Chapter 38 Chapter Thirty-Four

Why is heaven so unfair?Is there only one fair word in the world that cannot be said? ...Sima Qian fell in grief on the straw mat in the death row... Ren An looked at it and sighed: "Oh, it's a pity that a talent like Zichang is locked up in death row." Ren An hurried to Sima Qian's house, and Qing'er let him into the main room. Ren An said to Sima Qian's wife: "Sister-in-law, it's not good, Brother Zi is in prison." "Ah, why?" "He defended Li Ling and offended the emperor. According to the rules, it is a capital offense, alas!"

"My God!" Sima Qian's wife fainted from anxiety and was supported by the maid. "Ma'am, wake up." Everyone hurried to wake her up. "Sister-in-law, don't worry, let me think of a way slowly. Usually the emperor thinks highly of him. Although he is put on death row, he may not necessarily be executed." "That's hard to say, the current Ministry of Criminal Justice is full of cruel officials, how can it be spared since it was an order issued by the emperor?" Sima Qian's wife said sobbing. "Sister-in-law hurry up and see him in prison, I'll ask someone to go."

"Thank you Brother Ren An." "polite." Sima Qian's wife Wang Wenzhen hurried to the prison with her daughter and Qing'er. When they arrived at the prison, Wang Wenzhen gave some money to the jailer, and then the jailer opened the door to let them in. Across the prison fence, they were deeply saddened. "Husband..." Wang Wenzhen took Sima Qian's hand and was too sad to speak. "Wenzhen, why are you here?" "Father..." daughter Sima Qiong also cried. "Qiong'er doesn't cry, ah, it's all right." "Teacher, you..." Qing'er choked up and said.

"What's going on here?" Wen Zhen asked. "I just said a few fair words, but I didn't expect the emperor to be furious and throw me into death row." "What did you say?" "I said that the emperor's employment was improper. Li Ling took the initiative to invite Ying, but he was not reused. Let him go deep into the enemy's hinterland alone. There is no danger of not being surrounded. The emperor's reuse of Li Guangli is not because of Mrs. Li." "You, why are you so confused, is the emperor someone who can be provoked?"

"Wenzhen, when my father was alive, my father warned me that people who study history must not be ignorant of their conscience. I just respect historical facts." "You, I'm afraid you're going to fall on this..." "It's time, let's go, let's go! Don't trouble us." The jailer urged. "Husband..." "Father……" "Qing'er, cut some bamboo slips for me. I want to write "Historical Records" in prison." "is teacher." Wen Zhen held onto Sima Qian's hand tightly, and the jailer said, "If you don't leave, I won't let you come."

The three left sadly. Facing the prison wall, Sima Qian lamented: "Hey, why is the sky so unfair? Is there only one thing in the world that can't say a word of justice? God..." Sima Qian fell down on the straw mat in grief... Sima Qian wrote books under the flickering soybean oil lamp. When Ren An came to see Sima Qian, he called softly: "Sir, son." Sima Qian stood up, holding both hands tightly across the prison fence. Ren An said with admiration: "You are still writing books." "Yes. I just don't know how many days I can write!" "Show me, what is written?"

"This is "The Chronicle of Xiang Yu"." Ren An read it and sighed: "It's really well written. Alas, it's a pity that a talent like Zichang is locked up in death row." Zhu An looked down again, and kept admiring: "It's so well written... Alas, Zichang, I'll show it to the emperor, maybe I can let you out." "Brother Ren An..." In the middle of the night, the lights in the study room of the imperial palace were still on, and Emperor Wu was reading Sima Qian's "Benji of Xiang Yu". Emperor Wu excitedly hit the case and read:

"Ah, it's too courageous to fight with one's back against the wall." Emperor Wu sighed. Emperor Wu read another passage: "Ah! It's so well written!" "Xuan Ren'an." "Yes, Your Majesty." Yang Deyi hurriedly passed on the edict. "I kowtow to the emperor." "Li Pingshen." "Ren An, go to the prison and tell Sima Qian to write history for me." "Yes, I just dare to ask what aspect the emperor wants him to write about." "I asked him to write the rewritten part. He is a historian, so he should know what to write? Do you still want me to say it?"

