My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

In Jiankang, at the main hall of the Court of Justice.

Five main tables were arranged in a fan shape in the hall.

In the center is the Chief Justice of the Court of Justice, to his left and right are the Supervisor of the Court of Justice and the Judge of the Court of Justice, and further out are two Doctors of Law in deep robes and wide belts.

As the chief official of the Court of Justice, Wang Ya did not sit in the center, but instead sat on the upper left, with a solemn expression.

Beside him sat a young official with a slightly effeminate face, none other than Wang Guobao, a confidant of Sima Daozi, the Prince of Kuaiji.

Xie Xuan sat alone on the lower right, dressed in casual clothes, his brows slightly furrowed and his eyes lowered, as if studying the pattern of the floor tiles.

The hall was empty except for Han Yong, who stood alone. He had been removed from his sword but was still in his armor. Standing there, he looked like a piece of stubborn iron thrown into a fine porcelain shop, out of place, yet carrying the blood and earthy smell of the battlefield.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Even Han Yong, who had witnessed life and death on the battlefield, felt uneasy. The only sound was the soft rustling of Dr. Lu turning the pages of the files.

"Who goes next? State your name, place of origin, and military rank."

The Chief Justice's voice was flat and emotionless, echoing in the spacious hall.

Han Yong stood tall with a loud voice, his back straight, carrying a northern accent.

"The Northern Army, the Donghai Commandery troops, Commandant Han Yong!"

"Captain?"

Wang Guobao chuckled and pointed to a document on the table.

"According to the Northern Army's report and the Ministry of Personnel's records, Han Yong, you were originally a military commander under the Northern Army, subordinate to Sun Wuzhong's troops. Where did this position of Commandant of Donghai Commandery come from? Who appointed you? Is there an imperial edict?"

The criticism was directed at Xiao Heng's overstepping of his authority by appointing himself as an official, but Han Yong remained unmoved.

"This post was appointed by Prefect Xiao of Donghai as a temporary measure due to the urgent needs during the war. Governor Xie was aware of this and approved it."

"Random recognition?"

Wang Guobao looked at Xie Xuan with a meaningful smile.

"Governor Xie, is this true? Since when has it become permissible for military positions in prefectures and counties to be privately awarded between prefects? Even in wartime, shouldn't it be reported to the court and verified by the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War to be in accordance with regulations?"

Xie Xuan slowly raised his eyes, his gaze calm: "What Chief Clerk Wang said is a system used in peacetime. Last year, Huaibei was in grave danger, Pengcheng fell, roads were cut off, and correspondence often took more than a month to arrive. At that time, I was in charge of all military affairs in Jiangbei and had the authority to appoint generals. Xiao Heng submitted a request, and I thought he was a capable person. In this urgent situation, I made the expedient decision and granted his approval. This is a wartime adaptation, which is not a precedent."

Seeing that Wang Guobao still wanted to ask more questions, Wang Ya coughed lightly and smoothed things over.

"What Governor Xie said is also true. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Since Governor Xie has already posthumously recognized Han Yong's position as Commandant, we will leave that aside for now."

He steered the conversation back to the core issue and picked up another file.

"Commander Han, on the night of the seventeenth day of the second month in the spring of the fourth year of the Taiyuan era, your unit was stationed with Xiao Heng at the rear camp of Liucheng. Do you remember this event?"

"Remember."

Han Yong nodded.

"According to the military report, approximately three thousand light cavalry from the Murong Xianbei attacked your camp that night. Xiao Heng made preparations in advance, and your troops fought a bloody battle throughout the night, repelling the enemy and beheading over three hundred. Is this an exaggeration?"

"This is not an exaggeration. The bloody battle was real, and the number of decapitations was likely much higher."

Han Yong's voice became even harsher.

"it is good."

Wang Ya put down the file and leaned forward slightly.

"The military report is vague. I ask you, how did Xiao Heng know in advance that three thousand Xianbei cavalry would launch a surprise attack on your camp at that time and place? Did you know the reason at the time?"

All eyes in the hall instantly focused on Han Yong's face.

