Chapter 3 Let’s Kill Him

Chapter 3: Shall We Kill Him?

On one side stood the Empress Dowager and Sima Daozi, the Prince of Kuaiji.

On the other, the Crown Prince, his consort, and the Second Prince.

Sima Daozi cursed under his breath. Why had his elder brother, back then, insisted on fulfilling their sister Sima Daofu’s wish, forcibly compelling Wang Xianzhi, the brilliant scholar of the Langya Wang clan, to divorce his wife Xi Daomao, so that Sima Daofu could marry Wang Xianzhi? That union had led to today's Wang Shenai.

From its eastward relocation and establishment of the capital to its dynastic reconstruction, the Eastern Jin imperial house had relied entirely on the support of the Langya Wang clan. So much so that a popular saying had emerged: "The Wangs and Simas rule the world together."

"Wang" referred to the prestigious Langya Wang clan.

"Ma" (Sima) referred to the Sima clan.

Just as now, Crown Princess Wang Shenai, who hailed from both the Langya Wang clan and the imperial family, held far more sway in her words than Empress Dowager Li Lingrong, who stood beside her.

…

And also because her reasoning was sound.

Sima Daozi strained his ears and could hear the murmurs among the crowd.

"...Even Emperor Sima Yao’s death was foretold by the celestial display."

"This miracle hardly looks like some prank."

"If the celestial display speaks the truth, the Second Prince will also become emperor. Who knows if he might be the Emperor Yong'an?"

"Precisely, precisely."

Sima Daozi had already usurped power from the deceased Sima Yao—why couldn’t the Second Prince, after growing a few years older, control his feeble-minded imperial brother and accomplish something great?

It all sounded perfectly reasonable.

Though at this moment, the Second Prince was still clinging to Wang Shenai’s sleeve like a suckling child. Without his cousin shielding him, he probably wouldn’t even have the courage to look up at the celestial display.

In contrast, the Crown Princess, who held her ground despite her fear, seemed far more formidable.

But back then, the Sima clan had ended the Three Kingdoms and emerged as the final victors. Who was to say the Second Prince wouldn’t just need time to mature before coming into his own?

Bringing him here now to ensure his safety was undoubtedly necessary.

Sima Daozi clenched his teeth. Though he knew Wang Shenai’s challenge only worsened his predicament, he still yielded slightly, taking an imperceptible step back.

Wang Shenai’s hand, hidden in her sleeve, finally relaxed.

The night breeze brushed against her damp palm, raising goosebumps.

Before her transmigration, she had been just an ordinary office worker—at most, someone who had read a few history books. To suddenly find herself in this infamously chaotic era was nothing short of a disaster.

And now, there was this celestial display, adding new chaos to this time.

In such turbulent times, even an ordinary commoner would worry about the future—let alone someone in her position.

If circumstances allowed, she’d have loved to follow Noble Lady Zhang’s example and simply snap, taking as many down with her as possible.

But she still wanted to survive, and she still hoped to find a way back. So she had to seize every opportunity.

Fortunately, it seemed she had taken the right first step.

During the brief standoff, the celestial display’s interlude concluded.

The northern horsemen advanced like a tidal wave, while the south, facing life and death, dared not slacken in the slightest.

Even though everyone knew the outcome of this battle, they still found themselves left breathless by such imagery.

Coupled with the confrontation between the Crown Princess and the Prince of Kuaiji, the air thrummed with tension in the hall.

Yet the celestial display’s voice remained steady.

"Sima Yao died in such an ignoble manner, yet he was posthumously honored as Emperor Xiaowu—all because of this battle. Of course, warfare had little to do with him as emperor. He was simply lucky to have several diehard loyalists emerge during his reign, all of them capable men."

"The Langya Wang clan goes without saying—the Eastern Jin imperial family had been propped up by them, so they had no reason to oppose the Sima clan. Had it not been for Emperor Yong'an later raising his blade and cutting them down en masse, they might have smoothly transitioned into the next dynasty, remaining the top aristocratic family."

Conquering General Wang Xun, who happened to be present, stiffened upon hearing this, nearly fumbling his sword in shock.

What? Emperor Yong'an slaughtered half of the Langya Wang clan?

Was this some sick joke?

As the current representative of the Wang clan in court, Wang Xun not only held the title of Conquering General but also served as Left Vice Director of the Secretariat and held the nominal position of Crown Prince’s Tutor, binding his future to that of the future emperor.

