Jinting Han people

Before they knew it, it was broad daylight, and Liu Xian and the others arrived at a mountain wall covered with vines.

The man who came out to answer was named Wu Hu. He was in his forties. After glancing at Liu Xian, he groped under the vines and lifted out a wooden fence about the height of a person. The fence was painted dark brown and covered with withered grass to conceal it. Only after it was lifted out would people discover that there was a cave about ten feet high inside, which could only accommodate two people walking side by side.

Once inside, they discovered that the cave was a hidden paradise. After walking only a few dozen steps, the cave suddenly expanded, allowing about ten people to walk side by side. A stream flowed through a crevice in the rock and went in another direction. People carried torches and walked along the stream. After walking for two miles, they saw a light ahead, which grew larger and larger as it approached. When they reached the cave entrance, a fragrant aroma of flowers wafted over them, making them wonder if they had left the old world and entered a pure land.

Liu Xian looked closely and saw a vast peach orchard outside the cave. A dirt path stretched out from the cave entrance, and hundreds of peach trees, full of red blossoms, stood like elegant ladies on either side. Their branches, like the flowing sleeves of palace maids, leaned slightly towards the southeast. Pink petals covered the purple buds, and when a gentle breeze came, they trembled slightly, and the delicate petals fell like a red snowfall, or like a dream.

As people left the cave entrance and slowly entered the peach grove, they could see the surrounding scenery more clearly. Lush forests and bamboo groves lined the cave entrance, with rolling hills, though the slopes were gentle. Water flowed from the cave Liu Xian had entered, gently irrigating the surrounding land. After a few steps, an increasingly sweet fragrance permeated the air, not only the sweetness of peach blossoms but also the sweetness of the soil.

Crossing a small hill, fields gradually came into view for Liu Xian. These fields, some high, some low, some wide, some narrow, were arranged like chess pieces in an unfinished game of chess among the hills of the valley, with various paths crisscrossing them, making them appear interconnected. Liu Xian could see a considerable number of farmers working among them, some wielding hoes to turn the soil, others weeding and sowing, creating an extremely tranquil atmosphere.

Hearing a commotion on the road, many people put down what they were doing and turned to look. Liu Xian looked around and saw these faces. Although there were some young faces, there were many more old faces, their hair and beards all white. Liu Xian couldn't help but be shocked. Although he had prepared himself, seeing the wrinkles on the faces of these old people still gave him a sense of shock. He felt a mix of emotions and didn't know how to express them.

The people in the fields couldn't help but point and whisper when they saw Liu Xian and his group. Most of them just looked on with curiosity, but Liu Xian clearly felt several gazes fixed on him, scrutinizing him seriously. He followed their gazes and saw that they were all elderly people, dressed in hemp clothing, whispering among themselves, their expressions a mixture of doubt, déjà vu, and disbelief.

Liu Xian then arrived at a settlement, with over a hundred houses clustered in front of a small fortified village. Willow branches swayed, and magnolias bloomed in pure white. Some children had gathered there, and upon seeing strangers approaching, they curiously gathered around to look at them. Wu Hu said a few words to them, and the group of children laughed and dispersed. He then instructed most of the people to remain outside the fortified village, allowing only Liu Xian, Li Sheng, and Zhuge Yan to enter.

The three were led to an empty room in a fortified village. Wu Hu then said, "Please wait a moment while I go to report this to the general."

When Wu Hu first met Liu Xian, he was still somewhat wary, but after entering the valley, his expression softened. He invited some oranges in, then went outside and closed the door behind him. The room became dark again.

Liu Xian closed his eyes, his emotions beyond words. What he had seen along the way only deepened his sorrow. If he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, who could have imagined it? A group of people displaced from their homeland, to keep a secret, had actually created a paradise in such a harsh and remote place. Many of them were ragged, looking like beggars in public. Yet their backs were straight as pine trees, and when still, they were as steady as stone sculptures. This external hardship and inner resilience were something Liu Xian had never seen before. He couldn't imagine what kind of belief these people held to persevere, or what kind of expectations they had for themselves.

Thinking of this, Liu Xian felt a sudden, unprecedented sense of trepidation. Although he was very confident in himself, at this moment, he couldn't help but doubt himself: Could he live up to these people's expectations? Or rather, what should he do to make up for these people?

