Free Web NovelChapter 1214: Chapter 1196: Persuasion (Part 3)
Liu Kun and Sima Rui once studied together in Luoyang. He was friends with Sima Rui and Wang Dao, but compared to those two, he got on better with the bold, forthright and carefree Wang Dun, and could drink with him more easily. In his view, Sima Rui and Wang Dao were both too soft, although he had always greatly admired Wang Dao’s wisdom.
He did not regard Sima Rui as a Great King who had carved out his own realm in Jiangnan, but still as a distant prince of the Jin Dynasty.
Liu Kun had the standing to do so, so as soon as he saw Sima Rui, after clasping his hands and bowing, he smiled and asked, "Great King, are you going to break off relations with Mao Hong?"
King Langya hurriedly asked, "Yue Shi, why do you say that?"
"As soon as I entered the city I heard that you have forcibly kept Mao Hong in your residence, so I ask."
King Langya hurried to explain, "Mao Hong is merely unwell, so I kept him in the residence to recuperate; there is no intent to confine him."
"You could have a physician escort Mao Hong home; it would be best to have the carriage circle through the streets, so that the common people of Jiankang City may see him. That would also calm the hearts of the people," Liu Kun said. "If Mao Hong knew that his own safety could settle the mood and stabilize the situation, he would certainly be willing to toil for the Great King this once."
King Langya forced a smile and said, "How can I let Mao Hong take such a risk? At this time he ought to rest quietly."
Liu Kun shook his head and said, "I know your affection for him is deep, but you ought not to forget the public for the sake of the private. If greater calamity arises from this matter, it would not be Mao Hong’s wish; he would bear this blame in vain—would that be any good for his illness?"
King Langya pressed his lips tight and could only turn his head to instruct those at his side, "Go and invite Governor Wang. Say that Governor Liu has come to visit and asks to see him."
The aide answered and went out, and just then Liu Kui came in. He had caught a few fragments of what was said and hurried in to say, "Great King, why do you want to let Wang Dao go?"
He said, "Wang Dun ignored your order to recall him, and even sent men secretly into Jiankang City, which shows he already harbors rebellious intent. At this time you ought to seize the Wang clan as hostages to threaten Wang Dun and order him to return to the city. If he refuses, then kill the Wang clan to overawe him. How can you release Wang Dao at such a time?"
Having spoken, he glared angrily at Liu Kun, feeling it must be he who had bewitched King Langya. "Wang Dun privately dispatched troops to plunder the Jingzhou tax grain, and Luoyang means to call him to account. Our Great King is wholeheartedly aiding the court in arresting the offender—why would Your Excellency speak for Wang Dun instead? Is it that you take thought for old ties? I do not know whether this is Your Excellency’s own idea, or General Zhao’s instruction."
Liu Kun was not afraid of him; instead he asked, "Wang Dun has committed a crime—what has that to do with Wang Dao? Plundering tax grain is a heinous crime, but not to the point of implicating the entire clan. As far as I know, Wang Dao has been constantly remonstrating with Wang Dun, trying to stop him from plotting rebellion. Should the Great King not praise and reassure Wang Dao? Why instead would you kill him?"
King Langya said, "...I have no intention of killing him. I have kept him in the residence so he can recover from illness."
Liu Kui was bitterly disappointed. King Langya’s will to seize power was not firm; they were already in a weak position, and if he did not steel himself now, they would be even less able to fight this battle.
Whether facing Wang Dun or Zhao Hanzhang, King Langya would lose.
Then why struggle at all?
Might as well surrender sooner.
Surrendering to Wang Dun was impossible. From Wang Dun’s character, he would certainly kill him; he had only one road left—to choose Zhao Hanzhang.
Once that thought arose, his heart ached.
Liu Kun ignored the differing thoughts of ruler and minister; he had his own pace. "Great King, I have come to Jiangnan as a lobbyist for General Zhao, to invite the Great King and your whole family to enter the capital: first, to have an audience with Your Majesty; second, for the matter of escorting you back to your Langya fief."
King Langya had not expected him to be so blunt. After his expression shifted several times, he hurried to find reasons to decline.
