Jinting Han people

Chapter 42: The Three Princes (5k, additional content for the leader)
On the official road in the southern suburbs of Luoyang City, on an autumn day, a strong wind blew up clouds of dust, covering both the riders and the horses.

"Drive! Drive!"

The swift horse galloped past the Imperial College and the Imperial Temple, passing through the Xuanyang Gate and the city moat. Under the autumn sun, everything seemed bright and beautiful, and the yellow leaves seemed to emit a dazzling color. And the destination of this swift horse was Chen Shou's mansion, which had been renovated only half a month ago.

The man on horseback was a guard of the imperial army. He came as a messenger to inform Chen Shou of a piece of news: At noon today, Zhang Hua, Marquis of Guangwu County, will come to visit together with the three princes Sima Wei, King of Shiping, Sima Yun, King of Puyang, and Sima Xia, King of Qinghe.

"Zhang Hua has arrived, bringing three princes with him." When Chen Shou heard the news, he happily said to Liu Xian, "Great! So, my historical compilation has reached the ears of the emperor. Huai Chong, that's great! It seems the emperor attaches great importance to this matter."

After saying this, he immediately called several servants to the mansion and began to prepare to welcome the prince. He was so ecstatic that Liu Xian felt it was unbecoming.

But this matter, after all, concerned his teacher's career, and Liu Xian could understand it. He had heard of his teacher's experiences after entering the Jin Dynasty. Perhaps due to his overwhelming talent and origins in Shu, he was constantly ostracized and attacked by his colleagues, leading not only to the loss of his position but also to his reputation being tarnished. The more this happened, the more talented people became eager to prove themselves, the more they yearned for fame and worldly success. Now that he had finally been given this opportunity, he naturally refused to let it go.

This was exactly what Chen Shou deserved. After more than a decade of painstaking historical research, he finally achieved enlightenment. Such perseverance, compared to those nobles born into noble families, naturally achieved enlightenment, deserves praise no less. Liu Xian congratulated him, saying, "How could a pearl be left in the dust? Teacher, you have achieved this today, but it's actually too late."

At noon, Zhang Hua and the three princes arrived as scheduled. Their presence was considerable: dozens of armored soldiers, four carriages, and dozens of attendants. Hundreds of people crowded the courtyard, creating a scene as lively as the literary extravaganza of a few days prior. Even Chen Shou's servants, uneducated and uninformed, could see that Zhang Hua's arrival was undoubtedly at the emperor's behest.

"Your Excellency will soon be promoted."

"Whether it's the Shangshu Province, Zhongshu Province, or Menxia Province, as long as you can go to one of the three provinces, the mansion will be different from the past."

"There is also a prince here, could it be that he wants to take you as his master?"

Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the palace. People observed the expressions on Zhang Hua's face as he chatted with Chen Shou, and the demeanor of the other princes as they sat nearby. Zhang Hua's face truly radiated, and he treated Chen Shou with great warmth. While reading history books, he spoke of local customs and people, outstanding talents, and seemed to regret not meeting them earlier. He even said, "Now it seems you are the one who will compile the 'Book of Jin'!"

Chen Shou was the first person to make Zhang Hua say such words. This further confirmed everyone's suspicions. He even walked as if he was floating.

But Liu Xian on the side felt a little strange, or rather, he sensed some bad signs.

Zhang Hua's attitude seemed a little too friendly, even flattering.

If they really served in the same court in the future, daily interactions would be inevitable. Zhang Hua had raised his voice so high today. How could he and his teacher work together in the future? He even talked about compiling the "Book of Jin." The Jin Dynasty had only been established for over twenty years, and many things were taboo. This was clearly a trap. And his teacher's ambition was to enter Taiwan and participate in politics. How would he ever have the opportunity to compile history? The more Liu Xian thought about it, the more he found it strange. He even felt that Zhang Hua's smile was veiled in sarcasm.

But in such a joyful atmosphere, Liu Xian couldn't say much. He simply felt a bit uneasy as he sat there. Fortunately, he wasn't the only one feeling this way. The three princes who had accompanied him, all around Liu Xian's age, were also getting a bit restless. Zhang Hua noticed this and smiled, saying there was no need to be restrained, letting Liu Xian lead them around. The princes immediately felt as if they had been pardoned and immediately slipped out.

