Chapter 11 10. To destroy the clan

Sima Xiuzhi is also a very interesting figure in Chinese history. As the clan of the Jin Dynasty, he lived a life of ups and downs. He went through the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Southern Yan, Later Qin, and Northern Wei. "Book of Jin" and "Book of Wei" (there are many clans in the Southern Dynasties similar to his situation, for example, the biographies of Liu Chang, the clan of Liu Song, are also found in "Song Shu" and "Wei Shu"; the biographies of Xiao Baokui, the clan of Southern Qi, are also found in "Nan "Book" and "Book of Wei", etc., we will mention the deeds of these people later).In the era of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, we don't need to criticize his moral character, and he is just a victim of the game of great powers and political struggle.

After Liu Yi was imprisoned, Sima Xiuzhi became the governor of Jingzhou. He won the hearts of the people in Jiangling, but he was hated by Liu Yu.At this time, Liu Yu's thirst for power has reached the point where he can't increase it. What he needs is an obedient subordinate like Liu Jingxuan who can "ask for instructions early and report late" even if he is not around, instead of being able to stick to one side. The local governor who threatened him, so he had to take action against Sima Xiuzhi out of his own interests.Not to mention, he quickly found an excuse to add a crime.

The excuse comes from Sima Wensi, the eldest son of Sima Xiuzhi, who is frivolous and indulgent, likes to make friends everywhere, and has a bit of a chivalrous style.He inherited the title of King Qiao from his uncle Sima Shangzhi, and stayed in the Jiankang area. He only went out hunting with his relatives, friends, and servants every day, and sometimes ran to other people's graves. burnt.This kind of dandyism was not uncommon in the royal family in the past, but it happened to offend the strict laws and regulations promulgated by Liu Yuxin not long ago.As a result, the dignified prince had to face lawsuits every now and then, and Sima Wensi was very upset by being tossed about.At the same time, he couldn't understand that the Sima family's country was monopolized by the surname Liu, so he secretly planned trouble with his subordinates.Before the plan took shape, it was found out by Liu Yu's detailed work and reported to Liu Yu.Liu Yu had been looking forward to such information for a long time, and immediately ordered Sima Wensi's party to be arrested, his subordinates executed, and Sima Wensi was tied up and sent to Jiangling, so that Sima Xiuzhi could figure it out.

Sima Xiuzhi understood that Liu Yu's action was aimed at him, but he only made a statement, apologized to the court, admitted that he was not strict in discipline, and asked the court to remove him from his post and punish him further.He didn't do anything about his son, he just thought that his prince should be abolished.Liu Yu was very dissatisfied, and finally in the second year, that is, the eleventh year of Emperor Yixi of Jin'an (AD 415), he had a showdown with Sima Xiu. The ancestors were given death together, and took the post of governor of Jingzhou.He entrusted all the affairs of Jiankang to Liu Muzhi, and personally led troops to attack Sima Xiuzhi.

Sima Xiuzhi was on guard. He contacted Lu Zongzhi, governor of Yongzhou who was also dissatisfied with Liu Yu's monopoly, and his son, Lu Gui, prefect of Jingling. Liu Yu heard that Han Yanzhi, Sima Xiuzhi's enlisted soldier, was a talent and wanted to surrender, so he wrote a secret letter to him, saying: "Sima Wensi's affairs are known far and near. I sent him to Sima Xiuzhi last year. , gave him enough face, and Sima Xiuzhi has no guilt, this is the world will not tolerate. I was ordered to go west, only to arrest their father and son. You former officials will not ask any crimes. Liu Yi's subordinates helped Liu Yi plan the rebellion, but it did not end well. Now you are forced by the situation and don't want to rebel. You can surrender as soon as possible. When the army comes to the city, you don’t have eyes for swords and guns. I’m afraid that you will accidentally injure the lives of all of you. You can show this letter to your colleagues, and hope that they can also adapt to the situation.”

