Jinting Han people

When Sima Fan, the Prince of Xiangyang, emerged from Changhe Gate, it was nearly midnight. The commotion that had raged for half the night since the refugees returned had finally subsided somewhat. But it wasn't completely quiet yet; there were still many faint sobs, the mourning and weeping of soldiers who had learned of the tragic news and the loss of their loved ones.

If Sima Fan were a middle-aged man, he would probably have sensed the sorrow and helplessness in that voice. But he was only sixteen years old, and no matter how sentimental he might be, he was still at an age of clarity and purity.

Therefore, listening to these cries and bathed in the moonlight overhead, he only felt his own insignificance, and then a simple hatred and longing arose within him. He hated his youth, longed to grow up, longed for time to pass faster, for him to grow older, and then become someone who was valued by everyone.

After all, he was too young at the moment, and no one cared about his opinion.

Upon returning home, Sima Fan removed his official robes, changed into a lighter robe, and then went to pay his respects to his mother. This was an unwavering routine. He had lost his father at a young age, and the three of them—himself, his mother, and his brother—depended on each other for survival, so they had an extremely close relationship. Every morning after waking up and before going to sleep, he would make a point of greeting his mother.

Unexpectedly, when he arrived at his mother's room, he happened to see Liu Xian talking with his mother, the Dowager Consort Qin. The two were sitting opposite each other on a wooden couch, both with solemn expressions on their faces, as if they had been talking for a long time. For some reason, there were no maids around them, and the Dowager Consort was personally brewing tea.

When Consort Qin saw Sima Fan approaching, she immediately smiled with pride and waved, saying, "Yan Ping, look, who's here?"

Liu Xian rose from the couch, bowed to Sima Fan, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Sima Fan hurriedly returned the greeting, saying, "Greetings, Grand Commandant."

Consort Qin waved her hand and feigned annoyance, saying, "Why are you all being so polite? It's making us so distant!"

She pulled Sima Fan in front of her and said to Liu Xian, "Huai Chong, just call Yan Ping by his courtesy name." Then she said to Sima Fan, "Also, Yan Ping, don't call him 'Grand Commandant' anymore, just call him 'Uncle'."

Liu Xian was about to politely decline when Sima Fan bowed again and addressed him as "Greetings, Uncle!"

Sima Fan's address of "Uncle" was sincere. Although he had rarely met Liu Xian, Sima Fan had heard of Liu Xian's name since childhood and knew that he and his father were close friends. As Liu Xian gradually entered the political arena, Sima Fan heard more and more about his deeds, and his admiration for him grew. Now, Liu Xian had risen to the rank of one of the Three Dukes, and the Prince of Xiangyang naturally regarded him as a role model, hoping to gain Liu Xian's approval.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian could naturally sense the sincerity in the words. He felt both helpless and gratified, and personally helped Sima Fan up, saying, "Alas, I haven't come often enough! In just a few years, Yan Ping has grown so much."

He then examined Sima Fan's appearance and said to the Dowager Consort beside him, "If Your Highness could see Yan Ping today, you would surely be pleased!"

When Sima Wei was mentioned, Consort Qin's eyes dimmed, but she quickly cheered up and pointed at Sima Fan, saying, "But I believe that this child is definitely no worse than his father."

"Yes, I believe it!" Liu Xian recalled while smiling and affirming, "More than a month ago, when we left Luoyang to fight the Northern Army, Yan Ping even boasted to me that he would avenge His Highness! He is capable of great things!"

Sima Fan blushed as he said this. He had spoken those words with the intention of achieving glory on the battlefield. However, in the subsequent battles of Mangshan and Xingyang, Sima Fan not only failed to offer any assistance, but when Qiao Zhiming launched a surprise attack, he even fled with the emperor, never having the chance to fight, let alone achieve any merit. Liu Xian's praise now only made him feel more ashamed.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Sima Fan sat down and finally couldn't hold back his questions any longer. He asked Liu Xian, "Uncle, is there something you need to see Mother about so late?"

Liu Xian glanced at Consort Qin. He had spent the past hour discussing this issue with her and had gained her support. Now, Liu Xian was finally ready to tell the person in charge of the plan.

