Liu Yu led the Northern Prefecture Army south to put down the rebellion. After two years of fierce fighting, he crushed the Righteous Army led by Sun En, and the Han Court rejoiced from top to bottom.
The Righteous Army had suffered one defeat after another. The tide had turned against them!
Sun En threw himself into the sea at Linhai Commandery, and the remnants chose Lu Xun as their leader.
Moreover, because the Righteous Army had made a point of killing Aristocrats and officials, the unrest dealt a devastating blow to the Langya Wang Clan, the Chen Commandery Xie Clan, and other Great Families. Their influence plummeted, while military upstarts from humble backgrounds, represented by Liu Yu, rose like the morning sun!
As Liu Yu led his troops back to Jiankang, they passed through Huiji Shanyin.
Looking at the dilapidated county town of Shanyin, he sighed.
"This is where Wang Youjun once governed! Back in the day, the Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering brought the Aristocrats together, and the place was alive with activity! They say he even wrote the Orchid Pavilion Preface, the greatest running-script calligraphy under heaven!"
"Alas, where are the Aristocrats now?"
Those around him all said, "General, watch your words. Though those Aristocrats have lost their power for now, a centipede may die but never fall over. It's best to be cautious."
Liu Yu, however, scoffed. "Hmph! What can they do to me?"
When they passed Wang Xizhi's tomb, Liu Yu stopped his horse and ordered a sacrifice to show his respect for the great calligrapher.
But when he dismounted and approached the tomb, he spotted a new grave beside it.
The grave looked hastily made—a mere mound of earth. A simple stele had been planted carelessly in front, bearing only a few words.
"The Tomb