Jinting Han people

With a creak, the door opened, and Sima Sunzheng entered first. Following closely behind Sunzheng was only a young man.

The room was now completely dark. Lu closed the window, walked to the desk, lit the oil lamp, and then looked at the young man. The young man seemed to have just traveled a long way; he took off his hood and removed his cloak, revealing a plain scholar's robe. A three-foot-long sword hung from his belt, and his boots were speckled with mud.

He appeared to be around twenty years old, but was tall and handsome. Although Lu Ji didn't know his name, he felt he had seen him somewhere before, but couldn't quite place him. Then he heard him say, "My name is Lu Chen. I have come by order of the Grand General to read the Grand General's decree to Grand Commander Lu!"

It was Lu Chen! Lu Ji suddenly realized. He recognized the young man's name; Lu Chen was Lu Zhi's eldest son, courtesy name Ziliang, a rising star among the scholars of Hebei. It was said that despite his young age, he possessed extraordinary talent and excelled in poetry and prose. Among his peers, almost no one could surpass him in learning, and he was no less accomplished than Lu Zhi in his prime. However, after defeating Lu Zhi, Lu Ji had always avoided meeting him; he never expected to see him today.

Now that Lu Chen has been met, it is self-evident that the mastermind behind all this is Lu Zhi, the Left Chief Secretary of the King of Chengdu.

Lu Ji did not first ask what orders Sima Ying had conveyed, but instead asked casually, "Now that Ziliang has arrived, Presumably Chief Clerk Lu has also come."

Lu Chen was taken aback. Seeing Lu Ji's calm demeanor, he couldn't refuse him, so he bowed and said, "Yes, sir, you are currently in Shanyang County reorganizing the army and assessing the losses."

As Lu Ji had anticipated, Lu Zhi naturally wanted to take stock of the army's losses. But more importantly, he wanted to eliminate Lu Ji's influence in the army. He was probably currently in Shanyang inspecting the area, screening out all the Wu officers promoted by Lu Ji, and putting them all out of service in the future.

Looking back on the ups and downs of his time in the Northern Expeditionary Army, Lu Ji felt it was all a dream. He had risen to power by taking advantage of the generals' dissatisfaction with Lu Zhi, but in the end, he fell victim to Lu Zhi's accusations. It truly lived up to the saying in the Zuo Zhuan: "A ruler who rises by this will surely perish by this."

Thinking this, the resentment he had harbored towards Lu Zhihuan vanished. Lu Ji gave a self-deprecating bitter laugh and asked, "When did you arrive, Chief Secretary? It must have been quite some time ago."

Lu Chen replied, "After hearing about the defeat at Mangshan, the lord led his army here seven days ago with 100,000 men, ready to respond to any unforeseen circumstances."

This unexpected turn of events was highly ambiguous and easily led to speculation: did it refer to Sima Yi in Henan, or Lu Ji, who commanded the Hebei army? However, Lu Ji did not delve into the matter, nor did he beat around the bush with Lu Chen any longer. He asked, "Does Your Excellency intend to take me back to Ye City, or execute me on the spot?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Zheng, who was listening in, changed his expression drastically, and Lu Chen was also somewhat moved. However, he managed to hold back, then cleared his throat, took out the General's Decree from his sleeve, unfolded it, and read aloud: "The General asks the Grand Commander, the royal army is not vigorous, and the Yanyun are causing many troubles, which is quite different from the previous plan. What is the reason for this? Many officials are suspicious and criticize the future. You should return the army to Ye and we will discuss this with you."

After saying that, Lu Chen smiled at Lu Ji and said, "Grand Commander, you're overthinking it. How much does the General trust you? But with all these things happening at the front, we have to give the General an explanation."

Lu Ji laughed upon hearing this. After the two laughed for a while, Lu Ji's expression returned to calm. He said, "Why are you joking, Zi Liang? I was already prepared. Since the General is so wary of me, I am willing to commit suicide to prove my resolve."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen's composure crumbled, and his face flushed crimson. When he was ordered to come, his father, Lu Zhi, had repeatedly instructed him to keep Lu Ji calm and composed.

After all, Lu Ji was the Grand Commander personally appointed by Sima Ying. To execute him without question, without solid evidence, would certainly draw public criticism. Only through a trial at the Grand General's office, followed by conviction and execution, could the prestige of the Prince of Chengdu be preserved, and Sima Ying's reputation be protected. Considering all this, Lu Zhicai drafted this mild-mannered edict, his aim being to lure Lu Ji back to Ye City.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing the imperial edict, Lu Ji expressed a desire to commit suicide. Wouldn't this put the Prince of Chengdu in an unjust position? Lu Chen quickly intervened, saying, "Grand Commander, there's no need for this. Before I departed, the General had already guaranteed..."