He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, then sat up straight and said solemnly, "Yan Ping, I'm not here to see the Dowager Consort; I'm here to ask for your help."

"Me?" Sima Fan was somewhat bewildered. Although he was now a prince, he was still too young and had no real power, so he had little say in court meetings. Liu Xian, on the other hand, had a distinguished military record and was practically the most famous general of his time. He found it hard to imagine how he could possibly help Liu Xian.

Liu Xian didn't keep him in suspense, saying, "Yan Ping should know that the General of the Cavalry has become suspicious of me."

The falling out between Sima Yi and Liu Xian has indeed been a major topic of discussion in the court recently. However, the exact reasons are widely debated and no consensus has been reached. What is clear is that their conflict has become almost public; otherwise, Liu Xian wouldn't have been unable to attend the recent court assembly.

Sima Fan was also paying attention to this matter. He was still young and didn't understand the rights and wrongs involved, but there was no doubt that he was more inclined to side with Liu Xian. He immediately asked, "Does Uncle want me to help plead on his behalf?"

Before Liu Xian could answer, he immediately raised his hand and swore, "Please rest assured, Uncle! I will guarantee with my life that I will support you in regaining military power!"

This was of course impossible, and Liu Xian had never even considered it. However, he couldn't explain this to Sima Fan, and Liu Xian had no intention of pointing it out. He shook his head slightly and said, "I appreciate Yan Ping's good intentions. But as the saying goes, forcing someone to do something they don't want to do often backfires."

"Back then, Emperor Wu was suspicious of Prince Xian of Qi (Sima You), so Prince Xian asked the princesses to come to the palace to plead for him. But this only deepened the rift between the brothers. If that fails, my relationship with General Huo Qubing will probably end up like that, and it will also implicate many people. That would be a very bad situation."

"So what does Uncle mean..."

Liu Xian took out a piece of yellow silk from his bosom and handed it to Sima Fan, saying, "Please do me a favor and give this piece of yellow silk to the Empress so that she can stamp it and approve it."

Sima Fan was somewhat puzzled, but when he unfolded the yellow silk, he saw that it was covered with dense writing. However, after reading it carefully, he realized that the main point was simple: he was actually requesting the Empress to send him to a remote post.
In his writing, Liu Xian recounted his past achievements in serving the country alongside Sima Yi. Over the past ten years, he had participated in numerous major events, including overthrowing Yang, suppressing rebellions, deposing the empress, attacking Zhao, and destroying Qi. During this time of war and national turmoil, he risked his life several times, sustaining dozens of arrow wounds. While he could not claim to have made great contributions, he was certainly dedicated and hardworking, a feat few in the court could match.

Then he recalled his experiences in officialdom over the years. As one of the three most trusted advisors of the two kings, it was normal for Liu Xian to be suspected and disliked. Yet, despite his years of utmost caution and meticulous conduct, he had never escaped slander. First Jia Mi, then Sun Xiu, and now countless others were secretly defaming him. Under their machinations, he...
Ultimately, a rift developed between him and Sima Yi.

Finally, Liu Xian discussed the current situation, arguing that the country was facing numerous difficulties: constant infighting among the princes, frequent rebellions in the provinces, and the ever-present threat of the Xianbei tribes in the north. He concluded that allowing the discord among the ministers to fester and escalate into another major upheaval would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to the state.

Therefore, Liu Xian pleaded with the emperor that he and Sima Yi would voluntarily step aside and be appointed to official posts in the Guanzhong region to quell the rebellion. In this way, conflict between ministers could be avoided, and both sides could fulfill their respective responsibilities and benefit the region.

After reading the entire book, Sima Fan finally understood Liu Xian's intention. He raised his head and asked, "Does Uncle want me to deliver this book to the Empress?"

"Yes." Liu Xian took a slight breath, looked at Sima Fan, and slowly said, "Yan Ping, I have no other choice. Of all the people I know, only you can approach the Empress without suspicion and deliver this book to her. Can you help me with this?" The implication was that this matter had to be done behind Sima Yi's back, and even if successful, Liu Xian would still face the risk of being reprimanded and punished by Sima Yi after his transfer to a post outside the capital.

