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

Guo Pu opened the wine jar and began to pour wine. Xie Kun said, "Let's drink first!"

The four people almost picked up the wine jar at the same time and drank the first glass of wine. Putting down the wine jar, Yang Man asked, "Master Guo, you are too bold. Wang Dun has been preparing for so many years and is ready to let go and do a big thing. You are so good, using the past to satirize the present, Wang Dun will definitely be unhappy."

"In fact, I am doing it completely for his own good. The previous dynasty fell, and your majesty inherited the throne in Jiankang. Although your majesty is the emperor in name, everyone knows that 'Wang and Ma share the world'. The Wang family of Langya is deeply rooted in the court, and there are many students and former officials. Wang Dun did not take your majesty seriously at all, just like the 'King of Jingzhou'. This balance between imperial power and powerful ministers is a good thing for the court and the country. I don't know why Wang Dun insisted on sending troops to Jiankang." Guo Pu said, looking at Le Daorong. Le Daorong knew what Guo Pu meant, so he said, "Master Guo, I understand your idea. But Qian Feng and I are not the same kind of people."

Hearing what Le Daorong said, Xie Kun, Guo Pu and Yang Man all nodded. Guo Pu asked, "I heard that General Le, under the order of Wang Dun, once sent letters and gifts to Master Zhou Fang?"

"That's right. Wang Dun wanted to win over Master Zhou Fang, so he sent me to deliver letters and jade bowls and jade rings. But Master Zhou Fang was unmoved. He angrily threw the jade bowls and jade rings to the ground and stepped on Wang Dun's letter." Le Daorong said, "Although the attempt to win over Zhou Fang was unsuccessful, Master Zhou Fang has passed away. But Zhou Fang's son Zhou Fu has now become a capable general under Wang Dun. I wonder what Master Zhou Fang thinks in the afterlife."

"What does General Le think of Wang Dun's dispatch of troops to Jiankang?" Guo Pu asked tentatively. Le Daorong smiled bitterly and said, "When you are under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. The current situation is not very clear, and we don't know Wang Dun's intentions. In any case, I will not oppose the court."

Hearing Le Daorong's determination, Yang Man, Xie Kun and Guo Pu almost simultaneously raised their thumbs. Guo Pu raised his wine jar and said, "I, Guo, would like to offer a glass of wine to General Le!"

Guo Pu and Le Daorong put down their wine jars one after another, and Yang Man and Xie Kun each offered Le Daorong a glass of wine. Le Daorong drank three glasses of wine in a row, feeling a little hot, and came to the north window. He opened the window and looked north, and the gentle north wind blew in. Le Daorong closed the window and sat in his seat again. Le Daorong picked up a piece of Wuchang fish with chopsticks, savored it carefully and said: "The gentle north wind makes people feel refreshed, and this steamed Wuchang fish tastes really good. I just don't know if your majesty has eaten Wuchang fish?"

"In recent years, the situation in Jiankang and Jiangnan has improved. When your majesty first ascended the throne, let alone eating Wuchang fish, even pork might not be eaten once in more than ten days." Guo Pu sighed and said: "Born in a turbulent time, I have no choice and can't do anything!"

"Does Lord Guo mean to abandon Wang Dun or do he have any ideas?" Xie Kun asked. Guo Pu smiled bitterly and said: "Since I am here, I will make the best of it. Since Lord Wang Dao recommended me to his cousin, if IIf I just leave, it will be hard to explain.

"Mr. Guo is a man of letters. Wang Dun values ​​you because of your erudition, especially your ability to predict good and bad luck and foretell the future. If Wang Dun asks you to predict his actions or his life, what will you do, Lord Guo?" Yang Man asked. Guo Pu thought for a while and said, "I never lie, and I will tell the truth when the time comes."

"It's late autumn, Lord Guo, do you plan to spend the New Year in Wuchang, or go back to Jiankang?" Le Daorong asked. Guo Pu said, "I will ask Wang Dun for an order to go to Xuancheng to meet Shen Chong. Find out some of Shen Chong's facts, and then go back to Jiankang to spend the New Year. After the New Year, I will go back to Wuchang."

"Why does Lord Guo have this idea? Do you want to see the workshop where Shen Chong casts Wuzhu coins?" Xie Kun asked with a smile. Guo Pu smiled when he saw Xie Kun asking this. Guo Pu said, "Money and wine and women are my true loves, and I am not shady about this. But in my heart, I have always been concerned about the court. If the country can become stronger, unite as one, drive out the barbarians, and restore the Central Plains and the northern homeland, my hometown Hedong Wenxi can also be restored! ”

“Mr. Guo’s patriotism really makes me bow down to him. From now on, Mr. Guo is my life mentor. I toast to Mr. Guo!” Le Daorong finished his drink. Guo Pu also drank a glass, then shook the wine jar and said, “Today is a very happy day for me. I can drink with three colleagues who are also concerned about the country and the people. The dishes are almost finished, let’s share the remaining wine. I hope we can come here for a feast again after the New Year! ”

After eating and drinking, Xie Kun paid back the wine money, and the four of them walked out of the restaurant.

The next day, Guo Pu obtained Wang Dun's consent, wore a sword, and two personal soldiers each took a sword and boarded a small boat. There were some food on the boat, as well as travel expenses. The two personal soldiers rowed a small boat from Wuchang down the river to Xuancheng.

On the morning of the third day, the boat came to a bend in the Yangtze River heading north. Guo Pu stood on the deck of the boat, looking at the Yangtze River rushing northward, and sighed: "Five years ago, the two adults Wang Dao and Zhou Xi had a big gathering in Xinting, southwest of Jiankang. It's a pity that I was a military officer of Lord Wang Dao at that time and was not qualified to attend this gathering. Later, I was granted the title of Zuo Lang by your majesty's grace, and co-authored the "History of Jin" with Wang Yin. I wanted to stay with your majesty and do something with what I learned. Unexpectedly, fate played a trick on me. Lord Wang Dao recommended me to Wang Dun, and I became Wang Dun's secretary. " Guo Pu was talking to himself, and Chongyi, a personal soldier rowing the boat, asked: "Mr. Guo, there is a dock at the bend of the river. Wuhu is a few dozen miles east of the dock, and Xuancheng is south of Wuhu. Should we go north to Jiankang to pay homage to His Majesty first, or go to Xuancheng first?"

"Pull the boat to the dock first." Guo Pu ordered. Two personal soldiers pulled the boat to the dock and tied the boat to the wooden piles of the dock with ropes. There were more than ten small boats moored at the small dock. Some boatmen untied the ropes and rowed away from the dock. Guo Pu and two personal soldiers came to the shore and saw a small town not far away.. Guo Pu said to the personal soldier beside him: "You row the boat to Jiankang, disembark at the Houhu Lake in Jiankang, and then wait for me in my mansion in Jiankang."

"Okay, sir!" The personal soldier agreed, untied the rope that tied the boat, and rowed the boat north to Jiankang. Guo Pu said to another personal soldier Chongyi: "Let's go to the town in the east and see if we can rent a donkey cart or ox cart to Xuancheng."

The two came to this town, just in time for the market in the town. Vegetable sellers, donkeys, cows, sheep, pigs, and various daily necessities, people came and went, very lively. Guo Pu saw a few donkeys in front of him, so he came to the donkey seller and asked: "Are you selling your donkeys?"

"Yes, I'm going to sell my donkey. A few customers came just now, but the price was not agreed upon." The donkey seller said. Guo Pu pointed to a car not far away and asked, "Is that your car too? I'm going to Xuancheng from here, and I plan to rent your car."

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