The bright moon shines alone, my heart is without anchor (Northern and Southern Dynasties) 1-2

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Preface

The poem reads:
The divine lord emerges from the grand feast, his flying canopy enters Luoyang.
The drums of the Jie River drive the Fen River, the urgent dispatches startle the northern frontier.
Deer run after the bright moon, dragons lurk and fall from jade cups.
The old man of Wu does not understand, the prince hesitates.

Thus, the Han dynasty believed in the unity of Heaven and Man, and human affairs almost perfectly aligned with the Way of Heaven. Emperor Gaozu, originally a commoner from Sishui, slew the white serpent to correspond with the element of fire, destroyed Qin and Xiang Yu, and began the four-hundred-year reign of the Han dynasty. Emperors Huan and Ling lost their virtue, leading to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and the corrupt officials' usurpation of power in Liangzhou. Ultimately, heroes rose up in the east, and the Han dynasty lost an inch of land. When the empire was divided into three, the Sima clan of Henan, inheriting the prestige of a powerful family, seized power from the Shu Han and overthrew the Wei dynasty, breaking through the Stone City to unify the nine provinces.

Since the Taikang era, the empire had enjoyed long periods of peace, and military preparations in the prefectures and counties were abolished. Although there were rebellions in Qi Wannian and Tuoba Shuji in Hexi, they were eventually quelled by border generals. The emperor then disregarded the threat posed by foreign tribes and dismissed the suggestion of relocating the Rong as mere rhetoric. However, Empress Jia seized power, causing internal strife; vassal kings rebelled, leading to infighting; bandits rose up everywhere, leaving Guandong devastated; the state was in ruins, beyond repair.

Li Te of the Ba tribe, rising in Shu, rivaled Liu Bei in power, wreaking havoc in eastern Sichuan. Liu Yuan of Bingzhou, confident in his status as Liu Bei's nephew, rallied five tribes to launch a southern campaign against Jin. By the Yongjia era, Liu Cong captured Luoyang, forcing the emperor to flee south, resulting in the famous "Five Horses Crossing the River." From then on, the Hu and Jie tribes held sway, and the Central Plains fell into chaos. First, Liu Yao dominated Guanzhong, then Shi Le carved out Hebei. Although Liu Sikong Zu of Yuzhou was valiant and brave, he could not ultimately restore the emperor to Luoyang. Shi Le and his nephew pacified the various warlords, establishing themselves as Heavenly Kings in Xiangguo. Only the Zhang family of Liangzhou and the Murong family of Liaodong repeatedly defeated the Hu and Jie tribes, still respectfully submitting to Jin.

Emperor Yuan ruled from Jiangzuo, relying solely on the Wang clan of Langya. The imperial seal was effectively reversed, resembling the Jian'an era. Even the children of Jiangzuo said, "The Wang and Ma families share the empire." Furthermore, Luoyang fell to rebels, and the imperial seal was seized by Liu Cong. The seal was missing, and the emperor was called the "White-Board Emperor" by the people of Wu. The emperor wanted to replace Chu Zhong with a close confidant, leading to the Jingzhou Rebellion. The rebellious ministers sailed downstream and stationed their troops in Jiankang. Sadly, Bo Ren, a man of noble character, though inclined to chivalry, failed to quell the rebellion and perished with his lord. Emperor Ming, through the efforts of displaced people and local leaders, quelled Chu Zhong's rebellion, placed Su Jun in Liyang, and established a ancestral alliance in Shouchun to defend against the Hu and Jie tribes. However, Heaven did not protect Jin. Emperor Ming died suddenly, and the Yu clan took over the reins of government. The chaotic administration led to Su Jun's rebellion, and Jiankang fell again to the rebellious ministers. Fortunately, Tao Kan rose in rebellion, eliminating the villains and restoring the Jin dynasty. Jiangzuo enjoyed a period of relative peace, reminiscent of the Cheng and Kang eras.

At that time, Ji Long died, and his sons were dissolute and tyrannical. Ran Min slaughtered the Hu people and exterminated the Shi clan. Before Liaodong could be disturbed, the Xianbei invaded, and Wu Dao lost his horse, leading to the downfall of the Ran clan. The Murong clan then seized control of Hebei and ceased all service to the Jin dynasty. Pu Hong of Lueyang took advantage of the chaos to return to Guanzhong, changed his title due to a prophecy, and thus laid the foundation for the Fu Qin dynasty.

The Central Plains had been in turmoil for a long time, and the Jiangzuo region began to discuss a northern expedition. According to the lessons of Zu Yue and Su Jun, the displaced people and powerful leaders were not ministers of the state, and the northern expedition should be led by the noble families. However, there were Yu Bing before and Yin Hao after, who both led their armies to the north but returned empty-handed. Not only were the noble families humiliated, but they also left provisions and weapons to aid the Hu and Jie people. Therefore, Cai Situ considered the northern expedition to be nonsense, and the court and the public all agreed.

