My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

In the seventh month of autumn in 379 AD, the fourth year of the Taiyuan era of the Jin Dynasty.

Xie Xuan personally led the Northern Army to completely wipe out the remaining Qin troops in Huainan. He ordered He Qian to garrison Huaiyin before the main army withdrew to Guangling. Thus, the Qin and Jin states were divided and ruled by the Huai River.

Jiankang, Taicheng, Taiji Hall.

The atmosphere inside the solemn palace was particularly heavy today.

Unlike usual, behind an elegant and solemn beaded curtain beside the throne, a figure could be vaguely seen sitting upright; it was none other than Empress Dowager Chongde, Chu Suanzi.

Since Emperor Kang of Jin, this empress dowager, who has served three emperors and twice as regent, has not directly interfered in daily political affairs for many years. However, at this delicate moment of determining merits and rewards, her appearance is well known to all officials, and today's discussion is destined to be extraordinary.

"Summon Xie Xuan, Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army and General Jianwu, to an audience!"

The eunuch's clear voice was particularly distinct outside the hall.

Xie Xuan, dressed in court attire, entered the palace from outside and bowed deeply towards the throne and the beaded curtain.

"Your subject, Xie Xuan, pays his respects to Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager!"

The young Emperor Sima Yao of Jin sat upright, trying his best to maintain the dignity of an emperor, but his gaze unconsciously drifted slightly toward the beaded curtain.

The figure behind the beaded curtain moved slightly, and a calm and dignified voice came from behind.

"General, please rise. Your merits in the Huai and Si rivers will be remembered by the nation. Now, let us await the imperial court's reward."

The Director of the Imperial Secretariat stepped forward, holding the imperial edict, and began to read it aloud.

The text was written in a beautiful and lavish style, praising the Northern Army in the most lavish manner. It recounted the various achievements of the Northern Army from San'a to Huaiyin and even to the banks of the Yangtze River in blocking the enemy. Finally, the imperial edict was issued.

"Xie Xuan was promoted to General of the Vanguard, given the imperial insignia, appointed as the military supervisor of Jiangbei, and appointed as the governor of Xuzhou. He was also enfeoffed as the Marquis of Dongxing County, with a fief of one thousand households..."

"Liu Laozhi was promoted to General of the Eagle Banner and appointed Chancellor of Guangling, with his fief increased by five hundred households..."

"He Qian has been promoted to the rank of General of the Vanguard..."

"..."

All eight generals of the Northern Army were rewarded for their military achievements. Apart from Xie Xuan, only Liu Laozhi was appointed as the Prefect of Guangling and granted an additional fief.

Others who came from humble backgrounds as leaders of displaced people were only given the title of general.

A chorus of praise, perfectly in accordance with etiquette, rang out in the hall. However, many gazes had already quietly shifted away from Xie Xuan, silently shifting between the Emperor on the throne, the Empress Dowager behind the beaded curtain, and Sima Daozi, the Prince of Kuaiji, and Xie An, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, who were seated before the assembled officials.

After thanking Xie Xuan for his gratitude, he did not return to the train, but bowed again.

"Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager's grace is boundless, and your humble servant and the soldiers of the Northern Army are deeply grateful. However, the great victory at Huainan was the result of the soldiers' bravery and unity. In particular, Xiao Heng, the Commander of the Northern Army and the Prefect of Donghai, launched a surprise attack on Huaiyin, cut off the enemy's supply lines, pursued the remaining enemy forces, and slowed their advance. He also sounded the alarm on the banks of the Guabu River, thus protecting the capital region. His achievements are remarkable, and his bravery is commendable. However, he has not been named in this reward ceremony, which may discourage the brave soldiers and go against the court's principle of rewarding merit. Your humble servant earnestly requests Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager to investigate the merits and reward all those who have made contributions."

The moment Xiao Heng's name was mentioned, the atmosphere in the hall changed. There had been undercurrents of discussion about Xiao Heng before, but now that Xie Xuan had officially placed him in the court, it instantly ignited countless thoughts, but no one spoke up, and everyone just watched.

Even Sima Daozi, who had been complaining, did not speak immediately. Instead, he turned his head slightly, as if listening to the sounds behind the beaded curtain, or as if waiting for an opportunity.

Behind the beaded curtain, Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi's voice remained calm, revealing no emotion.