This made Sima Fan waver slightly, because he had never done anything so risky before. He also knew that this matter would greatly affect the entire world's political landscape, which made it difficult for him to make a decision. However, he subconsciously glanced at his mother, and seeing the Empress Dowager Qin nod firmly at him, Sima Fan's hesitation instantly vanished. He closed the yellow silk, clasped his hands, and said, "Please rest assured, Uncle, I will do my utmost to make this happen!"

At this point, he asked again, "But Uncle, will the Empress agree to this?"

This is indeed a very important question. It's really hard to grasp what Yang Xianrong's attitude is towards Liu Xian. Especially since there have been some rather unpleasant things between Liu Xian and Yang Xianrong before.

After getting to know her for some time, Liu Xian had a general understanding of Empress Yang Xianrong's habits. In his view, this empress was an extremely intelligent woman. Although she had many unrealistic ideas, she was inherently shrewd and rational, and her political decisions were rarely influenced by emotions. This meant that, so far, no one had criticized her, which was extremely rare in today's political arena.

From a political perspective, the escalating conflict between Liu Xian and Sima Yi undoubtedly posed a serious threat to Yang Xianrong's political standing. Without either side, the triangular alliance between the Yang family, the Prince of Changsha, and Liu Xian would crumble, jeopardizing her position as Empress. Therefore, having Yang Xianrong mediate their conflict was entirely beneficial.

It was from this point of view that Liu Xian decided to make a political deal with Yang Xianrong.

Therefore, he said to Sima Fan, "Yan Ping, don't worry. The Empress is a smart woman. Even if she doesn't agree, she won't hastily reject it. It's just that she will come with conditions."

"After you hand this book over to His Highness, if you cannot reach an agreement in one go, remember whatever her conditions are. When you return, have someone convey this to me, and I will consider it."

Seeing Sima Fan nod firmly in agreement, Liu Xian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His strategy was actually quite simple: if he could obtain the imperial edict for his transfer before Sima Yue and the others could act, he could simply lead his troops away. At the same time, he would reveal Sima Yue's plan to Sima Yi. Then, Sima Yi, embroiled in political infighting, would be powerless to stop him from leaving, and regardless of his opinion, would have no choice but to acknowledge the facts. Even if Sima Yi stubbornly refused to admit it, Liu Xian, with the imperial edict in hand, would have all his actions perfectly legitimate.

However, to be fair, Yang Xianrong's invitation to a nighttime meeting at Tingfeng Temple was intended to win him over as a political ally, but he had refused. Unexpectedly, after all these twists and turns, it was now his turn to beg her. The twists and turns of fate are truly unpredictable.

Thus, the matter was settled. Liu Xian had initially worried that Sima Fan, being so young, might be afraid to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. But now it seemed that he had inherited his father's pride. Faced with Liu Xian's entrustment, the Prince of Xiangyang was far more excited than fearful. As if he had received some kind of proof, he promised Liu Xian, "Please rest assured, Uncle. This is the first major thing I have done since I came of age, and I will never let you down."

This youthful spirit of fearlessness reminded Liu Xian of his own youth, and he said with great interest, "What? You're the General of the Cavalry's nephew. Do you think he won't give you something to do in court discussions?"

“I did tell them, but Uncle Fifteen said at the meeting that I should gain more experience and broaden my horizons!”

This question hit Xiangyang Prince right where it hurt. He was not very shrewd and rolled up his sleeves to complain, "Alas, Uncle, today's court meeting was truly disheartening. Everyone was discussing whether or not to negotiate peace with the Prince of Hejian!"

"Peace talks?" Liu Xian was taken aback upon hearing this and quickly asked, "What exactly is going on?"

It turns out that this all started with the Battle of Luoyang.

Although Zhang Fang suffered a setback in the battle and retreated in haste, he committed an extremely despicable act before leaving. He set fire to the Taicang granary right in front of the Luoyang Imperial Guards. The granary contained nearly half of Luoyang's grain reserves, and in the dry winter air, it quickly became uncontrollable. The Imperial Guards and others tried their best to salvage it, managing to save only a little over 100,000 bushels.

