Chapter 111, Section 4: People Have Changed

Contrary to everyone's expectations, Liu Jun's military campaign was a step-by-step operation. He was not concerned with the gains or losses of a single city or place, but rather because Shi Le, even though he was old and frail, was still a hero of his time. Liu Yao, who had underestimated him, would soon be old enough to join the army if he were to be reincarnated.

"My lord, there seems to be an ambush in Yanggu, but fortunately Liu Yuzhou discovered it in time."

"My lord, we have beheaded over a thousand in this battle!"

"My lord, the lynx camp has captured Snake Hill!"

By May, more than two months into the campaign, Liu Jun had captured the entire Yanzhou.

The next step was to head north to Jizhou to confront Shi Le's main force, or to continue eastward to take Qingzhou. The officials in the shogunate disagreed and argued for a day and a night without coming up with a plan.

Liu Jun did not make a decision immediately, but instead inspected the grain and military supplies while testing his sons and nephews.

After reading through all the letters, Liu Jun smiled at Liu Yong and Liu Yuan, who were attending him, and said, "Although they are still somewhat naive, they are not without insightful observations. However, you have all guessed wrong. I plan to divide my forces into two groups. One group will feign an attack on Ji Province to contain the enemy, while the other group will first attack Xu Province and then head north from Xu Province to seize Qing Province."

Liu Yuan suddenly realized, "In that case, Shi Le only has Jizhou and Youzhou, which can be described as being surrounded by enemies on all sides."

"In addition, Xuzhou and other places are frequently harassed by refugee leaders, and Shi Le has gained and lost them several times. Qingzhou is located east of the sea, and both of these places are weak points in Shi Le's defenses," Liu Yong added.

Liu Jun's gaze was fixed on the map. "I have two other considerations for taking Xuzhou. First, for the long term, if Jiangnan refuses to submit in the future, Xuzhou will be a must-contend location. Second, Emperor Zhaolie of Han once served as the governor of Xuzhou..."

He didn't say anything more. Liu Yong and Liu Yuan exchanged a glance, both of them filled with excitement.

“However, Shi Le’s army is strong and well-equipped, so we should not be too complacent,” Liu Jun stood up. “I have been in charge of the central army for a long time, so it’s time for me to relax a bit.”

He placed the Flying Sword back on the table, picked up the spear and carefully wiped it, thinking, "I suppose many fledgling generals don't recognize me yet."

In June of the nineteenth year of Jianxing, Liu Jun divided his troops into two routes: one to harass Jizhou, and the other to personally lead troops to attack Xuzhou.

Liu Gang and other members of the Liu family were also brave in battle. The heir apparent, Liu Yong, commanded the central army and made good arrangements. The eldest son, Liu Liang, served as the vanguard in the front army and also took the lead in the battle, beheading more than 20 enemies. The youngest son, Liu Qin, was in the cavalry and carried the flag to break through the enemy lines, killing more than 100 enemies.

But none of these attracted as much attention as Liu Jun, who had been away from the battlefield for a long time. As a high-ranking official, he personally went to the city to scout out the enemy's situation and seized the opportunity to launch a night attack on the city.

It is said that when the Xuzhou garrison saw him that night, they thought he was a divine soldier descending from the heavens or a demon descending to earth. They were so frightened that they threw off their armor and fled for their lives.

Sima Ye put down the official gazette and looked at Wen Qiao beside him, "If it were really going so smoothly, how could it have taken two months?"

“People of that time always exaggerate and spread rumors, but it’s understandable to do this to boost morale,” Wen Qiao said with a wry smile. “Actually, this battle was quite difficult; I heard that Yanshi was even injured…”

Sima Ye blinked, then realized that Yanshi was referring to Liu Jun, and asked urgently, "Is the injury serious? Should we send the Imperial Physician?"

Wen Qiao bowed and smiled, “Although I do not know the specific details of the injury, the fact that you were able to mount your horse the next day suggests that you are alright. Congratulations, Your Majesty. If you can hold Xuzhou, the cities of Liangzhou, Guanzhong, Yuzhou, Yanzhou and Xuzhou will be connected in a line. If you can take Qing, You and Ji, the area north of the Yangtze River will be completely covered.”

