The Sui Ruler Raises An Army To Conquer Chen; The Prince Of Jin Wins Glory And Schemes To Seize The Succession (4)

Meanwhile, the Prince of Jin was approaching with the main army. He first dispatched Gao Jiong and Li Yuan to pacify the people and prohibit burning and plundering.

The two hurried into Jiankang, emerged from the government offices, issued proclamations to the populace, restrained the soldiers, and arrested Chen officials responsible for misgovernment.

Until then, the Prince of Jin had carefully affected a solemn manner, appearing indifferent to wine and women.

Now, however, he was far from the capital and had heard of Zhang Lihua’s extraordinary beauty. He sent Gao Dehong, son of Gao Jiong and a secretary in his headquarters, racing to Jiankang to bring her to him.

Gao Jiong said:

“The Prince of Jin is commander of the army, charged with overthrowing tyranny and rescuing the people. How can he make the pursuit of a woman his first concern?”

He refused to send her.

Gao Dehong replied:

“Father, the Prince of Jin commands the army. If he demands a woman and we refuse to give her to him, I fear we shall provoke his anger.”

Li Yuan then said:

“Lord Gao, Zhang and Kong bewitched their ruler with their charms, seized power, and brought disorder to the government. The destruction of Chen arose from these two women. How can we preserve the source of such calamity and allow it to corrupt the Sui house as well? Better to execute them and put an end to the Prince of Jin’s improper desires.”

Gao Jiong nodded.

“Just so. In former times, the Grand Duke covered his face when he executed Daji, fearing that leaving such a kingdom-destroying beauty alive would further beguile the ruler. How can we spare Lihua today and allow her to mislead the Prince of Jin?”

He ordered Zhang Lihua and Noble Consort Kong brought out and executed beside Qingxi Stream.

Gao Dehong argued desperately against the decision, but his objections were ignored.

Her bearing was like autumn waters, her skin like ice and jade;
One careless smile could bring a kingdom to ruin.
How pitiful that her blood stained the grass beside Qingxi;
Unlike Xishi, she never sailed away upon the Five Lakes.

With the two beauties executed, Gao Dehong had no choice but to return empty-handed.

Upon reaching the military camp, he presented himself to the Prince of Jin.

Yang Guang greeted him with a broad smile.

“Has Lihua arrived?”

Fearing the prince’s displeasure, Gao Dehong placed the blame entirely upon Li Yuan.

“This humble official went to fetch her as commanded. My father dared not neglect the matter. He ordered a fragrant carriage and a fine palanquin prepared and even selected ten beautiful palace women to accompany her to the camp.”

The prince smiled.

“Had I not sent my secretary to fetch her, Chief of Staff Gao might not have been so considerate.”

Gao Dehong continued:

“But there was nothing we could do about Li Yuan. He declared that such sources of calamity could not be spared and had both women executed, including Noble Consort Kong!”

The Prince of Jin was startled.

“Why did your father not intervene?”

“My father and I repeatedly tried to stop him, but he refused to listen. He even accused us of arranging a scheme involving beautiful women to deceive Your Highness.”

The Prince of Jin flew into a rage.

“That wretch! He is himself a man devoted to wine and women. He must have desired the two beauties and resented my sending for them. In a fit of jealousy, he had them killed!”

Then he sighed.

“This was also my fault for being too impatient. Had I waited another two days until I reached Jiankang, I could have ordered Chen Shubao and his entire household taken into custody for transport. I could then have kept the women. Who would have dared oppose me? Even if Li Yuan had remonstrated, I could simply have ignored him, and he would have been powerless. My miscalculation cost two beautiful women their lives.”

Finally, he said bitterly:

“Though I did not kill Lihua myself, she died because of me. I shall certainly kill that villain and avenge these two women!”

His anger eventually subsided, but the seeds of future disaster had already been planted.

A head displayed at Baixia punished fallen Chen;
Who understands that correcting one’s lord may offend him?
How enviable the man who retired beside the Eastern Sea,
Whose wisdom preserved both Yue and his own life!

After this outburst, the Prince of Jin reluctantly assumed the conduct of a virtuous man.

Upon arriving in Jiankang, he had Shi Wenqing arrested, accusing him of betraying his responsibilities through flattery and disloyalty.

Shen Keqing was charged with imposing heavy taxes to please his ruler, while Yang Huilang, Xu Zhe, and Ji Huijing were condemned for violating the law and harming the people.

The five were known as the Five Flatterers, and all were executed before Shiguan.

Kong Fan, Wang Kong, and others were exiled to the borderlands to appease the grievances of the people of the Three Wu regions.

