Eastern Jin Dynasty: My powerful father

Chapter 440: The Fall of the Yu State (V)

The first year of Shengping (357 AD), the fifth day of the seventh month.

Fu Hong, who was still unable to walk on his own, was held in the arms of Empress Dowager Gou and ascended the throne in Jinyang.

Fu Hong's mother, Queen Gou, was the niece of the Empress Dowager. Now that Fu Hong has ascended the throne, Queen Dowager Gou issued an edict to appoint Queen Gou as the Empress Dowager, and she herself was promoted to Grand Empress Dowager.

However, all affairs of the State of Yu, big or small, were not handled by the Queen Mother, but by the Grand Empress Dowager.

All officials posthumously named Fu Jian Emperor Xuanzhao, and his temple name was Shizu.

When Fu Jian was in power, he was only known as the Heavenly King, but after his death he became the Emperor.

On the sixth day of July, the Empress Dowager Gou, who was in power, issued an edict, sending Duke Jianning Li Wei, Duke Pingyang Fu Rong and others as envoys to Wenxi in the south to discuss the matter of surrender with Huan Xi.

At the same time, Huan Xi was preparing for war in Wenxi County as the one-month deadline was approaching. Every day he received letters of surrender from officials and generals stationed in the Yu State.

In Xiangyang, Huan Wen finally received good news from the front line, and learned that Fu Jian was defeated and killed, and Hedong would be taken soon.

At the Xiangyang Secretariat, Huan Wen handed the battle report to Xi Chao and asked:

"Jingxing, how many years has the Jin Dynasty been living in Jiangdong?"

Xi Chao took a quick look, unable to conceal his delight. He returned the battle report and said, understanding what he meant:

"It has been forty years since Emperor Zhongzong Yuan (Sima Rui) proclaimed himself emperor in Jiankang. If we count the period from the Yongjia migration to the south when Emperor Zhongzong Yuan moved his capital to Jiankang, it has been fifty-one years."

Huan Wen handed the battle report to his attendants and instructed:

"Send it to Jiankang immediately and tell the emperor the good news."

After saying this, Huan Wen turned around and said to Xi Chao:

“After so many years, it’s time to move somewhere else.

"Jiankang is located in a remote corner. If the Central Plains had not been occupied, it would not have been the residence of the emperor.

"Now Xi'er is about to take over Hedong and eliminate Luoyang's greatest threat in the north. As officials of Jin, we should petition the emperor and return to the old capital."

Xi Chao said with a hint of meaning:

"If the emperor refuses, what will the Duke of Chu do?"

Huan Wen snorted coldly:
"Someone must have slandered the emperor. I will mobilize all the soldiers in Chu and march down the river to punish the treacherous and corrupt officials and clear the emperor's court!"

Things have come to this point, and whether to move the capital or not is no longer up to the Jin Dynasty.

If the little emperor really dared to refuse, Huan Wen would have to deploy his troops outside the Suzaku Gate again.

But this time, he would not just go to meet the emperor, but would raise an army to attack the palace and break through Jiankang City.

Even if they had to be kidnapped, the emperor and the ministers in the court had to be kidnapped and taken to Luoyang.

Xi Chao smiled and said:

"With Lord Chu's determination, there is no need to worry about not achieving great things."

The ministers all had their weaknesses. When Huan Wen was determined to force the Jin Dynasty to return to the old capital, some people might have risked their lives to resist, but the vast majority of them remained neutral and kept silent.

When Huan Xi's victory report was sent to Jiangdong, rumors followed that Huan Wen would force the court to move the capital. This was naturally spread by Xi Chao to test the attitudes of the court officials towards moving the capital.

However, the most vocal opponent was Xi Chao's father, Xi Yin.

Xi Yin was the governor of Yuzhou. Yuzhou and Jiangzhou were across the river from each other. Xi Yin was in charge of the military power in the north of the Yangtze River and was an important barrier to Huan Wen's eastward advance. Now his clear statement of moving the capital was undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the Jin Dynasty.

