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

"Leave now. You invite Master Butai into a wooden cage and then send him to Liu Yao's camp in the west of Pingyang City. Shi Le ordered. When Butai saw that Shi Le was serious, he couldn't help but shake his head. However, thinking that he was going to Liu Yao's place, he felt happy, but he didn't show it.

Zhang Bin followed Butai out, and he watched Butai get on. He walked into the prison car and then asked with a smile:"Master Bu, do you know why I asked you to see Liu Yao, the Lord of Han?"

"How could I not know this? The teacher's intention is to let Liu Yao, the leader of the Han Dynasty, know that Jin Zhun does not want to submit to him at all. Also, my husband saved my life using this method. If I return to Pingyang, I'm afraid it will be very bad!"Butai replied. Zhang Bingong cupped his hands and said:"I wish Lord Butai can fulfill his wish! See you later!"

After Zhang Bin finished speaking, he went back to Shile's tent. A soldier drove the prison cart, followed by three soldiers on horseback, escorting Butai all the way west to Liu Yao's camp.

Back to the tent, Zhang Bin said to Shi Le said:"My Lord, it has been half a month since General Ji Long returned to Xiang Kingdom. Although he lost some territory south of the Yellow River, Zu Ti got an advantage. In order to completely solve the problem in Pingyang, I hope the lord will send General Ji Long to Pingyang."

"What Youhou said makes sense. I will repair the book and send my horse to Xiangguo. Shi Le said. One afternoon five days later, there was the sound of horse hoofbeats and dust flying on the road south of Pingyang. Shi Hu led 20,000 soldiers from Youzhou and Jizhou to Pingyang from Xiangguo to help Shi Le. Outside the big tent When the soldiers saw it was Shi Hu, they quickly saluted:"General!"

Shi Hu didn't need to announce, and came directly to the big tent. Zhang Bin and other generals in the big tent saw that Shi Hu was coming, and quickly stood up and said:"The general is here! Shi

Le looked at it and stood up. Shi Hu came to Shi Le and said,"See my lord!""

"Ji Long, sit down!" Shi Le said. Shi Hu sat down, and two maids came in, poured tea for Shi Le, Shi Hu, Zhang Bin and others, and went out.

Four soldiers escorted Butai to a place not far from Liu Yao's camp and asked him to He got off the prison car, and then drove the prison car back. Butai looked back at the prison car that was getting further and further away, where he had been sitting for several hours, and shook his head with a wry smile. The soldiers guarding the camp gate knew Butai , hurriedly came over and saluted:"Master Bu, are you back from Pingyang City?"

Butai nodded and came to Liu Yao's tent. Seeing that Butai had returned in a few days, Liu Yao asked:"Brother, are you from Pingyang Jin Zhun? What did Jin Zhun say?"

"well! It’s hard to describe in one word! Butai sighed and said:"Where did I come from Jin Zhun? I came from Shi Le's camp in the east of Pingyang, or I came in a prison car!""

Bu Tai explained the whole story in this way, and Liu Yao smiled and said:"Brother left me from here to Pingyang, and from Pingyang to Shile Camp. Then he rode back to me in a prison car non-stop from Shi Le's camp. This circle was quite a long one!"

"If these setbacks can help His Majesty win Pingyang and enjoy the world, it will be worth all the hardship and fatigue. But now in Pingyang City, the ministers have their own thoughts." Butai said

"Jin Zhun sent Shi Le a luxurious car and uniform, clearly indicating that he did not intend to surrender to me. Shi Le asked you to come to me, which means he told me this. However, this idea may not have been Shi Le’s own idea, it was probably the idea of ​​his conspirator."Liu Yao said. Butai said:"It is indeed not what Shi Le said, but what his planner Zhong Bin said."

"But Zhang Bin’s intentions are a bit sinister! He is definitely not just letting me know that Jin Zhun does not want to submit to me, but that he also has other intentions. Liu Yao said. Butai asked:"How can you see it?""

"What Zhang Bin means is to make me and Jin Zhun doubt each other. It is best for both sides to fight in such a way that both sides suffer losses. If this is the case, Shi Le will reap the benefits. Liu Yao said. Butai asked:"If it is as your Majesty said, what should we do?""

"Now between me and Shi Le, whoever wins over Jin Zhun will be stronger and have a greater chance of winning the world. Therefore, we must win over Jin Zhun and not let Jin Zhun vote for Shi Le's camp."Liu Yao said:"You rest for two days and then return to Pingyang."

Two days later, Butai came to Pingyang again. Jin Zhun thought that Butai was from Shi Le, so he asked:"Do you have any clues about the peace negotiation with Shi Le?"

"King Zhao is a thousand years old, that's not the case." Butai told the details of what happened in the past few days. Butai, who was Jin Zhun's attendant, continued:"This time, Liu Yao asked me to tell King Zhao that Liu Can had only succeeded to the throne for a month, and his debauchery was really against the law. Human ethics. The great Sikong Jin Zhun exercised the same power as Yi Yin and Huo Guang, so that I could ascend the throne, and the credit was as good as support. If Da Sikong can welcome you as soon as possible, I will entrust all major affairs of government to him. If you can be my loyal minister, how much more can you avoid death!"

Jin Zhun originally wanted to agree, but when he thought that the death of Liu Yao's mother and brother was related to him, he hesitated. Jin Zhun said to Butai:"Let Gu think it over carefully!"

Butai bowed his hands and went home. General Qiao Tai on the left, general Wang Teng on the right, general Jin Kang on the guard, and several other generals were listening to the conversation between Jin Zhun and Butai below. Did Jin Zhun see anyone? Liu Yao agreed to surrender on the spot, and several people showed dissatisfaction on their faces.

A few days later, Jin Zhun discussed the matter again in the court. Jin Zhun said:"Pingyang City is no longer sustainable, and the food supply has already been there is none left. Cattle, sheep and even horses were almost killed. But when it comes to asking Gu to surrender to Liu Yao, Gu is still a little worried."

Hearing what Jin Zhun said, Jin Kang suddenly yelled and lay straight on the ground, unconscious. Jin Ming, Butai, Qiao Tai, Wang Teng and other generals rushed to the rescue. Jin Zhun was shocked and also from The throne came down. When Jin Zhun came to Jin Kang, Qiao Tai, Wang Teng and others took out the daggers they carried and stabbed Jin Zhun in the chest and back. Jin Zhun screamed several times and lay dead on the ground. Jin Kang shouted:"Come quickly! Someone come quickly! Hearing Jin

Kang's cry, four soldiers came in. Seeing Jin Zhun lying on the ground and a pool of blood, a soldier asked tremblingly:"General, what are your orders?""

"You drag King Zhao out and find a place to bury him at night!"Jin Kang said. Three soldiers dragged Jin Zhun's body out, and a soldier cleaned up the blood on the ground. Jin Ming was stunned by Shangshu, not knowing what to do. Qiao Tai said:"King Zhao has passed away, how many of us can we do? I am willing to serve as the master of Shangshu Ling. I ask Shangshu Ling to sit down and accept our worship!"