Chapter 59, Chapter Seven: The Dust of the Capital

Fortune turns like a wheel. During the Yongjia Rebellion, Liu Cong attacked Luoyang, allowing his troops to plunder, slaughter his subjects, and poison Emperor Huai. How arrogant and unrestrained he was! Now, however, he is dressed in blue, disheveled and filthy, confined in a cage.

Along the way, every commoner had lost close relatives or friends to the Xiongnu. Upon seeing this barbarian ruler, they cursed and spat at him endlessly, saying that retribution was inevitable.

Upon reaching the walls of Chang'an, Liu Jun ordered the rest of his soldiers to wait outside, and only brought his personal guards and three hundred elite lynx troops into the city.

Although the number of people was small and the scale was not very large, the military appearance was neat and the discipline was strict. The key was that the swords, spears and arrows that had just been used for fighting were gleaming coldly, and the soldiers' faces still showed murderous intent, which made people feel awe.

Liu Jun did not ride in a carriage, but rode a horse with his soldiers. He was wearing black armor, and his handsome face was hidden under his helmet, which greatly disappointed the people in Chang'an who wanted to see his face.

Upon reaching the outside of the palace, Liu Jun dismounted and ordered the lynx battalion to wait outside, while only allowing his personal guards to escort the prison cart inside.

As soon as the eunuch saw him, he greeted him with a smile, "His Majesty has been thinking of the general all morning, and now he has finally arrived."

"Please inform him, sir." Liu Jun recognized Bi Gong, the eunuch who had served Sima Ye for many years, and became more polite.

"Is it Yanshi?" Sima Ye's voice came from afar, and then he was seen hurriedly coming out of the hall to greet him. His clothes were a little disheveled, just like the custom of welcoming someone with bare feet.

Liu Jun, however, shook his sleeves and bowed deeply, performing a perfectly standard salute that even the most senior scholars of the Imperial Academy could not find fault with. "Your subject Jun pays his respects to Your Majesty the Emperor, wishing Your Majesty eternal happiness."

Sima Ye's expression of surprise faded slightly. "No need for formalities."

Liu Jun then stood up, turned around, and bowed to a tall-crowned man a dozen steps away, saying, "Jun greets the Grand Commandant."

The arrogant official before him was none other than Suo Lin, who held immense power in the court. Liu Jun thought of Sima Shi and Sima Zhao and couldn't help but sigh inwardly—nowadays, any scoundrel can become a powerful minister; the threshold for such a position is far too low.

As he sized up Suo Lin, the latter was also staring at him with a displeased expression. Liu Yueshi's son was quite famous. He had never met him before, but he had heard many people mention him, all of whom praised him highly, as if he were some kind of unparalleled sage.

More importantly, Liu Jun's entry into the capital with his troops was not simply for a friendly chat with the young emperor; he clearly harbored ambitions for power. Furthermore, considering that Wen Qiao, who had served the emperor for over a decade, was Liu Jun's cousin, Suo Lin felt even more threatened.

Ignoring the undercurrents between the two, Sima Ye feigned ignorance and said, "Grand Commandant, this is Liu Jun, the Prefect I often mention to you. He has rendered a great service this time!"

The feat of holding Pingyang and capturing Liu Cong alive is something that even Suo Lin cannot deny. He laughed and said, "Liu Yueshi is a hero of his generation. His clan is full of talented people, and his own son is the most outstanding. He truly is a tiger father and no dog son."

This was an attempt to intimidate Liu Jun by using seniority. Liu Jun was too lazy to argue with him, so he just smiled and said, "We're in the same boat. Back then, your esteemed father knew that the world was about to fall into chaos, and he lamented that the bronze camel was stuck in thorns. How could he have foreseen such foresight? You, sir, have supported the Jin dynasty, assisted His Majesty, and resisted the barbarians. You also have the demeanor of a respected ruler."

Being criticized by a junior like this, Suo Lin's expression turned unfriendly. Then he heard Liu Jun say, "Your father was skilled in cursive script. When he was the Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant, he wrote the 'Monthly Ritual Calligraphy,' which truly lived up to his reputation for its elegant and powerful strokes. It seems that you have a family tradition of learning calligraphy. The Grand Commandant must also have excellent handwriting. It's a pity that I came here today specifically to present the captives to His Majesty. I will definitely seek your guidance from the Grand Commandant in the future."

