The recently captured Ye City lay in ruins like scorched earth. Yiyan walked on the broad streets, his brows furrowed tightly. He had arrived a step too late.
The official residences in the city had been almost completely looted. Families were torn apart, and the number of casualties was countless. Coupled with the defending soldiers who couldn’t resist, the dead and injured likely numbered in the thousands. Fortunately, after breaking through the bandit’s main camp, the plundered women and treasures were still piled up outside the palace, untouched.
The women naturally had to be sent home, but the looted property couldn’t be returned so easily. When the officials sent by the lord arrived, they would make unified arrangements, either calming the people or conscripting them into labor. His task was only to clean up the disorderly soldiers and preserve this mighty city.
“General, the corpses of Prince Dongyin and his son were found in the main camp. How should we handle it?” The soldier previously dispatched to investigate prisoners hurried back.
“Collect them first and wait for the lord’s orders,” Yiyan replied coldly.
Li Feng not only killed Sima Teng but also massacred his wife and children. The entire family of four was wiped out, with only an illegitimate son escaping. However, Yiyan had no interest in such a tragedy. Sima Teng had once sold him into slavery, and if not for the lord’s rescue, he might have died on the road to Yan County. Moreover, this person was narrow-minded, and if he were saved, he might harbor resentment. If he didn’t die, Yiyan would have to think of a solution.
Now, at least, the trouble was saved. However, the bodies needed to be handled properly; these coffins would probably have to be transported back to Luoyang. After all, Sima Teng was the younger brother of Prince Donghai, and proper burial arrangements were necessary. In terms of etiquette, it could not be taken lightly.
“How about the surrendered soldiers?” Yiyan asked again.
“Over a thousand surrendered, mostly from Zhang Hong’s former subordinates,” the soldier replied immediately.
Among this group of bandits, there were quite a few rebel soldiers. Zhang Hong was a former subordinate of Prince Zhao, Sima Lun, who had surrendered to Prince Hejian. After Prince Hejian’s death, his subordinates scattered and fled. Many of them infiltrated the ranks of forces like Jisang, who carried the banner of the pseudo-emperor Sima Ying. The unfortunate Li Feng, who killed Sima Teng’s entire family, also belonged to Zhang Hong’s former subordinates. Now that they had been dispersed by the cavalry of Bing County, they didn’t seem to have much intention of escaping. Since they were the imperial army, surrendering and waiting for acceptance was not a bad choice.
Yiyan, of course, wouldn’t just accept a group of former bandits and rebel soldiers like this. “Order them to be reorganized, all transferred to the civilian camp, repair the city, and cultivate official fields.”
This was their treatment of surrendered soldiers. Unfortunately, among the bandits this time, there were too many horse thieves. Even when killing Jisang, several managed to slip away. Fortunately, they obtained the head of the bandit leader, so their efforts in defending the city gates were not in vain.
These thoughts flashed in Yiyan’s mind, and he continued walking forward, climbing the stairs to the walls of Ye City. As the former capital of Wei, this city indeed possessed a majestic and imposing aura, even more so than Jinyang, and was relatively easy to defend and difficult to attack.
However, from Sima Ying to Sima Teng, these defenders of the city didn’t even put up a fight; they just panicked and fled. The towering city walls were in vain. If given two thousand soldiers, they could surely defend this place like an impregnable fortress.
Nevertheless, defending the city was secondary; the crucial question was to whom the court would hand over this city.
Unconsciously, Yiyan looked towards the direction of Bing County. In the next moment, his expression turned cold. The pain from that day had not yet dissipated, and now there was even more despair. It felt like a dead end, trapping him in a hopeless situation. Could he really turn a desperate situation into an opportunity? Did he truly possess such capabilities?
※
When several coffins, along with the illegitimate son of Sima Teng, were returned to Luoyang, the young emperor’s head started to ache.
Who could have expected that Sima Teng couldn’t hold out for even a few days? The soldiers from Bing County were only delayed by three to five days, and by the time they arrived, the corpses here had already gone cold. However, were the soldiers from Bing County truly late? On the contrary, from the issuance of the urgent military orders to the arrival of the army at Ye City, it had taken only about ten days. Jinyang was not close to Ye City, so they must have received the military orders and immediately mobilized. In terms of loyalty and propriety, Liang Zixi had done exceptionally well. Such a loyal minister who also cherished his old master was truly hard to find fault with.
