Jinting Han people

This was a rare good day in the depths of winter. The sun shone brightly, there was no wind, and the previous snow had melted away, making the sunlight shine exceptionally brightly on the land of Jingnan. People basked in the warm sunshine, feeling not only physically comfortable but also with a brightened spirit, free from any gloom.

With the war stabilizing, Yi'an City once again became bustling with activity. The outer palisades used to defend against the Jin army had been removed, and with the continuous influx of supplies from Yizhou, the markets outside the city had revived, teeming with merchants. At the docks, the newly appointed magistrate of Yi'an, Yang Bin, was recruiting workers with a daily wage of six liters of rice, while the county government's yamen runners were spreading the word that Yi'an City was about to undergo a major renovation.

This was a systematic plan. As the political center for at least the next few years, the current scale of Yi'an City was clearly insufficient. Therefore, as soon as Lu Yun, the governor of Jingzhou, arrived in Yi'an and conducted a brief inspection, he proposed a new expansion plan. He intended to first build a new outer wall around Yi'an City to connect it with Furen City, then re-plan the neighborhoods, and at the same time, build a new palace on a high slope in the east called Guangdeping, specifically for handling state affairs.

From a political perspective, this was an event no less significant than the Battle of Jingzhou. Therefore, Liu Xian paid close attention to it. Taking advantage of the clear weather that day, Liu Xian, along with Lu Yun, Zhou Yi, and others, went to inspect the proposed site for the palace. While discussing what buildings should be included in the palace, they mentally calculated the materials and time that would be required for its construction.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Meng He suddenly came to report to Liu Xian that a scholar had come to see him, claiming to be a special envoy of Wang Dun, the governor of Jingzhou in Jin.

"A special envoy?" Liu Xian was initially somewhat incredulous. Although he had gained the upper hand on the battlefield and was making contact with old acquaintances, he had never included Wang Dun on his list. The reason was simple: although Liu Xian held the advantage, he was still some distance from destroying the Jin dynasty. And given Wang Dun's current position within the Langya Wang clan, Liu Xian couldn't offer him the same price.

Therefore, Liu Xian's first reaction was to suspect that someone in the Jin army was plotting an assassination. However, he immediately thought that such a plan was too old-fashioned and unlikely to work in the current situation. Could it be Wang Dun's delaying tactic? Or was someone using his banner to try and surrender to him? Several possibilities flashed through Liu Xian's mind, but he still didn't consider the possibility of Wang Dun defecting. After all, in his past impression of working together, Wang Dun was taciturn, decisive, and very considerate of human relationships. Liu Xian found it hard to imagine that such a person would switch sides.

Therefore, Liu Xian asked again, "He says he is Wang Chuzhong's envoy, what proof do you have?"

Meng He said, "That man said that my brother and his lord have a friendship worth a thousand gold pieces."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian was certain that it was indeed Wang Dun's envoy. Years ago, when he was rescued from prison, Wang Dun, as the emperor's son-in-law, had proactively helped raise a ransom of one thousand taels of gold and actively campaigned for him. However, he rarely mentioned it afterward; if it weren't for Wang Dun himself, it would be difficult for others to know about this.

Therefore, after pondering for a moment, Liu Xian nodded and said, "Bring that person up here!" He then received the envoy in the bamboo grove next to Guangdeping.

The envoy sent by Wang Dun was an ordinary-looking man.

He was probably in his early thirties, of medium build, dressed in military uniform, with a turban on his head and a ring-pommel sword at his waist. He looked neither quite a scholar nor quite a warrior. But upon closer inspection, it was not hard to see that he also had a touch of banditry about him. Even when facing Liu Xian, his posture was extremely natural, and his eyes were very firm.

Upon asking his name, it was learned that he was called Shen Chong, a military advisor under Wang Dun, and came from the Shen family of Wuxing.

Liu Xian didn't remember any prominent family with the surname Shen in Eastern Wu. After thinking for a while, he suddenly remembered someone and asked Shen Chong, "What is the relationship between Shen You and your family?"

Shen Chong replied, "He is my great-uncle."

Liu Xian nodded in sudden realization. No wonder the Shen family of Wuxing wasn't well-known in Eastern Wu; they were descendants of Shen You. Shen You was a famous young scholar in Jiangdong during the late Han Dynasty, hailed as a master of three arts (pen, tongue, and sword) and a talent fit to assist a king. However, because of his exceptional talent, he spoke disrespectfully to Sun Quan, incurring Sun Quan's hatred, who then executed him on charges of treason. Liu Xian hadn't heard of any Shen family members prospering in Sun Wu; it was probably because they were implicated in Shen You's affair.

Liu Xian then asked, "What is your relationship with Wang Jingzhou?"