Liu Kun then sighed and asked, "Does the Great King insist on remaining in Jiangnan because you think you can occupy Jiangnan and rule across the river in opposition to the court?"
King Langya said awkwardly, "I have no such intent."
"It is best if you do not. The unification of the realm is the trend of the times. Since the Han, the land has been split into pieces, war without cease. Only after Ancestor unified the world did we enjoy a brief period of stability," Liu Kun said. "I am a descendant of the Great Han, yet for the great peace of the realm I have never thought of laying a hand on this rivers-and-mountains. I also ask the Great King to place the people of the world above all else."
Liu Kun was a man who cared greatly about face; he feared others bringing up his being of Great Han descent, lest the Jin Dynasty think he harbored disloyal intentions.
But that he cared so much about this—was it not precisely for the sake of national righteousness? For the peace of the realm?
Otherwise, in an age when any random man could shout and proclaim himself emperor, if he wished to rise higher, with his bloodline and prestige he would certainly be able to summon a ready response.
Yet he had never thought of doing so, and had even actively cut off any such thoughts among those around him.
He hoped King Langya could put down his fixation, think more of the common people of the realm, and give up the idea of splitting the state.
After Shang and Zhou, only the Han Dynasty had a unified regime lasting more than a hundred years; the Qin Dynasty had only a brief two generations, Wei never fully unified the realm, and as for Jin—so far it had existed but forty-five years.
Liu Kun cried allegiance to the Jin Dynasty, but he was no fool; how could he fail to see that the fate of the realm lay entirely in Zhao Hanzhang’s single thought?
If she wished to be Lord Cao, she would support the Little Emperor and let Jin’s ancestral line continue;
If she wished to be Cao Pi, she would seize an opportunity to take his place;
Thinking of the people, in truth Liu Kun inclined more toward the second.
A direct change of regime—everything becomes new and the struggles would be much less. As for the first path, Lord Cao had already told later generations through his own experience that the Little Emperor would one day grow up; when he then sought to rule in person, the struggle between the two sides would certainly not be small. Liu Kun was truly weary of the days when every so often one had to change emperors.
Moreover, the Sima family might be prolific, but almost all of them had died. If the Little Emperor died again, unless he left descendants, there would still be only a single direct-line cousin to inherit the throne. If the succession kept circling down, it would truly come to the line of King Langya.
Yet these words he could not say. Who told him to have always worn the skin of unfailing loyalty?
But that was all right; he only had to swap Zhao Hanzhang out for the Little Emperor.
Liu Kun lavishly praised the Little Emperor to the skies, telling King Langya that the emperor was clever, exceedingly clever, extraordinarily clever; that he was now studying the Way of governing the state under several great Confucian scholars and great masters of the Legalist School at court, and that General Zhao would from time to time invite Hermits from the mountains and wilds to instruct him;
In addition, he took part in state affairs every day. General Zhao treated him with great respect, allowing him to sit in on every matter of state, and even asked for his opinion.
Accumulating experience in this way until he came of age, he would certainly be able to take the reins of power from Zhao Hanzhang and rule personally. Therefore, even for the sake of Great Jin, you ought to return to Luoyang to assist the new emperor, not carve off Jiangnan and put the new emperor in a difficult position.
King Langya was completely dazed.
At his side, Liu Kui several times wanted to speak but held back. He very much wanted to echo these words, but thinking of his own situation, he swallowed them down again.
The atmosphere grew a little stagnant, but fortunately Wang Dao arrived.
Liu Kun turned to size up Wang Dao. Seeing that his complexion was still fair, he let out a long breath of relief and asked, "I have heard that Mao Hong is acquainted with Yuan Li. Do you know where he is now?"
Wang Dao glanced at King Langya and then said, "He was seized by Wang Dun."
Liu Kun frowned and said to King Langya, "Great King, although Yuan Li is just a coarse and boorish General, a petty man at that, General Zhao relies on him quite heavily. If she learns that Yuan Li has been taken by Wang Dun, she will not let the matter rest. And as you have not yet formally broken with Wang Dun, all that he does, in the eyes of Luoyang, will be seen as done at your instigation."
"So I must ask King Langya to set forth Wang Dun’s crimes and formally move to arrest him."
