Chapter 27, Chapter 11: The Bronze Camel and the Thorns

The boy in front of me looked to be only a little over ten years old. He appeared extremely frail, with a pale, jade-like complexion and dark blue hair that reached the ground. His almond-shaped eyes were misty, and his willow-leaf eyebrows were slightly furrowed. He was clearly a young master riding a horse with a bow, but he looked like a beautiful woman from the north who had stepped out of a painting of court ladies.

"Is it the Crown Prince?"

Only then did Liu Jun realize that the person who had called him earlier was not the young man, but Wen Qiao, who looked hesitant. He quickly bowed and said, "I was tired from the journey and lost my mind for a moment. It is fortunate that my brother-in-law is unharmed."

Wen Qiao is now a twenty-four-year-old young man. Perhaps because he has been traveling around Luoyang for many years, even though he looks travel-worn, he still has a kind of dashing and spirited air about him. He was quite surprised to see Liu Jun, "Why is Maotou here?"

Liu Jun quickly got to the point, recounting his experiences after leaving Bingzhou in a few words. He then introduced Liu Dan and the others to him, and the group exchanged greetings once more.

"Uncle." The boy's voice was androgynous, but his address to Xun Fan confirmed his identity.

Sure enough, Xun Fan and Xun Zu stepped forward and examined him closely. "Your Highness has suffered!"

Liu Jun didn't disturb them, but pulled Wen Qiao and Liu Dan aside, asking, "Brother-in-law, do you have any news about His Majesty?"

Wen Qiao shook his head, "If we hadn't escaped, then..."

The odds are against us.

Liu Jun's face showed a hint of sorrow. "I heard in Bingzhou that His Majesty was detached from worldly affairs and devoted to poetry and history. I never imagined that such a virtuous and self-disciplined gentleman would be captured by a powerful enemy."

Wen Qiao raised an eyebrow slightly. He had heard before that his cousin was mature beyond his years and had persuaded his uncle to plant spies in Luoyang to gather information. Now it seemed that his words were true. He just didn't know why he would bring this up now...

His gaze followed Liu Jun to Sima Ye, and when he met Liu Jun's sharp, hawk-like eyes, he felt a stirring in his heart.

“Your Highness,” Liu Jun gave Wen Qiao a wink, and the two walked together to Sima Ye’s side, “the Han soldiers may catch up at any time, and this place is not safe. Please make a plan and set off as soon as possible.”

Xun Fan immediately realized, "How about we go to Xuchang?"

Most of the powerful families originated from Hedong, so it was only natural for him to want to return to Yuzhou. However, Liu Jun knew that Sima Ye had been quite attached to Guanzhong, especially Chang'an, in the early days; otherwise, he would not have personally intervened in the recruitment process.

As expected, Sima Ye, under Xun Fan's earnest gaze, said, "His Majesty's fate is uncertain. Perhaps I should return to my fiefdom first and then devise a plan to serve the king."

Xun Fan was disappointed when he heard that he wanted to return to Chang'an. Liu Jun was quite surprised by his words, not expecting him to be so calm and composed. Even in the most critical moment, he could speak succinctly to his closest relatives. He was a good prospect who was obedient and well-behaved.

Putting the matter aside for the time being, Xun Fan paced back and forth, saying, "After the Battle of Ningping City, there is no one in charge of the overall situation. I intend to build a temporary headquarters in Mi County first, so that when His Majesty escapes danger, there will at least be a court that can command the world."

Liu Jun looked at Liu Dan to the side and saw that the other was still in a daze, perhaps because he was sleepy. He then said, "This matter still needs the Governor of Yuzhou to take charge. I wonder where Governor Liu is now."

"Yes!" Xun Fan exclaimed excitedly, "Quickly invite Governor Liu to consult on military matters!"

Liu Dan glanced at Liu Jun with gratitude and quickly ordered his servants to deliver the message.

