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

The three guards returned and the three soldiers came to the room where Sima Ye and the three ministers lived. As soon as they entered the door, they saw Sima Ye and the only three remaining ministers hugging each other and crying. The three soldiers put down the food boxes, wine and wine bottles, and one of them said:"Stop crying and crying, it's useless. Today, Your Majesty is merciful and rewards you four dishes and a jug of wine. Enjoy it quickly!"

Sima Ye looked at the table. The food and wine were served, and I was in a daze. Three old ministers came to the table and said to Sima Ye:"Your Majesty, the three of us are the last ministers to accompany your Majesty. Seeing that the ministers who came with your Majesty died tragically one by one at the hands of Liu Cong. If you continue to bear the humiliation and bear the heavy burden, If you go down there, life is worse than death. Your Majesty, let's go first!"

After saying that, the three people poured the poisoned wine into three wine bottles, then clinked their glasses and drank it all. Sima Ye saw the three ministers vomiting blood and falling to the ground. He cried loudly like he was hoarse. Sima Ye touched the cold bodies of the three ministers one by one, and arranged their hands, feet, and clothes. Afterwards, Sima Ye calmed down and picked up the wine bottle.

Sima Ye said to himself:"I ascended the throne as emperor in Chang'an at the age of thirteen, and only served as an emperor in name only for less than four years. The ministers were fighting for themselves, and they did not care about the life or death of me, the emperor. Under the custody of the Hu people , I managed to survive for more than a year. The twenty or so ministers who followed me and never abandoned me successively lost their lives for me. This kind of shameful day of fear and fear all day long is not as good as going to see my ancestors. Great!"

After saying these words, Sima Ye looked at the somewhat dilapidated house where the ministers had lived for more than a year. Then he picked up the jug and drank the poisonous wine in one breath...

The three soldiers ran to the room and saw four people lying on the ground in a mess. I tried everyone's nose and found that they had already died. So the three people hurriedly packed up the plates, wine bottles, and wine bottles, put them all in the food box, and took them to the door. Just then, the three guards came back. They took the food box and said,"You still have to watch here. After dark, the Prime Minister will send someone to take these four people away in a carriage. Wait until midnight. The carriage is here, you guys can help load the body onto the carriage, the prime minister will reward you greatly!"

After saying that, the three guards rushed back to the palace with the food box to report to Liu Can.

Different from the usual hustle and bustle, the court hall of Guangji Palace was completely silent at this time. Three guards came in carrying food boxes to see Liu Cong. Liu Can asked:"Is everything done?"

"Please rest assured, Prime Minister, everything is done! Just wait until the Prime Minister sends a carriage in the evening."A guard said. Liu Can said:"It's none of your business. Go down and receive the reward!"

Sima Ye was poisoned to death. In fact, only a few people such as Liu Can and Jin Zhun knew about it. Therefore, most of the Han ministers were still in the dark when they saw the food box just now. Some seemed to see it through the expressions of Liu Cong and his son. Some people began to talk about what they were talking about. Liu Cong said on the top:"Dear dear friends, it is very unfortunate. The slaves just came to report that Sima Ye has passed away!"

Liu Cong's fifth son, Liu Fu, King of Bohai, came out and said:"Father, now that Emperor Min of the Jin Dynasty is dead, and all the captured Jin Dynasty ministers are also dead, our Han country has no worries. Today, there is no discipline in our government, corruption is rampant, and laws are lax. Some ministers flattered and fawned over him. More and more rewards were given to the concubines and palace people in the harem. The soldiers of our dynasty still have to face attacks from the Cheng Han, Jie people, Qiang people and the remaining forces of the Jin Dynasty. However, the soldiers sometimes cannot get sufficient food and pay in time. Please give me a warning!"

"Brave Liu Fu! Don't think you are my son and talk nonsense in the court!"Liu Cong shouted angrily:"Look at your older brothers and younger brothers, they are all better than you. If the ministers obey the prince's orders, is that flattery? Are you satisfied that the minister of civil and military affairs is in tit-for-tat with me and the prince at every turn? Liu

Fu cried and said,"Father, in the past few years, in addition to the three named queens, there are only seven other queens in the harem who can wear the queen's seal and ribbon." There were two queens, Jin Yueguang and Queen Fan. Later Jin Yueguang was deposed. The two left empresses, empress Liu, and the adopted empress who served Wang Shen in Zhongchang. The right queen, Jin Yuehua, is the adopted daughter of Xuanhuai, the middle queen's constant attendant. This horde of queens, maids, and servants consumed a lot of money from the treasury. Father, these three queens stand side by side, wasting people and money, which is unprecedented and unprecedented!"

Liu Cong couldn't stand listening any longer, and he shouted loudly:"You are a bold and rebellious son, an unfilial son, ignorant of knowledge and skills, and arrogant and shameless. I have been crying and admonishing in the court all day long, so I kicked him out of the court!"

Before the guards came to pull him, Liu Fu ran out of the court and returned to his mansion. Liu Cong felt dizzy on the dragon chair. When Wang Chen saw it, he quickly shouted:"Please call the doctor quickly! His Majesty fainted!"

There was chaos in the court, and Liu Yao said to Liu Can:"Your Highness, I have been away from Chang'an for many days. I'm afraid that Chang'an's defense may be compromised, so I want to return to Chang'an right away."

"Your Majesty, please!"After Liu Can finished speaking, Liu Yao saluted Liu Cong and returned to Chang'an.

Three days later, Liu Cong was recuperating in the palace. Wang Chen hurried in and reported:"Your Majesty, something bad has happened, something bad has happened! Liu Fu, King of Bohai, he, he passed away!"

"ah! Liu Cong quickly sat up and got off the bed. Wang Chen lifted Liu Cong to a chair and sat down. Liu Cong asked again:"What did you just say?" Can you say that again!"

Wang Chen had no choice but to say it again. After hearing this, Liu Cong burst into tears and then passed out again. Wang Chen did not dare to neglect, so he quickly sent someone to call the imperial doctor, and asked several attendants to lift Liu Cong to the bed. It didn't take long. Doctor Hu came. He first touched Liu Cong's forehead and then felt his pulse. Wang Chen asked:"Mr. Hu, how is your Majesty's condition? When can you wake up? Doctor Hu looked around, but there was no one. He looked at Liu Cong again, but he was still unconscious, so he pulled Wang Chen aside and said quietly:"Your Majesty has two problems, one is excessive indulgence, and the other is anger attacking the heart.". If these two problems cannot be solved, Your Majesty will be worried."

"Mr. Wang, which queen's palace is this? Doctor Hu asked in a low voice. Wang Chen said:"This is the palace of my adopted queen. Is there any problem?" Dr. Hu quickly waved his hands and said,"No problem, no problem, but if these two things are not resolved, His Majesty's health will only get worse and worse." Relying on drugs to maintain it is difficult to last."

A palace maid came with a glass of water, and Wang Chen motioned to give Liu Cong some water. The palace maid fed Liu Cong some water, and Liu Cong moved, and then opened his eyes. He asked drowsily:"Am I here? The queen's bedroom? Where is the Queen? Why don't you come and stay with me?"