But what about Sima Teng? After all, he is the younger brother of Prince Donghai. Is he just going to die in vain?
After some persuasion, the young emperor finally calmed down Sima Teng’s illegitimate son. The court would confer posthumous titles, and he would inherit the position. However, whether due to being frightened or not, this son did not want to return to Ye City, hoping for another place to be designated for him.
This matter could only be decided by Sima Yue’s intervention.
However, with this development, what should be done about Ye City? The young emperor looked at Wang Yan, hesitated, and then spoke, “Minister of Works, the leader of the bandits has been eliminated. Now, Ye City relies entirely on the military strength of Bing County. Shouldn’t we make arrangements as soon as possible?”
As soon as the young emperor spoke, Wang Yan understood what he wanted to say. Ye City needed additional military forces, but the soldiers from Bing County were already stationed there. The implication was, could Liang Zixi be appointed as the overall commander of both Bing County and Ye City?
In the Jin Dynasty, it was not uncommon for a commander to oversee multiple provinces. However, this was not suitable for Liang Zixi! He was the person favored by the young emperor, and Sima Yue had always been wary of him. Now, after causing the tragic death of Sima Teng, almost leading to the end of his family line, if Liang Zixi were appointed to oversee both Ye City and Bing County, it would be nothing short of a pipe dream! Moreover, this would also involve Wang Jun, the governor of You County. Many in the court were well aware of Wang Jun’s ambitions for Ji County. However, there hadn’t been a suitable opportunity, and it had been delayed until now. With Liang Zixi stirring up trouble behind the scenes, giving away Dai Jun to the Tuoba tribe, and now attempting to seize control of the strategic Ye City, it was bound to anger Wang Jun.
But all these orders were issued by the court. At this point, Sima Yue, far away in Jing County, was probably going to be furious.
To be honest, Wang Yan didn’t want to deal with such troublesome matters. However, after thinking for a moment, he saw through the situation: “This matter is of great importance. It would be best to send a letter to Jing County and inquire about the opinion of the Grand Tutor.”
The young emperor had made some moves while Sima Yue was absent. Now that Wang Yan had pointed it out, he didn’t dare to push further and could only nod obediently, saying, “I will follow the Minister of Works’ arrangement.”
Seeing the appearance of the young emperor, Wang Yan couldn’t help but smile while stroking his beard. This young man had quite a scheming mind and loved to stir up trouble. If it weren’t for Sima Yue being eager to eliminate the pseudo-emperor and establish his legitimate status, he might have dealt with the young emperor long ago. However, this time, the solution he came up with would surely satisfy Sima Yue!
※
“Attack!” The hoarse and desperate shouts echoed under the city. The crowd surged like turbulent waves, washing against the towering city walls.
The pseudo-emperor, Sima Ying, retreated step by step and fled back to his fiefdom. However, he didn’t abandon the important town of Jiangling. Now, Sima Yue’s top priority was to dismantle Jiangling. After that, taking the life of his old rival, Sima Ying, would be as easy as taking something from a bag.
But Jiangling was not an easy target! It was a vital intersection of seven provinces, a strategic location for military operations, with the old and new cities serving as horns to each other. Attacking in winter was like facing a treacherous mountain, extremely challenging. Despite this, Sima Yue didn’t show any signs of slackening. His capable general, Gou Xi, was excellent in battle. Besides being strict, he had no major flaws. This temperament was extremely effective for a military commander, even encouraging the weary laborers to gather courage and charge forward.
This was already the tenth day, and even a city like Jiangling couldn’t hold on for much longer.
However, standing still in his tent, Sima Yue did not feel joy at this progress. On the contrary, looking at the reports sent from Luoyang, he felt a burning rage and uncontrollable anger! Sima Teng actually died in Ye City? Even his three legitimate sons died clean deaths… How could one accept this!
It was that young emperor and Liang Zixi causing trouble again! Looking at the battle reports, Sima Yue felt a raging fire inside him, wishing to lead his troops back immediately and discipline that young man! But at this stage of the campaign, how could he retreat even half a step? Returning to Luoyang would probably take another two months. How could he sit idly by and let these people do as they pleased?
