Chapter 694
Liu Xian Ascends the Throne
The Han army, having traveled swiftly and diligently, finally returned to Yi'an on the day of Renxu in the twelfth lunar month. The following day, the last day of the fourth year of Qiming, the Han army once again held a grand victory celebration.
This victory celebration was particularly enthusiastic because everyone knew that this battle held special significance; it was undoubtedly the last victory celebration before the King of Han declared himself emperor. After all, the Han army had completely destroyed the Jin court, captured the Sima emperor, obtained the Imperial Seal, and essentially unified the land south of the Qinling Mountains and the Huai River. Looking across the land, no one was better prepared than the King of Han, and no one was more deserving of popular support.
In fact, given the current situation, the Sima clan's power had long since collapsed, and the emerging factions had no attachment to the Jin court whatsoever. The people all hoped that the Prince of Han would ascend the throne soon, so they could claim the rewards. Therefore, even at the victory ceremony, when the princes and nobles, led by the Sima clan, bowed and submitted to Liu Xian, the captured Jin officials showed no sign of distress. It was less like a victory ceremony and more like a host welcoming guests.
To be honest, Liu Xian hadn't seen the Jin emperor for almost six years. Years had passed, yet he remained as naive as ever. Even though he was now in his forties, with half his hair white and many wrinkles on his face, he could still manage a genuine smile. Upon seeing Liu Xian, Sima Zhong was surprisingly pleased. He grasped Liu Xian's hand and said:
"Lord Songzi, where have you gone? Acha and I miss you so much! Since you left, I've traveled so far, living... living without a fixed abode! So many people have disappeared, and Acha is gone too. I thought I would never see you again!"
Liu Xian looked at Sima Zhong for a long time, and thinking about what the other man had experienced over the past few decades, he couldn't help but sigh. Then he said, "Please rest assured, I will find you a place to stay in a few days. You can rest well there and no one will bother you anymore."
Then came the princes of the Sima clan, led by Sima Chi, the Prince of Yuzhang. They also calmly accepted the fate of the Jin dynasty's demise. To be honest, the hardships they had endured over the years were not only devastating for the people of the land, but also for the princes of the Sima clan. After the fall of the kingdom, when Sima Chi first met Liu Xian, he greeted him with the respect due to a subject. Liu Xian told him to dispense with the formalities and recalled, "When Sun Xiu staged a coup in the capital, it was you who helped me leave Luoyang. I have always kept this kindness in my heart."
Sima Chi dared not claim credit, and said, "Your Highness flatters me. Your benevolence is renowned throughout the land. In Luoyang, I am not the only one who admires Your Highness. How could there be a lack of people to help you? You are blessed by Heaven and it is only natural that you can turn misfortune into good fortune."
Liu Xian smiled slightly and said, "From now on, you will be in charge of the Sima family. I hope you can keep the brothers harmonious and not repeat the mistakes of the predecessors."
Sima Chi was somewhat confused by these words, as Lu Zhi's strategy was still a secret and not yet known to others. However, he could sense Liu Xian's goodwill. Others might criticize Liu Xian for some faults in the Jin court, but during the War of the Eight Princes, his assistance to the Sima clan was indeed exemplary, and he did everything in his power to help them.
Besides these, Liu Xian also met many old friends and acquaintances. Some were seniors who knew Liu Xian well, such as Fu Zhi, Shan Jian, Lu Bo, and Yang Zhun (who had served as a literary advisor to the Crown Prince); some were former subordinates of Liu Xian, such as Shangguan Si, Song Hong, Linghu Sheng, and Yang Man; and some were enemies who had grudges against Liu Xian, such as He Yu, Qian Xiu, Pei Dun, and Xun Chuo. Those he knew were naturally comfortable with him, but those with whom he had grudges were all uneasy and anxious. However, Liu Xian treated them all equally, smiling and saying, "The past is the past. After all, without you all, there would be no Liu Huaichong today. There's no need to dwell on it."
Among them were even some people Liu Xian hadn't expected. For example, A'Luo's brother, Cao Guang, had long considered Liu Xian a thorn in Jia Mi's side, someone destined for a bad end in officialdom, and had severed ties with him. Unexpectedly, times had changed, and his sister might become the Empress of the Han Dynasty, while they were imprisoned by Wang Yan for this, only being released after Kaicheng was opened. Even in Yi'an, they hid behind the crowd, not daring to meet Liu Xian for a while.
