Jinting Han people

Over the next three days, under the arrangement of elders such as Liu Xun and Fei Xiu, the Anle Duke's Mansion also began preparations for relocation. A small group of people would go to Guanzhong with Liu Xian, while the rest would move to Xuchang with the imperial court.

This was Liu Xun's wish. Although Liu Xian originally advocated that the entire clan should move west with him, the current political environment did not present the conditions for a full-scale relocation. This was mainly because Liu Xian had not yet openly broken with the Jin dynasty, but was instead traveling west on the emperor's edict. Moving against the court's regulations would inevitably put him in an unfavorable public opinion situation. Therefore, Liu Xun proposed that each branch of the family select one or two male members to accompany them, while the rest should pack their belongings and move with the court.

This was undoubtedly a difficult decision. Apart from Liu Xian, most members of the Anle Duke's family held sinecure positions in the imperial court, doing trivial tasks. While these might seem unimportant to outsiders, they were carefree and their families happy. But Liu Xian's decision had practically torn apart every family in the clan. Many members were unable to accept it.

But Liu Xun's opinion was very firm. For the first time, he showed the responsibility of a family head and said in front of the clansmen:

"Don't you all know this is a chaotic world? Can a chaotic world allow people to have so-called happiness? In this chaotic world, just to survive requires all our strength, and everything else depends on the mercy of heaven. As men, we cannot expect such mercy; we can only move forward steadfastly until we have a world of our own!"

Old Anle Gong had said many admonitions throughout his life, and this was probably the most insightful one, leaving the clansmen speechless. Ultimately, their previous peace and stability were a gift from Sima Yan, and now, the Sima clan itself was struggling to survive, let alone them. The clansmen understood this, and with sorrow, they accepted this reality.

Three days later, fifteen members of the clan, including Liu Xuan, Liu Ke, Liu Zhen, Liu He, and Liu Shou, were selected to accompany the emperor. The oldest was Liu Xuan, Liu Xian's cousin, who was only thirty-five years old. The youngest was Liu Kang, Liu Xian's half-brother, who had just come of age less than two months prior. They were all pillars and hopes of the clan; if the restoration of the kingdom succeeded, they would be indispensable members of the Han imperial family.

The group bid farewell to their hometown, and as they parted, their clansmen came out to see them off. At that moment, the apricot blossoms on both sides of the road were in bloom, and as the spring breeze blew, the petals fell softly, like a light snowfall.

Their loved ones bid them a reluctant farewell, and many began to weep at the thought of not knowing when they would see each other again. Couples, especially mothers and children, gave their children countless words of advice and concern, fearing that their children might suffer any hardship while away from home.

This certainly doesn't include Liu Xian. Over a decade of fighting in the north and south had shown him too much separation and pain, and he knew that what he needed to show at this moment was resilience, not weakness.

After bowing and paying respects to Liu Xun, Fei Xiu, and others, the newly appointed Duke of Anle calmed the crowd and solemnly promised the clansmen who came to see him off: "Please rest assured, I will do my best to protect them."

And so, under the watchful eyes of Liu Xun, Fei Xiu, and the others, Liu Xian and his group left Dongwu. The brothers looked back frequently, watching as the willow branches on both sides of the road grew into a veil, gradually obscuring the way home until they were completely hidden in the misty rain.

"Life is like a dream!" Liu Xuan sighed as the group approached the official road, complaining to Liu Xian about the hardships and emptiness of life. After all, in just a few days, he would have to sever all ties with the past and embark on an unknown journey, not knowing when he would be able to return.

"What follows is also a dream," Liu Xian replied. "The truly difficult part hasn't even begun yet!"

The clansmen mostly seemed to understand, but not quite. They had protected Liu Xian so well in their daily lives that they hadn't yet experienced any real hardship. No matter how much they understood the道理 (principles/reasoning) or heard the rumors, there was still a barrier, and they wouldn't truly have a personal understanding.

But they will soon learn that chaos is always the best teacher.

In fact, once they reached the official road, the people were immediately shocked: countless refugees were walking along it, supporting the old and carrying the young, their clothes tattered, their heads bobbing up and down, most with hungry faces, like a dense swarm of locusts in autumn. Their unsteady steps made many too hungry to speak, creating an eerie silence on the road, as if a procession of ghosts were taking place.

Liu Xian inquired with the soldiers maintaining order and learned that this was the third batch of refugees from Luoyang to be relocated. Since the peace treaty was signed, approximately 100,000 people had embarked on their journeys away from their homes. In another five days, the imperial court would likely also begin its eastward relocation.

