Jinting Han people

Li Feng is right. For the Anle Duke's Mansion, after pacifying Bashu, heading north to Guanzhong was a strategy that needed no argument.

As Li Feng stated, Liu Xian had served under the Western Expeditionary Army for nearly ten years and wielded considerable influence in the Guanzhong Plain. Almost half of the staff in the Anle Duke's mansion also came from the Guanzhong Plain. For example, the Hedong Army led by Li Ju, the Yongzhou Army formerly led by Liu Shen, and the Qinzhou Army led by Huangfu Zhong—although their personnel had been dispersed and reorganized by Liu Xian, their strong Guanzhong background was still evident.

Guanzhong is the location of the former capital and imperial tombs of the Han Dynasty. Once Guanzhong is seized, it will be perfectly legitimate. At that time, with the natural defenses of Bashu and Guanzhong in hand, the powerful Qin Dynasty can regain its former dominance, being able to attack or defend at will, and its rule will be more flexible.

Therefore, from both a popular and geographical perspective, Liu Xian should have led his troops north to Guanzhong after the pacification of Bashu, but unexpectedly, he was rejected by Li Feng.

Li Feng first outlined the difficulties of marching north to Guanzhong and Longxi. He said loudly, "Your Highness, Guanzhong and Longxi are the foundation of a hegemon's power and the place where a dragon rises; this is known throughout the world. If Your Highness can truly pacify Guanzhong and Longxi, the great cause will be accomplished! However, the north is in chaos, with refugees as numerous as clouds and barbarians as rain. Those who harbor evil intentions and seek to seize power and usurp authority are countless. Your Highness's intention to lead the Shu troops north to revive the Han dynasty is clear. How can those treacherous people not see this?"

"As the saying goes, 'A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind; a mound that rises above the bank will be eroded by the current; a person who excels above others will be criticized by the masses. Your Highness's journey north is just like after the Battle of Changping, when the Qin army wanted to swallow Zhao whole, but the world was afraid of it. As a result, Wei and Chu lifted the siege of Handan, and the Three Kingdoms formed an alliance at Hangu Pass, causing all previous gains to be wasted. This is an unbearable thing, and I believe Your Highness will not take it."

He then spoke of the advantages of advancing eastward, analyzing, "Right now, Liu Hong is on the verge of death, and Jingzhou is without a ruler, much like Liu Biao in the past. Chen Min is foolish and far inferior to Sun Ce. As long as Your Highness trains a navy, you can easily crush it, and then sail down the river to take Jianye, thus dividing the world in two. The northerners don't understand naval warfare, so even if they resent Your Highness, what can they do?"

"At that time, Your Highness will have secured Jiangnan, strengthened the army, and brought peace and prosperity to the people. Who would dare to rebel? Then, when there is trouble in the north, Your Highness can march into the Central Plains, advancing northward in three routes. Your momentum will be like Mount Tai pressing down, sweeping away fallen leaves. The rise of the Han Dynasty is truly believable!"

Li Feng's words were undeniably impassioned; he was extremely satisfied with his strategic plan and looked at Liu Xian with brimming confidence. To his surprise, Liu Xian remained unmoved, merely smiling and asking calmly, "Have you finished?"

Liu Xian's reaction greatly disappointed Li Feng. He was somewhat uneasy and lowered his head, saying, "Your Highness, of course not. Not only is this plan not finished, but I also have many other suggestions to offer to Your Highness."

Liu Xian tapped his fingers on the table, observed Li Feng for a while, and thought to himself, "This is indeed a talented person. However, it's clear that he has a high opinion of himself and a strong desire for power. He's been eager to climb the ranks since we first met, and obviously doesn't know how to handle people. If I were to give him a position now, it would undoubtedly generate a lot of criticism and even escalate some unnecessary conflicts. It would be better to temper his temperament first, and then appoint him accordingly."

Therefore, while ordering his men to untie Li Feng, he said to Li Feng, "Military affairs are a matter of national importance. They require careful consideration of the situation and extreme caution. How can you just talk about them with empty words? You overestimate yourself. Here's what I'll do: I'll give you a chance. Go to Guangdu County and become the county magistrate. Once you have achieved some political success, we can discuss this in detail later."

