Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 60 King of Langya

Jiankang, Langya Palace.

Smoke was curling up in the warm room.

A gilded Boshan stove was placed beside the couch.

The base of the furnace is a coiled dragon, with its two claws supporting the ground, its head held high, its mouth open and its tongue sticking out. A person is squatting on the dragon's body, pushing away the dragon's head with his left hand and holding up the towering furnace body with his right hand.

Green smoke rises from the strange peaks, like a fairyland.

On the other side of the couch stood a four-foot-tall bright red coral tree. During the Zhongchao period, when Shi Chong and Wang Kai competed in wealth, the coral tree they took out was only three feet tall.

Coral is regarded as one of the seven treasures in Buddhism, representing wealth and auspiciousness, and is therefore loved by those who worship Buddhism.

Although Langya King Sima Daozi's name contains the word "Tao", he is obsessed with Buddhism.

There were several seats in the warm room. In addition to the main seat, Langya King Sima Daozi, there were also dignitaries such as Zhongshu Ling Wang Guobao, Huoqi Changshi Xie Chong, and Jianwei General Wang Xu.

And the person sitting at the lower seat was the obese Huan Xuan.

The position of the Crown Prince's Groom was sought for him by Wang Gong and his faction, and it was full of ridicule and humiliation.

Now that Wang Gong is in charge of the Northern Palace and holds military power, Sima Daozi and Wang Guobao's faction are at a disadvantage, and the Huan family, who holds military power in the Western Palace, has become important to Sima Daozi.

Huan Xuan was keenly aware of the value of the Huan family and specially visited Sima Daozi, hoping to improve his relationship with the Langya King's faction.

Before Emperor Yuan of Jin moved south, he was also the King of Langya, so the title of King of Langya is of great significance.

The current Prince of Langya Sima Daozi is the brother of the current emperor Sima Yao from the same mother.

After the two brothers joined forces to exclude Xie An, the emperor became the most powerful emperor after the southward migration, and Sima Daozi also became the most powerful member of the royal family.

The relationship between the two also became subtle.

When the Jin Dynasty was founded, there was a tradition of the younger brother succeeding the elder brother. Emperor Jing Sima Shi passed the throne to Emperor Wen Sima Zhao. Emperor Hui Sima Zhong was poisoned by Empress Jia Nanfeng. During the Rebellion of the Eight Princes, his younger brother Sima Chi was established as Emperor Huai of Jin.

After moving south, Emperor Cheng Sima Yan passed the throne to his younger brother Emperor Kang Sima Yue.

Unfortunately, the current crown prince is not very smart. He is already nine years old, cannot speak, is dull all day long, and cannot tell the difference between cold and heat... This has led many nobles to turn to the King of Langya.

In addition, the Empress Dowager Li Lingrong favored Sima Daozi far more than the Emperor. When the two brothers were having a banquet, Sima Daozi was often disrespectful. The Emperor wanted to depose Sima Daozi, but gave up because of the Empress Dowager's favoritism.

In the court, Sima Daozi served concurrently as the governor of Xu and Yang provinces, the recorder of the Shangshu affairs, the acting general, the general of cavalry, and the commander-in-chief of all military forces at home and abroad. All the civil and military subordinates of Xie An's General Wei's Mansion were transferred to the General of Cavalry's Mansion.

Therefore, whether in the court or within the Sima clan, Sima Daozi's power was no less than that of the emperor.

The dispute between the two factions in the court was actually a dispute between the brothers of the emperor and the Prince of Langya.

The Huan family controlled the military power in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, but no one from the family entered the court. There was a serious disparity between their strength and status. Huan Xuan's long-cherished wish was to let the Huan family become chess players again.

The battle between the Emperor and the Prince of Langya is the best opportunity...

In fact, the Huan family has deep roots in the royal family.

Huan Wen was originally the son-in-law of the Sima family, and was also a close friend of Emperor Jianwen Sima Yu.

At that time, many knowledgeable people believed that Huan Wen was unwilling to be outdone, and advised Sima Yu, the then King of Langya, to go to Jingzhou. However, Sima Yu refused to listen and insisted on appointing Huan Wen as General Anxi.

In November of the sixth year of Taihe (371), Huan Wen led his troops into the capital and, through the order of Empress Dowager Chongde, Zhu Suanzi, deposed Sima Yi as King of Donghai and enthroned Sima Yu as emperor, who became Emperor Jianwen.

Sima Yu's two sons, Sima Yao was made crown prince, and Sima Daozi was made King of Langya.

tick...

The copper kettle and lotus water clock in the corner made a crisp sound.

Sima Daozi, who was lying high on the soft couch, opened his drunken eyes and asked, "What is Lingbao doing here?"

