Seeing the Prince of Langya still silent, Sima Shao said, “I am a descendant and should not presume to criticize my ancestors, but to prevent our line from being severed, I must speak: our ancestor’s usurpation of the Wei was wrong. The founding was unjust, which brought about this great calamity. Even without Zhao Hanzhang, the Jin house’s realm would not last long—when the foundation is crooked, no matter how hard later descendants strive, it’s difficult to set it right.”
Sima Shao said, “You occupy Jiangnan, wanting to maintain the Jin house’s ancestral rites. But in this realm, how many are willing to follow you in maintaining Jin house rule? Your son believes Zhao Hanzhang has one saying that is excellent: this realm is the realm of all the people under heaven!”
The Prince of Langya’s heart trembled. He raised his head to look carefully at his son, and after confirming he truly believed this, his lips quivered as he asked, “If one day Zhao Hanzhang kills us father and son because we are of the Jin house, would you still think this way?”
Sima Shao replied steadily, “Your son is no fish or meat to be slaughtered at will—I would naturally struggle with all my might. But if killing me is the will of all the people under heaven, then I would die without regret.”
The Prince of Langya’s lips trembled. After a long while, he said softly, “Very well, then… as you wish.”
Sima Shao immediately rose and knelt, respectfully kowtowing to his father, “Father, your son kowtows in gratitude on behalf of Jiankang and Jiangnan’s common people.”
The Prince of Langya’s eyes filled with tears as he leaned forward to help him up, “Go then. Between us father and son, such formality is unnecessary.”
Sima Shao rose and departed, sending someone to summon Wang Dao while deploying troops to surround the prince’s mansion to prevent any incidents.
Wang Dao, who had been anxiously waiting in his mansion, received the Prince of Langya’s summons and immediately entered the mansion.
When the two good friends met again, both had lost considerable weight. The Prince of Langya still lay on his couch, looking sickly.
Because he had resolved to return to Jiangbei, Jiangnan was no longer his territory in the Prince of Langya’s heart. Having stepped out of the identity of “ruler,” the Prince of Langya no longer harbored suspicion toward Wang Dao, but rather pity and melancholy. The two good friends faced each other in tears, finally embracing and weeping bitterly.
After learning his intentions, Wang Dao immediately began planning for him: “First return to Luoyang. After a few years, once Zhao Hanzhang has stabilized the realm, we’ll find a way to be enfeoffed in Langya. Though Liu Yueshi is jealous of talent, he greatly values appearances. Since you are of the Jin house, he certainly won’t make things difficult for you—on the contrary, he’ll protect you. Being in Xuzhou is better than being elsewhere.”
Wang Dao carefully discussed with him which forces to hand over to Zhao Hanzhang, which people they absolutely must retain, what to say when meeting Zhao Hanzhang, and who in the court particularly needed cultivating.
The Prince of Langya had never been a prominent figure for most of his life, only these past two years stepping forward as a leader. He was far more familiar with being a subject than being a ruler, and quickly planned out his course of action with Wang Dao for the next five years.
After discussing the Prince of Langya and his son’s future, Sima Rui saw Wang Dao’s exhausted expression and felt pity, only then remembering, “Wang Dun captured Yuan Li. Zhao Hanzhang probably won’t spare him, but fortunately you Wang clan have Wang Xuan and Wang Yifeng siblings. The Wang clan members remaining in Jiankang City should be safe.”
Wang Dao nodded, though his brows remained tightly furrowed. The Prince of Langya’s choice directly resolved the Wang clan’s current predicament. He could be certain that after the Prince of Langya returned to Luoyang, Zhao Hanzhang wouldn’t make things difficult for him or the Wang clan. But for Wang Dun and those who participated in the rebellion…
True, Wang Dun was currently rebelling against the Prince of Langya, but everyone knew his ambitions. He had also captured Yuan Li, leaving no room for retreat.
Even though he had publicly broken ties with Wang Dun, he couldn’t help worrying about this cousin’s future.
The Prince of Langya quickly met jointly with Liu Kun and Censor Lu, and Liu Kun soon obtained the Prince of Langya’s personal letter.
