Chapter 130, Chapter Thirty-Three: The Ice Breaks

"You shouldn't have come."

When Liu Jun arrived, travel-worn, Sima Ye was already about to retire for the night. Upon hearing of Liu Jun's arrival, he didn't even have time to straighten his clothes.

"Then where should I go?" Liu Jun strolled up behind him, leisurely watching the palace maid behind Sima Ye comb his long hair.

Sima Ye said softly, "Go to the Eastern Palace to see the Crown Prince, or go to the prison to see the eldest prince."

“That’s a matter of the court, a matter for tomorrow,” Liu Jun said calmly, his expression almost cold. “When I become the ruler of the world, I can no longer be their father.”

Sima Ye looked up at him, a hint of pity in his eyes. "After all the hardship of war, you should take a bath to relax first."

Liu Jun did not object, and when he washed away the dust of his journey and lifted Sima Ye's robe on the couch, Sima Ye did not object either.

It has been almost a year since their last intimate encounter. Whether it is fortunate or unfortunate, despite the enmity of national subjugation and internal strife between them, they are still able to enjoy each other's company and live in harmony.

When the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, the two finished tidying up. It was already late at night, and the moonlight, as white as frost and snow, shone through the door and window onto their hair.

Liu Jun's hair was already disheveled, so Sima Ye simply ripped off his crown. He intended to tease him by saying that his hair had turned white under the moonlight, but after looking at him closely, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

“I’m already a grandfather, so having a few gray hairs is perfectly normal,” Liu Jun said softly. “Mu Nu, do you know? I’ve read through historical records, and very few emperors have lived to the age of fifty. And I’ve been fighting on the battlefield and in the court since I was a child. Compared to those emperors who were raised in the palace and lived a life of luxury, how do I compare? Perhaps I don’t have many years left to live.”

Sima Ye finally couldn't hold back his tears. He didn't ask any more foolish questions like, "Do you really have to be this emperor?" Instead, he asked, "So that's why you're determined to establish an heir as soon as possible?"

Liu Jun did not deny it, saying, "With the succession uncertain, there will always be people who have wild ideas. As for a newly established crown prince, there will be no threat for ten or even fifteen years. These years are enough for me."

He gently stroked Sima Ye's hair. "The next emperor has no grudge against you, and you have helped him before. He will still ensure your lifelong favor. I have brought all the Sima clan members under the age of six. Choose one who is filial and intelligent to raise by your side, so that he can carry on your lineage in the future."

Sima Ye's eyes reddened. "And then?"

"And then?" Liu Jun smiled, "Live a long and peaceful life, and die a splendid old age."

Sima Ye bit his shoulder, wishing he could tear off flesh and blood. "Why say such ominous things? I have been by your side since I have memories. If you were not here, how could I survive?"

Liu Jun grunted and pressed his head against the crook of his neck. "I also want to live forever and do whatever I want, but what in this world can you have everything you want? The First Emperor swept across the land, but in the end, didn't he end up with a 'carriage leading the way, with abalone attached'? I'm afraid that after I'm gone, no one will be able to protect you, and I'm afraid you'll suffer..."

Sima Ye finally couldn't hold back his grief and burst into tears, crying out, "May your life be long and prosperous!"

Liu Jun gently comforted her, but couldn't help choking up, "I'm in good health. What I said earlier was just to prepare for the future. I'm far from that point. Don't worry, I will never let you be a widow within the next twenty or thirty years."

The two embraced and shed tears for a while. After a long while, they looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh at the same time.

"Are you really not going to see Liu Liang?" Sima Ye asked in a low voice.

Liu Jun remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I know that as his father, I have failed him. Going there would only bring resentment and hatred. Why should I bring shame upon myself? Let him commit suicide."

Sima Ye recalled the three brothers' well-behaved appearance when they were young, and then remembered that he had used them to pass on messages. He regretted, saying, "If I hadn't dragged them into this, things wouldn't have come to this."

“Since you have ambitions and greed, even if it weren’t you, someone else would have done it.” Liu Jun’s eyes were cold. “Being my son means you’re destined to never have peace, joy, or filial piety. If you want to blame someone, blame me for being an unkind father, then blame their bad luck. You can’t be blamed for anything.”

