Chapter 47 Chapter 46 Yuan Emperor Sima Rui

Emperor Sima Rui of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (276-322 A.D.), with the word Jingwen.He is the great-grandson of Sima Yi and the son of Sima Jin, King of Langya. At the age of 15, he succeeded his father as king of Langye (governing Kaiyang, now north of Linyi County, Shandong).At the time of Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty, the government was corrupt and the royal family was in chaos.Sima Rui was courteous and frugal, he kept aloof from the world, and kept his edge in order to avoid misfortune, so people at that time didn't pay much attention to him.Only the attendant Jishao said to people: "King Langya is unusual in appearance and has a bright future. He won't be in the position of minister for long."

In the second year of Emperor Hui Yuankang (292 A.D.), Sima Rui served as a regular servant on Sanqi outside the members, and moved to General Zuo.He became close friends with Sima Yue, the king of the East China Sea, who joined the army and was a member of a wealthy family.Director Wang is a very knowledgeable person.Seeing that the kings of the Western Jin Dynasty fought against each other, the people continued to revolt, the court was in a precarious situation, and seeing that Sima Rui was quite capable in politics, he always advised him to leave the capital as soon as possible, return to his fiefdom Langya, and watch the changes in the world. To map the great cause.

Sima Rui's fief Langye Kingdom is adjacent to Sima Yue's fief Donghai Kingdom.Sima Yue once held the power of the Western Jin Dynasty.Sima Rui is his henchman.When Sima Yue led his army northward to participate in the clan melee, he handed over his rear military base to Underground Pi (now the ancient Pi in the northwest of Suining County, Jiangsu Province) to Sima Rui for guarding.Afterwards, the military power of the nobles of the ethnic minorities in the north developed day by day.The situation in the north is getting worse every day.And Xiapi is also the "place of the Four Wars", which is not easy to defend.Sima Rui adopted Wang Dao's strategy and asked Sima Yue to allow him to move to Jianye (now Nanjing, Jiangsu).Sima Yue, king of the East China Sea, and Wang Yan, a representative of the aristocratic family, who held the power of the Western Jin government in Luoyang at that time, also planned to cultivate their own power in the south of the Yangtze River as a place for future retreat, so they readily agreed. In the first year of Yongjia (307 AD) In July, Sima Rui was moved to be General Anton, who supervised all the military and town construction industries in the south of the Yangtze River in Yangzhou.When Sima Rui moved to the east of Zhenjiang, a large number of refugees from the north migrated to the south of the Yangtze River due to the continuous war in the north, forming a frenzy of southward migration.After Sima Rui became General Anton, he immediately asked his close friend and think tank Wang Dao to serve as Anton Sima to advise him.In May of the fifth year of Yongjia (311 AD), Sima Rui became the general of Zhendong.Become the highest military and political officer in the Jiangnan area.

