Chapter Eighteen: Southern Chu Claims the Throne

  In the 22nd year of Xian De, in July, Da Yong sent an envoy to seek peace. The ruler and officials of Southern Chu were somewhat afraid of war and agreed to it. Not long after, there were people in the court who praised the wisdom of the ruler for defeating Shu and resisting Da Yong, and suggested that he should ascend to the throne of Jin. The ruler was deceived by these words and also believed what the King of Qi had said previously, so he agreed to it. On August 1st, he ascended to the throne of Jin and sent a memorial to Da Yong, expressing his wish to be brothers with him as rulers of two states.

  At that time, wise officials in the court submitted memorials to advise against this decision, but the ruler was enraged and demoted many people, including Jiang Zhe. Previously, Jiang Zhe had submitted a memorial advising against ascending to the throne of Jin, which was strongly worded and severely criticized the ruler's actions. The ruler was furious and wanted to execute him, but an attendant advised: "Jiang Zhe is the most talented scholar in Southern Chu, it's not appropriate to lightly punish him."

  The ruler then calmed down and ordered: "Force him to retire and never use his services again." When Jiang Zhe received this order, some people advised him to temporarily endure and wait for an opportunity to advise the ruler to retract his decision. But Jiang Zhe only said: "Thunder, lightning, rain, and dew are all favors from the ruler." He then calmly left, and everyone respected him.

  The Book of Southern Chu · Biography of Jiang Suiyun

  Seeing my icy expression, Chen Yin had a hesitant look on his face. I calmly said: "What do you want to say?"

  Chen Yin hesitated for a moment before saying: "Your Excellency, you have some connection with Da Yong, but why are you so deeply grieved by the matter of De Qin Wang?"

  I remained silent for a long time before saying, "The Great Yong is flourishing with talented individuals and strong military power. With wise rulers and capable ministers, it can be said that the opportunity to unify the world lies in the development of the Great Yong. My Southern Chu, although blessed with talented individuals, has neglected martial affairs and focused on literary pursuits. The people of Jiangnan are mostly weak and timid, and their bad habits are difficult to eradicate. From the beginning, I knew that Southern Chu would inevitably perish at the hands of the Great Yong; it was only a matter of time. Therefore, when I participated in the imperial examination, I did not have any intention of devoting myself wholeheartedly to Southern Chu. As an ordinary individual from a humble background, I could never hope to wield power in Southern Chu, even if I were able to rise to a position second only to the ruler. Moreover, with my self-awareness, I knew that my literary talents could not bring peace to the nation, nor could my martial abilities stabilize the country. My strengths lay in devising strategies and making decisions that would determine victory or defeat over vast distances. Without wise rulers and capable ministers, however, I could not have brought out my full potential. Nevertheless, as a person from Southern Chu, it was unbearable for me to watch my homeland decline and perish. When I first met the Duke of Virtue, I had hoped that he would be the wise ruler in my heart. Alas, he was not; he was a loyal minister but not a heroic figure, unable to use his virtues or eliminate evil. Thus, with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, he died on the battlefield. As for the people of the Great Yong, I have met the King of Yong and the King of Qi. The King of Yong possesses the demeanor of a true ruler and will undoubtedly be a sage emperor. Although the King of Qi is somewhat rough around the edges, he also has the makings of a hegemon. I have not met Crown Prince Li An, but judging from his ability to resist the King of Yong for so long, he must be an extraordinary individual as well. As an ordinary person, I have always been unwilling to offend the King of Yong and the King of Qi, if only to preserve my life in the future."

  Chen Yin said: "Your Excellency has separately presented strategies to Deqin Wang and Yong Wang, what is the reason for this?"

  I said faintly, "These things I originally didn't need to tell you, but since you're willing to serve me wholeheartedly, I might as well speak plainly. My plan for Duke De was successful, so there's no need to mention the strategy for breaching the city walls. The strategy of sowing discord has already taken effect, don't you think that's why this time it was King Qi who attacked Southern Chu?"

  Chen Yin thought for a moment and said: "It must be that Crown Prince Li An is worried that the merits of King Yong are too great, and cannot be controlled."

