Chapter 297 The Prince’s Strategy

Two days later in the afternoon, Liu Xian went to the Eastern Palace to visit the prince again.

It was already July, and the osmanthus and chrysanthemums in the Eastern Palace were in full bloom, so Sima Yi was strolling through the Xuanpu Garden. The eunuch led Liu Xian inside, where they could see yellow and white blossoms scattered among the green leaves. They swayed gently in the autumn breeze, appearing and disappearing like stars at night, their fragrance waxing and waning with the flow, like the playful play of two young ladies in love.

Sima Yi wasn’t dressed as elegantly as he had at the previous banquet, but he was still dressed in his traditional Confucian attire. He was reading in the pavilion, a scroll in hand. The weather was cool, and he wasn’t alone. Jiang Tong, Du Xi, Du Rui, Lu Yao, and Wang Dun were all there, enjoying the breeze and chatting about sutras. Nearby, two palace maids were brewing tea, which gurgled.

Seeing Liu Xian coming over, Sima Yi chuckled and said, “Our new celebrity in the capital is back.”

He then pointed to a middle-aged man whom Liu Xian did not recognize and said, “This is our famous hermit in the capital—Guo Xiang, the Duke of Guo Zixuan. He has come to our palace today to discuss the Dao.”

Liu Xian had heard of Guo Xiang. He remembered the Qingming Literary Gathering that year, during which Pei Wei and Wang Yan engaged in a debate over “existence and non-existence.” Later, Pei Wei expounded on the theory of the nature of things, arguing that the rich and the poor, the scholars and the common people, each had their own roles. Overstepping these boundaries led to chaos, and only by keeping to their proper roles could peace prevail. Liu Xian was deeply impressed, and upon further investigation, he realized that this argument wasn’t Pei Wei’s alone, but had been pioneered by none other than Guo Xiang.

Ever since Wang Yan popularized the art of discussing the mysteries of the past, the literary world has often judged figures by their ability to engage in such conversation. Guo Xiang was a prominent figure in the capital’s literary circles, and Wang Yan praised him, saying, “Listening to Xiang’s conversation is like the flow of water from a suspended river, never to be exhausted.” However, Liu Xian disliked such discussions, and especially after being exiled to Guanxi, he stopped participating. Therefore, although he had long heard of his name, this was his first encounter with this renowned scholar.

Guo Xiang can be said to be the famous scholar who talks about Taoism in Liu Xian’s stereotype. He is wearing a dark green gauze dress, his hair is simply tied up, and he holds a handful of dust tail in his hand. He sits cross-legged on the couch, revealing his white and slightly red chest, which is a typical feature after the meditation.

Liu Xian shook hands with him and saluted. Guo Xiang smiled and said, “I have long heard of your great name, Envoy Liu.”

Liu Xian’s attitude was rather cold. He merely nodded politely and said, “I haven’t seen you for a long time, you hermit. I’m already smelling like a vulgar person. If I’ve offended you, Mr. Guo, please forgive me.”

Guo Xiang said, “What are you saying, General Liu? Living in this world, who can be free from the stink of vulgarity? I am only a vulgar man, and it is Your Highness the Crown Prince who is flattering me.”

“Hey, Master Zixuan, why are you being so modest?” The prince was still very polite to Guo Xiang. He rolled up the scroll in his hand and said slowly, “I was deeply moved when I heard you talk about the Xuanming Realm just now.”

“Since Huai Chong has just arrived, why not listen to Master Zixuan continue to explain how to reach the Xuanming realm?”

Guo Xiang and the crown prince were reading Zhuangzi. Guo Xiang had recently written a commentary on Zhuangzi, which he presented to the crown prince to explain his views on governing by inaction. The “mysterious realm” they had just discussed was actually his ideal form of a well-governed world.

After Liu Xian sat down, Guo Xiang sat back on the couch, scratching his body with one hand while saying calmly, “The world is in chaos now because there are too many greedy and impetuous people. If we want the world to reach the Xuanming realm, we must solve their problems at the root, promote their virtues, and resolve their difficulties. Let them all enter a state of self-satisfaction, and then the world will be able to achieve the Xuanming realm.”

The word “Xuanming” comes from “Zaiyou” in “The Outer Chapters” of “Zhuangzi”, in which it is written that Guangchengzi imparted the ultimate truth to Huangdi and said: “The essence of the ultimate truth is deep and dark; the ultimate of the ultimate truth is dim and silent.” Guo Xiang condensed it into the two words “Xuanming” to illustrate the imagination of harmonious nature.

However, after listening to his specific arguments, Liu Xian thought: This is essentially the same as Pei Wei’s argument back then. He tried to change people’s thoughts to change the world, but in this world, the most difficult thing to change is people’s thoughts. What he said is actually of little use.

Wang Dun, standing by, clearly shared the same thought and asked, “But how can we change? As the saying goes, every inch has its own strengths and weaknesses. I know many people who know their flaws and strengths, and often try to change themselves. But it doesn’t take long for them to relapse into their old ways, let alone completely change their thoughts and ideas.”

