Shuhan

The cold winter wind is as sharp as a knife, rolling up snowflakes that dance freely in the empty courtyard.

Inside the house, the fire flickered slightly, making crackling sounds, adding a bit of vitality to the quiet night.

Sima Yi sat at his desk, brows furrowed, staring at the bamboo slips in his hands, which were densely packed with records of plans to expropriate the land and population of aristocratic families in order to store food and fodder.

His eyes were deep, as if they could penetrate the dust of time and see directly into the changes in the future.

Outside the window, the snow fell heavier and heavier, covering the whole world in silver.

However, this pure beauty could not hide Sima Yi's worries.

He knew very well that in order to resist the attack of the Han State, the Wei State must quickly accumulate strength, and land and population were the most direct resources.

However, this touched upon the fundamental interests of the aristocratic families, and the resistance was beyond imagination.

"Father, this is a difficult matter!" Sima Yi's second son Sima Zhao hurried in, his brows also filled with sorrow.

He was wearing a thick brocade robe, with snow still on his shoulders, obviously he had just returned from outside.

Sima Yi looked up at his son, his eyes showing both sternness and kindness.

"As a father, I know this well, but when the country is in crisis, how can we sacrifice the public interest for personal gain?" His voice was low and firm, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

Sima Zhao sighed and handed over the report in his hand: "In the six counties, no one has successfully completed the land measurement and population count. Officials are either dead or injured. The situation is worrying."

Sima Yi took the report and read it carefully. His face became darker with every page he turned.

These noble families enjoyed wealth and glory on a daily basis, but when the country needed them, they were so selfish, which made him feel cold.

However, he knew better that directly confronting the aristocratic families would be like hitting a rock with an egg, and he had to use his wits to defeat them.

"Father, should we change our strategy?" Sima Zhao suggested cautiously.

Sima Yi pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze to the heavy snow falling outside the window, and seemed to have something in mind.

"The only solution now is to stabilize the country first and then fight against the outside world. We need to find those noble families who are willing to cooperate, and use this as a breakthrough point to gradually disintegrate their alliance."

Sima Yi immediately summoned his confidants and began to plot a new strategy.

They decided to start with some smaller families and persuade them to cooperate with the government's actions through a combination of kindness and force.

At the same time, for those stubborn big families, they secretly investigate their illegal activities and prepare to deal a fatal blow at the right time.

In the following days, Sima Yi personally went deep into the countryside and visited those small families.

He was dressed in casual clothes and had a kind face. He had a long conversation with an old farmer, patiently explaining the country's difficulties and the necessity of its policies.

Whenever he encountered doubts, he was always able to resolve them with his profound knowledge and sincere attitude.

"Look at this snow, old man. It is beautiful but also freezing cold, just like the current situation in Wei. If we cannot unite as one and fight against the foreign enemies together, I am afraid this beautiful homeland will no longer exist."

Sima Yi's words expressed both worry about the future and yearning for a peaceful life, which deeply touched the hearts of the villagers.

of course
There is no shortage of exchange of interests involved, which cannot be told to outsiders.

In short
Thanks to Sima Yi's efforts, some small families began to relax and were willing to cooperate with the government's measurement and inventory work.

As the news spread, other families also began to waver, and the situation gradually took a turn for the better.

However, this is just the beginning.

The big families did not give up. They began to contact each other secretly, plot countermeasures, and even colluded with bandits in an attempt to sabotage the entire plan.

Sima Yi had been prepared for this. He secretly deployed elite soldiers and generals to protect the officials who measured the land on the one hand, and to collect evidence on the other hand, preparing to make the crimes of these families public in one fell swoop.

On a dark and windy night, a sudden attack broke the tranquility.

A group of masked bandits raided a team of officials who were measuring land. Fortunately, Sima Yi had made arrangements in advance, and the ambush troops quickly attacked and wiped out the bandits.

During the interrogation, these so-called "bandits" confessed that it was certain powerful families who were manipulating them behind the scenes.

