Thank you to Yuki for the ko-fi~ ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-
The new emperor ascended the throne, announcing to the world, and did not forget to reward Bing County. However, these rewards seemed insincere.
“Grant me the title of Qin Wang?” Liang Feng looked at the imperial edict and burst into laughter.
The implicit meaning of the words was too clear. If he accepted the title of Qin Wang, he would become a puppet of the Han forces in Qin. Could he still control Bing County after that?
“My Lord…” Below, Duan Qin, Zhang Bin, Yiyan, and others all looked nervous. Whether to accept or reject this imperial decree had drastically different implications.
Surveying his trusted aides, Liang Feng tossed aside the imperial edict. “The emperor died suddenly, and it should be a member of the lineage of Emperor Wu who ascended the throne. If there’s no suitable candidate, we should choose a descendant of Emperor Wen. The lineage of Prince Langya is only from Lady Fu, and the succession is not legitimate!”
The four words “the succession is not legitimate” conveyed his stance!
Zhang Bin was overjoyed and took the lead in kneeling. “My Lord is wise! Prince Langya usurped the throne, and everyone deserves to be punished!”
He didn’t mention the establishment of a new emperor, only saying “deserves to be punished.” The implied meaning was clear to everyone.
Liang Feng smiled faintly, “Expel the envoy from Bing County and issue a proclamation throughout the world!”
Defying the imperial decree, expelling the envoy, and issuing a proclamation for retaliation marked the point of tearing apart relations with the southern court. With this, it was time for people across the realm to take sides!
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“Treasonous rebels!” Even though dressed in imperial robes, Sima Rui couldn’t suppress the anger in his chest. He forcefully threw the proclamation to the ground!
How could he not be aware of his own identity? As a distant member of the imperial family, he could only ascend to the throne through a conspiracy. However, knowing this did not make him immune to being insulted, especially when the accusation of harming the emperor was based on factual events. Besides feeling vulnerable, he was overwhelmed by boundless anger. Liang Feng, that traitor, was simply ignoring the court and acting too arrogantly!
“Your Majesty.” Wang Dao took a step forward and whispered, “Liang Feng did not pledge allegiance to the pseudo-emperor separately…”
This sentence, like thunder, shook Sima Rui to his core. “Is he planning to declare independence?”
If Liang Feng only considered the illegitimacy of Sima Rui’s succession and intended to push for a new emperor with a suitable bloodline, using the emperor’s authority to command the vassals and launching an attack on Yang County would make sense. However, the proclamation from Bing County did not mention such matters and showed no intention of seeking out the northern imperial family. What did this mean? It meant that Liang Feng had no intention of adhering to the Sima clan. He wanted to establish his own state and proclaim himself emperor, just like Liu Yuan of the Xiongnu!
“If that traitor harbors rebellious intentions, won’t the people turn against him, and he’ll be condemned by all?” Sima Rui couldn’t help but express his concerns.
“Exactly!” Wang Dao nodded, “Therefore, Your Majesty should issue a stern decree, strip him of his titles, and appoint a new commander for the Three Provinces.”
This was the best strategy to sow discord. As long as they could persuade the officials in the North to defect to Yang County, what worry was there about Bing County remaining stable? After all, Sima Rui had inherited the imperial throne from the previous emperor, and his legitimacy was unquestionable compared to a rebel named Liang. This approach would also avoid the need for military expeditions. With Wang Dun already back in Yang County, stabilizing the situation, Sima Rui had been in Yang County for only five years, with a fragile foundation and an ongoing power struggle. It was indeed challenging to launch a campaign against Bing County.
“As you said, promote the officials in Si County and Ji County!” Sima Rui’s tightly wound heart gradually eased. Striking at one to warn a hundred—once Bing County fell into chaos, his imperial position would become secure.
Following Bing County, the Yang County court also issued a proclamation, condemning the disobedient Marquis of Shangdang. Simultaneous proclamations from both the northern and southern courts were quite unusual. However, the results were not as expected by Sima Rui and others.
In the Governor’s Mansion of Ji County, Zhang He, accompanied by seven or eight guards, strode into the main hall and respectfully greeted Sun Li, “I heard that the envoy received an edict from Yang County. I wonder how the emperor plans to reward you?”