Li Xiu's elder brother, Li Zhao, also spent time in Wang Yan's prison. He was originally serving as a court official in the Jin court, and Li Yi, the former governor of Ningzhou, had hoped that he would come to pacify Ningzhou. However, due to the vast distance, the message could not be delivered. After the Ningzhou army defected to Liu Xian, Li Zhao was implicated and directly imprisoned by Wang Yan for two years. Fortunately, Fu Zhi secretly helped him, allowing him to survive until now.
Liu Xian hadn't expected to rescue two relatives of the imperial family from prison, and was quite surprised. He certainly wouldn't hold Cao Guang accountable; in fact, Cao Zhi, the Duke of Juancheng, had promoted him, completely changing Liu Xian's career, a fact he still remembered vividly. He also felt deeply ashamed of Li Zhao's fate. However, the men weren't familiar with each other and had little in common to discuss, so after a few pleasantries, Liu Xian quickly arranged for them to go to the palace to catch up with his wives.
Generally speaking, Liu Xian was quite satisfied with the victory presentation. However, he was slightly disappointed and regretful that he hadn't seen some of the people present. One of them was Ji Shao, who was practically his mentor and had helped him greatly during the chaos in Luoyang. Liu Xian naturally hoped to see him again. Unexpectedly, he heard from Fu Zhi that Ji Shao had stayed in Xuchang, had been captured by Qi Han, and refused to serve as an official, subsequently being placed under house arrest by the Emperor of Daxing.
Secondly, Liu Xian hadn't seen Shi Chao. As a childhood friend, Shi Chao, despite his faults, had genuinely treated Liu Xian well. Therefore, upon hearing of Shi Chao's recent misfortunes, Liu Xian planned to give him a sinecure to support him. Unexpectedly, Shi Chao, due to depression, drank heavily for days, subsequently contracted a serious illness, and died in the middle of this year at the age of thirty-nine. It is said that he died a miserable death, leaving behind only two children, who were raised by his friend Pei Gai.
Upon hearing the news, Liu Xian sighed for a long time. He then instructed Li Sheng, "Xi Nu's children are my children. Help me bring his children here and raise them in the palace."
At the same time, he sent a message to He Pan, hoping that he could send an envoy to discuss matters with Qi Han. Regardless of the outcome of the war, at least Ji Shao, Liu Qiao, Lu Yao, and Wang Cui's wife and children could be ransomed, which would be considered as fulfilling some of the friendship.
However, that's all in the future. Immediately after the victory ceremony, it was January of the fifth year of Qiming (310 AD), which was the first day of the Lunar New Year. The ministers' urging of the King of Han to ascend the throne finally began in earnest.
First, Li Ju, the General Who Conquers the North and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat of Shu Han, sent a message to the capital. This was followed by responses from Li Sheng, the Grand Secretary; Lu Zhi, the Director of the Imperial Library; Fan Ben, the Attendant-in-Ordinary; Zhuge Pan, the Attendant-in-Ordinary; Lu Yun, the Governor of Jingzhou; Zhou Yi, the Vice Censor-in-Chief; Yan Zuan, the Grand Herald; Li Ci, the Minister of Justice; and Xiahou Zhi, the Commandant of the Guards. A total of 237 civil and military officials entered the palace to meet the King of Han and presented a memorial stating:
"The Han dynasty ruled the world for countless generations. In the past, Cao Pi usurped the throne, deceived and oppressed the Han court, seized the state, and cruelly persecuted loyal officials. He was utterly wicked. Emperor Zhaolie was enraged and rose up in rebellion to restore the state. Although it suffered misfortune and was once destroyed, the Wei and Jin dynasties were treacherous and their influence was overwhelming. Their poison spread throughout the land, and they destroyed each other. This made the people yearn for the Liu family and strive for the resurgence of the Han dynasty."
"Our King is blessed with extraordinary talent and wisdom, possessing virtue comparable to Shao Kang and martial prowess like Yin Zhao. As a direct descendant of the Han dynasty, he has slain the treacherous villains. Jia Mi, however, is treacherous and usurped the throne; Sun Xiu, cunning and treacherous, has gathered a multitude of evil men; Zhang Fang, arrogant and rampant, leads beasts to devour people; Wang Yan, a hidden traitor, conceals his virtue. These four villains have wreaked havoc across the land, causing blatant calamity. We humbly beseech our King to wield his divine might, utterly annihilate these wicked men, continue the lost teachings of Yao and Shun, and save us from death." "Now that the Jin dynasty has fallen, the world is without a ruler, and the people are in a state of panic, with no one to look up to. We humbly beseech our King, whose wisdom shines throughout the land, whose birth is auspicious and whose brilliance is renowned across the nine provinces, and whose integrity is known throughout the four seas. More than three hundred of his subjects have submitted memorials, all praising the auspicious omens, and the clear signs in the maps and prophecies. The Celestial Master testifies that the King was born on the Jia Chen day of the Gui Chou month of the Ren Chen year, when a dragon traversed the heavens and thunder shook in winter. The dragon is the symbol of the ruler. Furthermore, there were earlier calamities in the Jia Zi year and the prophecy of the True Lord of Great Peace, foreshadowing that Your Majesty will ascend to the throne as a dragon."