"Your Highness, please calm down. It's not just the Hu bandits; many rebels have risen up in the Central Plains, making the roads difficult to travel. It would be best to stay here temporarily," Wen Qiao advised kindly.

Sima Ye didn't insist any further, and then, as if he had just noticed, he looked at Liu Jun with a hint of surprise, "And who is this young master?"

His large eyes were full of innocence, as if he hadn't been there during the earlier pleasantries.

Liu Jun smiled and said respectfully, "This humble man, Liu Yanshi, greets Your Majesty."

Sima Ye hadn't expected him to make up a fake name to deceive him. He blinked and laughed, "But I've heard them call you 'Mao Tou' (meaning 'hairy head')."

Liu Jun immediately replied, "Because when a person is born, their hair is abundant, hence the name 'hairy head'."

“Nonsense! ‘Mao’ means handsome, and it comes from the Erya. ‘Junmao’ refers to an outstanding person. As for this ‘Yanshi,’ it probably means ‘to praise a handsome person.’ What a rascal, he looks like a barbarian.” Sima Ye couldn’t help but laugh, but soon, as if he remembered his father and brothers whose fate was unknown, the laughter disappeared in an instant.

Liu Jun knew he was troubled, so he didn't argue with him. "I haven't chosen a courtesy name yet, so let's just consider this Yanshi as an alias."

“I think it’s a good name. When I said goodbye to my father, he also gave me a courtesy name, Yanqi,” Sima Ye’s eyes began to redden again. “I just don’t know if I will ever have the chance to have him perform the coming-of-age ceremony for me again in this life.”

In both his past and present lives, Liu Jun has always been a man of unyielding integrity, and it's rare to see a man who sheds tears so easily. He was speechless for a moment, and could only say dryly, "Your Majesty and His Highness Prince Wu will surely turn misfortune into good fortune."

"I have also heard about what happened in Ningping City. Of the 100,000 troops, only a few thousand escaped from Liu Yuzhou. How many soldiers are left to guard the capital? What do you mean by turning misfortune into good fortune? It's just self-deception." Sima Ye was probably too tired and didn't care about formalities. He sat down on the ground, looked up at him, and said, "Even I don't know how much longer I can live."

His eyes were clear and bright, with a faint self-mockery and sorrow. Liu Jun sat down beside him. "The crane cries at Huating, the bronze camel is thorny. 'Misfortune and fortune have no gate, but are summoned by people.'"

"The Crane's Cry at Huating refers to the story of Lu Ji," Sima Ye seemed quite studious, and upon hearing an unfamiliar allusion, he forgot his melancholy. "What does the Bronze Camel and Thorns refer to?"

"Sikong Suojing had foresight and knew that the world was about to fall into chaos. He pointed to the bronze camel at the gate of Luoyang Palace and sighed, 'I will see you in the midst of thorns.' Your Highness knows what happened afterward."

Sima Ye was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Do you think there will ever be a day when the world is at peace and tranquil?"

Since the end of the Han Dynasty, the great strife that produced many heroes has buried the countless bones of ordinary people. Some thought Cao Wei could win, some thought Eastern Wu could win, and some thought Shu Han could win. Later, the three were unified under Jin, and everyone thought that this chaotic world should end.

Who could have imagined that from the unification of the country by conquering Wu in the fifth year of Xianning to the end of the War of the Eight Princes in the first year of Taixi, this period of peace lasted only eleven years. Even if we include the years Jia Nanfeng ruled, it was less than twenty years.

Liu Jun thought to himself, "Your Sima family has made a mess of the world, and in the end, we still have to rely on others to clean it up." But he said aloud, "It's getting late. It's time to set up camp. Your Highness should rest early and not think too much."

Sima Ye reached out his hand, "Others might offer words of comfort, but you are truly honest."

Liu Jun helped him up and patted the dust off his clothes. "A strong wind reveals the strength of the grass. Your Highness will surely know my loyalty and integrity in the future."