Jinting Han people

After the Imperial Guards marched towards Luoyang, Liu Xian was also released from house arrest as agreed.

Despite the gravity of the decision, Sima Yi did not meet with Liu Xian again, nor did they discuss it in detail. The imperial edict was issued, and Sima Yue immediately led his troops to Liu Xian's residence. After reading the edict, he half-escorted and half-forced Liu Xian to the Heyuan camp. Sima Yi's brutal approach greatly displeased Zhuge Yan, Meng Tao, and others who accompanied him, who privately remarked: "The King of Changsha's actions are far too inhumane."

Liu Xian had a rather shrewd plan. Since his original strategy hadn't worked, he spent the last two days recovering while devising a new plan to escape. He believed that leveraging his connections within the Imperial Guards and the restraint exerted by figures like Suo Jing, he still had some room to maneuver. If all else failed, he could always pull off a clever escape and defect to the Northern Expeditionary Army in the north. However, this would inevitably cause a political mess, and he wouldn't want to do it unless absolutely necessary.

Before Liu Xian could devise a foolproof plan, Zhang Fang captured Yiyang first, relieving him of the siege and saving him a lot of trouble. Therefore, when Zhuge Yan and others complained, Liu Xian remained calm and comforted his confidants, saying, "It's not like we've lost a piece of flesh, why bother with such trivial matters?"

In fact, although the imperial edict was written in a solemn tone, Sima Yue, who came to carry it out, was extremely respectful. He not only showed no sign of coercion or surveillance, but instead, while the others were packing their belongings, he approached Liu Xian, bowed, and said with a sigh, "Grand Commandant, please don't be angry with me. The entire army knows that the General of the Cavalry has a grudge against you. The fault does not lie with you, Grand Commandant. Although I am not a virtuous man, I understand right and wrong and would never dare to be an accomplice to evil!"

As he said this, he chuckled and lowered his voice, saying to Liu Xian, "Please rest assured, Grand Commandant, I will not interfere with your freedom along the way, nor will I send anyone to monitor you. I only hope that you will not make things difficult for me."

Sima Yue was not just making empty promises. Once the journey began, he kept his word and treated Liu Xian with the utmost courtesy. Liu Xian's living conditions were the same as Sima Yue's, and no extra attendants were assigned to monitor him. Liu Xian was even free to enter and leave the army compound.

This was somewhat unexpected for Liu Xian. He and Sima Yue had some acquaintance, and in fact, they had known each other for quite some time. Years ago, when Liu Xian was at the Prince of Shiping's residence, Sima Yue would frequently visit Sima Wei. Sima Yue was then the heir apparent to the Prince of Longxi, and the old Prince of Longxi, Sima Tai, greatly admired Sima Wei. Later, after Sima Wei was enfeoffed as the Prince of Chu, Sima Tai encouraged Sima Yue to actively participate in the Prince of Chu's faction, and he joined Liu Xian in the campaign against Yang. The following year, when Sima Wei purged the Prince of Ruyang, Sima Liang, Sima Yue was also present.

To be honest, Liu Xian and Sima Yue's relationship wasn't very deep. At most, they had met a few times at literary gatherings and had worked together on a few official matters. Therefore, their relationship was rather ordinary. So, Liu Xian was quite surprised when Sima Yue extended a friendly gesture to him at this time.

After all, in his view, Sima Yue was not someone who would offer help in times of need. Otherwise, given his position, he wouldn't have survived unscathed until now, let alone switched sides several times.

However, having already weathered so many storms, Liu Xian had long since developed a calm and composed demeanor. He was also curious to see what Sima Yue was really up to.

After a day's journey, the group returned to the main camp on the riverbank. Li Sheng and the others breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Liu Xian's return. However, upon seeing that the imperial court had sent the Prince of Donghai to join the camp, they immediately sensed the court's wariness towards them. Furthermore, upon learning that Sima Yi intended to appoint them as the vanguard to resist Zhang Fang, they were immediately filled with indignation.

