Jinting Han people

Sima Yue's provocation naturally ignited Guo Song's bloodlust, and his eyes turned red. He was, after all, a young man; even though he was currently unarmed, with the other man's swords before him, he wanted to rush forward and punch the King of Donghai in the face.

Before he could make a move, a hand pressed down on his shoulder, startling Guo Song. He turned around and saw it was He Pan, the Duke of Xicheng. He Pan shook his head at Guo Song and said softly, "Young man, don't be too arrogant. Learn to blend in with the world."

"But..." Guo Song wanted to say something, but seeing He Pan's calm smile, his anger subsided.

He Pan said, "When the sky falls, there are always tall people to hold it up. In times like these, it's best to let the elders speak up."

He naturally pulled Guo Song behind him, walked to the front of the crowd, calmly met Sima Yue's gaze, and slowly said, "Sikong, tell me what you have to say today."

After all this commotion, the Prince of Donghai lost interest in reading the imperial edict. He originally intended to kill Guo Song to establish his authority, but seeing that He Pan took the initiative to ease the situation, he gave him face. He then stood with his hands behind his back, composed himself, and said, "Duke of Xicheng, the Grand Commandant was a traitor who plotted to restore the country. He has indeed been captured by me."

"Logically speaking, with these two imperial edicts in hand, I should have executed him on the spot, but I did not." Ignoring the renewed uproar among the crowd, he adopted a amiable demeanor, gestured for silence, and then said:
“I know that the Grand Commandant has indeed made great contributions to the country. There may be misunderstandings, but there is also solid evidence. However, in such a hasty situation, it is difficult for us to reach a conclusion that can convince the public. If we cannot convince the public, why would I do something that would undermine my own position?”

"However, having been accused of plotting, the Grand Commandant is no longer fit to be the commander-in-chief. I summoned you all here to inform you of this matter. Let's finish this battle first, and then we'll discuss the rest. What do you say?"

Sima Yue deliberately changed the subject, trying to mislead the many officers and generals present into believing that he only wanted to seize power, not to kill.

His words did indeed have an effect. In the current situation, most people thought that Liu Xian was already dead and that they would soon be implicated. Unexpectedly, Sima Yue changed the subject, indicating that there was still room for maneuver, which greatly eased the tense atmosphere.

But He Pan, a seasoned official, could easily see through the trickery involved. He went straight to the point and said, "Since you say so, why don't you let us go back first? A great battle is about to begin, and we need time to rest and prepare."

How could Sima Yue possibly allow that? He immediately said solemnly, "Then let's rest here and keep each other company. What's wrong with that?"

"It would be hard to sleep if you were in the same room with a treacherous liar!" Fu Chang sneered from the side.

Upon hearing this, Sima Yue responded with a sneer: "Boy, you'd better grow your hair out before you talk to me."

"It's better than being two-faced and hypocritical!" Xi Jian couldn't hold back any longer and sneered, "The Minister of Works has always spoken so many good words about the Grand Commandant, practically worshipping him as a god, and now suddenly he's imprisoned and called a traitor. Can someone like you be trusted? To work with you is like dealing with a tiger for its skin!"

Finally, Guo Song stepped forward again and said to the crowd, "Gentlemen, we absolutely cannot compromise. He's treating us like Cao Shuang. If this succeeds, he might exterminate our entire families!"

This statement stirred up trouble again. Some people who were wavering, remembering previous precedents, immediately abandoned any hope of getting away with it and started clamoring to leave. Some even disregarded the threat of the knife and began to rush out.

This infuriated Sima Yue greatly. Although he maintained his composure on the surface, he thought to himself that it was time to draw blood. He whispered to Pan Tao beside him, "Teach these people a lesson."

Pan Tao immediately nodded, quietly retreated among the armored soldiers, pointed at Guo Song, and ordered the nearest archer, "Shoot him dead!"

