At night, when the lanterns were first lit, Sikong Mansion was filled with laughter and the sound of silk and bamboo.
There were not many people participating in the banquet, maybe a dozen or so.
After three rounds of drinking, the atmosphere gradually became warmer and there were constant whispers.
"I heard that Ke Jian wrote the prefaces to many stories about strange things and became famous in the capital." Wang Hu smiled at Pei Kuo, the general sitting on his right, and said.
Pei Kuo shook his head helplessly: "It's just a matter of idleness, supporting a few little-known authors and letting them have something to eat, which made Chu Zhong laugh."
"No, I also like to read strange stories. I have read "Legends of Strangeness" more than ten times." Wang Hu laughed.
"Lieyi Zhuan" was written by Emperor Wen of the Wei Dynasty Cao Pi and continued by Zhang Hua, the Prime Minister of the Western Jin Dynasty. It records the ghost stories during the Zhengshi and Ganlu years.
The content is rich, including Taoist magic to subjugate demons, catching and selling ghosts, the underworld, resurrection of the dead, underworld marriage, etc. It is all-encompassing and extremely complex.
This book went through the Wei and Jin dynasties. It was written by the emperor and continued by the eunuchs and later prime ministers, which can give a glimpse of the cultural atmosphere at this time.
Hearing Wang Hu's words, Pei Kuo burst out laughing, and the relationship between the two became slightly closer.
This is just like meeting people who are not familiar with each other in later generations and asking "have you eaten?" or talking about the weather. It is actually the same operation.
"A few months ago, Wang Sima's land breaker shocked Yecheng. There are tens of thousands more lonely ghosts in Hebei. Wouldn't you be afraid?" Pei Kuo said again in a joking tone, but also quietly changed the subject.
Wang Hu understood and pretended not to care: "So what? Could it be that those dead ghosts still dare to come to me to settle accounts?"
"Wang Sima is indeed heroic." Pei Kuo said in awe: "Dead people can't do it, but what about living people?"
Wang Hu picked up the wine bottle and drank it all in one gulp, saying, "I hope Kejian will not hesitate to teach me."
"It's actually very simple." Pei Kuo stopped talking in circles and said, "As long as we work together, no one can touch us."
"It's not difficult to work together, but there has to be someone in charge, right?" Wang Hu said slowly.
"The person in charge is not far away, but right in front of us." Pei Kuo picked up the wine bottle and said, "Wang Sima is attending the banquet today. He must have made up his mind, right?"
Wang Hu filled herself up with wine, pondered for a while, wanted to say something, and then shook her head.
Pei Kuo's face changed slightly.
He did not expect that someone like Wang Hu, who had killed more than a dozen Hebei generals in a row, would still hesitate.
Do you know who Hebei people hate the most?
The Battle of Jianchun Gate was by far the heaviest battle in Hebei. Those who died were all high-profile people, most of whom were from Hebei aristocratic families. Is it possible that you can still join Sima Ying?
Even if Sima Ying is generous and doesn't care about these things, you will still be squeezed out. Do you really have a future?
But Wang Hu only drank and stopped talking to her.
Pei Kuo was helpless. After taking a sip of the wine, he turned to the right and saw Shao Xun pouring himself a drink.
He has heard some rumors that Shao Xun seems to be becoming an "official".
It's amazing that the upstarts who rose up during the war were brave enough to fight and not afraid of offending others. They also had good luck and eventually rose to prominence.
"Foreign troops will enter the city soon. What do you think, Shao Langjun?" Pei Kuo raised the wine bottle in his hand and asked.
"Yihu Sikong, that's all." Shao Xun picked up the wine bottle and drank it all in one gulp.
Pei Kuo was startled at first, as if he was not used to the tone of Shao Xun's words. Then he felt relieved, he was no longer as cautious as before.
He quickly adjusted his mentality and said with a smile: "It's a pity that you are already the admiral of the East China Sea, otherwise you will be transferred to the Forbidden Army. But - that's right, you just need to protect the Sikong Mansion. You are from the East China Sea.
Honor and disgrace depend on Sikong, and Sikong is indeed more important."
Shao Xun smiled and said nothing.
Being a Custodes officer? Not a good choice.
Those who joined the Forbidden Army would either be crucified in Luoyang, or be divided up by Sima Ying and Sima Yong and move to Chang'an or Yecheng.
This is not impossible.
He just overheard the conversation between Pei Kuo and Wang Hu and found it very interesting.
Wang Hu attended the dinner hosted by Sikong today, which was an attitude of getting closer. But he didn't seem to want to completely get closer, and did not express his position at the critical moment.
What is this? This is for sale.
Perhaps he was waiting for Sima Yong or Sima Ying to win over him. After all, the Forbidden Army had gained a reputation and had a united front value.
But how can I put it, Shao Xun doesn't think Wang Hu will definitely go to Yecheng or Chang'an.