Wang Guobao's lips curled into a cold smile, Xie Xuan's brows seemed to furrow even more, and even the clerk recording the events held his breath.

This is the key point: inexplicable foresight. To put it kindly, it's like having divine insight into the enemy; to put it bluntly, it's treason.

Han Yong remained silent for a moment. He recalled the resolute way Xiao Heng raised the token in the camp that night, the shock of the enemy army surging in like a black tide, and Xiao Heng's unspeakable silence after the battle. He raised his head.

"Reporting to my superior, I do not know exactly how Lord Xiao found out. But I believe him."

"believe?"

The Chief Justice couldn't help but speak up.

"Such a crucial military matter cannot be simply trusted with mere belief."

Han Yong looked at him with the calm indifference of a veteran looking at a new recruit.

"Your Excellency has long served in the central government and may not be familiar with military matters. In my early years, I served in the Beggars' Army."

The moment the words "Begging for Life Army" were uttered, even Wang Ya and Wang Guobao's expressions changed slightly.

"Back then, the surviving veterans all had some unique skills."

Han Yong continued, his tone even carrying a hint of reminiscence.

"Some people have an exceptionally keen sense of smell; they can detect the stench of blood or horse manure from miles away. Some people have incredibly sharp ears; they can even discern whether someone is infantry or cavalry in the distance, and roughly how many. And then there are others..."

He paused, then bent slightly and whispered.

"It's just a feeling I can't quite put into words. I look at the sky, the terrain, the rustling of the grass, or even if I don't look at anything at all, my heart suddenly skips a beat, and I know something bad is going to happen, that the enemy is coming."

His gaze swept over everyone in the hall.

"Lord Xiao is probably that kind of person. He's educated and knows more than us roughnecks. He can read the stars, calculate hydrology, and understand those winding maps. The place where we camped that day was an easy target for a sneak attack. Perhaps Lord Xiao saw something, or perhaps he sensed something. He ordered preparations for battle, and so we prepared for battle. As a result, the bandits really did come."

These words attributed Xiao Heng's precognition to a kind of battlefield intuition, a kind of precognitive ability. Although it sounded mystical, it seemed somewhat plausible when applied to a veteran who had survived countless brushes with death. It was certainly more acceptable than the idea of ​​him colluding with the enemy.

Xie Xuan nodded at the opportune moment.

Wang Guobao, however, persisted and sneered.

"What a brilliant strategist! Commander Han, according to you, Xiao Heng possesses such unfathomable abilities, isn't he a reincarnation of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi? How come the military report only states three hundred beheadings, while the commander himself suffered over a hundred casualties and countless civilians deserted? This battle was hardly a brilliant one, was it?"

Han Yong's facial muscles twitched suddenly, and he grinned, revealing an almost ferocious smile.

"Shangguan! You say that because you've never encountered the Murong Xianbei cavalry in the open field!"

He stepped forward, as if he had forgotten he was in a courtroom and was back to boasting about his war exploits to his men.

"Three thousand light cavalry! They swept in like the wind! And us? We hastily set up camp, our wagons wobbling haphazardly, half of us just conscripted laborers and auxiliary soldiers, many of us screaming for our parents and wetting our pants in fear! And even more were collapsed on the ground!"

"But we held on! Why?"

He extended his thick fingers,

"First, the Prefect anticipated this and gave us advance warning! He dug shallow trenches and set up antler-like barriers; no matter how crooked the chariot formation is, it's still a wall! Second, the men of the Northern Prefecture are tough as nails!"

He started exaggerating, magnifying the results, simplifying and glorifying the process—this is the instinct of a veteran to preserve himself and protect his commander.

"Those Xianbei dogs, they look fierce, but their scimitars are practically meat-slicing weapons! Our brothers, clad in armor and in formation, are an iron wall! Han led a counter-charge and pierced through their formation! They were slaughtered until they cried for their fathers and mothers! Captain Liu's arrows targeted those on horseback, one arrow per person, like hunting rabbits! That kid Chen Da led the supervisory team, and he killed more than a dozen of those cowards running around in the camp, immediately putting them in their place!"