Huan Wen of Jingzhou, who rose from humble beginnings, was generous and heroic, comparing himself to Yue Shi. He once led his troops from Baidi, marched deep into Shu, destroyed Cheng Han, and recovered Yizhou. Thus, he was renowned for his military might in the Jin court and established his achievements in the Heluo region. However, neither the Murong of Guandong nor the Fu Qin of Guanzhong were states destined for quick demise. Even though Grand Marshal Huan possessed the ambition of Zhuge Liang, he ultimately dared not cross the Ba River to recover the two capitals. When Yuan Zhen joined the rebellion, both his reputation and power were damaged, so he no longer spoke of a northern expedition. His plot to usurp the Jin throne was also thwarted.

When Fu Jian seized the throne, he appointed Wang Jinglue as prime minister, who diligently governed and wholeheartedly embraced Han culture. Jinglue attacked Yan and advanced into the Central Plains, so the Yan royal family all served under Fu Jian, demonstrating his benevolence. From then on, the people's hearts were with him, and the Han and non-Han peoples worked together, all regarding Wen Yu as a benevolent ruler. The Heavenly King raised a righteous army to punish the rebellious, pacifying You and Yan in the east, with the Xianbei tribes submitting; conquering Ba and Shu in the south, with the people of both Sichuan welcoming Qin; conquering Liangzhou in the west, with Tianxi surrendering without resistance; and conquering Dai in the north, with Suo Lu defeated and killed in Yunzhong. However, the Jin dynasty still held sway over the Jiangnan region, a last stand. The Heavenly King, who valued the Han Chinese tradition, worried that future generations would not recognize Qin as the legitimate dynasty. He then raised a million-strong Qin army, marching straight to the Fei River, but failed to fulfill his vow to stop the river's flow, leaving only the echoes of war and the cries of cranes as a source of shame. The defeat of the royal army led to disaster in Hebei, with the White Barbarians ravaging Guanzhong relentlessly. The Heavenly King, falsely proclaiming himself a sage, was unaware that beyond the Five Barbarian tribes, there was Yao Longxiang, and thus he was defeated and killed at Wujiang Mountain. With the Heavenly King gone, both the Han dynasty and the Qin dynasty

ended, and the Central Plains were once again swallowed by the barbarian dust. The fate of Lueyang was sealed, but a divine ruler emerged from the north of Dai. Daowu, with his humble origins, upheld the legacy of Emperor Zhaocheng, driving the remaining people to the Helan Mountains. He defeated the Murong in the east, destroyed the Tiefu in the west, entered the Han Sea in the north to expel the Rouran, and held the Yellow River in the south to resist the Jin dynasty. Daowu's rule was extremely cruel; following a prophecy, he killed Qinghe and executed ten thousand men, ultimately being murdered by his own son. When Emperor Mingyuan ascended the throne, he appointed Cui Hao of Qinghe as his chief strategist, and the Xianbei tribes began to understand Han law. At that time, Jinu launched a northern expedition, pacifying Yan and Qin and recapturing both capitals, and none of the other tribes dared to challenge him. After Jinu returned south, he usurped the Jin throne and died. Mingyuan then easily captured Hulao Pass, expanding his territory by three hundred li. Emperor Taiwu succeeded him, and following Cui Hao's advice, all wars, large and small, were to be conducted in accordance with celestial phenomena. He was thus able to pacify the surrounding regions, and all north of the Yangtze River submitted to the Wei dynasty. When Emperor Yuanjia launched his southern expedition, Emperor Taiwu held Guabu and drank

from the Yangtze River, thus dividing the empire into two. The Northern Dynasty used its military might to subdue the barbarians, following the example of Liu Cong to divide the Han and non-Han peoples. The Cui family of Qinghe, who had held high office for generations, were employed based on their astronomical knowledge, but were ultimately executed for violating national historical records, and their entire clan was implicated. When Emperor Xiaowen ascended the throne, he was deeply devoted to the rites and music of the Han dynasty and increasingly admired the majesty of Han officials. He used the pretext of conquering Qi to move the capital to Luoyang, issued an edict changing the surname to Yuan, bestowing Han surnames upon his relatives and nobles, abolishing all Xianbei customs, and reviving Han systems. From then on, the Northern Dynasties flourished in culture and education, and the Han and non-Han peoples became one, so the Southern Dynasties dared not regard them as barbarians. Emperor Xiaowen was benevolent and wise, inheriting the virtues of the Three Dynasties and possessing the achievements of Emperor Fu Jian in governing the world.

Since ancient times, the rule of a monarchy has declined after reaching its peak, and even sages cannot understand this principle. After Emperor Xiaowen, Empress Ling ruled tyrannically, causing disunity among the people and rebellions in the Six Garrisons. The officials in Luoyang had been Sinicized for a long time and had become rusty in archery and horsemanship, which could not be stopped. The only reliable force was the Qihu. Tianzhu's ancestors were of the same clan as Shi Le. When Ran Min massacred the Hu, they took refuge in Erzhuchuan and adopted it as their surname. Since Emperor Taiwu, the Qihu had dominated Xiurong, and the entire clan had not learned rites and music, but instead indulged in non-Han customs. Tianzhu had saved the country from danger and subdued the Six Garrisons in the north. As a result, all political affairs were handled by Tianzhu, and the Erzhu family all held high positions. He also recruited Yuan Tianmu Husi Chun Jia Xianzhi as his chief strategist and the Heba clan as his henchmen, thus dominating Luoyang. Thus, the Yuan dynasty declined, leading to the anxieties surrounding Shanyang and Chenliu.

