Chapter 1015: The Integrity of the Literati

Emperor Liu was all smiles, his attitude could be said to be quite amiable, but the strength and confidence cultivated over many years that leaked through his words still made Xu Xuan's expression freeze slightly as he exclaimed in surprise: "Your Majesty wishes to detain an envoy?"

"Saying 'detain' is putting it too seriously—it's merely an invitation!" Looking at Xu Xuan, Liu Chengyou maintained his smile: "I have personally extended the invitation myself; surely Xu Gong would not refuse me such a small face?"

His heart sinking slightly, Xu Xuan clasped his hands before his chest and said somewhat bluntly: "Does Your Majesty truly not care about the dignity of the sovereign and the decorum of the state, insisting on detaining your subject?"

Hearing this, the smile on Liu Chengyou's face gradually faded. His tone remained calm, but he turned his head to Lü Yin and said: "I meant well, but it seems some people simply won't appreciate the gesture!"

Lü Yin looked at Xu Xuan, whose face was taut, and spoke: "I have heard that Xu Gong is a great master of letters of this generation, erudite and wise. Surely you should understand the times and adapt to circumstances. Why be so narrow-minded, content to remain in one corner, not daring to look upon the wider world?"

Xu Xuan glanced at Lü Yin, his expression still stern, and said with ringing force: "I am but an old man of Jiangnan. Though I bear an undeserved reputation, I still know loyalty and integrity!"

"Ha!" Seeing his performance, Liu Chengyou finally smiled again—though this time it was a sneer: "Within the four seas, all are the king's subjects. Jiangnan is a vassal of the court, so is Xu Gong a subject of the Han?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan seemed to remind Liu Chengyou: "Your Majesty, the great state's army is presently attacking its own vassal!"

"Enough! Let us stop sparring with words!" Liu Chengyou seemed to have lost his patience.

Seeing this, Xu Xuan clasped his hands once more: "Your subject also has no desire to bandy words. I wish to return to Jinling—why does Your Majesty obstruct me?"

Staring at Xu Xuan, Liu Chengyou's expression turned cold for the first time. Through years of intelligence gathering, Liu Chengyou had come to understand various aspects of Jiangnan's situation. Someone like Xu Xuan not only held an important position in the Jinling court but also enjoyed considerable renown in Jiangnan's literary circles. Combined with the praise heaped upon him by the civil officials around him, Liu Chengyou had treated Xu Xuan with considerable respect and courtesy.

However, when faced with his truly obstinate and unyielding behavior, anger inevitably rose in his heart. Emperor Liu had his moments of honoring worthy men, but he also had his moments of pettiness. Who was Xu Xuan to act so arrogantly before Emperor Liu, who held the very cosmos in his grasp?

His patience clearly nearly exhausted, Liu Chengyou stared at Xu Xuan with indifferent eyes: "With the sincerity of the Son of Heaven, and the vastness of the Eastern Capital laid open, still I cannot keep Xu Gong here to stay?"

Xu Xuan immediately replied: "I would rather be a minister of a fallen state than eat the salary of Kaifeng!"

"If that is so, I shall not press you further!" Liu Chengyou's expression changed again instantly, amiable as before, as he waved his hand magnanimously: "You may return to Jinling on your own. I shall issue an order that on the day the city falls, your safety is guaranteed, and when you are taken captive, you shall not be humiliated!"

"I thank Your Majesty! Your subject takes his leave!" Xu Xuan bowed, but for some reason, he who had been so fervent and impassioned felt a flutter of unease in his heart.

"I would like to see whether he will live and die with Jinling!" After Xu Xuan withdrew, Liu Chengyou could not help venting a remark.

Seeing this, Lü Yin spoke to soothe him: "Your Majesty, this is a stubborn and upright man who knows not how to adapt. I beg Your Majesty to calm your anger and not bother with him. One day, when the imperial army presents its victory, even Li Yu will come to court and kowtow before the throne—let alone a mere Xu Xuan?"

"How could I possibly quibble with a mere scholar!" Liu Chengyou looked as though he had let it go with a smile, lightly shaking his head, but his mouth continued: "Still, sometimes these scholars' foul tempers are truly exasperating! He calls it integrity, but unfortunately it is not integrity toward me and the Great Han..."

After a moment of silence, Liu Chengyou said again, softly: "From this it can be seen that although the great tide of unification is upon us, there are still some upright and principled men around Li Yu. Though they may be pedantic, it does not diminish their loyalty and righteousness. The Li family raised scholars for three generations with generous favor and ample salaries—in the end, they do have some foundation. That is understandable."

Though there is a saying that "those who break faith are often scholars," under normal circumstances, those who study books and understand reason—men like Xu Xuan, deeply steeped in the classics of the sages, who have formed their own moral and value systems and have personal aspirations—displaying such stubborn, foolish loyalty is actually quite normal.

