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

"What's next, Mr. Wang? Sima Yi asked. Director Wang said:"There is war in the north, the people are suffering, and the mountains and rivers are broken." The emperor was plundered and his days were like years. The country could not be left without an owner for a day. We should make a decisive decision and first have all the civil and military ministers in Jiankang and Jiangnan sign their signatures. Those who are alone in the north, like Liu Kun, Duan Pizhen and others, will talk about it later!"

"So how exactly does it work?"Sima Zong asked. Director Wang said:"For the civil servants and generals in Jiankang, you two brothers came to visit with letters of advice. In addition to health, I will send people"

"So much the better!"After the two people finished speaking, they stood up with the letter of persuasion and left.

A few days later, Sima Yi sent someone to deliver the letter of persuasion, signed by many civil and military ministers, to Director Wang's residence. The visitor bowed his hand and went back. Then Director Wang sent people to other prefectures and counties in the south of the Yangtze River to ask the governors, prefects, generals, etc. of these prefectures and counties to sign their names.

Just after the Qingming Festival, a light rain fell around Jiankang. Director Wang looked at the garden washed away by the rain. Hua Mu, thoughtfully. Returning to the study, he once again looked at every name on the book of persuasion. He said to himself:"The book of persuasion from eighty-one people should be of sufficient weight. I just don’t know what King Langya thinks. If he doesn't agree, it's all in vain."

Sima Rui held many positions, so the Zhendong General's Mansion in Jiankang was also the Prime Minister's Mansion and the Langya Prince's Mansion. It was located in the palace city of Jiankang City. It was rebuilt from the original Soochow Old City and was also called Taicheng. Although there are frequent wars in the north, only the south of the Yangtze River is still peaceful and the people can live and work in peace and contentment. Sima Rui is nominally the general of Zhendong, but some governors and generals in the south of the Yangtze River are very untamed. Sometimes not only do they not accept Sima Rui's dispatches, but they even pay taxes on grain. Do not pay. Therefore, there are not many soldiers and horses that Sima Rui can really mobilize. Some local officials, who respect their own troops, do not take Sima Rui seriously at all. Wang Dun is the most obvious one.

Sima Rui is sitting on a chair I closed my eyes and rested my mind, thinking about these troublesome things. The guard at the door came in and reported:"Your Highness, there are many civil and military ministers outside the door who want to see Your Highness.""

"Who are they? Sima Rui asked. The guard replied:"There are dozens of them, including Mr. Wang Dao, Zhou Wei, Diao Xie, Wang Cheng, Ji Zhan, Xi Jian, Yang Jian, Zhuge Hui, Chen Qun and Yu Liang." , He Xun, Xue Jian and many other civil and military ministers, let them in?"

"There are so many people, please come in!"Sima Rui said as he stood up and came to the door to greet him.

"Your Highness!"、"Your Highness!"Director Wang and Zhou Wei were at the front. When these people came in, a large number of them knelt down. Sima Rui hurried over, pulled up Director Wang and waited:"Everyone, please stand up quickly! Sima

Rui returned to his seat and sat down, and then asked somewhat seriously:"Masters, are you so solemn? Is there something important?" Don't you usually act like this?"

"Your Highness, it has been ten years since you crossed south to Jiankang to guard the city. Emperor Min has become a prisoner of the Huns. According to the Huns' methods, it is impossible to release His Majesty. Therefore, the civil and military ministers were very anxious and anxious. The country cannot live without a king for a day. For this reason, we, the eighty-one people in Jiankang, including Jiangnan, implore His Highness to succeed to the throne as emperor!"Wang Cheng said, took out the letter of persuasion signed by the civil and military ministers, and handed it to Sima Rui.

Sima Rui still had a serious face and a solemn expression. He took the letter of persuasion from Wang Cheng and read it carefully. Get up. Director Wang and dozens of other people knelt down again. In addition to these ministers, there were also three imperial uncles, Sima Yi, Sima Zong and Sima Cheng. The letter advising King Langya to ascend the throne:

The tiger and wolf Xiongnu are extremely vicious; they robbed my emperor. Occupy my capital city; act recklessly and commit all kinds of evil; burn my house and destroy my homeland; rob my wealth and massacre my people; defile my women and children, full of evil. Your Highness is wise and endures the humiliation. It is your duty to drive away the Hu people. The auspiciousness has appeared, taking over the world; civil servants Military generals are of one heart and one mind. After ninety-five years of promotion, everyone has returned!

