Chapter 66, Section Fourteen: Face Bound and Jade in Hand
On the second day of the second month of the fifth year of Jianxing, Sima Ye performed the ceremony of presenting captives in Chang'an and reported to the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Li Ju, the governor of Sili Province, and Guo Mo, the prefect of Yingchuan, both came to the capital to offer their congratulations. Jia Pi, the governor of Qin Province, who was seriously ill, also forced himself to come and offer his congratulations. Liu Kun, the governor of Bing Province, and Liu Yan, the governor of Yan Province, were caught up in the war, so they sent Liu Zun and Liu Shu to offer their congratulations on their behalf. General of the Army and Great Chanyu Murong Hui, as well as Zu Ti, the governor of Liang Province, and Zhang Shi, the governor of Liang Province, also sent envoys to the capital despite the long distance.
Even Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya, who was far away in Jiangdong, submitted a memorial to congratulate him, but the Prime Minister, Sima Bao, the Prince of Nanyang, made no comment.
Liu Jun, the governor of Yongzhou and Yuzhou, personally escorted Liu Cong, the emperor of Han. Hu Yanyan, the general of Han, presented a letter of surrender to Sima Ye. Liu Cong rode in a sheep-drawn cart, his body bare and face bound, with a jade disc in his mouth. His other officials carried a coffin and bowed nine times to the ancestral temple, acknowledging his submission.
Sima Ye accepted the jade disc and ordered the coffin to be burned, thus concluding the ceremony of presenting the captives.
During the Yongjia Rebellion, Luoyang fell into the hands of this man, and Emperor Huai was also humiliated and killed because of him.
It was from this point that various barbarian tribes rose up, and the once-unified Nine Provinces were once again torn apart, causing immense suffering and death.
Everyone present was filled with resentment and wished they could tear him apart and eat his flesh on the spot.
Sima Ye stopped the ministers and still ordered Huyan Yan to escort Liu Cong back, saying, "Today is an auspicious day. Since we have accepted his surrender, we cannot kill him easily. Moreover, keeping him alive is a hindrance to Liu Yao of the Xiongnu and a deterrent to the other Hu tribes."
Suo Lin said unhappily, "Your Majesty is mistaken. This man murdered the late emperor and is an irreconcilable enemy of the Jin dynasty. How can you be so lenient towards him? Aren't you afraid that the late emperor will feel cold in the afterlife?"
“Shu Gong, be careful with your words,” Jia Pi said with a light cough. “Your Majesty’s concerns are quite valid. Moreover, Your Majesty has reached the age of ruling in your own right and has the wisdom to make decisions on matters of state. As a subject, how can you be so disrespectful when you are following orders?”
Suo Lin became increasingly arrogant and domineering, and even Sima Ye could not catch his eye. Even Jia Pi, a high-ranking official with a long line of nobles, outstanding military achievements, advanced age, and strong army, could not necessarily make him restrain himself.
As expected, Suo Lin only glanced coldly at Jia Pi, saying, "When you wanted to surrender to Liu Cong back then, you weren't this loyal and devoted to the country."
This was a direct slap in the face to Jia Pi, and sure enough, Jia Pi's face turned pale and he coughed violently, almost vomiting blood.
Back when Liu Cong roamed Guanzhong, many powerful families considered surrendering and continuing to be fortified lords. Some even contacted Liu Han, but after hearing his words, their faces turned somewhat embarrassed.
“Ah,” Liu Jun suddenly said, “Back then, the Duke of the County had the intention to seek peace, but it was also due to the circumstances. After Suo Gong persuaded him, he devoted himself to the country, supported His Majesty, and survived a hundred battles. He can be called a pillar of the country.”
Suo Lin frowned. "How dare a young man speak out of turn when his elders are speaking? Rude and arrogant, what a fine son Liu Yueshi has raised!"
Liu Jun's eyes turned cold. "Is it possible that only Lord Suo is allowed to speak among all the officials? You and I are both ministers, yet we can't even exchange a single word? The world changes, things change, and people change. Lord Suo was once wavering, but now he is wholeheartedly devoted to his lord. This is an act of repentance. But there is another person in the court who was once loyal to the emperor and loved his country, rallied the righteous masses, and frequently defeated bandits. Now he is defying heaven and the people, and acting against the tide of history. What has turned that loyal minister who said 'I would rather die with him than be like Wu Zixu' into what he is now?"