"General Xie's gratitude for his subordinates' contributions is a duty of a commander-in-chief. The matter of Xiao Heng has recently been heard of in the court and among the people. What exactly were his merits in Huaiyin? When the drums were beaten, the capital was shaken; how should he be punished? Wang Ya, as the chief official of the Court of Justice, have you investigated this matter thoroughly?"

Wang Ya, holding a jade tablet, calmly stepped forward, first bowing to the throne and the beaded curtain, before speaking slowly.

"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, according to the Northern Army's report and multiple verifications, Xiao Heng's surprise attack on Huaiyin was indeed a crucial move that turned the tide of the war in Huainan; this achievement is true. As for the drumming at Guabu..."

He paused slightly, choosing his words carefully.

"At that time, the remnants of the Qin army suddenly arrived at Jiangbei, and the defense along the river was indeed lax. Xiao Heng's beating of the drums did alert the capital, allowing the various garrisons to quickly prepare. However, his method was intense, the sound of which shook the palace, and he approached the capital without imperial order, which was a great disrespect and even treason. It was also true that it caused fear among the people. Merit and demerit must be weighed together and the court must make a clear judgment."

Approaching the capital without imperial decree! The crimes of disrespect and treason warrant extermination of the entire clan.

"you......"

Xie Xuan almost spoke up, knowing that this matter would be difficult.

Uncle Xie An had already sent word before, but now he has directly charged Xiao Heng with three crimes, none of which will allow him to live.

At this moment, Sima Daozi stepped forward and bowed respectfully towards the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

"Your Majesty and Empress Dowager are wise. What Minister Wang said is reasonable. Xiao Heng has rendered meritorious service, which the court has not forgotten. However, his actions have often deviated from the norm. The attack on Huaiyin, though meritorious, was a risky tactic that was fortunately successful. But the beating of the drums was not merely violent; it was utterly disregard for the laws of the court and disturbed the imperial authority! What's worse, afterwards he even erected a monument on the riverbank for the barbarians who drowned themselves, without inscribing anything about the king's rule or distinguishing between right and wrong. Where does this place the dignity of the court? Where does it place the spirits of the fallen soldiers? If we condone such arrogant and disrespectful acts that confuse Chinese and barbarians simply because of his military achievements, then the laws of the country will be difficult to uphold, and the order of the nation will be difficult to maintain! I am not making things difficult for a mere general, but for the sake of the laws of the realm and the prestige of the court!"

Sima Daozi's words made it even harder for Xie Xuan to speak. Every sentence was tied to the laws and regulations, and he even brought up the great principles of Chinese and barbarian distinctions. No wonder his uncle once said that he was too upright and not suitable for the court.

Subsequently, several censors who were close to Daozi immediately stepped forward to echo his sentiments, and the calls for impeachment arose again.

"This lad disobeyed orders and acted without authorization, illegally seizing the saltworks! This crime deserves death!"

"His nature is like that of a ravenous beast, and his actions are often outrageous and perverse. He initially defied regulations, seized state assets, and colluded with enemy forces; his behavior is almost tantamount to rebellion! According to the law, he should be sentenced to death and his entire family should be exterminated!"

"..."

In a short while, Xiao Heng's various crimes, from confronting his elders in court to embezzling land and property into the Northern Palace, from the lack of military support in the East Sea and embezzlement to collusion with the enemy, and finally to inciting unrest in the capital and alarming the emperor, made Xie Xuan realize the immense pressure his uncle faced in court every day.

He turned to look at his uncle, who had been standing silently at the head of the group, his eyebrows twitching slightly, unsure of what to do.

Just as no one else stepped forward in the hall, the voice of Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi came through the beaded curtain.

"Minister Xie, you are in charge of all government affairs, what is your opinion on this matter?"

Upon hearing the summons, Xie An slowly stepped forward, his demeanor composed and unhurried, bowing towards the beaded curtain and the throne.

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, this old minister believes that the court has its own procedures for rewarding merit and punishing demerit. Xiao Heng's military achievements have been confirmed by the Northern Army's military reports and he should be rewarded. Whether his actions of beating the drum and erecting the monument were appropriate, excessive, or even had any hidden motives cannot be determined by conjecture. They should be handed over to the relevant officials for a detailed investigation, and right and wrong should be clearly distinguished according to laws, regulations, and etiquette. Merit is merit, demerit is demerit, and rewards and punishments should be clearly distinguished so as to both encourage the soldiers and maintain discipline."

