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

"Lao Tzu left behind the"Tao Te Ching", letting the world know that two are born, two begets three, and three begets all things. Then he rode a green ox to the west and never returned. Where is Mr. Qu Yuan? Because he was dismissed from his official position by the King of Chu, he could no longer serve as his Sanlv official, so he became discouraged. Qu Yuan wandered on the banks of the Miluo River for several days. Although Qu Yuan's sister once came to enlighten him, Qu Yuan couldn't think about it anymore and jumped into the Miluo River with a stone."Sima Cheng said.

Wu Yan and Zhou Zha couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh after hearing this.

It was already dark, and Sima Cheng, Wu Yan and others entered the cabin to rest. It was a starless night, and the ship continued to sail along the Xiangjiang River towards Changsha. Go. It was almost noon the next day, and the big ship Sima Cheng was riding on docked at the pier on the east bank of the Xiangjiang River. Some people from the Xiangzhou Governor's Office, and some people from Changsha, were waiting eagerly on the shore. Sima Chengdi One person got off the boat, followed by Wu Yan and two followers. The subordinates came to Sima Cheng and bowed their hands and saluted:"His Royal Highness, King Qiao, it has been a hard journey! Please go to the government office to rest!"

Zhou Zha asked ten soldiers to carry down the luggage and other items brought by Sima Cheng and put them on an oxcart waiting on the shore. Several soldiers from the Xiangzhou Governor's Office carried some food to the big ship. Zhou Zha asked Zha said to Sima Cheng:"Your Highness, we are going back!"

"Okay, brothers, thank you for your hard work. Go down the river when you go back. I wish you a safe journey and a smooth return to Jiankang!"Sima Cheng said. Zhou Zha bowed his hands and saluted, then boarded the boat with ten soldiers, turned the bow and sailed northeast along the Xiangjiang River.

Sima Cheng and others watched the boat leave Changsha Pier, and then several deputies in the Governor's Mansion Surrounded by people, they arrived at the Xiangzhou Governor's Mansion. A subordinate said:"Your Highness, Prince Qiao, please take a seat!" Sima

Cheng was polite and sat down in the seat where Gan Zhuo, the governor of Xiangzhou, had been. Sima Cheng greeted everyone and said,"Please come to the shore to greet me. Please sit down!""

Two servants in ragged clothes, carrying a large teapot with a broken spout, poured tea for Sima Cheng and the people below. Sima Cheng said:"My lords, I was accompanying your majesty in Jiankang. Now he has been appointed as the governor of Xiangzhou by His Majesty. Please introduce yourselves!"

One stood up and said:"Your Highness King Qiao, I am Shi Yukui, the former governor of Lord Ganzhuo. I am from Changsha. This is my younger brother Yu Wang, Sima of the Governor's Office."

Yu Kui said, pointing to his younger brother Yu Wang beside him. Another person stood up and said:"His Royal Highness King Qiao, my name is Deng Qian, and I am the same as the chief secretary with Huan Xiong. They are both from Changsha."

"I am Han Jie, Cao Shuzuo, Xicao, Governor of the Prefecture, and I am also from Changsha."A man sitting on the left side of Huan Xiong said. Sima Cheng said with a smile:"I heard Lord Gan Zhuo say that everyone is conscientious, self-denying and dedicated to the public service. Everyone remains in their original posts and performs their duties"

"Thank you, His Highness King Qiao!"Yu Kui and others stood up and saluted Sima Cheng. Sima Cheng pointed to Wu Yan below and said:"This is the Wu Yan I brought from Jiankang and has been with me for many years. From now on, you will all be aides to the governor's office. I hope you all can live in harmony."

"sure!"Wu Yan, Yu Kui and others bowed their hands to each other and saluted each other very politely. Sima Cheng added:"Your Majesty transferred me to Xiangzhou to take charge. I deeply feel the great responsibility. Although I am a member of the royal family, I don't have much sense of honor. Some of them just have their duty to work with all the subordinates to manage Xiangzhou well so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment."

Chang Shi Yu Kui stood up and said:"Your Highness King Qiao, due to the war in recent years, the people have been displaced, the household registration in Xiangzhou has been reduced sharply, and the granaries are empty. North of Changsha is the 800-mile Dongting Lake. Although it has the reputation of being a land of plenty, much of the land has been left desolate due to the war. Fortunately, some people in Changsha knew that His Highness was coming to Xiangzhou to govern, and they sent silver carp, grass carp, and carp that they caught from Dongting Lake. Some people also brought local specialties from Xiangzhou, including pears, citrus, pork, etc. Some even brought wine."

"Thank you very much, fellow folks! However, in these war-torn years, the most difficult thing is the common people. After some time, I must use my salary to repay it. What's more, from now on, all the subordinates do not need to call me His Royal Highness Prince Qiao. You can just call me Lord Governor or Lord Sima."Sima Cheng said very humbly. Yu Kui said:"Sir, we just use the food and drink sent by these people and let the kitchen cook a few dishes to welcome you!"

"It works great and I'm very happy. Eating the fruits of the people's labor and thinking about the hard work of the people in fishing, farming, and harvesting, I feel the same way. What the people need most is to live in peace. But wars have followed us all these years, and the people have suffered so much."Sima Cheng said. The chief secretary Deng Qian said:"Some people who fled to other places heard that your Excellency came to Xiangzhou to govern, and some of them came back one after another with their families."

"I am very grateful to the folks for trusting me as a royal family member. Hometown is the root of a person. It is difficult to leave one's hometown and homeland. It is human nature for a leaf to return to its roots when it falls."Sima Cheng said

"Come on, serve the food!"Chang Shi Yu Kui said loudly. As soon as he finished speaking, three disheveled servants began to bring wine and food from the kitchen. When Sima Cheng saw what was in front of him, they were almost all what Yu Kui said just now, braised silver carp, steamed One each of grass carp, sweet and sour carp, and a plate of sliced ​​black pork were all the same in front of everyone. After serving the dishes, the three servants brought three jars of wine. Sima Cheng placed one jar on top of the table and another below. Two jars.

One servant poured wine for Sima Cheng, and the two servants below also poured wine for Yu Kui, Wu Yan and others. Yu Kui said:"Sir, the first glass of wine is for you to wash away the wind and wash away the dust.

Sima Cheng happily picked up the wine bottle and said,"Thank you very much for your kindness!""

After saying that, Sima Cheng and the people below drank all the wine in one gulp, and then began to pick up the food. Putting down the wine bottle, Sima Cheng continued:"I feel very satisfied to be able to eat the fruits of the labor of the people of Changsha today. His Majesty has been on the throne for more than two years, and there are not many big banquets for ministers. Even if there are, there are not many decent dishes. If you can eat pork once, the civil and military ministers will talk about it for days. Although Jiankang is the capital of the country, in order to support Master Zu Ti's Northern Expedition and to prevent possible southward invasion by the barbarians, not to mention the ministers, even His Majesty was frugal in food and clothing. The purpose is to accumulate strength so that one day we can restore the Central Plains and regain the north! Yu

Wang said worriedly:"Sir, Xiangzhou is said to be a land of plenty, but in recent years the population has dropped sharply, the fields have been abandoned, and the harvest has been greatly reduced. Xiangzhou is a mess!""

"Do you have any good ideas?"Sima Cheng asked. Wu Yan said:"Although Xiangzhou was invaded and plundered by the Cheng Han, as long as our colleagues in the governor's office unite and cooperate, work hard to govern, and treat the people well, I believe that the people who fled to other places will come back."