In August of the sixth year of Yongjia (312 A.D.), Yan Ding and others supported Qin Wang Sima Ye as the crown prince.In April of the first year of Jianxing (313 A.D.), when he heard that Emperor Huai was dead, he supported Sima Ye as emperor, that is, Emperor Min.In order to avoid the taboo of Emperor Min, Jianye City was renamed Jiankang.In November of the fourth year of Jianxing (316 AD), Liu Yao broke through Chang'an.Emperor Min was taken away, and the Western Jin Dynasty perished. After Sima Rui moved to Jianye, due to lack of prestige, Wu people ignored him. After more than a month, no one came to see him.Sima Rui was very embarrassed and disappointed, and Director Wang was also very anxious.It happened that Wang Dao’s cousin Wang Dunlai, Wang Dao said to him: “Langxie Wang’s benevolence is great, but his reputation is still light. My brother’s reputation is far away, please help promote the mighty virtue.” So it was agreed that on March 3, a folk festival, for King Langya made a big announcement.According to folk customs, on this day, all men, women and children go to the water to play in order to eliminate bad luck.At this time, there are huge crowds of people, and it is very lively.The well-known Wang Dao, Wang Dun and many celebrities and sages, riding on horses respectfully surrounded Sima Rui who was riding on shoulders.Accompanied by the majestic guard of honor, go to the water's edge to watch.Ji Zhan and Gu Rong, the leading figures of the Jiangdong aristocratic family, were very surprised to see this large group of people in the crowd.Only then did he take the lead in worshiping on the left side of the road.After returning, Director Wang offered advice to Sima Rui: "Now the world is in chaos and Kyushu is divided. Your Majesty is creating a foundation in the south of the Yangtze River. The most urgent task is to recruit talents. Gu Rong and He Xun are aboriginal families in Jiangdong. They should be recruited to tie people's hearts. As long as this The two wholeheartedly support the king, and the others will naturally follow suit." Sima Rui appreciated these opinions very much, and sent Wang Daodun to invite Gu Rong and He Xun, and the two were very happy to accept their orders.So the native landlord class in the south of the Yangtze River expressed their support for Sima Rui.The aristocratic families who moved from the north were the main pillars of Sima Rui's regime.When a large number of scholars in the Yellow River Basin crossed the south to avoid chaos, Wang Dao urged Sima Rui to choose talented scholars among them to serve the regime he was creating.And properly arrange the aristocratic families who moved south and their clans, tribes, and tenants to ensure the interests of the aristocratic families who moved south.So the aristocratic families in the north and the aboriginal landlords in the south united to support Sima Rui.Coupled with the material conditions of economic development in the south and the superior geographical and defensive conditions of the Yangtze River, he was able to successfully establish the Eastern Jin regime in the south of the Yangtze River on the basis of immigrants from the Western Jin Dynasty.Of course, this is also inseparable from Sima Rui's personal political talent.Sima Rui, King of Langya, crossed the south of the Yangtze River at the same time as King Xiyang, King Runan, King Nandun, and King Pengcheng.They are both clan vassals, but only Sima Rui established the regime.Therefore, there was a nursery rhyme at that time that said: "Five horses cross the river together, and one horse turns into a dragon." The five horses are the five kings of the Sima family, and one horse turns into a dragon. It is a metaphor that only King Langya among them became the emperor.

In March of the first year of Jianwu (317 A.D.), Sima Rui was promoted to the throne.In March of the following year, news of Emperor Min's murder spread to Jiankang.All officials asked for the honorary title, Sima Rui made a gesture, and on March 10th he became the emperor of Jin and Yuan, changed to Yuan Taixing, and became the founding emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. In the process of Sima Rui's entrepreneurship in Jiangnan, brothers Wang Dao, a wealthy family from the south, played an important role.Sima Rui started to town Jiangdong, and Wang Dao and his elder brother Wang Dun supported him heart-to-heart, and Sima Rui also let him go.Wang Dun was in charge of the conquest, and in the fifth year of Yongjia (311 A.D.), he was the governor of Yangzhou, and he was the governor of various military conquests. He made great contributions.Wang Daolu's ministerial affairs are in charge of important affairs, and he follows his children in groups, and arranges dignitaries.Therefore, people at that time said: "The king and the horse share the world." At the enthronement ceremony, Sima Rui was very grateful to his brother Wang Dao who helped him create a foundation, and ordered Wang Dao to sit with him on the throne.Regarding this extraordinary favor, Director Wang repeatedly declined, saying: "Only when the sun hangs high can it illuminate the world. If everything is the same, how can the common people look up to it!" Sima Rui was very pleased with what he said, so he no longer forced him to come. sit together.

When Sima Rui ascended the throne, he did not forget the people who persuaded him.The officials who persuaded to advance were rewarded, and each of them was added a rank.More than 200,000 people signed the letter of persuasion, and all of them were assigned official positions. Xiong Yuanjin, a regular attendant on Sanqi, advised: "It is better to follow the old rules of the Han Dynasty. The emperor ascends the throne, and the people bestow a rank. Don't just reward People who persuade you to come in." Sima Rui refused. The Eastern Jin Dynasty was a regime that settled in a corner of the south of the Yangtze River.At that time, the Yellow River Basin was divided and ruled by many ethnic minority nobles.Regime changes come and go like a revolving lantern.The people fell into dire straits, endured war, looting and killing, and ethnic conflicts were very sharp.They look forward to the Northern Expedition of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the restoration of unity.Therefore, the Northern Expedition and reunification are the glorious missions that history entrusted to the Eastern Jin regime.But Sima Rui's Eastern Jin regime was as ambitious and short-sighted.The ruler is obsessed with internal power struggles, and indulges in the comfort and enjoyment brought by the new regime; Gou lives in the beautiful place in the south of the Yangtze River, turning a deaf ear to the wailing and calling of the people in the north.Sima Rui, in particular, was afraid that the Northern Expedition would be unfavorable and shake his painstakingly built foundation, so he had a passive and indifferent attitude towards the Northern Expedition, and only issued a call to action.