Suo Lin complained, “We have traveled thousands of miles from Guanzhong to the capital region, intending to serve the country. Now, with nowhere to go and far from home, even the legendary journeys of Zhang Qian to the west and Su Wu herding sheep are no different. How can the court be convinced of our loyalty when it treats the Grand Commandant so harshly and regards us as traitors?”

These words immediately resonated with everyone. For example, Zhang Shi's subordinate Chen Zhen drew his sword and stabbed the ground, saying, "If I had known this would happen, I would have been better off staying in Guanzhong and not having to put up with this humiliation!"

But Liu Xian suppressed his resentment and said to them, "You have come from afar to fight the Northern Army and turn the tide. Your achievements are enough to be remembered for eternity. But if you give up halfway and finish what you started, wouldn't that be a pity?"

"Let's defeat Zhang Fang first and wait for everything to settle down. If the court is unjust again then, I will personally report to the Emperor and set things right!"

After hearing this, the soldiers calmed down. After everyone left, Liu Xian stayed alone in his tent, turning the fire in the brazier with fire tongs while lost in thought.

Liu Xian was fully aware of the current situation; he had been forced to the brink of despair. If Sima Yi relentlessly pursued him and he wanted to save his life, he would have no other choice but to gamble everything and stage another coup in Luoyang.

Although Liu Xian himself was extremely reluctant to do this, if he really did it, wouldn't he be trapped in Luoyang again? He was fed up with the endless turmoil and political upheavals in Luoyang and really didn't want to stay here any longer.

No, Liu Xian had a sudden inspiration and came up with a solution: it wasn't actually that difficult. He could simply choose another prince as his political ally. After his coup succeeded, he could support that prince to the throne, and then he could gracefully retire and rightfully take charge of a region. As for what would happen to Luoyang, he could leave that to his ally to worry about.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed. Several names popped into Liu Xian's mind. He then kept pondering the matter, even forgetting how to defend against the enemy, and before he knew it, it was late at night.

The army had already rested, and the river camp was quiet. Outside the tent, the faint sound of the north wind crossing the river could be heard, like someone plucking the strings of a zither, while inside the tent, the brazier crackled and popped, occasionally sputtering sparks. But Liu Xian heard none of this. He was deep in thought, and thus entered a state of tranquility, almost like meditation.

But suddenly, a low greeting came from the night, interrupting his meditation. He asked the guard outside the tent, "Is the Grand Commandant still there?"

The firelight from the brazier shone outside the tent, vaguely illuminating a shadow. Liu Xian recognized it as Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai. Recalling the other's unusual behavior during the day, he thought to himself: He's here after all!
Liu Xian then ordered the guards to open the tent flap and let Sima Yue in, to see what he had to say.

Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai, strode in and saw Liu Xian kneeling on the couch in the center of the tent, his robes draped over his shoulders. In the firelight, the shadows on Liu Xian's face flickered, making him appear even more enigmatic. Sima Yue was startled, and feigning a loss of balance, he suddenly knelt on one knee, bowed deeply, and clasped his hands, saying, "I beg the Grand Commandant to save the nation!"

Liu Xian was startled upon hearing this and rose to help him up. Sima Yue, however, said with a slight sob in his voice, "The powerful ministers have rebelled, the nation is in grave danger, and the Jin dynasty is on the verge of collapse. I beg the Grand Commandant to grant us aid!"

What kind of talk is this? Liu Xian couldn't understand it at all, but since Sima Yue was acting this way, he couldn't refuse, so he said perfunctorily, "The Jin dynasty is as stable as a rock, who would dare to rebel! Please rise!"

He forcefully pulled Sima Yue up, led him to the brazier, pulled out a straw mat, and the two sat facing each other. Before Sima Yue could even settle in, he exclaimed, "It's the General of the Cavalry plotting a rebellion!"

"Huh?" Liu Xian almost thought he had misheard. Sima Yi was plotting a rebellion? What a joke! But Sima Yue didn't think it was a joke. He said seriously, "Grand Commandant, I didn't believe it at first either, but it's true!"