But Lu Ji ignored him and interrupted him directly, saying, "This has nothing to do with the General. I have suffered such a great defeat, and I have already failed to live up to the General's trust. I committed suicide voluntarily, and no one forced me. To prove this, I can write a suicide note, which Ziliang can take back to Ye City."

Having said all that, Lu Chen had nothing more to say. In this world, if a person is determined to die, no one, whether noble as a prince or lowly as a beggar, can force him, not even the emperor. Besides, Lu Ji was already doing his best to save face for everyone by writing a suicide note. Lu Chen could not refuse, so he could only say, "Then I will trouble the Grand Commander."

So Lu Ji asked the magistrate of Huai County for a brush and ink, and immediately began grinding ink in his room. He said he was going to write his last letter, but as he put pen to paper, the first thought that came to his mind was still to return to the battlefield and accomplish something great. But what could he do? This was his lifelong ideal! To manage one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world—if one's life ends in mediocrity, without creating any benefit for the people, how can one prove that one has truly lived?
Therefore, Lu Ji only mentioned the previous battles briefly before deciding to write a systematic proposal. He hoped that the King of Chengdu would find it beneficial to his governance. As long as it could have an impact on future generations, he would have no regrets even if he died.

Lu Ji first discussed the current battle situation, stating frankly that, judging from the current situation of the various sides, although the Northern Expeditionary Army was the wealthiest, its army was still far from being strong, and its development would not be achieved overnight. He insisted on his previous view that if Sima Ying wanted to win, he must emulate the strategy proposed by Tian Feng: do not hastily engage in a decisive battle with the Imperial Guards, but instead build several important towns along the border from north to south, then transport grain and stockpile armor to defend with a large army.

If the Henan army does not respond, then take advantage of the terrain to advance and seize land; if the Henan army does respond, they will surely raise a large army to resist, at which point they will also need to transport grain and stockpile armor. As the confrontation drags on, provisions will be depleted, piling up daily. Hebei, with its large population and abundant grain, will come in waves; while Henan, with its small population and limited land, is situated in a vulnerable position, making it difficult to defend itself, and its people will have no rest. If this stalemate continues for years, the reserves will be exhausted, the Central Plains will inevitably fall, and Hebei will inevitably win.

In conclusion, it is hoped that Sima Ying will not harbor any thoughts of quick victory. At present, the people of the world are restless and there are many troublemakers. If these people are not eliminated one by one during the process of unification, even if he is lucky enough to seize the throne, he will probably not be able to hold the world firmly.

Then he changed the subject, discussing his thoughts on the politics of Ye City and his colleagues and officials in the Northern Expeditionary Army. He frankly stated that the King of Chengdu was still a long way from becoming a wise ruler who could achieve great things. If the King of Chengdu truly had the ambition to unify the world, he should restrain himself from excessive desires, personally oversee political affairs instead of entrusting them to others, and have his own insights instead of constantly changing his orders.

At this point, Lu Ji brought up his own act of currying favor with Meng Jiu, admitting that it wasn't a fair and aboveboard method, and now he felt deeply ashamed. Therefore, Lu Ji earnestly advised Sima Ying that Meng Jiu was truly a villain, corrupting the government and disrupting the country, with extremely negative consequences. Throughout history, when have wise rulers ever had eunuchs interfering in politics? He hoped that Sima Ying would dismiss the eunuchs and appoint capable men like Lu Zhi, Jiang Tong, Ding Shao, and Cao Shu, so that the Northern Expeditionary Army could truly prosper.

Finally, he discussed his vision for a unified empire and reiterated his political ideals. If Sima Ying were to one day unify the empire, he hoped Sima Ying would learn from the lessons of the rebellions caused by the princes in recent years, and cease appointing princes and members of the imperial clan to court positions, instead requiring them to truly return to their fiefdoms. Only in this way could the empire achieve lasting peace and stability. Otherwise, the calamities of princely chaos would repeat themselves. However, upon writing this, Lu Ji felt a sense of irony: he was about to die, and all he had written would only result in the division of the land. What was the point? Did he truly believe the Prince of Chengdu could achieve great things? Based on his understanding of Sima Ying, these words were likely useless. But if he wrote nothing, wouldn't his life be a joke? Knowing full well that this path would not succeed, yet still hoping for a miracle, would ultimately only be self-deception.

Upon realizing this, Lu Ji finally understood his mother's words in his dream: If a person cannot even convince himself of the path he is walking, how can he possibly go far? On the contrary, if he is walking a path he is certain of, even if he suffers setbacks, at least he will have no regrets in the end.

Such a simple truth, he had walked this path for forty years, and only now did he understand it—it was all too late. Lu Ji thought of Liu Xian, sighed, and put down his pen. Even though he had many unnecessary words in his heart, he didn't want to say them now.

He said to Sun Zheng, who was standing next to him, "Call everyone over. I only have a few words to say."

