Jinting Han people

Chapter 231 Cold Arrow (4k)

It all happened so fast, in a flash, that many people didn't understand what was happening.

When the guards saw Zhou Chu shot by an arrow and saw Liu Xian and his group approaching in the mist, they thought the arrow was fired by Liu Xian and immediately surrounded him with swords drawn, almost killing him. Fortunately, Liu Xian and his group did not carry bows and arrows, and after some explanation, they quickly persuaded the angry soldiers.

But this delay meant missing the best opportunity to capture the murderer. Liu Xian looked back in the direction of the arrow, but apart from the thick fog and the dark shadows of the buildings, he could no longer find the location of the attacker.

However, the soldiers still spread the word and ordered the entire army to search the city. As expected, no one knew what the assassin looked like or where he had gone. With only that vague outfit, a simple change of clothes could cover up any traces. In the end, of course, the search was in vain, and nothing was found.

Fortunately, Zhou Chu was wearing armor, so the arrow, though it struck his shoulder blade, only penetrated his armor an inch and missed his vitals. After the arrowhead was removed, Zhou Chu only bled slightly and was unharmed, returning to his normal state that afternoon.

But the fact that the injury is not serious does not mean that the nature of the incident is not serious.

You know, if Liu Xian hadn't caught himself and misdirected the arrow, if the whistling arrow had been five inches off center, or even five inches further up, Zhou Chu would have been killed on the spot. It was like a near-death experience.

When Chief Clerk Lu Bo heard the news of Zhou Chu's assassination, he immediately came to visit him and said with tears in his eyes:
"Jianwei is the hero of our army, yet a villain wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to assassinate you! Fortunately, you are safe, otherwise how can I explain to His Royal Highness Prince Liang!"

After learning that Liu Xian was an eyewitness, he asked again:
"Can you see the assassin's face clearly? How is he dressed? Are there any clues?"

Liu Xian answered truthfully that there was none, and only said that he knew the assassin was wearing Jin army armor.

Lu Bo immediately made a conclusion:

"This must have been sent by the rebels! These scoundrels are truly afraid of Jianwei. Unable to defeat him head-on, they've resorted to such devious tactics! I must report this to His Royal Highness Prince Liang immediately and have him dispatch an army to seek justice for Jianwei!"

He paused, then said to Liu Xian:

"Jianwei is injured and needs to rest. If Huai Chong is alright, you should go back early and finish the rest of the cleanup in the city."

The implication of these words was that Liu Xian should leave quickly.

Liu Xian had already understood the situation somewhat. He cast his eyes on Zhou Chu, who had bandaged his wound and put on a robe. He said to Liu Xian slowly and solemnly:

"This is my chore, now I'll hand it over to General Liu."

On the way out of the Injured Soldiers Camp, the staff accompanying Liu Xian were all discussing the matter. Xue Xing, in particular, was a veteran judge. He found the matter strange and couldn't help but analyze it to Liu Xian:

"Master, Chief Secretary Lu's behavior is quite unusual."

"The assassin was wearing our army's armor. While it's certainly possible that he was a rebel pretending to be the assassin, it's also possible that he came from within our army."

"You know, General Jianwei has strict military discipline and a solitary personality. It's highly likely that his soldiers are dissatisfied with him, and it's also normal for his colleagues to dislike him. Why can he so easily rule out these possibilities and be so sure that it was the rebellion that did it?"

By this time, the fog had dissipated, and white snow could still be seen on the distant mountain peaks. Liu Xian looked at the reflection of the snow and said, "So what does Ji Da mean?"

Xue Xing said, "I think this assassination might have been ordered by Lu Changshi."

"No need to say." Liu Xian said firmly, "Today's incident must have been arranged by Lu Bo."

He then criticized Lu Bo's reaction, saying, "Lu Bo's reaction was far too exaggerated. He tried to hold back tears for a long time but couldn't bring himself to cry. He even pretended to want to avenge someone, but his tone showed his indifference to General Jianwei's injuries. Who could he be fooling? Anyone could see that there was no one else who could do this except him."

"General Jianwei knows it all, but he's too lazy to expose it."

Xue Xing was somewhat pleased to find that he and Liu Xian shared the same thoughts, but he also wondered, "But how would this benefit Lu Changshi?"

Liu Xian smiled but did not answer, but he felt extremely alert in his heart, and at the same time he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, how did it become like this?

The answer is easy to deduce: Lu Bo was the Left Chief Secretary of the King of Liang, the third-highest ranking official in the army. He had no need to compete for power with Zhou Chu, and there is no record of any enmity between Lu Bo and Zhou Chu. Planning Zhou Chu's assassination would have been of no benefit to Lu Bo. Therefore, he would have been an executor, not the mastermind. Who could have ordered the assassination? Considering Zhou Chu's previous impeachment of the King of Liang in Luoyang, the mystery becomes clear.

