Jinting Han people

Chapter 422 Severing Human Relationships
The last time Zheng Yan entered Luoyang, although the negotiations failed, he still arrived in great style. To show off his status, he was accompanied by dozens of attendants, and his carriage carried the banner of the King of Chengdu. He was escorted by guards who cleared the way for him with gongs, making a grand entrance and showing off his status.

This time, however, the envoys sent by Sima Ying were very discreet. There were only three of them: Li Qiu, the Protector-General of the Northern Expeditionary Army, and two unnamed guards. Before arriving in Luoyang, they informed no one. The three of them and their three horses went straight to the gate of the General of Chariots and Cavalry's residence, whereupon the gatekeepers realized they were from Hebei.

This surprised the security guards.

Li Qiu and his entourage were dressed neither simply nor conspicuously; their attire was merely ordinary. However, such ordinariness was not typical of Hebei. If the gatekeeper hadn't noticed the command badge of the Northern Expeditionary Army they carried, it would have been hard to believe they were envoys from Ye City.

Sima Yi was not in his residence at the time. The first batch of troop rotations had recently been completed, and he was inspecting the equipment of the Jingzhou soldiers south of the city. When a messenger came from inside the residence to report the news, he was greatly surprised and asked Wang Ju, who had come to inform him, "What's going on? Is this really an envoy from Hebei? Why wasn't it reported beforehand?"

Before Wang Ju could answer, he immediately asked, "And who is this Li Qiu? I've never heard of him before?"

Wang Ju truthfully replied, "I don't know either. According to Li Qiu, he was recently promoted by the General. He came here today to discuss Your Highness's last letter with you. The reason I didn't inform you beforehand was that I wanted to talk to you privately, whether we reached an agreement or not, to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Is that so? Sima Yi frowned slightly, then quickly relaxed.

He thought that was indeed the case; there were significant differences between him and Sima Ying, and making this conflict public would not be conducive to maintaining the unity of the imperial clan. Sima Ying's willingness to express this opinion at least showed that he still cared about the country and genuinely wanted to resolve the matter, rather than offering a hypocritical pretense. Even the harshest truth was better than nothing at all.

Sima Yi was relieved and said to Wang Ju, "Then go and invite the Minister of Works (Sima Yue), the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat (Le Guang), and Lord Liu to my residence. Leave the rest of you for now and let's just talk about the few of us."

After saying this, Sima Yi handed over his affairs to Zu Ti, instructing him to take charge of the list of Jingzhou soldiers and their equipment, while he himself rode back to his residence.

On the way back, the jolting of the carriage made Sima Yi quite uncomfortable. After all, he had just recovered from a serious injury. Although the wounds seemed to have healed, he would feel dizzy from time to time, and the jolting of the carriage made it even worse.

Under these circumstances, Sima Yi preferred to travel by horse. However, after the assassination attempt at the Great Xia Gate, everyone advised him against riding a horse, as it made him too conspicuous and an easy target for assassins. He was fortunate to have survived without being fatally wounded. Unable to defy the advice of the crowd, Sima Yi then switched to riding in a carriage.

But now, listening to the creaking of the wheels and the swaying of his body, he couldn't help but feel a little irritated. Sima Yi thought to himself: Riding a horse is much more comfortable. Now that Li Han is dead and Bian Cui has been eliminated, I have no more worries in Luoyang, so why bother with all this trouble? Next time I travel, I'll leave the carriage at home.

Upon returning to his residence, he alighted from his carriage and felt dizzy for a while. He stood there for a quarter of an hour before recovering. Just then, Liu Xian, Sima Yue, and Yue Guang arrived. He instructed them, "Gentlemen, you are all here. The General's envoy is already inside. Whatever disagreements we may have during our conversation, I hope you will all remain restrained and not spread this around."

Seeing that the three men all looked solemn and nodded in agreement, Sima Yi then returned to his residence.

The conversation took place in a side room in the backyard of the mansion. To ensure that no one would spread the word, Sima Yi ordered all the maids and guards around him to wait outside the door. Only Sima Yi, Sima Yue, Liu Xian, Le Guang, and Li Qiu were in the room.

Perhaps because of the disparity in their social status, Li Qiu was quite nervous. It was already late autumn, and his face was pale, with cold sweat on his forehead. His gaze sometimes fell on Sima Yi in front of him, and sometimes on the wooden planks in the side room.

He first handed the letter from his sleeve to Sima Yi, saying, "Your Highness, this is my king's reply."