After leaving Zhang Hua's sight, the princes' complaints immediately followed.

The first to speak was Sima Wei, the Prince of Shiping. He was a tall, implacable young man. He seemed unscrupulous, and his opening words were outrageous: "Hey, I don't know why Father sent us here. He knew I didn't like studying, yet he made me suffer like this. Just now, the two teachers were talking about some 'zhihuzheya' (contextual nonsense) that was like being roasted on fire. In another moment, I'm going to go crazy."

Sima Yun, Prince of Puyang, was the same age as Liu Xian. Though not as tall as Sima Wei, he possessed a dignified appearance and a noble bearing. He chimed in, "Fifth brother, you're right. I'm not much different. Father can be really harsh sometimes. Even if our academic performance is average, it's still better than our second brother (Crown Prince Sima Zhong). Since we won't be emperor in the future, what else can we ask for?"

"That's right. Besides, didn't Xiang Yu also dislike studying back then? And wasn't he still a formidable force that shook the world? Those doctors in the Imperial Academy are powerless, so what good are they?"

"It's useless! I remember my teacher saying that Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, loved to pee in the Confucian cap. To achieve great things, you don't need any knowledge!"

It was a very novel experience to hear these two princes singing in unison and telling some very uncultured history jokes. Liu Xian almost laughed out loud.

They don't think that Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were able to achieve success because they didn't study, right?
It was the youngest, King Qinghe Sima Xia, who noticed something was wrong. He pulled Sima Wei's sleeve and reminded his two brothers, "Fifth brother, ninth brother, there are outsiders here! Don't be so rude." Sima Xia was one year younger than Liu Xian. Unlike his two brothers, he had a handsome appearance, with skin as white and crystal clear as the snow on the mountains and the jade from Lantian. He was very approachable at first sight.

Sima Wei glanced at Liu Xian, shrugged at Sima Xia, and said impatiently, "Thirteenth brother, don't be so cautious. I would say the same thing even if the emperor were here. There's a saying, 'A thousand-foot-high wall stands firm; a man without desires is strong.' I don't have any requests, so why should I be afraid of what others say?"

Then he turned around and shouted to Liu Xian, "Hey! You look like a scholar. Do you think this is the truth?"

Liu Xian did not answer Sima Wei directly, but corrected him first, saying, "Your Highness, Prince Shiping, my name is not Hey. My surname is Liu Xian, and my courtesy name is Huai Chong. Your Highness, just call me by my name."

Unexpectedly, Sima Wei was surprised at first when he was contradicted. Then, he looked Liu Xian up and down, a smile on his face. He said, "I know you. You are the son of Anle Gong and the son-in-law of Juancheng Gong. Is that right?"

It seems these two names are quite famous. Liu Xian smiled bitterly in his heart, but unfortunately he didn't like to hear either. So he insisted, "Your Highness, just call me by my name."

"Okay, okay." Sima Wei didn't know if he had truly listened or was pretending to, or if he didn't even address Liu Xian by name. He walked up with a big laugh, put his arm around Liu Xian's shoulders, and then asked, "I heard you're Master Chen's disciple. Master Zhang asked you to take us for a walk. I wonder if there's anything interesting in this mansion?"

Sima Wei's palms were large and powerful. When he grasped Liu Xian's shoulders, his breath hitched, and then he felt the fiery warmth of the prince's hand. Liu Xian looked up at the King of Shiping again. His smile was unbridled, brimming with confidence and casualness from within.

He probably has a similar personality to Shi Chao, Liu Xian thought to himself.

Liu Xian didn't stick to any etiquette when dealing with such a generous person. He directly asked, "Then what is interesting to you, Your Highness?"

Sima Wei really didn't mind this kind of retort. Instead, he was very satisfied. He touched his chin and said, "Interesting places are probably places with rare treasures."

"A rare treasure?"

"It's the treasure that protects the house!" Sima Wei said freely, "You know the Three Yangs, right?"

Liu Xian smiled and said, "I know. Who wouldn't know that?"

After the Qi Prince factional strife, the emperor essentially entrusted government to Empress Yang's three brothers. These were General Yang Jun, General Yang Yu, and Prince Taifu Yang Ji. They colluded to monopolize government, earning them the nickname "Three Yangs," and arguably the most powerful men in the world. Sima Wei, with a touch of mystery, said, "Each of these three possesses their own treasures to protect their homes."