But why would the King of Liang do this? Zhou Chu had indeed impeached him, tarnishing his reputation, but this was wartime. As a commander, as a comrade, stabbing a soldier in the back—if the entire army knew about this, wouldn't morale be broken? Even Sun Xiu wouldn't act recklessly at a time like this.

Shortly after returning to the barracks, the Jin army followed suit and entered Haozhi County. Liu Xian led several of his subordinates to greet Sima Rong. His Highness, the Prince of Liang, remained affable, his words friendly, and he chatted and laughed cheerfully, without the airs of a prince. His expression was filled with elation at his initial victory.

He quickly held a banquet in Haozhi County to celebrate the victory and invited all the generals to raise their glasses and drink.

At the banquet, Liu Xian was puzzled by the King of Liang's behavior. His words and actions betrayed neither murderous intent nor any sense of panic. This made Liu Xian wonder if he had misjudged him.
After all, nothing is absolute. Perhaps Lu Bo was merely speculating on the emperor's intentions and hadn't received direct instructions from the King of Liang. However, this wasn't enough to convince Liu Xian to change his mind.

To be fair, Liu Xian had previously held some favorable feelings towards Sima Rong. If nothing else, he had at least saved his life and allowed him to see his teacher one last time. Although he had paid a price, Liu Xian also knew that when people were in dire straits, many people had no way to pay the price even if they wanted to.

Moreover, observing what King Liang usually does, he truly deserves the title of wise king.

He treated everyone kindly, without the arrogance of Jia Mi. He treated everyone from nobles to common people with the same kindness. When he was in Chang'an, he even went to the government office in person to listen to the people's complaints.
Moreover, Sima Rong's style was extremely simple. This wasn't the showy simplicity of Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, but rather a genuine simplicity. Aside from the court robes he wore on normal occasions, he rarely wore silk or finery, but rather a single garment with a dozen patches. Even in such bitterly cold weather, Sima Rong would simply wear a deerskin cloak.

Even at this moment, the food Sima Rong served at the banquet was nothing more than some leek, radish, cabbage and bean porridge. The only meat dish was the salted fish brought from Luoyang. He couldn't ask for more.

The only thing he was criticized for was that when he had nothing better to do, he liked to walk his dog and bird. What was there to criticize? It had nothing to do with anything that was against the will of heaven or morality.

Would such a seemingly benevolent old man plot to assassinate his own generals? It was hard to believe, both emotionally and logically. But there was really no other choice.

Liu Xian couldn't help but think in his heart: Prince Liang is Sima Yi's biological son. Perhaps he inherited his father's talent and was able to completely hide his emotions in front of everyone. If he was really such a monster, it would not be surprising.

While he was thinking, Sima Rong suddenly said to Liu Xian, "Huai Chong, how is Zhou Ziya's injury?"

Liu Xian perked up and replied, "Your Highness, the arrow didn't hit a vital point. He should be fine after ten days or so."

Upon hearing this, Sima Rong couldn't help but snort. Stroking his beard, he muttered loudly, "What a pity! Why didn't they shoot him?" With these words, everyone present couldn't help but gasp. But after a moment, everyone relaxed and continued to chat among themselves, as if they hadn't heard anything. Liu Xian felt oppressed by the atmosphere, yet at the same time, it felt very familiar. He felt as if he had experienced a similar scene long ago.

After a moment's thought, Liu Xian finally remembered: Eight years ago, at a poetry gathering in Jingu Garden, he and Lu Ji had first met. Jia Mi had suddenly launched an attack, openly using his position as the Duke of Lu's official residence to insult him. The audience, all of them princes and nobles, either joined in the booing or turned a blind eye. He was caught in the middle of the verbal abuse, feeling utterly oppressive and embarrassed.

Unexpectedly, this scene would reappear at this very moment. The only difference from that poetry gathering was that most of those present were recognized as noble and virtuous people, role models of the literati. This wasn't the absurd Jingu Garden, but a battlefield where the war had just ended and the bodies had not yet been completely cleared. And Zhou Chu, the protagonist, was simply not there at this moment.

Faced with this scene, Liu Xian felt mixed emotions. At that time, he was the protagonist who was besieged, but now, he was just one of so many indifferent spectators.

Why is this happening? After realizing that Sima Rong was ignoring him, Liu Xian fell into deep thought again.

He recalled what he had seen and heard in Chang'an. It wasn't just Zhou Chu who was working diligently. Fu Zhi, Li Ju, Jie Xi, Suo Jing, Wang Quan... among them were not only people Liu Xian admired, but even his sworn brothers. But now that they were all present, why were they unwilling to defend Zhou Chu?

Liu Xian had always believed that, while the Sima family's actions had inevitably led to the Jin Dynasty's corrupted foundation and corrupted officialdom, there were still some people who adhered to principles and bottom lines. Such people were worthy of recognition and association, and would be indispensable support for his future. However, the current atmosphere made Liu Xian feel otherwise.