Sima Yi casually took it, opened it, and read the full text as follows:

"Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing received the mandate of heaven, and Emperor Wu rode the wave of fortune. They were almost like Yao and Shun, enjoying a peaceful and prosperous reign, with their benevolent rule extending to future generations. But who could have foreseen that their own family would suffer such calamity, that the Empress Dowager would seize power, that the Yang and Jia families would spread their poison, and that the Qi and Zhao families would usurp power. Fortunately, they were all executed, but the peace has not been restored. I am always worried about the royal family, and my heart aches and my liver rots."

"Liu Xian, Yang Xuanzhi, Huangfu Shang, and others, relying on imperial favor, have committed heinous acts. How could I not be outraged! Thus, an urgent proclamation was issued to conquer the west, and the whole world responded. I originally thought that my esteemed brother shared their sentiments and should have captured Xian and the others, and sent their heads far away. How could you be so deluded as to become the leader of the army yourself! You forged the emperor's edict above, alienated your beloved brother below, shifted the imperial carriage, recklessly mobilized military power, and allowed wolves and jackals to run rampant, abandoning and killing your own kin. You seek personal gain through evil deeds; how can you possibly restrain yourself!"

"Now we have a million warriors and fierce generals. We should work together to restore order to the realm. If we can obey the Grand Commandant's order, behead Shang and his ilk, lay down our arms and retreat, and seek our own good fortune, I will also return to Yedu and join you. I have read your letter and am deeply moved. Be careful, elder brother, and think carefully about whether to advance or retreat!"

Upon reading the letter, Sima Yi's expression immediately changed, and his blood boiled. Although he had anticipated that Sima Ying would impose harsh conditions, reading Sima Ying's reply still made him feel uneasy. The conditions in the reply were almost identical to those Zheng Yan had previously stated: Sima Yi was required to execute Liu Xian, Huangfu Shang, and Yang Xuanzhi, relinquish his position as regent, and return to his fiefdom. Otherwise, Sima Ying would launch a large-scale military campaign against him.

After Liu Xian and the others passed the document around, they also found it difficult to handle, and for a moment their gazes toward Li Qiu became less friendly.

Seeing this, Li Qiu knew they were not satisfied with the reply, so he repeatedly cupped his hands and said, "Before I came, my king gave me instructions. This letter is the worst-case scenario; if the negotiations fail, then this is how it will be. But everything is negotiable, as long as it does not violate my king's bottom line, everything is negotiable."

Sima Yi sighed, thinking: Bargaining is normal.

He asked, "What is the bottom line for the sixteenth brother? Why don't you tell me?"

Li Qiu said, "My king's bottom line is that since Your Highness cannot help my king control the government, then you must relinquish the position of regent. My king will then serve as prime minister, and all matters of state, large and small, will be decided by Ye City."

He emphasized, "Your Highness, this is my king's bottom line. If Your Highness cannot agree, then we have nothing more to say."

Sima Ying has quite the appetite! The three men beside him gasped inwardly: the Prince of Chengdu's demand for the position of Chancellor was so blatantly obvious he didn't even bother to conceal his intentions. In the decades-long history of the Wei and Jin dynasties, besides Cao Cao, who else had ever held the position of Chancellor? And from then on, the title of Chancellor was practically synonymous with usurpation. Even Emperor Xuan of Jin, Sima Yi, who launched the Incident at Gaoping Tombs, repeatedly declined the position of Chancellor to avoid suspicion.

Sima Ying dared to openly demand the position of prime minister, which was undoubtedly announcing to the world that he not only wanted the power to assist in government, but also aspired to the throne.

Sima Yi's expression turned incredibly grim. He had previously assumed that Sima Ying's discontent was directed solely at him; after all, Sima Ying had contributed greatly to the campaign against Zhao, yet ultimately chose to yield and retreat in the face of conflict among the princes, gaining nothing in return. It was understandable that Sima Ying might harbor resentment or even desire the power to regency. But Sima Yi had never imagined that Sima Ying harbored ambitions to usurp the throne.

Given the current state of the country, how could he possibly win over the people if he were to step forward and usurp the throne? If he did so, not only would his carefully cultivated reputation as a wise king be ruined, but the entire world would also have reason to oppose him. But at that time, would Sima Ying truly be able to secure the throne?
But this was Sima Ying's bottom line. If Sima Yi objected, it would immediately lead to a major war that would split the country. Sima Ying and Sima Yong would launch a pincer attack on Luoyang with 300,000 troops. Could he possibly withstand it?

After weighing the pros and cons, Sima Yi remained silent for a long time before finally recognizing reality: if he were to go to war with Sima Ying, the world would likely descend into chaos immediately, without even waiting for Sima Ying to usurp the throne. Moreover, the current emperor was childless, and in principle, both he and Sima Ying were indeed qualified to inherit the throne.