For the 70,000 Imperial Guards, this number was far too small. Even with the provisions they carried, it would only last for three months. Now, Liu Xian had rescued the refugees, creating hundreds of thousands more mouths to feed. However, their grain reserves had been completely looted by Zhang Fang, leaving the imperial court to take over. This meant that Luoyang was about to face a major famine.

In this situation, transporting grain from Xuchang to provide emergency relief would not only be time-consuming but also subject to constant harassment from Zhang Fang, potentially leading to a food shortage. Therefore, in court discussions, most officials believed that they should stop while they were ahead and negotiate peace with the Western Army as soon as possible. However, some argued that it would be better to press the advantage, recapture Yiyang and Hangu Pass in one fell swoop, and force Zhang Fang back to Guanzhong, leaving Sima Yong with no choice but to negotiate peace.

Faced with this discussion, the King of Changsha remained silent. After all, whether it was war or peace, the refugees had to be settled first. Therefore, he did not make a decision in public, but instead assigned some miscellaneous tasks to the officials, and the court meeting ended without a conclusion.

Sima Fan slapped his knee and said, "Alas, I really don't understand. We had won a great victory, so why couldn't we pursue the fleeing enemy and wipe them out in one fell swoop? Even if the casualties were heavier, I think it would have been worth it!"

This was typical youthful impetuosity. Liu Xian smiled and admonished, "Yan Ping, don't take battles for granted. Soldiers are human too; they need rest and relaxation. If you can't care for your soldiers, they will never fight for you. What's the point of talking about whether it's worth it or not?"

"Does your uncle also agree to peace talks?"

"Temporary peace talks are indeed a last resort."

So Liu Xian talked with Sima Fan for a while and told him, "If there's anything you don't understand, you can write to me later. I'll teach you anything I know."

As he left the Prince of Xiangyang's residence, a light sleet began to fall again from the gloomy sky. It was almost November, and the weather was getting colder and colder. In a while, the river would probably freeze over. Thinking this, Liu Xian put his bamboo hat back on his head and walked alone into the military camp.

As he walked along the path, listening to the howling north wind overhead and the rustling of the surrounding trees, Liu Xian subconsciously recalled the conversation he had overheard from Sima Fan. He had been pondering his strategy for being sent to a distant post, and although he had heard about the court discussions, he hadn't paid much attention to them. But now, a flash of inspiration struck him, connecting all the previous clues and doubts, and he suddenly understood:
Peace talks are absolutely impossible; Zhang Fang is planning a protracted war—a war of attrition!

The entire city of Luoyang was merely a decoy; his true intention was to trap the Imperial Guards and the imperial court within Luoyang, turning it into a veritable prison!
And it's highly likely that he made his move that very night!

The thought sent a chill down Liu Xian's spine. He instinctively wanted to go to the palace to discuss the matter with Sima Yi, but then he remembered that with his current status, it was impossible for him to see him again, and he felt lost and confused.

But this matter was extremely urgent, and if countermeasures were taken now, the situation might still be salvageable. Liu Xian had no choice but to hurry back to the military camp. In the middle of the night, he woke up Sima Yue, who was still asleep, and urged him to go and see Sima Yi immediately, proposing to send troops to fortify Chenggao Pass and to make sure that this last escape route was secured.

Before Sima Yue could even set off, a raging fire suddenly broke out north of Luoyang, illuminating half the night sky. This immediately roused the sleeping people, who looked north in bewilderment, completely unaware of what was happening amidst the chaos.

At daybreak, scouts reported that the entire river bridge, including all the boats at Mengjin and Xiaopingjin, had been burned down, leaving the scene in ruins. From that moment on, the passage between Luoyang and Hebei was completely severed!

At noon that day, scouts from the west brought more bad news: for unknown reasons, several thousand Western troops had sailed downstream from upstream and launched a surprise attack on Chenggao Pass at dawn. The defending troops were caught off guard and the attack succeeded. Thus, the perilous Hulao Pass fell into the hands of the Western army!
Within a single day, the entire battle situation took a sharp turn for the worse, spiraling out of control. (End of Chapter)