It is already May of the first year of Yong'an (304), the fourth month since peace was restored in Luoyang.

Wang Yan had just returned home from court when he met Director Wang, Wang Cheng and Wang Dun.

He didn't say much. After nodding in greeting, he led them into the secret room of the study.

"Hey, let it rain and wind, let it change in a thousand ways, but in the end, you still have to come to me, haha." Wang Yan knelt down behind the case proudly, shaking his head.

To be fair, Wang Yan, who is 49 years old this year, is one of the "top" in the Jin Dynasty.

In the era of great development of metaphysics, there were numerous gatherings and debates.

Whoever makes a splash on these occasions will gradually become famous, and then there will be "fans" begging him for comments and support.

If you're not famous enough alone, it doesn't matter, you can also debut as a group.

"Koto Five Heroes" is a good example.

There is even a group that debuted: "Twenty-Four Friends of Jinguyuan".

Wang Yan doesn't need to go to such trouble.

After the death of the last top performer Pei Yu, he became the most popular.

Sima Ying reported him as Shangshu Zuopushe - coincidentally, this was the exact position where Pei Yu sat in the late Yuan Dynasty.

If Sima Yue was in power, he would also be needed to decorate the court and attract scholars from all over the world to become officials.

The more scholars came, the greater Sima's reputation became and the more stable his power became.

You really can’t lose no matter what, haha.

Really, Wang Yan really couldn't figure out how he could lose.

Wang Cheng, Director Wang, and Wang Dun couldn't help laughing when they saw their cousin so happy, and they felt much more relaxed.

"Mao Hong." Wang Yan first turned his attention to Director Wang and asked, "Is there really nothing we can do for a small Xuzhou?"

Director Wang felt a little ashamed and said: "Sikong has been wooing Wang Ma of Dongping recently, so he may not change his position. I'm afraid I won't get what I want if I try hard in Sikong Mansion. Why don't we take a look at Ye Mansion?"

"You are sincere." Wang Yan chuckled.

"Don't dare to ruin the family business just for a little face." Director Wang said.

"Well..." Wang Yan stood up, walked slowly, and said: "The emperor's brother told me to serve as Shangshu Zuopushe. In fact, he wanted me to help him in the court. But he didn't trust him much either.

For me, it is a bit difficult to capture an important town like Xuzhou. King Dongping has never stated whose side he is on. Chengdu and Donghai are competing to win over him, and no one dares to touch him easily."

Under what circumstances will a wallflower have united front value?

Answer: The forces of all parties are generally balanced, and no one has an absolute advantage.

To put it bluntly, the war a few months ago was still not fought clearly, cleanly, and thoroughly.

Sima Yue accepted part of Sima Yi's inheritance, and also won over several clans of Sima Kui's lineage, which made him quite powerful.

The King of Chengdu fought an ugly battle on the battlefield, and his final victory was due to Sima Yue's betrayal. The victory was relatively lucky, which meant that he would not be able to swallow up Luoyang in one go and completely wipe out the local forces in Luoyang who had united around Sima Yue.

There is only one way to resolve this embarrassing situation: fight another battle, let the winning side win everything, and the losing side spend all their capital.

Will the situation go in this direction? It seems yes at the moment.

"Brother, do you have any strategies?" Director Wang asked sincerely.

Wang Yan shook his head and said: "Let's see first. If Sima Yue and Sima Ying fight, who will Sima Mao vote for? If he is on the wrong team, only in the aftermath will there be a chance to capture him."

Director Wang nodded silently.

Sima Mao is a cunning old man who never takes sides easily. He always jumps out when the situation becomes clearer and flatters the winner in order to keep his official position.

If Sima Zhu is on the right team again this time, things will be in trouble.

Thinking of this, Director Wang was slightly annoyed. This time period is too sensitive now. Push forward a year, Xuzhou would not have been so difficult to win. But at that time, the Wang family was not very talkative, so there was nothing they could do.

"Actually, I still hope that Sima Yue can win." Wang Yan suddenly said something, attracting the attention of the three people.

"Without him..." Seeing the three people looking at him with bright eyes, Wang Yan laughed, turned around coolly, and stretched: "The more Sima wins, the easier it will be for me to be given an official position."

Director Wang and all three of them laughed.

The Governor of Xuzhou used to be called the Governor of Qingxu. The people who left the town of Xiapi recruited a large number of scholars from Qingzhou and Xuzhou as staff when they opened the government. Therefore, the connection between Qingzhou and Xuzhou was relatively close, and people at that time often talked about the two places at the same time.

, as a geographical unit.

The aristocratic families in the two places often get married and have a good relationship.

Therefore, Wang Yan really hoped that Sima Yue would win, so that he would have a greater chance of becoming a scholar in Xu.

"But you think I'm too arrogant?" Seeing the three brothers laughing non-stop, Wang Yan laughed too, then pointed at Wang Dun and said: "Don't be anxious, Chu Zhong, I will get you the governor of Qingzhou sooner or later.

.”