Li Feng was stunned. He had never imagined that Liu Xian would actually send him to be a county magistrate! This greatly displeased him. However, Guangdu County was only thirty miles from Chengdu, and any achievements would certainly be visible to everyone in the government. It couldn't be said that Liu Xian hadn't given him a chance.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Feng finally gritted her teeth and agreed, "Alright, I will show Your Highness."

Before taking his leave, he advised Liu Xian, "Please do not forget what I said today, Your Highness. Although the Guanzhong Plain is secure, it is not something that can be easily secured."

Liu Xian's reaction was simply a smile. Given the current state of Bashu, the chaos had only just begun to subside, leaving it even more devastated than after the disastrous defeat at Yiling. It would take at least two or three years to recover. He hadn't even quelled the unrest in the south; to be thinking about attacking Guanzhong or Jianghan now was surely premature.

The most urgent task is to stabilize the lives and order of the people under his rule as soon as possible. Moreover, Liu Xian has already agreed with Fan Changsheng to establish his own kingdom in September of this year, after the autumn harvest. At that time, Liu Xian will also announce the new official system and laws, and reward meritorious officials. These involve politics and are extremely troublesome matters; before finishing these tasks, Liu Xian is unlikely to undertake any major new actions.

Although the war in Bashu has ended, outside of Liang and Yi, with Zhang Fang's defeat in Hebei, the political situation in the country has become increasingly unpredictable.

Zhang Fang's defeat occurred in February of the fifth year of the Tai'an era. After Shi Le cut off Zhang Fang's supply lines for the second time, Zhang Fang attempted to hold out in Ye City for a period of time. As Liu Xian had predicted, without any chance of victory, Zhang Fang was unwilling to engage in a decisive battle with the Hebei coalition forces, and as a result, he abruptly abandoned the city and fled. Under the pursuit of the coalition forces, his 140,000-strong army was routed for over 40 li, with only 40,000 cavalry escaping back to Guanzhong, while the rest were captured by the coalition forces.

Following this resounding victory, the Hebei Allied Forces successfully drove out the tyrant Zhang Fang, restoring peace to Hebei. Now, a new question confronted the Allied Forces: who should be the new ruler of Hebei?

Looking at the entire course of events, everyone played a part in defeating Zhang Fang; none could be missing. First, Ji Sang defended the city from the front, while Shi Le harassed the flanks, buying ample time for the allied forces to react and assemble. Then, Sima Teng and Wang Jun gained the support of the Tuoba Xianbei and Duan tribes, forming a large army that successfully defeated the Western Army.

However, once the task of ranking their contributions for rewards was undertaken, the atmosphere changed drastically. All three factions believed their contributions were paramount, leading to a fierce argument that nearly escalated into armed conflict in Ye City. Finally, through Lu Zhi's mediation, they reached a single consensus: Hebei no longer needed Sima Ying. Then, taking advantage of the opportunity to send Sima Ying, the Prince of Chengdu, back to the court, they began submitting petitions to Xuchang, requesting the court to uphold justice.

For Zu Ti, what justice could he possibly uphold? How could anyone presume to discuss rewards and honors before the court? But circumstances forced him to act, and after nearly a month of deliberation, in early April, he finally made his decision:

The Northern Expeditionary Army Command was abolished, and Ji Sang was appointed General of Anbei, concurrently serving as Governor of Ji Province and Duke of Pingyuan. He was ordered to suppress the rebellion of Liu Baigen in Qing Province.
Wang Jun was appointed General Who Pacifies the North, Governor of Youzhou, and Commandant of the Eastern Barbarians, overseeing all military affairs of You and Pingzhou, and was granted the title of King of Yan.

Sima Teng was appointed General Who Conquers the West, Governor of Yongzhou, and concurrently Commandant of the Western Barbarians, overseeing all military affairs in Guanzhong, and was granted the title of King of Xincai. He was then sent to Guanzhong to campaign against Zhang Fang. This was a major decision, and Zu Ti went to great lengths to ensure fairness in the situation.

