Ruan Xian, one of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" of the Jin Dynasty, had a son named Ruan Fu, who was a complete drunkard.
This man once served as an adjutant in the Andong army, spending his days drinking and carousing, often letting his hair hang loose and his eyes grow bleary with wine, paying no heed to military affairs.
During the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Yuan employed capable ministers like Shen Han to govern the troubled realm while also granting positions to eccentric scholars like Ruan Fu. But Ruan Fu couldn't care less about the emperor's so-called "favor." No matter what official post he held, he never missed a drink and always drank himself into a stupor, leaving all official duties forgotten in the clouds.
Ruan Fu sometimes felt a twinge of caution, worried that his superiors might investigate him
The emperor once appointed the Prince of Langya as General of Chariots and Cavalry to guard the Guangling region, and sent Ruan Fu as his chief aide to assist him.
Before departing, the emperor advised Ruan Fu, "You'll be busy with military affairs on this trip, so drink less wine."
Ruan Fu cleverly replied, "The emperor does not consider me incompetent and has entrusted me with the heavy responsibility of assisting the Prince of Langya in commanding troops. Naturally, I must diligently serve the state and say no more. However, I privately believe that the emperor personally dispatched the Prince of Langya to guard Guangling, with immense prestige and formidable power. Under heaven, the emperor's grace is vast, thieves and bandits have vanished, the sun and moon shine brightly, and the people live in peace. Why should I not seize this opportunity to feast on delicious food and drink to my heart's content?"
The emperor, naturally delighted by this flattery, soon promoted him to Imperial Attendant and Senior Advisor.
During this time, Ruan Fu indulged in wild drinking, often getting dead drunk. On one occasion, he even traded his gold-embroidered sable coat for wine.
When his superiors discovered this, they submitted an impeachment memorial to the emperor, yet the emperor still pardoned him.
Later, the idiom "Mink Coat for Wine" came to refer to the unrestrained indulgence of the wealthy.
Source: *Book of Jin*, "Biography of Ruan Fu"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "貂裘换酒" came to describe the unrestrained indulgence of the wealthy.