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

"Yesterday Daoji and Daocheng went hunting in Zhongshan and gained a lot. Since crossing south, Gu and his ministers have gone to Zhongshan many times. Zhongshan Mountain is surrounded by purple clouds and is as picturesque as a poem. The three peaks, which are not too high, are arranged from east to west like a pen stand. Six hundred years ago, King Wei of Chu built the city of Jinling on Stone Mountain. At that time, Zhongshan was called Jinling Mountain. Hundreds of years later, during the Han Dynasty, some Feng Shui masters believed that Zhongshan was the dragon's veins and the place where the emperor's energy gathered. Jinling Mountain was renamed Zhongshan. This king looks at Zhongshan, which is full of purple air and has a myriad of atmospheres. It is really the place that Wang Qi loves. Purple air comes from the east, and the country's destiny is prosperous. Starting today, Zhongshan Mountain will be changed to Purple Mountain Mountain. What do you think?"

"My King Shengming! That’s right! Golden words, we admire them!"All the civil and military officials shouted and knelt down to salute. Guo Pu took a few steps forward and raised his hands and said:"Just now, His Highness asked me if I intend to enter the court. Jing Chun (Guo Pu's surname) is very grateful to His Highness for his holy wishes. But at the moment I am joining the army under Shigehiro-sama, so it depends on what Shigehiro-sama wants."

"Your Highness, to be honest, Jing Chun is erudite, knowledgeable, and fond of ancient Chinese characters. He is also proficient in the art of yin and yang, and knows everything about calendar arithmetic. He is really a rare scholar. Jing Chun serves under me, but he is overqualified and underqualified."Wang Duoban said

"That's good!"Sima Rui said:"When the government becomes regular in the future, historical facts including those of the previous dynasty will need to be compiled and written. The position of author Zuo Lang belongs to none other than Guo Pu"

"Thank you for your kindness, His Highness King Jin!"Guo Pu knelt down again to thank him.

"Today Jiangzuo is blessed with double happiness. First, our Jiangzuo court can have a national destiny for two hundred years, which is what we look forward to most. Secondly, my king changed the name of Zhongshan to Purple Mountain. In my dynasty, purple energy will come from the east, saints and sages will come, and the palace will be filled with gold and jade."Zhou Wei said as he left work.

"What a wonderful thing. Purple air comes from the east, saints and sages arrive, gold and jade fill the house, and the country's fortune comes.’！"Sima Rui was filled with joy and said to Fei Ren beside him:"Fei Ren, go to the imperial dining room immediately and serve food and wine!"

"Your Highness, it has been more than half a year since our dynasty was established. Will some dancers, singers, and musicians come up to play music to entertain His Highness and the civil and military officials?"Yu Liang suggested

"It has been more than a year since Emperor Min was plundered, and his whereabouts are still unknown. So just skip it! Sima Rui thought for a moment and said:"You can place the pipa, chimes, harps, flutes, drums, etc. in the main hall. While I and the other gentlemen are drinking, I can imagine the wonderful music of the chimes and the beauty of the harmony of the harp and harp." , wouldn’t it be beautiful to imagine the sound of war drums inspiring people to forge ahead!"

"My king has a clear warning! A thousand years old, a thousand years old!"The civil and military ministers below were full of praise. It didn't take long before several musical instruments were placed in the main hall. Four dishes were served in front of everyone. There were wild boar meat, wild boar liver, wild boar head meat, wild boar intestines, etc.

Although there was no singing and dancing, the people who came to pour wine were all slim young women. The foreman's maid poured wine for Sima Rui, and other maids also filled the wine for the minister of civil and military affairs. The maids stood aside, and Sima Rui raised the engraved wine in front of him. Jade Dragon's wine bottle said:"My lords, this is the occasion of great joy, and it is also the happiest day since I have been traveling south for ten years. To the long-term future of our country, to all your lords, and to the common people, cheers!"

After Sima Rui finished speaking, he drank all the wine in one gulp. All the civil and military ministers also finished their first glass of wine.

"Let’s all wish King Jin a glass of wine! I wish my Jiang Zuo Jin family a long and long life!" Director Wang stood up and raised his wine bottle and said. All the civil and military ministers stood up and raised their glasses together.

Putting down their wine bottles, everyone began to pick up vegetables and toast each other. Facing the wild boar and wild boar, everyone here could eat it. They ate it with gusto, and some people even devoured it. The food was almost done, and the wine was drunk so much that people talked a lot.

"Since Luoyang was occupied by the Xiongnu six years ago and the Central Plains territory was lost, I have never tasted such delicious dishes. Thinking of these, I think of the former Queen Yang Xianrong. It has been six years since the Sheep Queen was robbed. I wonder how she is doing now?"Liu Chao, a member of the Zhongshu family, said with the help of wine. Zhongshu Ling He Xun sighed:"Queen Sheep is also very pitiful. She has been deposed several times and is even in danger of being killed. Princess Qinghe, the daughter of Emperor Hui, also lived among the people because of the Yongjia Rebellion. I sincerely hope that after my king ascends the throne, he will find the whereabouts of Princess Qinghe."

"What Master He said is true. When the situation improves, I will definitely find ways to send people to find Princess Qinghe. According to the seniority of the Sima family, Queen Sheep is still the king's sister-in-law, and Princess Qinghe is still the king's niece. Every time I think of these things, I am not only sad and sad, but also angry and helpless."Sima Rui rubbed his eyes and said

"It is said that war makes women and children go away. I see that wars over the years have never made women and children go away. Not only that, the endless wars have harmed women and children even more. The soldiers on the battlefield were fighting bloody battles. But after all, they have swords and bows and arrows in their hands. Not only can you charge into battle, but you can also protect yourself with the weapons in your hands. Because women and children have little strength, when war breaks out, women and children often bear the brunt."After Director Wang finished speaking, he drank another drink.

"Wei Chen will definitely send someone to find out the whereabouts of Princess Qinghe as soon as possible."You Sima Dai Yuan said. Shangshu Zuopu She Diao Xie stood up and said:"Although Queen Sheep was robbed by Liu Yao, she is innocent and not guilty. Queen Sheep was one of the tens of thousands of victims who suffered due to the Wuhu Rebellion and the Yongjia Rebellion. But, she is royalty. Diao

Xie, Zhou Wei, and Dai Yuan sat next to each other. Dai Yuan whispered to Zhou Wei,"Mr. Guo Pu just estimated the national destiny of our dynasty. Did he mean two hundred or twice as much?" Before Zhou

Wei could speak, Diao Xie whispered:"I didn't hear clearly either. Guo Pu is from Wenxi, Hedong County, and his accent is different from Jiangnan." Two hundred, two times, it's hard to tell the difference."

Brothers Sima Shao and Sima Pei, because of their special status and young age, do not drink much. Listening to their father and the civil and military ministers discussing some matters of the royal family, the hatred for the Huns in their hearts is even more palpable. Sima Shao said:"Your Majesty's words are sincere, but your affairs are usually complicated. I am very grateful to be able to remember the imperial sister of the previous dynasty!"

"Facing the Huns' cavalry, what else could a weak woman do besides cry to heaven and earth, wash her face with tears, endure the humiliation and bear the heavy burden?"Zhou Wei, the official minister, said:"No matter what Queen Sheep said or did, it was not her fault. Those who caused the Eight Kings Rebellion and the Yongjia Disaster are the culprits who led to the destruction of the country and the family!"