Chapter 84, Chapter Fifteen: Riding a Tiger, Now or Never

Liu Jun often felt that Heaven had given him a second chance because even Heaven did not want to see him shatter into pieces and perish prematurely.

But sometimes I feel that if fate is kind to me, why should I have to go through so much suffering and torment?

After his defeat, Liu Kun intended to flee to the Duan clan of the Xianbei tribe, but he was betrayed along the way and eventually captured by Shi Le.

The news caused a stir throughout the land. After all, Liu Kun had always been the Jin Dynasty's strongest bulwark in the north. It could be said that if it weren't for his tenacious defense of Bingzhou, Guanzhong would have fallen long ago, and the emperor would not have been able to sleep soundly in Chang'an.

Because the Liu brothers frequented the courts of Jia Nanfeng and the Sima princes in their early years, some people still criticize Liu Kun's character to this day. Yet, this once extravagant and wealthy young man, who used to be a falconer and hound, went to Bingzhou, a place of desolation and danger, and has been guarding it for so many years.

You could say he was arrogant and unruly, that he was fond of extravagance, that he lacked wisdom and strategy, or that he acted impulsively.

No one doubted his loyalty to the Great Jin.

The city of Bingzhou was deathly silent. The morale of almost all the soldiers and the spirit of the people vanished in an instant with Liu Kun.

The situation was even more pronounced within the shogunate. For days, apart from urgent military matters, no one dared to go to Liu Jun's place, fearing that they might incur bad luck by saying the wrong thing.

Liu Jun stared at the map with a grim expression. Unlike Liu Zun, who had been a hostage in the Tuoba tribe, Liu Kun's capture by Shi Le was extremely disadvantageous in this holy dynasty that ruled by filial piety. If Shi Le used Liu Kun as leverage, he would be guilty of failing his filial duty if he chose to defend the city and abandon his father, but if he chose to save his father and lose Bingzhou, he would be held responsible for the eventual fall of Guanzhong and even the collapse of the dynasty.

Five days have passed since Liu Kun was captured. During this time, both Shi Le and Liu Jun have remained absolutely silent. Only the officials from distant places have angrily denounced Shi Le.

Strangely enough, even so, messengers from various prefectures and counties kept coming and going on fast horses along the dilapidated official road.

However, most of these people went to contact Shi Le, and apart from a few who were willing to send troops to help, Liu Jun's forces were sparsely populated.

"My lord," Lu Jing brought over the meal, and Liu Jun glanced at it, though he had no appetite, he still took it, "There's still no news from Shi Le?"

"Lu Chen, the Attendant Gentleman of the Ministry of Works, escaped in the chaos and is now only five li away from arriving."

Liu Jun immediately stood up. "I'll go greet him."

Like Wen Qiao, Lu Chen was Liu Kun's nephew and had always served in Liu Kun's staff. His ability to escape alive at least allowed him to bring more inside information.

"Brother-in-law, how is Father?" Lu Chen dismounted in a disheveled state and saw Liu Jun standing anxiously in front of the gate.

“He only suffered minor injuries,” Lu Chen said hastily, not even having time to bow. “Because the Minister of Works had previously saved his mother and nephew, Lord Zhao treated him with great courtesy.”

"Duke Zhao?" Liu Jun raised an eyebrow, his face turning cold instantly. "I heard that Liu Yao appointed Shi Le as Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, bestowed upon him the Nine Bestowments, granted him ten additional prefectures, and elevated him to the rank of Duke Zhao. But I have not heard that my Great Jin has recognized him."

Lu Chen said urgently, "Now is not the time to dwell on this. The most urgent task is to save the Minister of Works' life."

Liu Jun squinted at him. "Oh? It seems that it was no accident that the Attendant Gentleman was able to return to camp alone. So, what are your plans, Lord Zhao?"

Lu Chen was stunned. Liu Jun leaned back on the armrest, no longer looking at him, but instead lowered his head to wipe the Flying Scene Sword at his waist. "Before you came, Shi Le should have given you some instructions?"

Even though he wasn't being watched, even though the person before him was his cousin, more than ten years his junior, Lu Chen still felt a thorn in his side. Cold sweat dripped uncontrollably from his forehead. Gritting his teeth, he rose and bowed, saying, "An unfilial person is like an insect. Now, the Attendant-in-Ordinary ignores the Minister of Works and only cares about Shi Le's movements. Isn't this the greatest act of filial impiety? As for the Attendant-in-Ordinary's suspicion that I am colluding with Shi Le, I was born a Jin man and will die a Jin ghost. I have done right by Heaven and Earth..."

"Put away your airs of a scholar. I don't care whether you're loyal to the Great Jin or whether you'll submit to the false dynasty in the future," Liu Jun interrupted him, looking at him with calm and indifferent eyes. "I just want to know, what does Shi Le want to get back the Minister of Works of the Great Jin, my father?"

Lu Chen's lips trembled as he thought of Liu Kun, who was still imprisoned. He knelt on the ground and cried, "He wants the entire Sili Province, especially Ye City!"

Ye City, now known as Linzhang, is besieged by Liu Jun's men and has become an isolated city. Shi Hu is also having a hard time there, and it seems that Shi Le is getting anxious.

“Ye City was the capital that Zhang Bin chose for Shi Le in the past. It seems that this plan was Zhang Bin’s idea. It is indeed vicious.” Liu Jun sneered, “Trying to use my father to force me is a good scheme.”

Lu Chen's face was already streaked with tears. "Yanzhou has already been lost many times, and since Linzhang has already been lost anyway, we might as well give it to him and get the Minister of Works back. At least we still have Bingzhou!"

Upon his death, his former subordinates from Bingzhou prostrated themselves on the ground, their cries of grief echoing across the land.

Is this an attempt to force the emperor to abdicate?

At this moment, Liu Jun slowly closed his eyes, his mind in turmoil, but in truth, he was not conflicted at all—he knew clearly which was more important, the parents of one person or the world of millions.

But now, this group of cowardly scholars are using the concept of filial piety to weigh them down...

When Liu Jun opened his eyes again, there was no emotion in them, like a clay or wooden sculpture on a shrine. "First, we should continue to besiege Linzhang and use Shi Hu to coerce Shi Le, eventually exchanging him for Sikong. Second, we should fight and negotiate at the same time, giving him whatever he wants. I think even Sikong wouldn't agree to that. Third, we must submit a memorial to the court. My father and I are acting on behalf of the emperor to govern the people, but no matter which prefecture or county it is, it is all the emperor's land, and I dare not act arbitrarily."

He was renowned throughout the land for his military prowess, and all his advisors, including Lu Chen, were only concerned that if he were determined to fight to the death, the casualties and financial losses would be devastating, and even more terrifying was the brutality of the barbarians. If they were to create another Ningping City, their lives would be in danger. Seeing his calm tone, which suggested there was room for negotiation, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

“However,” Liu Jun stood up, walked to Lu Chen’s side, and leaned slightly forward, his voice not loud but loud enough for everyone to hear, “let me make this clear from the start: the reason my father did not choose to cross the Yangtze River south, but instead worked hard to build up Bingzhou, was it so that all the well-dressed officials would bow down to the Zi Hu and Jie Hu? Was it so that the common people of China would be enslaved by the barbarians? If the Emperor allows it, I can exchange a province and a prefecture for him, but I will exchange him for the Minister of Works of my Great Jin, not my father and his family!”