Jinting Han people

In June of the ninth year of Yuankang, the imperial court issued three edicts.

The first imperial edict appointed King Sima Ying of Chengdu as the General Zhenbei, with imperial seal, to garrison Yecheng and command all military affairs in Hebei.

The second decree was to add 3,000 guards to the Eastern Palace to demonstrate the prince's authority.

The third edict abolished the post of Secretary General of Lu Jia Mi and demoted him to the position of Prince's Chamberlain. At the same time, it arranged for Jia You, the son of Minister Jia Mo, to enter the Eastern Palace and serve as the Prince's lecturer.

After these three edicts were issued, officials of the Eastern Palace celebrated and regarded it as a major sign of the Queen's concession to the Prince.

It's not hard to understand why the three most important military headquarters in the country were the Zhengxi Army, stationed in Chang'an; the Zhenbei Army, stationed in Yecheng; and the Zhendong Army, stationed in Xuchang. The Zhengxi Army was the most skilled in warfare, the Zhenbei Army the wealthiest, and the Zhendong Army the closest to the capital. Originally, all three military headquarters were under the control of the Empress, but now she had handed the Zhenbei Army to the Prince of Chengdu, who supported the Crown Prince, a clear sign of submission.

The strengthening of the Eastern Palace Guard also caused the original 7,000-man Eastern Palace Guard to swell to 10,000. Without counting the foreign troops, its size was now equal to that of the Imperial Palace Guard. Politically, this undoubtedly implied that the Crown Prince's authority was no less than that of the Emperor.

As for making Jia Mi and Jia You officials of the Eastern Palace, it was the most straightforward sign of weakness. In the eyes of others, this was begging for mercy from the prince, hoping that the prince would continue to reuse the Pingyang Jia family after he came to power.

While the Empress hasn't yet granted the Crown Prince the power of regent he desires, this significant political concession is the first of its kind since she assumed the regency. Therefore, most are optimistic, believing that even so far, the Crown Prince has already reaped a rich harvest and should stop while he's ahead. Some also believe that even if further progress is required, the ultimatum is still some distance away, so it's better to digest this political achievement first to ensure greater confidence in future factional struggles.

In any case, the current situation is very good, and extreme measures such as a coup can be put on hold for the time being.

So, on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, the Crown Prince held a banquet in the Eastern Palace. Firstly, it was to bid farewell to Sima Ying, the soon-to-be-appointed King of Chengdu; secondly, to celebrate this temporary victory; and thirdly, to lighten the mood. He invited all officials of the sixth rank and above, as well as all members of the imperial family above the rank of Duke. In total, around four to five hundred officials attended the banquet. This banquet was the largest of its kind since Sima Yi took over the Eastern Palace.

The banquet was held in the front hall. Due to the scorching weather and the large number of attendees, the prince had ten ice jars brought in in advance and most of the ice in the cellar was used to cool down the room. Even so, the warm atmosphere still made everyone sweat profusely.

But no one cared about these things; political victory was enough to make people feel relaxed and happy. When Liu Xian arrived, he saw that most of the attendees were smiling and talking to each other at will. Even the usually taciturn Wang Dun had the leisure to debate history.

The man debating with Wang Dun was Zhang Fu, the Imperial Censor, Liu Qiao's cousin and a renowned official of integrity. Although he was over forty years old, he still enjoyed engaging in lengthy discussions with younger men.

At this time, he and Wang Dun were discussing the merits and demerits of Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya. Wang Dun first said:
"Bao Shu himself admitted that he was not as good as Guan Zhong. Why bother to discuss this? Guan Zhong was able to dominate Duke Huan, enrich Qi, unite the nine states, and honor the king and repel the barbarians. These were all unprecedented achievements. Qi declined after Guan Zhong's death. This is obvious! How can Bao Shu compare to him?"

This was a legitimate theory accepted by most people, but Zhang Fu unexpectedly came up with a different idea and refuted it:
"Wrong! Guan Zhong is far inferior to Bao Shu! Bao Shu knew his master and went to the right country. But Guan Zhong served his master but failed to help him. He went to a country that was not a place for him to serve. He also overstepped the bounds of duty as a minister by setting up the Three Returns Platform and using the same drinking utensils as the monarch. These were things Bao Shu would never have done."

It turned out that Zhang Fu attacked Guan Zhong from a moral perspective, saying that he was disloyal and immoral as a minister. However, in today's world, morality is more important than talent, so Wang Dun was speechless.

Liu Xian, however, was standing by and said, "The Spring and Autumn Period was very different from today. Duke Huan was not a wise and virtuous ruler. Without Guan Zhong, he would have favored villains, alienated virtuous ministers, eaten human flesh, persecuted his brothers, and launched wars out of anger. He was unable to pacify the harem of Qi, nor could he lead his descendants to promote virtue. With such a ruler, how could one say that Bao Shu knew his master and served his country? It was simply because Duke Huan of Qi employed Guan Zhong that he was able to accomplish his goals."