The archer dared not be careless; he drew his bow, raised his hand, and shot. At this distance, an arrow should theoretically have hit its mark. No one expected Sima Yue to actually dare to attack, and thus they were completely unprepared.

With a whoosh, a cold glint shot out, the arrowhead's cold light reaching Guo Song's eyes in the blink of an eye, stopping just half a foot away.

It turned out that Mao Bao had caught the arrow mid-air, tossed it casually, and pinned it precisely to a beam above his head before retreating back into the crowd. The onlookers, witnessing this, were all stunned into silence, speechless with shock.

Seeing this, He Pan glared at Sima Yue and said, "Minister, you've gone too far. What do you think this place is?"

Sima Yue sneered, "I only know that those who know how to adapt to the times are heroes. If you gentlemen do not know how to adapt to the times, don't blame me for being ruthless."

He Pan retorted with a cold laugh: "Does Sikong already have the victory in his grasp? I doubt it."

Sima Yue's heart skipped a beat, and a hint of suspicion arose within him. However, he remained outwardly calm and asked in return, "Oh? Does everyone here possess this skill of disarming an arrow with bare hands? If that's the case, I'll accept defeat."

When such a blatant threat was made, most people were afraid. They were unarmed and had few guards. How could they possibly stand against Sima Yue? But He Pan remained calm and replied, "Judging by the time, the Prince of Xiangyang should be arriving soon."

The Prince of Xiangyang? Sima Fan? Sima Yue was completely baffled by these words, but a very bad feeling rose in his heart. He said, "What does this have to do with the Prince of Xiangyang? Is the Duke of Xicheng trying to fool me?"

"Ha! Does the Grand Commandant think that the Grand Commandant hasn't made any arrangements for what happens after this battle?"

This is a completely baffling statement, because the answer is self-evident. In Sima Yue's view, although Liu Xian's actions are incomprehensible, his purpose is very clear: to take advantage of the country's crisis to gain the greatest prestige, and then seize control of the government and monopolize power.

In fact, Liu Xian had almost succeeded. If he were to win this battle, his prestige would surpass everyone else's. Sima Yue could almost certainly conclude that once Liu Xian secured his position as regent, he only needed to spend a few more years subduing the princes, and he would very likely abdicate again and reclaim the throne. How could there be any other possibility?
Therefore, when faced with He Pan's question, Sima Yue stopped in his tracks and chuckled, "Does the Duke of Xicheng intend to tell me that Liu Xian is truly a loyal minister of the Jin dynasty?"

He Pan did not refute, but simply stated: "Minister, the Grand Commandant has already made arrangements. After this battle, he will leave Luoyang."

"And then?" Sima Yue naturally didn't believe it.

"At the same time, he planned to hand over the power of the court to the Prince of Xiangyang."

"Oh? The Grand Commandant delegates power to a seventeen-year-old boy and then goes to become a hermit?" Sima Yue found it increasingly ridiculous.

"Of course, the Prince of Xiangyang is still too young, so the Grand Commandant chose a friend as his advisor."

"who is it?"

“It was Zu Shizhi.” He Pan paused, then slowly continued, “On my way here, Zu Shizhi told me everything about the Grand Commandant’s plan.” These words were like a bolt from the blue, silencing everyone present. Most of the officers under Liu Xian were bewildered, as this involved the highest decision-making power of the Grand Commandant’s office; apart from He Pan, Meng He, and a very few others, almost no outsiders knew about it. Sima Yue’s side was even more shocked; the Prince of Donghai was completely unaware of this! If this was true, wouldn’t his efforts to win over Zu Ti have been a complete joke?
But this makes no sense at all! Based on all the existing signs, Liu Xian's ambition to become emperor is undeniable. And in the current court, he has practically eliminated all his opponents. How could Liu Xian possibly give up this opportunity and leave Luoyang? Would he abandon the court and start anew? Compared to usurping the throne within the court, this is undoubtedly a far more difficult path.