The Qihu were greedy, cruel, and ruthless, and coupled with Tianzhu's deep resentment of the Han system, the Heyin Rebellion ensued. The corpses of Yuan officials piled up like a mountain, a sight too gruesome to describe, much like Shi Le's massacre of Ningping during the Yongjia era, where the execution of the Three Dukes was used to appease the world. Gao Huan, a retainer of Tianzhu, persuaded him to depose the emperor, but Tianzhu refused and instead welcomed Empress Xiaozhuang to the throne. Little did he know that Empress Xiaozhuang had long suffered under the Qihu, so she plotted to kill Tianzhu and his son, and also executed Yuan Tianmu, mirroring the story of Wang Yun's assassination of Dong Zhuo. Tianzhu's followers, along with Daer Zhuzhao, entered Luoyang, murdered Empress Xiaozhuang, and installed a new emperor. Gao Huan fled to Xindu, using the pretense of escaping conscription to gain the surrender of the Six Garrisons, and recruited the gentry of Guandong to rebel against the Erzhu clan. The Erzhu clan, though numerous, lacked strategy and was ultimately defeated by Gao Huan.

Gao Huan exterminated the Qihu and installed Yuan Xiu in Luoyang. He then established himself in Jinyang to control Hedong, wielding power comparable to Cao Cao, and his tyranny even surpassing Huan Wen. Husi Chun first rebelled against Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and then against Erzhu, later serving Emperor Wu. Feeling uneasy, he secretly allied with foreign vassals to counter Gao Huan. Among the foreign vassals, only Heba Yue of Guanzhong and Heba Sheng of Jingzhou were useful, both former subordinates of Tianzhu. A children's song in Luoyang went: "Copper Ba forges iron Ba, the Yuan family's line will end."

In the third year of Yongxi, another prophecy appeared: "Mars enters the Southern Dipper, the emperor will flee." At that time, there were two emperors in one heaven. Yuan Xiu of the Northern Dynasty was only twenty-four, while Xiao Yan of the Southern Dynasty was over seventy. Both personally fulfilled the prophecy. However, the ways of Heaven are unpredictable and ultimately unknown to the rulers.

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Chapter One:

An aura of an emperor exists in the southeast.

Qin Shi Huang was repeatedly deceived by the alchemists of Yan and Qi, and this event unfortunately came true. The King of Chu's burying of gold could not suppress the aura of his kingship, and the Qin Emperor's attempt to breach the mountain pass was also futile. Xiang Yu possessed only the strength to lift a tripod, yet he could not revive Chu despite destroying Qin, all because he disregarded the prophecy and established his capital at Pengcheng—ultimately leading to his suicide at the Wujiang River. Sun Quan, though less courageous than his father and brother, possessed undeniable foresight, establishing his capital at Jianye to align with the aura

of a king, and ultimately achieving imperial power. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Jiankang, renamed to avoid the taboo of the unfortunate Emperor Min's name, suffered two major military disasters during the rebellions of Wang Dun and Su Jun. The Jingzhou troops, traveling downstream, were relatively restrained, merely looting; the refugee army crossing the river were less discreet, directly setting fire to the palaces. Subsequently, through the repairs by Xie An and his nephew, Jiankang's scale was further expanded, and its defense system became increasingly sophisticated. Later, the Song, Wu, Qi, and Gao dynasties all made Jiankang their capital, naturally expanding and renovating it extensively.

By the time of Emperor Wu of Liang's Zhongdatong era, the magnificent Jiankang city had become the highest symbol of the Southern Dynasties' legitimacy. The refined elegance of officials and the Zen wisdom of Buddhism, the refined language of Luoyang and the boat songs of Wu and Yue, all blended together in the fine, misty rain of Jiangnan.

The beauty of the orthodox Chinese culture was something that the barbarians who had seized Luoyang could never learn.

It was the sixth year of the Zhongdatong era, in the first month of the lunar calendar, and the chill of spring had not yet dissipated.

As midnight approached, the lonely moon shone silently over the palace. Inside the Taiji East Hall, the lights were still bright, and the palace maids standing there fought off sleep, hoping the game of chess before them would soon be decided.

Emperor Xiao Yan, over seventy years old, playing black, was already at a significant disadvantage. This emperor, who had twice renounced worldly life to become a monk, had always been frugal, wearing only plain clothes in the palace, without a single thread of silk or jewels. His only hobbies were reciting scriptures and playing chess. According to health principles, nearly thirty years of abstinence had been quite beneficial to his health—especially after abstaining from the five pungent vegetables, Xiao Yan's complexion was increasingly radiant, the two age spots on his cheeks were almost invisible, and beneath his white hair, there was a hint of youthfulness.

"Ha!" The old emperor's eyes gleamed, and he captured a white piece.

Such a stubborn resistance was certainly not worth the opponent's effort. The white pieces remained unmoved, casually reinforcing their ko threats.