He paused, then said earnestly, "The Grand Commandant and the General of the Cavalry have devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the cause of our Great Jin Dynasty over the years. Everyone has witnessed this. Ten days ago, the Grand Commandant achieved a great victory over the Northern Army, and all the officials were overjoyed, thinking that this great calamity was finally coming to an end. But at this critical moment, the Grand Commandant was first ambushed in Hebei, and then the General of the Cavalry was relieved of his command. Doesn't the Grand Commandant find this suspicious?"

At this point, Sima Yue emphasized, saying each word carefully, "I can tell the Grand Commandant that this is all because the General of Chariots and Cavalry is plotting a rebellion to usurp the throne, which is why he suspects the Grand Commandant!"

"Is this really true?" Liu Xian's emotions had calmed down by now, and he asked calmly, "What exactly happened?"

Sima Yue said, "Some time ago, when Lord Suo came to Luoyang, the General of the Cavalry suddenly asked me whether the Grand Commandant was a loyal minister of the court. I was quite puzzled. The loyalty of the Grand Commandant is known throughout the world, so why ask such a question? But the General of the Cavalry said that people's hearts are fickle. The Grand Commandant is so popular now. If someone secretly stirs up trouble and urges the Grand Commandant to ascend the throne, just like Dong Zhao instigated Cao Cao back then, wouldn't the country be in danger?"

"So he instructed me to send someone to keep a close eye on the Grand Commandant and investigate whether he had overstepped his authority."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian immediately recalled the shadowy figure from that night, and couldn't help but stand up straight to look at the King of the East Sea, asking, "Was the person I bumped into that night one of yours?"

Sima Yue didn't deny it and readily admitted, "Yes, Grand Commandant, he is my man. I investigated him for several days and found that he was not only a man of outstanding achievements, but also a selfless and upright pillar of the state! I admire him to the extreme!"

"Unexpectedly, when I reported this to General Huo Qubing, he said that the Grand Commandant was merely a hypocrite, a villain disguised as a loyal minister. After hearing about your plan that day, he argued with me for a long time. In the end, he insisted that I send a message to He Yuan to eliminate the Grand Commandant through Lu Ji, so that we could get rid of him. I was unwilling, but under the pressure from General Huo Qubing, I had no choice but to comply. That's how the ambush you fell into happened that day."

Liu Xian listened in silence. He certainly didn't believe Sima Yue's account was the truth, but hearing Sima Yi betray him still filled him with bitterness. However, he also clearly realized that Sima Yue's words were merely an attempt to sow discord between him and Sima Yi; he hadn't revealed the truly important information. So he bluntly asked, "But what does this have to do with the rebellion of the General of the Cavalry you mentioned?"

"Oh dear, Grand Commandant, how can you still not understand!" Sima Yue slapped his knee urgently and raised his voice, "The reason why General Huo Qubing has repeatedly harmed you is because he fears that you, Grand Commandant, will hinder his usurpation of the throne!"

Hearing this, he seemed somewhat frightened. After glancing around a few times, he leaned forward slightly, suppressed his voice, and slowly said, "When the decision was made yesterday, the General of the Cavalry secretly told me that when we repelled Zhang Fang, I should launch a surprise attack with a stray arrow on the battlefield and kill the Grand Commandant. At that time, no one would know, and everyone would just say that the Grand Commandant died in battle, and there would be no way to find out. The General of the Cavalry promised me that after this is done, when he ascends to the position of Grand Commandant, he will give me the command of the Southern Expeditionary Army!"

This was indeed a possible solution, but Liu Xian glanced at Sima Yue, a cold smile creeping across his lips, and asked, "Does Sikong not find it tempting?"

Sima Yue waved his hands repeatedly and said, "What are you saying, Grand Commandant? As the saying goes, evil cannot prevail over good! How can someone like you, who is in accordance with righteousness and the will of the people, be defeated by conspiracy and trickery? Moreover, the usurpation of the throne by the General of Chariots and Cavalry is a heinous act, just like the King of Zhao. Once the news gets out, the whole world will unite to condemn him. Even with Meng Guan's abilities, he could not survive under such circumstances, let alone me?"

