Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 425 Nephew

When the fleet entered Guangling, Liu Huaisu and his men came to greet them.

After exchanging pleasantries, a familiar face suddenly emerged from the crowd, bowing respectfully, "Your subordinate Yuan He greets the Great General!"

"It's Brother Yuan! It's been many years, but you still look as dashing as ever!"

"I am ashamed, General, you are away fighting for the country and I have no chance to pay you a visit."

"It's not too late today; now is the time when we need people."

Yuan He has managed to remain calm and not come looking for me all these years, which shows he has quite a bit of backbone. He is also quite capable, having managed to navigate between various powerful forces for many years without getting involved in any trouble, and has survived to this day.

"Thank you for your patronage, General. This is my cousin, Yuan Bao, who has the talent to govern the country. He is willing to serve you, General, and do your best to serve you." Yuan He pulled out a man from behind him.

"Yuan Shiwei of Chen Commandery pays his respects to the General!" This man had a refined appearance, dressed in plain clothes, and spoke in an orderly manner, which immediately made him likable.

Yuan He's move undoubtedly represents the Yuan family's defection to his side.

This ability to assess the situation is truly exceptional.

"Indeed a talented individual, how about starting him as a secretary?"

"Thank you for your promotion, General!" The two were overjoyed.

Liu Daogui nodded. "Why hasn't the imperial court come to greet us?"

Liu Huaisu said awkwardly, "The imperial court is currently holding a funeral for Lord Song."

After securing Yao Qin's services, the news was no longer kept secret.

However, Liu Huaisu's words were clearly an excuse. He had followed Liu Yu for many years, so naturally he had to stand on Liu Yifu's side.

Liu Yu is gone, but the title of Duke of Song remains, and the state has been established with civil and military officials. It has become entangled with the aristocratic families and has formed a powerful force.

Liu Daogui was not in a hurry, so he simply stayed in Guangling to rest and see what kind of trouble the court could cause.

Six days later, the imperial envoy finally arrived.

"So that the General may know, the heir of the Duke of Song was deeply grieved upon hearing of the Duke's passing and fainted several times. Yesterday, with the support of the generals and officials of the Prime Minister's residence, he inherited the Duke of Song's title, and His Majesty appointed him as Prime Minister!"

Xie Yu arrived together with a group of prominent figures, including Wang Jian, Xie Hun, and Xi Sengshi.

The procession was quite grand, with carriages, guards, and ceremonial regalia all present.

The only missing members were "Duke Song" Liu Yifu and the Sima family.

"I am the Grand General of the Imperial Court, in charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel. My late father, Lord Song, is my elder brother. Why have you not reported such an important matter to me, the Grand General? Do you intend to rebel?"

Liu Daogui, mounted on his warhorse, looked down at the group with a cold gaze.

I don't know what these idiots were thinking, rushing to put Liu Yifu on the throne. Do they think he can stand against them?

"This..." Xie Yu's expression changed as he was intimidated by the military might.

Wang Jian, oblivious to the immensity of the situation, stepped forward and said, "The Grand General is an external official, while the Prime Minister is an internal official. The Prime Minister is superior, and the Grand General is inferior! The proper etiquette between superiors and inferiors must not be disordered. Does the Grand General intend to emulate the old ways of Wang Dun and Su Jun?"

"How dare you!" Liu Yiwu, with his fiery temper, immediately tried to arrest the person.

Liu Daogui stopped him and looked him up and down. It had been more than a year since they last met, and the Wang family of Langya had become tough again.

They were severely punished by Liu Yu and dared not act recklessly. Now, facing Liu Daogui, they started baring their teeth and brandishing their claws again.

This is not a welcome, but a contest and a test.

Just like when Emperor Xiaowu had just ascended the throne, Huan Wen's northern expedition had suffered a crushing defeat at Fangtou. Xie An and Wang Tanzhi welcomed Huan Wen at Xinting. Huan Wen's army was pressing in, and the civil and military officials were terrified. Only Xie An remained calm and composed, acting as a subject, which dispelled Huan Wen's doubts and resolved a crisis for the Jin Dynasty.

But these people are not here to resolve the crisis, but to establish their dominance.

Yuan He stepped forward. "Are you the newly appointed Prefect of Langya, Wang Jian?"

