Chapter 13 Reflecting on the Times and Lamenting the Past

Liu Kun returned to Ye City in a hurry, taking only Liu Zun with him and leaving Liu Jun in Chang'an for the time being, saying that he would come to pick him up in a month after the important matter was accomplished.

Liu Jun was happy to have some free time. He did nothing all day except teach Lu Jing to read and write, shoot arrows, ride horses, write books, and so on. He would just sit in the courtyard in a daze, watching the clouds condense into rain and then be blown away by the wind.

Only three to five days later, his cousin Wen Qiao couldn't stand it anymore and specially came to invite him to study with the Prince of Qin. Although Liu Jun was unwilling to start over from scratch with what he had learned in his previous life, he didn't want to leave an impression of being a lazy and incompetent person in front of Sima Ye, so he could only grit his teeth and go to show up every day.

He was already exceptionally intelligent, and in his previous life he had devoted himself to studying the classics, especially the Book of Documents. Now that he had died once, he found it ironic to see phrases like "The highest is to establish virtue, the next is to establish merit, and the next is to establish words" and "To be in harmony with the virtue of Heaven and Earth, to be in harmony with the brightness of the sun and moon, to be in harmony with the order of the four seasons, and to be in harmony with the fortune and misfortune of the spirits." If virtue was truly so important, why was the Sima clan, who broke their oath at the Luo River, able to eventually establish their rule in the Central Plains, and why, after ruining the world to such an extent, did they still sit on the throne?

If one's virtue is unworthy of one's position, why does the world still belong to the Sima family?

Although he knew he shouldn't take his anger out on others, the thought that the little boy in front of him, biting his fingers and diligently memorizing his lessons, also had the surname Sima made his expression turn cold.

Sima Ye, however, was completely unaware of this, looking at Liu Jun with eyes full of envy. His father was the most mediocre of his brothers, and although he was better than his father, he was by no means exceptionally gifted. Among the fierce and ruthless princes, he was like a harmless lamb.

Since I can remember, I have always listened to my father or my uncle in everything I do. Apart from asking Liu Kun to recruit Wen Qiao, I have never made a decision on my own.

He then recalled how Xun Fan had blurted out angrily, "Why didn't Your Highness inform me first when you heard about Wen Qiao's matter?"

Seemingly noticing the astonishment on his face, Xun Fan softened his tone, "Mu Nu, you are still young. How can such matters of state be treated so lightly? If someone with ill intentions were to deceive Your Highness, wouldn't that ruin everything? Since Guangwu Marquis is involved this time, let it go, but let it not happen again."

Sima Ye was startled on the spot. After returning to his residence, his wet nurse began to nag him incessantly. He couldn't help but wonder, could a prince really not even make decisions on such a small matter as employing a person? And why had his wet nurse also heard about this matter, and why was her tone so surprisingly similar to his uncle's?

If one cannot make decisions in all matters, what kind of ruler of a state is he?

Sima Ye swallowed his confusion and grievances, silently thinking, "When I grow up, when I mature, everything will be alright..."

That's why he envied Liu Jun. He envied Liu Jun for being so decisive despite being only a few years older than himself, for his fame that made him stand out, and most of all, for Liu Jun's ability to listen to his father and brothers when they offered advice, instead of dismissing it as childish ramblings.

Seemingly noticing his gaze, Liu Jun turned his head slightly and cast an inquiring look.

Sima Ye shook his head and continued to look at the obscure and difficult-to-understand words on the paper in his hand.

Seeing that Wen Qiao was writing furiously and obviously had no time to look after his two esteemed students, Liu Jun quietly stretched, yawned, picked up a thicker brush made of rat whiskers, dipped it in some water, and began practicing calligraphy on the stone bricks beneath him.

Sima Ye glanced at it secretly and was shocked to realize that it was "glory and fame taint one's body, high position brings many disasters." He did not know which great Confucian scholar said this, but thinking of the fate of his uncles and brothers, he could not help but feel sad.

“Ji Zhongsan…” Wen Qiao sighed softly, “The Taiping Yin is now lost to time. I really want to hear this timeless melody.”

"It's a pity that he was implicated by the Cao family, and his son died because of the Sima family. Heaven, how could you be so cruel to the Ji family!" Liu Jun said in a low voice.

Wen Qiao was reminiscing about Ji Kang's legendary, imposing figure, like a jade mountain about to collapse, and was filled with longing when he heard Sima Ye say, "He sounds like a great sage, but I have never read his works. I wonder which one Your Highness thinks is the most worth reading?"