Sima Yue was unwilling to believe it, nor could he possibly believe it. Therefore, he merely sneered and was too lazy to speak to He Pan and the others any further. He simply ordered, "Anyone who utters another word will be killed without mercy!"

But this peace lasted only a few breaths before he left the front hall and whispered to Pan Tao, "Go and inform the King of Gaomi to take the remaining soldiers and quickly go to the city wall to see what's going on. Also, replace Zu Ti! Tell him I have something important to discuss with him!"

Sima Yue's arrangement of Zu Ti was not entirely based on trust. His main reason for courting Zu Ti was that Zu Ti was an indispensable pawn in his plan to overthrow Liu Xian. Only Zu Ti could peacefully gain the trust of the soldiers guarding the city gates, and only he could easily and directly lure Liu Xian out. Therefore, while ordering Zu Ti to take control of the city gates, he also assigned Pingchang Company Commander Ma Mo, Crown Prince's Right Guard Commander Chen Zhi, and Palace Attendant Yuan Fu, among others, as guards to monitor him.

Logically, such a system of checks and balances should be foolproof. However, under He Pan's words, Sima Yue still began to waver.

The King of Donghai didn't believe Liu Xian would actually make such an arrangement, but he also instinctively distrusted everyone—a common trait among politicians like him.

Although he and Zu Ti had a long-standing relationship spanning over a decade, he was also well aware of Zu Ti's burning ambition: for someone determined to climb the social ladder, as long as they were offered substantial rewards, they would be unscrupulous and loyal to no one. The two of them were a classic example of mutual exploitation; once the basis for this exploitation disappeared, they would immediately turn against each other, a fact both were fully aware of.

Sima Yue believed he had done his best, and that the current measures were merely an additional layer of insurance.

After Pan Tao disappeared, Sima Yue returned to the main hall, which was now completely silent. Having heard He Pan's words and observing the reaction of the Prince of Donghai, the arriving officers, though unaware of the specific reasons, could roughly guess that the situation wasn't as tense as they had imagined, and thus all breathed a sigh of relief. Their current submissive demeanor was simply a prelude to awaiting the next development.

Sima Yue was also waiting for the outcome; in another hour, the Western Army would launch its general offensive. In any case, if he could hold out for an hour, victory would be his.

Sima Yue still felt some regret. He gripped the sword at his waist and thought: If I had known this would happen, I should have personally taken over the West Gate!

However, he also knew that this was impossible. Given his status and personality, he would never take such a risk and voluntarily expose himself to Liu Xian's troops.

Thinking of this, the King of Donghai's thoughts began to wander uncontrollably: even if Zu Ti had deceived him, so what? He had almost wiped out all the officers and soldiers in the city, and he still had Liu Xian at his disposal. This was his greatest advantage!

As the silence deepened, sure enough, a commotion arose again from not far away. At first, it seemed to be the voice of one person, faint and indistinct, like a thin thread in the wind, elusive and hard to grasp. But soon, more and more voices joined in, the thread twisting into a line, the line weaving into a sea, as if it were a natural cry from heaven and earth, impossible to conceal, deafeningly loud.

The shouts carried on the wind enveloped the courtyard, loudly proclaiming, "The Emperor summons the Grand Commandant! The Emperor summons the Grand Commandant!"

The shouts rose and fell, continuing for a quarter of an hour without ceasing. At the same time, Pei Dun, who was in charge of escorting the officers and guards, sent a messenger in, who reported to Sima Yuetong in a panic: "Minister of Works, Zu Ti... he has invited the Emperor, the Empress, and the Prince of Xiangyang all here! He is carrying the Yellow Dragon Banner and has gathered tens of thousands of refugees from the city! They are all making a fuss outside the courtyard, surrounding the whole place, and demanding that we hand over the Grand Commandant immediately!"

Although he was prepared, Sima Yue was still devastated by the news. He felt dizzy and weak in the legs, and was only saved from falling down by the support of others.