Fuming with anger, Sima Yue was desperate to issue an edict, allowing Wang Jun to take over Ji County, preferably taking a bite out of Liang Zixi’s territory. However, when he saw the private letter from Wang Yan, a bit of reason returned. He furrowed his brows, read it again, and finally chuckled.
“This plan is quite clever!”
In front of him, the paper only contained a few sentences, but the most crucial details were crystal clear. Defending Ye City faced an attack, and General Yiyan would be promoted to Weyuan General, titled the Northern Peace General, in charge of military affairs in Ye City.
From a miscellaneous general to suddenly being ennobled and entrusted with regional military affairs—what an extraordinary honor! Yet, the true reward was not in these titles. Sima Yue knew very well that the Jie general was the true source of power for the forces in Bing County! What use were beloved subordinates? How many could resist the allure of wealth and positions? Especially for a low-born Jie person.
If Yiyan accepted the order, Bing County would lose a capable lieutenant. Sending a governor to take over Ye City might not be enough to control a Jie slave. If Liang Zixi did not agree, it was highly likely that Yiyan would be withdrawn from Ye City and return to Jinyang. In this way, the trouble in Ye City would be easily resolved. Additionally, a deep rift could be sown between these two, given such a rapid promotion. Was Yiyan really unaffected by such a significant advancement?
Even if he knew there was a catch, Liang Zixi could only reluctantly accept it. Regardless of success or failure, the strength of the forces in Bing County would be greatly reduced. This was the brilliance of the strategy to sow discord!
Wang Yifu was indeed a strategist. After eliminating the pseudo-emperor, he could appoint his brother, Wang Cheng, as the Inspector of Jing County. Finally resolving a major concern, Sima Yue put down the letter, chuckling softly. He had been worried about it before the solar eclipse. Now, it was smoothly resolved. What a relief!
Unfortunately, he would miss the grand New Year’s court assembly. Sima Yue smirked, letting the young emperor enjoy a few more days in Luoyang. Let’s see what tricks he could come up with!
Translator’s corner:
AD
Too bad for you Sima dog, Yiyan is only loyal to Liang Feng. Hmph!
The recently captured Ye City lay in ruins like scorched earth. Yiyan walked on the broad streets, his brows furrowed tightly. He had arrived a step too late.
The official residences in the city had been almost completely looted. Families were torn apart, and the number of casualties was countless. Coupled with the defending soldiers who couldn’t resist, the dead and injured likely numbered in the thousands. Fortunately, after breaking through the bandit’s main camp, the plundered women and treasures were still piled up outside the palace, untouched.
The women naturally had to be sent home, but the looted property couldn’t be returned so easily. When the officials sent by the lord arrived, they would make unified arrangements, either calming the people or conscripting them into labor. His task was only to clean up the disorderly soldiers and preserve this mighty city.
“General, the corpses of Prince Dongyin and his son were found in the main camp. How should we handle it?” The soldier previously dispatched to investigate prisoners hurried back.
“Collect them first and wait for the lord’s orders,” Yiyan replied coldly.
Li Feng not only killed Sima Teng but also massacred his wife and children. The entire family of four was wiped out, with only an illegitimate son escaping. However, Yiyan had no interest in such a tragedy. Sima Teng had once sold him into slavery, and if not for the lord’s rescue, he might have died on the road to Yan County. Moreover, this person was narrow-minded, and if he were saved, he might harbor resentment. If he didn’t die, Yiyan would have to think of a solution.
Now, at least, the trouble was saved. However, the bodies needed to be handled properly; these coffins would probably have to be transported back to Luoyang. After all, Sima Teng was the younger brother of Prince Donghai, and proper burial arrangements were necessary. In terms of etiquette, it could not be taken lightly.
“How about the surrendered soldiers?” Yiyan asked again.
“Over a thousand surrendered, mostly from Zhang Hong’s former subordinates,” the soldier replied immediately.
Among this group of bandits, there were quite a few rebel soldiers. Zhang Hong was a former subordinate of Prince Zhao, Sima Lun, who had surrendered to Prince Hejian. After Prince Hejian’s death, his subordinates scattered and fled. Many of them infiltrated the ranks of forces like Jisang, who carried the banner of the pseudo-emperor Sima Ying. The unfortunate Li Feng, who killed Sima Teng’s entire family, also belonged to Zhang Hong’s former subordinates. Now that they had been dispersed by the cavalry of Bing County, they didn’t seem to have much intention of escaping. Since they were the imperial army, surrendering and waiting for acceptance was not a bad choice.