When the news reached Xiangyang, Huan Wen said unhappily:

"Jingxing, your father has you as his support, and he knows that Huan cannot bear to harm him, so he dares to be my enemy." "But if I ignore it, the people of Jiangdong may think that I am fierce but cowardly.

"Besides, Yuzhou is the northern gateway to Jiangdong. I need to take it before I can go down the river without any worries."

Xi Chao certainly knew that Xi Yin dared to speak out when others did not dare to express their opinions easily, because he had a son who was the Minister of the Chancellery of Chu and was deeply trusted by Huan Wen and Huan Xi.

He smiled and said:
"My father's move was just to gain fame, not to really be an enemy of Lord Chu.

"With a little trick, my father will take advantage of the situation and get off the hook."

As he spoke, Xi Chao, who had been prepared, took out a letter, which was written in the same handwriting as his father Xi Yin, and was addressed to Yuan Zhen, the prefect of Lujiang, ordering him to open the way and not to resist, allowing the Chu generals to take over the army in Lujiang.

Yuan Zhen had actually already surrendered to Huan Wen and sent him three young girls. It made little difference whether there was this letter or not.

Once Huan Wen went east, Yuan Zhen would not resist even without this forged letter.

But if Xi Chao could forge a letter, he could forge countless letters. As for the seal, he could just carve it privately.

There was no secret about the official seal of the Yuzhou governor and official documents. As for Xi Yin's personal seal, Xi Chao, as his son, naturally knew it.

With Xi Chao's forged handwritten letter and seal, the Chu army was able to take over the defenses in various parts of Yuzhou and even the military power.

Of course, this is also the reason why Huan Wen, knowing that Xi Yin was determined to be a loyal minister, still watched him replace Xie Shang and go to Yuzhou.

Huan Wen sighed:
"If you do this, I'm afraid your father will cut off all ties with you afterwards."

This is also certain. Xi Yin caused this kind of trouble for fame, so he could only vent his anger on Xi Chao and draw a clear line with him.

Of course, this is just for outsiders to see.

As he spoke, Huan Wen held Xi Chao's hand and continued:

"It's unfair for you to bear the stigma of being unfilial."

The Jin Dynasty ruled the world with filial piety. The stigma of being unfilial is not something that ordinary people can bear.

But Xi Chao didn't care:

"I have followed the Huan family for thirteen years. I have ignored the praise and slander from outsiders. I only hope that the Duke of Chu and the Duke of Liang can understand and trust me."

Huan Wen was moved when he heard this:

"I am very fortunate to have your assistance, Xi Jingxing, but I also regret that there is only one Xi Jingxing around me who is willing to disregard his reputation and work for me."

Xi Chao said seriously:
"A gentleman will die for his friend, not to mention criticism or praise."

Just as rumors of the capital relocation were spreading wildly in Jiangdong, causing panic, an envoy from the State of Yu seeking surrender also arrived in Wenxi County.

If Huan Xi had not known that the diplomatic envoys had already headed south, he would have sent troops to Taiyuan long ago.

On the day the delegation arrived in Wenxi County, Huan Xi took them to review the troops with him. The purpose was naturally to intimidate Fu Rong and others. As for Li Wei, he had personally experienced the strength of the Liang army on the battlefield and had also been a student studying in Guanxi for some time.

In fact, the strength of the Liang army did not need to be demonstrated through a military parade. The State of Yu had suffered repeated defeats and had been psychologically traumatized. They turned pale with fear at the sight of the Liang army's flag.

It was precisely because they knew the situation of their own army that the Fu family members agreed to surrender the entire country.

They had already lost the qualifications to compete for the world. Since they could not leave the desert, instead of abandoning their country and fleeing east to join the Murong clan, it would be better to offer Hedong as a generous gift and surrender to the more powerful Huan clan.

Once Huan Xi accepted the gift, he should treat them well according to the moral and legal principles.

This time the delegation went south to fight for interests for the Fu family.

The Fu family is not just Fu Hong. There are so many other relatives and dignitaries in the Yu State. There has to be a plan for how to settle them in the future.

(End of this chapter)