"In the past, the Yellow Emperor was blessed with the auspicious sign of a divine tortoise, which was universally acknowledged as a sign. When the three ancestors received their mandates, the diagrams and books were first written, and all were in accordance with this. We humbly believe that our king is descended from Emperor Zhaolie and Emperor Xiaohuai, with a clear lineage, bearing the Han dynasty's mandate, with the kingly way shining brightly, and with great integrity and virtue, thus the hearts of all directions are devoted to him. Examining the divine diagrams and enlightening the prophecies, his divine martial prowess is evident, and the people's hopes are pinned on him. Our king should answer the questions of the gods and men, rule over all nations, continue the lineage of the three ancestors, and fulfill the favor of Heaven and the admiration of all people."
After submitting the memorial, Liu Xian, following the precedent set by Emperor Guangwu, first declined, saying, "The world is not yet at peace, and the nine provinces are not yet settled. How can you all speak of this matter? My virtue is very meager; how can I be worthy of it?" He then ordered his men to thank the officials and also provided relief to orphans and widows in and around Nanping, posted notices to explain the situation, and to clarify the intentions of the King of Han.
A month after this urging, the governors and commanders of various provinces, including Grand Commandant and General Who Conquers the East He Pan, General Who Conquers the West and Governor of Yi Province Liu Kun, Commandant of the Capital Region and General of the Left Du Tao, Governor of Jing Province Lu Yun, Governor of Jiang Province Wang Dun, Governor of Ning Province Huangfu Zhong, Governor of Xiang Province Xi Jian, Governor of Guangzhou Ruan Fang, and Governor of Jiao Province Liu Xuan, jointly submitted another memorial to the King of Han, stating:
"The Han dynasty suffered the calamity of Cao Cao and Zhao Zhao, the ancestral temples were destroyed, the gentlemen were furious, the people were in dire straits, and the people longed for the Han dynasty. Before, Liu Ni raised an army in Jianghan, and after, Liu Yuan used his resources in Shuofang, and Liu Gen plotted against Qingxu. All of them were usurpers. They misled the common people, corrupted the order, and caused bandits to increase. The people were in danger and longed for the rightful successor."
"When our king first conquered Ba and Shu, Li Xiong collapsed; later, he defeated Wang Kuang, and Jing and Xiang were pacified; after five years of military campaigns, he divided the world in two and controlled one of them, ruling over multiple provinces and commanding a million armored soldiers. In terms of military strength, none can match him, and in terms of moral character, none dare to oppose him. I have heard that the imperial throne cannot be left vacant for long, and the mandate of heaven cannot be refused with humility. Now, auspicious omens are appearing frequently, and the will of heaven is clear. Your Majesty should consider the well-being of the nation and the well-being of the people, and should not refuse with humility."
Faced with this situation, Liu Xian declined again, saying, "I appreciate your kindness, but as a usurper of the southern lands, I cannot become emperor in the Central Plains, which would jeopardize the legitimacy of the dynasty." Following the previous custom, he replied to the officials, refusing their invitations, and posted notices throughout the country, distributing grain to the elderly over sixty years old in various prefectures and counties.
Two months later, in April of the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Qiming of the Han Dynasty, Sima Fan, the former General Who Conquers the West and Prince of Xiangyang of the Jin Dynasty, along with Yan Ding, the Chief Clerk of the Western Expedition, Zu Ti, the Governor of Yongzhou, Zhang Gui, the Governor of Liangzhou, and Jia Pi, the Governor of Qinzhou, sent a message to Yi'an. They jointly submitted a memorial with Sima Chi, the former Prince of Yuzhang of the Jin Dynasty, Sima Yan, the Prince of Wu, Fu Zhi, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Xun Fan, the Minister of Works, Hua Heng, the Commander of the Central Army, and Liu Yu, the Protector of the Central Army. This memorial received the support of the officials who had submitted memorials earlier, and the names alone amounted to more than a thousand characters.