Han Yanzhi was not aggrieved by the power, and wrote an impassioned reply, scolding Liu Yu for being shameless, which can be described as a classic book of refusal to surrender: "I heard that my relatives led the army and horses, walked far away in the west, and all the scholars and concubines in the whole country were stunned. Who? I don't know the name of the teacher. The humiliation came and went, and I was appointed to the previous affairs of King Qiao. Liang Zeng sighed. Sima Pingxi ( That is to say, Sima Xiuzhi) is loyal to the country and treats things with hospitality. The king has the honor of rejuvenation, the family and the country are honored, and he is sincere and sincere. It’s a big mistake, but you should be silent! The previous performances are abolished, and those who can’t be exhausted will be ordered. It’s just right to push and send each other. Consulting with each other, and expressing the emperor directly, it can be said that "there is no excuse for the crime you want to impose"! Liu Yu's step, and people in the sea, no one can see this heart. And want to deceive the country again, "the heaven and the earth will not tolerate it." This is the case. It is said that "the emptiness of expecting things has its own origin"; today's king who cuts down people, eats people for profit, it can be said that "the emptiness of expecting things has its own origin"! Liu Fan died in the gate of Changhe, Zhuge (that is, Zhuge Changmin) was killed by the hands of the left and right. Gan Yan surprised Fang Bo, and attacked him with light soldiers, so that the wealthy people on the table were not confident princes. I am sincere and despicable, and I have heard the Tao from a gentleman. With Pingxi's supreme virtue, I would rather not have a minister who is ordered! If the sky is in chaos and the nine streams are muddy, I should swim with Zang Hong in the underground ears (Zang Hong was a famous scholar in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, because his boss Zhang Chao He raised an army in revenge, was captured by Yuan Shao, faced Yuan Shao's temptation to surrender, and was righteous and righteous, denouncing Yuan Shao, defeated and killed. Han Yanzhi's citation of this allusion also shows his determination.)

Liu Yu's nose was ashamed, and he kept sighing, and asked his subordinates to read the letter carefully, saying: "It should be like this!" (Han Yanzhi's thoroughness in supporting the emperor and opposing Liu was also reflected in his and his family's names. He heard that Liu Yu's father, Liu Qiao, was named Xianzong, so he changed his own name to Xianzong, and gave his own name The son was named Han Qiao to show disrespect to Liu Yu. Tao Yuanming, a famous scholar in the late Jin Dynasty, was touched by Han Yanzhi's deeds, and once wrote in his poem "Reading "Three Seas" that "Xing Tian dances relatives, The famous sentence "Meng Zhi Gu is always there".)

When the persuasion failed, Liu Yu attacked with a large army. He ordered Tan Daoji, who joined the army, and Zhu Chaoshi, Zhu Lingshi's younger brother, to lead cavalry from Xiangyang.Lu Gui of Jingling attacked Liu Qianzhi and killed him.Liu Yu intended to promote his son-in-law Xu Kuizhi, and asked him to lead the army Kuai En, Wang Yunzhi, and Shen Yuanzi as forwards to attack Lugui from Jiangxiakou (the confluence of the Yangtze River and Xiashui, now Jianlixi, Hubei). (now in the southeast of Jiangling, Hubei Province), Xu Kuizhi and others were defeated and killed, and only Kuai En's army barely held on.

When Liu Yu's army arrived at Matou (northwest of today's Public Security Bureau in Hubei), he got the news that he had lost two battles in a row and that his son-in-law had died in battle.The banks of the river in this area were cliffs several feet high, and Lu Gui and Sima Wensi led 40,000 troops to guard them. They lined up on the cliffs, and Liu Yu's army could not go ashore at all.Liu Yu was dressed neatly and was about to go ashore in person, but the generals refused to listen to their remonstrance, and the chief secretary Xie Hui tried to stop him with death, so he persuaded him.Liu Yu forced Jianwu General Hu Fan to go ashore again. Hu Fan pierced small grooves on the cliff with the tip of a knife, just enough to accommodate his toes, and climbed up step by step (it can be seen that Hu Fan is a rock climber). early pioneers of the movement).After that, more and more people followed him to go ashore bravely, and fought hand-to-hand with the army of Sima Wensi and others.Jingzhou's army had never seen such a brave posture, and was quickly repelled.Liu Yu took advantage of the victory to attack, Sima Xiuzhi's army was defeated, and Jiangling was captured.Sima Xiuzhi and Lu Zongzhi fled north and sent people to the Later Qin and Northern Wei Dynasties for help. Lu Gui guarded Shicheng (now Zhongxiang, Hubei) in order to make a last-ditch effort, but they were defeated by Liu Yu's subordinates Zhao Lunzhi and Shen Linzi.The two pairs of father and son Sima Xiuzhi, Lu Zongzhi, and the Han Yanzhi who swore against Liu had no choice but to defect to Houqin, and the clan Sima Xiuzhi was forced to leave the motherland again.

Taiwei Liu Yu won the final victory in the power struggle. He was granted the title of Taifu and Yangzhou Mu, and enjoyed the highest treatment of "walking on the sword, entering the court without tending, and worshiping without being famous".In the twelfth year of Yixi (AD 416), he was granted the title of General of Pingbei and Inspector of Yanzhou, and added the governor of Nanqin Prefecture, bringing the total number of governors to twenty-two.So far, Liu Yu has been "under one man" in name, but actually "above ten thousand people", and can do whatever he wants.