  I closed my eyes and said, "Not bad, at first I forced the King of Shu to death, not in order to let Emperor Da Yong better rule over Dongchuan, but for Queen Jinlian. Indeed, Queen Jinlian entered the palace of Emperor Da Yong, who loved her beauty and took her into his harem. If the King of Shu were still alive, Emperor Da Yong would certainly not have done so, and King Yong would not have been angry at his straightforward remonstrance. Otherwise, do you think why King Yong would be in such a sorry state after being attacked by the Crown Prince?"

  Chen Yin said in doubt: "But I've never heard of King Yong remonstrating."

  I smiled and said, "In such matters, how could the Duke of Yong dare to offer direct advice? Unfortunately, even covert persuasion would not escape the Emperor's cold shoulder. As for what happened next, the Duke of De did not know that the Duke of Yong sent an envoy to ask for guidance, I told him to pretend to be poisoned and hold troops at the border, although he preserved the Duke of Yong's position and safety, but also made him further alienate himself from his father and brother, this is the whole content of my strategy to sow discord."

  Chen Yin looked at me in surprise and said: "I didn't expect that Your Excellency's illness was a ploy to help the King of Yong."

  I shook my head and said, "Don't be too impressed with me. The contradictions between King Yong, Emperor Yong, and the Crown Prince were already very sharp. I just added fuel to the fire. And the current predicament of King Yong is not without its benefits for him. Once King Yong makes up his mind to seize the throne, the unification of Great Yong will be unstoppable. What I did was just to buy some time for Southern Chu. If Southern Chu becomes strong, King Yong will have to slow down. It's not impossible that Southern Chu can last for another twenty or thirty years. But now, with the country's ruler destroying the long wall, and Duke De passing away, Southern Chu no longer has any generals who can resist Great Yong. Rong Yuan is a man of small caliber, Lu Xin is foolishly loyal but lacks strategic thinking, and the high-ranking officials in court are all short-sighted. Those with some talent are either indulging in wine and women or hiding in their gardens. Chen Jin, even if there's internal strife in Great Yong, I think Southern Chu will still be destroyed within a few years. But because of the internal strife in Great Yong, I reckon that Southern Chu will still retain some residual forces, holding out in Jiangnan and Shu, and it will take more than ten years for Great Yong to bring peace to Jiangnan."

  Chen Yin recorded my words and asked: "Then, sir, what should we do next?"

  "I said faintly: 'There's nothing more to be done in Southern Chu, I'll resign immediately after returning, and then we'll wait in Jianye. I think it won't be long before my chance for revenge arrives.'"

  Chen Yin asked, "What if after avenging, the King of Yong and the King of Qi both highly value you? If Southern Chu is destroyed, the two princes will likely come to recruit you. How will you handle it then?"

  I remained silent for a moment, then said: "I once thought I would be willing to surrender to the Great Yong, but I realized it was not possible. After the fall of Southern Chu, I naturally hoped to live out my remaining years in peace. If the King of Yong and the King of Qi are unwilling to let me go, then I can only distance myself from the Central Plains. If unfortunately caught by them, I will not die for Southern Chu. Once I have avenged myself, I will temporarily hand over the power at my side to you. My influence is too small compared to Great Yong; if it remains by my side, it will only attract attention and may even suffer a disaster. If hidden in secret, perhaps it can still save me."

  Chen Yin hesitated for a moment before saying: "Sir, why not let Li Ye lead them instead?"

  I shook my head and said, "Xiao Shunzi is more useful by my side. He has high martial arts skills and meticulous thinking, he's my trusted friend. If he were outside, he would be less calm and unable to conceal his strength properly."

  Chen Yin nodded in satisfaction and said: "Since that's the case, I'll follow orders."

