After pondering for a moment, the Prince of Langya indicated he could issue the order, but Luoyang must agree to help him capture Wang Dun together, and his military forces must be limited to within Lujiang. Zhao’s army also could not cross beyond Lujiang.
Liu Kun’s spirits lifted—he wasn’t afraid of negotiating conditions! He was only afraid the Prince of Langya wouldn’t negotiate at all. As long as he dared to start talking, there was the possibility of being persuaded.
Moreover, once the great army entered Lujiang, it would be difficult to get Zhao’s army to withdraw.
As for warfare, it inevitably involved pursuing enemies and shifting positions—fighting here and there, changing locations was a common occurrence.
Even though Wang Dao and Liu Wei had already developed their own thoughts, they couldn’t help but speak up to help refuse at this moment.
They absolutely could not let Zhao’s army come down. Being forced to surrender with troops at the city gates versus actively returning to Luoyang and then having reinforcements go south to suppress Wang Dun’s rebellion would result in entirely different outcomes and treatment.
Even though the other opponent was his cousin Wang Dun, Wang Dao still hoped the Prince of Langya and the southern gentry families could return to the north respectably, with a good beginning.
This matter remained unresolved for a time in heated debate, and after the Prince of Langya spoke his words, he seemed to have some regret and now remained silent again.
Liu Kun saw through this at a glance. He couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly and simply gave time and space for the Prince of Langya to think. He instead invited Wang Dao to leave together: “This is my first time coming to Jiankang. I don’t know where the courier station is. Maohong, would you be willing to show me the way?”
Wang Dao looked toward the Prince of Langya.
The Prince of Langya didn’t want to agree, but Liu Kun was looking at him intently with bright eyes. Because he represented Zhao Hanzhang and was a famous scholar known throughout the realm, the Prince of Langya couldn’t refuse him and could only nod.
So Wang Dao and Liu Kun left together.
Those who had been waiting outside saw Wang Dao emerge safely and breathed a huge sigh of relief, immediately returning to pass on the information.
Thus, all the aristocratic families learned that Liu Kun had entered the palace and brought Wang Dao out safely.
Liu Kun already had an excellent reputation and was deeply respected. Not only did the aristocratic families who had fled from the north admire him, but even the local gentry clans of the south quite respected him as well.
As soon as he left the palace, family heads personally drove carriages to receive him, warmly inviting him to stay at their homes.
Seeing this, other families naturally wouldn’t fall behind and rushed over to compete for him. Carriages and ox-carts filled the streets, making movement impossible—all coming to invite Liu Kun or to see him.
Liu Kun loved liveliness, especially being pursued by others, and was about to accept their invitations when Censor Lu squeezed through the crowd before he could speak, grabbing his sleeve: “Envoy Liu, we’ve already reserved a room for you at the courier station. Drinking can be put off until evening. How about going to the courier station first to wash up?”
All the way here, first riding horses to the riverside, his body was covered with dust and the smell of horse manure; then crossing the river, his body inevitably picked up the fishy smell of water; after disembarking, he rode horses again. After two days, wasn’t he tired and dirty?
“Envoy Liu, you’ve come all the way to the south—how can we let you stay in such a shabby, dilapidated place as the courier station? Quickly come to my home. I’ll have the upper rooms cleaned out for you to stay in.”
“Your garden doesn’t compare to mine. Envoy Liu should come to my home instead.”
“Come to my house! I have fifteen musicians with superb skills. I was just thinking of inviting Envoy Liu to enjoy their performance.”
The whole world knew Liu Kun loved music. Sure enough, hearing this he couldn’t help but be moved.
Censor Lu could only grip him tightly, leaning close to his ear to remind him in a low voice: “Great General, the Great General…”
Liu Kun reluctantly refused them, though he still agreed to drink and enjoy music with them in the evening, going to the house that just mentioned having musicians—oh, that was the Lu family, a local southern aristocratic family.
Among the many aristocratic families of the south, the Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang families were foremost. These four families were the core of the eastern gentry. Besides them, there was also one powerful clan: the Zhou family of Yixing.
The Zhou family controlled military power and had considerable influence in the south as well.
But in the south, only the four families—Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang—could contend with the aristocratic families from the north. Liu Kun had been mentally prepared before coming. In her letter, Zhao Hanzhang had specifically mentioned having him placate the southern gentry and encourage them to send their family’s children north to take the examinations and enter government service.
So he chose the Lu family to attend the banquet.
Of course, the Lu family couldn’t possibly invite only Liu Kun. The Lu family head was very generous, directly cupping his hands toward all four directions, inviting everyone present to come.
Wang Dao stood quietly to the side, watching as Liu Kun was surrounded by people and left. After everyone around him had dispersed, only then did Wang clan members come forward: “Uncle, your nephew has come to receive you.”
Now the Wang clan’s gates were deserted. Walking among the crowds, people would actively avoid acknowledging their existence. Seeing his uncle, who was usually surrounded like the moon among stars, being treated so coldly, Wang’s nephew couldn’t help but feel bitter.
Wang Dao’s expression remained unchanged. After boarding the carriage, he asked gently: “Has Wang Dun sent any letters?”
“Yes, he sent a letter urging us to rebel against Jiankang together. He also wanted to ask Uncle to write a letter to Dai Yuan and others, but the clan members refused.”
The Wang clan members who remained were all people who didn’t agree with Wang Dun’s actions, so naturally they wouldn’t listen to him.
“Uncle, is there still room for reconciliation?” Wang’s nephew asked. “If Wang Dun really rebels, will the Prince massacre our Wang clan?”
Every rebellion in Luoyang resulted in many deaths. Many family members were killed off this way. Some aristocratic families had their direct lines completely wiped out, with branches killed and scattered everywhere, until in the end it was distant collateral lines carrying on the clan name.
For example, the most famous was the Xiahou family.
He worried the Wang clan would end up the same way.
Yet even with the threat of clan extermination hanging overhead, they still didn’t choose Wang Dun’s side but decided to risk staying in Jiankang, following the Prince of Langya.
Because they knew that not rebelling meant they might live, but rebelling meant certain death.
Wang Dao: “You also think Wang Dun can’t win, don’t you?”
Wang’s nephew fell silent.
Wang Dao sighed: “Even you at your young age understand this principle, yet he doesn’t.”
Wang Dun had of course considered it, but he still wasn’t willing to give up.
He told his trusted confidants: “I’d rather die than continue suffering this humiliation.”
Being suppressed and suspected—he would never live this kind of life again.
He sneered: “If not for Maohong and me, how would the Prince of Langya have what he has today? During the Yanzhou rebellion, the imperial family was slaughtered until only two yellow-haired children remained. This entire branch depended on Maohong and me to cross the river safely.”
“Maohong worked himself to exhaustion for him, allowing him to establish a firm foothold in the south. Yet he crosses the river and destroys the bridge—no, the river hasn’t even been crossed yet, and he’s already begun to suspect the Wang clan members. Such a person is not worthy of our service,” Wang Dun said. “Even if we lose, I must go to Jiankang to demand justice. Besides, we may not necessarily lose.”
Wang Dun hadn’t moved these past days precisely to rally supporters. He had already sent letters to several people and successfully recruited three forces. He was now very confident and therefore decided to issue a proclamation.
He would enter Jiankang to eliminate the treacherous ministers. “List the crimes of Liu Wei, Diao Xie, and others, and announce them to the world!”
He would enter Jiankang to purge the court of evil ministers. As for what would happen after purging the court—that would be discussed after the purging was done.
“Has Yuanli opened his mouth?”
—