Soon, his close followers crowded around. Of the 200,000 troops who left Ye City, only about a hundred remained by his side. But Lu Ji looked at them one by one and thought to himself, this is actually quite a lot.

Having written this article, it was already late at night, with only a few lanterns casting a faint glow in the courtyard. The heavy snow continued to fall, adding to the chill of the night, causing people to constantly rub their hands and stamp their feet. When Lu Ji announced his impending suicide, although it had been anticipated, the crowd still found it hard to accept, falling silent for a moment before turning to stare at Lu Chen beside him. Lu Chen felt a pang of fear, but to maintain his dignity, he still met Lu Ji's gaze with unwavering resolve.

Suddenly, one of the guards drew his sword, and the others followed suit. Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, Lu Ji waved his hand to stop them, saying, "This is all my decision, and has nothing to do with the General. A defeated general should not live to suffer humiliation unless he commits suicide to atone for his defeat. From now on, whenever anyone asks, you must say the same thing, understand?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent again. Only then did they realize that the unexpected first snow had not diminished; on the contrary, the snowflakes were becoming thicker and thicker.

Lu Ji then said to his eldest son, Lu Wei, "After I die, do not escort me back to my hometown. Just bury me on the north bank of Mangkou. Firstly, to apologize to the soldiers who died in battle, and secondly, I want to witness who can restore the country after the chaos."

Lu Wei bent down and agreed with tears in her eyes.

Lu Ji then said to Lu Chen, "Please tell Chief Secretary Lu that I have offended you in the past two years, but this was by no means my intention. I know he is a rare gentleman, and I hope he can get what he wants." He handed the letter he had just written to Lu Chen and asked him to pass it on to the Prince of Chengdu.

Having said this, he intended to return to his room to die, but Magistrate Huai, having learned of the news, rushed over and asked Lu Ji for a piece of calligraphy. Lu Ji thought to himself, "This is probably my last poem," and immediately nodded in agreement. Quick-witted as ever, he wielded his brush and wrote:

"Though the paths are the same, the routes are myriad. Good fortune and misfortune are varied and uncertain, the source of both good and bad luck. Few people understand fate, and fate is not easily observed. Why should we cherish life, when we are busy striving for fame and success?"

In the end, Lu Ji admitted his ignorance, perhaps he never understood fate, and in the end, he was nothing more than a chaotic person whose eyes were blinded by fame and fortune.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he returned to his room alone, and the room quickly fell silent. No one dared to go inside to check; everyone stood silently with their heads bowed, while Lu Wei and others wept openly. It wasn't until the snow had piled up to two inches and the wind was rattling the windows that Lu Chen finally mustered the courage to push open the door and peek at the situation.

In the lonely hut, Lu Ji lay on the couch dressed in a white scholar's robe. His eyes were closed, his expression solemn, and his skin as pale as paper. One hand held a short knife to his chest, while the other hung limply by the couch, blood dripping from his wrist and pooling on the floor in a dark heap. Perhaps due to the cold weather, there was no smell of blood in the room.

Upon seeing Lu Ji die by cutting his wrists, Lu Chen immediately rode away, seemingly heading back to Shanyang to deliver his last letter to Lu Zhi.

The remaining people were filled with grief. They borrowed a coffin from Magistrate Huai and placed Lu Ji's body inside. They then held a very simple funeral in the county government office. After keeping the body for a day, the group set off south, intending to bury Lu Ji in Mangkou in accordance with his last wishes.

With the combined efforts of dozens of people, the tomb, ten feet deep, was quickly dug. Lu Wei threw in his father's official seal and ribbon, and then began to seal it with earth. On the other side, people were having words carved on the tombstone. The tombstone had only a few words, "Tomb of Lu Jishiheng of Huating".

As the monument was erected, the crowd stood amidst the reeds and snow, discussing their future and feeling lost. Some suggested returning to Jiangdong, others to join Lu Yun, and still others to continue serving the King of Chengdu. For a time, no consensus was reached.

As they argued, they heard a familiar clattering sound. Turning around, they saw hundreds of riders galloping towards them from the north. Before they could react, the riders, their feet crunching on the snow, scattered at incredible speed, surrounding the people in front of the tombstone. They drew their bows and held their spears, their eyes filled with murderous intent, and the leader was none other than Lu Chen.

What the knights were going to do was self-evident.

"Are you going to exterminate them all?" Sun Zheng asked sternly.

Lu Chen didn't even look at him, but turned to his knights and said, "My lord's orders are: leave no remnant of the Lu family alive!"

After a swift whistling of arrows cutting through the air, no one remained standing beneath the horses and among the reeds. Confirming there were no survivors, Lu Chen glanced at the unfinished tombstone, which bore only the three characters "Lu of Huating." He kicked it, and the tombstone crashed to the ground in the snow. Remounting himself, Lu Chen spat on the ground and rode away in a cloud of dust. (End of Chapter)