This is a chaotic world, where everyone is forced to leave their homes, and whether people like it or not, it is impossible to return to the peaceful days of the past. Even if, many years later, people are able to quell the conflicts, establish peace, and create a new era of order, it will not belong to the memories people once had.

Just like the Luoyang city that Dong Zhuo burned down, when the fire was extinguished, the Luoyang city of the Han Dynasty completely disappeared. The Wei-Jin Luoyang city that was built in the ruins can only see the shadow of the past on the outer walls, but the interior has been completely changed and can never be restored to what it was before.

Today's Luoyang is merely repeating the same fate.

Upon returning to Luoyang, it was visibly much emptier. As the crowds departed, the outskirts of the city were filled with ruins destroyed by the great fire of Luoyang. Since everything usable inside had been taken away, the ruins were reduced to crumbling walls, resembling skeletons devoid of flesh and blood.

On the way into the city from the eastern suburbs, it's not hard to spot that among these ubiquitous ruins are the former residences of the Duke of Anle and the Duke of Songzi. The charred trees, like an old man's palm, point towards the sky, and the entire houses have collapsed to the ground as the beams have been destroyed, with the roof tiles shattered into pieces, resembling fish scales scattered on the ground.

Seeing this scene, even Liu Xian felt heavy-hearted. He deeply understood that on this land that had nurtured him, he would never again see the peach blossoms and osmanthus flowers that bloomed in his childhood.

Not long after entering the city, Li Sheng led his men to welcome Liu Xian and said to him, "My lord, Zu Sikong sent someone to tell us that you need to see him again after you return, as there are important matters to discuss."

"Oh, I see." Liu Xian knew Zu Ti's intention; it probably involved the handover of troops. After dealing with this last issue, Liu Xian could officially leave Luoyang.

Therefore, he asked Li Sheng, "During the few days I was gone, did you pack all your things?"

"Everything is ready. Everyone is prepared and waiting for your command."

A rare smile graced Li Sheng's face. After all, unlike Liu Xian, Li Sheng was a native of Shu. Since joining Liu Xian in Xiayang, he had been away from his hometown for almost thirteen years and had never returned. This time, it was his turn to go home.

Seeing Li Sheng's smile, Liu Xian felt much more relaxed. He nodded and said, "Alright, wait a moment, I'll be right back." With that, he immediately spurred his horse back into the palace.

Compared to the previous days, the palace was much quieter now. Many palace guards had withdrawn, and the lanterns that usually hung brightly along the palace paths were gone. Instead, eunuchs were carrying boxes crammed full of documents and valuables, which, having been left unseen for so long, emitted a faint musty smell. Led by a young eunuch, Liu Xian gradually arrived at Qianqiu Gate and the foot of Lingyun Terrace, where he saw Zu Ti standing quietly in a crabapple garden, admiring the crimson buds before him.

Zu Ti had changed into a brocade robe, with a short sword hanging at his waist, along with a purple ribbon and gold seal indicating his identity. He heard footsteps behind him, glanced back, then looked away. Only when Liu Xian reached his side did he speak:

When are you planning to leave?

"After we finish talking, if nothing unexpected happens, I'll leave tomorrow."

Zu Ti nodded and asked, "How many people are you planning to take with you?" "I'm taking those people from Kansai, plus my own Songzi Camp, and my staff. I don't need anyone else."

Zu Ti was slightly surprised, because this was tantamount to leaving him with all the Imperial Guards, which was a great favor. In other words, Liu Xian could only lead five or six thousand men to Guanzhong, which was basically starting all over again.

Liu Xian, however, took it in stride. He knew the hardship of being far from home, and that unless these Imperial Guards were loyal to him through thick and thin, they would likely be ineffective in combat if he brought them there. There was no need to force it.

Zu Ti, however, said that he owed him something and asked with concern, "If you go to the west, you will have to continue fighting the Western Army. Do you have a chance of winning?"

"I have my own plans."

“Alright, then you need to be careful.” Zu Ti then revealed some information to him: “These past few days, I was planning to take down Gou Xi. But he’s too clever. I was still deploying manpower when he found out in advance.”

"He ran away?"

"Yes, he abandoned the army and took only a dozen or so confidants westward. He must have joined Zhang Fang's army."

Gou Xi went to seek refuge with Zhang Fang? This news made Liu Xian frown slightly, but he quickly smiled and said, "It's a small problem, I can handle it. But what about you? Can you handle it?"

Upon hearing this, Zu Ti gripped his sword and feigned anger, saying, "Oh? You think I can't handle this? I'm sharpening my sword right now, just waiting for some fool to try!"