Sima Ye had already anticipated these things, and his earlier joy had long since subsided. He smiled slightly and said, "If we can capture Shi Le alive, when the army returns in triumph, I will grant a general amnesty and offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple!"

Unlike when he had defeated Liu Yao and Liu Cong, he was not overjoyed. Wen Qiao felt a chill in his heart, but his face remained calm and said, "How about we follow the precedent set in the ninth year of Jianxing?"

Sima Ye sighed, "Ten years have passed already..."

Liu Jun has not been granted any additional titles in recent years. If he were to destroy the Jiehu again, he would be promoted from Duke to Duke. If he were to advance further south, wouldn't he be granted the Nine Bestowments and the title of King?

In an instant, an idea popped into his head: as long as Li Xiong and Sima Yan could submit to the Jin court, whether or not the country was unified was irrelevant; it would be perfectly acceptable to divide the world into three parts.

Wen Qiao said softly, "It has been twenty-four years since my cousin Jiang Chen was introduced to His Majesty..."

"Has it really been that long?" Sima Ye murmured. "Back then, everyone still called him 'Mao Tou' (meaning 'hairy head')."

Wen Qiao casually picked up a tangerine from the table. "I am also fortunate to have received several tangerines from Your Majesty every year."

Seeing Sima Ye staring at the tangerines in silence, he smiled and asked, "Where did this year's tribute come from? Hanzhong or Liangzhou?"

“Oh,” Sima Ye came to his senses, “it seems to be from Zigui.”

Wen Qiao put the tangerine back, "Within five years, Your Majesty will surely be able to enjoy the loquats of Wuzhong, the lychees of Nanyue, and the pomelos of Yunmeng."

Sima Yefu then took the imperial brush and wrote, "The warriors are fighting on the front lines, while the rear is in the hands of Taizhen. We must not let them lack medical care and medicine. Winter will be here soon. We should further reduce the palace's expenses and have the concubines and palace maids sew winter clothes to send to the front."

After Wen Qiao expressed his gratitude and took his leave, Sima Ye watched his departing figure and murmured, "In five years, this emperor will probably be someone else..."

Bi Gong, who was standing to the side, said softly, "However, Sikong sent someone back to Zhongshan. It is said that he has chosen a burial site and said that once he has pacified You and Ji, he will allow the Liu family heroes to be buried in their hometown."

"His first fame came from being a child prodigy known for his filial piety, which is nothing special," Sima Ye said wearily, sitting back down on the chessboard. "What else?"

Bi Gong glanced at his expression, "Providing relief to orphans and children in the clan, recruiting local militia, it's nothing more than that..."

"He is not a member of the declining imperial clan like Liu Bei. If I remember correctly, his branch is a powerful clan in Zhongshan. Why would he need to provide relief? He is not well-off either." Sima Ye's words were somewhat hypocritical. He knew very well that while raising an army required a huge investment, plundering enemies and tomb raiding were both risk-free and highly profitable businesses. Liu Jun was not a saint, and he had certainly done his share of such activities.

Bi Gong said in a low voice, "Zhongshan is located in Jizhou and has always been a strategic location fought over by military strategists. In recent years, Shi Le and Sikong have changed hands several times, and the Liu family of Zhongshan has suffered heavy losses in terms of land and people. I heard that many people have even been captured by the Jie Hu, and their situation is extremely miserable."

Sima Ye nodded, "He must be a distant relative; the closer relatives should have already submitted to him. Speaking of which, I once asked him to help me find the wealth that Shi Chong was rumored to be hiding..."

He paced a few steps, his eyes flashing, "Go and invite Xun Sui and Xun Kai over immediately."

Bi Gong accepted the order and left, leaving only this lonely man in the desolate world inside the vast hall.

Liu Jun also has a large clan, a prosperous wife's family, and an obedient maternal family, but what about himself?

His clan was torn apart by infighting, his maternal clan was weak and incompetent and only concerned with self-preservation, and his wife's clan was disloyal and indecisive. He could not be blamed for any of this, but he was powerless to change the situation and had no choice but to await his death.

Are there not enough Princes of Chenliu with the surnames Liu and Cao? Do we also need a Prince of the Sima family?