and the Pei clan of Wenxi, his patron, also lost power, He Pan felt even more strongly that the tide had turned and the situation was hopeless.

Therefore, he held no hope regardless of which prince was in power. Rather than being entangled in political struggles, he preferred to retire peacefully in the south of the city and quietly spend the rest of his life.

Therefore, when Liu Xian came to his door, his first thought was that trouble had come knocking.

But in truth, he didn't harbor much prejudice against Liu Xian. In He Pan's eyes, he was simply a talented young man. He was neither his former master nor his enemy.

Considering Liu Xian's long wait at the door all day, and given the various rumors surrounding him, He Pan didn't have a compelling reason not to see him. He could simply go inside and refuse. So he finally relented, laughing and scolding, "You've got what you wanted, kid. Let's go inside and talk!"

"Is Mr. He no longer going fishing?"

"Fishing requires a calm mind. You are a pebble thrown into the lake, scaring away the fish in my heart's lake. How can I fish now?"

"I'm so sorry."

When He Pan led Liu Xian into the mansion, it was still dark. Everyone in the Xicheng Marquis's mansion was startled to see Liu Xian enter. They hurriedly cleaned the house, set up a table, and even prepared some breakfast.

Liu Xian politely declined, saying, "No need to be so polite, just act as you always do, Mr. He."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, He Pan turned to the maid beside him and said, "What you say is right, my lord. I am used to being frugal, so you don't need to be extravagant. Bring over two bowls of the medicinal food I usually drink, and let my lord have a taste."

Seeing the maid's troubled expression, Liu Xian immediately realized that He Pan had given him a difficult task. However, this was something he had anticipated before coming, and he was mentally prepared, so he remained calm and composed.

Sure enough, about 15 minutes later, the maids brought two bowls of medicinal porridge. The porridge was made from millet and had a plain, clear yellow color, but the steaming heat gave off a slight medicinal smell. He Pan took the porridge and, without lingering, picked up the bowl, swallowed a few times, and finished the porridge in one gulp, quite boldly.

When He Pan looked over, Liu Xian didn't hesitate. He imitated He Pan, picking up the bowl of medicinal porridge and gulping it down. Unexpectedly, the moment the porridge entered his mouth, an extreme spiciness and bitterness overwhelmed him, almost choking him. It felt as if a thousand tiny people were shooting arrows into his mouth; Liu Xian felt his tongue was both bitter and numb, and he even felt dizzy and disoriented, almost vomiting. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, putting down the bowl, covering his mouth with one hand, and forcing the porridge back down.

Seeing Liu Xian's embarrassed state, He Pan almost burst out laughing. This was his usual medicinal diet for treating rheumatism. It was made by boiling together herbs such as aconite, coptis, and rhubarb. It tasted extremely bitter and contained toxins, making it difficult for ordinary people to swallow. He had been drinking it for a long time and was used to it, while Liu Xian, who was trying it for the first time, naturally felt extremely uncomfortable.

His purpose in doing this was to tease Liu Xian, thereby provoking Liu Xian's anger and causing the conversation to end unhappily.

However, to his surprise, Liu Xian coughed a few times and then picked up the medicinal porridge again and drank it.

This time, however, he didn't lose his composure. Instead, he calmly finished the medicine in one gulp, as if it were just a bowl of water. Afterward, he put down the medicine bowl, bowed to He Pan, and said, "I apologize for my improper manners earlier, sir."

He Pan was taken aback. If his previous impression of Liu Xian was that of a shameless junior, now he could vaguely sense a tenacious spirit emanating from him, a spirit honed by the passage of time.

Anyone who wants to achieve something must restrain their desires and emotions, especially suppressing their likes and dislikes towards others.

For example, when the old man on the bridge was teaching Zhang Liang the "Art of War by Taigong," he repeatedly made things difficult for him: first, he took off his shoe and threw it off the bridge, then he made Zhang Liang pick it up and put it on for him himself. Afterwards, he repeatedly made invitations to Zhang Liang, teasing him five times by either breaking his promises or playing tricks, but Zhang Liang always showed forbearance and yielding. Seeing Zhang Liang's unwavering resolve, the old man finally taught him his secret art.