"Oh? What is it?"

"The General's treasure is a two-foot-tall golden Buddha on a jade throne. If the gold were melted down, it would weigh nearly a hundred kilograms. The jade throne itself is also incredibly rare. Not only is it translucent green, but it's said to glow with seven colors when placed in a dark room! Isn't that fascinating?"

Liu Xian smiled and nodded.

But Sima Wei waved his hand again and said with a smile: "Talking about gold and jade is still too vulgar. In my opinion, the treasures of the Crown Prince's tutor are more valuable."

"what is that?"

"The Prince's tutor's treasure is a human." Seeing Liu Xian's surprised expression, Sima Wei was very satisfied. He emphasized his mysterious tone and said, "That's no ordinary person. He's a strong man recruited from Hedong. He's the strongest and bravest of all three armies. He can fight a hundred people alone! He's no less powerful than Guan Yu and Zhang Fei! Before, when the Prince's tutor was the General of Zhenbei, he encountered a big tiger on the road in Youzhou. It was with this brave man that he defeated the tiger with just three punches and two kicks! Isn't it amazing?"

Liu Xian watched him speak with such enthusiasm that his face lit up. His two brothers beside him looked embarrassed. It was clear they didn't think much of Liu Xian and didn't want to have much to do with him. Sima Wei, however, had no such concerns. He was very open-minded about status. In other words, as long as something pleased him, he would devote himself to it wholeheartedly.

Thinking of what he had said before, "A man without desires is strong," Liu Xian made a judgment: this unique prince in front of him was definitely not one who was content with mediocrity, and one day, he might turn the court upside down.

However, these could only be pondered in his mind. Liu Xian still responded verbally by asking, "So, where is General Wei's treasure?"

"General Wei's treasure..." Sima Wei's expression suddenly changed when he mentioned Yang Yao. He said angrily, "This man is quite stingy. He has a stone coffin, saying that it contains his life and property. No matter how much I beg for it, he refuses to show it to me. It's really disappointing..."

But as soon as he finished speaking, the anger on his face dissipated like smoke. Instead, he pulled Liu Xian to continue the previous topic: "Hey, let's not talk about this anymore. What kind of treasure does this Master Chen have to protect his house? Show me."

Speaking of this, the other two princes also looked at him curiously, and were obviously very interested.

But the result was bound to disappoint them. Liu Xian smiled and said, "If the so-called fun is to see the treasures that protect the house, then the three princes have actually seen them."

"Where is it? I don't remember it."

"It's the Romance of the Three Kingdoms that my teacher and Mr. Zhang were discussing!"

"What kind of treasure is this!"

Facing the three princes' unanimous questioning, Liu Xian patiently explained, "My teacher spent over ten years traveling across the nine provinces, visiting all the rivers and lakes. Even when he was destitute, he persisted in editing and compiling, finally completing this 400,000-word essay. His life's work is truly here. That's why it's been praised by the literary world, why Your Majesty has taken notice, and why you, Your Highnesses, have come here. Tell me, if this isn't a treasure to protect your home, then what is?"

This statement was well-reasoned and well-founded, leaving the princes with no way to refute it, and they could only look at each other in bewilderment. However, the idea that books could also be a treasure to protect the house was obviously not to their liking, especially Shiping King Sima Wei. He lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked around the mansion with a rather pitiful look. Only then did he notice the poverty of the courtyard.

This reminded him of their initial discussion, and he continued, "Again, what's the point of studying? Master Chen studied for half his life, only to acquire such a treasure to protect his home. Father, do you want me to learn from him? Wouldn't that ruin my life?"

Liu Xian finally couldn't help himself this time and said to Sima Wei with a smile, "Your Highness should stop saying such things. It's not appropriate."

"I'm just telling the truth, what's wrong with that?"

"Because Your Highness is a descendant of Emperor Gaozu Xuan (Sima Yi), who rose to power by relying on Confucian classics and historical texts. Isn't what Your Highness just said slandering Emperor Gaozu Xuan?"