Now it was Zhang Fu's turn to be speechless, and the audience applauded. Liu Xian had bypassed Guan Zhong and directly attacked Duke Huan of Qi's character, and each point was true. He couldn't in good conscience say that Duke Huan of Qi was the ideal wise ruler.

However, he admitted defeat readily, and then said to Liu Xian, "I've heard of the great name of the Bandit Slayer General for a long time. I never thought we'd have the chance to meet each other before, but now we're meeting each other. His reputation is truly well-deserved!"

He was about to drag Liu Xian into a debate. His most famous view was that Cao Cao was inferior to Liu Bei, and Yue Yi was less talented than Zhuge Liang. Now that he had Liu Xian, a half-party involved, he couldn't help but engage in a long discussion.

But just as the conversation started, an eunuch came over and asked, "Is the Bandit Slayer General here?"

Liu Xian said, "I'm here, what's going on?"

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is summoning you. Please follow me."

The prince issued an edict, so Liu Xian had to end the debate that had just begun and bid farewell to Zhang Fu with regret.

He followed the eunuch inside, passing a long corridor to the east, and arrived at the side hall of the front hall. The hall door was now wide open. Looking inside, he could see a dozen female musicians playing qin and zither, the music clear and stirring. As he approached, he saw that the banquet was filled with dignitaries from the imperial court. They were either members of the royal family like the King of Qi, the King of Chengdu, and the King of Zhao, or dukes like Meng Guan, Fu Zhi, Wang Cui, Chen Zhi, and Yang Xuanzhi. It could be said that, with the exception of the core members of the empress's party, such as Jia Mi and Zhang Hua, everyone who should have come was present.

At this moment, the Crown Prince sat in the center. What surprised Liu Xian was that this Crown Prince, known for his absurd behavior, had bucked his usual casual demeanor and sat upright, like a scholar. Furthermore, he was dressed in an extremely luxurious imperial robe, wearing a Yuanyou crown, a crimson gauze tunic with a curved collar and white lining, and a long, dark blue robe with nine emblems. He wore a fire-beaded sword with a white handle at his waist, a jade hook and a beast-head pouch, and the four-colored red and yellow ribbon and gold seal with a tortoise-shaped button, symbolizing the Crown Prince's status, were visible.

He sat among the crowd. Although his face was pale, he stood tall and proud, and his whole body exuded a noble and extraordinary temperament.

Liu Xian was stunned for a moment, and it took him a long time to realize that this person was actually the Crown Prince Sima Yi. He then exclaimed in his heart: Is this his true appearance?

Sima Yi's past behavior in the Eastern Palace was still vivid in Liu Xian's mind: his disheveled, untidy appearance, his odd, playful smile that gave him the aura of a night owl. But now, for the first time in his life, Liu Xian saw him dressed in the imperial robes, the attire befitting a true crown prince. He marveled at how clothing could transform a person so dramatically; it was something Liu Xian had never witnessed before.

Before, he was often suspected of not being like a monarch, but now he undoubtedly exudes the aura of a king.

When Sima Yi's gaze shifted to Liu Xian, Liu Xian's eyes met his and he couldn't help but lower his head slightly. This was the first time that Liu Xian sensed strength in Sima Yi's eyes.

Sima Yi waved his hand to call the eunuch over and whispered a few words. Then the eunuch walked over to Liu Xian and said, "General Dangkou, His Highness will ask you to sit in the second seat on the left."

Did even his words and actions conform to etiquette? Liu Xian, moved, bowed slightly to the Crown Prince and sat down at the seat designated by Sima Yi. Since Liu Xian sat closer to the Crown Prince, he seemed to be slightly overstepping the bounds of propriety. The Crown Prince explained, "You are all renowned figures, but it was he who saved my life during the Three Yang Rebellion. He is my benefactor! Give me some wine!"

It was obvious that the nobles present were also amazed by Sima Yi's performance. They did not object, but instead said, "The Crown Prince is virtuous."

Sima Yi then said to Liu Xian, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has given me an additional 3,000 guards. This is a good thing, but I don't have many capable soldiers under my command. Huai Chong, from today on, these people will be under your command."

After saying this, everyone present couldn't help but look at Liu Xian in surprise. Although everyone knew that Liu Xian had saved his life, it had already been eight years since Liu Xian was exiled to Guanxi and left the Eastern Palace. During that time, countless people had come and gone from the Eastern Palace. Many officials at court had assumed that their relationship had faded. They had never expected the Crown Prince to place such high hopes on him, entrusting him with one-third of the Eastern Palace's military. This also meant that Liu Xian had leapt from a powerless and idle general to one of the most influential commanders in the capital.

Of course, outsiders didn't know the truth. Liu Xian knew this was actually the Crown Prince's reward for orchestrating his assassination. Even so, Liu Xian felt somewhat touched. After all, given his sensitive status, gaining such trust required immense courage. No matter how one looked at it, the Crown Prince had done his utmost to benefit him.

He could not help but bow to Sima Yi again and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your trust. I am deeply grateful."