After Xie An uttered these words, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Xie Xuan also breathed a sigh of relief. His uncle's words were watertight. He neither denied the possible mistakes nor failed to emphasize the trial in accordance with the law. He shifted the focus from whether or not to convict Xiao Heng to the procedural justice of how to make the judgment, leaving room for future maneuvering.

However, the Sima Daozi faction clearly did not intend to let the matter rest.

Wang Ya spoke again, her tone even more solemn.

"We should comply with Lord Xie's suggestion regarding the trial. However, the various matters involving Xiao Heng are numerous, each and every one of which involves military law, violates the national constitution, or contravenes etiquette; there is more than one. His beating of drums near the capital, disturbing the emperor, is, according to the law, a grave act of disrespect! This is the primary crime, beyond question. As for the others, they can also be investigated thoroughly!"

At this tense moment, a clear and steady voice rang out.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Empress Dowager, your subject Wang Xun has a report to submit."

As everyone looked, they saw Wang Xun, the Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, calmly stepping forward with a jade tablet in his hand.

He first bowed to the throne and the beaded curtain, then nodded slightly to Xie An and Sima Daozi, displaying an elegant demeanor that embodied the century-old style of the Langya Wang clan.

"What Wang Tingwei and Your Highness just said was all for the sake of the national law and discipline, and their sincere intentions are as clear as the sun and moon. However, the law is not without human sentiment, and rewards and punishments must be considered in light of the times. In the Battle of Huainan, the Hu cavalry were rampant, Huaiyin was in grave danger, and Jiankang was also shaken. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. There are examples of good generals in ancient times who 'disobeyed the emperor's orders when they were in the field.' Xiao Heng's surprise attack on Huaiyin with a detachment was the key to cutting off the enemy's supply lines and turning the tide of the battle. His subsequent pursuit of the fleeing enemy all the way to the riverbank was even more commendable. His drumming may be debatable, but as far as I know, he sent word to the river defenses as he pursued them to Tuzhongbian. However, his voice was weak and some people ignored it. Can this be considered utter disrespect? If the soldiers on the front lines heard this and fought bravely and risked their lives to achieve merit, only to be severely punished for their expedient measures, wouldn't that chill the hearts of loyal and brave men and make future generations hesitant and timid?"

"A message sent to the river defenses? Is this true?"

"I see!"

"..."

Soon, discussions broke out again in the hall. Wang Ya's face turned deathly pale in an instant, and she was about to defend herself.

"I can vouch for what Yuan Lin (Wang Xun's courtesy name) said!"

As everyone looked, they saw that it was Sima Tian, ​​the Prince of Qiao, who had been appointed as the military commander of Jiangbei during the crisis in Huaibei.

He was being helped inside the hall from outside. As an elder of the royal family who had just experienced the front lines, his words were utterly believable to everyone.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I previously commanded the troops in Huaibei and know firsthand how unpredictable the battlefield is, with opportunities fleeting. Xie Guanjun (Xie Xuan) is a prudent commander, while his subordinates, such as Xiao Heng, are daring to take risks and achieve extraordinary feats, truly a valuable asset to the nation. I have also heard of his drumming incident. As for the Imperial Guards' lax defense along the river, their reluctance to advance when encountering the enemy is evident to thousands in the capital; there is no need for further argument..."

After these words were spoken, the hall fell silent once more.

No one dared to speak ill of the Imperial Guards, but Prince Qiao, Sima Tian, ​​was different. He was extremely disappointed that the 40,000 Imperial Guards had collapsed when they encountered the enemy after crossing the river, and he had to speak out at this moment.

At this moment, Xi Hui, who had also been a vanguard that time, stepped forward to speak.

He was upright and had a loud voice.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! The Di and Qin armies have marched south with tens of thousands of troops, intending to march straight to the capital. Previously, Xie Guanjun was unable to defeat the enemy at San'a, until Xiao Heng launched a night attack on Huaiyin and bravely seized the Qin army's supply route at Sikou. This battle was an unparalleled achievement, but his imprisonment has already chilled the hearts of the people of Jiangzuo and made the soldiers of the Northern Army suspicious!"

Xi Hui's words were very straightforward. Having been stationed in Jingkou for a long time, he knew better than anyone how to win the hearts of the people, and his words represented the sentiments of a considerable number of pragmatic military generals.

No sooner had Xi Hui finished speaking than a young voice rang out.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Empress Dowager, your subject Wang Gong has a report to submit!"

