The Sixteen Kingdoms of the Eastern Jin Dynasty: The Competition in the Central Plains

Liu Wei handed Wang Dun's letter to Ying Zhan. Ying Zhan read it and handed it to other generals. All the generals present looked at it. Liu Wei looked at Ying Zhan and others, and then said to Lu Bao:"Sorry, Lu Canjun, I have to discuss with other generals before I can reply to the general. Please go to the other room to rest, drink tea, and write your reply. Okay, I'll call you later"

"Okay, thank you General Liu!"After Lu Bao finished speaking, a soldier went out with them. Seeing Lu Bao go out, Liu Wei patted the bookcase and said,"Wang Dun, who has been rebelling for a long time, has already started to take action. He first won over Zhou. Mr. Zhou's son, Zhou Fu, is now using coercion, inducement, and even intimidation to try to get his way with this general. Isn't it just wishful thinking? All generals are His Majesty’s trusted ministers. Like me, the concern for the country and the people can be learned from all sources. You have just read Wang Dun's letter. What do you have to say?"

"Let the general alone make the decision! Ying Zhan and others said. Liu Wei nodded, and then said to a soldier:"Go and get the inkstone, writing brush, and cloth.""

The soldiers brought the writing brush and other necessary things. After grinding the ink, they handed the brush to Liu Wei. Liu Wei began to write a reply to Wang Dun. I saw the cloth saying:"Fish can't live without water. I Just a fish in His Majesty's pond. A fish cannot forget the pond in which he was born and raised, and a man cannot forget the king who gave him his mission. Everyone has his own ambitions, and it is important for people to have self-awareness. Xun Xi's"Exerting all one's strength and acting with loyalty" is my creed and my ambition. The general has served as Emperor Wu, Emperor Hui, Emperor Huai, and Emperor Min in the previous dynasties, and now he has been given important military and state responsibilities by His Majesty. We should all be grateful for His Majesty's kindness and dedicate ourselves to the country until our death. After writing his reply to Wang Dun, Liu Wei asked Ying Zhan and others to read it. Ying Zhan said:"The general wrote very well!" It represents our wish. Wang Dun will be furious if he sees it."

"Go call Lu Bao over! Liu Wei said. One of the soldiers went out, and soon came back with another soldier, Lu Bao and others. Liu Wei handed the sealed reply to Lu Bao, and then said:"Lv Bao joins the army and goes back." Tell the general to take care of yourself!"

"OK!"Lü Bao saluted Liu Wei and others, said goodbye and returned to Wuchang.

Lü Bao returned to Wuchang Governor's Office at the same time that Wang Dun and Shen Chong, Qian Feng, Zhuge Yao, Deng Yue, Zhou Fu, Li Heng, Xie Yong, etc. Dozens of his subordinates joined the army and the generals discussed the military situation. Lu Bao came in and greeted Wang Dun first. Wang Dun asked,"How are things going?""

"Liu Wei replied to the letter and asked the lord to read it. Lu Bao said and handed the reply to Wang Dun. Wang Dun opened the reply and read the contents of the reply. He became angry and furious. Wang Dun threw the reply to the ground, and then angrily stepped on it with his foot. After several pauses, a soldier brought a glass of water and said,"General, drink a glass of water first, don't get too angry."

Qian Feng picked up the reply book from the ground and read it from beginning to end. After reading it, Qian Feng handed it to others to read. After reading it, everyone was silent. After a while of silence, Wang Dun laughed. He laughed and said:"When I attack Jiankang, I will kill you Liu Wei first!" After laughing ,

Wang Dun told Qian Feng:"Today, dozens of my confidants and favorite generals are here, although Liu Wei makes me unhappy." The food and wine will be served immediately, I want to drink with you all!"

"As you command, my lord!"Qian Feng went out.