Yiyan, of course, wouldn’t just accept a group of former bandits and rebel soldiers like this. “Order them to be reorganized, all transferred to the civilian camp, repair the city, and cultivate official fields.”
This was their treatment of surrendered soldiers. Unfortunately, among the bandits this time, there were too many horse thieves. Even when killing Jisang, several managed to slip away. Fortunately, they obtained the head of the bandit leader, so their efforts in defending the city gates were not in vain.
These thoughts flashed in Yiyan’s mind, and he continued walking forward, climbing the stairs to the walls of Ye City. As the former capital of Wei, this city indeed possessed a majestic and imposing aura, even more so than Jinyang, and was relatively easy to defend and difficult to attack.
However, from Sima Ying to Sima Teng, these defenders of the city didn’t even put up a fight; they just panicked and fled. The towering city walls were in vain. If given two thousand soldiers, they could surely defend this place like an impregnable fortress.
Nevertheless, defending the city was secondary; the crucial question was to whom the court would hand over this city.
Unconsciously, Yiyan looked towards the direction of Bing County. In the next moment, his expression turned cold. The pain from that day had not yet dissipated, and now there was even more despair. It felt like a dead end, trapping him in a hopeless situation. Could he really turn a desperate situation into an opportunity? Did he truly possess such capabilities?
※
When several coffins, along with the illegitimate son of Sima Teng, were returned to Luoyang, the young emperor’s head started to ache.
Who could have expected that Sima Teng couldn’t hold out for even a few days? The soldiers from Bing County were only delayed by three to five days, and by the time they arrived, the corpses here had already gone cold. However, were the soldiers from Bing County truly late? On the contrary, from the issuance of the urgent military orders to the arrival of the army at Ye City, it had taken only about ten days. Jinyang was not close to Ye City, so they must have received the military orders and immediately mobilized. In terms of loyalty and propriety, Liang Zixi had done exceptionally well. Such a loyal minister who also cherished his old master was truly hard to find fault with.
But what about Sima Teng? After all, he is the younger brother of Prince Donghai. Is he just going to die in vain?
After some persuasion, the young emperor finally calmed down Sima Teng’s illegitimate son. The court would confer posthumous titles, and he would inherit the position. However, whether due to being frightened or not, this son did not want to return to Ye City, hoping for another place to be designated for him.
This matter could only be decided by Sima Yue’s intervention.
However, with this development, what should be done about Ye City? The young emperor looked at Wang Yan, hesitated, and then spoke, “Minister of Works, the leader of the bandits has been eliminated. Now, Ye City relies entirely on the military strength of Bing County. Shouldn’t we make arrangements as soon as possible?”
As soon as the young emperor spoke, Wang Yan understood what he wanted to say. Ye City needed additional military forces, but the soldiers from Bing County were already stationed there. The implication was, could Liang Zixi be appointed as the overall commander of both Bing County and Ye City?
In the Jin Dynasty, it was not uncommon for a commander to oversee multiple provinces. However, this was not suitable for Liang Zixi! He was the person favored by the young emperor, and Sima Yue had always been wary of him. Now, after causing the tragic death of Sima Teng, almost leading to the end of his family line, if Liang Zixi were appointed to oversee both Ye City and Bing County, it would be nothing short of a pipe dream! Moreover, this would also involve Wang Jun, the governor of You County. Many in the court were well aware of Wang Jun’s ambitions for Ji County. However, there hadn’t been a suitable opportunity, and it had been delayed until now. With Liang Zixi stirring up trouble behind the scenes, giving away Dai Jun to the Tuoba tribe, and now attempting to seize control of the strategic Ye City, it was bound to anger Wang Jun.
But all these orders were issued by the court. At this point, Sima Yue, far away in Jing County, was probably going to be furious.
To be honest, Wang Yan didn’t want to deal with such troublesome matters. However, after thinking for a moment, he saw through the situation: “This matter is of great importance. It would be best to send a letter to Jing County and inquire about the opinion of the Grand Tutor.”
