While Mi Huang and Shao Xun were busy training their troops, Wang Dao went straight home.
As he approached his house, he noticed a luxurious carriage parked outside and couldn't help but smile.
He pushed aside the slight displeasure in his heart, straightened his robes, and entered with a hearty laugh, calling out, "Jingwen is here!"
Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya, who was visiting Wang Dao's home, heard his voice and came out to greet him with a smile.
"I've been waiting for you for a while," he said.
The two met in the courtyard, clasping each other's arms and laughing heartily.
"My husband," Wang Dao's wife, Cao Shu, greeted him with a bow.
When Sima Rui had arrived earlier, Wang Dao wasn't home, so Cao Shu had taken care of the hospitality, a sign of their close family ties.
"Quickly prepare a feast. I want to drink with Jingwen until we're both drunk," Wang Dao said, pulling Sima Rui to sit at the stone table in the courtyard.
Cao Shu nodded and left.
As long as her husband wasn't out chasing women, she was quite obedient and accommodating.
Sima Rui, not caring about his appearance, wiped the stone stool with his sleeve and sat down.
"I've been drinking a bit too much these past few days," he said with a bitter smile.
"Can't you drink less?" Wang Dao shook his head.
"What else can I do if not drink?" Sima Rui sighed softly.
"Jingwen," Wang Dao said, "I know you're troubled, but given the current situation, you mustn't lose heart. You need to pull yourself together. And those philosophical debates—you should attend fewer of them."
"Didn't you used to enjoy those debates, Maohong?" Sima Rui asked, surprised.
"Not anymore," Wang Dao replied, his chubby fingers tapping on the stone table.
He knew that Sima Rui was filled with worry, frustration, and confusion.
But honestly, many people were in the same boat these days, feeling lost and directionless.
He suddenly thought about the history of metaphysics.
It had begun to sprout towards the end of the Former Han Dynasty and developed further during the Later Han.
By the end of the Later Han, the government had become increasingly corrupt, Confucianism had grown rigid, and scholars were deeply troubled, their faith shaken.
With vast wealth at their disposal, they turned to personal enlightenment and pleasure-seeking.
In essence, it was a form of escapism, a way to avoid the disappointing reality.
Metaphysics thus flourished.
How different was the current state of the Jin Dynasty from the end of the Later Han? The princes were fighting around Luoyang, scholars were suffering, and many families were destroyed.
Wasn't that frustrating?
And when people are frustrated, they naturally seek to escape reality.
If one day chaos erupted around me, and I couldn't even escape reality, then... then...
I would cross the river to the south, find a place with beautiful scenery, and continue my beloved pastimes—philosophical debates, stone-swallowing, playing the qin, painting, and calligraphy...
There's always a place to escape to.
Of course, not everyone was like this.
Wang Dao wanted to pull himself together, feeling that he couldn't continue fooling around as before.
Escaping reality required a material foundation and political protection.
Otherwise, vast estates, sprawling fields, and armies of servants would eventually be taken by others.
So, he felt a certain frustration towards those who were still indulging in philosophical debates and living in a drunken stupor.
Whenever he encountered such people, he wanted to wake them up, especially when it was a close friend.
"Maohong, do you have some plan in mind?" Sima Rui asked, carefully observing Wang Dao.
His old friend had been running around a lot these past few months, looking exhausted, with a deep gloom between his brows.
His once-bright eyes had also grown clouded.
Sima Rui liked to observe people's eyes, believing he could read a lot from them.
When Wang Dao engaged in philosophical debates, his eyes were pure, focused, and even showed a sense of determination.
But now, they seemed filled with resentment, helplessness, and a touch of scheming, along with a hint of anger and indignation.
He had jumped into the murky waters of fame and fortune, so it was natural that he couldn't remain as pure and carefree as before.
That was understandable.
"Don't rush to ask me," Wang Dao waved his hand, pondering for a moment before suddenly asking, "Jingwen, why are you still in Luoyang?"
Sima Rui was taken aback and instinctively replied, "If not Luoyang, where else can I be?"
"What about Langya? Aren't you planning to return to your fief?" Wang Dao asked.
Sima Rui fell silent.
In truth, he wanted to return, but would it make any difference?
First, the General of the Guards, the General Who Pacifies the East, the Military Governor of Xuzhou, the Inspector of Xuzhou, and the Prince of Dongping, Sima Mao, held the real power there.
At best, Sima Rui could only manage his fief in Langya, and even that came with many restrictions.
Second, the situation around Xuzhou was unstable, with frequent uprisings and chaos.
The military in Langya was more about leisure than combat, and the local troops might not even be able to defeat the rebel armies.
It was too dangerous.
Third, just as Sima Yue stayed in Luoyang to seek opportunities, didn't Sima Rui also have some hidden ambitions? Of course he did.
"Alright, I understand your thoughts," Wang Dao glanced at him and said, "But I still have to advise you—Luoyang is not a place to stay for long. There are no opportunities here. Leave as soon as possible."
"Where should I go?" Sima Rui asked.
A mysterious expression appeared on Wang Dao's face.
After a while, he said softly, "The Prince of Dongping rose to power by following Sima Jiong's path, and he has also angered the Prince of Donghai. Think of a way to replace him and go to Xiapi."