Thinking about these problems, Liu Xian felt somewhat anxious. He looked around; everything in the room was very simple. Apart from a few tables and desks, there were some straw mats and animal hides. A cow horn bow hung on the wall. The bow had some patterns on it, but they were all covered in dust. There were even some cobwebs on the cow sinew bowstring, which was obviously not used for a long time.

Liu Xian brushed the cobwebs aside, about to continue his examination, when the door behind him opened again. An old man appeared in the doorway, leading Wu Hu and the others in with large strides. His gaze swept over the three men, then locked onto Liu Xian. He seemed to freeze, pausing for a long time before a smile bloomed on his face like layers of autumn chrysanthemums, his gaze softening. He took a few steps forward and beckoned to Liu Xian, saying, "Come here, let me take a look at you."

Liu Xian stepped forward, also sizing up the man. The old man was not tall, perhaps just over seven feet, and extremely thin. He wore a gray linen robe, tied at the waist and wrists with straw ropes, and his exposed feet were clad in straw sandals. But his spirit was excellent; although old age was etched on his face, he stood upright without wavering, as if rooted to the ground, and nothing could bring him down.

The old man's torch-like gaze lingered for a long time before he finally sighed and said slowly, "Oh, you really look just like His Highness the Crown Prince back then, practically identical..."

"However, just to be on the safe side, please take out the token. You should know that there are many conspiracies and schemes in this world. If there is no token, none of us will believe you."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian did not hesitate. He immediately instructed Li Sheng to retrieve the sword case wrapped in cloth, and the old man also took out a long, narrow package. The two men simultaneously drew their longswords, casually drawing their blades and jutting them against each other. Sunlight streamed in, making the seal script on the backs of the swords clearly visible: one inscribed "Safety and Peril, Calm and Tide," the other "Sincerity and Righteousness." Aside from the mandarin duck pattern on the hilts, the two swords were identical in shape, length, and materials.

Liu Xian then observed the old man's expression again, only to see him staring blankly at the two swords, lost in thought once more. This time, he stared for even longer, as if chilled by the cold winds of Longyou, his entire face frozen. Unconsciously, the corners of the old man's mouth and eyes began to tremble slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. When he opened his mouth, wanting to say something to Liu Xian, he immediately realized he was about to lose his composure before a word could escape his lips.

The old man was naturally unwilling to lose his composure; having upheld these principles until now, dignity had become the most important thing to him. So he tried his best to control the surging emotions in his chest and instead smiled at Liu Xian, but with that smile, all his emotions could no longer be contained.

Before he could choke out a sob, he looked up at the sky, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his fingers, and sighed repeatedly, as if he could sigh away the fleeting years and pretend nothing had happened. But Liu Xian could clearly feel how much bitterness and tears were contained in those sighs, and he couldn't help but be moved by them. He subconsciously took the old man's trembling hand. The old man's hand was calloused, but for some reason, it felt soft and warm to the touch, so much so that Liu Xian himself felt a warmth in his heart.

When the old man was finally able to lower his head, he smiled again. This time, however, his smile was no longer polite, but a kind and warm one, as if he had met a long-lost relative, or as if his fighting spirit had been rekindled. He withdrew his hand from Liu Xian's and knelt down properly. Despite his advanced age, his movements were as smooth as if he had practiced a thousand times. Then, he clasped his hands and called out, "Your Highness, this is Lai Zhong, a veteran of the Han army and military advisor in charge of the western expedition, reporting to you!"

These words, spoken with such force and weight, struck Liu Xian like a thunderbolt, leaving him stunned and at a loss for words. He didn't know how to respond to such a simple and unadorned statement. He thought for a long time but still couldn't come up with an answer. He could only help the old man up and say, "You've worked hard, you've worked hard."

Lai Zhong shook his head and handed the Xiong Gu sword in his hand to Liu Xian. He said earnestly, "As long as we have today, there is no such thing as hardship."

He continued, "With our lord, the Han army has everything worthwhile, even if we have nothing else, it is still worthwhile."

"Because I know that your presence here means you are the person we've been waiting for."

“I’m just afraid you’ll think I’m too old. Although I’m already seventy-eight this year and have no reputation, I’m by no means old and useless.”