He spoke with great enthusiasm, portraying a fierce, chaotic, and costly defensive battle as a near-one-sided, heroic counterattack.

Although the details don't stand up to scrutiny, the sheer force of the atmosphere and the exaggerated narrative style unique to lower-ranking soldiers create an undeniable sense of realism—at least, the realism of the battlefield.

Wang Ya and several officials under the Court of Justice frowned as they listened, clearly unaccustomed to such exaggerated, colloquial language.

Wang Guobao's face showed even more sarcasm, but he couldn't find a way to interrupt.

Xie Xuan's lips twitched very slightly; he almost burst out laughing.

He knew Han Yong was exaggerating, but this exaggeration was more protective of Xiao Heng than any rigorous defense.

"Alright! Alright!"

Wang Ya finally spoke up to stop him. He rubbed his temples, seemingly having a headache from Han Yong's loud voice.

"Commander Han, your bravery in battle is a matter of public opinion. You may leave now."

Han Yong, seemingly still wanting more, stopped talking, clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, and strode away.

"Bring Chen Da along."

Wang Ya gave the instructions wearily.

When Chen Da entered, he still carried the lingering restlessness from the barracks. He was more nervous than Han Yong, his eyes darting around, and he seemed unsure of what to do with his hands and feet.

After the routine questioning of name and position, Wang Ya went straight to the question.

"What was your position during that night battle? What were your duties?"

Chen Da licked his dry lips, his voice trembling slightly, but he tried to straighten his chest.

"Reporting to...Reporting to my superior! I was the head of the supervisory team at the time! I was personally appointed by Lord Xiao!"

"Supervisory team?" Ting Weiping asked in confusion.

"He's... he's specifically tasked with killing people, appointed by Lord Xiao!"

Chen's voice unconsciously grew louder, as if a loud voice could embolden him.

"The magistrate said that anyone who dares to run around or charge the wagon formation in front of the battle lines, whether soldier or laborer, will be executed on the spot! I'm leading a group to guard the camp, specifically to do this!"

He made a chopping motion, his eyes flashing with the ferocity stirred up by the bloodshed.

"Those spineless cowards, the moment those thieves' arrows came, they were scared out of their wits, running away screaming and shouting! If I hadn't led my men to chop off more than a dozen heads and hang them up, the camp would have exploded long ago!!"

He spoke more bluntly and cruelly, even with a hint of ruthlessness and a subtle boasting after finishing the dirty work.

The civil officials in the hall, including Wang Ya, all looked somewhat pale.

They were familiar with laws and regulations, and with the intricacies of court politics. They had never before faced the most bloody and unquestionable ironclad rules on the battlefield so directly, using the blood of their own people to maintain discipline.

Wang Guobao wanted to rebuke him for his cruelty, but when he opened his mouth, he found he had nothing to say.

Supervising battles during wartime is legally justifiable and can even be seen as a display of the commander's decisiveness.

Wang Ya waved her hand, as if to dispel a non-existent smell of blood from her nose.

"You...you can go down now."

Chen Da was stunned for a moment, seemingly not having finished his report, but seeing the unpleasant expressions on his superiors' faces, he muttered something, scratched his head, and retreated.

"Bring Liu Dan along."

Liu Dan walked in like a quiet shadow. He was lean and wiry, with a dark complexion, and he carried the cowhide rope on his back.

"What was your job that night?"

"Archery Captain"

"What are your duties?"

"Release the arrows on command!"

"Whose orders should we take?"

"Lord Xiao".

"Where did he order you to shoot?"

"First shoot the Hu soldiers who dismounted and were carrying carts, then shoot the Hu cavalry on both flanks who were trying to encircle them."

"How were the results?"

"Quite a few were shot down. The distance was too far to see clearly, but there were probably dozens."

Every one of his answers was precise, necessary, and superfluous.

There was no embellishment from Han Yong, no emotional outburst from Chen Da, only the facts—cold, precise, and direct facts like an arrow.

