Hu Xiaotian said, "My principle has always been that if others leave me alone, I leave them alone. I was doing perfectly well in Eastern Liang Commandery. If no one provoked me and I had somewhere to call home, I could have muddled along for the rest of my life. I never thought of going out of my way to provoke anyone. But Tang Boxi insisted on denying me that wish. He tore up our agreement and attacked Eastern Liang Commandery, intending to offer the city as a gift to please your new sovereign. Surely there was nothing wrong with defending myself and fighting back? After I finally defeated Tang Boxi and his men, I was preparing to negotiate peace with Great Yong. Before I could even send an envoy, Qin Yangming gathered seventy thousand troops and came at me. Sister Jun, Great Kang doesn't dare openly oppose you, but I couldn't just sit there waiting to die. That was why I fought with my back to the river. I had meant to perish with the city, but I never imagined Qin Yangming would be such a pus-filled sack."
Xue Lingjun agreed with that assessment. Tang Boxi and Qin Yangming were both useless sacks of pus. They had brought so many men to besiege Eastern Liang Commandery, only to meet such an end.
Hu Xiaotian said, "Eastern Luo Granary is your territory. I acknowledge that occupying it was wrong of me, but it was a choice I was forced to make. Without taking Eastern Luo Granary, Eastern Liang Commandery's gates would have been wide open. Whenever you wanted to attack, your armies could have poured in without obstruction. With Eastern Luo Granary, I have another gate to guard me, another measure of security."
Xue Lingjun said, "Didn't you just say