In November of the fifth year of Yonghe (AD 349), it was the middle of winter. Yecheng was covered with white snow and looked pure and spotless.
Later, Zhao Zhongshu ordered Meng Zhun and Zuowei General Wang Luan to enter the palace to meet the saint and persuaded Shi to follow the way:
"Shi Min is monopolizing power and has hidden disobedience. I hope that your majesty will seize his military power so that the country can turn the crisis into peace."
Shi Zun also felt regretful. He should not have made Shi Min the governor of the internal and external military affairs in the first place. Now that his relationship with him has broken down, how should he control Shi Min once he rebels?
"What you said is true. I will summon the kings to the palace to discuss important matters with them."
Under the guise of paying homage to Empress Dowager Zheng, Shi Zun summoned Shi Jian, Prince of Yiyang, Shi Bao, Prince of Leping, Shi Kun, Prince of Ruyang, and Shi Zhao, Prince of Huainan, to the Empress Dowager's palace, and conspired with them to kill Shi Min.
The kings resented Shi Min's monopoly and expressed support one after another. Only Empress Dowager Zheng, who was listening to their plot, rolled her sleeves and said angrily:
"On that day when Li Cheng raised troops, without the efforts of Jinu (Shi Min's nickname), we, mother and son, would not have the glory we have today!
"Even if he takes credit and is arrogant, his crime will not lead to death. He should be treated leniently. How can he kill a general indiscriminately?"
Empress Dowager Zheng was named Zheng Yingtao. Shi Zun abolished the death of Empress Dowager Liu, Shi Shi's mother, and respected his biological mother Zheng Yingtao as the queen mother.
Empress Dowager Zheng came from a humble background and was once a prostitute of Zheng Shida, a minister of the Western Jin Dynasty. Because of her beauty, she was admitted to the palace by Shi Hu.
It's just that this man was vicious and used slanderous lies to frame Shi Hu's two wives, causing them to die one after another.
Because of this, Shi Zun had always been afraid of his mother, but now he was reprimanded by Empress Dowager Zheng. Although he had the support of Meng Zhun, Wang Luan and other kings, he finally gave up the proposal.
Everyone was so disappointed that they had no choice but to leave the palace and return to the palace.
When Shi Jian, the king of Yiyang, returned home, he immediately called his trusted eunuch Yang Huan and went to Shi Min's house to secretly communicate the news.
Naturally, Shi Jian would not tell Shi Min the truth. He only said that Shi Zun and others were secretly discussing in the Queen Mother's palace and preparing to kill Shi Min. He never mentioned the Queen Mother Zheng's efforts to protect Shi Min.
Shi Min was furious when he heard this:
"Without my power, An was able to ascend to the supreme position. Shi Chong led an army of more than 100,000 men and marched south. I was the one who put down the rebellion. But now it's the rabbit that has been killed and the dog has been cooked. What's my crime!"
After that, he said to Yang Huan:
"Go back and tell King Yiyang that Shi Min is grateful for his kindness. If he wants to do something big today, the king should be the leader of the country!"
Yang Huan was overjoyed and hurried back to Yiyang Palace to report the news to Shi Jian.
Shi Min invited Li Nong, who was close to him, and the right-guard general Wang Ji into the palace, and said angrily to them:
"I fought for my country without risking my life, but now my lord is jealous of me. If I just sit back and wait for death, I will eventually die at the hands of a traitor!
“Today I invite you two to come over to my house, just to plan big things with you.
"King Yiyang, his benevolence and virtue are known all over the world, and he has the appearance of a wise master. I want to serve King Yiyang as my master and clean up the palace. Are you two willing to help me?"
As he spoke, Shi Min looked at Li Nong and Wang Ji coldly.
The two knew that if they did not agree to Shi Min today, they would not be able to walk out of his mansion alive, so they cupped their hands and said:
"We should follow Duke Wu Xing's advice!"
Only then did Shi Min smile.
Li Nong has tens of thousands of beggars under his command, and Wang Ji is in charge of the imperial army. With the help of two people, there is no need to worry about the failure of a major task.
Shi Min immediately dispatched his generals Zhou Cheng and Su Yan to command three thousand soldiers to attack the palace city. With the cooperation of Wang Ji, Zhou Cheng and others were able to pass unimpeded.