Wang Jian stiffened his neck and said, "That's me."

"In the third year of the Yixi reign, you seized 3,675 mu of fertile land in Piling County, Jinling Prefecture. In the fourth year of the Yixi reign, under the pretext of returning to your hometown to worship your ancestors, you seized 24,000 mu of fertile land in Linyi, Yangdu, Zeng, and Langqiu counties of Langya Prefecture, and forcibly took 2,132 households of people from the four counties as servants. I wonder if this is true?"

Yuan He's accuracy was down to the single digit, leaving no room for doubt.

Liu Daogui's gaze fell on Wang Jian. To prevent such a powerful family from encroaching on land and imprisoning people was worse than killing them.

To deal with them, we still need to rely on "insiders" like Yuan He to fight fire with fire.

Yuan He used to be extremely tactful and never offended anyone. Today, he took the initiative to stand up and confront the Langya Wang clan head-on. He was determined to stand on my side, to offer a pledge of loyalty, and to prove his worth.

And now, Liu Daogui does indeed need such a person.

"You...you're spouting nonsense!" Wang Jian's face immediately turned red, and he stammered as he stood up, turning to look at Xie Yu.

Xie Yu turned his gaze elsewhere and quietly took a step back.

Liu Daogui said, "Whether it's slander or not, an investigation will tell us. Where is Yuan Bao?"

"Your subordinate is here." Yuan Bao bowed and stepped forward.

"Investigate this matter thoroughly immediately."

"Take orders."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Jian plopped down on the ground, "Thank you, brother, for saving me..."

When the earth element was broken in the year of Gengxu, Sima Xuan, the Prince of Pengcheng, was punished by Huan Wen for harboring five households of refugees.

When the Yixi era ended, Yu Liang, a powerful clan leader in Yuyao County, Kuaiji Commandery, who had harbored more than a thousand fugitives, was beheaded by Liu Yu and his head displayed to the public.

Wang Jian seized nearly 30,000 mu of fertile land and provided shelter to more than 2,000 households; he was simply audacious.

"What does Commander Xie think?" Liu Daogui stared intently at Xie Yu. Xie Yu replied, "The land reclamation is a national policy. If this matter is true, the crime is unforgivable..."

"You..." Wang Jian's face turned ashen, and before he could finish speaking, he was lifted away by a Tiger Guard.

"Then it's settled." Liu Daogui made the final decision, glancing at everyone. "Send orders to Jiankang, instructing His Majesty, the Prince of Langya, the Prince of Qiao, the Duke of Song, and all the others to come to Guangling to welcome the victorious army. There must be no delay!"

"Yes, sir!" Liu Huaimo led three thousand cavalrymen onto the ferry and crossed the Yangtze River southward.

The faces of all the gentry present darkened.

Liu Daogui also watched them coldly, but in his heart he hoped that someone would stand up like Wang Jian.

However, none of these people had the courage to do so; they all lowered their eyes and bowed their heads, showing utmost obedience.

I originally wanted to handle things amicably, to save face for them and make everyone look good, but I didn't expect the imperial court to pull this stunt.

Liu Daogui then stopped being polite and gave them a taste of their own medicine.

With Liu Yu's death, all the shackles on Liu Daogui's body were removed, and in the court, even if all these people were combined, they would not be able to resist him.

Liu Huaimo led his cavalry there, and in just three days, a large ship sailed down the river and arrived at Guangling Port.

Not only did Sima Dezong and Sima Dewen arrive, but all the civil and military officials of the court were present.

"Welcome back to the capital in triumph, General!"

"Gentlemen, please rise." Liu Daogui greeted everyone with great courtesy, then bowed to Sima Dezong, who was staring blankly around. "My brother and I fought valiantly, defeated Wei and destroyed Qin, and restored the Central Plains. The only remaining state of peace is Northern Wei. I request Your Majesty to move the capital to Chang'an to inspire the people of the land!"

The scene suddenly became quiet.

Sima Dewen said, "Lord Pei has been fighting for many years. Why don't you rest for a few days first, and wait for the court to discuss it before making a decision?"

Liu Yifu stepped forward and said, “Yes, Uncle, Chang’an has long since fallen to the barbarians. How can it be the capital? Jiankang has favorable weather and a pleasant climate. Why move the capital to such a cold and harsh place?”