Fu Zhi's words inexplicably rang in his mind: "The way of a gentleman has been severed..."

Where did it end? Liu Xian suddenly realized something. Mencius said, "When in poverty, one should take care of oneself; when prosperous, one should benefit the world." In this world, Liu Xian saw that if someone wanted to be a gentleman, they could only take care of themselves when in poverty; the dream of benefiting the world had effectively died.

Why did it disappear so completely? Liu Xian could only find the answer himself.

This simple celebration banquet ended quickly. After the generals congratulated him, they prepared to leave. Liu Xian, feeling upset, did not plan to stay any longer. He planned to go back to the wounded camp and visit Zhou Chu.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to stand up, Lu Bo stopped him:

"Huai Chong, His Royal Highness Prince Liang has something to say to you."

After most people had left, only Sima Rong, Lu Bo and Liu Xian were left in the hall.

After Sima Rong finished his meal, he personally made tea and said to Liu Xian in a casual tone, "Huai Chong, I recently heard that some villains in the army are spreading rumors about you."

"Ah? Is this true?" Liu Xian had never paid attention to these things before and was a little confused.

Sima Rong laughed and said, "I just heard about it recently too. Someone seems to be saying that you are so good at making friends and fawning on others, and you must have ulterior motives."

He paused here and said slowly, "Perhaps, he has the ambition to restore his homeland..."

When these words were spoken, Liu Xian was shocked, cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead, and he quickly knelt on the ground, saying in panic:

"This is an absolute lie! Everything I say and do is for the sake of our country and our people. Have I ever done anything that would bring shame upon the court?"

Even as he heard these words, Liu Xian felt uncertain. He couldn't help but wonder: Was this a rumor started by Sun Xiu? Or was it some arrangement by Jia Mi? Had anyone under his command snitched on him? Did someone actually have some evidence?
These thoughts were tangled in his mind, and at one point he had an incredible idea: should he draw his sword, hold King Liang hostage, and take the opportunity to launch a mutiny?

Fortunately, Sima Rong's next words made him feel relieved:

"Hahaha, how could I not know Huai Chong's loyalty? This was all spread by that villain Zhou Chu."

Sima Rong poured himself a bowl of hot tea and said indignantly, "Zhou Ziya seems upright, but in reality he's a complete villain. When I was in Luoyang, he actually used our past to accuse me of accepting bribes. Isn't that ridiculous?"

"At this critical juncture, he's still disrupting the morale of the army and spreading lies to confuse the people. This is truly intolerable."

"So, today I'm planning to get rid of him. What do you think of Huai Chong?"

Liu Xian finally realized that Sima Rong had gone through so much trouble just to warn him. He made no secret of his intention to get rid of Zhou Chu, and he said all this just to prevent him from interfering.

This reality made Liu Xian feel a little hesitant for a moment. After thinking for a long time, he could only say:

"Your Highness is a recognized virtuous king. Those who are honest are honest. You should strive for perfection and not bother with villains..."

Sima Rong, however, took Liu Xian's words for granted. Pointing at the patch on his own shirt, he continued, "What do you mean by 'the incorruptible are naturally innocent, and perfect is perfect'? Am I going to be like Kong Ming? I've been such an honest official, yet I'm being denigrated and criticized by such a villain. If I don't kill him, how am I going to cope with this?"

This is really ironic. As the most senior prince in the empire, Sima Rong did not consider the Jin Dynasty, but only considered his own reputation?

Liu Xian still tried to persuade him: "But General Jianwei is a national general after all. The court..."

"Don't worry about that. After becoming the Chief Censor, Zhou Chu, that villain, thought he was a big shot and stirred up trouble in Luoyang. Everyone in the court hated him."

Prince Liang explained absentmindedly, "I had already informed the Queen before I came here. If he doesn't die, the court will be left with no explanation!"

After saying this, Liu Xian was already sweating profusely. If this was true, it could only mean that everyone in the court was indifferent to the world, even those who cultivated themselves and their morals.

Liu Xian didn't know how he walked out of the barracks. He only vaguely remembered that King Liang said a few irrelevant words. He reluctantly agreed a few times, and the conversation ended like that.

Recalling the conversation with Fu Zhi that day, he felt unprecedentedly heavy.

Walking among these majestic ruins, strewn with time, people yearn for greatness while simultaneously fearing it. The more spectacular the past success, the more disappointing the moment of collapse. People are always so extreme, willing to turn to dust if they can't achieve immortality. Perhaps disappointment is even more unbearable than death. Therefore, people subconsciously revere the ruins, while rationally preferring to dwell in the wilderness.

As long as you have nothing, you don't need to worry about losing it. If you don't look up at the world, there is only one person in the world.

The way of a gentleman is to be cut off in this kind of entanglement and struggle.

Two days later, King Liang ordered Zhou Chu to lead his troops to attack Liumo.

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(End of this chapter)