Officialdom is divided into realms.
According to conventional wisdom, the Yellow River is a clear dividing line.
Scholars from the north of the Yellow River may come to Henan, and scholars from the south of the Yellow River may also go to Hebei, but neither will be the mainstream. Especially today when the authority of the central government is increasingly fragmented, scholars from various counties are more likely to seek separation.
Since my home is close to the political center, it is easy to find fellow villagers and my development will be smoother.
Wang Hu is from Chenjun. What’s the point of going to Yecheng?
Didn't you see Lu Ji's fate? Lu Ji may have died directly at the hands of Meng Jiu, but the collective ostracism of Hebei scholars was absolutely inseparable. How hard did Wang Hu think about it before going to Yecheng?
But no matter where Wang Hu went, Shao Xun finally understood one thing: the more Sima wanted to unite the Forbidden Army, it was a bit difficult.
The best result is to win over some people and divide the other people between the two kings of Chengdu and Hejian.
As for the other sect kings in Beijing, I'm sorry, they are not even qualified to serve at the table.
Pei Kuo seems to be trying to unite the generals of the Forbidden Army, not necessarily for Sima Yue. He may want to protect himself, or to increase his bargaining power and united front value, but it doesn't look like it will go smoothly.
The situation is a bit chaotic.
"People's hearts are in confusion." Shao Xun sighed with emotion.
When Pei Kuo heard this, he slapped his thigh and sighed: "The royal family is humbled, and people's hearts are indeed in chaos. In fact, I just want to preserve some foundation for the Luoyang Chinese Army. After ten years in the Chinese Army, I really can't bear to see this elite army fall apart.
"
"It has almost fallen apart." Shao Xun shook his head and said: "In Zhao Wanglun's era, almost half of the people were gone."
Pei Kuo smiled bitterly, and just as he was about to say something, he saw Sima Yue, the leader, toasting his glass repeatedly, so everyone drank together.
After Shao Xun put down his wine bottle, he quietly searched the table and saw Mi Huang first.
Mi Huang raised his wine glass in greeting.
Shao Xun picked up the wine bottle and drank it all in one gulp.
Lao Mi is now also a "famous general" in the Yue Prefecture. He has won two battles, and he has become a general among the dwarfs.
Shao Xun saw Wang Bing again.
He was drinking with his head down, obviously in a bad mood.
Shao Xun was a little sad.
He still remembered that when they first met, Wang Bing was quite polite. But when it came to disputes over specific interests, some superficiality could no longer be maintained.
When a fellow villager meets a fellow villager, his eyes well up with tears, but sometimes he will be shot in the back.
This shot was fired by Mi Huang and Shao Xun together. Wang Bing was dizzy, not to mention the feeling in his heart.
Shao Xun also saw Gou Xi.
This man was the first general of the imperial army to join Sima Yue. He would sit very close to him, chatting and laughing, and had a good relationship with him.
If Sima Yue wanted to support a certain Forbidden Army general, Gou Xi would definitely be at the top of the list.
What position he can reach depends on the complicated exchange of interests between Sima Yue, Sima Ying and Sima Yong.
General Gou is a talented person.
When he was young, he was supported by Shi Jian, the captain of the Sili school. He must have been an ambitious young man at that time. But after Shi Jian's death, he did not develop for many years until he joined Sima Yue. Then he changed his family for the second time, joining Sima Ji and then Sima Yi.
Return to Sima Yue...
What family slave is this?
"Without a family background, if you don't lose your face, it will be really difficult to get along." Shao Xun sighed secretly.
After all, Gou Xi didn't have Pei Kuo's family background, so maybe there was nothing he could do about it.
Historically, it seems that he finally obtained the position of governor of a state, but I don't know whether it was the "bicycle governor" or the title of governor.
Thinking of this, Shao Xun looked at Pei Kuo again.
His brother is seeking to be the governor of Xuzhou, but if he can't get the "Envoy Chi Jie" and can't control the military power, it's actually quite boring to just be the governor of Xuzhou on a bicycle.
Where is my territory?
Shao Xun took another sip of wine and thought silently.
He has gradually realized that he cannot ask for too much. The ideal situation is to develop in Xuzhou, but if it cannot be achieved, there must be a backup plan. Even if there is an opportunity to expand, he must seize it. After all, there is no shortage of free space.
Waiting for others, he is not qualified to be picky.
You can only make meritorious deeds first and slowly gain Sima Yue's appreciation and trust.
If you can't do this, you can only wait until the Jin Dynasty's rule completely collapses and it is no longer able to wipe out the local separatist forces, and then just pull the lever and occupy the land and become the king.
The sound of silk and bamboo becomes more and more pleasant.
Sima Yue clapped his hands, and a group of graceful beauties came in and danced gracefully.
The night banquet entered its climax.
Chapter completed!