Liu Daogui looked at his nephew with a face full of disappointment. He was being used as a pawn without even realizing it.

Judging solely by appearance, Liu Yifu was tall and skilled in riding and archery, and his appearance was about 70% similar to Liu Yu's. However, what he said was extremely disappointing.

In this situation, every word and action represents one's stance, and without a doubt, he is now on the side of the Sima family.

Liu Daogui rebuked him, "How could you know about matters of state and military importance? Get out of here!"

Liu Yifu trembled, but being publicly reprimanded in front of everyone made him lose face. He blushed and said, "I am the current prime minister. The matter of moving the capital shakes the foundation of the country and concerns the well-being of all people. How can I make a decision in just a few words?"

Sima Shangzhi, Xie Yu, Xie Hun, and others had a look of schadenfreude in their eyes.

The reason Liu Yifu was brought to the front was for this very day.

If Liu Daogui were to lay a hand on him, it would be an act of bullying Liu Yu's offspring, which would be morally reprehensible.

If we can't control him, then the matter of moving the capital will be a different story, and it will also affect Liu Daogui's prestige.

These aristocratic families were experts at intrigue and power struggles.

At this moment, Liu Muzhi stepped forward and said, "The relocation of the capital is a major national affair and should be decided by His Majesty. Duke Song has just ascended the throne and should observe a three-year mourning period to show his filial piety. He should not participate in this matter."

According to the Jin dynasty system, after the death of one's parents or grandparents, the eldest son or great-grandson was not allowed to hold office, take examinations, get married, or attend banquets. He had to stay at home to observe three years of mourning, study behind closed doors, and sever all worldly ties. If he held an official position, he would be dismissed from his post and stay at home for twenty-seven months.

With a casual remark, Liu Muzhi directly stripped Liu Yifu of his right to participate in the discussion of this matter.

Liu Yifu's face flushed red and then paled. "How can mourning and observing filial piety be compared with matters of national importance!"

These words drew attention from everyone present.

During the Jin Dynasty, the country was governed by the principle of filial piety, and filial piety was the rule of the time. Liu Yifu's public pronouncements of these words constituted a grave taboo.

But that's normal. He was a spoiled brat who lacked both virtue and talent. He was hastily helped up, and in this situation, his true colors were quickly revealed.

Liu Daogui immediately seized on this, saying, "How can someone of such character be worthy of inheriting the position of Duke Song? How can he be the current prime minister? Step down."

Family scandals should not be aired in public; we'll talk about his affairs later.

"I...I..." Liu Yifu realized he had spoken out of turn, and his face turned ashen.

"Step down." Liu Daogui was extremely disappointed in him. He could tolerate his different stance, but he could not tolerate his incompetence and stupidity.

Liu Yifu could only retreat dejectedly to Sima Dewen's side.

Liu Daogui bowed to Emperor Sima Dezong and said, "Your Majesty, I and the armies of the Northern Army request that Your Majesty move the capital to Chang'an, conquer the Central Plains, and restore the glory of China!"

The sound was incredibly loud, like a series of sharp swords piercing through.

Sima Dezong still had that same foolish and dazed expression.

Sima Dewen threw down a heavy accusation, "The General is loyal to the country and has the spirit of Zhuge Liang, truly a man of loyalty and righteousness. However, moving the capital is not a matter of a day or two..."

Before he could speak, Liu Daogui interrupted him, "I was asking about His Majesty, but unfortunately the Prince of Langya is not yet His Majesty."

Sima Dewen's expression changed.

Liu Daogui didn't even look at him, and for the third time bowed to Sima Dezong, saying, "Your Majesty, I humbly request that you move the capital to Chang'an!"

The Tiger Guards behind him spontaneously stepped forward, "We implore Your Majesty to move the capital to Chang'an!"

Sima Dezong stared blankly at the soldiers, and no one around him dared to speak.

"Since Your Majesty does not answer, it means you agree. On behalf of tens of thousands of soldiers on the Northern Expedition and countless people of the Northern Kingdom, I thank you!" Liu Daogui directly forced his way in.

This trip back to the capital was not for negotiation.

Whether they agree or not doesn't really matter.

(End of this chapter)