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

PEI

_ Wan Dajun returned to Xiangguo. A few days after Shi Le returned to Xiangguo, a soldier came in and reported:"Lord, Liu Mao is back!"

"Liu Mao? Please come in! Shi Le said. Liu Mao came to Shi Le, cried and knelt down and saluted, saying:"My lord!" Something bad is happening! Liu Yao killed Master Wang Xiu!"

"ah? Wang Xiu was killed by Liu Yao? what happened? Shi Le asked eagerly. Liu Mao said:"It's all Cao Pingle's fault. He told Liu Yao that the lord was going to sneak attack and kill Liu Yao." Liu Yao killed Wang Xiu in a rage! I grabbed a horse and fled from Suyi to Pingyang in the dark. He also heard that his lord was in Pushang, so he turned back from Pushang and hurried back to Xiangguo."

When Shi Le heard this, he was furious. He picked up the tea bowl on the table and smashed it to the ground. Shi Le roared:"You Liu Yao, I originally planned to be on the same page with you. I never thought you would dare to kill my minister! It is unbearable!"

"Lord, Liu Yao not only killed Wang Xiu. He originally planned to reward you with the title of Dazai, with the rank of general, and the Duke of Zhao with the title of King of Zhao. Seven more counties were added, adding to the previous ones, a total of twenty counties were granted. You can also guard and clear the way when entering and exiting. You can have twelve hairpins on your crown. When you go out, you can ride a golden root chariot or a six-horse chariot. Later, they were all cancelled. Liu Yao also sent people to recover Guo Si, the envoy who rewarded you with honor. He knew that we had occupied Pingyang, so he went west to Suyi. Wang Xiu said. Upon hearing this, Shi Le became even more furious. He said,"I want to be worthy of Mr. Wang Xiu." First, it is too common to give Wang Xiu a posthumous gift. Second, kill the Cao Pingle clan."

Shi Le continued:"In these years, I have followed the two late emperors successively and made great contributions to the Liu family and the Han Dynasty. I, the Shi family, serve their Liu family with more loyalty than ordinary ministers. Without our Liu family, how could they capture Luoyang, the capital of Jin! How could he capture two emperors of the Jin Dynasty one after another and proclaim himself emperor facing the south and the north! Now that the second emperor has passed away, who knows that Liu Can is a dissolute and immoral emperor. God does not help the evildoers. Jin Zhun killed more than a hundred members of the Liu family. This is God's punishment for those who are full of evildoers. Liu Yao, who succeeded to the throne, had strong wings and thought that his foundation was solid. I serve Liu Yao just like Shun served Gushen, and I support him from the bottom of my heart in succeeding to the throne. Unexpectedly, the Liu family's vicious behavior did not change, and they actually killed my sincere messenger. Is the rise of emperors fixed? Whether King Zhao or Emperor Zhao, I have the final say. Regardless of his name, I will never be controlled by Liu Yao again!"

"What my lord said is great! Please prepare to proclaim yourself emperor!"Zhang Bin said. Shi Le waved his hands and declined:"Youhou, dear friends, whether you want to be emperor or king, it's better to wait a little longer! Now we can first set up the imperial physician, Shang Fang, and imperial orders."

"The Lord is wise!"The civil and military ministers said together. Shi Le continued:"I am going to build Zhengyang Gate to prepare for the construction of palaces in the future. What do you think?"

"What the Lord said is just the right time!"The ministers agreed. Shi Le smiled and said:"Then please join the army. Chao Zan summons skilled craftsmen from the private sector and seizes the time to prepare for the construction of Zhengyang Gate."

"I obey the order!"Chao Zan, who joined the army, bowed his hands and saluted. Shi Le then said to Zhang Bin:"Youhou, you are busy attacking Pingyang these days, and you don't have time to listen to your husband's explanation of historical classics. Please come to my study if you have time. Sir, please continue to read"Historical Records" to me!"

"There will be nothing to do tomorrow. I will come and read"Historical Records" to my lord.》"Zhang Bin said.

The next day, Zhang Bin came to Shi Le's study with a scroll of bamboo slips"Historical Records". When Shi Le saw Zhang Bin coming, he stood up quickly and said,"Youhou is here, please sit down!"

After Zhang Bin sat down, Shi Le sat down. A maid brought a teapot, poured tea for Shi Le and Zhang Bin, and went out. Before Zhang Bin read the"Historical Records", Shi Le asked:"Youhou, the Huns have been fighting against the Donghu for hundreds of years. What happened to the Donghu?"

"Because this ethnic group lived east of the Xiongnu, the name Donghu appeared in history books. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there were frequent wars between Donghu and Yan and Zhao. In order to prevent Donghu, Yan State not only built hundreds of miles of the Great Wall, but also set up five counties: Shanggu, Yuyang, Youbeiping, Liaoxi and Liaodong. The famous general Li Mu of Zhao State not only defeated the Xiongnu, but also defeated the Donghu. Now Murong Xin of Xianbei tribe in Liaodong is also a branch of Donghu."Zhang Bin said

"Mr. Na thought that Duan Pixi and Duan Mobo of the Duan tribe of Xianbei, Murong Xin of the Murong tribe, Yuwen Xi Duguan of the Yuwen tribe, and Tuoba Yulu of the Tuoba tribe were all Xianbei tribes. Who could establish it first? Your own country? Shi Le asked. Zhang Bin thought for a while and then said:"The Xianbei brothers Duan Pixi and Duan Mobo are fighting against each other. It is difficult for them to achieve great results." It’s hard to say about the Yuwen tribe at the moment. The ones I’m most optimistic about are the Murong tribe and the Tuoba tribe."

In Dachicheng, the capital of Murong's tribe, Murong Xin was discussing the situation in the world with his sons and the ministers of civil and military affairs. Murong Xin said:"The Han Dynasty founded by Liu Yuan is actually over. Liu Yao succeeded Yuan Guangchu in name only. But I judge that it is very possible for Liu Yao to change the name of the Han Dynasty to a new one. Shi Le has publicly fallen out with Liu Yao, and Shi Le's power is stronger than Liu Yao. Therefore, it is not impossible for Shi Le to become emperor next."

"Da Shanyu's analysis is thorough and every sentence makes sense. The Guangji Hall in Pingyang, the capital of the Han Dynasty, had been burned by Shi Le. It was only a matter of time before Liu Yao returned to his base camp, Chang'an, after he succeeded to the throne. And Shi Le will also make big moves in Xiangguo."Pei Yi said. Murong Han continued:"The areas in western Liaoning and eastern Liaoning we occupy now are also rich in products. There are mountains, rivers, grasslands, plains, everything you need, which makes me, the Xianbei Murong tribe, uniquely endowed with ease. The Bohai Sea in the south has inexhaustible fish, shrimp, and sea salt. Specific to the new dynasty located in the corner of the south of the Yangtze River, their foothold is not stable, and even the Clay Bodhisattva cannot protect himself when crossing the river. In the previous dynasty, the power of the Central Plains Dynasty was still able to take care of the northeastern region. Now, several separatist regimes have appeared in the north. If it were not for the Yangtze River, it is still unknown whether this new dynasty can be established. The sky is high and the emperor is far away, how can he help me, Murong! Therefore, the Central Plains dynasties were both enemies and friends. As for the forces around us, we need to be more careful."

"The eldest son is far-sighted and analyzes things well. The Jin Dynasty far away in the south of the Yangtze River, Shi Le in the hinterland of the Central Plains, and Liu Yao occupying the Guanlong area cannot be our threats at the moment. Only by making close and distant attacks can you gradually eliminate the enemies around you."Feng Chuang said.