The prince now has the aura of a wise ruler. Seeing that Liu Xian is so highly valued by the prince, people, both familiar and unfamiliar, come to Liu Xian to toast and congratulate him, and their attitude is very good.

Meng Guan also lamented to Liu Xian that the court had refused to use him to pacify Hebei in April, leading to the situation still not being pacified. Liu Xian replied, "These are just insignificant bandits. They will dissipate on their own once the Prince of Chengdu arrives."

The King of Chengdu also knew of Liu Xian's contributions. When he toasted him, he said, "Huai Chong is a man of great military knowledge. I wonder if he has any good advice for me on my journey to Hebei?"

Sima Ying was a humble and polite person, with excellent manners and appearance. Liu Xian had a good impression of him and said, "I've heard that Hebei is full of talented people. Your Highness, as long as you can know and judge people, and employ them with confidence, and don't employ those you doubt, you will surely ensure peace in Hebei."

Sima Ying smiled and nodded, then began to wonder, "I wonder if I can find my Kong Ming."

Liu Xian thought to himself, "I haven't found my Kong Ming yet!"

The protagonists of the banquet were actually the King of Chengdu and the Crown Prince. They sang in unison, with the King of Qi joining in. The surrounding princes, such as the King of Zhao and the King of Liang, also displayed amiable and benevolent expressions, reminiscing about the past together and demonstrating the friendly and harmonious atmosphere within the royal family. Before they knew it, the banquet had reached evening, and it was almost time to adjourn.

Sima Ying was still bidding farewell to Sima Yi, and declared: "No matter where I am, as long as the prince gives the order, I will come to you at night."

Sima Yi also said: "You are now a prefect. What is important is to maintain harmony between the people of Hebei and the people's peace. As long as Hebei is loyal to the court, it will be the greatest support for me."

Having said this, the two of them officially said goodbye and the banquet ended.

When the music ended and the crowd dispersed, Liu Xian was about to leave with the others when a eunuch stopped him and said, "General Dangkou, wait a minute. The Crown Prince wants to see you."

Liu Xian hurried back, but to his surprise, the eunuchs did not take him to the front hall, but to the west hall where the prince's harem was located. Upon entering, he discovered that the prince was not the only one present. There was also a beautiful woman sitting beside him, chatting with him in a relaxed manner.

Liu Xian saw the woman wearing a golden hairpin and a deep blue-white jade dress, and immediately guessed her identity. He quickly bowed and said, "Liu Xian greets the Crown Princess."

Crown Princess Wang Huifeng returned the greeting and said, "General, there is no need to be so polite." After that, she slowly walked out of the palace.

Sima Yi had regained his usual composure and said to Liu Xian jokingly, "Haha, don't be so restrained. Just act like you're at home."

"Prince, do you want to tell me something by keeping me here?"

"Nothing to say." Sima Yi had a large bowl of meat soup and a few white flour buns in front of him. He picked up a piece with his chopsticks and waved it at Liu Xian. "I see you were just like me at the meeting. You didn't even have time to eat your food before someone forced you to drink a lot of wine. Your stomach must be feeling empty and anxious now, right? I'll let you stay to fill your stomach, just like I do. Who goes to the Eastern Palace and doesn't have enough to eat?"

"This is the mutton soup that the Crown Princess personally prepared. Would you like to try it?"

"Then I will respectfully obey." Listening to Sima Yi's words, Liu Xian was filled with emotion, thinking to himself: Sima Yan said the Crown Prince was comparable to Emperor Xuan, but I didn't understand. Today, I finally see it for myself. He is restrained and heroic, yet possesses inner brilliance. He truly possesses the qualities of a king. In comparison, I am still too outspoken.

He accepted a bowl of meat soup and, while eating, chatted with Sima Yi about the current political situation. He advised Sima Yi, "Your Highness, although the Queen has made some concessions, this is probably just a delaying tactic. Don't let this make you complacent."

Sima Yi laughed and said, "You're right. I've been fighting with the Queen for so many years, and I don't even know who she is."

He then sighed and shook his head, saying, "The difficulty isn't fighting the Queen, it's that I have so many uncles, great-uncle cousins. Even if they appear to support me, don't I know what they're thinking in secret?"

"Liu Xian, tell me, what's so good about being an emperor?" Sima Yi didn't wait for Liu Xian to answer. He muttered to himself, "The sacred artifact of the state, these four words really cannibalize people. Every time I think of Emperor Wu's sick face, I feel fear deep in my heart."

"Anyone who can sit on the throne of the emperor cannot be a human being. My father is a fool, not fit to be an emperor. Although I am somewhat intelligent, I am still a human being, with emotions, joys and sorrows, and separations and reunions. I am not fit to be an emperor either. After all, who is suitable? I don't see any relatives who are suitable. I really doubt that this position will destroy our family."

He immediately realized he had lost his composure and said to Liu Xian, "Haha, I was confused for a moment and said some discouraging words. I'm sorry to have made you laugh."

"Maybe I'm just worrying too much. Everything will be fine." (End of this chapter)