Chapter Thirty-Nine: High Favor in the Emperor's Eyes

Speaking of the center of all the lands within the Nine Provinces, it was naturally the capital city of Luoyang; and speaking of the center of Luoyang's imperial court, it was unmistakably the Luoyang Imperial Palace.

As autumn deepened, on this particular day, Emperor Sima Yan of Western Jin took a boat ride on the Tianyuan Pond in the Hualin Garden. Facing the autumn scenery, the osmanthus blossoms, and the shimmering ripples of the pond, he commanded the court ladies in attendance to leisurely chant the "Songs of Wu and Chu":

Beauties of Yan and fine maidens of Zhao,
Their homes are near, yet separated by towering cliffs.
Clouds serve as chariots and winds as horses,
Jades lie within the mountains and orchids in the wilds.

This site was originally built during the Eastern Han dynasty and was one of the very few palatial structures that survived the chaos of Dong Zhuo. Sima Yan adored the scenery here, and boating upon its waters often gave him a transcendent feeling of detachment from the mortal world, as if his soul were roaming the nine heavens.

At this moment, a junior eunuch approached the edge of the pond and called out toward the water, "Your Majesty, Zhang Hua has matters to report..."

"Keep singing!" After the singing stopped, Sima Yan was greatly displeased and commanded the palace maids to continue singing his ballad. Meanwhile, Zhang Hua arrived at the pavilion by the Tianyuan Pond, waiting for the Son of Heaven to finish listening to the song.

Clouds have no fixed time while winds have a stop,
With a tangle of stray thoughts, who can set them straight?

When the palace maids finished singing, Sima Yan unconcernedly flicked his sleeves and commanded, "Dock the boat!" His tone was flat yet majestic. The attendants respectfully pulled at the oars and brought the boat ashore. Sima Yan burst into hearty laughter and said, "Hahaha, Maoxian, you've listened to all of my entertainer's song. Well then, how was it?"

Zhang Hua scrutinized the emperor's expression and answered stiffly, "The lyrics were like the calls of orioles, and the melody was soft and tender. It is indeed a fine tune, but Your Majesty, this is ultimately a decadent tune of failing to press onward and make progress. You should listen to it less."

This was not actually what he truly felt. In the past, Zhang Hua would have joked with the emperor, or even personally composed an even more melodious and gentle romantic tune to draw their relationship closer. However, after experiencing the factional strife involving the Prince of Qi, Sima Yan had transferred Zhang Hua to Youzhou, causing the harmonious relationship between sovereign and subject to vanish. Although Sima Yan would still summon Zhang Hua to court as if nothing had happened, there were some things Zhang Hua no longer dared to say.

Upon hearing Zhang Hua's reply, Sima Yan remained utterly unconcerned. He opened his lapels and leaned sideways against the railing, laughing as he said, "What kind of talk is that, Maoxian! The Nine Provinces are already unified, and pushing further would merely waste the strength of the people. This is precisely the time to emulate the wise governance of Emperor Wen of Han and practice government through non-action. If we don't listen to some decadent tunes, what else should we listen to?"

Zhang Hua said no more, merely nodding in agreement.

Only then did Sima Yan return to the main topic and ask, "What business brings you here today?"

"Your servant is here because he has received an invitation and heard some news, and thus is somewhat uncertain of what to make of it."

Sima Yan waved a hand, beckoning a palace maid holding a fruit platter, and casually picked up an orange. As he peeled it, he smiled and said,

"Oh? It is rare indeed for things to leave Minister Zhang in doubt. Let me guess—is it a matter concerning the imperial clan? Or is someone seriously ill again? Or has some young scion stirred up trouble?"

"None of these, Your Majesty. It is a matter concerning the literary world."