"Then just wait for the good news." Wang Dun laughed.

Wang Yan looked at Wang Cheng again, with much approval in his eyes, and heard him say: "Pingzi, my brother will help you find Jingzhou, but we still need to wait."

"Yeah." Wang Cheng responded obediently.

He was actually brought up by Wang Yan and his wife, and he obeyed his elder brother's advice, even feeling a sense of admiration.

"Liu Hongchui is old and will not live long. When he dies, my brother will ask you to be the governor of Jingzhou and the governor." Wang Yan said.

Liu Hong is the current governor and governor of Jingzhou. He is sixty-nine years old this year. He heard that his health is not very good and he is nearing the end of his life.

"Isn't there Tao Kan and Tao Shiheng?" Wang Cheng asked.

In the process of suppressing Zhang Chang's refugee army, Tao Kan made outstanding military exploits. Liu Hong admired him very much and even trained him as his successor.

"Tao Kan?" Wang Yan laughed wantonly and said: "When Tao Kan was working hard at home, his mother cut off her long hair and sold it in exchange for wine money to entertain guests. She was so flattering, but only for a postal supervisor. This

Is a child from a poor family worthy of being the governor of Jingzhou?"

Although Tao Kan's family was poor, like Wang Hu, he also had a good family background: Hansu.

His father, Tao Dan, served as General Yangwu of Sun Wu at that time.

After the fall of Soochow, the life of Wu people was generally difficult, but with his father's presence, Tao Kan was still able to work as a minor official in the county. His life was average, but he was definitely better than ordinary people.

Of course, this kind of background is nothing in the eyes of the Langya Wang family, a first-class wealthy family in the North.

Wang Yan is now in a high-spirited state, and it is normal for him to ridicule his humble family in private in front of his family.

Hearing his brother's wanton and wild laughter, Director Wang felt it was a bit harsh.

My brother seems to be just like Sima Ying, a bit arrogant.

Wang Yan doesn't care what his brothers think, anyway, he is very happy now, and he seems to be guiding the world: "Jingzhou has the strength of Jianghan, and Qingzhou has the danger of losing the sea. You can serve as Fang Bo, and I can stay in Luoyang, which is enough."

There are three caves. Now the royal family is humble, so I have sent my younger brothers to live in the land of Qi and Chu. Outside, they can build a hegemonic empire, and inside, they can support the imperial family. You should keep this in mind."

"Brother, I will definitely remember your hard work." Wang Dun and Wang Cheng said in unison.

Director Wang felt a little unnatural.

Why did they only mention Qingzhou and Jingzhou but not Xuzhou? Not me?

"Maohong, Xuzhou is located at the intersection of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River, which is also very important." Wang Yan did not forget Director Wang, turned to look at him, and said: "For brother's hard work, you must be strong."

Director Wang felt a little relieved, but he still couldn't help asking: "Brother's plan is complete and complete, but why is it all in the Central Plains? I heard that someone wants to cross the Yangtze River and go south to become an official in Wudi. Why doesn't brother

Planning Yangzhou?"

"The essence of the country is probably in the Central Plains." Wang Yan replied: "Furthermore, the tombs of our ancestors are all here, why should we abandon them and flee to the east of the Yangtze River?"

Director Wang was speechless.

The brother's confidence was still too strong, and his behavior was very different from that of the scholars who fled south one after another.

Judging from the layout, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, and Jingzhou surround Luoyang from three directions, but at the same time they are all far away from the center of the vortex.

"On the outside, you can build a hegemony, and on the inside, you can support the emperor's family" - indeed, this is the strategic layout of his brother. After making two preparations, he still wants to conquer the Central Plains.

"Brother, you have taught me a lesson." Seeing that Wang Yan was still looking at him, Director Wang stood up helplessly and bowed to apologize.

"That's all." Wang Yan waved his hand and said: "If you advance into Xuzhou, you can take the Central Plains, and if you retreat, you can protect Jiangdong. Since you have ambitions for Wu territory, then work harder and don't let the Pei family kid fight it away."

"The governor and the governor will always win the same thing." Director Wang said.

Wang Yan nodded and then asked: "When will the King of Donghai plan to take action?"

Director Wang hesitated.

Wang Yan snorted coldly and said: "We are all members of our own family, what can't we say? Pingzi, will you leak it to the emperor's brother?"

"No." Wang Cheng said with a smile.

He is a lieutenant in the royal shogunate in Chengdu. He came to Luoyang for business and will return to Yecheng in two days.

Director Wang had no choice but to say: "Let's do it quickly. Wang Hu, the Sima of the shogunate, did not go well with his job. He went to Yecheng twice and was ridiculed repeatedly. He felt regretful and planned to return to Sikong."

When Wang Yan heard this, he shook his head and sighed: "It's not surprising that these soldiers have no faith."

Director Wang agreed.

"Please assist the King of East China Sea. When the opportunity arises, I will help." Wang Yan said.

"Okay." Director Wang responded confidently.
Chapter completed!