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

Upon hearing the news, Sima Rui felt as if he was struck by five thunders and could not stand firmly. Sima Shao and Director Wang came in and quickly stepped forward to support Sima Rui. A palace maid moved a bamboo stool, and Sima Rui sat down and cried loudly:"Daocheng just passed away last year. I originally hoped that Anguo could inherit Daocheng's title and honor his ancestors in the future. Unexpectedly, alas!"

Sima Rui gathered his energy and came to In front of the bed. Looking at the motionless grandson who was just one year old on the bed, and thinking about his son Sima Pei who passed away at the age of eighteen, he burst into tears again. Director Wang and Sima Shao also came to the bed, crying loudly, shaking their heads and sighing.

Director Wang, Sima Shao, and other ministers persuaded Sima Rui to sit down in the main hall. Sima Rui said:"Mr. Maohong, you are responsible for Daocheng's funeral. Anguo's funeral is still left to you. All the regulations must be followed."

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness King Xiao Langya has inherited the title of King Langya Xiao. According to the royal family regulations, when a Feng Wang dies, he must be buried in the Feng Kingdom. The former Langya Xiao Wang was also buried in the Langya Kingdom."Director Wang said. Sima Rui said:"This should be observed. Sir, you can handle it as appropriate. Daocheng passed away last year, and the blow to me has not yet passed. I just received the coffin of the Second Emperor, but who knew that my grandson Anguo had also left me!"

Sima Shao's original Prince's Mansion was a temporary renovation of the original Prince's Mansion in the eastern suburbs of Jiankang. After a period of expansion and repair, the East Palace to the east of the palace city has been completed.

In the Prince's Mansion in the East Palace, Wang Daozheng and Sima Shao discussed Sima Anguo Wang Dao said:"King Langyaxiao passed away last year, and less than a year ago, the emperor's grandson Anguo passed away again. The successive sorrows have really hit His Majesty too hard."

"So what did Mr. Shigehiro think about how to bury Anguo? Sima Shao asked. Director Wang said:"When a child dies before the age of eight, it is called the tragedy of being unworthy." If there is no mourning, it cannot be buried according to the rites of adulthood. According to the traditional funeral practice handed down from ancient times, one can only bury the deceased in an earthen coffin and bury them in their homeland."

"So according to the folk funeral practices, isn't it too crude? After all, Anguo is his younger brother's beloved son and his father's beloved grandson, and his younger brother left first."Sima Shao said

"Of course, the funeral cannot be too simple. You can make a fine cypress coffin for the little King Langya, and then form a funeral procession to send the little King Langya to the Langya Kingdom for burial. Director Wang suggested. Sima Shao asked again:"Are we going to put some funerary objects for An Guo?""

"Of course, funerary objects are indispensable. First of all, we need to find a few skilled folk craftsmen to build an elegant and strong cypress coffin for Little King Langya. Then, on a good and auspicious day, His Highness the Prince and I, along with several ministers and a hundred soldiers, will go north to Langya Kingdom and bury the little prince on the hills of his hometown."Director Wang said.

Sima Shao nodded and said,"As you said, I will go back and report to my father."

After Sima Anguo was buried in Langya Kingdom, Sima Rui was depressed for several days and could not go to court. Director Wang came to Sima Rui's palace to see how he was doing. A maid guarding the palace door saw Director Wang coming, He quickly went in and reported:"Your Majesty, Lord Wang is here! Sima

Rui steeled himself and sat up from the bed. Director Wang knelt down and saluted:"I see Your Majesty, I wonder how your Majesty's health has been these days?" What medicine are you using?"

"In fact, I am not ill, I am just depressed. Lord Shigehiro, I have not been in charge of government affairs these days. Is there anything important? Sima Rui asked. Director Wang thought for a while and said,"The ministers are all talking about it. It has been almost a year since your Majesty took the throne, and the queen has not been canonized yet.""