"The literary world?" Sima Yan chuckled slightly, his tightened spirits instantly relaxing. After swallowing a segment of the orange, he closed his eyes and clapped his hands, signaling the musicians nearby to strike up a light, airy tune before asking, "What great event could possibly happen in the literary world? Could it be that Lu Si's *Rhapsodies on the Three Capitals* has been completed?"

"No."

"Has Pei Wei started a philosophical debate with Wang Yan?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"Oh?" Sima Yan grew somewhat puzzled. He patted his stomach and laughed, "Then I cannot guess it. Maoxian, you had better tell me the answer directly."

"Your Majesty, it is a matter of historiography. Chen Shou has traveled south for five years, completed the *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, and returned to the capital this month."

"Writing history? The *Records of the Three Kingdoms*?" Hearing these words, the emperor straightened his posture, though a trace of idle amusement still lingered at the corners of his lips; he was already somewhat interested. The emperor immediately urged Zhang Hua, "Tell me everything you know."

"Yes. After his return to the capital this city, he immediately invited numerous literati to visit his residence, causing quite a stir in the literary circles."

"Whom did he invite?"

"Not many of great importance; primarily Yu Huan, Sima Biao, Xiahou Zhan, Cao Zhi, and Wang Chong—these five men."

Without waiting for Sima Yan to press further, Zhang Hua continued his report, "Apart from Wang Chong, who is Chen Shou's fellow townsman, the others had no prior social relations with him and gathered purely because of literature. In the end, all of them held the *Records of the Three Kingdoms* in extremely high regard, declaring that this work is second only to the *Book of Han* and the *Records of the Grand Historian*, and can be jointly called the 'Three Histories'."

As his voice fell, the atmosphere within the pavilion suddenly turned heavy. The smile on Sima Yan's face vanished entirely, replaced by a solemn gaze. He rose to his feet and began to pace back and forth, admiring the flowers while speaking in a reminiscent tone, "The Three Histories... what a remarkably high appraisal."

"Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, once said that literature is a great enterprise for governing the nation and an immortal undertaking. Yet to make the state and its governance immortal—how immensely difficult that is! If it were not a work with every single word like a pearl, who would ever read it? Maoxian, you still remember the *Book of Wei* compiled by Lord Yuan of Boling, do you not?"

Zhang Hua certainly remembered. He recounted, "During the Zhengyuan era, which was when the late emperor first came to power, he ordered Wang Shen, Lord Yuan of Boling who was then the Director of the Palace Secretariat, to lead a group of literary giants such as Ruan Ji, Xun Yi, and Fu Xuan. It took them eight years to complete the forty-four volumes of the *Book of Wei*."

"And what was its fate?"

"..."

Although Zhang Hua remained silent, Sima Yan took it very lightly. He waved his hand and laughed, "Why is there anything awkward about saying it? That was nearly thirty years ago. Wasn't it criticized by certain people for biased flattery and lacking any true backbone? It was precisely from that episode that I learned how historiography is no less difficult than governing a country!"

He probably had some thoughts forming in his mind by now. He sat back down by the railing, looked at Zhang Hua, and asked,

"Chen Shou is merely a man of Shu, yet the historical work he compiled is praised to such a degree. Maoxian, in your view, does he deserve this praise?"

Zhang Hua answered objectively, "Your servant has not yet read the work, so how could I presume to pass judgment?" But after a slight pause, he immediately added, "However, in your servant's estimation, even if Chen Shou does not fully deserve such high praise, he is still undoubtedly the greatest historian of our current age."

"How so?"

"Yu Huan is nearly ninety years old. He considers himself a subject of Wei and seeks to emulate Boyi and Shuqi. Ever since the establishment of the Great Jin, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to historical studies, ignoring worldly affairs, and ultimately wrote the eight-million-word *Stratagems of Wei*, a feat truly without parallel. When it comes to historical scholarship, he may not be the most erudite in the literary world, but regarding his historical integrity and moral principles, he is universally acknowledged as the very first. Now that he holds Chen Shou in such exceedingly high regard, even if his judgment is flawed, it cannot be off by much."

