Chapter 131, Chapter Thirty-Four: Perfect Merit
The clash of swords and the thunder of horses ultimately prevailed over idle talk and metaphysical discourse. Within a few months, several rebellions were quelled one by one, allowing Liu Jun to finally have time to deal with family matters.
Liu Xiao (Liang) sought to see Liu Jun multiple times, using every means at his disposal, including starvation, self-harm, and even suicide. Liu Jun remained silent and refused to see him until, in accordance with the law, he was executed for treason, and his children were demoted to commoners and sent to settle and defend the border.
Due to his physical disability, Liu Yong was deposed as crown prince and instead enfeoffed as the Prince of Wu, becoming the first prince since the establishment of the dynasty. At the same time, the emperor's third son, Liu Qin, was enfeoffed as the Prince of Wei.
For a time, although the succession was not yet determined, the wind direction was obvious. Given that Liu Liang was beheaded and his blood was still warm, Liu Qin was also extremely cautious. Apart from attending court to discuss politics, he never went out of his house, never made friends with scholars, and even distanced himself from his former comrades in the army.
Liu Jun saw this and treated him with unusual kindness, putting on a show of filial piety. What pleased Liu Jun even more was that the Donghai King Cao was committing all sorts of evil deeds, oppressing the people, and even showing disrespect for heaven and earth and criticizing the emperor. Wei King Liu Qin took the lead in writing a memorial to the throne, requesting that the Donghai King be punished. In addition, Wen Qiao recommended Cao Yongzi, the great-grandson of Gao Gui Township Duke Cao Mao, to succeed him.
Liu Jun readily agreed, but then felt the name wasn't grand enough, so he bestowed upon it the name Cao Yi, meaning magnificent.
After the court session ended, he kept Wen Qiao behind, asking, "Why would Tai Zhen remember this person?"
"To be honest, it is not because I am a genius that I can share your worries, but because I am entrusted by someone," Wen Qiao said with a smile. "This person just happened to be extremely noble, just happened to have a teacher-student relationship with me, and just happened to have guessed the Emperor's heart accurately, which indeed pleased the Emperor. Now it seems that I should recognize him as my teacher."
Liu Jun smiled, "He dares to speak ill of the Emperor's mind; I will certainly punish him severely later."
Wen Qiao didn't care how the emperor planned to deal with the deposed emperor. He used the excuse that he couldn't get away from the Secretariat and fled before lunch.
Unlike him, Liu Jun had nowhere to go even if he wanted to ask for leave. He had no choice but to suppress his wandering thoughts and diligently finish all the court affairs for the day. It wasn't until the moon was high in the sky that he changed into his everyday clothes and left the palace, "arranging his carriage at the Golden Valley Garden."
Upon entering the garden, one is greeted by a rich fragrance. Upon closer inspection, one discovers that the osmanthus trees, planted at some unknown time, are exuding their fragrance under the moonlight. Looking further, one notices that spring orchids, summer gardenias, and winter plum blossoms are planted along the pond and in the corners of the walls.
“Others build palaces and gardens only to see the scenery of the four seasons, but the Prince of Chenliu is truly elegant and pays attention to the flavor of the four seasons.” Liu Jun saw Sima Ye come out to greet him and quickly stepped forward to take his hand. “Exquisite and wonderful, it’s just a pity that one thing is missing.”
Sima Ye let him put his arm around him, "Oh, what is it?"
"Mu Nu." Liu Jun laughed loudly, earning a glare from Sima Ye. The two then went inside together and shared dinner.
The two seemed to have a tacit understanding, rarely discussing court affairs when they met. Therefore, neither of them mentioned the matter of the Prince of Donghai. Instead, they were composing poems and enjoying the moon and the wind, until Sima Ye personally peeled a tangerine and handed it to him. "I heard that His Majesty intends to order the Third Princess to marry Huan Wen?"
"Indeed, have you seen that child?"
Sima Ye nodded, "She certainly has the ambition and spirit of a hero, and she has not disgraced the imperial daughter."
“Then let us bestow upon her the title of Princess Xingyang. It was in Mi County of Xingyang that we reunited during the Yongjia Rebellion,” Liu Jun said nostalgically. “Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye.”