"Is that true?" Sima Wei wanted to refute Liu Xian, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he realized that he knew very little about his great-grandfather. Apart from knowing Sima Yi's glorious military achievements in resisting Zhuge Liang, beheading Meng Da, and pacifying Liaodong, and that he had murdered Cao Shuang's entire family in a coup, he had little other impression of him. Therefore, he had no confidence to refute him and could only say, "Then tell me."

When Emperor Xuan first came of age, the country was in turmoil, with warlords rising up and each seeking talent. Family background and wealth were of no use; people valued only genuine talent and learning. It was because of Emperor Xuan's expertise in classics and history, and his profound knowledge of literature, that he was recruited by Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei, to serve as an official. Later, he was highly regarded by Cao Pi, Emperor Wen of Wei, who also loved literature, and was known as one of the 'Four Friends' along with three other literary masters: Wu Zhi, Chen Qun, and Zhu Shao. This led to Emperor Wen of Wei later entrusting Emperor Xuan with important tasks upon his ascension to the throne."

Sima Wei and the others were dumbfounded by Liu Xian's words. They didn't know whether they were true or not, but seeing Liu Xian's words were so confident, they had no choice but to object. Instead, they began to wonder: How could a Liu like him understand Emperor Xuan better than us Sima?

Liu Xian continued, "The reason Emperor Xuan later gained the support of his ministers during the Gaopingling Incident wasn't just because of his military prowess. He expanded the grain transport system in Jingbei and Huaibei, reformed the military farming system, and personally participated in the establishment of the Nine-Rank System, all of which required a high level of knowledge in classics and history. Therefore, upon his death, he was first posthumously given the title Wenzhen, which was later changed to Xuanwen by Emperor Wen. This shows that compared to his military achievements, his civil administration was more highly valued."

After saying this, Liu Xian looked at the three princes again. Sima Wei lowered his head in thought, Sima Yun seemed to understand, and Sima Xia's face was filled with longing. The only thing that remained the same was that the way they looked at Liu Xian was very different from before, with a certain degree of appreciation. After a while, Sima Wei bluntly asked him, "Liu Huai Chong, where did you hear all this? Why haven't I heard it before?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian stroked his ear, pointed to where Chen Shou was, and said with a smile, "What I just said came from my teacher's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Your Highnesses will understand it at a glance."

He then fetched several relevant books from his room and, while introducing them, engaged in a lively conversation with the three princes. Sima Yun and Sima Xia remained rather reserved, primarily listening in on the conversation. However, Shiping King Sima Wei didn't care. That afternoon, he peppered Liu Xian with all sorts of tricky questions, unconcerned about appearing ignorant. The two quickly became acquainted, and before they knew it, the conversation stretched into dusk.

At that moment, the door creaked open, and Liu Xian saw Zhang Hua and Chen Shou exit hand in hand. It turned out that while he was chatting with the princes, Chen Shou had also finished his conversation with Zhang Hua. Zhang Hua was still as cheerful and friendly as when he arrived, but Chen Shou's smile was forced. His brows were furrowed, and if it weren't for the curved corners of his mouth, anger and resentment would have almost overflowed.

It seemed they had to see the guests off. At Zhang Hua's invitation, Sima Wei and Liu Xian said their goodbyes and led their two younger brothers back to the imperial carriage. Chen Shou had no intention of trying to keep them. In an instant, the soldiers and attendants had all left, leaving only an empty courtyard.

After Liu Xian closed the door, he turned around and saw that his teacher's face had completely darkened. The smile he had managed to maintain completely turned into a bitter self-mockery. Then he heard him curse: "You foolish emperor, you have been humiliated by others and have come to this!"

Chen Shou knelt on a straw mat, facing the history book he had painstakingly written. He was overcome with grief and anger, speechless. Liu Xian had already guessed the outcome: it was bound to be unsatisfactory. But he couldn't say much. After helping to sort the books in the room, he retreated to the courtyard to practice swordplay and wait for his teacher to recover.

When it was completely dark and the lights were on in the room, Liu Xian heard Chen Shou calling him and hurried in. He was shocked. In just two quarters of an hour, his teacher's demeanor had completely collapsed. He had lost all the confidence and high spirits he had when he just returned to Beijing. It was as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

When Chen Shou saw Liu Xian coming in, he said straight to the point, "Huai Chong, the Emperor wants me to be the Prince's Secretary. Do you think I should go?"

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(End of this chapter)