Realizing his loss of composure, he forced himself to stand up, hoping to project a strong image, but inwardly he couldn't help but feel dejected, thinking: Zu Ti actually came here! This means that all the trusted confidants he sent to him are finished! He's been deceiving people for so many years, never imagining he'd be deceived here!
Fortunately, he had made preparations and had a backup plan. With Liu Xian and so many generals as hostages, he was far from being in dire straits.

Having composed himself, the Prince of Donghai made a move to seize Liu Xian in the back hall. However, before he could act, the back door was pushed open. His brother-in-law, Pei Gai, led in a dozen armored soldiers, his face ashen and his limbs trembling.

Seeing this, Sima Yue was startled again. He pretended to be calm, but actually strode forward and asked, "Wen Yue, what happened? Why did you come out..."

He was about to ask where Liu Xian was, whether he had escaped or not, when Pei Gai, trembling, suddenly drew his sword and held it to Sima Yue's neck, saying, "Brother-in-law, we're finished. Surrender now!"

This turn of events was so bizarre that no one present had anticipated it, leaving them completely unprepared and left only to stare in disbelief. Sima Yue was equally astonished; he simply couldn't believe Pei Gai would dare to kill someone, and roared, "What is this! Are you insane!"

"Of course he's not crazy, Sikong, it's you who's crazy."

The voice that answered did not come from Pei Gai, but from a voice he absolutely did not want to hear at that moment.

Bathed in the clear moonlight, Liu Xian walked into the front hall with his hands behind his back, wearing neither armor nor sword. Dressed only in the simplest military uniform, he seemed to carry nothing at all. He looked around, completely ignoring the many armored soldiers with swords and bows present, casually picked up a candle, and then swaggered up to Sima Yue.

The lamp was placed between the two men, illuminating their faces: one was furious and contorted with rage, while the other had his eyes lowered in a peaceful expression.

The scene was utterly silent, so quiet that you could hear everyone breathing and their heartbeats. All eyes were fixed on Liu Xian in disbelief. No one had ever imagined that Liu Xian would stroll out so casually, as if enjoying a spring outing in the Longmen Mountains in March.

Liu Xian sighed, "Sikong has betrayed others so many times, yet he wasn't prepared to be betrayed by others?"

"What did you say to Wen Yue?" Sima Yue asked through gritted teeth.

"Sikong uses profit to lure people, but now that the situation is unfavorable, he will naturally lose people because there is no profit."

Seeing Sima Yue's embarrassed expression, Liu Xian initially wanted to laugh. But looking at that face, he immediately thought of the many needless deaths, so many that he barely had time to recall them all. This made the victory seem somewhat meaningless, and his smile gradually dissipated like a thin mist, leaving only a heavy sense of sorrow for the dead and the passing of time in his heart. Finally, he said calmly:

“I was simply telling Wen Yue that I would forgive his sins as long as he repented and returned to the right path.”

"You talk as if you were the emperor."

Faced with Sima Yue's sarcasm, Liu Xian did not argue with him. Instead, he turned his back to the Prince of Donghai and addressed everyone in the hall, saying, "Sikong's treason is clear. If you lay down your weapons now, your crimes can be reduced by two degrees. If you go into battle to kill the traitors, you can be even more pardoned. If you remain obstinate, then don't blame Liu Xian for not showing any mercy."

Liu Xian's promise was extremely simple, without any guarantee or oath, but in front of these henchmen of the King of Donghai, every word he uttered carried immense weight.

The armored soldiers present exchanged bewildered glances, not daring to utter a single word or exchange any further. But seeing the fear in their comrades' eyes, they instinctively lowered their heads and dropped their weapons. After a series of clanging sounds like raindrops, they all prostrated themselves on the ground like servants, crying out in unison, "Thank you, Grand Commandant, for sparing our lives!" (End of Chapter)