For example, King Goujian of Yue endured hardship and humiliation. To convince King Fuchai of Wu of his genuine submission, he completely abandoned his royal pride and, under the pretext of treating the king's illness, tasted Fuchai's excrement without any resentment. After tasting it, he even smiled with delight. Seeing this, how could Fuchai not believe in Goujian's loyalty? He immediately released him back to Yue, which led to the later downfall of his kingdom.

Not to mention that when the Zhou and Shang dynasties replaced each other, King Wen of Zhou had to endure the torture of being boiled alive by King Zhou of Shang, which is common knowledge.

These three historical examples flashed through He Pan's mind simultaneously. He didn't intend to use them to judge a person's courage and future prospects. But Liu Xian was, after all, the next Duke of Anle, and he couldn't help but think about it. It was precisely because of this that he became more wary of Liu Xian.

It now seems that provoking Liu Xian is no longer an option. Therefore, He Pan decided to change his strategy. Whenever Liu Xian opened his mouth, he would brush him off, thus wearing down the other party's patience and making him leave empty-handed.

It was under these circumstances that the two began to talk.

Liu Xian spoke first, saying, "I have come to visit Lord He because there is a question that has been troubling me for a long time. I also know that Lord He is a wise man of the world. It was Princess He who devised the strategy for the conquest of Wu back then. Therefore, I have come to visit you. I hope that Lord He can answer my question."

He Pan asked, "What's the problem?"

Liu Xian stared intently at him and slowly asked, "May I ask, Lord He, is the fate of the Jin dynasty sealed?" Though Liu Xian spoke slowly, his words struck like a thunderbolt, shattering He Pan's preparations. He hadn't expected this man to be so bold, leaving him completely bewildered, especially with others present.

What would happen if this got out?

At the same time, he almost reflexively said, "The Jin dynasty has a long lifespan, why do you say such a thing, my lord?"

But as soon as the words left his mouth, He Pan knew he was in trouble; he knew he had fallen into a trap. Now that he had said those words, Liu Xian could follow up by asking for advice on how to save the country, and then subtly ask him to come out of retirement. This was not a topic he could easily brush off with a casual remark.

Thus, the second strategy also failed, and He Pan had to adjust his strategy towards Liu Xian again. He could only have a sincere conversation with Liu Xian.

He Pan dismissed all his maids, leaving only the two of them in the room. His demeanor was completely different now. He had regained the sharp look he had when he was in the army, and his slightly hunched figure was now as upright as a pine tree. Even though he had nothing around him, his posture suggested he carried a sword at his waist, ready to kill at any moment. At this point, he dared not underestimate Liu Xian, but instead scrutinized him as if he were an opponent.

He said, "Your Excellency need not waste your time. I only wish to live out my old age in peace and have no intention of serving in office again."

Liu Xian asked, "Does Master He truly refuse?"

He Pan sighed and finally analyzed the overall situation, saying, "The current state of the Jin Dynasty is not beyond saving, but it is also beyond human control."

"Emperor Wu learned from the lessons of the previous dynasty and enfeoffed many princes, intending to use his relatives to protect the imperial power and prevent the regalia from falling into the wrong hands. This was not entirely ineffective; otherwise, given the current emperor's incompetence, there would have been a risk of the dynasty being overthrown if the Three Yangs had been in power."

"However, his excessive reliance on relatives and nobles left ordinary scholars with no way out. Unless they came from prestigious families or resorted to crooked means, they could not be promoted. They could only join the Imperial Guard or become low-level officials. So who would truly be loyal to the Jin Dynasty? It was precisely because of these reasons that the scholar class was already full of complaints, and among the young people, everyone was thinking of rebellion and disaster."

"Such people are now rampant among the staff of the princes' residences. Under their influence, and with the precedent set by Emperor Xuan, how can the princes not be affected and continue to maintain their loyalty to His Majesty?"

"Given the public sentiment, can those so-called loyal and virtuous ministers in the court truly be like lotus flowers, unique and independent? Absolutely not. They simply have other plans that they haven't yet made public."

"Therefore, the only way to truly detach oneself from such matters is to live in seclusion like I have. There is no other way."

In his speech, He Pan not only provided a comprehensive explanation of the reasons for the constant turmoil in recent years, but also made no attempt to conceal his attack on Liu Xian, accusing him of being an absolute traitor to the Jin dynasty.