Guo Xiang clapped his hands and said, “That’s a good question. That’s why I want to write books and articles to help people gain enlightenment!”

He first asked Wang Dun: “Why do people have greed?”

Wang Dun hadn’t really thought about this question. He shook his head and said, “I don’t know.” Guo Xiang then continued, explaining, “This is the inherent inferiority of human nature. The sage said: ‘The five colors blind the eyes; the five sounds deafen the ears; the five flavors numb the mouth; hunting makes the heart mad; and rare goods hinder one’s progress.”

“Humans have eyes that can distinguish the five colors, so they desire to be closer to beauty and avoid ugliness. Humans have tongues that can taste the five flavors, so they desire to eat more delicious food and avoid bland food. The same is true for the other functions of the ears and nose. When these thoughts enter the mind, they become greed.”

Wang Dun was puzzled. He said, “Isn’t that perfectly normal? According to what Mr. Guo said, can greed be curbed?”

“Of course it can be curbed.” Guo Xiang shook his tail and said leisurely, “Saints can do this. They eat wind and drink dew, absorb the sun and moon, and practice self-cultivation and abstain from food. In fact, it is to stay away from these greedy desires!”

“Ordinary people only know that these are supernatural powers, but they don’t know why saints cultivate these supernatural powers, so they are surprised. I want to tell everyone that as long as you understand the great principles behind them, you will be able to apply them to other areas of cultivation.”

Guo Xiang’s words were truly astonishing. He could actually turn the topic from theory to the way of cultivating immortality. Everyone looked at each other in surprise and became interested. Including Liu Xian, they couldn’t help but listen attentively, wanting to know what Guo Xiang had to say.

Guo Xiang continued, “People are controlled by greed because they only remember the joy of satisfying their greed, but forget the emptiness and anxiety that comes when their greed is not satisfied. They think they have achieved happiness, but they don’t realize that the thought in their hearts only increases the suffering of unsatisfied greed.”

“Isn’t that so? The ancients said, ‘It’s easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but it’s hard to go from extravagance to frugality.’ Children are carefree at first, but once they come into contact with the beauty of women, they become infatuated and unable to control their emotions. Even a man like you, if you heard the beautiful Shao music in Qi, would be filled with sorrow for the lack of joy, and would not taste meat for three months.”

“Can’t we see, from the very act of eating and drinking, that these pleasures and pains are unequal? The pleasure we receive is actually far less than the pain we suffer from not receiving. When we say we are driven by greed, it’s not simply to pursue the pleasure of satisfaction, but also to avoid the pain of dissatisfaction. It could even be said that this kind of pleasure is the greatest pain.”

“Buddhists call this kind of thinking ‘delusions of the mind,’ and I agree. Therefore, people must practice to eliminate delusions and achieve true happiness.”

“Compared to being a slave to greed, humans can freely control their own thoughts, making them pure and spotless, ultimately wandering beyond the material world, detaching from their bodies and ascending to the netherworld. Isn’t this true freedom and happiness? What’s so worth clinging to these mere five colors and five flavors?”

“Cultivation is actually like this. Use various methods to polish your mind, break free from the constraints of the flesh, let go of obsessions, and gain spiritual liberation. Then you can gain supernatural powers.”

“As long as this truth is passed on and everyone understands it, there will naturally be no more vanity, impetuousness, or the pursuit of quick success. That is why the sages left behind the Tao Te Ching, hoping that people would glimpse the great Dao and return to the mysterious nature of nature.”

After Guo Xiang’s discussion, Liu Xian suddenly realized that the core of all his arguments was to master one’s own thoughts. This was indeed a way out. If someone could truly achieve this, they would be considered a wise man. Hadn’t Guan Ning of Beihai done the same? However, implementing this throughout the country seemed too difficult.

Wang Dun remained unconvinced. He simply said, “If I want to live a pure life, then what’s the point of living this life? Living a carefree and unrestrained life means nothing to me. I just want to accomplish something great; it’s better than a life of mediocrity.” This made everyone around him laugh. Sima Yi pointed at Wang Dun and said, “You, you really don’t have much wisdom.”

He then sighed again, “Alas, the world is indeed like this. There are endless temptations, and people’s awareness is limited. It’s not easy for people to be steadfast for a year or two, let alone for a long time.”

The group discussed metaphysics for a while, and then Guo Xiang bowed and took his leave. Before leaving, Sima Yi said to the palace maid, “Pick out some brocade from the treasury and give it to Lord Zixuan. Autumn is coming soon, so you should prepare some autumn clothes to keep warm!”

Seeing that it was getting late, Wang Dun bowed and took his leave. Except for the two servants Du Xi and Jiang Tong, everyone else who stayed in the Eastern Palace also left.

Seeing Liu Xian staying, Sima Yi looked as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, so he smiled and said, “Why? I remember Hongren has been very busy lately, with banquets every day. Are you free today? Do you have something to say to me?”