Hearing these words, Liu Xian was overwhelmed with emotion. He had heard his teacher Chen Shou mention the name Lai Zhong before. Lai Zhong was the son of Lai Min, the General of Zhishen of Shu Han, and came from the Lai clan of Xinye. Lai Xi, the ancestor of the Lai clan of Xinye, was a childhood friend and in-law of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu. He had persuaded Liu Jia, the King of Hanzhong, to surrender, led troops to defeat Kui Xiao, and finally died in an assassination attempt by Gongsun Shu after a great victory over the Chengdu army. He made great contributions to the establishment of the Later Han Dynasty and was ranked among the Four Great Relatives of the Restoration, along with Li Tong, Wang Chang, and Deng Chen.

The Lai family of Xinye remained prominent in the Later Han court. During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, the head of the family, Lai Yan, rose to the position of Minister of Works. However, by the time of Lai Min, the late Han dynasty was in chaos. Lai Min, a renowned Confucian scholar, fled to Shu for refuge. After Liu Bei annexed Liu Zhang, he wanted to emulate the precedent of Emperor Guangwu's restoration and continue to rely on Lai Min, appointing him as the tutor of the Crown Prince, Liu Shan. However, Lai Min was outspoken and his words were often offensive; even Zhuge Liang could not tolerate him and eventually dismissed him from office. He then served as the Imperial Tutor, experiencing three periods of rise and fall, and finally died at the age of ninety-seven two years before the fall of the Han dynasty.

Lai Zhong was Lai Min's fourth son. He was as famous as Xiang Chong, the younger brother of Xiang Chong, in Shu. He served as a military advisor under Jiang Wei and was more senior than Li Mi and Chen Shou. He was by no means unknown. However, whether he inherited Lai Min's good health or it was just a coincidence, he has actually lived to this day and still looks quite healthy.

Liu Xian naturally replied, "Not old at all. I have already taken over Hanzhong with my troops and am about to lead everyone to restore our kingdom."

Upon hearing this, Lai Zhong straightened up, his eyes wide with anger, and shouted, "Fine! Your Highness can use me as the vanguard. I will kill those Sima family brats and avenge the General and the others!"

Even now, he was unaware that most of Bashu was now under the control of the Li family of Lueyang. Before Liu Xian could say anything more, he immediately began to ramble on, recounting the scene of the kingdom's fall:

"Your Highness, when General Zhao Guang and I broke through the siege at Tazhong, Deng Ai and Zhuge Xu's 60,000 troops pursued us relentlessly, almost killing us at the entrance to Sichuan. It was General Zhao Guang who led 800 men to hold the rear alone, risking his life, which allowed our army to escape..."

The seventy-eight-year-old man's voice was deep, yet full of emotion. Aside from his mother, neither his two teachers nor his father had ever told him about the fall of the kingdom. But the old man spoke of it without reservation, for it was something he had always remembered. He described not only the deaths of Zhao Guang, but also those of Fu Qian, Zhang Zun, and Zhuge Shang…

The list was densely packed, meticulously detailed, and Lai Zhong spoke slowly but continuously. It seemed he had been suppressing his feelings for a long time, or perhaps he had spent the rest of his life repeatedly thinking about those days, and now he had finally found an opportunity to pour it out like a flowing stream. Liu Xian knew why he was saying these things; it wasn't just because old people are prone to nostalgia, but also because he wanted Liu Xian to remember these people, to know how many had sacrificed themselves for the Han Dynasty, and then to carry on their legacy.

Finally, when Lai Zhong spoke of his last meeting with Jiang Wei, he tried his best to restrain himself, but still couldn't contain his excitement, saying, "After the General's plan failed, he told the three of us to leave Chengdu and wait. Your Highness, I will never forget that day..."

Seemingly feeling that words were somewhat ineffective, he pulled Liu Xian to his feet, pointed to the door, and said, "Your Highness, please come with me to sweep the coffin."

Liu Xian, of course, could not refuse. He immediately followed Lai Zhong out the door, and what he saw next was something he would never forget.

It was unclear when, but the area outside the fortified village was already packed with people, three layers deep. The moment Liu Xian stepped out, all eyes turned to him, completely blocking the road. Like Lai Zhong, they all bore weathered faces. After confirming Lai Zhong's stance, they silently watched Liu Xian. With each step he took, several men would offer their hands in greeting and kneel on the ground.

Liu Xian walked along the path step by step, counting the countless white-haired figures before him, his heart heavy with sorrow. When he reached the end, he finally learned that of the 1,893 elderly men who had fought for their country during its fall and refused to surrender, there remained. (End of Chapter)