The player playing white was Chen Qingzhi, a close advisor and former general in white robes who once dominated Luoyang. Now in his fifties, his hair and beard were streaked with gray. He had played chess with Emperor Xiao Yan since childhood, possessing not only exceptional skill but also extraordinary energy, often playing with Xiao Yan day and night without rest. Although a scholar by birth, Chen Qingzhi was renowned throughout the north and south for his military achievements; his refined and elegant demeanor as a scholar-general rivaled that of Zhou Qi and Xie Ai, and even approached that of Zhuge Liang.

At the end of the game, Chen Qingzhi won by twelve pieces against Xiao Yan. This victory was already the result of Chen Qingzhi's considerable deference. The old emperor was advanced in years; although still sharp of hearing and sight, his chess skills had inevitably declined.

"Ziyun's strategy is brilliant; I cannot match it," Xiao Yan said with a smile, stroking his beard, and nodded slightly to Chen Qingzhi.

"Chess is a minor skill, not worth boasting about. Your Majesty governs the world with countless affairs of state, and the Great Liang is dignified and elegant. The people all praise you. Furthermore, you are well-versed in the history of the three religions and understand the way of humanity. This humble servant is foolish and dull, and cannot even begin to compare with Your

Majesty." Chen Qingzhi bowed his head, his coarse clothes rustling against the couch. Chen Qingzhi's words were not flattery. In terms of learning, no emperor throughout history could compare with Xiao Yan. Even a learned scholar like Wang Mang could not match Xiao Yan's profound understanding of Buddhism and Taoism, and his ability to unify the three religions. As for those usurpers of the Northern Dynasties, not only were they unable to change their foreign accents, but they also had difficulty writing their own names in Chinese characters, making them utterly insignificant.

"These words don't sound like your tone at all; they sound more like Shen Xiuwen's." Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, his expression growing increasingly solemn, as if recalling something from the distant past. "When Xiuwen was alive, he never won against me in chess, always flattering my skills. It wasn't until I happened to see you two playing chess, evenly matched, that I realized he had been letting me win for twenty years."

"Your subject is deeply ashamed,"

Xiao Yan shook his head, comforting him,
"There's no need for that. Although the Shen family of Wuxing has produced many military generals, Xiuwen is known for his writing. Scholars are often cautious; it's understandable that he deliberately let me win. And Ziyun, though a scholar, can conquer vast territories, defeating the enemy with few, as easily as piercing silk with a crossbow. You don't need to hold back against me; the more you win, the more at ease I'll feel."

Chen Qingzhi finally understood, feeling grateful. The civil-minded rulers of the Southern Dynasties were always wary of veteran generals on the frontier—Wang Dun, who had pacified Jingchu, and Su Jun, who had repeatedly defeated the Jie invaders, both achieved remarkable military exploits, yet they were forced into rebellion by the court. Even Tan Daoji, despite his thirty-six strategies, was ultimately executed by Emperor Wen of Song. Fortunately, Emperor Wen's magnanimity surpassed that of previous emperors. In this light, Shen Yue's praise of Emperor Wen during his lifetime may well have been a genuine expression of his feelings.

Xiao Yan gestured for the palace maids to remove the chessboard, then rose and paced back and forth, gazing at the solitary moon above the city walls. Suddenly, he asked,
"Ziyun, in your opinion, why did the previous Northern Expedition fail?"

"Firstly," Chen

Qingzhi replied, recalling the heated debates with the Northern Dynasties' gentry in Luoyang, his resentment growing ever stronger. "The ghosts of the Wu people dwell in Jiankang"—Chen Qingzhi, who prided himself on his literary talent, had never suffered such humiliation.

"Secondly, the Qihu are not a band of enemies destined for quick defeat. Since Yuan Hong, the Suolu have migrated to Luoyang and have acquired a basic understanding of rites, music, and literature. Many of their relatives and nobles have adopted Han surnames—though this is a poor imitation, it can still be said that they have a genuine desire to assimilate. Only the Xiurong Erzhu clan, originally wild men from beyond the borders, are arrogant and fierce, far surpassing even the Buddha Li—their barbarian customs are as brutal as Shi Jilong

's. If I were to fight them, a swift victory would be difficult." Since the Northern Expedition, the Xianbei armies south of the Yellow River had been utterly routed, and the Liang army had entered Luoyang almost without resistance. Only the Qihu cavalry, fierce and skilled in battle, left Chen Qingzhi with a terrifying impression.

"Thirdly, Ziyun is not suited to be a general. I, a mere scholar, have suddenly been given command of a large army. Though I possess the patriotic spirit of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, I lack the invincible strategies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi. I urge Your Majesty to select another general to lead the royal army and recover the Hebei region. I am willing to serve as the vanguard, defeat the barbarians, and avenge our past humiliations. Even if I die on the battlefield, I will have no regrets."

Xiao Yan listened without comment, simply pausing as if listening to the wind outside the palace. The spring chill had not yet dissipated; where did the crickets come from?

After a long silence, Xiao Yan sighed deeply:
"Even the northern barbarians know: 'A thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses avoid the white-robed general.' Ziyun, with few against many, has conquered a thousand miles of territory, proclaiming the might of the nation in Luoyang. His achievements rival those of Huan Wen and Song Wu. If I do not appoint you as general, I truly lack the wisdom to judge character."