“It is the ‘Discourse on Guan and Cai’,” Liu Jun blurted out.

Wen Qiao was somewhat surprised, "You actually know about this?"

Sima Ye replied blankly, "I have not read it before, please teach me, sir."

The address of "sir" pleased the young Wen Qiao considerably. Besides, he wasn't one for timidity, so after a moment's thought, he leisurely recited: "When the Duke of Zhou took power, he led the feudal lords to court… but Guan and Cai, though compliant, failed to grasp the emperor's authority… Therefore, they spoke out and led the people, seeking to eliminate the national calamity; to protect the emperor, they willingly sacrificed their lives. This was their foolish sincerity and indignation, which led them to seek disaster…"

His voice was clear and melodious, and Liu Jun listened with lowered eyes—when Ji Kang wrote this, the Sima clan held absolute power in the court, and their rebellious intentions were already evident. Wei generals Wuqiu Jian and Zhuge Dan were leading an expedition against the Sima family in Huainan, but were easily suppressed by Sima Shi. Furthermore, to intimidate the court and the public, Sima Shi even coerced Empress Dowager Guo and Cao Mao into personally leading the campaign, forcing him to watch as the few remaining loyal ministers of Cao Wei were defeated and killed…

If the Sima family compared themselves to the Duke of Zhou, wouldn't Wuqiu Jian and Zhuge Dan be just like Guan Zhong and Cai Xiang?

Ji Kang was not only trying to exonerate Guan Zhong and Cai Xiang, but he was also expressing his grievances for Wuqiu Jian and Zhuge Dan, and for Cao Mao!

This story was too difficult for a six-year-old child. Wen Qiao explained it two or three times before Sima Ye fully understood it. He sighed, "It's a pity I'm still too young to learn such a wonderful article!"

Wen Qiao composed himself. "Once Your Highness has grown up, it will be inconvenient for me to teach you this essay."

"What does this mean?" Sima Ye frowned.

Wen Qiao said in a low voice, "This article is related to the deposed emperor of the previous dynasty, so we must be careful about it. I heard my father mention before that the Duke of Gaogui Township had heard of this article and even debated it at the Imperial Academy..."

Sima Ye had no idea who the Duke of Gaogui was, and asked blankly, "Who is he?"

Wen Qiao's ancestors had also served as ministers of Wei. In addition, the Jin dynasty was now in decline and could hardly control the political situation, let alone prevent the people from talking. So he briefly told the story of Cao Mao's background.

When Sima Ye heard that the emperor had been killed, he trembled all over and it took him a long time to say, “His life was too short and too bitter... But I think that if the Duke of Gaogui heard Ji Gong’s views from inside the palace walls, he would feel a little comforted.”

“Wrong,” Liu Jun, who had been silent all along, suddenly looked up. “Firstly, I heard that Cao Mao asked Guan Cai about the matter at the Imperial Academy first, but none of the Imperial Academy doctors dared to answer. Ji Zhongsan was not afraid of the Sima clan and answered with this article. Secondly, Cao Mao was already dead when he wrote this article, but if he has a spirit in the afterlife, he will surely sigh with the same emotion as Bo Ya and Zi Qi.”

"Thirdly, Cao Mao was not a deposed emperor; he was a dignified and unyielding emperor of the Great Wei!"

His words were so forceful that not only Sima Ye, but even Wen Qiao was stunned. After a long while, he found another topic to talk about: "Since we've brought up Guan Zhong and Cai Xiang, let's talk about the Duke of Zhou. Don't let this article give you any prejudice against the sages..."

Liu Jun felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and he was too weak to make a sound.

Perhaps it was a form of divine punishment, but whenever he indulged in the comforts of the present world, fragments of words would always pull him back to the unbearable past, repeatedly reminding him that he was a king who had lost his kingdom, a person who had passed away, and a ghost who should not exist in this world.

While others sat in the vast spring breeze within Chang'an, their souls drifted back to the desolate northwest outskirts of Luoyang.

Suddenly, a slight warmth came from his fingertips. Liu Jun turned his head and saw Sima Ye with a worried expression. His pure eyes reflected a lost and forlorn ghost, while his fair little hand tightly gripped his, secretly slipping him two slices of orange.

He numbly stuffed a piece into his mouth; it was extremely sour.

But he survived.