Mentioning Yu Huan, Sima Yan raised a finger and joked, "Ah, yes, yes, yes, I remember him. The old codger who took the lead in criticizing the *Book of Wei* back then was none other than this man. At the time, the late emperor saw that he was so old and bald that he didn't bicker with him. I never expected that he's still alive!"

He then cast doubt, saying, "However, as for things like historical integrity and moral principles, I don't think they should be overestimated. There are countless officials in the imperial court; who among them doesn't have faults? Some are greedy for wealth, some are lustful, some are fond of drink—I have never seen a flawless person."

"As for this Yu Huan, I suspect he is simply too obsessed with fame. To disparage the imperial court, he could write an eight-million-word *Stratagems of Wei*; how could he possibly understand the sage's doctrine of the Mean? His lavish praise of Chen Shou does not necessarily mean the *Records of the Three Kingdoms* is well-written; for all we know, it might simply be another mediocre work secretly satirizing the court."

By this point, the attitude of the Son of Heaven, Sima Yan, was abundantly clear. He was extremely displeased with the scholarly trend of writing private histories. Regardless of the standard of historiography or the quality of the prose, such works ultimately escaped the control of the imperial court. Of course, many things in the world escaped the court's control, but this matter touched upon the original sin of the Sima clan's usurpation of power, which Sima Yan found particularly intolerable. This led him to brand both Chen Shou and Yu Huan with a single stroke.

Zhang Hua naturally perceived the emperor's displeasure. Yet he also knew that, given the emperor's personality, this was not an irrevocable golden rule. As a monarch capable of unifying the three states and ending the era of division, Sima Yan naturally possessed extraordinary qualities—chief among them being his capacity to tolerate others. At times, the more an opinion ran counter to his own, the more tolerant and cautious he would appear.

Therefore, Zhang Hua patiently explained, "If Yu Huan were the only one, such a possibility indeed could not be ruled out. But Sima Biao and Xiahou Zhan were also present and expressed the exact same sentiment. Your Majesty, that can only mean it is truly a masterpiece."

"Hmm... What did they say?"

"Sima Biao said he wished to copy it to be handed down in his family, while Xiahou Zhan went so far as to publicly burn his own writings, declaring that he would never write history again for the rest of his life."

"Good to such a degree?" Sima Yan could not help letting out a sound of astonishment. Yet within a mere moment, his attitude shifted, and he laughed as if he had never held any preconceptions, "Well then, Maoxian, you shall go and take a look at it on my behalf. If it lives up to its reputation and truly is a masterpiece, I will reward Chen Shou with the office of Cavalier Attendant in Ordinary and transfer him into the Palace Secretariat. How does that sound?"

Zhang Hua gave a bitter smile, feeling that the emperor's jokes were becoming a bit too frequent. The Cavalier Attendant in Ordinary was a post that advised the emperor on decision-making. Because of its proximity to the throne and immense influence, while remaining relatively simple and leisurely in daily duties, it was revered by scholars as a "pure and prestigious office." Such a crucial position was coveted by too many nobles and meritorious officials; obviously, it could not be given to Chen Shou, who had been away from the court for many years. Weighing Chen Shou's background, reputation, influence, age, and other factors, he offered a counter-proposal:

"In your servant's view, it might be better to elevate Chen Shou to the post of Palace Attendant to the Crown Prince, to cultivate talent for the Eastern Palace."

Hearing this suggestion, Sima Yan wore a playful expression and remarked, "Serving as an official in the Crown Prince's retinue is hardly a choice position. Won't this invite criticism, making people say that I treat talent coldly?"

Zhang Hua replied calmly, "Criticism is human nature to begin with. There is never complete satisfaction in this world; in court administration, what matters is that everyone keeps to their proper duties. When Your Majesty promotes him, you have fulfilled your benevolence; when your servant recommends him, I have fulfilled my duty as a subject; and if Chen Shou is truly a wise official, he will know how to fulfill his own obligations."