In November of the fourth year of Jianxing (AD 316), Liu Yao, the great Sima of the Han Dynasty, broke through Chang'an, and Emperor Min was captured.When Sima Rui, the prime minister of the Western Jin Dynasty, learned about it, he bowed his armor, put on full military uniform, and his handsome teacher slept in the open.Then, they used the excuse that the water transportation was out of schedule and the army had no food and grass to let it go.He also beheaded Shi Chunyubo, the supervisor of transportation, as a scapegoat, so as to plug the eyes and ears of the world. In June of the first year of Jianwu (AD 317), Sima Rui once again spread the word to the world, declaring that "the stone tiger dared to command the soldiers of dogs and sheep, and crossed the Yellow River to poison the people. Today, King Langxie led an army of 30,000 soldiers to fight against the thieves." It's like a Northern Expedition posture.But not long after that, Langxie King Sima Po was summoned to return to Jiankang.

In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, when the wind of scrambling and stealing peace permeated the upper class, the Northern Expedition was really rare.Sima Rui also tried his best to restrict their struggle.The patriotic general Zu Ti was saddened by the broken mountains and rivers, the overthrow of the country, and always cherished the ambition of recovery.He persuaded Sima Rui to say: "The chaos in the Jin Dynasty was actually caused by the vassal kings fighting for power and destroying each other. Then Rong and Di were made to take advantage of the gap to poison the Central Plains, leaving Li to be devastated. Everyone has the ambition to fight. If the king can order the general to go out, Heroic men must respond enthusiastically. Then the lost land will be restored, and the national shame will be avenged." He repeatedly invited the Northern Expedition.Sima Rui had no choice but to regard Zu Ti as General Fenwei and Governor of Yuzhou.But only rations for 1,000 people and 3,000 bolts of cloth.No armor, no army, let them recruit themselves.Zu Ti was not discouraged, and resolutely led more than a hundred families of tribes and relatives, crossed the river north, smelted weapons, recruited more than 2,000 people, defeated Shi Le's army many times, and soon recovered all the land south of the Yellow River, making Shi Le Don't dare to spy on soldiers in Henan.In July of the third year of Taixing (320 A.D.), the Eastern Jin Dynasty had to issue an edict to Jia Zuti as General Zhenxi, but still did not give actual assistance.Contrary to Sima Rui's Eastern Jin court, the people responded positively and supported Zuti. In many areas under the rule of Later Zhao, most of them rebelled against Later Zhao and returned to Zuti.Just when Zu Ti was about to cross the Yellow River and sweep away Ji Shuo, Emperor Yuan sent Shangshu servant Dai Yuan as the general who conquered the West in July of the fourth year of Taixing (321 A.D.). , and guard against Wang Dun.Dai Yuan has a false name but no foresight, and he is arrogant because he doesn't know military plans.Zu Ti wanted to be under his command, and was restrained by him, so he was naturally unhappy.He also learned that the conflict between Wang Dun and Dai Yuan was very sharp, and internal troubles were about to arise. If he fell into this predicament, his Northern Expedition would inevitably come to an end.He felt that his ambition was unrewarding, and he became ill with hatred, and died in Yongqiu in September of the same year.