Sima Ye stared at him blankly, then smiled bitterly and said, "Your heart is as hard as iron; no wonder I can't be a good emperor."

"What does it mean that even the hardest steel can be transformed into something as soft as silk?" Liu Jun said with a double meaning. Seeing that Sima Ye was already a little sleepy, he said softly, "Go to bed early."

The following day at court, Liu Jun, who had just unified the country, did not rush to reward those who had contributed to the victory as many had expected. Instead, he issued decrees on land and household registration, ordering soldiers whose armor was still wet with blood to serve as land and household registration officials, and strictly prohibiting powerful families from concealing their land holdings and population figures. Perhaps due to the lingering influence of his authority, this did not trigger a rebellion by powerful clans in the south, as had occurred under Emperor Guangwu. However, it was discovered that the Du family had committed the crime of bribing land registration officials.

To make an example of the Du family, Liu Jun used harsh laws to suppress them. Desperate, the Du family even considered joining forces with the Zhang family of Liangzhou and the Guo family of Pingyuan to launch a rebellion. Fortunately, the Zhang family was astute enough to report the truth early, thus avoiding a fatal outcome. The Guo family, being the maternal family of the criminal Liu Liang, knew about the crime but failed to report it. Although they were spared confiscation of their property and extermination because they were Liu Jun's maternal family, they still suffered reprimands and imprisonment, severely damaging their strength.

The chief culprit, Lady Du, had always been at odds with Liu Jun. Later, she outwardly complied but inwardly defied him. Now, she had committed the heinous crime of treason, and naturally, she was killed in droves. Apart from the Du family members who had made military contributions and were allowed to leave home to divide the property, only Du Lihua, the former concubine of the Prince of Chenliu, was spared.

Before the dust settled, Du Lihua requested an audience with Sima Ye several times without success. Finally, she simply knelt outside the Golden Valley Garden and was then invited into the garden.

Sima Ye held his prayer beads, looked at her silently, and said calmly, "I have long since transcended the mortal world and no longer concern myself with worldly affairs. Please return."

"They say that even a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of kindness, so why is Your Majesty so heartless towards us?" Although Du Lihua had already anticipated his words, she still couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine.

Sima Ye said calmly, "When you were in distress, it was my army that rescued you. Later, when you were in Chang'an, it was I who took you in. After that, it was I who promoted the Du family to stand against the Suo family and Liu Jun. May I ask where I have wronged you?"

"Does Your Majesty have no pity for me at all?" Du Lihua asked, tears welling in her eyes.

“Now even I rely on the Emperor’s mercy to survive, what use is my mercy?” Sima Ye said gently. “You are tenacious and ambitious, and you are not destined for mediocrity. It’s just a pity that you became my concubine, and your ambitions could not be realized. Those who follow the will of Heaven prosper, and those who defy the will of Heaven perish. Stop now.”

Du Lihua said bitterly, "But his actions have caused heavy losses to all the aristocratic families. Since the establishment of the Ninth Rank, when have we ever suffered such humiliation? If we just sit and wait for death, what can we do in the future? Wouldn't it be better to take advantage of our remaining strength, unite all families, and change the world, just like before?"

Emperor Wu of Wei was a man of both literary and military prowess, which enabled him to appoint people from humble backgrounds and suppress the aristocratic families. Unfortunately, Emperor Wen of Wei lacked such courage and ability and could only compromise with the powerful families, ultimately allowing the Sima clan of Hedong to take advantage of the situation. It can be said that from Luoyang to Chang'an and then to Jiankang, the Jin dynasty was not the Jin of the Sima family alone, but the Jin of various surnames.

Sima Ye merely smiled and said, "Hmm, a new era? The world has been ruined and is now in its former state. Now that someone has finally stepped forward to clean up the mess, why would I hold him back for the sake of my own family's selfish interests?"

The smile on his face slowly faded, and his eyes turned icy cold. "I will pretend I never heard what you said today, and we need not see each other again. For my sake, the Emperor will spare your life. From now on, take care of yourself."

"Otherwise, even if the emperor doesn't take action, I won't tolerate you."