Shen Chong replied, "Lord Wang has shown me great kindness and favor. Although my talent is not as great as that of Zhuan Zhu and Nie Zheng, I still have a loyal heart. If Lord Wang commands me, I will go through fire and water, even if it means my death."

At this point, he knelt on one knee, took out a piece of silk, and handed it to Liu Xian, saying, "This is a letter that the magistrate entrusted me to deliver to His Highness the Prince of Han. Please read it."

Zhuan Zhu and Nie Zheng were both renowned wandering knights and assassins, but they were also loyal and devoted warriors who served their lords to the death. Shen Chong's self-comparison to these figures clearly indicated to Liu Xian that his visit represented only Wang Dun and had nothing to do with the Jin dynasty.

Hearing this, Liu Xian roughly understood Wang Dun's intentions. He had abandoned the Jin dynasty and secretly contacted him; what other thoughts could he possibly have? His only option was to defect. Even so, when Liu Xian opened the letter, he found that the contents were exactly as he had suspected: Wang Dun intended to defect and hoped Liu Xian would promise him the position of Governor of Jiangzhou. Although Liu Xian remained outwardly calm, his heart was in turmoil. Could he really do such a thing?!

After all, in terms of public affairs, he was not only the governor of Jingzhou, but also the son-in-law of the Jin dynasty, and his wife was the younger sister of the Jin emperor, so he was originally one of the imperial family. In terms of private affairs, he was one of the most trusted people in the Langya Wang clan. Although he was not as good as Wang Kuang, he was only not as good as Wang Yan and Wang Kuang. He was practically the third most trusted person in the Langya Wang clan.

If Wang Dun were to defect to Liu Xian, it would inevitably have a profound impact on the entire Jingzhou war situation and even the political landscape of the entire realm. However, at the same time, it would also generate immense negative public opinion against Wang Dun himself; the phrase "abandoning the country and family" would be utterly apt. At that point, the prestige he had accumulated over the past thirty years would be completely depleted, perhaps even leading to a utter defeat. He might not catch up to Jia Chong, but he wouldn't be far off.

Even from this perspective, accepting Wang Dun's surrender was a risky move for Liu Xian. If Wang Dun could betray his family today, wouldn't he betray him in the future? For the Shu Han court at present, accepting Wang Dun's forces intact would likely cause controversy and undermine unity and stability.

However, as mentioned earlier, from the perspective of unifying the country, this was undoubtedly a major event that would greatly accelerate Liu Xian's unification efforts. Although Liu Xian won the Battle of Yi'an, it would likely take at least one or two years to consolidate his territory and restore order. By then, it would take another two or three years to conquer Jingzhou north of the Yangtze River and Jiangzhou and Yangzhou downstream.

However, if Wang Dun's defection were accepted, the balance of power between the Han and Jin dynasties would be completely reversed. At that time, the Jin army would be terrified, and not only Jingzhou, but the entire downstream region could be pacified with a mere proclamation. Regardless of any potential dangers, half of the country would fall to the Han dynasty, becoming a reality. Next, Liu Xian would only need to send troops to attack Shouchun, reclaim the Imperial Seal, and his ascension to the throne would be legitimate.

Thinking of this, Liu Xian's expression shifted slightly. He looked up at Shen Chong and asked, "Since you brought this letter, is there anything you'd like to say to me?"

Shen Chong said, "The magistrate said that he and His Highness are old acquaintances, straightforward and don't need many words. Most of the content is in the letter."

"So," Liu Xian said slowly, putting away the silk cloth, "there are still some things you need to say verbally?"

"Yes." Shen Chong gave a lukewarm smile and replied, "The magistrate said that His Highness is a man of principle, and that some of his flowery words are too hypocritical. His Highness must want to hear the magistrate's true words."

"Then tell me."

"The magistrate told me that during this period, he devoted himself to the Jin dynasty, wanting to regroup and rebuild. However, his clansmen did not understand the bigger picture and were only interested in scheming. He offered advice many times, but they did not listen to him or follow his plans. They were just waiting to die. What can a wise man do? The magistrate is not without loyalty and righteousness. He just does not want to die for his foolish son like Bo Yi and Shu Qi. He wants to achieve something like Guan Zhong and Yue Yi. That's all."

It must be said that Wang Dun's two examples are indeed very clever. Guan Zhong was originally a minister of Prince Jiu, but after Prince Jiu's death, he switched his allegiance to Prince Bai, which led to Qi's hegemony. Yue Yi led a five-state coalition to attack Qi, nearly destroying the state, but the newly enthroned King Hui of Yan distrusted him, causing Yue Yi to flee to Zhao, and his attempt to conquer Qi ultimately failed. Both of these men changed their masters, but the world blames the rulers, not the ministers, demonstrating that it's not just rulers who choose ministers, but ministers who also choose their rulers.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian burst into laughter. He thought to himself, "Only Wang Chuzhong could say something like that!" Liu Xian was actually somewhat in agreement, but this matter concerned the overall situation, and he had to discuss it with everyone. So he said to Shen Chong, "Go outside and wait. I will give you an answer after I have discussed it with everyone."