"The minister obeys the order, and the minister resigns." Ren An came to the prison, put his hand on the prison fence, and said to Sima Qian: "Sir, you have to write well. If you write well, the emperor may release you." "How to write it?" "The Emperor appreciates your "The Chronicle of Xiang Yu" very much, so you can just write one about the Emperor." Sima Qian shook his head and said: "My ancestors were historians, and my father once warned me that historians must write history truthfully, neither hiding evil nor pretending to be beautiful."

"Okay, but you have to remember that you can't offend the emperor again this time. This time the emperor beat you to death, maybe there is a factor of dissatisfaction with the history books you wrote." Sima Qian didn't speak, just sighed deeply... Holding a pen in his hand, Sima Qian stared at the window stubbornly. He was thinking about his father's teaching that as a historian, he should be responsible for the truth of history, neither hiding evil nor pretending to be beautiful. "...do not hide evil, nor pretend to be beautiful... Alas." Sima Qian sighed. He lamented that the emperor did not understand him and could not accept his loyal remonstrance... At this time, he thought of Qu Yuan... and remembered that he was crying. When Luo Jiang paid tribute to Qu Yuan, he burst into tears.

"Hey, Doctor Qu Yuan, your uprightness, your loyalty, and your nine deaths without regrets are all examples for Sima Qian to learn from. I want to write about you so that your noble sentiments will be passed down through the ages." So Sima Qian leaned on the small wooden table again, and wrote "Biography of Qu Yuan" with the faint light like beans... Ren An came to see Sima Qian, "Zichang, the emperor asked you to write it, have you finished it?" "Not written." "No? You don't want to get out of prison?" Sima Qian didn't speak. Ren An picked up the bamboo slip written on the table and Wei looked at it: "Oh, it's about Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan should be about it, but the most urgent thing is that you should be about the emperor." Sima Qian shook his head without speaking. "If you refuse to write, then the emperor will not pardon you, alas, you!" "I have to go back to Yizhou. My father is sick. You should think about it." The faint soybean oil lamp in the prison reflected Sima Qian's pale and emaciated face. Sima Qian was scribbling and writing. He wanted to write as much as possible for "Historical Records" before he was executed. Since he was imprisoned for more than a year, he has been writing every day, every month, without interruption. Even after being sentenced to prison, he still struggles to write... His family will bring him back when he finishes writing. On this day, the jailer told him: "Sima Qian, you have been sentenced to death, but according to the old regulations, you can avoid death if you pay 500,000 taels of silver, or you can avoid death if you choose to be castrated, you decide for yourself!" Sima Qian was stunned. God!Five hundred thousand taels of silver, where can I find it?It's less than 1% of the bankruptcy!Castration?God, I am a man, how can a man be so humiliated? Staring at the vast night outside the prison window, Sima Qian sat blankly, thinking of death, and all pain would be over after death... However, his father's last will rang in his ears again: "Qian'er, father's long-cherished wish in life I entrust it to you, you must finish writing "Historical Records"!" If he died like this, how would he face his father under Jiuquan?Besides, I have devoted too much to studying history all my life, and completing "Historical Records" is also my long-cherished wish, so I can't die now...but if I don't die, I will have to be castrated...Oh my god, what should I do! Sima Qian was sad and angry that she beat his head with both hands. Sima Qian, Sima Qian, what should I do?Sima Qian would rather die than suffer this humiliation... But I am dead, what about my father's last wish, what about "Historical Records"?Alas, sad people don't meet, sad people don't meet... Those in power, you are arbitrary and violent, you don't distinguish between good and evil, this world is violent and rampant, and you are fighting each other. Sima Qian went to the candle, picked up a pen and wrote the famous "Ode to Sadness": Qing'er came in and saw that Sima Qian's eyes were full of tears, he quickly lowered his head and read the Fu written by the teacher. He was deeply moved, and he choked up and said: "The teacher is indeed unappreciated for his talents. The world is too dangerous to dare to speak justice." talker." Sima Qian's wife Wen Zhen, daughter Sima Qiong and his wife, and grandson Yang Yun came to the cell.Wang Wenzhen took out the food she had brought from the basket, and seeing her husband's distressed face, Wenzhen comforted her sadly: "Husband, don't be too sad, Ren An and Qing'er