"Then let it be done!"

Sima Yan waved his hand with waning interest, preparing to return to the lake for boating once more. Yet after walking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something, turned back, and walked over to Zhang Hua, asking, "I recall you saying earlier that there were five people who visited Chen Shou, but you only named four just now. Why did Cao Zhi go to see him? If I remember correctly, he favors literary theory rather than classics and histories."

To this question, Zhang Hua replied expressionlessly, "How could the Duke of Juancheng have spent all these years as a Academician of Erast and not favor classics and histories? Your Majesty underestimates him too much."

"That is true."

"However, what Your Majesty said is not entirely wrong either. The Duke of Juancheng's visit to Chen's residence was indeed not merely to read the *Records of the Three Kingdoms*."

"Oh?"

"It was also to take a look at his son-in-law..."

"Ah!" Sima Yan slapped his forehead in sudden realization and said, "I remember now—Chen Shou's student is that Liu Xian fellow! The one who also studied under Ruan Xian as a teacher."

"Precisely, the Heir Apparent to the Duke of Anle."

"The Heir Apparent to the Duke of Anle..." The emperor softly chewed on these five characters, then smiled leisurely at Zhang Hua, "Come to think of it, when Cao Zhi first told me about this marriage alliance back then, it gave me quite a scare! To have the great-grandson of Liu Bei marry the great-grandson of Cao Cao—he certainly had a wild imagination! But upon second thought, the fact that these two families could resolve their enmity and form a marriage alliance also demonstrated the benevolence of our Great Jin, so I consented."

"I never expected that just a few days later, the Duke of Anle would suffer from a fit of madness and accidentally beat his pregnant wife to death. Maoxian, you were not in the capital and do not know what a laughingstock it was; it caused such an uproar across the city that I thought the marriage was doomed. To my surprise, Cao Zhi stubbornly refused to call off the engagement..."

"That is also thanks to Your Majesty's supreme virtue."

"Speaking of which, that boy has been in mourning for two years now, and the period is about to expire, isn't it?" Sima Yan shrugged and asked Zhang Hua directly, "Maoxian, you live right next door to his house. Tell me, what kind of person is this Heir Apparent to the Duke of Anle?"

Zhang Hua's answer was simple: "It is hard to say; he is only fourteen years old."

"Fourteen is not young anymore. Whether he is a dragon or a snake, a tiger or a dog, an eagle or a sparrow, at this age there should already be signs."

"Your Majesty, when I say it is hard to say, it means I cannot be certain whether he is a dragon or a tiger."

Sima Yan was momentarily startled, not expecting Zhang Hua to give such a high evaluation. Instantly, his interest was piqued. He paced back and forth, sat back down in the pavilion, rested one hand on the waist of a palace maid beside him, and plucked the strings of a qin with the other: "Then tell me, what does this uncertainty of whether he is a dragon or a tiger actually mean?"

"Well," Zhang Hua bowed slightly and laid out his thoughts for the emperor, "Because I am uncertain, everything your servant is about to say represents merely my own humble opinion. If anything is amiss, I beg Your Majesty to correct me."

"Speak freely without reservation."

"Your Majesty, under normal circumstances, being born into the fallen royalty of a ruined state is a misfortune. People from a fallen state often harbor resentment; when the spirit is disordered, one's character weakens; and when character weakens, family discipline collapses. This goes without saying."

"That is indeed the logic; the Duke of Anle went mad precisely because of this."

"Yet despite such a collapsed and decadent family discipline in the Duke of Anle's estate, Liu Huaichong has been calm and steady since childhood, setting himself apart from ordinary people."

"How is he calm and steady?"