Thinking of this, Sima Yi sighed and finally made the decision to back down, asking, "I can agree to this, but then, what should I do? Has the General considered this?"

Li Qiu didn't speak immediately. He seemed to have something important on his mind, glancing at Sima Yi and the three others beside him for a moment before saying:
"My king's intention is to suggest that after Your Highness relinquishes Luoyang, you may choose any prefecture other than Jingzhou to govern. My king will not interfere in the matter."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian frowned slightly, thinking to himself: "The Prince of Chengdu is far too stingy. Given the current situation, there are very few prefectures or counties available for him to govern. The fertile regions of Yuzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, and Yongzhou already have princes stationed there. Of all the places Sima Yi can choose, Jingzhou is the most suitable, yet he is unwilling to let Sima Yi govern Jingzhou. This is clearly a deliberate attempt to make things difficult for Sima Yi."

Hearing this, Sima Yi could hardly bear it. He wanted to lose his temper several times, but when he thought of the overall situation of the country, he forced himself to swallow his anger. After calming himself down for a long time, he finally said to Li Qiu, "Then please wait a moment and let us discuss it."

Sima Yi turned around and said to Liu Xian and the other two, "What are your thoughts? Feel free to share them with me."

As Sima Ying's father-in-law, Le Guang naturally did not want to go to war with Hebei. He immediately began to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the remaining provinces in the country. After a long analysis, he finally suggested, "The General of Chariots and Cavalry can go to Bingzhou and Youzhou. The country is in great chaos right now, and a wise prince is needed to defend the borders and establish merit for the country, and to pacify the barbarians and the people. Besides Your Highness, who else can shoulder this important task?" Sima Yue's attitude was somewhat ambiguous. He said, "This matter is of great importance. Perhaps we should ask the other members of the imperial clan for their opinions."

Liu Xian's attitude was very firm. He said directly, "Your Highness, it doesn't matter which prefecture you go to. What matters is how to deal with the Prince of Hejian. He and Your Highness are irreconcilable enemies. If the General does not agree to remove the Prince of Hejian, Your Highness will have no chance of survival."

This was exactly what Sima Yi had been thinking. After the events of the past two years, Sima Yi truly hated Sima Yong and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. After Liu Xian's suggestion, he thought about it briefly and then simply said to Li Qiu, "The General has a bottom line, and I also have a bottom line. As long as the General helps me defeat the Prince of Hejian, then no matter which prefecture I am stationed in, I will follow the General's lead."

“This…” Li Qiu looked troubled, clearly he hadn’t considered this condition and didn’t know how to answer.

Seeing this, Liu Xian probably guessed his predicament and came to his rescue, saying, "If it's not easy to handle, then I'll trouble you, Li Jun, to make another trip. It will only take a few days, and I believe the General and the General of the Cavalry can wait that long."

"Alright, it's getting late, let's have our meal first!"

Seeing that it was getting late and almost time for dinner, Sima Yi invited the group to dine at the Prince's residence. He introduced Li Qiu to the wine, saying, "The Duke of Xuancheng sent some fine wine from Nanyang. Why don't you try it, Mr. Li?"

Li Qiu clenched his fist and responded somewhat blankly. Everyone assumed he was just too nervous and didn't think much of it.

Soon, the wine and goose meat were served. Regardless of whether one was good at drinking or not, it was impossible not to drink in this atmosphere.

When he was slightly tipsy, it was the perfect time to chat about everyday things. Sima Yi looked out at the courtyard and saw that the mulberry leaves had all fallen. The tranquil lake was enchanting, and his melancholy was even harder to conceal.

He repeatedly toasted Li Qiu and talked about the past, saying, "To my shame, although I lived in the palace when I was a child, I always followed my fifth brother (Sima Wei), ninth brother (Sima Yun), and thirteenth brother (Sima Xia) around when I had free time, but I didn't have much of a relationship with my sixteenth brother."

"Back then, my fifth brother always told me that it was only natural for an elder brother to take care of his younger brother. I didn't know how to take care of people back then, and I only thought about how happy I was to hide under my fifth brother's wing every day! In the end, my fifth brother was killed, and I couldn't help him at all. In the end, I could only be exiled to Changshan for the Empress Dowager. Hehe, how pathetic!"

“From that time on, I made up my mind that I must become a person who can take responsibility and take care of the remaining brothers. After all, among the descendants of Emperor Wu who are still alive, apart from His Majesty, I am the oldest.”