Sima Ye said sadly, "Of those people from that time, only you and Taizhen are still by my side today."
His maternal uncles, the Xun brothers, passed away one after another and did not receive many rewards.
Liu Jun understood, "Although things are peaceful for now, it's hard to guarantee that the Five Barbarian Tribes won't rebel in the future. Why don't you select some outstanding members of the Xun family to join the army for training..."
Seeing Sima Ye's troubled expression, Liu Jun shook his head and laughed, "What, do the aristocratic lords still look down on us soldiers? We can be military advisors in the army. You should know that Lord Xun once advised the army. Are they so pampered? If you don't want to go to the ranks, you can go to the Imperial Academy or the prefectures. If you have talent and virtue, I will give you an important position."
“I am not asking you to make an exception for my maternal clan,” Sima Ye said quietly. “On the contrary, I am thinking that we should not favor any one of them too much, whether it is the Sima clan, the Cao clan, the Liu clan, or the maternal relatives and eunuchs.”
Both of them had served as emperors for at least a decade, and they both knew that if either side became too powerful, it would eventually lead to the instability of their thrones. Liu Jun slowly said, "Your considerations are very valid. I established the country through military achievements and used my power to stabilize the world. The next generation can maintain it, but what about later? Will I also end up surrounded by powerful ministers and have the country perish?"
“From the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Wei and Jin Dynasties to today, who has been spared?” Sima Ye smiled bitterly. “You have been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, perhaps you can think of a solution.”
Liu Jun remained noncommittal, glancing at the fading night outside the window, then at him, "I've heard there's a cold spring behind the Golden Valley Garden. Why don't we go and bathe first, then we can have a long talk tonight."
After the clouds and rain cleared, Sima Ye was exhausted and was almost half-supported and half-carried back to his bed by Liu Jun. Liu Jun even had the leisure to finish the painting he had not completed earlier, and was using cinnabar to dot the forehead of the goddess Luo.
“Ignoring the person before you, you’re obsessed with that painting,” Sima Ye said wearily, shielding his eyes from the flickering candlelight. “Aren’t you going to handle court affairs tomorrow? You should rest early.”
Liu Jun had always been more energetic than others since childhood, and he didn't feel tired at the moment. Hearing this, he looked up at him, smiled, put down his pen, and turned off the lamp. "Don't just lie down all day. If you do that for too long, you'll lose all your energy. In a few days, I'll take you to the imperial fields to work. It will not only encourage farming and sericulture, but also strengthen your body. You can also leave the palace to observe the people's conditions and enjoy the spring scenery. It's a win-win situation."
Sima Ye sighed, "Why did you toil every day when you were emperor, but now that you're no longer emperor, you still have to encourage agriculture and sericulture?"
"Very well, then you don't need to travel far. Just stay in the garden and weave cloth."
Sima Ye, still drowsy, asked, "Why?"
"The emperor personally oversees the farming, the empress personally tends the silkworms; the harmony of yin and yang is the ultimate truth..." Before Liu Jun could finish speaking, Sima Ye leaned over, pinched his waist, and then covered his lips. "We know you are the greatest sage ruler of all time, your achievements surpass those of the Three Sovereigns and your virtue exceeds that of the Five Emperors. Can you please spare this humble subject?"
Liu Jun kissed his cheek again, closed his eyes and said, "Only today did I learn the story of Jia Chong, that old scoundrel, stealing fragrance and jade."
"Don't make Liu Mao's intentions clear; it's enough that everyone knows."
Liu Jun was taken aback. Then he saw that Sima Ye had opened his eyes at some point. There was no longer any speculation or inquiry in his eyes, but rather a clever and cunning look. Just as he was about to say something, Sima Ye shook his head. "Zhuangzi is a butterfly, and a butterfly is Zhuangzi. If you want to enter a dream, I will go with you. If it is not a dream, then we will support each other through thick and thin. No matter who you are, I only know that you are my hairpin."
Liu Jun's eyes reddened, and Sima Ye nestled into his arms, saying, "Say one more word, and there will be no one to accompany you in farming."
Liu Jun smiled and held him in her arms before falling into a deep sleep.
At this moment, the spring breeze blows away the frost and snow of two lifetimes, and from then on, there will be no more desolation in the world.
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