He shouted coldly, "So unrecognizable! Do you think the late emperor would recognize you even in the afterlife?"
Suo Lin was so angry that his face turned red, but Liu Jun stepped forward and whispered something in his ear. After just a few words, Suo Lin, who had been so arrogant, turned ashen-faced and swallowed his anger.
Seeing this, Sima Ye was curious, but considering that it was rare for so many high-ranking officials to gather in the capital, and that none of them could stay in the capital for long, he quickly invited everyone to the main hall for a meal.
In fact, Liu Jun had just seen Liu Zun from afar. Since Liu Zun went to Tuoba Yilu as a hostage, this was the first time the two brothers had met in more than ten years, and they were naturally very excited.
The seating arrangement at the banquet was clearly carefully planned. The two brothers naturally sat close together, and before they even sat down, Liu Jun bowed deeply, saying, "Brother!"
Liu Zun helped him up, looked him up and down carefully, and choked up as he said, "Mao Tou... you've grown so tall."
He gently squeezed Liu Jun's left shoulder, where he had been injured before, and said, "You've suffered all these years..."
Liu Jun felt a warmth in his heart. Since Liu Fan, Guo Shi, and Cui Shi left, everyone only cared about his wins and losses, and few people cared about his pain and exhaustion. His eyes reddened, and he almost shed tears. "Brother, it was not easy for you in Xianbei. Not to mention those years of being cautious and walking on thin ice, with internal strife in Xianbei, you were able to escape unscathed and bring back tens of thousands of people. That was the hardest thing ever. I was always by Father's side, and later I had so many brothers to help me. What is that compared to that?"
Liu Zun wanted to say something more, but then he heard Liu Shu say in a low voice, "There's plenty of time in the future. We can catch up later. Please, my two elder brothers, take your seats quickly. Don't keep us waiting any longer."
Liu Jun then noticed the gazes of the crowd, smiled apologetically, and took his seat with Liu Zun.
Sima Ye sat upright, looking at the brothers with envy. Liu Jun noticed his gaze and saw the hibiscus in his crown, and couldn't help but smile.
Seeing that the emperor and his younger brother had a very strong bond since childhood, Liu Zun was quite pleased, and his previous worries caused by the conflict between his younger brother and Suo Lin were greatly relieved.
Perhaps it was because presenting captives was a great joy, or perhaps it was because the feudal lords had not come empty-handed, but this banquet was exceptionally lavish, not much different from the one in the past.
"Just now, when everyone was drinking together, I thought I had returned to the time before Yongjia." A desolate sigh reached his ears. Liu Jun turned around and saw that it was Jia Pi. He saw that Jia Pi was still drinking heavily, his old face flushed.
"Your Highness should drink less, it's bad for your health," Liu Jun said with concern.
Jia Pi waved his hand, "I know my own body well, I probably won't live much longer."
"Your Excellency is always in good health and will surely live to a ripe old age. Why would you utter such ominous words?" Liu Jun forced a smile.
Jia Pi's cloudy eyes were fixed on him, then looked at the refined Sima Ye, and sighed, "He has no countenance of a ruler."
Liu Jun's heart skipped a beat. He looked around, but thankfully no one heard him. "The Duke is probably drunk."
"Though I am drunk, I am more sober than all the gentlemen in this hall." Jia Pi looked at the cold wine in his cup. "The sons and nephews of the Jia family are all mediocre. In this chaotic world, it is enough for them to be wealthy men. If they are entrusted with important responsibilities, they will probably die and their clans will be wiped out. I can entrust all my troops to you, I only ask that you protect the wealth and honor of my clan."
"I am ashamed and dare not accept this!" Liu Jun never expected him to do this, and he suppressed his joy and humbly declined.
“In addition,” Jia Pi continued, “I am willing to guarantee you a marriage. If you agree, one day we may be able to easily take over Wuwei.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com