Suo Lin was stunned. When Suo Jing wrote the Yueyi Tie, he was a newcomer to the world, serving as an official in the Cao Wei regime. He was virtually unknown. Later, the calligraphy was kept in his home, so very few people knew about it.

How could Liu Jun, such a young boy, know this? Could it be that he planted a spy in his mansion?

Thinking of this, Suo Lin suddenly became much more wary of him, so he temporarily suppressed his desire to show off and sat down on the low bed next to him. He said coldly, "Emperor Liu Cong of Han is the enemy of the country. Capturing this traitor is an unparalleled achievement. I request Your Majesty to issue an order to have Governor Liu present the captive."

Sima Ye, unaware of Suo Lin's changed expression, hesitated and said, "The Zuo Zhuan says, 'When presenting captives, bestow their heads, drink and reward them greatly. Although the court is not very well-off at present, should we still present the captives to the ancestral temple to comfort the late emperor and boost morale?'"

Suo Lin said, “In times of crisis, everything should be kept simple. Not to mention that the ancestral temples are not in Chang’an, the officials are currently without official robes, so how can we gather a full ceremonial guard? The ceremony of presenting captives is extremely expensive, so why do we need such empty formalities to boost morale?”

Sima Ye frowned. "Since everything is to be kept simple, the ceremony of presenting the captives can also be kept simple, with fewer drums, musicians, and palace attendants. If all else fails, we can hold a surrender ceremony at the city gate, and then let Liu Cong be paraded through the streets as a warning.

Suo Lin stepped forward, his eyes filled with threat, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Sima Ye was clearly somewhat timid, but still forced himself to raise his head. "Previously, the Duke of Jiuquan (Jia Pi) also suggested that I allow the governors of various regions to enter the capital to participate in the ceremony of presenting captives, to offer sacrifices together at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and to swear an oath of blood."

“Jia Yandu? Back then, he wanted to surrender to the Xiongnu by offering his son as a hostage. If it weren’t for my strong persuasion, he probably wouldn’t be a Jin official anymore.”

Liu Jun had never heard of this matter before. Fortunately, he usually had a blank expression, so he didn't show much surprise. Looking at Sima Ye, he didn't show much difference either. He only defended Jia Pi, saying that the situation was unclear back then, and Jia Pi's actions were just a temporary measure to lull the enemy into a false sense of security.

Liu Jun opened his mouth, but ultimately closed it. He looked at Sima Ye and slowly shook his head.

Although Sima Ye was disappointed, he knew that he was outnumbered and outmatched, so he remained silent.

"Since the barbarians have been brought here, let me have a look first." Seeing Sima Ye back down and Liu Jun remain silent, Suo Lin became increasingly arrogant.

Liu Jun said calmly, "The Han emperor's grand ceremony was intended to be presented to His Majesty. Since the ceremony of presenting captives is not to be held for the time being, they should continue to be detained. I will discuss the matter with the governors and decide on the next course of action."

Suo Lin was furious and was about to lash out when he ordered the imperial guards beside him to bring Liu Cong directly to the capital. But then the leader came to report that Liu Jun's personal guards had already taken the man away half an hour earlier.

Liu Jun smiled at Sima Ye and said, "I have been on a long journey and am extremely tired. I wonder if Your Majesty would grant me a seat? If it is not too much trouble, it would be even better if I could have a flatbread to fill my stomach."

Sima Ye had probably been severely suppressed by Suo Lin these past few days, and seeing Suo Lin humiliated, he felt immense satisfaction. "Of course," he said, "although we lack food and clothing, we can still afford a few simple dishes. How can we be stingy with rewards for meritorious officials?"

Suo Lin then noticed that Liu Jun had only taken his seat after entering the hall and being offered one by Sima Ye, which made him seem unruly and ignorant of etiquette. He couldn't help but feel annoyed.

Little did he know that Liu Jun had been observing him coldly for a long time, secretly delighted.

Compared to Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, Suo Lin was nothing but an insect, not worth mentioning.