"I... am ashamed," Chen Qingzhi replied, swallowing his words, trying his best to avoid Xiao Yan noticing his choked voice.

"What Ziyun says is not without reason, but in my opinion, the previous defeat was due to not conforming to the celestial signs. The way of heaven and human affairs are fundamentally the same—last year, the Purple Star was obscured, and the Emperor's virtue did not extend to Luoyang; it was not advisable to wage war. Only by following the way can the barbarians be destroyed, and China be restored to unity."

"Your Majesty, I am foolish and ignorant of the way of heaven. Please enlighten me."

"Have there been any rumors circulating in the marketplace recently?"

"I have heard that when Mars enters the Southern Dipper, the Emperor will flee from the palace. I think this is absurd and not worthy of Heaven's attention."

"Not so. The other day, the celestial official reported that Mars appeared between the Southern Dippers, its brilliance was very intense, and it was about to obscure the Old Man. The Old Man is Tianliang. Upon careful consideration, this is precisely Heaven's warning to me."

As Xiao Yan spoke, he removed his plain shoes and stepped barefoot onto the cold stone steps of the Taiji Hall.

"Your Majesty, be careful not to catch a cold—" Chen Qingzhi hurriedly attended to him, fearing that Xiao Yan would be chilled. Even though Xiao Yan was the Emperor of Liang, he was already in his seventies and could not withstand such exertion.

Xiao Yan frowned slightly, as if trying to dispel the stinging pain in his feet, then smiled calmly and said loudly,
"It's alright. Since I have received the decree from Heaven, how can I be afraid of hardship?"

After saying this, Xiao Yan endured the cold in his feet and staggered down the hundreds of stone steps of the Taiji Hall. In the chill of early spring, the thin old man in a single layer of clothing, barefoot as he descended the hall to fulfill the prophecy, was both comical and poignant. The guards on night duty in the hall were all horrified to see Xiao Yan like this. Only Chen Qingzhi was deeply moved by his virtue and silently shed tears.

Even though Xiao Yan was strong and healthy, he was still old, and after walking around the hall once, he was already panting. His attendants wanted to help him up, but Xiao Yan stopped them. The old emperor said that he still had the strength, and for the sake of the Liang dynasty, what was this little hardship?

Xiao Yan looked up at the sky; the six stars of the Southern Dipper were dim, and Mars had vanished without a trace.

"The Emperor descends from the throne, the Emperor descends from the throne...""Let's go." The old emperor, his breathing slightly calmed, murmured to himself, gazing northwards.

But the ways of Heaven are unfathomable; how could a ruler possibly understand them?

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Chapter Two

Since the Zhou Dynasty, Luoyang had been the residence of the emperor. Its location was strategically positioned, bordering the Xiaohan Pass to the west and controlling the Hulao Pass to the east, with the Yi and Luo Rivers crisscrossing its territory. After the Qin and Han dynasties rose and fell, and the Wei and Jin dynasties abdicated, Luoyang, though repeatedly destroyed by fire, was still cherished by the new emperors. Once the empire was established, the new rulers would rebuild Luoyang, relocating high-ranking families and noble clans there, sparing no expense or burden on the people.

During the Yongjia era, Luoyang suffered a devastating catastrophe. The Xiongnu massacred the city and burned the palaces, their cruelty exceeding that of Dong Zhuo a hundredfold. Liu Cong clearly preferred his eldest son's ancestral home in Hedong and had little affection for Luoyang. His successor, Liu Yao, inherited his cousin's view, preferring to establish the capital in the equally devastated Chang'an, while Shi Le fled far away to Hebei, keeping a distance from the former capital. Only Huan Wen and Liu Yu, who were determined to launch a northern expedition, truly cared for Luoyang—the sacred status Luoyang held in the hearts of the Jin people was something the Five Barbarian tribes of the Northern Dynasties could not comprehend.

After Liu Yu's death, the long-dormant Tuoba Si immediately launched a southern campaign, besieging Luoyang, which the Song army had painstakingly recaptured. Mao Dezhu, the garrison commander of Hulao Pass, with no strong troops inside and no reinforcements outside, held out for two hundred days with a small force, inflicting heavy casualties on the Xianbei army. Tuoba Si was moved by his loyalty and spared his life on the day the city fell. However, precisely because of this, the historians of the Southern Dynasties believed that Mao Dezu had failed to die for his country and dared not write a biography for him. This

was not unique to the Liu Song Dynasty; the Jiankang court was always ungrateful and lacking in virtue. In the past, Liu Kun served the Jin Dynasty in Bingzhou with unwavering loyalty, but his parents and brothers were all killed by bandits. After ten years of bitter fighting, he was ultimately unjustly killed by the Duan family in Liaoxi. The Eastern Jin Dynasty, because of the Duan family, dared not even offer him a mourning .

"In the past, there was Li Qianqi, who was sent to the Xiongnu court; loyalty and integrity were rewarded, and Emperor Wu of Han did not see the light!"