Sima Yi took this opportunity to expose the crimes of these families one by one and held public trials in the court, shocking the entire Wei State.

The noble families finally realized that confronting the country would lead to death, and they all expressed their willingness to cooperate with the General's Mansion to resist foreign enemies together.

With the compromise of the noble families, the work of land measurement and population census was carried out smoothly, preparing for the upcoming war.

Outside the window, the snow was still falling, but the house was warm.

Sima Yi looked at the mountain of documents on the desk and a barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He knew that this was just the beginning and there was still a long way to go, but as long as he had the country and the people in his heart, nothing was impossible.

Just when Sima Yi thought that the issue of military farming was about to be settled and he could breathe a sigh of relief, a sudden storm was quietly brewing.

This time, the ones who instigated the trouble were not the noble families within the six counties, but the Zhen family from Zhongshan County, a prominent family that was originally outside the expropriation plan.

The Zhen family of Zhongshan has been a force that cannot be underestimated in the north since the end of the Han Dynasty. Especially after Cao Rui ascended the throne, they became even more powerful because of Empress Zhen. Their tentacles had long crossed the boundaries of Zhongshan County and penetrated into the three counties of Changshan, Julu and Anping, and they almost became the leader of the gentry in Jizhou.

Now, Sima Yi wanted to requisition land and population in these areas, which was undoubtedly a violation of the emperor's rules and directly touched Zhen's sensitive nerves.

Zhen Xiang, the nephew of Empress Zhen, a young and ambitious talent, was particularly dissatisfied with Sima Yi's move.

In his view, this was not only an infringement on the interests of the Zhen family, but also a challenge to the status of the Jizhou gentry.

So he decided to take action to defend the honor and interests of his family.

Zhen Xiang is dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe, showing the nobility of her family.

He had a handsome face, but at this moment his brows were furrowed and his eyes were flashing with anger.

In his study, he wrote a fiercely worded memorial, directly pointing out that Sima Yi was engaging in factional strife in the name of military farming, with the intention of suppressing the Jizhou gentry and consolidating his personal power.

"Hmph, Sima Yi, do you think your scheme can be hidden from the world? I, Zhen Xiang, will make sure to expose your true colors!" Zhen Xiang threw the pen heavily, and ink splashed everywhere, as if it was a reflection of the anger in his heart.

This memorial was quickly sent to Luoyang and presented to Cao Rui.

When Cao Rui saw Zhen Xiang's memorial, he frowned and felt mixed emotions.

On the one hand, he was well aware of Sima Yi's abilities and had high hopes for him; on the other hand, the Zhen family, as an external relative, had great power, which was also a factor he had to consider.

The court was divided into two factions because of this incident.

One faction supported Sima Yi, believing that his military farming was for the sake of national interests and should not be obstructed; the other faction stood on the side of the Zhen family, believing that Sima Yi had ulterior motives and demanded a thorough investigation of the truth.

The political situation was therefore turbulent and the people were in panic.

When Sima Yi learned about this, he was unhappy in his heart, but he remained calm and composed on the surface.

Any impulsive action at this time may push the situation into a more complicated situation.

So he decided to go to Luoyang in person to explain everything to Cao Rui.

Before leaving, Sima Yi stood in the courtyard, looking at the snowflakes falling from the sky, with a thousand thoughts in his mind.

He knew very well that this trip was likely to be dangerous, but for the future of the country, he had to give it a try.

"Father, you must be careful!" Sima Zhao stood beside him, his eyes full of worry.

Sima Yi smiled slightly and patted his son on the shoulder: "Don't worry, I know what to do."

After saying this, he turned around and boarded the carriage heading to Luoyang.

In the imperial palace in Luoyang, Sima Yi met Cao Rui.

He elaborated in detail on the necessity of military farming and its far-reaching impact on the country's future, while also not shying away from mentioning the obstruction of aristocratic families such as the Zhen family.