have already gone to raise money, let's see if they can redeem the money." You go back, I'm going to sell the house..." "No, the house must not be pawned. If it is sold, where will the whole family live? Although Ren An is kind, he probably can't raise much money. Now the world is so cold, and relatives and friends have come to see me very quickly this year. It’s impossible to borrow money from them.” "Then...then what should I do!" Wang Wenzhen choked up and said. "I decided to go to the castration." "Ah! Husband, that is the greatest shame for a man, how could..." Wang Wenzhen burst into tears. "Father..." Sima Qiong and his wife also cried. "Master Zheng..." Yun'er also cried out. In the evening, Qing'er came, and he lowered his head and said, "Teacher, Mrs. Qing'er is incompetent. I have visited all the relatives and friends of the teacher's house. I can't borrow money..." Sima Qian remained silent. Ren An also came, and both Sima Qian and Qing'er looked into his eyes anxiously, because there was only one last hope left, and Ren An said sadly, "Hmph, none of these snobs are willing to hand over money." Helping each other. If you don’t want to move people, donate a little bit of silver, who cares more! Alas, human love is so thin.” "Don't run around anymore. Even if someone is willing to help, I can't get that much money anyway. I have made up my mind and will be castrated!" Ren An was shocked: "Sir, this is an inhuman humiliation! You can't be castrated!" Sima Qian shook his head, and said with firm eyes: "There is nothing greater than heartbreak. As long as my heart is not dead, I can bear no matter how serious the physical insult is." Qing'er shed tears and said: "Teacher, don't go to the official punishment, let us think of a way." "Qing'er, I know your loyalty, but the time limit is approaching, and I have no choice." "Teacher..." Qing'er cried, "Teacher, let me go to torture instead of you!" "Qing'er, how is this possible?" Sima Qian and Qing'er hugged their heads and cried loudly. "My son, I'll go and beg the emperor again!" "No need, I know the emperor's personality, he will not take back his life. Since ancient times, the emperor has never been offended." Sima Qian bowed down to the dark sky outside the prison window. "Father, your soul in heaven, I heard my son calling you, in order to fulfill your will, my son is going to bear the greatest shame in the world. "Mother, the child is not filial, it will shame you... "Father, if the child does not finish "Historical Records", he will die with regret..." Sima Qiong and Yang Chang helped Wang Wenzhen back into a coma, while Ren An and Qing'er stood by and wept... Du Zhou opened the cell door and walked in. "Sima Qian, have you made up your mind? Should I pay five hundred thousand taels of silver, or suffer castration?" Sima Qian said coldly: "I am a scholar, where did I get the five hundred thousand taels of silver?" "So, are you going to be castrated?" Sima Qian turned his back and did not speak. "Sima Qian, you, I can't figure it out. You have read so many books, and your mind is still so straight. Don't you know the saying that a man who understands current affairs is a hero? Actually..." Du Zhou took a step closer, and said in a low voice: "Actually, your fate is in your own hands. You scholars are very knowledgeable. I admire you very much, but you just don't understand current affairs. I would like to advise you from the bottom of my heart. If you can do what you should write well, and don’t write what you shouldn’t, then it’s not impossible for us to say a few words for you in front of the emperor.” Sima Qian turned his head and asked, "May I ask Mr. Ting Wei, what should be written and what should not be written?" "Then do you still need to ask? Write if the emperor is willing, and don't write if the emperor is not willing." Sima Qian said angrily: "Looking at the emperor's face, it's no wonder that you don't follow the policy of the imperial court to sentence and handle the case. It's no wonder that so many people have been wronged." "You man, if you had become my in-laws at the beginning, would I not have saved you?" "Hmph!" Sima Qian snorted and turned his head away. Du Zhou said secretly again: "Tai Shiling, you, I heard that you wrote me and Zhang Tang as cruel officials, and asked us to reduce your sentence for you. Is this possible? If it were you, would you be so magnanimous?" After hearing this, Sima Qian turned his back again. Seeing this, Du Zhou snorted and said, "You don't want to listen to advice?...Then prepare to cut off the most precious thing in your body and become that neither man nor woman!" Sima Qian turned around angrily and said coldly: "The most precious thing in me is conscience." "Hmph." Du Zhou snorted and walked out of the iron gate. The prison door was locked with a click, and Sima Qian slammed his fist on the prison wall in grief and anger...