Picked up a copy of Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 663 Sima's Conspiracy
When Man Chong rushed into the prison in a panic, the soldiers almost filled the entire cell, Man Chong yelled, everyone stepped out of the way, and Man Chong crashed in, only to see two people lying on the ground, One young and one old, with their eyes closed tightly, lay down peacefully. There were a few doctors standing beside them, but they did nothing. Man Chong's eyes widened, looking at the situation, he couldn't take it easy.

He looked at the three doctors, who shook their heads helplessly when they saw his gaze.

The soldiers on the side whispered: "Mr. Man, it's the wine brought by Sikong. A few doctors have seen it just now. It's poisoned wine. Both of them died of drinking poison." Man Chong nodded and said : "Don't move them, no one is allowed to leave, and no one is allowed to come in until I come back!" The soldiers took orders one after another, Man Chong ordered his deputy, and then left in a hurry.

When Man Chong hurriedly arrived at the palace, Liu Xi was discussing important matters with Sima Yi in Houde Hall.

The conversation between the two was not pleasant. Liu Xi frowned and said nothing, but Sima Yi kept persuading him, "Your Majesty, the people of the world are the people of Your Majesty. To treat them, it is natural to practice benevolent government and cherish benevolence and righteousness." Heart, but people outside the Great Wall are my enemies, so why should we treat them with benevolence and righteousness? As long as Your Majesty agrees, I will handle it immediately, and absolutely no one will know that these are our actions."

"Your Majesty has also seen the situation of the national treasury. It has been reduced to the point where Yuan Sikong needs to use his family property to finance it. This is a huge profit. Moreover, it can destroy the enemy without a fight. Within ten years, it will be self-defeating, Your Majesty." Sima Yi persuaded, but Liu Xi was still a little hesitant. He said irritably, "I am a country of benevolence and righteousness. How can I act like this? This is a harmful move! Besides, Emperor Xiaoxian once gave an order."

"How can your Majesty say that it is harming people? It is obviously to save people. I heard that there are few medicines in Guishuang, Anxi and other places. Not to mention the common people, even the nobles have many casualties. We sell them to them. It is saving them. It is a matter of great virtue, besides, I will arrange this matter privately, find a merchant who can be trusted, and will never have any contact with His Majesty or the minister."

Liu Xi thought for a moment, and gradually hesitated.

"I know that your majesty is benevolent and doesn't want to hurt the common people. However, does your majesty think that the poor people can really buy these? Aren't the people who will buy them in the future not those powerful people who harm the people? Could it be that your majesty treats them as well?" Do you want to have a heart of benevolence and righteousness? Your Majesty, the land of Guishuang should not be underestimated. Your Majesty, look at Xiting County, which used to be the most backward area of ​​Guishuang, and has experienced years of wars, but now? Development? Flying speed, countless farmlands, can match the richness of a state in the Central Plains!!"

"If you get those rich areas in the south of Guishuang. Tsk tsk, the food produced here can feed tens of millions of our people. Will your majesty be a benevolent king of a big man, or a benevolent king beyond the Great Wall?" Sima Yi already said Feeling a little impolite, Liu Xi glanced at him, let out a long sigh, no longer hesitated, looked at Sima Yi, nodded, but still didn't speak.

Sima Yi didn't wait for the emperor to speak, he knew in his heart, very clearly, that the emperor would not speak, and the emperor may not be so benevolent and righteous, he needs such persuasion from himself, but these are not important, all he needs to know In the future, if someone uses this as an excuse to say that the temple is not benevolent, then His Majesty will never know about it, and he has dissuaded him. All of this is his own idea and has no connection with the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I'll find someone who can be trusted." Sima Yi was about to say this, but when he heard footsteps outside the door, he stopped immediately, turned his head, and saw Huangmen Qiyue walking in, and said: "Country, Ting Wei is full of favors to see you."

Sima Yi looked at Liu Xi, and Liu Xi said helplessly, "This guy must have come here again to convict him, alas."

"Your Majesty, do you want me to retire first?"

"No problem." Liu Xi said, looked at Qi Yue again, and said, "Let Man Chong come in."

"Please!"

Sima Yi stopped talking, and sat beside the emperor with his head bowed. Liu Xi did the same, but he was thinking about how to persuade Man Chong. Man Chong has the ability and is extremely loyal, but ah, just He doesn't know how to be flexible, and he doesn't know how to play favoritism. He is too upright. Such a minister really makes him love and hate. He can become a virtuous minister of the great man, but it is difficult to become a sharp knife in the hands of the emperor.

Just as the emperor was thinking, Man Chong walked in. At this moment, the emperor realized that something was wrong. When Man Chong came in, he looked extraordinarily flustered and almost tripped. Seeing him like this, Liu Xi felt a pang Shuttering, Man Chong has always been extraordinarily calm, and he has never felt uneasy about any big things. What happened to make Man Chong lose his composure? Sima Yi obviously thought so too, frowning, looking at Man Chong Pet.

"Your Majesty, Yuan Tan is dead and Sikong is dead too." Man Chong said.

Like a thunderclap, Liu Xi jumped up suddenly, "What did you say? Sikong is dead? What happened to him?"

