Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 345 Sacrifice

"Ding Chengzhi has quite the nerve." After the group left, Liu Yu's face darkened.

Although it was just a nursery rhyme, the underlying sentiment was hard to fathom, and it had already offended Liu Yu, whose most valued person in his life was his son.

Ding Chengzhi made a grave mistake by involving his son in nursery rhymes.

Liu Muzhi said, "Ding Chengzhi is Chu Can's man, and Chu Can is the General's man."

The powerful and influential aristocratic families suddenly united after Liu Yu, who came from a humble background, seized power.

"So, they were testing me to see if I could still hold the knife properly." Liu Yu's face was calm, but his eyes held a deep killing intent.

"The general has just taken power and has already launched a major campaign. If Ding Chengzhi is eliminated, the people behind him will naturally behave themselves."

Jiankang was within the sphere of influence of the Northern Army. Liu Yu fought his way from Xiangcheng to Jingkou, and from Jingkou to Fuzhoushan. With only three or four thousand men, he defeated tens of thousands of elite troops from the Western Army, and his position in the Northern Army was unshakeable.

Furthermore, Liu Yu also formed marriage alliances with the Tan and Xu families, appointed generals from the Pengcheng Liu clan, and gained control of Jingkou and Guangling.

Liu Yi was promoted to Governor of Yuzhou, and He Wuji was promoted to Governor of Jiangzhou. On the surface, the two gained a lot, but in reality, it kicked them out of the Northern Army so that Liu Yu could pacify Jiangzuo and integrate the Northern Army.

"You're wrong about that. They'll never be at peace. Killing Ding Chengzhi isn't enough for them. They won't care. If they're going to kill someone, they'll kill Sima Zun!"

Liu Yu reclined on the low table, his eyes half-closed, a faint, cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He was brave and skilled on the battlefield, and equally ruthless and decisive in political maneuvering.

“Kill… the Great General…” Liu Muzhi’s expression changed.

"The emperor has returned, and Sima Zun should make way for me and A Gui. What is he plotting by secretly joining forces with Liu Yi, He Wuji, and Mao Qu? Isn't it all aimed at us!"

Emperor Sima Dezong was born mentally challenged, making him the perfect puppet.

But Sima Zun was different; he was highly respected within the imperial family and had become Liu Yu's greatest threat.

"However, the general is cautious by nature and has done nothing wrong. If we kill him rashly, I'm afraid the people will not be convinced."

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, and Liu Muzhi's companion was indeed a fierce tiger.

"Dao He is too pedantic. How did Sima Yi kill Cao Shuang back then?" A faint smile appeared on Liu Yu's face.

Liu Muzhi was speechless for a moment, "This..."

Sima Yi swore an oath by the Luo River, promising Cao Shuang lifelong wealth and honor if he would relinquish his military power. Cao Shuang believed him, as did the gentry. But in the blink of an eye, Sima Yi exterminated Cao Shuang's entire clan...

"Even the late emperor died under mysterious circumstances. What difference does it make if I kill a mere prince? If I don't kill him, he will kill me, and even my entire Liu family!"

As a gambler, Liu Yu understood political maneuvering better than Liu Muzhi, and he also understood the price to pay for losing.

Even a minor official like the Grand Master of Ceremonies is allowed to spout nonsense in front of him; if he doesn't establish his authority, countless others will follow suit.

"The general's words are correct." Liu Muzhi was completely convinced.

"Since ancient times, reforms and innovations have been carried out with blood sacrifices. By killing Sima Zun, Chu Can, and Ding Chengzhi, the Jiangzuo region will be terrified, and Liu Yi, He Wuji, and Mao Qu will be leaderless. Our local reforms can then be implemented."

Liu Yu had even bigger ambitions.

The people of Jiangzuo are already living in misery. Aristocratic clans and powerful families occupy vast tracts of land and absorb a large population. If this situation is not changed, Sima Daozi and Huan Xuan will serve as cautionary tales.

When Huan Xuan first took control of Jiankang, the court and the public had high expectations for him.

However, because he was from a prominent family and relied on the support of the aristocratic clans to gain power, he was aware of the problems but lacked the courage to cut off his own flesh.

This led to a mass uprising by the Northern Army, causing unrest among the people of Jiangzuo.

Huan Xuan's body still hangs in Changgan Lane...

Both Wang Dao and Huan Wen relied on this tactic to stabilize the court and accumulate strength.

By restarting the land reform, Liu Yu could weaken the power of the aristocratic families and gain the support of the people, while also strengthening his own power and laying the foundation for future northern expeditions—killing several birds with one stone.

A person who has fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood has no shortage of courage...

Inside the General's Mansion.

As Liu Yu had expected, a group of people had gathered and were discussing how to make their move.

"Liu Yu and Liu Daogui are ruthless scoundrels who rose from humble beginnings. They must see us as their enemies. I've heard they're going to implement some kind of 'severance' policy. What is 'severance'? It means cutting off our roots. General, you must not hesitate!"

Chu Can was the most proactive.

With the fall of the Huan clan and the disappearance of the Wang clan of Taiyuan, a large number of power positions were vacated. If they could assist the Sima clan in eliminating the brothers Liu Yu and Liu Daogui, they would have accomplished the feat of restoring the Jin dynasty. In the future, the powerful families would have a place in the court.

