Chapter 123, Chapter Sixteen: Caught in My Trap

After returning from Baima Temple, Liu Jun shook off his former gloom and stopped being busy with government affairs and paperwork. Instead, he would occasionally return to the military camp to practice riding and archery, and became cheerful and carefree again.

That day, he was watching the soldiers compete with a smile when suddenly his eyes lit up and he said, "Let's go and see what's going on."

The person attending him was Ji Dan. Following his gaze, he saw two young warriors fighting fiercely on horseback, their movements quite impressive. He laughed and said, "I don't believe Your Majesty hasn't recognized one of them."

Liu Jun squinted and looked closely, then suddenly realized, "It's A-Yun? He's grown so much."

Among his cousins, Liu Qi was the one he valued the most, and he was always sent to local prefectures and counties, while his children were all kept in his staff for education. He was the one he was closest to besides his own children.

"Where is the other one?"

Ji Dan smiled without saying a word, "Your Majesty, please be patient. Once they have determined the winner, we can summon them and see for ourselves."

So the two of them patiently continued until the young stranger stabbed Liu Yun's horse in the leg with his spear, forcing Liu Yun to jump off the horse. The contest ended amidst cheers from the crowd.

"Ah Yun!" Liu Jun waved.

Although Liu Yun was defeated, he was not angry. He smiled and put his arm around another person, and they came over to pay their respects together.

“Uncle, this is Tuoba Shiyijian, the younger brother of Tuoba Yihuai, the chieftain of the Tuoba tribe. He was previously sent to Jienu Shile as a hostage. When our army fought against Shile, he led his troops to escape and has been serving in the army ever since.”

Liu Jun looked him over carefully and smiled, "So you're a descendant of an old friend. It's not easy for someone so young to survive in the enemy camp."

Tuoba Shiyijian was eight feet tall, even taller than Liu Jun himself. He was quite robust, and more importantly, his hair stood up like Sima Ye's, reaching to the ground, which was quite remarkable.

Perhaps it was the tempering of his years as a hostage, but Tuoba Shiyijian was far more composed and polite than other boys his age. He respectfully said, "Whether in the former Xianbei lands or in the Jienu lands, I have often heard of the late emperor..."

“My late father considered himself a loyal and devoted man of Jin throughout his life, so I did not posthumously confer any title upon him; I simply call him Duke Zhongmin.” Liu Jun interrupted him, his eyes filled with solemnity.

Tuoba Shiyijian showed no surprise on his face. "The good name of Duke Zhongmin is widely known in our tribe. Since I was a child, I have often heard the elders tell stories about him and his uncle resisting the Xiongnu, as well as the anecdote of him getting up at the crowing of the rooster to practice martial arts."

Having not heard anyone mention Liu Kun for a long time, Liu Jun felt a warmth in his heart and said with a gentle smile, "I see that you have an unusual appearance and superb martial arts skills. You are sure to achieve great things in the future. At present, the Murong Xianbei are preparing for war and seem to have rebellious intentions. Their army seems to be gathering, so we must be on guard. I see that you are young, but you have quite the spirit of a hero. Are you willing to lead troops for my Han Dynasty, achieve merit, and be ennobled?"

Tuoba Shiyijian hesitated for a moment, and Liu Jun laughed, "Could it be that you can't bear to lay a hand on your own Xianbei kin? It's not uncommon for your Tuoba tribe to have fathers and sons killing each other and brothers fighting each other. I didn't expect there to be someone like you who cares about human relationships."

Tuoba Shiyijian hurriedly knelt down, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I had no such intention. However, I am not sure whether the Murong Xianbei will rebel. I implore Your Majesty to send a trustworthy person to investigate. Otherwise, if we rashly send troops, we will be forced to rebel even if we don't want to."

Liu Jun smiled warmly and helped him up. "You're right, I was inconsiderate. There's no need to go to the trouble of finding someone trustworthy right now, so why not..."

