Wei Ni

Cao Zhen was Cao Fu's half-brother, more than twenty years his senior. When Cao Cao was alive, he was granted the title of Marquis and given a fiefdom by Cao Hong. Now he was already in his fifties.

It was for this reason that the two brothers, who had long since separated and lived in different residences, did not have much contact with each other.

But no matter what, brothers are brothers after all. When Cao Fu encountered a difficult decision and needed to consult with others, the first person he thought of was his elder brother Cao Zhen.

Yes, Cao Fu was still hesitant about whether to accept Xiahou Hui's offer.

To be precise, after experiencing such a painful lesson, he neither wanted nor dared to gamble that Emperor Cao Rui would not be Emperor Wen, Cao Pi!
Or perhaps, when Cao Rui first ascended the throne, he restored his father Cao Hong's title and official position, and returned his family property. Cao Fu shouldn't have regarded him as Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi. But seeing the current treatment of the Wei princes and nobles as if they were prisoners, Cao Fu felt it was best not to have too many expectations.

Moreover, he felt that he was currently far removed from the power struggles and intrigues in the imperial court, and that it was quite good to be a carefree and well-fed nobleman who was ignored by everyone. Why should he ask for more?
Fortune and wealth are sought amidst danger, and lost amidst danger; when you seek it, you have a one in ten chance, but when you lose it, you have nine in ten chance.

Compared to being made a scapegoat and reduced to a commoner, his own hope of entering officialdom and commanding troops was truly insignificant, so he should not harbor any illusions.

However, after the Caotang incident escalated and came to a conclusion, Cao Fu's mind changed again.

The fact that Xiahou Hui could avoid criticism after mocking famous scholars shows that he already had considerable prestige in the court and among the people. By that logic, he should also be able to protect himself.

In particular, his father Xiahou Yuan's title of "General of the White Land" remains unchanged to this day!

More or less, he probably wouldn't have any intention of plotting against himself.

With these thoughts in mind, after helping with his brother-in-law Xun Can's funeral arrangements, Cao Fu went to his elder brother Cao Zhen's residence to recount the whole story and his anxieties. He then asked for advice, "I am now in a difficult situation. I hope my elder brother can give me some guidance."

Cao Zhen remained silent in response.

He was already physically weak, and as he got older, he became more and more ill. Seven years ago, he resigned from his post due to illness and stopped visiting others.

Therefore, he needs to carefully consider the information brought by Cao Fu before giving advice.

After all, the future of the family rests on Cao Fu's shoulders.

"Alas! The Xiahou and Cao families are all descendants of Emperor Wu, the founder of the dynasty, but only my family has declined."

After a long while, under Cao Fu's earnest gaze, Cao Zhen sighed and uttered these words of lament: "Even though Cao Tai, the heir of our country's first Grand Marshal, was wiped out in the Battle of Ruxukou, he was still able to hold the position of General Who Guards the East. My late father had made great contributions and even risked his life to save Emperor Wu between Liang and Qiao. In contrast, I have spent my entire life among the ranks of redundant officials, merely holding a minor but prestigious position. Wen Xin, on the other hand, has never even held a redundant official post. In comparison, how poorly the Wei court has treated my family."

The words left Cao Fu speechless.

Half of his grief stemmed from the injustice his family had suffered, and the other half from the feeling that his elder brother Cao Zhen's lament was a veiled hint that the Wei dynasty was no longer worth serving and that he no longer needed to take up a post.

Cao Zhen, after a slight pause, continued, "If I'm not mistaken, my brother's concern is that if our family remains dormant for too long, our titles and fiefs may not be passed down, so he's looking for an official position to preserve them, is that right?"

“Your thoughts cannot be hidden from your elder brother.”

Nodding emphatically, Cao Fu said without hesitation, "I have no intention of dying for the Wei dynasty, but I do not want the family business that my father built up over a lifetime of military campaigns to be destroyed in my hands."

"Alas! It's not that I'm particularly clever, but this is all my family can hope for."

With another sigh, Cao Zhen, looking old and weary, closed his eyes sadly and fell silent once more.

Cao Fu sat quietly.

One of the reasons he hesitated for so long before seeking advice from his elder brother was that he didn't want his brother to be overwhelmed with emotion.

After all, his elder brother Cao Zhen was enfeoffed as a marquis before the Wei dynasty replaced the Han dynasty, and he had experienced his family's fall from the heights of power to the depths of despair, so he felt the pain most deeply.

“I am old and sick, and my days are numbered. The honor and disgrace of the family rest on my younger brother’s shoulders.”

After a while, Cao Zhen opened his eyes again and slowly said, "How to choose should be decided by you, brother. Since you have come to me, I cannot stand aside. So I will give you some advice for your consideration."

"Thank you, brother!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Fu immediately rose from his seat, bowed respectfully, and said, "Please give me your guidance, elder brother."