After Shen Chong left, Liu Xian handed the letter to his ministers for circulation. As Liu Xian expected, some people immediately voiced their objections.

The first to object was surprisingly Lu Yun. He was usually taciturn and rarely expressed his opinions, only carrying out government affairs. But at this moment, he took the initiative to say, "Your Highness, you have always governed the country with integrity and righteousness, and your virtue is known throughout the world, with all people devoted to you. But now Wang Dun has done such an unrighteous, disloyal, and unfilial thing. If you take him in, I'm afraid you will be ridiculed by the world and it will be detrimental to the way of kingship and hegemony."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian glanced at Lu Yun and remained silent for a long time. Lu Yun's words were actually quite unreasonable. While Wang Dun's actions were certainly criticized, they weren't entirely surprising. During the War of the Eight Princes, everyone was caught in the crossfire; who among those still alive today doesn't have some unspeakable, sordid secrets?

However, he could roughly understand Lu Yun's thoughts. For Lu Yun, his time serving in Luoyang and Yecheng was far from pleasant. In fact, it was filled with humiliation and hatred. And if Wang Dun were to defect, a large number of scholars from the north would likely follow, which was undoubtedly something he didn't want to see.

What Lu Yun didn't know was that recruiting some former officials was a national policy already established by Liu Xian, and he would have done so regardless of whether Wang Dun was around. Therefore, this was not a reason to oppose it.

Military generals like Guo Mo and Huangfu Dan also voiced their opposition to varying degrees. Their thoughts were easier to guess: they believed the remaining battles in Jiangnan would be easily won. These were military achievements that could lead to promotions and titles; how could they be handed over to others? However, Liu Xian always remembered a line from the *Sima Fa*: "Though a country may be large, it will perish if it loves war; though the world may be at peace, it will be in danger if it forgets war." Too many people in the world have died unnatural deaths due to war; if he could reduce the number of casualties, that would be a truly immeasurable merit.

Of all the people present, only Li Sheng shared Liu Xian's thoughts and truly voiced Liu Xian's concerns. He whispered, "Your Highness, if Wang Dun truly surrenders, it would indeed be a good thing, and Jiangnan could be pacified with a single proclamation. But I fear that this man is an insatiable tiger, and that he might one day turn against us like Lü Bu. That might not be a good thing!"

This was indeed Liu Xian's greatest worry. When his great-grandfather Liu Bei took over Xu Province, in order to reduce conflict and strengthen his power, he accepted Lü Bu, who had been defeated in Yan Province. However, when Liu Bei was confronting Yuan Shu, Lü Bu suddenly turned against him and took control, forcing his great-grandfather to wander for several years.

Given this precedent, Liu Xian must be wary. After all, someone of Wang Dun's stature, once he defectes, will inevitably retain considerable influence. Even if he himself has no intention of rebelling, what about those who followed him? If they incite Wang Dun to rebellion, it could lead to equally disastrous consequences that Liu Xian cannot bear.

Just as he was weighing his options, Zhou Yi stepped forward and said to Liu Xian, "Your Highness, I think we can rest assured."

"Oh? What did Bo Ren say?" Liu Xian was just looking for his advice.

Zhou Yi solemnly said, "Your Highness, I have known Chu Zhong since childhood, and I know him very well. Although Chu Zhong is somewhat arrogant, and perhaps even lacks virtue, he is undoubtedly a smart man and a man who understands the bigger picture. He would never do something as harmful to others and himself as Lü Bu."

"What's even more remarkable is that Chu Zhong has a keen eye for talent; he's a true connoisseur. Chu Zhong has worked with Your Highness for many years and knows that your talent far surpasses his own, so he won't deceive himself and will instead have a competitive spirit. On the contrary, if someone's talent is inferior to his, Chu Zhong will never give him a kind look, let alone submit to him."

"It's like horses sharing the same trough. A nag eats alfalfa, while a fine horse eats wheat and beans. How could a fine horse be willing to share the same trough with a nag? Only a true thoroughbred can lead the way and keep the others in line!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian agreed wholeheartedly. He clapped his hands and laughed, "Bo Ren is right! Chu Zhong is indeed like that; he is a straightforward and generous person."

This prompted him to finally make up his mind, summon Shen Chong again, and smile as he promised, "You can reply to your lord now, just tell him that."

"Spring days are long, and the flowers are almost in bloom. I have prepared a pot of Tusu wine, intending to drink with you on the shores of Dongting Lake." (End of Chapter)