  I returned to Jianye in low spirits, only to learn that the Emperor had finally relented and accepted the last testament of Duke De, appointing Rong Yuan as Minister of War and stationing him in Xiangyang. Lu Xin was appointed as Grand General, and when he came to court to receive his appointment, I saw that his demeanor was undiminished from what it had been in years past. His son, the young master Lu Can, my former student, was now a robust youth of twenty-one years. I heard that over the years, Lu Can had become a vanguard under Lu Xin's command, and was known for his bravery in battle and his wealth of strategic ideas, earning him great praise within the Southern Chu army. Not long after I returned home, Lu Can came to visit me, still addressing me as his teacher. He excitedly told me that the military strategies I had idly discussed with him in the past had been greatly beneficial to him, and he had come this time to ask if I would be willing to continue teaching him. Looking at his enthusiastic expression, I could only reply indifferently, "In those days, I was merely discussing theory on paper - it would be better for you to seek instruction from your father." After sending Lu Can off, my heart felt a pang of sorrow. This student who had once received instruction from me had already become a general in the Southern Chu army, and thinking about what he would soon face, how could I not feel distressed? After thinking for a long time, I sent some military formations that I had organized to Lu Can through Chi Ji, instructing him not to speak of it to outsiders. Perhaps my military formations could allow him to win a few more battles on the field - although in the end, the result might only be a few more deaths. But this was his fate, and the fate of Southern Chu. This, too, would be my final contribution to Southern Chu.

  Soon, someone presented a memorial saying that the ruler was wise and divine, having been in power for several years, first conquering Shu, and now again repelling the Yong army. Discussing his virtues and abilities, he should be promoted to Emperor, and share equal status with Da Yong. Zhao Jia's ears were too soft, and after listening, he actually believed that he was destined by heaven, forgetting the blood-stained memorial of his murdered brother, De Wang. He quickly issued an edict seeking the opinions of court officials, but they were all bewildered by victory, mostly agreeing with him, and even presented memorials urging him to ascend to the throne.

  After listening, I originally wanted to go and resign, but after careful consideration, I wrote a memorial "Admonishing the Emperor of Jin" and submitted it. The monarch was indeed furious when he received this memorial, which clearly stated that although we won the battle against Shu, the benefits were mostly gained by our country, and the strengths and weaknesses of the two armies were obvious. I also mentioned that this time we repelled the great Yong only because the King of Qi led the army to fight too hard, and Xiangyang was very strong. Now that King De is dead in battle, there are no longer any generals in South Chu who can be compared with him. The foundation of Great Yong has not been damaged, and if the monarch claims the throne, Great Yong can use the reason of rebellion by a vassal state to attack South Chu. At that time, South Chu will be at fault, and I fear it will be difficult to resist the attack of Great Yong. This memorial is one of the few times I have written my true opinion, as it was the last memorial before I left South Chu. If the monarch really accepts it, I would rather dedicate all my talents to South Chu, even if I die on the battlefield, I will not regret it.

  Unfortunately, the things I predicted happened. The monarch was furious and almost ordered my immediate beheading. Fortunately, thanks to the inner servant I had bribed through Xiao Shunzi, I was able to persuade him otherwise and was dismissed from office instead. Originally, I wanted to formally resign, but in the end, I made a last-ditch gamble with this memorial, and as expected, I was relieved of my duties. This way, I no longer have any entanglements or grudges with Nan Chu. As I listened calmly to the official reciting the imperial edict, I almost wanted to burst out laughing. In this case, Da Yong should not have any grandiose reasons to add to my crimes and therefore cannot use the excuse of pardoning me to make me surrender. The one who delivered the edict was Liu Kui, a fellow graduate and second-place finisher in our class, who is now serving under the monarch's orders. With a tinge of regret, Liu Kui said: "Brother Jiang Nian, don't be disheartened. Although the monarch says he will never use you again, after a few years when things have died down, we will speak on your behalf, and since you were sincere in your efforts for Nan Chu's sake, the monarch will surely reappoint you."

  I didn't respond to his consolation, but instead said lightly: "The thunder and rain are all your kindness, how can I dare to have any complaints? A few years ago, I went to the military in Shu, and as a result, I fell ill. These past few years, I've been at home recovering from my illness. Originally, I shouldn't be drawing a salary for doing nothing." After sending off the guest, I said lightly: "Let's go, we're going back home."