I had a hangover last night and haven't sobered up yet. I'm not even thirty years old this year, but due to long-term indulgence, my face is haggard, as if I'm in my forties.

Others like Wang Guobao, Wang Xu and others were not much different, with dark foreheads and sunken eye sockets, which they covered with a layer of powder.

Only the Chief Secretary Xie Chong had a handsome face and bright eyes.

The Xie family had a strict tradition. When Xie Zhong and Xie Xuan were young, they were often taught by their uncle Xie An, which set them apart from other playboys. Xie Zhong's second son, Xie Hui, had just been born, so he was quite ambitious.

"I wish to return to Jingzhou, and have come to bid farewell to the King of Langya."

Huan Xuan's implication was that Wang Gong wasn't feeling comfortable staying with him. As long as Sima Daozi pushed the boat along and tried to persuade him to stay, he could continue the conversation...

Unexpectedly, Sima Daozi didn't respond at all, "What are you going back to Jingzhou for?"

Wang Guobao and Wang Xu both gave him sarcastic looks.

Huan Xuan was stunned for a moment, "Since then... I have lived in seclusion in the mountains, indulging in the beauty of nature..."

Sima Daozi burped, closed his eyes, and didn't say a word in response.

The mocking look in Wang Guobao's eyes grew stronger. "It's a good thing for Lingbao to indulge in the mountains and rivers. I have a manor in the East Mountain of Kuaiji. How about giving it to you?"

Kuaiji was the Sima family's territory. If Huan Xuan went there, he would become a hostage living under someone else's roof...

Huan Xuan just felt like he was putting his warm face on a cold butt.

Although the two factions in the court fought each other, they reached a consensus on suppressing the Huan family.

As long as the Huan family still controls the military power of the Western Palace, the emperor and Sima Daozi will not let them go.

Unless you surrender everything like Xie An and Xie Xuan, uncle and nephew...

Huan Xuan felt unprecedented humiliation. After Huan Chong died of illness, the emperor and Sima Daozi bullied the Huan family unscrupulously, completely forgetting the Battle of Feishui. It was the Huan family who first took the lead and took the initiative to attack the cities north of Mianyang and recapture Fucheng, blocking the strategic intention of Di Qin to attack Jiangdong from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Fu Jian then sent Fu Rong to lead Murong Chui and others with 250,000 infantry and cavalry as the vanguard to attack Shouyang, which eventually led to a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Feishui.

"I appreciate Lord Wang's kindness. I only wish to return to Jingzhou, carry on my father's aspirations, and protect the people of Jingzhou."

Huan Xuan was a young man after all, and his words were very sharp.

Sima Daozi opened his eyes and said coldly, "Han Wen wants to be a thief in his old age. What do you think?"

The pavilion suddenly became silent.

Before, it was just ridicule and contempt, but now Sima Daozi's words were a slap in the face of Huan Xuan, and he even trampled on the reputation of the entire Huan family.

Huan Xuan's face was covered in cold sweat, and he was extremely angry. The Sima family would never stop until they forced the Huan family into a desperate situation.

The Xie family’s painful lesson is right before their eyes. In the struggle for power, there is no turning back.

Just when the situation was extremely awkward, Xie Zhong raised his tablet and said something fair: "The Duke of Xuanwu removed the ignorant and promoted the wise. His achievements surpassed those of Yi and Huo. He judged the various opinions with the help of his wise judge."

The implication was to remind Sima Daozi that if Huan Wen had not deposed Duke Haixi and established Emperor Jianwen, Sima Daozi and his brothers would not have the power they have today.

Huan Wen was posthumously named Xuanwu and awarded the title of Prime Minister. His funeral followed the old precedents of Sima Fu, King of Anping, and Huo Guang, Grand Marshal of the Western Han Dynasty.

The court has already made the final judgment on the right and wrong, merits and demerits.

If the Huan family is really forced to rebel, no one will suffer.

Sima Daozi quickly stood up and said, "Hahaha, I was still drunk last night, so I was just joking. Lingbao, please don't be offended. Come on, bring some wine, bring some wine. Lingbao won't go home until he's drunk today!"

"You won't come home until you're drunk."

Other people in the cabinet also came to smooth things over, and regardless of whether Huan Xuan recognized it or not, they all raised their glasses to Sima Daozi.

Sima Daozi raised his glass to Huan Xuan.

Everyone looked at him, wondering if Huan Xuan would appreciate the favor.

This is Jiankang, not Jiangling...

A few beads of sweat slid down Huan Xuan's face. He smiled and raised his glass with both hands. "The Prince of Langya has the demeanor of ancient sages and famous scholars. I have admired him for a long time. I will not go home until I am drunk today!"

After a glass of wine, the atmosphere suddenly became cheerful again...

(End of this chapter)