In the lower left corner are the signatures of eighty-one people including Director Wang, Wang Dun, and Zhou Wei.

Sima Rui saw that Sima Yi and Sima Zong signed at the front, Director Wang and others The man followed closely and understood in his heart. Sima Rui thought to himself:"Although these two little emperor uncles are going to 'cross the river with five horses' with me, they are separated from each other and don't know what they are selling in the gourd." What medicine. From Emperor Wu to Emperor Min, their blood relationship is closer than mine!"

Putting down the book of persuasion, Sima Rui quickly stood up, pulled Director Wang, Wang Cheng and others up one by one and said:"Everyone, please stand up, please don't push me hard. How virtuous and capable is this king, that I can command the whole country and be ranked among the ninety-five most respected people? Please take back your letters of advice!"

Sima Rui came to Sima Yi, Sima Zong and Sima Cheng again, pulled them up and said:"The three emperor uncles are the elders of the royal family, how can they kneel down and worship me, the emperor's nephew?!"

"Your Highness has the image of an emperor, how can you talk about uncles and nephews in the court?!"Sima Yi said.

Returning to their seats, Sima Rui asked everyone to sit down, and then said:"All of you have been following me for many years and are all my loyal ministers. It is even more commendable that several imperial uncles accompanied me to the south. During the ten years in Jiangnan, everyone shared the same hatred, shared joys and sorrows, and moved forward with heavy burdens. He does not seek glory and wealth, but wishes to expel the Hu people and return to his homeland. You have good intentions and know it by yourself. Unfortunately, my talents and knowledge are limited, and my ability to control the country and the court is really limited, making it difficult for me to take on a big role. Moreover, Emperor Min is still in the hands of the Xiongnu. His life and death are uncertain, and he must not overstep his authority. If everyone keeps forcing each other like this, I will have no choice but to take a few old servants and return to my Langya country!"

Ministers of civil and military affairs, look at me and I look at you. I don't know what to do. Director Wang glanced at Wang Cheng. Wang Cheng came to the front and knelt down again and said:"Your Highness, half of the country in the south of the Yangtze River also needs you to take care of it. ah! If His Highness is really unwilling to take the throne, then he should settle for the second best and be crowned King of Jin first. How about taking over the throne when the situation changes in the future?!"

"Then according to the advice of all your beloved ministers, I will be the first to become the King of the Jin Dynasty. I just don’t know if this is a joint system? Is there any such precedent in our country?"Sima Rui said. Wang Dao smiled and said:"Your Highness, when I courted Emperor Wen Sima Zhao, I first promoted him to the title of King Jin. Later, Sima Yan, the son of Emperor Wen, attacked and granted the title of King of Jin. Later, wouldn't it be like the Jin Dynasty and Wei Dynasty?"

"Since there is such a precedent in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, let’s follow the example!"Sima Rui said with a smile. Seeing that Sima Rui's brows finally relaxed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"How about I prepare the ceremony for His Highness to be promoted to King of Jin?"Director Wang said. Sima Rui said with a smile:"All preparations, rituals, regulations, and systems will be handled by Mr. Mao Hong through consultation with Zhou Wei, Wang Cheng, Diao Xie, Yu Liang, Ji Zhan, He Xun, Xue Jian, etc."

"Mr. Wang Cheng, please observe the celestial phenomena at night and choose an auspicious day. Sima Rui ordered. Wang Cheng smiled and said,"Your Highness, I have already thought of this." The ninth day of March this month is a day of great auspiciousness. Lao Tzu said,"One is born with two, two begets three, and three begets all things." Three and three meet nine, and nine and nine return to one! Ha ha ha ha!"

"Ninety-nine and eighty-one, the number we signed and pledged happened to be ninety-nine! Yu Liang said happily:"Everything in the world has its destiny. It seems that this statement is true!""