Jinting Han people

The war in Jingxiang was like an undeniable thunderbolt, fiercely and violently piercing through the dark clouds, powerfully announcing its existence with an overwhelming roar, thus forcing all forces in China to pay attention to it, examine it, and speculate about it. Because people knew that the birth of a thunderbolt was not the end, but the beginning; it signified the prelude to a raging storm.

For the various forces in the north, while the torrential rain was powerful enough to force them to prepare, it wasn't yet an imminent crisis. Meanwhile, the remaining powerful clans in the south could already feel the dust and debris swept by the storm. After Wang Dun's defection, the fragile balance of power in the south had been completely shattered. They now had to make a choice: continue to resist the Han army or surrender.

The answer is actually quite clear. At this point, the decline of the Jin dynasty is beyond saving, and most people know what to choose.

After their defeat, Wang Kuang and his men, fearing pursuit by the Han army, dared not linger along the way. They quickly passed through Dongting Lake, Xiakou, Wuchang, and other places, finally reaching their main camp at Chaisang by boat, where they dared to rest briefly. However, upon counting their numbers, they were astonished to discover that although they had started with over 80,000 men at the mouth of Dongting Lake, soldiers had continuously fallen behind and deserted along the way, leaving only 60,000 by Chaisang. What should they do?
Jiangzhou originally had over 30,000 troops remaining as a backup, but Wang Kuang knew that the most elite forces were with Tao Kan and Zhou Fang. If they were all captured, the troops here would be insufficient. Coupled with Wang Dun's defection and the collapse during the retreat, Wang Kuang and his men were now extremely paranoid and had no faith in their subordinates' loyalty.

Therefore, Wang Kuang temporarily reinstated Hua Yi, who had been sidelined, and left him with about 6,000 men, appointing him as the Prefect of Yuzhang, responsible for defense in Chaisang. Then they led the remaining troops eastward, retreating directly to Shicheng County (present-day Anqing City, Anhui Province) in Xuancheng Commandery, where they began to reorganize their army, attempting to hold onto this last corner of the land.

But things developed exactly as he had feared; the Jin army had completely collapsed. After Wang Dun went to Yi'an to join him, Liu Xian decided to send a team of envoys directly to various parts of Jiangzhou to persuade them to surrender. With Liu Xian's brother-in-law Cao Miao as the chief envoy and Wang Dun's adopted son Wang Han as the deputy envoy, they sailed down the river, and in the cities they passed through, no one showed any intention of resistance.

Take, for example, Hua Yi, the temporarily appointed Prefect of Yuzhang. He came from the Hua clan of Gaotang, and his uncle, Hua Yi, the former Director of the Imperial Secretariat, was Liu Xian's first superior after he entered officialdom. So, the two families had some ties. How could Hua Yi possibly risk his life for the Jin court? Upon hearing that the Han envoy had arrived, he opened the city gates wide, voluntarily hung the Han flag, and held a banquet outside the city. He had a pleasant conversation with the Han envoy and thus joined Liu Xian's ranks.

The Hua clan of Gaotang was already a prominent family in the court, comparable to the Wang clan of Langya. With Hua Yi leading the way, the remaining officials of the Jin court no longer held back. Within a month, in mid-February of the fourth year of Qiming, officials such as Ji Zhan, the Prefect of Poyang; Xie Chi, the Prefect of Linchuan; Zhou Song, the Prefect of Luling; Wang Bin, the Prefect of Jian'an; Xiahou Dun, the Prefect of Yiyang; and Sun Hui, the Prefect of Anfeng, all surrendered. The Han army advanced the battle line into the southeastern heartland with minimal effort, completely encircling the Jin army in Huainan and the surrounding area of ​​the Three Wu regions.

This was a situation that Zhou Qi, who had secretly returned to Yangzhou amidst the chaos, could never have imagined.

Although Zhou Qi had long anticipated that the Jin army, based on its performance at Yi'an in October, would not be able to defeat the Han army, he still expected that the Jin army would not collapse quickly. At most, they would suffer several failed attacks, become exhausted, and reach a stalemate in Jingnan. Eventually, as the stalemate dragged on, the Jin army would run out of supplies and, despite its large numbers, be forced to retreat, allowing the Han army to occupy Jingnan. At the same time, the Han army would also be deeply exhausted and unable to fight any longer. This situation would be the ideal moment for him to seize the opportunity and demand a higher price.