The memorial reads: "When Heaven created the land, it established trees to govern and nurture it, thus harmonizing the three realms and governing all under Heaven. Therefore, the Great Way selects the virtuous and capable; without a wise ruler, calamities will frequently arise. Now, the Jin dynasty is without virtue, its reign has fallen to the ground, the common people have died, and bandits have wreaked havoc on China. As for Your Majesty's sage virtue, your divine martial prowess has shone brightly in this world, you have rectified the declining fortunes and restored the land, but you have succeeded in continuing the lost tradition, just as ships and boats have been lost. Now, Your Majesty's great achievements, even when they reach the western barbarians and extend south to Jiaozhi, are heard by scholars and commoners alike, and both Chinese and barbarians are in awe. This is exactly what is meant by the artisans singing in the court and the common people praising in the countryside."
"As for the auspicious omens from Heaven, the manifestation of the four spirits, the signs of prophecy, and the hopes of both gods and men, the destiny of Heaven truly rests upon Your Majesty. Thus, the ascent of the five planets repeatedly demonstrates the continuation of the Han dynasty; the alignment of the three luminaries signifies the auspiciousness of peace and prosperity. Those who leap from the abyss will ultimately enjoy the throne; those whose merits reach the heavens and earth will surely inherit the great treasure. We hope Your Majesty will cherish the people and ascend to the throne soon, thus fulfilling the people's expectations."
Having said this, the King of Han finally completed the process of declining the throne three times. He issued an edict from the Imperial Secretariat, announcing his agreement to become emperor and ordering the Imperial Secretariat to choose an auspicious day and set up an altar for his ascension to the throne.
On the Jia-Chen day of the sixth month of the fifth year of Qiming, Liu Xian personally rode in a dragon carriage drawn by six fine horses to the banks of the Youjiang River to offer sacrifices to Heaven, saying:
"On the Jia-Chen day of the sixth month of the fifth year of the Qiming era, the Emperor, whose personal name is Xian, dares to use a black ox to proclaim to the Heavenly Emperor, the Supreme God, and the Earthly Gods: Xian is an unworthy descendant of the Han Dynasty, barely surviving the fall of the nation. Fortunately, he has the love of loyal ministers. The country has been overthrown for over forty years, and thanks to the accumulated blessings of his ancestors and the care of the remaining people, he has been entrusted with the responsibility of being a parent to them. Xian is truly terrified and unworthy of such a title. However, the world is in turmoil, the nine provinces are in chaos, and the people are weeping, not knowing where to turn. All the officials under his command and the regional governors all say: 'The Mandate of Heaven cannot be delayed for long, the imperial throne cannot be temporarily neglected, and the four seas cannot be without a ruler.'"
"I am humbled by my meager virtue and limited strength, unable to bear this heavy responsibility. I also fear that the Han dynasty's fate is uncertain, and the people will be in turmoil. Therefore, I have carefully chosen an auspicious day to ascend the altar with my colleagues, to fulfill the prophecy of the True Lord of Great Peace, to receive the imperial seal and ribbon, and to offer my prayers to the Supreme God. May the divine spirits accept this offering, may Heaven protect the Han dynasty forever, and may peace prevail throughout the four seas!"
At the altar ceremony, Liu Xian wore a black robe with twelve embroidered patterns, a crown with nine-inch vertical twelve-tassel white jade beads, and gold-embroidered shoes. He was extremely heroic. He showed the world the Imperial Seal he had obtained years ago, the Serpent-Slaying Sword that Zhang Hua had described as a divine light flying away, and the six imperial seals that the court had re-made.
This scene deeply moved the officials and nobles. Many of them, exhausted from preparing to urge the emperor to ascend the throne, now felt a profound and heartfelt admiration as they gazed upon the emperor's figure. Some had even witnessed Emperor Wu of Jin's coronation ceremony and experienced the years of chaos and leaderlessness within the Jin court. At this moment, they were overcome with emotion, tears streaming down their faces as they exclaimed, "Who would have thought we would meet such a true ruler today!"
The onlookers, however, didn't share this sentiment, as they were standing quite far away and most couldn't see clearly. But they could clearly hear that after the new emperor finished the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, he announced a general amnesty and a two-year tax reduction for the people. After confirming this again, the people cheered and spread the news, sincerely celebrating the new emperor's ascension to the throne.
At this point, Liu Xian officially ascended the throne, paid homage at the ancestral temple, remotely honored the old Duke of Anle, Liu Xun, as the Retired Emperor, appointed the Crown Prince Liu Cheng as the Crown Prince, and the Queen Cao Shangrou as the Empress. He posthumously honored his mother Zhang Ximiao as the Empress Wuxiao. He then granted a general amnesty and revived the Han Dynasty three times, which is historically known as the Southern Han or the Lian Han.
(End of Thunder Chapter) (End of this chapter)