Liu Xian straightened his body and said to Sima Yi seriously, “Your Highness, now is a critical time. I’m afraid this is not the time for you to discuss profound matters.”

Sima Yi glanced at Liu Xian, waved his hand to let the maids around him withdraw, and then stroked his chin and said, “Ha, then, according to you, what is the time to do now?”

“Your Highness, I am a direct minister, so I won’t hide anything.”

Liu Xian went straight to Sima Yi and asked, “Does Your Highness have a sure victory in this situation? The Queen hasn’t conceded yet, has she? If you have a way to achieve victory, don’t delay. As Guo Xiang just said, people’s hearts are fickle. If you can’t take the Queen now, what will you do if something unexpected happens?”

Sima Yi was originally smiling, but when Liu Xian brought up this topic, his expression turned serious and he said:

“Ha, that’s exactly what you would say. When you first returned to the capital, you might not have understood the situation, but now you should understand how many constraints I have.”

At the moment, he understood the kings’ indecision.

“Then what countermeasures does Your Highness have?”

“You are the military officer of the Eastern Palace, shouldn’t you be the one to speak?”

Liu Xian took a deep breath, sorted out his thoughts, and stated, “There are only two strategies now.”

“I know you have many concerns, but you must put them aside now. If you still want to succeed, you must abandon the other kings and take the initiative yourself, taking the queen by surprise. Then, you must immediately order the emperor to issue an edict and ascend the throne directly.”

“If you don’t want to bear the charge of matricide, you should at least try to send troops to directly wipe out the Empress’s followers. Kill Jia Mi, Zhang Hua, and Pei Wei, and the Empress will have no choice but to surrender.”

“If you still can’t do it, then please forgive me for my negligence. I’m afraid I can’t risk the lives of my entire family to accompany you to the afterlife.”

After that, the pavilion fell into a state of silence, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Jiang Tong and Du Xi, seated there, were practically dumbfounded. They hadn’t expected Liu Xian to dare speak to the Crown Prince in such a manner! And to discuss such a heinous matter!
But after a moment’s silence, Sima Yi suddenly burst into laughter and said, “Well, you are indeed a famous general who conquered the West. Great minds think alike!”

Now it was Liu Xian’s turn to be stunned. He heard Sima Yi say, “Why do you think I gave the Queen six months? I was rallying the support of the other princes to raise the banner!”

“I’ve been in the East Palace for almost ten years, but I’m surrounded by opportunists and have few trustworthy loyalists. Although some people support me, it’s still a long way from a coup.”

“So I need time. When I say I’m giving the Queen six months, I’m actually giving myself six months. During this six months, I need to pretend to be well-informed, then bypass these princes around me, gather a group of trustworthy people, and finally take action.”

Having said that, Sima Yi pointed at Liu Xian with a rather proud look and said, “Liu Xian, you are the cover I put out to attract attention!”

“Well, will you feel more at ease if I tell you this?”

When Liu Xian heard this, his anxiety for the past few days suddenly vanished. He had almost thought Sima Yi was waiting for death in the Eastern Palace, but he didn’t expect him to be smarter than he thought. Although this arrangement couldn’t be said to be 100% sure, it was at least a highly feasible plan.

He asked Sima Yi, “Then I wonder what Your Highness needs me to do?”

Sima Yi lowered his head, unfolded the scroll, and said, “Just as usual, you can make friends with people and build momentum for me. As long as the Queen and I don’t move, these uncles of mine won’t dare to move. Now we need to maintain stability and build up enough momentum. Once I have gathered my strength, I will naturally give you a task.”

Liu Xian understood his meaning. While the current political situation was unfavorable to the Crown Prince, it was at least superficially favorable. The best approach was to capitalize on the situation, using the power of others to mislead others and win over neutral forces, thus expanding the Crown Prince’s true camp. Sima Yi’s request for Guo Xiang to discuss Xuan today was likely motivated by this very purpose.

Thinking of this, Liu Xian felt a little relieved. He said, “No wonder Your Highness is already considering the Xuanming Realm. It turns out that you have a good chance of winning. I was presumptuous.”

Sima Yi smiled and said, “It’s true that I feel that way. Sometimes I also think that if I could quit this endless struggle and become a monk, it wouldn’t be bad. Don’t forget, my nickname is Shaman!”

“Shamen” is a Buddhist term meaning a person who practices asceticism. Sima Yan, the crown prince of the Jin Dynasty, actually gave his grandson a Buddhist nickname. What was his thinking? It is really hard to understand.

However, the statement that the prince was going to become a monk was of course just a joke, and no one would take it seriously. Seeing that it was getting late, Liu Xian said goodbye to Sima Yi.

On the way out, he was still thinking about Sima Yi’s plan, and suddenly he felt curious: Sima Yi was in the Eastern Palace and didn’t travel often, so who were the people he was secretly recruiting?
(End of this chapter)