Wang Dun was born in a wealthy family and married Princess Xiangcheng, the daughter of Sima Yan.He used to be the governor of Qingzhou, and later became the governor of Yangzhou. He was a hero of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the founding of the country.Commander-in-Chief Ren fully managed the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and he served as the governor of the six prefectures of Jiang, Yang, Jing, Xiang, Jiao, and Guangzhou, and guarded Wuchang, that is, he mastered the upper reaches of the army.The upper reaches of the Yangtze River are gathered by armored soldiers. Once its economic and military strength is strong, it is possible to control the lower reaches.The upper reaches of the town will often have ambitions due to military and economic advantages, threatening the lower reaches of the capital.After Wang Dun took control of the upper reaches of power, his political ambitions grew day by day, gradually threatening the Eastern Jin court.Sima Rui felt that he was in danger, so he hastily dispatched troops and generals, and secretly made military deployments to enrich the military power of the central government.He appointed Dai Yuan and Liu Wei as military commanders, each with ten thousand people, stationed in Hefei and Sikou (the mouth of Sishui into the Huaihe River, southwest of Qingjiang City, Jiangsu Province today). Zuti.After Zu Ti's death, Wang Dun believed that no one was an opponent, so in the first month of the first year of Yongchang (322 A.D.), he raised his troops in Wuchang and launched a rebellion in the name of fighting against Liu Kai.Claiming: "The treacherous official Liu Wei must be beheaded. His head hangs upside down, and all the troops will retreat at night." Wang Dun's party member Shen Chong also raised troops in Wuxing to cooperate.Wang Dun's troops came to Wuhu.Emperor Yuan was furious, and issued an edict saying: "Wang Dun dared to be so rebellious. He compared me to Taijia and wanted to be imprisoned. It is tolerable, which is unbearable! I will personally command the six armies to punish the rebellion. Kill For Wang Dun, five thousand households will be enfeoffed."

In February, Emperor Yuan conscripted Dai Yuan and Liu Kai into Wei Jiankang.Wang Dun's cousin, Wang Dao, led more than 20 nephews to plead guilty, and said to Emperor Yuan: "Rebellious officials and thieves have existed in all dynasties. Unexpectedly, they appear among the officials today." Instead of blaming, Emperor Yuan tried to comfort and win over. In March, Sima Rui took Wang Dao as the forward governor and added Dai Yuan as the Hussar General.Liu Kai led the army to guard Jincheng, and the right general Zhou Zha led the army to guard Stone City.Emperor Yuan wore armor and military uniform, and personally led the army to station in the suburbs.Wang Dun led the rebel army, and they rushed all the way, and soon hit the stone city.Wang Dun's army first stormed Zhou Zha's army, Zhou Zha opened the door and surrendered, and Wang Dun occupied Stone City.Emperor Yuan hurriedly ordered Diao Xie, Liu Kai, Dai Yuan and others to lead the army to capture Stone City, but they were all defeated, and Liu Kai fled to Hou Zhao.Emperor Yuan had no choice but to let all the officials go to Stone City to visit Wang Dun.Wang Dun asked triumphantly but with a guilty conscience: "What do people in the world think of my raising troops?" Dai Yuan flattered and said, "Only look at the surface, and think it is treason. If you can appreciate sincerity, you should think it is an act of loyalty to the country." Wang Dun smiled happily and said, "You can really talk." Sima Rui had no choice but to hold back his anger, and promoted the leader of the rebel army to rank and rank. He was granted the title of Duke of Wuchang County.Wang Dun refused to leave.

Because the crown prince Sima Shao was brave and resourceful, and trusted by the government and the public, Wang Dun wanted to falsely accuse him of being unfilial and dismiss him, but because all the officials refused, he had to give up.Wang Dun killed Zhou Zha and Dai Yuan, and did not go to see Sima Rui. He returned to Wuchang in April, remotely controlled the government, and did whatever he wanted.Wang Dun led the governors of Ning and Yi Prefectures himself, and took Wang Sui as the governor of Qing, Xu, You, and Ping prefectures to guard Huaiyin.Military and political power are all concentrated in the hands of his brothers. Sima Rui watched Wang Dun domineering and humiliating the court, but there was nothing he could do.It is said in history that Emperor Yuan "had more than enough respect and frugality but not enough clear judgment, so the great cause has not been restored and the disaster has flourished."He did not have the talent to quell the Wangdun Rebellion, so he became ill with anxiety and anger, and died of hatred in leap November of the first year of Yongchang (322 A.D.) at the age of 47.Buried in Jianping Mausoleum, the temple name is "Zhongzong".