This silent precision, ironically, put a different kind of pressure on the civil officials. This person was a pure tool of war, striking wherever he was told, without questioning the reasons.

Wang Guobao tried to find a flaw: "Xiao Heng ordered you to shoot wherever he wanted, but did he explain why he shot there?"

Liu Dan glanced at Wang Guobao, his calm gaze sending a strange chill down Wang Guobao's spine.

He replied, "On the battlefield, wherever the Prefect points, it will be a vital spot. No explanation is needed."

We can't ask any further questions, so are we supposed to question every single tactical instruction from the commander?

Wang Ya also felt the situation was tricky and waved for Liu Dan to leave.

Subsequently, several squad leaders who had participated in the battle that night were summoned one by one.

Their testimonies were largely the same, and there was even suspicion that Han Yong had gone back to collude with them, but they were all filled with awe for Xiao Heng's uncanny ability to predict the future.

"Commander Han will lead us out and cut us down like butter!"

"Captain Chen is ruthless even when he's attacking his own men! One stab is enough!"

"Captain Liu's arrows are so fast! And he likes to aim for people's faces!"

They could not provide any useful information about the premonition, but only repeatedly confirmed the picture drawn by Han Yong: a general with godlike intuition and ruthless decision-making, leading a group of fierce and daring soldiers to fight a fierce but victorious defensive battle.

More than an hour later, the interrogation came to a temporary end.

The hall fell silent, with only the wafting fragrance of incense.

Wang Ya looked at Xie Xuan.

"Commander Xie, according to the soldiers, Xiao Heng does indeed have extraordinary abilities. However, his ability to predict the enemy's moves is ultimately difficult to verify, and his actions are often arbitrary!"

Wang Guobao said ominously.

"More than just arbitrary power. His unauthorized appointments, arbitrary rule-making, vague military reports, and the soldiers' vulgar and unruly speech all demonstrate his unruly and disregard for the law. Such a person, even with minor merits, should not be allowed to embolden himself! Interesting. You gentlemen, though separated by camps and with different duties, faced death in the bloody battle, yet in your recollections, the details of Lord Xiao's wisdom and decisiveness, Commander Han's unparalleled bravery, Captain Liu's divine archery skills, and Captain Chen's unwavering enforcement of the law are strikingly similar, without the slightest discrepancy. Could it be that you all gathered in one tent after the battle to carefully review these achievements?"

"Commander Xie's strict military discipline and unwavering unity among his soldiers are certainly commendable. However, when this unity reaches the point where even their words are perfectly in agreement, it reminds me of what Han Feizi said: 'When everyone speaks with one voice, it becomes highly suspicious.' What do you say, Wang Tingwei?"

Xie Xuan sneered inwardly, knowing that the focus of today's trial was not on finding out the truth, but on collecting evidence of crimes, or at least things that were inappropriate. Han Yong and the others' behavior was rude, exaggerated, and even somewhat ridiculous, but it fixed Xiao Heng's image as a flawed military general, which was already the best possible outcome.

He slowly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Wang Ya and the others, and ignored Wang Guobao's question about collusion.

"Gentlemen, you have worked hard. Xiao Heng is indeed talented, but he also has his shortcomings. As for how to deal with him, I request the Court of Justice to act in accordance with the law and consider the circumstances, and also report to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty for a wise decision."

After Xie Xuan finished speaking, he nodded slightly, then turned and walked steadily out of the hall.

Wang Guobao stared at his retreating figure, the fake smile on his face gradually disappearing, replaced by a gloomy feeling of being ignored.

Just as Xie Xuan was about to step over the high threshold, Wang Guobao softly recited in a voice just loud enough for the other party to hear.

"Swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as fire, immovable as a mountain. Sun Tzu's words are indeed the ultimate principles of military strategy. However, if a general only knows about wind, forest, fire, and mountain, but not about rites, music, punishments, and governance, he will likely be ridiculed as a dragon that has overreached and will regret it."

Xie Xuan paused almost imperceptibly for a moment, without even disrupting the movement of his robe sleeves, before continuing to walk out.