The young emperor had made some moves while Sima Yue was absent. Now that Wang Yan had pointed it out, he didn’t dare to push further and could only nod obediently, saying, “I will follow the Minister of Works’ arrangement.”
Seeing the appearance of the young emperor, Wang Yan couldn’t help but smile while stroking his beard. This young man had quite a scheming mind and loved to stir up trouble. If it weren’t for Sima Yue being eager to eliminate the pseudo-emperor and establish his legitimate status, he might have dealt with the young emperor long ago. However, this time, the solution he came up with would surely satisfy Sima Yue!
※
“Attack!” The hoarse and desperate shouts echoed under the city. The crowd surged like turbulent waves, washing against the towering city walls.
The pseudo-emperor, Sima Ying, retreated step by step and fled back to his fiefdom. However, he didn’t abandon the important town of Jiangling. Now, Sima Yue’s top priority was to dismantle Jiangling. After that, taking the life of his old rival, Sima Ying, would be as easy as taking something from a bag.
But Jiangling was not an easy target! It was a vital intersection of seven provinces, a strategic location for military operations, with the old and new cities serving as horns to each other. Attacking in winter was like facing a treacherous mountain, extremely challenging. Despite this, Sima Yue didn’t show any signs of slackening. His capable general, Gou Xi, was excellent in battle. Besides being strict, he had no major flaws. This temperament was extremely effective for a military commander, even encouraging the weary laborers to gather courage and charge forward.
This was already the tenth day, and even a city like Jiangling couldn’t hold on for much longer.
However, standing still in his tent, Sima Yue did not feel joy at this progress. On the contrary, looking at the reports sent from Luoyang, he felt a burning rage and uncontrollable anger! Sima Teng actually died in Ye City? Even his three legitimate sons died clean deaths… How could one accept this!
It was that young emperor and Liang Zixi causing trouble again! Looking at the battle reports, Sima Yue felt a raging fire inside him, wishing to lead his troops back immediately and discipline that young man! But at this stage of the campaign, how could he retreat even half a step? Returning to Luoyang would probably take another two months. How could he sit idly by and let these people do as they pleased?
Fuming with anger, Sima Yue was desperate to issue an edict, allowing Wang Jun to take over Ji County, preferably taking a bite out of Liang Zixi’s territory. However, when he saw the private letter from Wang Yan, a bit of reason returned. He furrowed his brows, read it again, and finally chuckled.
“This plan is quite clever!”
In front of him, the paper only contained a few sentences, but the most crucial details were crystal clear. Defending Ye City faced an attack, and General Yiyan would be promoted to Weyuan General, titled the Northern Peace General, in charge of military affairs in Ye City.
From a miscellaneous general to suddenly being ennobled and entrusted with regional military affairs—what an extraordinary honor! Yet, the true reward was not in these titles. Sima Yue knew very well that the Jie general was the true source of power for the forces in Bing County! What use were beloved subordinates? How many could resist the allure of wealth and positions? Especially for a low-born Jie person.
If Yiyan accepted the order, Bing County would lose a capable lieutenant. Sending a governor to take over Ye City might not be enough to control a Jie slave. If Liang Zixi did not agree, it was highly likely that Yiyan would be withdrawn from Ye City and return to Jinyang. In this way, the trouble in Ye City would be easily resolved. Additionally, a deep rift could be sown between these two, given such a rapid promotion. Was Yiyan really unaffected by such a significant advancement?
Even if he knew there was a catch, Liang Zixi could only reluctantly accept it. Regardless of success or failure, the strength of the forces in Bing County would be greatly reduced. This was the brilliance of the strategy to sow discord!
Wang Yifu was indeed a strategist. After eliminating the pseudo-emperor, he could appoint his brother, Wang Cheng, as the Inspector of Jing County. Finally resolving a major concern, Sima Yue put down the letter, chuckling softly. He had been worried about it before the solar eclipse. Now, it was smoothly resolved. What a relief!
Unfortunately, he would miss the grand New Year’s court assembly. Sima Yue smirked, letting the young emperor enjoy a few more days in Luoyang. Let’s see what tricks he could come up with!
Translator’s corner:
AD
Too bad for you Sima dog, Yiyan is only loyal to Liang Feng. Hmph!
