Chapter 15, Vague and Uncertain
Liu Kun escorted the emperor to Luoyang, and Liu Jun naturally had no reason to stay in Chang'an, so he returned to Yecheng with Liu Zun.
Now that the brothers Liu Yu and Liu Kun are both under the command of the Prince of Fanyang, they naturally brought their entire families to Ye City. With their servants numbering over a hundred, the small courtyards are packed to the brim, suggesting that the whole family has moved.
So Liu Jun resumed his former life, and in addition to studying and practicing martial arts, he also had to take care of his grandparents and mother every day.
That day, Liu Jun was performing his usual morning and evening greetings when he was dragged away and ravaged by Liu Fan and Guo Shi. He then heard a woman's cold snort.
Liu Jun was taken aback. He looked in the direction of the voice and was shocked to find that it was his aunt, Liu Yu's wife, Hua, whom he had been separated from during the chaos of war. Although they had only been apart for a few months, she looked like a completely different person.
She used to always have her hair styled in a loose bun and be adorned with pearls and jade, exuding an air of aloofness unique to wealthy ladies. But now, she has pale eyebrows and a plain face, her clothes are dull and she doesn't wear any pearls or jade. Her eyes have lost their luster and are filled with resentment and malice.
"You must be tired too, go back and rest," Guo said coldly.
Guo was always kind and gentle, and she never showed any displeasure to her daughter-in-law. This was the first time she had spoken so sternly and harshly.
Liu Jun, not knowing much about the affairs of the inner quarters, assumed that Madam Guo was resentful that Madam Hua had abandoned them and fled with servants and a carriage. He then tried to comfort her, saying, "In the chaos of war, it's not easy for Aunt to have survived..."
He wanted to say not to be too harsh, but he felt that it sounded a bit like lecturing an elder, so he didn't say anything more. However, Guo was even more displeased when she heard this. "Does she deserve to be called 'aunt' by you? From now on, just pretend you don't see her."
Seeing that she was angry, Liu Jun dared not mention it again, and only asked Lu Jing to secretly investigate.
Lu Jing's report shocked him greatly. It turned out that Hua Shi had not gone far before she was robbed by the mutinous soldiers. Not only were all her belongings looted, but she was also defiled. However, what Guo Shi resented was not her loss of chastity, but that in order to save her life, she took the initiative to tell the rebels the whereabouts of the rest of the Liu family, even though Liu Bao and his family retainers refused to surrender to the death.
“So we can’t entirely blame Liu Bao back then,” Liu Jun pondered. “Although he came to search for us with his men, it was Hua’s family that leaked the information first… How is he now?”
Lu Jing shook his head, "It seems he is still in Liu Qiao's army, and appears to be following his grandson Liu Dan."
"It's not a bad place to go." Liu Jun thought of Hua Shi and felt a little depressed. "With Mother in such a predicament, I don't know how my brothers and I are going to deal with it."
Having suffered suppression within the imperial clan in his previous life, Cao Mao found himself unable to offer much support to the powerful and numerous Sima clan. In this life, he paid particular attention to cultivating good relations with his brothers. Consequently, Liu Yu and Liu Kun were already very close, and the brothers enjoyed a harmonious and happy relationship, which was highly praised by their contemporaries.
Thinking of this, Liu Jun couldn't help but want to visit his cousin Liu Yi, who was closest to him in age, so he walked alone towards Liu Yu's family courtyard.
From afar, something felt off. The usually quiet backyard was now deathly silent, while the main hall was filled with shadowy figures and the sound of hurried footsteps, making it seem particularly eerie in the dark night.
Liu Jun frowned, thinking to himself that a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. No matter how close Liu Yu was, he was not his biological father. Moreover, he was now in charge of the military and political affairs of the Prince of Fanyang. It would be better if he did not hear any secrets.
He paused slightly, then turned back without hesitation.