This was a letter to Zhao Hanzhang lamenting Wang Dun’s disloyalty, his raising troops in rebellion, and his own inability to suppress it. He requested that Zhao Hanzhang dispatch troops to quell Wang Dun’s rebellion. The letter also described his various difficulties since coming to Jiangnan—because customs differed and eating habits all varied, he was very unaccustomed to life in Jiangnan. He hoped Zhao Hanzhang could permit him to return to his fief of Langya.
Liu Kun received the letter and immediately left the prince’s mansion to hand it to a trusted aide, having them cross the river at once to deliver this letter to Luoyang, only then did he warily look around the street, searching for marks left by the covert operations.
Censor Lu beside him couldn’t bear to watch and asked, “What is Inspector Liu looking for?”
Liu Kun lowered his voice, “Do you know about Jiangnan’s covert operations? Yuan Li was captured, but his covert operations must still be here. Do you know how to contact them?”
Censor Lu said, “I know. This subordinate has already informed the covert operations of the Prince of Langya’s intentions. The General should receive news very soon.”
Liu Kun asked, “From leaving the prince’s mansion until now, we’ve been together the whole time. When did you pass the message? How did I not know?”
Censor Lu smiled at him, “Leave such trivial matters to this subordinate. Inspector Liu is a person of noble and upright character—how could you associate with a department that operates in the shadows like covert operations?”
The words were correct, but Liu Kun still felt displeased, feeling that Zhao Hanzhang only gave the covert operations contact method to Censor Lu and not to him showed distrust.
Liu Kun suppressed his displeasure and nodded, “Since the message has been sent, we’ll just wait quietly for a response.”
Zhao Hanzhang received the news that very night. She was so excited she spun in circles, and after making two rounds in her room, still feeling exhilarated, she placed her hands on her hips and laughed loudly—fortunately her residence was large, or it would have carried outside.
The Prince of Langya’s personal letter would still need several days to reach Luoyang, but the next day Zhao Hanzhang announced this news to all officials, then had Ji Yuan draft two edicts at the morning court. One praised the Prince of Langya and summoned his family back to the capital; the other reprimanded Wang Dun, ordering him to cease hostilities and come to the capital to cooperate with the investigation.
Of course Wang Dun wouldn’t agree, but proper procedures had to be followed. And who knows—what if?
After the morning court, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help feeling regret, “It’s a pity Yuan Li isn’t here, otherwise I could order him to take a radio to meet the Prince of Langya, and immediately have him take over the Prince of Langya’s military authority, coordinating from within with our Jiangbei forces.”
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t plan to withdraw Jiangnan’s covert operations, so she didn’t want anyone outside the covert operations’ core to contact them. Except for Yuan Li, Jiangnan’s covert operations had no problem passing messages but lacked the capability to command battles.
Compared to Liu Kun, Ji Yuan also trusted Yuan Li more, “I wonder if Inspector Wang can rescue Yuan Li?”
Wang Siniang was working hard on it. She had already located where Yuan Li was imprisoned and was sending people to thoroughly investigate the prison situation.
Wang Dun seemed to know they would attempt a rescue, not only imprisoning Yuan Li in the deepest part but also laying ambushes layer upon layer inside.
Wang Siniang, first unwilling to sacrifice more people, and second not wanting to alert the enemy, didn’t act rashly. Instead, she sent people to contact Dai Miao.
Because of Dai Yuan, Wang Dun disliked Dai Miao. When deploying troops, he concealed it from him, directly leaving Dai Miao in Lujiang as a division commander under He Qin’s command.
He Qin was one of Wang Dun’s major generals. He remained here mainly to guard against the Zhao family army from the west and north. Knowing Dai Miao wasn’t valued, He Qin left him in camp to drill troops.
Dai Miao was frustrated and unfulfilled. He already disagreed with Wang Dun’s words and actions, wanting to persuade his brother to defect to Jiangbei. When Wang Siniang’s people approached him, they immediately hit it off.
Just as news of Wang Dun’s victory in breaking through Hefei arrived, they seized the opportunity while the entire army was celebrating to storm the prison. With some jailers’ assistance, they found Yuan Li lying in the depths of the dungeon.
—