If Wang Shenai was the bridge between the Langya Wang clan and the Sima clan in the inner court, then Wang Xun was the leader in the outer court.

This revelation from the celestial display was of utmost importance to him.

But the voice from above clearly had no intention of digressing. Without elaborating further on the fate of the Langya Wang clan, it continued.

"The other two key figures were Huan Chong and Xie An."

"When Sima Yao ascended the throne, the imperial authority of the Eastern Jin was already on the verge of collapse. Grand Marshal Huan Wen at the time barefacedly plotted treason, ready to seize the throne at any moment. After all, if the Sima clan could betray their former emperor and claim the throne, why couldn’t the Huan family do the same?"

"But the Huan family produced an anomaly—Huan Chong. Though born into the Huan clan, he sought only to be an unwavering loyalist to the imperial family, with no intention of rebellion. After Huan Wen’s death, he even handed over part of his military power to Xie An, joining forces with him to fortify the Eastern Jin’s northern defenses."

"During the Battle of Fei River, Huan Chong guarded Jingzhou, suppressing all dissent within the Huan clan. He launched preemptive strikes northward from the western and central fronts, tying down large numbers of Qin troops and creating an opportunity for Xie An and Xie Xuan to counterattack from the eastern front."

"It was an unprecedented collaboration. In the end, Qin Emperor Fu Jian, aiming to swallow the Eastern Jin in one swift strike, suffered a crushing defeat at Fei River. His dream of 'casting whips into the river to halt its flow' shattered, forcing him to flee in panic. The various tribes under him seized the chance to rebel, and he himself was killed by a traitorous general two years later."

"This battle was destined to be recorded as the most glorious page in Eastern Jin’s history. Not only did they achieve an against-all-odds triumph, preserving their precarious territory, but under Xie An and Xie Xuan’s leadership, they also pushed the boundary between north and south from the Huai River to the Yellow River. Had the Eastern Jin dynasty been stronger, the dream of reclaiming the heartland and returning to the old capital might not have been so distant."

"But unfortunately, at this very moment, Huan Chong died. The bridge that had once buffered tensions between the Huan and Sima clans was gone."

"Xie An also died. He had originally planned to hold the Yellow River defense line with Xie Xuan, waiting for the northern rebellions to exhaust themselves before pushing further north. But his body could no longer endure. Shortly after being forced to return, he wasted away."

"During his lifetime, Xie An had dedicated himself to balancing power between the imperial family and the great families. Out of loyalty, he made a fatal miscalculation before his death—he decided to return his power to the imperial family."

On the celestial display, the palace was awash in wine and song.

Outside, the funerary white draped the Xie estates of Chen Commandery, yet they did nothing to dampen the joyous atmosphere inside.

Though the man seated at the head of the hall bore no resemblance to the corpse lying in state, everyone could tell this was meant to represent Sima Yao.

He clinked cups merrily with a man dressed in princely robes, enjoying Jiankang’s finest dancers. During the feast, he casually handed over the power Xie An had returned to the Prince of Kuaiji, Sima Daozi.

Sima Daozi seized the reins with glee, immediately gathering his faction to plot their next gambit.

The celestial display’s tone turned icy.

"Very soon, Sima Daozi used war fatigue as pretext to recall Xie Xuan from the frontlines. Had Xie Xuan truly harbored disloyal intentions, he could have defied the order, invoking the ancient right of generals to disregard their sovereign’s commands, and remained stationed in the north. But he didn’t. He returned, surrendered his troops, and perished from heartbreak—at the age of forty-six."

Below the shimmering display, not a soul dared breathe.

Back then, Xie An and Xie Xuan, as the leaders of the Xie clan and standard-bearers of the aristocratic families, took to the battlefield with the ambition of reclaiming the north. Their cooperation with the Huan clan was progressing smoothly, yet due to the deaths of key leaders and sabotage from the capital, their efforts ultimately failed.

Amid today's present-day drift, some still lament those bygone days. Patriots even resent themselves for not striving harder back then to support the Xie clan against the court's opposition.

Faced with national and personal grievances, even the shock of Sima Yao's death momentarily faded.

"To me, Sima Yao deserved three slaps—Sima Daozi deserved ten and then some!"

"No wonder Emperor Yong'an, shortly after seizing power, orchestrated Sima Daozi's capture and ordered his execution by chariot-ripping, eliminating him and his cronies to prevent future sabotage of the northern campaigns. To that, I can only say—well done!"

"…!" Sima Daozi's face turned wooden, his unblinking gaze fixed on the heavenly scroll, hoping what he heard was just a delusion.