If Mao Dezu could meet Li Ling and Liu Kun in the afterlife, the three could weep bitterly for each other's loyalty. However, the plight of loyal ministers did not end there. Even more infuriating was that Shen Yue, that bastard, claimed that the Tuoba Xianbei were descendants of Li Ling and even wrote this confidently in the official *Book of Song*. His loyalty as a subject during his lifetime was not recognized, and after his death he was posthumously honored as the ancestor of traitors—Oh, Heaven, what kind of person is this?

In the eyes of the Xianbei court in Pingcheng, Luoyang was merely a military fortress on the southern frontier of the empire, holding no special significance for the vast territory stretching north to the Gobi Desert. It wasn't until Emperor Xiaowen's reforms and the promotion of Sinicization that Luoyang gradually regained the glory of its former capital. The Xianbei nobles who migrated from Pingcheng began to learn rites and music, and Luoyang was rebuilt according to Han customs. At the same time, the Xianbei people, who had already converted to Buddhism, began to carve grottoes. If the White Horse Temple witnessed the taking root of Buddhism in the Central Plains, then the Longmen Grottoes demonstrated that the spread of Buddhism was not achieved by the efforts of Fotucheng and Kumarajiva alone.

But nothing in this world lasts forever; less than three generations after Emperor Xiaowen's death, the Six Garrisons Rebellion occurred. The world blames Empress Dowager Hu for her corrupt practices within the palace and her exorbitant taxes, which led to the disloyalty of the border generals and soldiers. However, in all fairness, the root of the turmoil was sown by the sage-king Xiaowen. The Six Garrisons were originally established to defend against the Rouran. The border regions were harsh and cold; how could the officials in Luoyang share their loyalty? In the past, in Pingcheng, the old Xianbei system was crude and simple, yet the Tuoba clan could still share the hardships with their soldiers and suppress any rebellions immediately. Once the imperial family entered Luoyang, they adopted the Han system, emphasizing etiquette and pomp, and reinstated the five-rank nobility and even the nine-rank official system. The Six Garrisons, who guarded the empire's borders, undoubtedly became the lowest class with no hope of advancement, no longer able to rely on military merit for promotion.

This situation seemed to have returned to the early years of the Yongjia era. Although the nobles of Luoyang were of Xianbei descent, their spirit was nearly indistinguishable from that of the Sima clan of Hanoi. Meanwhile, the Six Garrisons, though inhabited by both Han and non-Han peoples, with many generals from prominent Han families, had become increasingly assimilated into non-Han culture due to their long years on the frontier, considering the teachings of rites and music a disgrace. When the Six Garrisons rebelled, the nobles found themselves lacking the bloodthirsty skills of their ancestors, and were forced to seek aid from equally unassimilated barbarians—such as Erzhu Rong of Xiurong.

History seemed to play a cruel joke; after two hundred years of turmoil, Luoyang returned to its starting point.

During the Yongjia era, Liu Cong and Shi Le repeatedly invaded, and the court could not stop them. Liu Kun, trapped in Bingzhou, could only barely repel the aggressive Jie barbarians by relying on the ancestors of Emperor Xiaowen—the Tuoba Xianbei of Daibei. By the time of Empress Dowager Hu and Emperor Xiaoming, the Xianbei, formerly a vassal state, had become the masters of the Central Plains, skilled in rites and music; the Han Chinese of the Six Garrisons had become rebels like Liu Cong and Shi Le, threatening to destroy Luoyang and exterminate all the officials; and the only vassal state the court could rely on was the Qihu, descendants of the Jiehu

, the former mortal enemies of the Xianbei, who occupied Xiurong. This strange role reversal seemed like a great mockery of Emperor Xiaowen and Emperor Wu of Jin. This shows that Sinicization is not a matter of a day or two, and those in power must be cautious.

After the Heyin Incident and Yuan Hao's entry into Luoyang, the city of Luoyang, into which Emperor Xiaowen had poured countless efforts, was once again reduced to ruins. When Gao Huan raised an army in Xindu, quelled the Erzhu clan, and seized power, the Luoyang he was given was almost identical to Pingcheng, which Emperor Xiaowen had rejected. Gao Huan, originally from Huai Shuo Garrison, was no different from the Xianbei in customs, and naturally disliked this ancient Han-style capital. So he abandoned the puppet emperor Yuan Xiu and the empress forced upon him, returning to Jinyang, the city beloved by Erzhu Rong, leaving Yuan Xiu to wreak havoc on the ruins.

Of course, in the eyes of the Central Plains gentry, the Jiankang court, confined to the south of the Yangtze River, was not the legitimate successor to Chinese rule. Only the Northern Dynasty, occupying and governing Luoyang, truly represented the will of the people. By bloodline, the Tuoba Xianbei were descendants of the Yellow Emperor, and even the Xiongnu of Bingzhou from the previous dynasty were descendants of the Xia Dynasty. What were the Lanling Xiao clan, holed up in Jiankang? Their constant use of informal language revealed them to be remnants of the Baiyue people with their short hair and tattoos.

Luoyang, however dilapidated, remained the sole symbol of Chinese legitimacy.

The Taiji Hall in Luoyang was the true Han-Jin palace. In terms of age alone, the replicas within the palace complex were incomparable. However, after several wars, aside from its ancient foundation, there was nothing else to boast about. It seemed even Chang'e (the Moon Goddess) couldn't bear to look at the carnage in Luoyang; the night was moonless.