But reality is like this: the world is vast and unpredictable, with countless variables, and it's always difficult for people to foresee how things will unfold. Just as Liu Xian didn't expect that Zhou Qi's actions were for the sake of Jiangdong's autonomy, Zhou Qi also didn't expect that his capture of Lady City would provoke Wang Kuang and others to launch a reckless all-out attack. And Liu Xian, in turn, used the earthen mounds he had supervised to set a trap. Less than five days after he left the front lines, a major battle between the Han and Jin forces at Yi'an was decided in a single day.

Subsequent developments were even more unpredictable for Zhou Qi. Wang Dun, seemingly the most capable among the princes of Langya, unexpectedly chose to defect. This caused the already precarious situation in Jingxiang to spiral out of control, and also caused Zhou Qi's carefully considered plan to completely fail before it was even formally implemented.

In short, Zhou Qi's original plan was both a pledge of allegiance to Liu Xian and a demonstration of his power against him.

As mentioned earlier, he planned to take advantage of the exhaustion of both the Han and Jin armies, unite the gentry of the three Wu regions, gather their retainers, and launch an attack on Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya, and others who were left to guard Jiangzuo. He intended to seize military and political power in Yangzhou, then launch a surprise attack on the Jin army from the rear, capture Jiangzhou, and cut off their retreat. At this point, the Wu people would dominate the situation in Jiangnan.

Ideally, the Han army should be exhausted and unable to fight any longer. The fact that Zhou Qi and other Wu soldiers had led their troops to defect to the Han army was a windfall. If Zhou Qi then proposed the condition of autonomy for Jiangdong, Liu Xian would inevitably have to consider the sentiments of the people in Wu and be wary of the military strength previously displayed by the Yangzhou army. Zhou Qi reasoned that he couldn't possibly refuse.

On his way back, Zhou Qi had already begun calculating the time required for the coup: it would take him about seven days to secretly return to Yangxian from the front lines. Then he would spend a month secretly contacting the various gentry families of the Wu region, another month preparing for the uprising, and finally, the formal coup, the purging of the northerners, and the occupation of Jiangdong. From start to finish, it would probably take about three months to implement this plan.

However, with Wang Dun's defection, he replaced Zhou Qi in his role as the Wu people's advisor. This allowed the Han army to expand its territory by thousands of miles without the help of the Wu people, with its military might pointing directly at the Three Wu and Huainan regions. The situation of Zhou Qi and other scholars from Wu suddenly became awkward.

At this time, Zhou Qi's plan was only halfway through. During this period, he frequently traveled between various counties in Yangzhou, consulting with former members of the Sun Wu clan, including the Lu, Zhang, He, Lu, Chen, and Dong families. After some mobilization, he finally persuaded everyone to unite and rise up together. However, while he was still deploying his forces, the Han army had already captured Jiangzhou and was approaching Yangzhou. Their power was so great that they practically dominated Jiangnan, making a Wu uprising unnecessary.

At this point, almost everyone who conspired with Zhou Qi understood that his plan could no longer be implemented.

In February of the fourth year of the Qiming era, after pacifying Jiangzhou, Liu Xian went a step further and sent a second group of envoys to Yangzhou. This time, Liu Xian appointed Liu Zhen, son of Liu Shen, as the chief envoy and Zhou Min, son of Zhou Yi, as the deputy envoy, ordering them to enter Yangzhou and make contact with the Wu people.

Because the Jin army was stationed in Shicheng, taking the waterway would attract attention. So they set off from Shangrao County, Poyang County, Jiangzhou, secretly crossed the Gushui River, passed through the Wuyi Mountains and Xianxia Ridge, and successfully arrived at Qiantang. From there, they went north to the Sanwu region, contacting local powerful families along the way.

Zhou Qi was naturally among them, but Yangxian County, where he lived, was located in the northern part of Yangzhou. By the time Liu Zhen and his group found Zhou Qi, it was already early March, late spring.