  I had not yet left the gate of the Ministry with Chen Yin and others when I saw Liang Wan beckoning to me from a horse carriage. Chen Yin looked at my gloomy face and said in a low voice, "Sir, no, young master, don't forget..."

  I intercepted his words and walked forward: "It's Miss Liang, I don't know what instructions there are."

  Liang Yuanshao said: "This is not a good place to talk, let's get in the carriage and have a chat."

  I smiled and got on the car, saying to Liang Wan: "Alright then, Miss, please send me for a ride, just to the North Gate will do"

  Liang Wan waited until I got on the carriage, instructed to start the journey, and smiled as she asked: "The top scholar this time spoke frankly and advised, but ended up in such a predicament, it's really pitiful. In the past, Bi Gan was cut open to examine his heart, and Zi Xu sank into the river, although they were loyal officials, they became laughing stocks for the world, all because they served the wrong master. If the top scholar doesn't mind, I have some acquaintances in Da Yong, and I'm willing to recommend you to take office there."

  I smiled slightly and said, "Miss is now the confidante of the King of Southern Chu, as well as the adopted daughter of the late king. Not to worry about Southern Chu, but to work for Da Yong instead, isn't that a bit contradictory?"

  Li Ruoli spoke disdainfully: "Who would want the power of South Chu? The top scholar is intelligent beyond ordinary people, and has been praised by King Qi many times. If he is willing to change his ways, he will surely rise to great heights and have a limitless future."

  I smiled silently, my left hand continuously rotating the jade ring on my right index finger, which was a keepsake from my late wife. After a long while, I said: "Miss has been in South Chu for many years, although her achievements are outstanding, she relies on the power of Da Yong. Now that South Chu and Da Yong are about to break off relations, please take care of yourself when the time comes." After finishing speaking, I ordered the carriage to stop. Before getting off, I said lightly: "Parting words of advice, please don't be offended, Miss."

  Li Wei looked at me with confusion as I left, she didn't understand why I wouldn't surrender but also warned her to be careful. After thinking for a long time, she thought to herself, "Could it be that he's waiting for the right price? Forget it." She then ordered the army to continue advancing after I crossed the Yangtze River, as if daring me not to surrender.

  After I got off the carriage, I recalled the beautiful face that was just within arm's reach, and a wave of disgust surged up in my heart. Such a woman, she should be torn to pieces. I thought if the Grand Yong really relied solely on her to lead the Jiangnan spies, then I would have to question the wisdom of the people of Grand Yong. However, thinking about the rumors circulating in recent years, they all said that Liang Yuanyu didn't marry because she had an affair with the Emperor, and this time the Emperor ascended to the throne, according to what I know, Liang Yuanyu's behind-the-scenes maneuvering was an indispensable factor. She is indeed an excellent spy, buying off officials, spreading rumors, and I didn't stop her actions. Now the Emperor takes her words as silk music, so it seems that Grand Yong knows how to use people after all. Therefore, in my Southern Chu, the leader of the spies used such a beautiful female spy.

  After me, many people came to advise against the emperor's actions, but were ignored by the ruler. For example, Hanlin Academy Chancellor Scholar Xie Xian and Remonstrance Great Officer Luo Gong, ended up being demoted, dismissed, and Luo Gong eventually died in protest, his blood staining the imperial steps. Unfortunately, the ruler did not awaken to this, I was not involved in any of these upheavals, now I am just a commoner.

  On August 1st, the monarch officially declared himself emperor and announced the change of era to Zhihua. I recalled that when the monarch ascended to the throne, he ordered the continued use of the Xiantong era name. At that time, I found it strange and thought that perhaps the monarch wanted to declare a new era name after declaring himself emperor. It seems that the monarch still has great ambitions, but unfortunately, his abilities do not match his aspirations, and he lacks perseverance. This Zhihua era name may become an era name of national subjugation.

  At the same time, in the Yong Wang Fu within the Great Yong border, Li Zhi looked at the intelligence in his hand and said, "Liang Yu is too arrogant. She doesn't know the benefits of being cautious with her words. If it weren't for her sect, I wouldn't be so lenient with her."