Among the three factions—Ji Sang, Sima Teng, and Wang Jun—Sima Teng was the younger brother of Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai, and Wang Jun was an old friend of Sima Yue. Both were part of Sima Yue's faction, and Zu Ti naturally did not want them to govern Ji Province. Therefore, he chose to support Ji Sang, who had the weakest foundation. Ji Sang would certainly need to cooperate with the court, which would allow Zu Ti to instigate him to besiege Liu Baigen in Qing Province and also deter Wang Yan in Yan Province—a win-win situation.

As for Wang Jun, the former General of Ning Shuo, Zu Ti officially recognized his military and political power in Youzhou and granted him the title of Yan State, as well as Pingzhou. This is quite reasonable.

The most ingenious tactic was aimed at Sima Teng. As Sima Yue's younger brother, Sima Teng and Zu Ti were naturally irreconcilable enemies. Now, Zu Ti was nominally bestowing a title upon him, but in reality, he was sending him to attack Guanzhong and fight to the death against the remaining remnants of the Western Army. Although Zhang Fang suffered a major defeat, occupying Guanzhong would not be an easy battle. If Sima Teng failed, he would die; even if he succeeded, given the current situation in Guanzhong, he would need a long period of recuperation and would have to be wary of Liu Xian to the south and Liu Yuan to the north, thus rendering him unable to interfere in court affairs.

Zu Ti's plan was very promising, but reality was quite different. Not long after the imperial edict arrived in Ye City, a major case broke out, disrupting Zu Ti's entire plan—Ji Sang, the former governor of Ji Province, was openly assassinated in Ye City!
After the imperial edict arrived in Ye City, Ji Sang, the biggest winner, was extremely excited. He took the initiative to make amends with both Sima Teng and Wang Jun, hoping to ease the tension. Sima Teng was naturally dissatisfied, but Wang Jun still showed a very friendly side, inviting Ji Sang to drink together at the army camp. However, on the very day Ji Sang was to go to the appointment, he was assassinated on the way.

Legend has it that three assassins lay in ambush on the main road of Ye City, waiting for Ji Sang to pass by on horseback. Two of them blocked his path, claiming they had been robbed by soldiers from Bingzhou and wanted to complain to Ji Sang. As Ji Sang dismounted to meet them, an assassin in a nearby pavilion suddenly fired a crossbow, killing Ji Sang instantly. This happened in broad daylight, with pedestrians everywhere, causing immediate chaos. Taking advantage of the confusion, the three assassins mysteriously vanished as if they had evaporated!

This incident immediately sparked a great deal of speculation. Who exactly orchestrated this assassination attempt? Some said it was Zhang Fang, others said it was Sima Teng, still others said it was Wang Jun, the imperial court, and later even Shi Le was implicated. There was no consensus at the time.

However, the death of the Governor of Ji Province signified another shift in the power structure of Hebei. Wang Yan, the Governor of Yan Province who had been largely silent for some time, finally re-emerged. As a former deputy to the Prince of Donghai's faction, he quickly colluded with Sima Teng and Wang Jun, reaching a new political agreement:

Sima Teng, the Prince of Xincai, was appointed as General Who Conquers the North, Governor of Ji Province, and Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of the three provinces of Ji, Si, and Qing.
Wang Jun, the General of the Northern Expedition, was appointed as the General of the Cavalry, concurrently serving as the Governor of Youzhou and the Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of You, Ping, and Bing provinces.
Wang Yan, the governor of Yanzhou, was appointed Grand Commandant, concurrently serving as governor of Yuzhou and commander-in-chief of the military affairs of the three provinces of Yan, Yu, and Xu.

The three parties divided up Ji Sang's remaining forces, forming a new tripartite alliance with Sima Teng as the leader, Wang Yan as the strategist, and Wang Jun as the military commander. Their power was so great that they almost unified the entire Guandong region.

When the three memorials were submitted to Zu Ti simultaneously, it was tantamount to a coup. The current Xuchang court could only control a small corner of Yuzhou and had to defend against the rebels in Qingzhou; how could it possibly contend with Wang Yan? Zu Ti was now driven into a corner by Wang Yan. His only remaining reliance was his loyalty to the emperor. Therefore, he delayed in every way possible, pretending that such a memorial was nonexistent.