The servants and maids were busy for a while, and the wine and food had been placed. One maid was dedicated to serving Wang Dun, and the following five maids poured wine for others. Wang Dun picked up the wine bottle and said,"I am the son-in-law of Emperor Wu. Rui's men have been surviving until today, and they feel really useless. Fortunately, with the support and support of all my close friends, that day is coming! After Wang

Dun finished speaking, he drank all the wine in one gulp, and the others also drank it in one gulp. The maids poured wine for everyone, and Qian Feng shouted:"Swear allegiance to the lord to the death!" Defend the lord to the death!"

Others also shouted:"Swear allegiance to the lord to the death! Defend the lord to the death! Shen

Chong raised the wine bottle and said:"General, I have been envious of the general's reputation for a long time, so I rushed from Wuxing to Wuchang to join the general." In order to succeed, I have made all preparations in Wuxing, with men, horses, money and food ready. I give a toast to the General!

Not to be outdone, Qian Feng, Zhuge Yao, Deng Yue, Zhou Fu, Li Heng, Xie Yong and others raised their glasses to toast Wang Dun. Wang Dun drank more than ten glasses of wine, and naturally he talked a lot:"Everyone , I, Wang Dun, am ten years older than Sima Rui and have been in the military camp for decades. When we first crossed south to Jiankang more than ten years ago, the aristocratic families in Jiangnan were not willing to accept Sima Rui at all. Later, my cousin Director Wang and I tried every means to get the Jiangnan nobles and people to accept him. Although it is hard to say that"kings and horses share the world", after all, our Langya Wang family has made great contributions to Sima Rui's foothold in the south of the Yangtze River. In the past few years, its wings have hardened, and it has begun to intensify its suppression of our Langya Wang family. My cousin is not valued, and I am also under suspicion."

"Lord, now we have everything ready, all we need is the east wind. After a few more months of preparation, I feel like I'm almost there. As long as the lord gives the order, we will send troops to attack Jiankang! Qian Feng said with some excitement. Wang Dun waved his hand and said:"There's no need to rush, there's no need to rush!""

A maid saw that Wang Dun was about to spit, and hurriedly brought a spittoon. Wang Dun spat out and put the spittoon on the table. Wang Dun nodded to the maid. The maid knew what Wang Dun meant and went to the side room to get it. A jade Ruyi. Wang Dun took the jade Ruyi with his right hand, picked up the spittoon with his left hand, and began to knock rhythmically. While knocking, he chanted the words from Cao Cao's"Stepping out of Xiamen Xing","The old man is in trouble, and his ambition is thousands of miles." In his old age, a martyr is full of ambition." While singing, he hit the spittoon with jade Ruyi, and several gaps were struck on the edge of the spittoon. Seeing this, Shen Chong said:"My lord, we will hit the spitting pot without any hesitation!

Wang Dun put down the spittoon and Yu Ruyi and said,"I want to get drunk with you all today!" Liu

Wei and others sent Lu Bao away and discussed with Ying Zhan and others:"Masters Zhou Fang and Zu Ti passed away one after another. The two famous generals that Wang Dun feared most have passed away." Now Wang Dun can't wait any longer. As ministers who are sent abroad, we should remind His Majesty to take precautions."

"The general is right, this matter should be done sooner rather than later. Ying Zhan said. Liu Wei wrote another secret letter to Sima Rui. After writing it, he put the secret letter in a small wooden box and sealed it. Liu Wei said to the two soldiers:"You two, as before, go to Jiankang personally delivered this letter to His Majesty. Remember that the letter is with you and must not be lost."

Three days later, two soldiers came to Jiankangtaicheng. When the two guards guarding the entrance of Taiji Palace saw that they were Liu Wei's soldiers, they both knew each other and greeted each other. However, they still checked the order for entering and exiting the palace. Only after playing cards did they let the two people in. Because the two people arrived in Jiankang in the afternoon, not the time to go to court, they came to Sima Rui's imperial study. The two soldiers greeted the two guards at the door, and one guard went in Reported, came back and said:"Please come in!"