Zhang Hua deliberated and said, "He possesses a compassionate heart and can endure loneliness. His father was tyrannical and arrogant, yet he remained unaffected, protecting his household servants from a young age and earning the utmost admiration of everyone above and below. He has been ostracized by his peers since childhood, yet he never grew arrogant or impatient, quietly applying himself to study and learning. By now, having won the appreciation of the Duke of Juancheng and being taken as a son-in-law, he must surely have achieved mastery in his studies and be full of profound knowledge."

Sima Yan thought for a moment and smiled, "Persevering in poverty and eagerness to learn—though rare, it is hardly a wondrous marvel. Back then, Wang Xiang, the Duke of Suiling, also suffered from an unfortunate family situation and was persecuted by his stepmother. Later, Lord Wang publicly asked to sacrifice his life, moving his stepmother with his filial piety. Liu Xian, however, has not yet been able to correct his father's faults; this shows that although he is unusual, he still falls short of Lord Wang. Isn't he simply a fledgling phoenix similar to Cao Zhi? Why could you not figure him out?"

Lord Wang's shoulders bore no burden of a fallen state, Zhang Hua thought to himself, though he did not voice it aloud.

As time passed and meritorious deeds were established, the emperor's vigilance was steadily decreasing. After defeating Sima You, the Prince of Qi, Sima Yan's tolerance had reached an astonishing degree, seemingly entirely devoid of the deep-seated sharpness and suspicion found in his grandfather, Sima Yi. Consequently, without ever having laid eyes on Liu Xian, he casually uttered such evaluations.

Some matters and some people could only reveal their astonishing nature upon personal encounter. Zhang Hua had seen the iron-like gaze in Liu Xian's eyes, yet he also knew that at this moment, certain words could not be communicated. Persisting further would bring no benefit whatsoever, save for antagonizing Cao Zhi.

Therefore, Zhang Hua immediately acknowledged the order, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."

At this, Sima Yan stroked his beard and smiled faintly, "I still remember when I was young, I thought studying was a bitter chore and simply loathed learning; that was why I fell behind Taofu [Sima You, Prince of Qi]. Later, when I studied alongside Cao Zhi and had a good friend to keep me company, the days no longer felt difficult, and my lessons improved accordingly."

The emperor's sudden reminiscing about the past left Zhang Hua somewhat baffled. What exactly was he planning?

Sima Yan continued, "Come to think of it, none of my own sons are particularly fond of reading, which is hardly a good thing. Since this Heir Apparent to the Duke of Anle resembles Cao Zhi, I might as well arrange for him to serve as a companion in studies to one of them."

"A study companion? But Liu Xian is too young and is still observing a period of mourning..."

"It's not as if it has to happen immediately." Sima Yan plucked the strings a few times back and forth and smiled, "Cao Zhi slighted me last time; am I supposed to throw myself at him? Naturally, we must wait until the boy enters official service before making arrangements for him."

"However, when you go to accept Chen Shou's invitation this time, you might as well take several of the imperial princes along. First, to broaden their horizons and let them see what fine historiography looks like; second, to placate Chen Shou so that he harbors no resentment; and third, to take another look at this Liu Xian. If he truly is a talent of high caliber and any of the princes get along well with him, just let me know, and we can finalize the matter of the study companion."

After speaking for so long, this audience had finally drawn to a close. Sima Yan had no wish to talk further; with a wave of his hand, he motioned for the junior eunuch to escort the guest out. As Zhang Hua slowly walked away, the emperor was already unconcernedly reclining in the embrace of a palace maid. Soon enough, the soft and tender singing drifted once more from the pavilion:

The bright moon shines with clear light, the crickets chirp by the eastern wall.
The Jade衡 [part of the Big Dipper] points to the early winter, how dazzling and arrayed are the numerous stars.
White dew dampens the wild grasses, the seasons suddenly shift and change.
Autumn cicadas chirp among the trees, where do the swallows fly away to find peace...

Amidst the singing, the lake rippled softly, and willow leaves fell like rain.