"Oh? Do you have a plan?" Sima Rui asked, excited.
The military of the Jin Dynasty was divided into two parts: the central army and the external army.
The central army, also known as the imperial guards, consisted of the seven armies stationed in the city and the Yamen army stationed outside.
Originally, there were over 100,000 soldiers, but now only about 50,000 to 60,000 remained.
The external army mainly consisted of hereditary soldiers from the eight military regions, such as Xuzhou, Jizhou, Guanzhong, and Jingzhou.
The total number of soldiers was around 300,000, but it was hard to say how many were left now—probably less than half.
Their combat effectiveness was also very poor.
For example, the external army led by the Prince of Xinye had just been defeated by southern rebels.
The military was in such disarray that it wasn't the enemy's strength but their own weakness that led to their defeat.
In truth, the strongest military force in the empire now was the remaining 50,000 to 60,000 imperial guards in Luoyang.
They were well-equipped, fully staffed, experienced, and had a complete range of troops, including infantry, cavalry, and even over a thousand armored cavalry.
If they were gone, the Jin Dynasty's military dominance would cease to exist.
Wang Dao's suggestion for Sima Rui to go to Xiapi was essentially to have him take up the position of General Who Pacifies the East and Military Governor of Xuzhou, with Xiapi being the administrative center of the Xuzhou military region.
"I don't have a plan yet," Wang Dao said with a bright smile.
"But wait patiently. Opportunities will come."
"Why are you so confident, Maohong?" Sima Rui asked, puzzled.
Wang Dao shook his head and smiled without answering.
Sima Rui seemed to understand something but felt that there were still some unanswered questions.
He wanted to ask more but felt it was inappropriate, so he held back and pretended to understand.
"Speaking of which, Xiapi is a good place—strategic and flexible," Sima Rui said with a smile.
"But to the east is the Kingdom of Donghai. Will the Minister of Works agree? I heard he has some influence with the Prince of Changsha."
"Wait," Wang Dao said with a smile, being deliberately vague.
Sima Rui was slightly annoyed.
Wang Maohong was excellent in every way, but he was too self-assured and spoke in riddles, even in front of old friends.
It made Sima Rui a bit uncomfortable.
However, he maintained a warm and friendly smile on his face and said, "Actually, Donghai is a small commandery, so it's not a big deal. The Minister of Works is gaining more trust from the Prince of Changsha, so he might find a better fief and not be too interested in Donghai. Speaking of which, Langya and Donghai are adjacent. If I could take control of Xiapi and secure Xuzhou, that would be perfect."
Wang Dao gave him an approving look.
However, when he heard the words "Donghai," a shadow passed over his brow.
Sima Rui had been subtly observing his expression and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something amiss? If—"
"Actually, it's nothing," Wang Dao cut him off, looking up at the sky for a while before saying, "There are some minor families and humble households in Donghai, like the Mi family, that need to be handled carefully. Today..."
Wang Dao then recounted what had happened at Pan Garden.
Sima Rui listened and was unimpressed.
"I thought it was something serious! Mi Huang is probably just building his own faction. His ambitions are quite large—does he want to become a governor or inspector? As for that martial man named Shao Xun, haha, dealing with him is simple. Find an excuse to kill him, and no one will speak up for him. If that doesn't work, send a letter and have the Xuzhou authorities arrest his family."
Wang Dao couldn't help but laugh.
He wasn't about to lower himself to the point of asking the Minister of Works to order Shao Xun's death.
A mere military commander was a lowly figure who could never pose a threat to the prestigious Wang family of Langya.
He was just a bit displeased that he hadn't achieved his goal.
If Shao Xun were willing to kneel before him and apologize, the matter would be over.
If he didn't and instead chose to follow Mi Huang, then if he ever crossed Wang Dao's path in the future, he could be crushed effortlessly.
In short, the gap in their status was too vast to warrant any serious attention.
It would be beneath him.
Seeing that his friend remained silent, Sima Rui understood and casually said, "If you think it's not worth making a big fuss, then have Lady Pei handle it. Punish him, strip him of his position, and send him back to his hometown in Donghai. Then he'll just be a farmer, and you can deal with him however you like."
Wang Dao's smile suddenly froze.
He thought of something.
Was this Shao Xun really Mi Huang's man?
What was Lady Pei up to?
There were rumors in the capital that Lady Pei's brother, Pei Dun, was actively seeking to become the Inspector of Xuzhou.
The problem was, the Inspector of Xuzhou was a position held by the Military Governor.
Did Pei Dun also have his eyes on that position?
In terms of reputation and qualifications, Pei Dun could indeed serve as the Inspector of Xuzhou, but he wasn't a descendant of the Sima family, so he could never become the Military Governor.
From a family background perspective, the Pei family of Wenxi was one of the top aristocratic families in the north.
Pei Wei, who had been executed three years ago, was one of the leading scholars of the time and had great influence—Pei Wei's wife was from the Wang family of Langya, and his son, Pei Gai, had married a princess.
From any angle, the Pei family's descendants were highly competitive.
Wang Dao suddenly felt that the waters were deep and murky.
Thinking of his cousin Wang Yan's schemes, he grew even more displeased.
(End of Chapter)