“Li Jun, go back and tell your sixteenth brother that I don’t necessarily want to fight for power. If he wants it, let him have it. But we must not let someone like the Prince of Hejian benefit for nothing, and we must live up to the late emperor’s trust.”

These heartfelt words moved many present. When Sima Yi raised his cup, they followed suit and drank. Before long, everyone's faces were flushed and they were all a little drunk.

Liu Xian wasn't an alcoholic, so he never drank too much, just taking a sip each time. But listening to Sima Yi's words, he felt the same melancholy: those happy times he had lost would probably never come back.

While he was pondering, Li Qiu suddenly raised his head and said, "When I came, my king actually spoke to me about Your Highness as well."

"Oh? What did Sixteenth Brother say?" Sima Yi asked with a smile.

Li Qiu said, "My king said that Your Highness is skilled in both literature and martial arts, which is admirable, but unfortunately there is one flaw that makes it difficult for him to adapt..."

"Flaw?" Sima Yi frowned. In a daze, he seemed to see the shadow of Sima Ying, and asked again, "What flaw?"

Li Qiu said, "Your subject dares not say..."

"What's there to be afraid of? I'm not Liang Ji!" He pointed at Li Qiu, half-drunk and half-awake, and said, "Speak!"

“It is really inappropriate to openly discuss the rights and wrongs of the lord.” Li Qiu lowered his head, concealing his expression, and slowly said, “If Your Highness insists on listening, please allow me to step forward a few steps and speak in hushed tones.”

"Then come a few steps over here and offer me a toast while you're at it."

Sima Yi raised his wine cup again, gesturing for Li Qiu to come closer. Upon hearing this, Li Qiu stiffened, then looked up at Sima Yi, his left hand holding the wine cup while his right hand trembled slightly. He stood up, stepped closer, and subconsciously lowered his head, turning his face to the other side.

Although Sima Yi couldn't see Li Qiu's expression clearly from his perspective, Liu Xian could see it perfectly. Liu Xian saw a sharp glint in Li Qiu's wooden eyes. It wasn't the joy and happiness that came from Sima Yi's magnanimity and favor, but rather an expression that seemed to indicate that he had made up his mind about something.

Li Qiu glanced subconsciously at his chest, and Liu Xian suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, because he saw a murderous intent in that look.

"Your Highness, get out of the way!"

Almost instinctively, Liu Xian warned Sima Yi, while simultaneously drawing his sword and rushing forward, attempting to grab Li Qiu's sleeve to stop his assassination attempt.

Sima Yi, however, was somewhat bewildered and didn't know what had happened, so his first reaction upon hearing Liu Xian's words was, "Lord, what's wrong?"

At this moment, Li Qiu intensified his movements. He threw down his wine cup, pulled a dagger from his chest, and charged forward without hesitation. In the blink of an eye, just as he gripped the dagger and aimed for Sima Yi's neck, Liu Xian slashed his leg with his sword, severing Li Qiu's Achilles tendon. Li Qiu stumbled and fell two steps in front of Sima Yi. Although Liu Xian was wounded in the shoulder, his agility prevented Li Qiu from succeeding.

But Li Qiu did not give up the assassination attempt. With his remaining strength, he threw the short knife in his hand. Amid the gasps of the crowd, the blade sliced ​​across Sima Yi's right cheek, leaving a half-foot-long crimson wound.

Sima Yi was stunned. He covered the blood on his face and stood there dumbfounded for a long time, staring at Li Qiu in disbelief. Only after Liu Xian pinned Li Qiu to the ground did he come to his senses, slowly walk towards Li Qiu, and ask, "Why? Why did you kill me?"

Li Qiu stared intently at Sima Yi, seemingly frustrated by his defeat. But soon, he laughed again, and after the laughter subsided, only silence remained.

He said calmly, "My king said that Your Highness is good in every way, except that you are too fond of being delusional."

Having said that, he gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of blood mist, splattering it all over Sima Yi's face. By the time Sima Yi wiped the blood away, Li Qiu had already bitten his tongue and committed suicide.

The King of Changsha stared at Li Qiu's corpse, recalling his last words, "You're just being presumptuous," and couldn't help but chuckle. Sima Yi seemed to have heard an extremely funny joke, making him burst into uncontrollable laughter. He first chuckled softly, then covered his eyes and laughed wildly.

But only his laughter echoed through the room, reverberating against the beams and pillars. Liu Xian and the others looked at Sima Yi with pity, until he seemed to have gone mad, until his wild laughter turned into a mournful wail, until tears seeped through his fingertips and wounds, turning into two streaks of crimson blood.

(End of this chapter)