Wang Yan did indeed want to peacefully take over Xuchang and the emperor. He had the upper hand at the time and did not want to make things too ugly, so he sent a message to Zu Ti through Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya, expressing his willingness to reach an agreement with Zu Ti: as long as Zu Ti was willing to give up the emperor, he could give Zu Ti a way out.

This path to survival was to fight Zhang Fang in the west.

Rebellions are now raging across Guanzhong. Liu Yuan is in Bingzhou, Liu Xian in Bashu, and Zhang Fang in Guanzhong. It's clear to everyone that Guanzhong has become a quagmire; once you're in, it's hard to pull yourself out. Previously, Zu Ti wanted Sima Teng to wade into these troubled waters, but now Wang Yan has reversed course, sending Zu Ti to quell the rebellion. Just as Zu Ti was happy to see Sima Teng and Zhang Fang weaken each other, Wang Yan is also happy to see Zu Ti and Zhang Fang weaken each other.

Even if Zu Ti were to conquer Guanzhong, so what? Wang Yan, as the opportunist, would always maintain control of the overall situation. At that point, Wang Yan could use the pretext of suppressing a rebellion to send Zu Ti to attack Liu Xian. If Zu Ti refused, Wang Yan could then legitimately attack him, taking advantage of his unstable position to extend his influence into Guanzhong. If Zu Ti obeyed and engaged in a fierce battle with Liu Xian, Wang Yan could simply watch them fight amongst themselves—a win-win situation for him.

Zu Ti naturally knew Wang Yan's plan; it could be considered an open scheme, but now that things had come to this, he had no other choice.

After two and a half years in power, Zu Ti led his more than 30,000 troops away from Xuchang in disgrace. Accompanying him were Sima Fan, the Prince of Xiangyang, and the remnants of Sima Yi, the Prince of Changsha. As losers in the political struggle, although their future was uncertain, at least compared with other losers, their fate was the most dignified in the past ten years.

Zu Ti was appointed Governor of Yongzhou, and Sima Fan was appointed the new General Who Conquers the West, overseeing all military affairs in Guanzhong and Longxi. They were to first settle in Luoyang, and then advance westward into Guanzhong from there.

Meanwhile, Wang Yan led an army of over 100,000 and officially entered Xuchang.

After assuming the position of Grand Commandant, Wang Yan immediately initiated a large-scale personnel reshuffle to establish a new power structure. To this end, he first deposed the current Empress Yang Xianrong, imprisoning her in the separate residence of the former deposed Crown Prince Sima Yu. Then, citing the previous rebellion of Chengdu Prince Sima Ying, he secretly ordered Sima Ying's execution, publicly declaring his death as illness. Simultaneously, he deposed the current Crown Prince Sima Tan and installed Qin Prince Sima Ye as the new Crown Prince.

Next, he appointed Sima Rui, Prince of Langya, as General Who Conquers the East, and Wang Dao as Governor of Huainan, leading troops to Huainan to prepare for an eastern campaign against Chen Min, the Governor of Yangzhou. He appointed Liu Hong as Grand Tutor, summoning him to court, and appointed Sima Yang, Prince of Xiyang, as General Who Conquers the South, Wang Dun as Governor of Jingzhou, Wang Kuang as Governor of Jiangzhou, and Wang Yi as Governor of Liangzhou, to march south and take control of Jiangnan, while guarding against Liu Xian. He retained Sima Mao, Prince of Dongping, as Governor of Xuzhou, and simultaneously appointed Wang Cheng as Governor of Xuzhou and Wang Han as Governor of Qingzhou, responsible for the campaign against Liu Baigen.

By June of that year, Wang Yan had changed the era name to Yongxing. Under his arrangement, the Langya Wang clan had spread throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River, and the remnants of the Donghai Wang faction had also resurfaced. The entire situation of the realm was greatly improved, and the restoration of the Jin dynasty seemed to have a great hope again. (End of this chapter)