As midnight approached, Yuan Xiu, still wide awake in his bedchamber, continued his marital duties. The one enjoying his pleasure on the imperial bed was not his empress.

Ironically, Gao Huan, to monitor this puppet emperor, had forced his own daughter upon him, granting her the title of empress; yet Yuan Xiu, raised in Luoyang, was well-versed in etiquette and music, and undeniably handsome and charming, utterly disdainful of the Huai Shuo village girl who spoke only the Xianbei language. From their wedding day until now, they had not yet consummated their marriage. Enraged, Empress Gao wrote a letter vehemently accusing Yuan Xiu of impotence and harboring homosexual tendencies—Gao Huan could only smile bitterly upon receiving the letter. He knew that the young and impetuous Yuan Xiu was no match for Sima Yi, but rather a modern-day Sima Shao.

After intercepting the correspondence between Yuan Xiu and Heba Yue, Gao Huan realized he had underestimated this taciturn, yellow-bearded Xianbei slave. He feigned a subservient and cowardly demeanor, secretly colluding with the Guanzhong region, his true target being Gao Huan himself, the prime minister. Since Yuan Xiu saw him as Wang Dun, it remained to be seen whether Heba Yue dared to act like Su Jun.

In any case, Yuan Xiu had no time to think about his cold, aloof empress or his sinister father-in-law; the only thing worthy of his attention was the peerless beauty beneath him, showered with the emperor's favor.

With a long hiss, Yuan Xiu arched his back, releasing his burning dragon seed into the overflowing phoenix pool, then, amidst soft panting breaths, lowered his limp body, dissolving his imperial majesty into her gentle embrace.

"Your Majesty's favoritism towards Mingyue is inappropriate, in my opinion."

Yuan Xiu felt a sharp slap on his left hip, and struggled to sit up, turning to look at his cousin, whose face was filled with jealousy. Princess Ande was only twenty-three years old. Although she wasn't exactly a beauty that could rival the most beautiful women in the land, she was still charming and affectionate, deeply admired by the talented men of Luoyang. As for why she hadn't married yet, outsiders had many opinions, but only Yuan Xiu knew the truth—she had already become his concubine, how could she bear to marry an outsider?

"My cousin is right. A ruler should be impartial and never let personal feelings interfere with public duty. Although I have been undeserving of Your Majesty's favor, I have no choice but to speak frankly to you."

This woman, who had just taken the imperial child and was now eager to play the innocent, was Yuan Xiu's cousin, Yuan Mingyue. Because her father, Prince Yuan Yu of Jingzhao, rebelled, Mingyue lost both her parents at a young age and lived with her elder brother, Yuan Baoju, in the home of their uncle, Yuan Huai. She and Yuan Xiu were childhood sweethearts.

Mingyue was renowned for her beauty, the most beautiful woman in the capital. Before she could even marry, she had an unseemly affair with her cousin Yuanxiu, becoming pregnant. Enraged, Empress Dowager Hu hastily betrothed her to a noble family to cover up the scandal. Unexpectedly, her husband died a few years later. Mingyue wished to remarry, but Feng Longzhi and Sun Teng, both court officials vying for her affections, became irreconcilable enemies, plotting against each other. Both resigned their posts and fled north to Jinyang. Mingyue was left with no choice but to go to the palace and weep for Yuanxiu. Yuanxiu, now the emperor, seeing the heartbroken beauty in tears, recalled his past and felt deep remorse for his cousin. He kept her in the palace and summoned her day and night.

To demonstrate his impartiality, Yuan Xiu sat up straight and embraced both Mingyue and Princess Ande. Mingyue was already satisfied, leaning happily against her cousin's broad chest, playing with his already softened penis. Princess Ande, however, was burning with desire. She had only been busy encouraging her cousin from behind, and watching the two make love without being able to share the pleasure, her resentment was palpable. She was still restless in Yuan Xiu's arms, one hand kneading her ample breasts, the other stroking downwards, until she inserted her middle finger into Yuan Xiu's anus, trying to make him hard again as soon as possible.

"Ande is rude! I follow the Zhou rites and have my own rules for sexual relations, how can you—" Yuan Xiu swallowed the rest of his words, because Princess Ande, losing patience, abandoned the inefficient fingering and instead used her mouth, probing Yuan Xiu's anus with her tongue.

Princess Ande sucked for only a moment before withdrawing her tongue, smoothing her disheveled hair, and smiling sweetly at Yuan Xiu

, who was still groaning with his eyes closed: "This method was taught by a foreign monk from Kucha. What does Your Majesty think?"

"I...I only now realize the nobility of an emperor." Yuan Xiu, immersed in ecstasy, had long forgotten what he wanted to say. At this moment, he was like Liu Bang incarnate, utterly admiring his intelligent cousin. Furthermore, he roughly understood why his ancestors had exclusively revered Buddhism. Emperor Taiwu, misled by Cui Hao, even wanted to exterminate the novice monks—this was truly unacceptable.

Princess Ande, thinking she had succeeded, saw Yuan Xiu become erect again and straightened herself, preparing to receive her cousin's penis. Unexpectedly, Yuan Mingyue seized the opportunity, holding a jade tablet in her hand, intercepting it from the other side.