Sima Rui got out of bed as soon as he heard that he was going to be canonized as queen. Two palace maids came over quickly and helped Sima Rui down. The two sat down on the chairs, and Sima Rui said:"My wife Yu Mengmu is a virtuous and kind lady. Virtue means knowing etiquette and law, and having some knowledge of writing. It's just that she died early, and it has been six years since she left me. Every time I miss you, it's hard to let go. Although Mother Yu Meng did not give me a boy and a half girl, she raised Daoji and Daocheng for me. I plan to posthumously title her Queen Yuan Jing. In the days to come, I will not appoint another queen. Zheng Achun gave birth to Sima Huan for me. Both mother and son please me very much. I plan to canonize Zheng Achun as my wife, but Daoji, Chong'er, and Xi'er must serve her according to the etiquette of their mother."

"Your majesty is wise and thoughtful!" Director Wang said. After a while, Director Wang asked:"Your Majesty, a few years ago, in order to avoid the taboo of the emperor's name, Jianye was changed to Jiankang. In order to avoid Mrs. Zheng's name taboo, should Shouchun also be changed to Shouyang?"

"Okay, okay, Master Shigehiro has a great idea!"Sima Rui praised.

Sima Rui thought of Liu Kun's incident and asked:"How is the situation now after Duan Pizhen killed Liu Kun? Are you still fighting with Duan Mobo?"

"Duan Pixi has defected to Shao Xu in Fuping City, and I hope that your majesty can win over Shao Xu and Cao Yi in the north. In their hearts, their hearts are actually toward me."Director Wang said.

Shao Xu in Fuping City was entertaining the Duan Pixi brothers and several generals who had defected to him in the government office. In addition to Shao Xu, Duan Pixi, Duan Wenyang, Duan Shujun, and Duan Xiu brothers, there were also four people at the banquet. There was Shao Cun, Shao Xu’s nephew. Shao Xu said:"Master Duan has four brothers, all of whom are accustomed to fighting and have extraordinary fighting prowess. With your blessing, my strength has grown a lot"

"Mr. Shao, the four of us brothers have been here for many days. We have dinner and banquets with you every day, and there is no big fight. We are all a little embarrassed!"Duan Pixi said

"What did Mr. Duan say? Now we are recharging our strength and waiting for the opportunity. Once we have a good opportunity to fight, we will join forces to catch them by surprise and attack them unprepared."Shao Xu said, raising the wine bottle:"Come on, generals, let's raise a glass together! Get drunk and then rest!"

While pushing the cups and changing the cups, the attendant outside the door came in and reported:"Master Shao, a general named Zhao Ling asked for an audience, and he also brought thousands of Hu and Han families!

Shao Xu heard this and said,"Zhao Ling?" Shi Le's men, please come in quickly!"

A tall man in his thirties came in. The visitor first knelt down and saluted Shao Xu:"Master Shao, I, Leader Zhao, have heard of your name for a long time. In the past few years, he had been forced to survive under the hands of Jieren Shi Le. The purpose is to wait for the opportunity to join a person with lofty ideals like you who cares about the country and the people. I have brought more than 3,000 households of Hu and Han people and asked you to resettle them."

Shao Xu quickly pulled Zhao Ling up and asked him to sit down. Shao Xu said:"In recent years, the Huns have been the main force and have been continuously attacking cities and territories in the north. The territory controlled by the Han people is getting smaller and smaller. In the future, with the help of Master Duan and General Zhao, it will be easier to defend Fuping City."

"Dear brothers, now our Fuping City is getting stronger and stronger, which is really gratifying! Let’s add a few more dishes, come on, let’s toast together and be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor Jiangnan!"Shao Xu said, and others also raised their wine bottles and drank all the wine in the wine bottles.

The people present had just put down their wine bottles and started eating. An attendant came in and reported:"Master Shao, His Majesty the Emperor of Jiangnan has sent an envoy. , should you let him in?"

"What? The envoys of Emperor Jiangnan are welcome quickly!"After Shao Xu finished speaking, he and others present came to the entrance of the government office to greet him. When he went outside the government office, he saw three people waiting, but Shao Xu didn't recognize them. Shao Xu raised his hands and asked,"Who are you?"

"Are you Mr. Shao Xu? My name is Cai Mo, and I am the Vice Minister of Zhongshu in the Jiangnan Imperial Court. These two are my followers. I have come to Fuping to deliver the imperial edict given to you by His Majesty the Emperor. Cai Mo said. When Shao Xu heard this, he quickly said:"It turns out to be Mr. Cai Mo. Please come in quickly!" Arriving at the government office, Cai Mo said to Shao Xu,"Master Shao, please accept your Majesty's edict!""