The prince instructed Pei Ju, a secretary in the Marshal’s Office, to collect the maps and registers and seal the government treasuries. He took nothing for himself, thereby gaining a reputation for virtue.

He also accused Heruo Bi of violating military orders by engaging the enemy ahead of schedule, and Li Yuan of neglecting his official duties. He submitted a memorial impeaching both men and requested their arrest and interrogation.

The Sui ruler knew that Heruo Bi had rendered the foremost service in conquering Chen and that Li Yuan had conducted himself with loyalty and integrity. He therefore pardoned both.

He also recalled Heruo Bi first and rewarded him with ten thousand bolts of silk.

At that time, several prefectures and commanderies remained unsubdued. Commanders were dispatched with troops to bring them under control.

Sichuan and Shu, Jing and Chu, Wu and Zhao, and Yun and Gui all entered the empire’s territory. The realm was once again united.

Only Lingnan had not submitted.

Several commanderies there jointly acknowledged Lady Xian, the Lady of Shilong in Gaoliang Commandery, as their leader.

She was the wife of Feng Bao, Governor of Yangchun under Chen, and mother of Feng Pu.

Upon learning that Sui had destroyed Chen, Lady Xian personally raised troops to protect her territory, built fortifications, and prepared to resist.

The people called her the Holy Mother and named her stronghold “Lady’s City.”

Sui dispatched Wei Guang, a Pillar of State, to pacify the lands beyond the mountains.

Lady Xian refused him entry, and Wei Guang could advance no farther.

The Prince of Jin then had the former Chen ruler write to Lady Xian, informing her of Chen’s destruction and urging her to submit to Sui.

Upon receiving the letter, she assembled several thousand local leaders and wept bitterly throughout the day. After facing north and bowing in farewell to her former sovereign, she dispatched her grandson Feng Ang with his followers to welcome the Sui envoy into Guangzhou.

Lady Xian herself donned armor, mounted an armored horse, and rode beneath a brocade parasol, accompanied by mounted guards.

Carrying the imperial edict and proclaiming the court’s benevolent intentions, she traveled through more than ten prefectures. Everywhere she went, the people submitted.

Altogether, thirty prefectures, one hundred commanderies, and four hundred counties were secured.

Feng Ang received the rank of Yitong Sansi, while Lady Xian was invested as Grand Lady of Songkang Commandery.

Linzhen County was granted to her as an estate for her personal maintenance. She was required to present tribute once a year and attend court once every three years.

Poets of the time praised her achievements with such lines as:

Brocade carriages hasten to the morning audience;
Night watches sound their calls upon bronze clappers.

And:

Clouds stir around the standards of the brocade carriage;
Moonlight shines upon the horn-tipped bow.

Wisdom, courage, good fortune, and longevity: she possessed all four.

She died at more than eighty years of age and was acclaimed the foremost woman general of ancient and modern times.

Leaving aside the affairs of the Lady of Qiao, let us return to the Prince of Jin.

In the third month of that year, he left Wang Shao to guard Jiankang and personally led the main army away, taking the Chen ruler, his imperial relatives, consorts, and civil and military officials with him.

In the fourth month, they reached Chang’an, where the captives were presented at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

The Prince of Jin was appointed Grand Commandant and received a ceremonial carriage, robes and crown, a dark jade tablet, and a white jade disk.

Yang Su was enfeoffed as Duke of Yue, while Heruo Bi and Han Qinhu were both promoted to Supreme Pillar of State.

Heruo Bi was also enfeoffed as Duke of Song.

Han Qinhu, however, received no noble title or fief because he had permitted his soldiers to run wild and defile the women of the Chen palace.

Gao Jiong was likewise promoted to Supreme Pillar of State and raised to Duke of Qi.

Li Yuan was promoted to Vice Minister of the Imperial Guard.

Because the Prince of Jin resented him, however, Li Yuan’s achievements were not properly recognized. Instead, the prince had impeached him, so his rewards were meager.

Li Yuan did not take the matter to heart.

Fortunately, the Prince of Jin was ordered to take up command at Yangzhou once more, preventing him from repeatedly plotting against Li Yuan.

Nevertheless, the prince’s power and authority grew daily, as did his reputation. Men skilled in unusual schemes and secret stratagems flocked to his headquarters.

His ambition to obtain what did not rightfully belong to him grew ever more urgent.

With the Four Elders summoned, his supporters stood firm;
How could an ambitious heart be content to age as a minister?
He would have the beans weep within the boiling cauldron,
Caring nothing that beans and stalks sprang from the same root.

Moreover, he had Empress Dugu’s protection within the palace and Yuwen Shu’s schemes outside it. How could his designs possibly fail?

But what did the Sui ruler think of all this?