The next day, news spread throughout the entire household that Sima Xiao, the Minister of Works and Prince of Fanyang, had died suddenly.
This news was like a bolt from the blue; everyone was worried about the hard-won stability and future.
As usual, Liu Jun went to serve his grandparents. As expected, Liu Fan was not there; he must have been handling state affairs outside. Only Lady Guo was sitting alone inside the house.
“Grandmother.” Liu Jun sat down beside her.
“Your father recently acquired two catties of dried tea from Anzhou, along with one catty of ginger and one catty of cinnamon. You should brew some and drink it.” Guo Shi cheered up.
The tea brewed this way was quite spicy, which Liu Jun didn't particularly like. He preferred to drink plain water, so he just smiled and said, "This is so rare, Grandmother should keep it for herself. I'm still too young to use such good things."
Guo did not press the matter, but looked at the tea in her hand with a heavy heart. After a long while, she asked, "How much do you know about the matter of the Prince of Fanyang?"
Liu Jun sat up straight. "All I know is that he died suddenly."
Guo dismissed the servants. “Now that you are the heir apparent appointed by the court, there are some things you should know. After Sima Ying was defeated, he was captured by Feng Song, the prefect of Dunqiu, and sent to the Prince of Fanyang. Your uncle and his subordinates advised him to take action, but the Prince of Fanyang was kind and only imprisoned him and his son.”
She stared at Liu Jun, noticing that the eight-year-old boy's emotions were not readily apparent. He showed no panic upon hearing such a significant event, but his dark eyes revealed a hint of contemplation.
I wonder if such precocity is a blessing or a curse in this world.
She sighed, "Do you know when the Prince of Fanyang died?"
"Since Grandmother says so, it must not have happened yesterday. But what is Uncle planning by keeping the death a secret?"
Liu Jun didn't want to beat around the bush and went straight to the heart of the matter. After all, Liu Yu was the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Fanyang at the time, and the latter listened to him. The only person with the ability to lead this matter was him.
Guo took a sip of tea, seemingly to dispel her anxiety, and said, "Last night, the court sent an envoy to the capital, saying that the emperor had issued an edict ordering the execution of Sima Ying and his son."
Liu Jun's pupils contracted slightly, and he almost immediately realized that Liu Yu had forged an imperial edict!
But now the world is in chaos, and the various ministers are fighting each other. Where is there any respect for the emperor? Let alone forging imperial edicts, there are quite a few who hold swords to the emperor's neck. Forging an imperial edict is really not a crime. So why is Guo so worried?
The thought of Sima Xiao's sudden death sent a chill down Liu Jun's spine. His uncle was far more ruthless in politics than his father. If he won this gamble, the whole family would be rich and powerful. Even if he lost, as long as he kept it a secret, he could simply return to Zhongshan and continue to be a prominent family. It was a sure win.
Thinking of Liu Kun accompanying the Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue, to escort the emperor back to Luoyang, Liu Jun slowly asked, "Does the Prince of Donghai intend to recruit your uncle and father?"
These speculations had been lingering in Guo's mind for a long time. Now, seeing that her grandson thought the same way, she felt a sense of relief, as if someone was sharing the burden. Her stiff back slumped down. "I don't know what to do in the future..."
Liu Jun also felt that the future was uncertain, but he couldn't bear to see Guo so anxious, so he comforted her, "Uncle and Father are both heroes of our time, Grandmother, don't worry. No matter what, as a family, we will always turn bad luck into good."
Guo grabbed his hand, "Okay!"
In the first year of Yongjia, Liu Yu persuaded Sima Yue to send his younger brother Liu Kun to govern Bingzhou, appointing him as the governor of Bingzhou, and giving him the title of General Zhenwei and concurrently General of the Xiongnu. At the same time, Sima Teng, the Prince of Dongyan, was appointed as General of Chariots and Cavalry, overseeing all military affairs in Yecheng and guarding Yecheng.
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