  A refined-looking middle-aged man with a black beard sitting next to him said, "Your Highness, the Fengyi Gate is the leader of the Bai Dao in Dayong, and they have made great contributions during the founding of Dayong. Now their hands are too long, and Liang Yuanshuo obeys Your Highness, but she often acts on her own accord in South Chu, and she has a close relationship with the Crown Prince and the King of Qi's people. Moreover, Qin Jing, the future queen of Qi, is also Liang Yuanshuo's junior sister. I suspect they are preparing to support the Crown Prince's succession."

  King Yong said coldly, "No need to suspect, I have already received intelligence. The Fengyi Sect, through their disciples, has spoken to Father Emperor through his favorite concubine, Consort Ji, saying that I am self-sufficient with my troops and if I ascend to the throne, I will inevitably kill my brothers. But the Crown Prince, although slightly less capable, can still govern the world well as long as he is assisted by wise ministers. Hmph, it's just because I refused to accept their disciples as my queen. A group of women, thinking they can control the world? I, Li Zuo, am not a puppet or a clay statue."

  A middle-aged man worriedly said: "But the Phoenix Instrument's power is too great, if they strongly obstruct Your Highness from ascending to the throne, what can be done? Alas, I am not good at planning and cannot share worries with Your Highness."

  Li Zai's eyes flashed, and he said: "If that person is willing to return to my side, I can certainly deal with the Fengyi Sect. In fact, I am not afraid of the Fengyi Sect's martial arts. Although their martial arts are strong, I have already formed an alliance with the Shaolin Temple and other orthodox sects. At least we can avoid the use of force by the Fengyi Sect. What I worry about is that they are good at manipulating others and sowing discord. If we cannot use strategy to stop them, I fear that the mountains and rivers of Dayong will fall into the hands of women."

  The middle-aged man said: "I've always heard Your Highness mention Jiang Zhe, and I'm eager to meet him. But does Your Highness have a way to make him serve?"

  Li Zai sighed and said, "How can I put it? Letting him serve under me is not very difficult, but if he wants to be loyal and devoted, that's hard. This person's thoughts are unpredictable, and he doesn't care about honor, wealth, or the people's livelihood. How can I make someone like this wholeheartedly follow me? I received intelligence that he submitted a memorial to advise the emperor of Southern Chu and was dismissed from office. After reading his memorial, I was shocked - he has a thorough understanding of the situation in Southern Chu. If I couldn't use someone like him, it would be Li Zai's lifelong regret."

  The middle-aged man took the memorial handed over by Li Zhi and looked at it for a long time. He raised his head and said, "Your Highness, you must immediately send someone to Nan Chu. If we can't get this person, our great cause will be difficult to achieve. Moreover, Feng Yimen is not blind. If they see that this person is talented, they will definitely recruit him. If he becomes the crown prince's staff, we are in danger."

  Li Zai smiled and said, "I believe that Fengyi Gate doesn't have the ability to make him surrender willingly. The 'for the country and for the people' performance that Fengyi Gate is good at won't move him, and Li An also doesn't have the possibility of making him surrender. However, Qi Wang has a high chance of making him submit. This time, Qi Wang sent a secret letter mentioning that he met Jiang Zhe in South Chu, and Jiang Zhe saved his life. Although Qi Wang is rough, he treats people with enthusiasm. If Jiang Zhe follows him, Qi Wang will definitely listen to his advice. That would be our biggest crisis. Now that Qi Wang is recovering from illness, I have already reported to the emperor and we will immediately attack South Chu. As long as I defeat Chu first, Jiang Zhe will definitely fall into my hands. Zi You, we should indeed send someone to South Chu, not to persuade him to surrender, but to grasp Jiang Zhe's whereabouts. If we want to persuade him to surrender, apart from me, no one can succeed."

  At this time, the guard outside the gate loudly requested an audience, and after entering, he knelt down and said: "Your Highness, His Majesty has ordered you to enter the palace to discuss the matter of attacking Chu."