His words were sincere and his logic was clear, which deepened Cao Rui's trust in him.

However, Zhen's influence cannot be underestimated after all.

After listening to Sima Yi's statement, Cao Rui had some inclinations in his heart, but he did not make a decision immediately. This matter was of great importance and required more careful consideration.

During this period, Zhen Xiang was not idle.

He traveled around, contacted allies, and tried to force Cao Rui to make decisions that were beneficial to the Zhen family through public pressure.

He also secretly sent people to monitor Sima Yi's every move, trying to find something to hold against him.

However, Sima Yi seemed to have disappeared and rarely appeared in public except for necessary court meetings.

The silence at this moment is more powerful than any words.

He was secretly planning and passing information that was beneficial to him to Cao Rui through various channels.

Finally, a month later, Cao Rui made a decision.

He secretly summoned Sima Yi and handed him a secret decree.

The secret decree read: "I know your loyalty and ability very well. The farming issue is related to the fate of the country. You can go ahead and do it without any scruples. As for the Zhen family, I will take care of it myself."

After receiving this secret decree, Sima Yi finally felt relieved.

You can now farm the land with peace of mind.

but
When he thought of these Jizhou nobles, he couldn't help but feel a little gloomy in his heart.

How can we govern the State of Wei with these insects?

Fortunately, Your Majesty is still wise, otherwise, Jizhou would have collapsed on its own without the need for Han to attack.

In the deep and solemn hall of Taiji Palace, the cold winter wind seemed to penetrate the thick palace walls, bringing with it a biting chill, which complemented the solemn atmosphere in the hall.

Outside the window, snowflakes were falling, adding a touch of pale silence to the depressing atmosphere.

In the center of the hall, although the fire was burning brightly, it seemed unable to dispel the chill in the heart of Cao Rui, the Emperor of Wei.

He was dressed in a gorgeous dragon robe, the gold embroidery edging it gleamed coldly in the dim light, but his young and majestic face could not hide his worry and helplessness.

Cao Rui's gaze fell on the young man kneeling on the ground. It was Zhen Xiang, a prominent member of the Jizhou gentry. He was dressed in gorgeous clothes and kneeled straight, but could not hide the arrogance and unwillingness between his brows.

Zhen Xiang's hairstyle is meticulous, with some unmelted snow still on her hair, making her look particularly cool.

His hands were clenched into fists, veins showing, and it was obvious that his heart was not as calm as he appeared.

Cao Rui slowly stepped forward and helped Zhen Xiang up with his own hands, his movements revealing a barely perceptible trace of fatigue and helplessness.

He sighed softly, his voice low and magnetic: "Sima Yi does intend to use this farming campaign to weaken the power of the Jizhou nobles. However, the threat of the Han Kingdom is close at hand, how can I easily move him?"

Speaking of this, Cao Rui's eyes became deep, as if he had penetrated time and space and saw the distant battlefield and unknown future.

After Zhen Xiang was helped up, he looked straight at Cao Rui, his eyes flashing with dissatisfaction, and his voice was filled with a bit of excitement and unwillingness: "As for the farming, we, the Jizhou nobles, are fully capable of handling it ourselves. Why should we ask Sima Yi to do it? Although I am not talented enough, I am willing to volunteer to fight against the Han Kingdom to prove my loyalty!"

Zhen Xiang's words reveal a strong sense of self-confidence and a defense of his family's honor, but his youth and impulsiveness are also evident.

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui shook his head slightly, with both blame and expectation in his eyes.

He spoke slowly, his tone carrying some seriousness: "Sima Yi is indeed unique in dealing with the Han Kingdom. His wisdom and experience are what our Great Wei needs most at the moment. And you, Zhen Xiang, although you have talent, have not yet experienced the baptism of a major war. Your ability has not yet been proven in front of the world."

Having said this, Cao Rui's eyes softened, as if he was encouraging a child who was about to embark on a journey.