But he had been wholly absorbed in the revelations above—how could he have misheard?

The dire news was exactly as the scroll foretold.

He now knew he was not the future Emperor Yong'an who would pacify the empire, but rather the thorn in that tyrant's side.

"…Is this man the reincarnation of an omen of slaughter?" Sima Daozi muttered through gritted teeth.

Even the elite Wang clan of Langya was massacred, and he, a royal dignitary, faced execution by chariot-ripping—how could such a man earn others' allegiance and secure his rule as co-ruler of the realm!

He had to uncover this foe's identity swiftly to save his own life.

Regardless of his actions, wasn’t he the emperor’s own brother, entitled to pursue his desires?

Moreover, reclaiming imperial power from the aristocratic clans had long been the dream of Eastern Jin rulers. Did they think he didn’t know? His brother, feigning debauchery, had secretly wished for this when handing him power.

This wasn’t solely his fault—he merely followed the tide.

With what little authority he had left, he glared around, forcing back the scrutinizing stares.

But Conquering General Wang Xun noticed—in the dim glow of the night, Sima Daozi’s grip on his sword tightened. His soft hands, usually slack, now strained, veins bulging with tension.

The heavenly scroll showed no mercy.

"Some may argue that the aristocratic clans' excessive power was harmful, and Sima Daozi’s actions had merit. To that, I say—he shouldn’t have started at all."

"As Supreme Commander of the Armies and governor of Xuzhou and Yangzhou, he not only expanded his tax households to 59,000, claiming the title of second only to the emperor, but also promoted sycophants like Wang Guobao, Zhao Ya, and Ru Qianqiu, who oppressed the common people and committed countless atrocities."

"After Sima Yao’s death and the Idiot Emperor Sima Dezong’s ascension, Sima Daozi grew ever more reckless, sparking catastrophe!"

"The Beifu Army, once led by Xie An and Xie Xuan, should have shone against northern invaders. Yet in the Idiot Emperor’s second year, it was sent to quash a rebellion by imperial kinsmen, and in the third year, to suppress a peasant uprising under the Five Doumi Sect banner."

"This was the royal clan’s doing. To call this era the darkness before dawn is no exaggeration!"

Only because Sima Dezong was an idiot, oblivious to the scroll’s revelations, did he remain unmoved by "rebellions in his second year and uprisings in his third."

Courtiers and servants who grasped the implications now glared at the Prince of Kuaiji with newfound hatred.

No wonder the scroll deemed Sima Daozi worse than an idiot!

How could such an unfit wretch govern?

If the future Emperor Yong'an executed him, it would only be a righteous purge—ridding the people of a scourge, not cruelty.

……

Wang Xun suddenly felt his lower back prodded.

He quickly turned from Sima Daozi to find a diminutive eunuch behind him, gesturing discreetly.

Glancing around and seeing all eyes fixed on Sima Daozi, the "sinner," he hurried to Crown Princess Wang Shenai’s side.

His feelings toward the Crown Princess were conflicted.

Though a key figure of the Langya Wang clan, none forgot how Wang Xianzhi, to avoid a princess’s pursuit, burned his own feet—only to be forced into divorce and remarry her by imperial decree. He died heartbroken soon after, leaving Wang Shenai fatherless by age three.

Yet after today’s revelations, Wang Xun had to admit her composure proved herself a true Wang, binding her fate to the Wangs.

Bowing, he whispered, "What does the Crown Princess require?"

Crown Princess Wang Shenai, wrapped in her cloak, her youthful beauty belying the storm in her eyes, murmured, "Uncle, as Conquering General and the clan’s stalwart—how many troops do you command?"

Wang Xun hesitated. "Why do you ask?"

She replied softly, "My agents report the heavenly scroll is visible throughout the capital. Sima Daozi’s crimes are now public. Will he await his doom? Who will he turn to?"

Wang Xun grasped her meaning instantly.

Given the Sima-Wang ties and the "victims’ list" on the scroll, Sima Daozi’s first ally would be the Wangs!

But no man of honor would trust him.

Yet with the emperor dead and his heir an idiot, they were forced to engage with Sima Daozi.

Thus——

Crown Princess Wang Shenai, shivering but resolute in the night wind, spoke words Wang Xun couldn’t ignore.

"A fool’s partnership is a noose. Rather than sink with his corruption, strike first and cleanse our name—to win back the people’s hearts. Perhaps… it’s our clan’s salvation."