He thought that Liu Xian should be furious at such accusations and completely give up any thought of recruiting him. But when he looked up at Liu Xian again, the man in his thirties, Songzi Gong, still had a smile on his face. His words just now were like waves crashing against the mountain, unable to move the mountain in the slightest.

Liu Xian gazed at him with a serene look, a serenity that seemed to possess an indescribable power, as if it could see right through his heart. After a long silence, Liu Xian lowered his head and slowly said, "So that's how it is. Has Lord He completely lost faith in the world and in people's hearts?"

Hearing this, He Pan was shocked, because it hit the nail on the head.

From his father's generation, they sensed the impending demise of Shu Han, believing that something old and weak was beyond saving. Why bother trying to save something irredeemable, no matter how arduous the effort? Therefore, it was better to dedicate oneself to the new dynasty and its new policies, so that one could leave a mark on history and achieve something meaningful.

For decades, He Pan experienced the full spectrum of life's ups and downs under the new dynasty, going from high spirits to repeated setbacks. Aside from the empty titles of helping the Jin dynasty destroy Wu, he gained almost nothing. It wasn't just the corrupt politics of Luoyang that disappointed him; he saw no future in politics, only endless turmoil and destruction. This was undoubtedly a rejection of his life.

What disappointed him even more was that, in the eyes of his fellow villagers, he had also become part of this corrupt politics.

Since attaching himself to the powerful Pei family of Wenxi, He Pan was the only one among the people of Luoshu to gain influence, and he was also associated with the Empress Dowager's faction. This caused much resentment among the other people of Luoshu. Although they still publicly respected He Pan as their leader, they secretly mocked him, saying that He Pan's rapid rise to power was not due to his talent, but rather to his flattery of the wicked Empress Dowager. He Pan did not comment on this, but he could not deny that he had indeed received support from the Empress Dowager's faction.

Therefore, after the downfall of the Empress Dowager's faction, he simply withdrew from politics to clear his name. However, these stigmas tormented He Pan from beginning to end, making it difficult for him to let go, and he never had any intention of returning to officialdom.

Now, Liu Xian asked He Pan, "May I ask, Master He, do you still believe in the existence of faith in this world?"

When talking about beliefs, He Pan first thought of the great fire in Chengdu. The people of Shu all knew the ins and outs of the incident and had all lamented the general's defeat. This once inspired him and spurred him to strive to achieve something greater than that man in the new dynasty. But now it seems that future generations will only remember Jiang Wei's name.

Therefore, He Pan said, "Perhaps it happened before."

The implication is that he is now truly disheartened.

Liu Xian didn't say much, but took out a letter from his pocket and pretended to hand it to He Pan. He Pan didn't understand why, but after thinking for a moment, he took it and unfolded it to read. However, after only scanning a line or two, his expression changed drastically.

This is Xue Yi's letter.

He Pan read it once, then read it again from the beginning. When he looked up again, his eyes were completely different, filled with emotion and disbelief. He said, "Can ashes be rekindled?!"

He Pan had already guessed that Liu Xian wanted to restore his kingdom; he simply didn't believe there could be any loyal ministers in this corrupt officialdom. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that another ambitious person seeking to restore his kingdom had emerged among the crowd. However, when he gained the support of his former comrades, it became a completely different matter.

This means that some people have not forgotten, and some people still believe.

Forty years after the fall of his homeland, seeing those familiar names, who were nearing the end of their lives, appear on such a fragile piece of paper, filled He Pan with boundless emotion.

Seeing Liu Xian nod, He Pan still couldn't convince himself. He murmured, "Forty years have passed, is that even possible..."

Liu Xian knew that the old man still lacked a reason to come out of seclusion, which was also his reason for visiting him personally. So he took off his sword from his waist, slowly handed it to the old man, and said to him, "It is the will of Heaven."

He Pan was initially puzzled, but he still took the longsword. This time, he slowly drew the blade out, watching as the shimmering jade inlaid on the blade gradually appeared, followed by the ancient characters "Chixiao" in the center. He finally recognized the sword's true name—the Serpent-Slaying Sword.

This shook him to his core, leaving him stunned for a long time. He stared at the sword until a ray of dawn sunlight pierced through the window, casting a layer of crimson-gold light upon it. He Pan awoke as if from a dream, holding the Serpent-Slaying Sword aloft and bowing to Liu Xian, saying, "It is the will of Heaven!" (End of Chapter)