His gaze swept over Liu Yun, who was eager to try, and his smile faded. "It's been a long time since I've seen your uncle, hasn't it? He has served as the governor of Qin Prefecture for many years, mostly in places where Han and Hu people live together. Sending him there is most appropriate. This is the time for a man to make his mark and achieve success. Don't let me down."

Upon hearing that Liu Shu was leading the troops, Liu Yun exclaimed with delight, "Your subject obeys!"

Tuoba Shiyijian bowed and replied, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Liu Jun then resumed his kind and venerable demeanor, saying, "Be sure to be careful. No matter how important the military situation is, it will never be more important than your safety."

"I will never let my uncle and father down!" Liu Yun had just come of age and was taking on this important responsibility for the first time. He was so excited that his face turned red.

Liu Jun smiled and glanced at Ji Dan, "Let Murong Han, whom you previously recommended, also go on the expedition. This time, we'll get revenge for the bullying he suffered at the hands of his brothers."

Tuoba Shiyijian knew a little about the internal strife within the Murong tribe. Did he intend to support Murong Han in a power struggle against Murong Huang? Or even manipulate the deposition and enthronement of the Murong tribe? Was his statement to him an implication? His thoughts raced through his mind, but he bowed even lower.

Liu Jun did not expect these barbarians to genuinely respect him at the moment. He could only use a combination of kindness and force to gradually win them over. He glanced meaningfully at Tuoba Shiyijian and said to the eunuch behind him, "Youren, bring me my bow."

Two eunuchs carried a giant bow over. Liu Jun took the bow with one hand and smiled, "Young man, would you like to give it a try?"

"My nephew is self-aware."

"How dare I presume to use the Emperor's precious bow?"

Liu Jun remained silent, only tossing the bow toward the two men. Liu Yun was startled and reached out to catch it, but he stumbled because he missed. Tuoba Shiyijian dodged at first, but when he saw that Liu Yun was not steady, he stepped forward to support him and then stepped back.

"You." Liu Jun raised his hand at Tuoba Shiyijian, his eyes filled with unwavering authority, "Try it."

Tuoba Shiyijian steadied himself, gritted his teeth, drew his bow, and released the arrow, hitting the bullseye perfectly.

"Bravo!" Liu Yun clapped and cheered. Ji Dan, who was standing to the side, glanced at Liu Jun cautiously. He was relieved to see that Liu Jun had a smile on his lips and did not seem displeased.

Liu Jun nodded, "If you can achieve the greatest merit this time, this bow will be given to you. You can take it back to the Tuoba tribe."

His unspoken meaning was obvious. Tuoba Shiyijian looked up and saw that Liu Jun was not smiling. His expression was calm and his demeanor was leisurely, as if he were talking about poetry and music rather than important military and national affairs.

"Your subject obeys!" Tuoba Shiyijian knelt respectfully on the ground. He could not and would not give up such a noble person and such an opportunity.

Liu Yun put his arm around his shoulder, and the two young generals rode off on horseback with an air of nonchalance.

Liu Jun looked at the gleaming light of their armor and found it somewhat dazzling. He said softly to Ji Dan beside him, "The Xianbei warriors you recommended will be of great use in the future. Please continue to recommend talented people for the country."

"I am also worried that Your Majesty will not dare to give them important positions because they are barbarians..."

"Whether it was Liu Yuan or Shi Le, they both dared to heavily employ Han people," Liu Jun smiled. "The warriors of You and Bing are indeed brave. To be honest, when I saw that Tuoba boy shooting arrows just now, it reminded me of the time when I was young and went on expeditions with my father. Perhaps this is what the ancients meant by 'seeing the hunt and feeling happy.'"

Ji Dan laughed along, “Your Majesty is in the prime of life, why speak like an old man? In my humble opinion, Your Majesty is used to roaming freely in the world, and it is inevitable that you will feel somewhat uncomfortable being suddenly confined to the palace.”

Liu Jun's eyes lit up. "You're right. Very well, I'll tour Yizhou in a month."

He stretched his stiff limbs, took a few steps, and said to You Ren, "Send word that the Prince of Chenliu shall accompany the emperor."