At this time, Shi Zunzheng was playing with his concubines in Kunhua Hall. Zhou Cheng and others led troops to break in. The woman was frightened, but Shi Zun was less panicked. He asked:
"Who leaked the news?"
As soon as the kings left, Shi Min sent troops into the palace. Someone must have tipped him off.
Zhou Cheng answered truthfully:
"Shi Jian, King of Yiyang, shall be the lord of the world."
Hearing this, Shi Zun sneered:
"If I am like this, how long can Shi Jian be proud of?"
Zhou Cheng did not want to discuss this issue with him, so he ordered someone to bring him poisoned wine and said:
"Please commit suicide."
Shi Zun, who had always responded calmly before, until now, his hands holding the poisonous wine finally started to tremble.
Zhou Cheng on the side held the handle of the knife tightly. Obviously, if Shi Zun was unwilling to drink the poisonous wine, he would draw the knife to help.
Shi Zun sighed:
"If I had known today, I should have followed the late emperor's orders and headed to Guanzhong. Why bother to fight back to Yecheng!"
After saying that, he raised his head and drank the poisoned wine. Not long after, he felt unbearable abdominal pain and collapsed to the ground.
Zhou Cheng watched with cold eyes and saw him struggling in pain for a long time until he finally lost his breath.
I don't know if Shi Zun thought of Empress Dowager Liu and Shi Shi's mother and son who were poisoned by him before he died.
Of course, these are no longer important.
In the Queen Mother's palace, Zheng Yingtao shouted loudly that she wanted to see Shi Min.
However, Shi Zun was dead, so how could Zhou Cheng and Su Yan leave Zheng Yingtao alive.
Could this woman be allowed to live and slander Shi Minjin in the future to avenge his son Shi Zun?
Zhou Cheng and Su Yan killed Empress Dowager Zheng, while Queen Zhang of Shi Zun, Prince Shi Yan, and Meng Zhun and Wang Luan who persuaded Shi Zun to take over Shi Min's military power were all killed. The entire family was destroyed, and only the kings survived. Disaster.
King Shi Jian of Yiyang knew that the situation had been decided and couldn't wait to come to the palace. He was anxious, and with Shi Min's support, he immediately ascended the throne of emperor in Kunhua Palace and issued an edict for amnesty for the world.
He also appointed Shi Min as the general and the king of Wude, appointed Sikong Li Nong as the great commander, and recorded the ministerial affairs. Liu Qun, the governor of Qinzhou in Yecheng, was appointed as the minister Zuopushe, and the attendant Lu Chen was appointed as the secretary. Prison.
Within one year, Hou Zhao went through four emperors, namely Shi Hu, Shi Shi, Shi Zun, and Shi Jian. This does not mean that the civil strife in Hou Zhao has subsided.
Just as Shi Zun said before his death, he still ended up like this. How long can the honeymoon period between Shi Jian and Shi Min last?
Compared with Later Zhao, which was experiencing constant civil strife, the ruling class of Qian Yan, which sent troops to occupy Youzhou, was a scene of unity and friendship.
Murong Ke took over all the power, never acted excessively, and abided by his duties. King Murong Jun of Yan also had great trust in this brother.
News of Huan Xi's Northern Expedition and the capture of Chang'an had also reached Qian Yan. Murong Ke did not pay attention to the results of Huan Xi's capture of Guanzhong, but was very interested in the land equalization system he implemented.
As one of the most outstanding figures in the world, Murong Ke was naturally aware of the positive role that equalization of land could play in restoring production in troubled times.
On the one hand, he wrote to King Murong Jun of Yan, requesting to imitate Huan Xi in Youzhou and implement the land equalization order. He also mentioned his appreciation for Huan Xi in a letter to his fifth brother Murong Ba.
It is still unknown whether the land equalization system came from Huan Xi, but Huan Xi was able to issue the land equalization order despite the opposition of the nobles, which is enough to see the enterprising spirit of this person.
On the other hand, his father Huan Wen was so timid in his actions that the Land Equalization Order was only implemented in Liang and Yong prefectures.
In fact, Huan Wen also had his own difficulties. Compared with Liangzhou and Yongzhou, Jingzhou had so much unowned land for him to allocate to the refugees.
It is impossible for both father and son to break up with the Jiangnan nobles. In the end, one will play the good role and the other the bad side.