The weather this year is a bit colder than usual, but even so, it is still spring. The spring river is warm, the grass is growing and the birds are flying, the willow catkins are fluttering, and it is as if a light snow has fallen. Ducks and geese are wagging their tails frequently in the ponds and streams, quacking. The rice seedlings in the paddy fields are also lush and green, growing into a vast expanse, exuding a joyful atmosphere of vitality everywhere.

However, when Zhou Qi received Liu Zhen and his party and read the recruitment order written by Liu Xian himself, he found it difficult to maintain such a joyful smile.

Zhou Qi's performance on the battlefield of Yi'an left a deep impression on the Han soldiers present. Regardless of the negative impact his actions had on the Jin army, his grasp of opportunities, his exquisite tactics, and his judgment of the battle situation were all top-notch. Therefore, Liu Xian praised Zhou Qi extensively in his letter, and recalled his past friendship with Zhou Qi's father, Zhou Chu, in fighting side by side. He expressed that he did not want to be an enemy of such a wise and brave scholar as Zhou Qi, but rather wanted to be his friend.

Therefore, Liu Xian promised that if Zhou Qi joined the Han army, he would recruit him as the Protector of the Southern Barbarians. Even if Zhou Qi did not want to join the Han army and wished to retire and live in seclusion, Liu Xian would still consider the old friendship with Zhou Chu and, in accordance with the treatment of members of the imperial clan, would give him the salary of a Marquis within the Passes every year.

"I see, the treatment is very generous." Zhou Qi said, but there was not much joy on his face. He asked Liu Zhen, "Besides me, how many other people have you talked to?" Liu Zhen said, "We have already talked to Lord Yanxian (He Xun), Lord Ziliang (Min Hong), Lord Lingchang (Xue Jian), Lord Shiguang (Lu Ye), and Lord Jiying (Zhang Han). In addition, there are thirteen other families, and they are all basically willing to respect our king."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qi's face grew even uglier. These were basically the people who had agreed to rise up with him and establish Jiangdong's autonomy, but as soon as Liu Xian's envoy arrived, they didn't even consult with Zhou Qi and immediately switched their allegiance to the Han court.

"The tide has turned!" Zhou Qi lamented in his heart. He had been thinking that even in the current situation, the Jiangdong gentry should unite and ask Liu Xian for a good price. He never expected that these old friends would lack a sense of the big picture and be divided up by Liu Xian.

As he stroked his beard in deep thought, he asked Liu Zhen, "Do you know who will be appointed Grand Administrator of this prefecture if we were to pledge allegiance to the King of Han?"

Liu Zhen was taken aback upon hearing this, but he quickly replied, "Lord Xuanpei has misunderstood. Since my king intends to re-establish the Han dynasty, he will naturally use the recommendation and selection system of the two Han dynasties. The position of Zhongzheng has already been abolished in the country."

"Abolish?" Zhou Qi squinted at Liu Zhen for a moment, confirming that he was telling the truth, then skipped the topic and asked Zhou Min, who was standing next to him, "When do you plan to go back and report?"

"There are still a few more to visit, so the earliest I can expect is seven days from now." Zhou Min wasn't sure about Zhou Qi's attitude, so he asked again, "What exactly is your reply...?"

"This is such a big matter. Let me discuss it with my people first. I will give you a definite answer when you are about to return home, how about that?"

Liu Zhen and Zhou Min exchanged a glance, still unable to see through Zhou Qi's thoughts, so they advised him again: "Duke Xuanpei, our king is indeed eager for talent from you. Among all the tribes in Jiangdong, you are the only one willing to write a letter in person. He also told us that he was heartbroken that a loyal minister like Duke Ziyin ended up like that, and that a descendant of a loyal and virtuous person like you really has no need to serve the Jin dynasty."

Zhou Qi nodded, but still insisted, "I understand. Please come back on your return journey. I do need to discuss this with my clansmen."

Liu Zhen and the others had no choice but to leave the Zhou residence, agreeing to return on their return journey.

As soon as they left, the forced expression on Zhou Qi's face vanished instantly. He muttered bitterly to himself, "Loyal ministers and filial sons... descendants of the virtuous and loyal..." Then he suddenly burst out cursing, "What era is this? Who wants to be a slave?! In today's China, there are still people who want to be emperors!"