Those present, besides Chu Can and Ding Chengzhi, included Xie Hun, son of Xie Yan; Xi Sengshi, nephew of Xi Chao; and Sima Xiu, Prince Zhangwu of the Central Protectorate Army—all of whom came from prominent families.

Liu Yu, who came from a humble background, wielded power, which in the eyes of these people was simply outrageous.

Tao Kan and Zhou Qi had the merit of restoring the Jin Dynasty, yet they still obediently gave up their positions.

"However, Liu Yu is brave and invincible, and Liu Daogui is stationed outside the capital. What can be done?" Sima Xiu was young, but his face was full of wrinkles. He had been taking Wushi Powder for many years and was addicted to wine and women. He could not even open his eyes.

Besides being a prince of the Sima family, he was also Huan Xuan's brother-in-law, so even after Huan Xuan usurped the throne, he was still appointed as the Protector General.

The General of the Guards, also known as the Central General of the Guards, commands eight hundred imperial guards.

"No matter how brave he is, he is still a human being, and humans will die!" Sima Zun's face was full of resentment.

"Indeed, if all of you join forces, with just three thousand servants, we can storm into the General of Chariots and Cavalry's mansion and take Liu Jinu's head!" Chu Can was practically bursting with anticipation.

Sima Zun slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "What are you all waiting for? The Sima family is the rightful heir. This world belongs to the Sima family. After this is accomplished, you will all become prime ministers and share in wealth and glory!"

With the emperor back, these people became even bolder.

However, Xie Hun remained indifferent. After Liu Yu came to power, he took good care of Xie Xuan, who was the former master of the Northern Army, and Xie Zhong, who had made great contributions. He recommended Xie Hun to be the Grand Secretary and to join the General of Chariots and Cavalry's staff, making him a prime minister.

With the Xie and Langya Wang clans regaining their power, they naturally had little interest in sharing Sima Zun's wealth and glory.

"I have important matters to attend to, so I will not keep you company any longer. Let's meet another day."

Since the potential profits were minimal, Xie Hun didn't want to get involved.

“Shuyuan, don’t forget that your Xie family is also a prestigious family. How can you sit idly by and watch a poor family rise above us?” Chu Can stepped forward and tugged at his sleeve.

"I have something to say, please listen to me for now. Even if we get rid of the General of Chariots and Cavalry, do not forget that there is still a General of the Flying Cavalry outside who commands tens of thousands of soldiers. His talent and strategy are no less than that of the General of Chariots and Cavalry. He has now captured Jiangling and rebuilt the Western Prefecture Navy. If Jiankang changes, he will go down the river. How will you all deal with this?"

Everyone's expressions changed.

If it were only Liu Yu, things wouldn't be difficult to handle. But even a humble background can be a door. Now, the Liu family of Pengcheng firmly controls the Northern Army, and Liu Daogui is still a high-ranking official. Their influence is no less than that of Liu Yu.

To some extent, Liu Daogui was the source of Liu Yu's confidence.

Because Liu Daogui held military power and had his own base of operations, Liu Yu did not need to unite with other forces. The two brothers worked together to accomplish great things.

Eliminating either one will only force the other to rebel.

Moreover, Liu Yu was no pushover; he had a group of elite soldiers and generals under his command, who guarded Jiankang.

"I advise you all to remain calm." Xie Hun shook off Chu Can, bowed to Sima Zun, and left the hall.

Xi Sengshi, who was standing nearby, quickly stood up, bowed to Sima Zun, and followed Xie Hun away.

Sima Zun's face darkened. "Hmph, that sounds nice, but it's all thanks to Liu Yu feeding the Xie family. We could have succeeded without them!"

Chu Can's eyes flickered: "Will Xie Hun inform on us to Liu Yu?"

Sima Zun sneered, "Do you think he's some kind of chaste martyr? If you report us, he'll be implicated too!"

Sima Xiu swallowed a few pills of Wushi San and groaned a few times. "Xie Hun is just like his father Xie Yan, ambitious but incompetent, only good at writing and painting. It's better without him!"

"Recently, Uncle Mao presented me with a hundred beautiful women from Sichuan. Come, come, everyone, let's drink until we drop for a few days."

Sima Zun clapped his hands, and a fragrant breeze arose. A group of beautiful women entered the hall, each dressed in fine silk, which accentuated their graceful figures.

They were just discussing important matters, but in the blink of an eye, their true colors were revealed, and everyone present couldn't help but stare.

"I have heard that the women of Shu are charming and very different from the women of Jiangzuo."

"To die beneath the flowers of Sichuan, even as a ghost, would be romantic. If I could have your beauty today, my life would not have been in vain, hahaha..."

Some people couldn't resist any longer and began to pursue their desires relentlessly, embracing women on both sides.

Sima Zun also thoughtfully presented Wushi San (a traditional Chinese medicine) to add to the merriment.

Such gatherings were nothing new among the aristocratic families. Xie An, who lived in seclusion in Dongshan, spent his days traveling and enjoying the scenery with singing girls and dancers, indulging in a dissolute lifestyle, and thus earned the title of "the most romantic man in Jiangzuo".

Just as everyone was enjoying themselves, they were unaware that the clanging of armor could be heard from outside...

(End of this chapter)