"Your Majesty has just bestowed a timely rain; you should rest now and not overexert yourself." Yuan Mingyue's lips parted slightly, instantly dispelling Princess Ande's weariness.

"What my elder sister says is very wise." Yuan Xiu, who always lacked his own opinions in bed, only obeyed Yuan Mingyue's every word, leaving Princess Ande stunned.

After a while, Princess Ande came to her senses, spat fiercely at Yuan Xiu's erect penis, grabbed a brocade quilt, wrapped herself tightly, and turned away to sulk.

Yuan Xiu smiled bitterly; though he had a beauty in his arms, being a ruler was ultimately not easy. Looking down at Mingyue, his beloved elder sister looked completely innocent, only pretending to sleep with her eyes closed.

"Ha, Han Feizi considered sleeping in the same bed the foremost of the eight vices; he was right." A faint female voice came from the corner of the bed, and only then did Yuan Xiu and his sister remember that there was another person on the imperial bed.

Following the sound, Yuan Jili, cold as ice, crouched in a corner, fully clothed, her arms wrapped around her knees, far away from the three incestuous siblings. Her expression clearly showed disgust. As Yuan Xiu's youngest cousin, Jili was only nineteen years old. Her delicate oval face still carried a childish air, and her figure was far less voluptuous and graceful than Mingyue's, but rather showed some of the slenderness characteristic of Xianbei women in the Daibei era.

Unlike her older cousins, Yuan Jili had always regarded Yuan Xiu as an elder brother and had never had any inappropriate thoughts. However, Yuan Xiu could not suppress his infatuation with her and forcibly kept her in the palace, confessing his love to her. Jili, true to her name, resisted her cousin's advances with all her might, making it difficult for Yuan Xiu to bring himself to do it. Helpless, Yuan Xiu allowed her to remain a virgin, but ordered her to observe her older cousins serving him in bed, hoping to soften her inner resistance.

Judging from today's situation, Yuan Xiu's plan had obviously failed.

"Your Majesty, in your humble beginnings, you were well-versed in literature and should know that since the Qin and Han dynasties, all rulers who committed incest have met untimely deaths." Ji Li's words were sharp and cutting, silencing Yuan Xiu in just a few sentences.

Humble beginnings... and... and still met untimely deaths—this woman's words were far too venomous.

"The theory of incest is a fallacy of the scholars of the Central Plains. My ancestors of the Great Wei were descendants of a goddess; how can I be bound by the shallow views of mortals?" Yuan Xiu said, gently stroking the topknot of his hair—if it weren't for his grandfather's Sinicization reforms, there would have been dozens of braids here. "Emperor Daowu even took Helan as a concubine, and now I am merely having relations with my cousin, and—"

"Killing Qinghe, executing ten thousand men, has Your Majesty forgotten this proverb?" Yuan Ji Li's expression was a half-smile, chillingly cold.

Emperor Daowu did indeed meet an untimely death, but Yuan Xiu never believed it was because of incest. If it weren't for the Cold Stone Powder from the Hebei aristocratic families, Emperor Daowu might have lived another twenty years.

"What Ji Li said is true, but even the island barbarians of Jiangzuo don't consider incest a taboo. Years ago, there was a Liu Ziye in the puppet Song dynasty who had an affair with his sister, and none of the officials thought it was..." Yuan Mingyue, seeing Yuan Xiu at a loss for words, quickly tried to smooth things over, but her lack of education led her to her own demise.

"According to Mingyue's wishes, I must also find you thirty male concubines?" Yuan Xiu's face darkened; he sensed Mingyue had ulterior motives.

Realizing her mistake, Yuan Mingyue quickly buried her head in Yuan Xiu's arms, remaining silent. Unable to see Princess Ande's expression, she was probably secretly laughing.

"The past is nothing to worry about, but Your Majesty should not indulge in debauchery all day long, especially with your cousin, giving others ammunition against you!" Yuan Jili continued, ignoring everything else. "The King of Bohai has seized Bingzhou, following the example of Tianzhu, clearly showing no respect for Your Majesty. If I were Your Majesty, I would at least feign compliance with the Empress, not argue with my sister about incest here!"

"It's not that we don't know, but that we can't." Yuan Xiu sighed, rising to straighten his clothes, startling Yuan Mingyue and Princess Ande, each thinking they had offended him. Yuan Jili remained curled up in the corner of the bed, indifferently watching her cousin's broad back, unmoved.

Yuan Xiu ignored his sisters on the bed and walked alone to the outside of the Taiji Hall. The cold spring wind made him speechless; upon closer inspection, he tasted the bitter dust of Hebei. Looking up, he saw that the night sky was overcast, and even the Southern Dipper was not visible.

"Mars enters the Southern Dipper... The Emperor descends from his palace..."

After pondering for a moment, Yuan Xiu decided to ignore these absurd words and turned to walk back to his palace. The instant he turned around, all the floating clouds in the sky vanished without a trace, and in an instant, the moonlight shone like a ribbon.

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The bright moon shines alone, my heart is without anchor (Northern and Southern Dynasties) 1-2

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