"Your Majesty, today Sikong came to Tingwei to see his son. Not long after, the soldiers found them dead in the prison, with a jug of wine beside them. The wine was poisonous. They were the soldiers who were poisoned to death. The wine was brought by Sikong, I'm going to Sikong's mansion, maybe I can understand after asking..." Man Chong said, Liu Xi only felt a little dizzy, and after a long delay, he sat down.

"Does anyone else know about this?" Sima Yi suddenly asked, Man Chong was taken aback, looked at him, but did not answer, Liu Xi coughed, Man Chong then said: "Except for my soldiers, There are three other doctors, Sima Jun, and no one knows about it." Sima Yi nodded, looked at Liu Xi, and said: "Your Majesty, I think there is something wrong with this matter, and it may not be as calm as it seems on the surface. "

When Liu Xi heard this, he nodded, looked at Man Chong, and ordered: "Don't spread the word about this matter, just go back to Tingwei's mansion, look at your soldiers, and tell them not to leave, I also think this matter Something is wrong, I will send someone to investigate." Hearing what Liu Xi said, although Man Chong didn't understand what was wrong, he didn't refute, bowed his hands, and left here.

Watching him leave, Liu Xi sighed. He really never thought that Yuan Shao would be so strong. He thought that Yuan Shao might go up and ask to resign from his official position. He also thought that he might plead guilty. He just never thought that Yuan Shao would He would drag his eldest son to commit suicide by drinking poison directly. He would rather die than to preserve the clan's reputation. This kind of behavior shocked Liu Xi, and he didn't know what to say.

Liu Xi looked at Sima Yi and asked, "Zhongda, why don't you let Man Chong investigate?"

"Your Majesty, Duke Yuan's death is not a trivial matter. Ever since Mr. Yuan became Sikong in the Xiping year, the powerful and powerful families in the Han Dynasty have been extraordinarily well-behaved. This has nothing to do with Mr. Yuan. Mr. Yuan is the head of the first family. The big clans know everything well, and if he wants to deal with these people, he doesn't even need to go out on his own, just the third son, Yuan Shang, can make them suffer, which naturally includes the Sima family where the minister belongs."

Sima Yi said, but without restraint or hesitation, he said: "Now that Duke Yuan is dead, if it is announced, these people will inevitably want to do something. Of course, my Sima family will not, but, It's not certain what big clans like Yang, Xun, and Zhuge will do, but Your Majesty thinks that maybe this can be used to suppress them again."

"Oh? How to press it?"

"Your Majesty, a son of a rich family colluded with Yuan Tan and wanted to destroy the Yuan family. When the matter was leaked, they tried to kill Yuan Tan with poisoned wine. They were afraid that Yuan Tan would tell Yuan Gong about everything. However, they did not expect that Yuan Gong also drank it. This wine will die together." Sima Yi frowned and said, "Why don't we investigate such a big matter carefully?"

Liu Xi was stunned. After a while, he nodded and said, "Zhongda, can you do well in this matter?"

"Your Majesty, I will do my best."

Liu Xi didn't ask any more questions, but nodded, and then asked again: "Zhongda, you are also from a rich family. Why?" Sima Yi smiled and said: "Your Majesty, I am different from them. They are all stupid people. Since ancient times, a family that cannot be protected by money, status, and influence can only be protected by His Majesty's gift, which is the foundation of a great family. I want to survive, just like Duke Yuan, and I want the clan to continue to multiply. You need His Majesty's gift, you need Your Majesty's trust"

"This is also the minister's method, which is similar to Yuan Gong's."

Liu Xi laughed. He was very happy with Sima Yi's frankness. He frowned and asked again: "Zhongda, if one day, you also encounter such a thing as Yuan Gong, what will you do? Will you also die brazenly?"

"The minister is not that noble."

Sima Yi said calmly.

Liu Xi didn't ask any more questions, nodded his head, and said, "Then you go away, don't overdo it, just beat it a little bit, be careful when doing things." Sima Yi nodded and left too. Here, Liu Xi pondered for a moment before calling Qi Yue over and telling him to order Zhuge Liang to come to Houde Hall. Liu Xi only waited for a while in Houde Hall before Zhuge Liang hurried over.

The two sat facing each other, looking at Liu Xi's face, Zhuge Liang already understood that something important happened in the court.

"Kong Ming, Duke Yuan died, and died with his son."

Hearing this sentence, like Liu Xi, Zhuge Liang was also taken aback. He thought for a moment, then sat down again, shaking his head helplessly. Seeing his expression, Liu Xi was a little suspicious, and asked: "Kong Ming doesn't seem to be Don't you think it's strange?" Zhuge Liang shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, I heard about Yuan Tan earlier, and I already had a guess in my heart. Yuan Gong spent his whole life for the clan. When something like this happened, he Either he will die to show his ambition, or he will resign and return to his hometown."

Liu Xi nodded and said, "When Man Chong came, Zhong Da was also there. He said that there might be some articles in this matter, and he wanted to check it out."

"Your Majesty, don't be fooled by him. He actually wants to use this matter to deal with some of his enemies." Zhuge Liang shook his head and said disdainfully. According to Kong Ming, who can take on this task?" Zhuge Liang heard this, and said without hesitation: "Liu Bei and Liu Gong can do it."

Sun Jian served as Taiwei, Cao Cao served as Situ, and Liu Bei served as Sikong.

Interesting, really interesting.

(End of this chapter)