Of course, understanding is one thing, but it does not mean Emperor Liu was pleased in his heart. Loyalty and integrity were worthy of advocacy, worthy of promotion and propagation—but if it was not loyalty to him, Emperor Liu, and the Great Han Empire, what use was it?

Scholars had no privileges with Emperor Liu. No matter if you were a titan of the literary world, a great master of the age, a leader of the scholarly class—with Liu Chengyou, you could still be worth nothing at all. The longer he sat on the throne, the clearer his standard for judging people became: it was simply useful or useless.

But even so, Xu Xuan's conduct still stirred some reflection in Liu Chengyou. After over a thousand years of development, especially the great flourishing after the court's southward crossing, the Jiangnan region had prospered economically and culturally to a glorious degree. To conquer it by force might not be difficult, but to surpass it culturally was no small challenge. To a certain extent, Jiangnan culture represented the very root of Chinese civilization.

Therefore, after pondering for a long while, Emperor Liu uttered such a reflection: "To unify the north and the south, military occupation is only the first step; cultural recognition has only just begun! Surely not all of Jiangnan's scholars are as stubborn and unyielding as Xu Xuan..."

Hearing the Emperor say this, Lü Yin gave an affirmative answer: "The unification of north and south is the Way of Heaven, what all subjects under heaven hope for and recognize. Once the realm is united, the scholars of Jiangnan will eventually submit to Your Majesty and serve the Great Han with full loyalty!"

"Let us hope it is as you say!" Liu Chengyou muttered, though his dark eyes flashed with a somewhat unusual gleam, as if he were contemplating something.

"Your Majesty, Commissioner Zhao of Military Affairs requests an audience!" A palace attendant came to announce, interrupting Liu Chengyou's train of thought.

"Summon him!" Liu Chengyou immediately snapped back to attention.

Soon, Zhao Kuangyin entered the hall and paid his respects. After the formalities, Liu Chengyou asked directly: "Has there been progress in the war?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty!" Zhao Kuangyin handed the military report to the palace eunuch Sun the Yan army, a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, and said: "Ezhou has already been taken, with virtually no resistance—the entire city fell. The enemy's defenses at Ezhou proved utterly ineffective. We obtained nearly fifty thousand surrendered troops and countless grain and weapons. Cao Bin and Liu Guangyi have already led the combined land and naval forces eastward, heading straight for Jiangzhou. Word of victory should not be far behind!"

"Cao and Liu truly have the makings of great generals—they have not disappointed my expectations!" A single victory report swept away the small measure of displeasure that had been weighing on Emperor Liu's heart, and his face beamed with joy: "The advance has been so swift that even the formidable walls of Ezhou proved useless. That Huangfu Jixun, just as all of you predicted, is truly an incompetent fool! By the way, where is Huangfu Jixun?"

"His head was presented to the army, and his body was hacked to pulp by the resentful soldiers under his own command!" Zhao Kuangyin shook his head slightly, whether in reflection or mockery was unclear.

"What an ugly way to die! Huangfu Hui could hardly be called a famous general, and his son was even more worthless!" Liu Chengyou commented, then said in a relaxed tone: "As for this 'meritorious official,' I shall not bestow any rewards upon him..."

Liu Chengyou did not even have the inclination to make an issue of Huangfu Jixun to further demoralize the Jiangnan army—there was simply nothing of substance to make an issue of.

"Additionally, the Jianghuai field headquarters has reported that the Jiangnan navy is no longer a threat. I have ordered Zhang Yongde to lead troops across the river at Dangtu to attack Caishi Rock. Within these two days, the battle report should also arrive. Our forces are fully prepared, and barring unexpected developments, it should succeed!" Zhao Kuangyin continued: "Once we successfully cross the river, with Guo Tingwei to the east, Zhang Yongde to the west, and the Jianghuai field headquarters to the north, Jinling will surely be in peril!"

After hearing this, Liu Chengyou was all smiles, laughing heartily a few times, and said: "The upper reaches are settled, and the lower reaches are about to achieve a major breakthrough. The pace of the war has completely exceeded our imagination! At this rate, within two months, Jiangnan can be pacified!"

"It should be even faster than pacifying Shu!" Zhao Kuangyin said after a moment's thought. On this matter, he had considerable authority to speak.

His eyes rolling twice, Liu Chengyou turned his head to Lü Yin and said: "Send someone to find Xu Xuan and remind him to hurry on his way back to Jinling. If he has not yet crossed south and Jinling has already fallen, then how he becomes a minister of a fallen Jinling will no longer be a matter of me not accommodating him..."

"Yes!" Knowing that the Emperor still harbored some resentment over Xu Xuan's offense, Lü Yin clasped his hands in acknowledgment.

"How goes the battle on Pan Mei's front?" Liu Chengyou then looked to Zhao Kuangyin.

Zhao Kuangyin said: "According to the latest battle report, he is temporarily stalled at Shaozhou, held back by Prefect Lu Guangtu."