"Moreover, this would bring about the downfall of the state. Given the weakness of the Jin dynasty, it simply cannot withstand such devastation. That is why I have come to see the Grand Commandant, hoping that he can save the Jin dynasty!"

At this point, Sima Yue's eyes reddened, and he choked back tears, wiping them away with his sleeve. This is probably what it means to be a loyal minister of the Jin dynasty when emotions run deep.

But Liu Xian couldn't hide his contempt after hearing this: what could such a fickle and incompetent villain possibly accomplish? Sima Yue spoke so grandly, even fabricating the pretext of Sima Yi's plot to usurp the throne, but how could Liu Xian believe it? Sima Yue absolved himself so completely, claiming that the schemes to harm others were all Sima Yi's ideas—was that even possible? Then why did Sima Yi consider him a confidant?

This is truly a giant serpent from the East China Sea! I can't believe I never noticed it before!

But Liu Xian was also pondering: how many people could Sima Yue truly represent? Were there other forces standing behind him? Although Sima Yue held a high position of seniority within the imperial clan, he was ultimately from a remote collateral branch, not a direct descendant of any imperial line. Serving as one of the Three Dukes was already a stretch; he likely had no chance of becoming a regent. Was he merely a pawn pushed out by other factions?

Thinking this, Liu Xian's expression grew increasingly serious. He neither agreed nor denied, but simply asked, "Then what are your plans, Minister?"

Sima Yue wiped away his tears and said solemnly, "Grand Commandant, please rest assured. Most of our clansmen are loyal to you. The Prince of Pingyuan has already told me that General Huo Qubing is too hasty in his actions and has killed the Prince of Qi, offending too many people. He is not good enough to be the regent. It would be better to let the Prince of Yuzhang do it. The Prince of Yuzhang is refined and gentle, and his temperament is like that of Emperor Wu. If he were to be the regent, and with the support of the Grand Commandant, the turmoil in various places would be resolved without a trace."

The Prince of Pingyuan refers to Sima Gan, the Grand Protector, who was the fifth son of Emperor Xuan of Jin, Sima Yi; the Prince of Yuzhang refers to Sima Chi, the Grand General of Qingzhou, who was the twenty-fifth son of Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan. Upon learning of their involvement, Liu Xian was initially shocked, but then thought: If that's the case, everything makes sense.

Three years after the successful overthrow of Zhao, Prince Zhao, Sima Lun, was executed first, and Prince Liang, Sima Tong, died of fear and anxiety shortly after. Now, the only surviving son of Emperor Xuan of Jin, Sima Yi, is Prince Pingyuan, Sima Gan. Moreover, Sima Gan had an extremely good relationship with Sima Jiong. When the three princes came to the capital, he favored Sima Jiong, visiting him personally. He also wept bitterly after Sima Jiong's execution. It was indeed understandable that he was dissatisfied with Sima Yi.

However, Liu Xian hadn't anticipated that Sima Chi, the Prince of Yuzhang, would also be involved. This young prince had always appeared indifferent to fame and fortune, and uninvolved in politics. His appointment as Governor of Qingzhou was initiated by Sima Yi, and he had even helped Liu Xian escape during Sun Xiu's coup. Therefore, Liu Xian had a very good impression of him. Had he not expected him to secretly oppose the Prince of Changsha?
Thinking of this, Liu Xian felt utterly exhausted. The political situation at court was truly a tangled mess, impossible to unravel; when would it ever end? He looked up at Sima Yue, who was also looking at him. Liu Xian knew he was waiting for his response. After a moment's thought, he said, "In that case, Liu Xian dares not disobey!"

Sima Yue was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed to Liu Xian. The two discussed the matter for half the night. After Sima Yue's figure disappeared from the tent, Liu Xian once again turned his gaze to the brazier. After turning the embers a few times with the tongs, he stared at the sparks flying from the red-hot coals, thinking: Let them fight, let them fight. After this battle, he should fly far away. Once he leaves, these sordid things will have nothing to do with him anymore.

At this moment, Liu Xian was preoccupied with political infighting and had no idea that Zhang Fang, whom he was about to face, would be an unprecedentedly formidable enemy in his life. (End of Chapter)