When Wang Gong stepped forward, no one dared to underestimate him. Although he was young, he represented the imperial family.

"Wang Tingwei judges matters according to the law, and Your Highness prioritizes discipline; both are the duties of a subject. However, the ultimate purpose of law and discipline is to protect the country and its people. Xiao Heng's merit in Huaiyin saved the people of the Jianghuai region from devastation; the drumbeats on the riverbank protected the people of the capital from disturbance. His actions may have had flaws, but his intentions and the results were undoubtedly of great benefit to the country and its people. In the past, Emperor Wu of Han did not suppress the youthful impetuosity of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, which enabled him to drive the Xiongnu north. If we now ignore the great merit of protecting the emperor because a general is eager for quick success and his methods are inappropriate, and instead focus on his possible minor faults, or even impose severe punishments, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse and chilling the hearts of heroes throughout the land? I believe that we should reward his merits generously and punish his faults leniently, so as to demonstrate the clarity of the court's rewards and punishments and its broad-mindedness!"

Following this, Yuan Zhi, representing the prestigious and influential families, and Xun Yi, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, both succinctly and clearly expressed their support for the generous reward.

At this point, the situation in the hall had become clear. Xie Xuan's request for credit received support or understanding from various parties from different perspectives.

These voices, when combined, created a powerful public pressure that Sima Daozi's faction could not easily ignore or suppress.

Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi, behind the beaded curtain, listened quietly to all the debate.

Having weathered many storms, she deeply understands the art of maintaining balance in the court.

At this moment, the voices supporting generous rewards have gained the upper hand, and their reasons are sound, involving the interests of all parties and the sentiments of the people.

While the accusations made by Sima Daozi's faction seem to occupy the legal high ground, they appear to be too harsh and even have the suspicion of attacking meritorious officials and suppressing the Northern Army.

Finally, the Empress Dowager made her decision.

"As you all have discussed, Xiao Heng's merits are clearly evident and the court will not conceal them. His methods have caused controversy and need to be clarified. However, the affairs of the country are difficult, and this is the time when we need to employ the right people. We must be especially careful in rewarding merits and punishing demerits in order to reassure the soldiers and show the court's impartiality."

"General Xie's plea for merit on behalf of his subordinates is commendable. Considering the overall situation of the nation and the practicalities of military and political affairs, his actions are quite insightful. However, laws and regulations should not be lightly disregarded."

"Xiao Heng's merits shall be recorded first. His reward in Huaiyin shall be determined in accordance with the usual practice for military merits. As for his actions of beating drums and erecting steles in the East Sea and the Yangtze River, whether they were indeed violations of regulations or extenuating circumstances shall be thoroughly investigated by the Court of Justice to ensure conclusive evidence. The court shall also consider the circumstances, reasoning, and situation discussed by the ministers today before proposing a final decision. Xie Shizhong is highly respected, and the Prince of Kuaiji is in charge of confidential matters. Therefore, the two of you shall jointly supervise the trial of this case to ensure that merits and demerits are clearly distinguished and that the punishment is fair, thus upholding the law of the court and preventing the soldiers from losing heart. What does the Emperor think?"

Sima Yao nodded quickly upon seeing that Chu Suanzi had made such a thorough arrangement.

"The Empress Dowager's decision is extremely appropriate. Let it be carried out accordingly."

Seeing that Sima Yao had compromised, Sima Daozi knew that after so many important officials had spoken out, the Empress Dowager's proposal had achieved the maximum balance. She neither immediately rewarded Xiao Heng nor supported severe punishment, and she also handed over the supervisory power to herself and Xie An, which could be considered a compromise by each side.

If he continued to insist, he would appear inconsiderate, so he bowed and said.

"Your subject has received the decree and will certainly perform his duties diligently, working with Lord Xie to urge the Court of Justice to conduct a fair trial."

Xie An also bowed: "This old minister obeys the decree."

Xie Xuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although this outcome did not immediately secure a generous reward for Xiao Heng, it publicly acknowledged his great contribution in the court and refuted the most severe accusations, thus avoiding the worst possible result. This was the best outcome that could be achieved under the current circumstances.

"Court adjourned—"

With the eunuch announcing the end of the court assembly, this eventful and eventful meeting finally came to a close.

Xiao Heng's name, along with his achievements and controversies, became a hot topic of discussion that day.