"This time, I order you to be the general who will conquer Han, but you need to serve under Sima Yi and learn your skills well. When the time is right, you can show the power of the Jizhou nobles."

When Zhen Xiang heard this, although he was very unhappy, he also understood that this was the only option at the moment.

He lowered his head to hide the resentment in his eyes, and when he looked up again, his face was firm: "I obey your order."

These three simple words carry Zhenxiang’s expectations for the future and commitment to the family.

Cao Rui looked at the statue of Zhen, and a hint of imperceptible relief flashed in his eyes.

This young man has the pride and tenacity in him, and has the potential to become a great general.

However, in this chaotic world, everyone needs to go through hardships before they can become useful.

Then, Cao Rui took out a token from his sleeve.

He personally handed the token to Zhen Xiang, and said in a low but firm voice: "This token represents my will. With this token, you can mobilize the troops of Jizhou, but you must remember that all actions must be under the command of Sima Yi, and you are not allowed to act on your own."

Zhen Xiang took the token, his hands trembling slightly, and mixed feelings in his heart.

This token is not only an honor, but also a heavy responsibility.

He saluted Cao Rui again, his voice firm and powerful: "I will not fail in my mission and will go all out to help our Great Wei survive this disaster."

Cao Rui nodded, indicating that Zhen Xiang could leave.

Zhen Xiang turned and left. Each step he took was extremely heavy, but his back looked exceptionally determined.

From this moment on, his fate will be closely linked to the upcoming war, and he will prove his worth on this journey and win the glory he deserves for his family and country.

After Zhen Xiang left, the Taiji Hall fell into a brief silence.

Cao Rui's gaze was still fixed on the snowflakes flying in the sky outside the window, but a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth inadvertently. There was a deep meaning in that smile, as if everything was under his control.

"Hmph, no matter whether it is the Jizhou gentry or the Yuzhou gentry, they are all in a position of power that is difficult to eliminate." Cao Rui whispered to himself. Although his voice was light, it revealed an unquestionable determination.

"Although the Zhen family of Zhongshan is a foreign relative and has great power, it is not a bad thing if someone can suppress their arrogance."

He turned slowly and walked towards the lofty dragon throne. Every step he took seemed so steady and powerful.

After sitting down, Cao Rui's eyes became as sharp as an eagle, as if they could penetrate the layers of fog and look directly into the distant future.

"Sima Yi, although you are a representative of the Yuzhou nobles, if you can hold out in this battle, I will have reason to let the Jizhou nobles settle accounts with you."

Cao Rui was secretly calculating in his mind, with a cunning light flashing in his eyes.

"In this way, both the Jizhou and Yuzhou aristocratic families will be weakened, and the Wei Kingdom will truly become my Wei Kingdom, rather than the world of these aristocratic families."

The power of the aristocratic families is too great and has always been a potential threat to the imperial power.

This time, the threat from the Han State just happened to become a chess piece in his hand, which could be used to check and weaken the power of these families.

"What I want is a Wei Kingdom that truly obeys me, not a court controlled by aristocratic families."

"Only in this way can I truly realize my ambition and make the State of Wei stand firm in this chaotic world."

Thinking of this, Cao Rui's mood seemed to become cheerful.

He looked at the falling snow outside the window again, his eyes full of expectation and longing.

After this heavy snow, a new era is coming, and he will become the ruler of that era.

"Humph, so what if you are from an aristocratic family? In front of me, you are nothing but a group of pawns."

"I want to see who will have the last laugh."

As Cao Rui's laughter echoed in the Taiji Hall, an invisible force seemed to spread quietly.

This upcoming war is not only a test for Sima Yi and Zhen Xiang, but also a test for Cao Rui's wisdom and determination.

And he is ready to meet all challenges just to realize the grand ambition in his heart.

of course
All of this has a premise.

That is.
Wei could really defeat Han once.

Otherwise, there is no point in talking! (End of this chapter)