Both of them laughed heartily, and then Liu Xian sighed and said, "Shizhi, don't be like that. Once you become one of the Three Dukes, you must learn to control your temper and be more tolerant of others. Otherwise, if you stir up trouble again, you may not be able to handle it."

"Also, please take good care of the Prince of Xiangyang for me. He is the eldest son of the King of Chu, and I owe his family a lot of favors."

Zu Ti glanced at him again, sighed, and said, "Don't worry! I'm not heartless. I know what to do."

At that moment, both of them fell silent for each other's fate, and then they heard birds chirping overhead.

After listening for a while, Zu Ti said, "I won't see you off. I have a lot to do tomorrow. You can go to the east of the city to get the provisions you need for the journey."

So Liu Xian took his leave. Zu Ti said he didn't want to see him off, but he still subconsciously turned back to watch him leave. When Liu Xian left the palace gate, he also turned back to look at him and saw Zu Ti standing under the crabapple tree. He waved and said, "Take care, and we'll meet again someday."

Liu Xian withdrew, but as he left the palace through Qianqiu Gate, he felt, perhaps it was just his imagination, that someone was watching him. However, when he turned back repeatedly, he found nothing. Finally, one day, he vaguely saw a beautiful figure on Lingyun Terrace, which filled Liu Xian with a sense of melancholy.

In any case, all the farewells have been completed, and it's time to officially begin the journey.

The next morning, Liu Xian and his party gathered enough provisions for half a month and headed north into Mangshan. When they reached the summit of Mangshan along the mountain path, he looked back at the land of Luoyang once again.

In the past, people loved to gaze into the distance from Mount Mang, especially at dusk when twilight descended. At that time, as the lanterns were lit and the clouds drifted by, people standing atop the peak could see the surrounding rolling hills, the beautiful rivers and mountains, the majestic cities, and the magnificent palaces, feeling a sense of exhilaration and calling it a wonder of the world. But now, Liu Xian looks around and can only see a city scarred by war.

Time has passed, and in the past thirty-two years, Liu Xian has lost count of how many times he has traveled to and from this land. Yet, only twice have he been forced to leave, unable to return at will. The first time was when Jia Mi exiled him to Xiayang, where he remained in seclusion for nine years in Guanzhong. The second time was to escape Sun Xiu's pursuit; he sought refuge with Sima Yi, only to return a year later.

This time, it was the third time, but it was different from the previous two. This time, he wasn't forced to leave; he was going to find a distant dream, determined to realize it and bring it back here.

“Standing and gazing at the West River, tears stream down my face, wetting my silk tassels.”

Liu Xian exclaimed that this was a famous line from the poem "Chang Ge Xing" from the Later Han Dynasty, which describes the reluctance of a traveler to leave Luoyang, and it perfectly captures the mood and scene.

"Brother, when will we return?"

While pondering, perhaps because he had a premonition, Meng He asked Liu Xian a question that was very similar to what he was thinking, though not entirely the same.

Liu Xian was thinking: How long will it take from today until I achieve my great goal?
It took Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang nearly seven years to rise up and overthrow the Qin Dynasty, and then another seven years to eliminate the vassal kings of different surnames. In total, it took fourteen years to restore peace to the world.

It took Emperor Shizu Liu Xiu approximately fifteen years from joining the Green Forest Army to rebel against Wang Mang with his elder brother Liu Yan, to being stationed in Hebei, ascending the throne, and finally eliminating Gongsun Shu and reunifying the country.

His great-grandfather, Liu Bei, had been wandering from place to place since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, traveling back and forth across the land for thirty-eight years. Although he eventually became emperor and inherited the Han dynasty, he was ultimately trapped in a corner of Sichuan and Chongqing and failed to truly restore the great cause.

And what about myself? How long will it take me to complete all of this? Or will I, like my great-grandfather, be busy my whole life, only to die halfway through?
As he pondered this, Liu Xian's gaze swept over his entourage. He noticed many eyes fixed on him. Without exception, these eyes shone like stars in a night sky, filled with the power of trust. This heavy weight of trust, pressing down on Liu Xian's shoulders, didn't suffocate him; instead, it bestowed upon him an unshakeable confidence and composure. It was as if he were a mountain, unyielding and unstoppable, no matter how many armies lay ahead.

This feeling made Liu Xian feel at ease. He didn't answer Meng He's question, but instead patted his chest, turned to face the crowd, and said with a smile, "Let's hurry up and go. There are still people waiting for us in the distance."

Having said that, he didn't look back, but rode straight down Beiman Mountain. He felt no confusion, only the overwhelming light that filled the sky.

(End of this volume) (End of this chapter)