After his second brother Zhou Zha, eldest son Zhou Xie, second son Zhou Yan, and third son Zhou Yi arrived, Zhou Qi's anger intensified. He continued to complain, "These past few months, I've exhausted myself, never thinking of myself! I only hoped that the people of Jiangzuo could unite as one, become self-reliant, and no longer be bullied like Father. But in the end, Shi Guang and the others don't even know what self-respect is, rushing to be Liu Xian's lackeys! How shameful!"

The clansmen knew Zhou Qi's temperament well. This clan chief always had a high opinion of himself and believed that he possessed extraordinary talent. He thought that in the entire Jiangdong region, only Lu Ji could earn his favor. His political views were the same as Lu Ji's. He believed that the imperial system was merely a temporary expedient, and that the real long-term plan lay in restoring the Zhou rites and establishing a feudal monarchy.

Just like the Eastern Wu of yesteryear, where each aristocratic family ruled a region, electing outstanding scholars as leaders, and with each family taking turns in power, didn't they manage to contend with the Jin dynasty for decades in this corner of the southeast? This is sufficient proof that feudalism was the right path. If Sun Hao hadn't been incompetent and tyrannical, violating this rule, would Eastern Wu have perished?
Sure enough, Zhou Qi couldn't help but criticize Liu Xian again, saying, "Liu Xian seems like a benevolent ruler, but upon closer examination, he's nothing but a smiling tiger. During the War of the Eight Princes a few years ago, how many people died in the Northern Expedition? And he switched sides so many times—the King of Chu, the deposed crown prince, the King of Changsha, the King of Qi, the King of Donghai—yet he remained unscathed. He's clearly just like his great-grandfather, a cunning and hypocritical man. Shi Guang and the others have truly lost their minds, recognizing such a person as their lord. Who can guarantee they won't suffer the same fate as Han Xin and Peng Yue!"

It seemed that Zhou Qi really disliked Liu Xian. From their political views to their personalities, the two were almost complete opposites, which led him to berate Liu Xian for half an hour before he could finally vent his anger. Then he asked Zhou Zha what he thought of the matter.

Zhou Zha slowly said, "I am not like my elder brother, but simply following the crowd. After all, the King of Han saved your life, and if my family does not repay the kindness, I am afraid we will be criticized by the world."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qi was so angry that he almost couldn't catch his breath. He completely lost the composure he usually displayed in front of others, and then he cursed at Zhou Zha: "What, do you want to be a slave too?"

Zhou Zha continued, “Brother, you are exceptionally talented and would never submit to anyone. But if I were to obey you just because you have spoken to me like this, wouldn’t I be becoming your slave?”

Zhou Qi was speechless for a moment, then heard Zhou Zha say, "Given the situation, if you, brother, do not follow the King of Han, are you going to die for the Jin dynasty? Or perhaps you should live in seclusion at home? I'm afraid that's not the way of a wise man."

This hit Zhou Qi's sore spot perfectly. The main reason he was so furious was that he realized he had miscalculated and was powerless to resist the overwhelming force of the situation. As the recognized new generation leader of the gentry in Jiangdong after Lu Ji's death, this was the first time Zhou Qi had encountered such a predicament, especially since the other party was Liu Xian, whom his father had praised. Therefore, he was extremely unwilling to accept this situation.

But Zhou Qi wasn't an unreasonable person. After a moment of silence, he admitted his defeat, rubbing his temples and saying sullenly, "Alright, in this day and age, Liu Xian is certainly a rare hero. It's no harm to do something for him for the sake of our family's survival."

But at this point, Zhou Qi couldn't hide a cold smile, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "But with Liu Xian's current system, just you wait and see! Liu Xian thinks he has the will of the people, but Jiangzuo has been autonomous for over a hundred years, and this is the real trend of the times. If he goes against the tide... hehe! It's hard to guarantee that he won't repeat Guan Yu's mistakes!"

At this moment, however, no one paid attention to Zhou Qi's words. The clansmen only believed that their clan leader had compromised and submitted to the trend of the times. And indeed, when Liu Zhen and his entourage returned, Zhou Qi promised to submit to the Han court and agreed on a signal for their response. Once the Han army approached Shicheng, they would send envoys to release the message, and the Zhou clan of Yangxian would then join other clans in responding. (End of Chapter)