Although Zhang He commanded the military forces in Ji County, he was modest and had never shown arrogance. However, the question he posed today was far from gentle, not to mention the heavily armed soldiers behind him.
“The court intends to appoint me as the Commander of Ji County and grant me the title of Cavalier in Regular Attendance…” Sun Li did not take offense, smiling faintly. “It’s a pity that even if I don’t go to Jiangdong, I could hold such a position one day.”
He was already the Governor of Ji County, and his promotion to Commander was only a matter of time. As a collateral member of the Sun family, even if he entered the court, what high position could he eventually attain? The rise of the Sun family was not due to collateral members but rather their allegiance to the new ruler. Now that the Sima clan had departed to the south, he could clearly see who would be in charge of the North.
Without taking a step forward, Zhang He continued to inquire, “What does the envoy wish to do?”
“Our lord has successfully pacified the North, exterminated pests, and saved countless lives. This is the natural course of destiny!” Sun Li answered without hesitation. “Now that the Jin dynasty has come to an end, we must follow the will of heaven and fulfill our duty!”
Hearing this, Zhang He revealed a smile on his face, took a step back, and bowed deeply, “The envoy understands the greater righteousness. It is truly a blessing for the people of Ji County.”
At the same moment, Zu Ti shook his head, “Yang County’s calculations this time have gone astray.”
Zu Yue was surprised, “Brother, are you considering resisting the decree?”
“How can we respect such an edict?” Zu Ti sneered, “In times of chaos, a solid foundation comes from military strength. Titles are like floating duckweed on water. Our lord possesses a formidable army, with many courageous generals. The officials in the Three Provinces were mostly groomed by him. The court has achieved nothing substantial; how can they take away his territories?”
These words might be considered disrespectful, but Zu Ti spoke with straightforwardness, without any pretense. Sweat appeared on Zu Yue’s forehead, “But our Zu family is ultimately from the rank of two thousand stones…”
Zu Ti replied, “Are all these two thousand stones from the Sima clan?”
Certainly not! The Zu from Fanyang originated in Zhuo Commandery and carried an ancient surname passed down from the Zhou dynasty. Many years ago, they entered the court as officials. Not to mention the Sima clan, they had also served under Liu Han and Cao Wei. The emperor’s surname and name made no difference to them; choosing a wise ruler was the key.
“Jiangdong is cramped, squeezing countless courtiers. Accepting the imperial decree would only bring humiliation upon ourselves. It’s better to stay in the North, realizing our ambitions!” Zu Ti’s voice showed no hesitation. Wasn’t this the very reason he chose Bing County in the first place?
Zu Yue gradually understood. Although the Zu family was a prominent two-thousand stone-ranking clan, in the eyes of the people in Jiangdong, they probably couldn’t stand out. On the contrary, most prestigious families from the North had fled south, and with a background like the Zu family’s, they were already quite outstanding. It’s better to be a leader among chickens than a follower among oxen. Moreover, while the Sima clan could only retreat to Jiangdong, Liang Feng resisted the Han, killed Wang Jun, defeated the Xianbei, and forcefully secured control over four provinces. The strong and the weak were easy to distinguish.
Taking a deep breath, Zu Yue asked, “So, how does Elder Brother plan to proceed?”
Zu Ti smiled, “Our lord has reclaimed Si County, defying the barbarians. How can a mere regional lord repay such merits? I will submit a memorial, hoping that our lord will soon proclaim himself as king!”
Rejecting the title given by the court but aspiring to self-proclaim as a king. The deep meaning behind it was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.
Zu Yue nodded firmly, “We will follow Elder Brother’s arrangements!”
A single stone stirred a thousand waves. None of the influential ministers who received the court’s rewards followed the imperial decree. Instead, Sun Li of Ji County, Ge Hong of Wei County, and Zu Ti of Luoyang all submitted memorials, requesting Liang Feng to proclaim himself as king!
The decisive actions of the North were now revealed to the world!
Author’s note:
Before proclaiming oneself as an emperor, one must first proclaim as a king. This is a step that any legitimate king, or one following a legitimate path, must take. Guess what title Liang Feng will choose before becoming emperor XD
Translator’s note:
It’s here! It’s here! It’s here! We’re almost there, everyone! One last war and everything will be finally over and peaceful ૮₍ ꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ ₎ა I got goosebumps translating this chapter (≧∇≦)