"Please sit down. Brothers, let's not make things awkward."

Cao Zhen pressed his hand down before speaking, “Firstly, given Xiahou Zhiquan’s current power, there is nothing left for him to plot against in our family. Secondly, my late father was once stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner, while Zhiquan’s father is still a ‘General of the Plain Land,’ so he would not likely harbor any ill intentions towards my brother. Thirdly, the sons of Qiao and Pei are supposed to share both honor and disgrace, but now Zhiquan is at odds with Xiahou Yunjin, Cao Zhaobo and Cao Changsi, and so on, so they would not likely consider my brother an enemy. Finally, in the current court and among the common people, if my brother wishes to pursue an official career, there is no one left to help him!”

Understood.

"I understand your meaning, brother. Thank you for your guidance."

A flash of understanding crossed Cao Fu's eyes. He thanked his brother sincerely, but when he saw that his brother looked tired and listless after he finished speaking, he didn't want to bother him any longer. He got up and said goodbye, "Brother, I'll be going now."

"Yes. Let's go back."

Cao Zhen, who was already suffering from illness, did not try to stop him and waved his hand gently. But just as Cao Fu turned to leave and was about to walk out of the study, he seemed to remember something and suddenly called out loudly.

"Wenxin!"

The sudden call made Cao Fu stop and turn around, his eyes filled with confusion.

Cao Zhen's eyes widened, his face flushed and contorted with rage. He spoke almost word by word, "Zhi Quan is a man of strong character and straightforwardness, incapable of concealing his true intentions or enduring hardship. Moreover, he is an extraordinary person who takes on extraordinary tasks. Such a person will either achieve great success or suffer a great defeat in the future! If you, my brother, follow me closely, you must be extremely cautious in all matters! Unless the situation is clear, victory is assured, or the situation is so dire that you have no other choice, you must never disregard the lives of your clan and family and gamble everything on one last gamble!"

Time flies like an arrow; in the blink of an eye, it's already early August, the middle of autumn.

The capital city of Luoyang was still filled with a celebratory atmosphere, as news of the battle in Liaodong had returned once again.

Guanqiu Jian led his army to capture Wandu Mountain Fortress, the capital of Goguryeo. He sent over two thousand prisoners, along with Goguryeo ancestral temples and royal artifacts, to Luoyang, the capital, to report the victory. However, due to the imperial decision to completely incorporate Haidong into the territory of the Central Plains dynasty, he suspended the offensive, pacified the local Yi people, repaired houses to prepare for winter, and constructed irrigation canals and water conservancy projects to facilitate local farming.

After learning of the fall of the capital from the palace of the Goguryeo king who fled to Dongwojeo, he continued his northward journey, sending envoys to neighboring countries and local Yi tribes to join his cause, attempting to gather forces for a counterattack and a comeback.

Xiahou Ba's journey went much more smoothly.

Having been abandoned by all his allies, Han Yebu Naihou had originally sought refuge with Weigong, but after entering Goguryeo territory, he learned that Wandu Mountain Fortress had fallen and Weigong himself was in dire straits. Left with no other choice, he had no choice but to go north and join forces with Weigong.

But the soldiers who fled with him were unwilling.

It's one thing for them to flee their homeland to seek refuge in Goguryeo, since the two countries have always had a harmonious relationship and their territories are adjacent; but now they have to run to the edge of the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River to become watchdogs for the Yilou (tribe) and Sushen Kingdoms?

And yet, he was still in the position of a homeless dog, a mere appendage of the Wei Palace?
Fueled by such indignation and the strong sense of attachment to their homeland, these soldiers quickly recalled the Wei Kingdom's edict to "only punish the ringleaders."

Therefore, Hou passed away peacefully very quickly.

After being plied with alcohol by his men, he surrendered his head in his sleep, fulfilling his trusted soldiers' wish to return home.

His death signifies the complete submission of the entire Yemaek region.

Tian Yu, who had long since settled in Bunai City and established the Haidong Protectorate, officially became the "Chief" whom all the Huimo tribes looked up to.

Yes, Xiahou Ba has headed south.

Having learned of the fall of Wandu Mountain City earlier, he headed south to Daifang County to meet with Liu Mao of Gongzun half a month after the city changed hands, to make preparations for winter and to gather provisions and equipment in preparation for the war against the Three Hans.

When the battle report reached Luoyang, Emperor Cao Rui was overjoyed.

When the prisoners were presented at the Imperial Ancestral Temple again to proclaim the power of the nation, the merits of those involved in the war in the East China Sea were also rewarded.

Guanqiu Jian, who had already been appointed General Who Crossed the Liao River, did not change his official rank, except for an increase in his fief; Xiahou Ba, on the other hand, was transferred to General Who Pacifies the Di and appointed Governor of Pingzhou. Pingzhou was a newly established state formed by splitting the four Liaodong commanderies of Youzhou with the territory of Goguryeo.

From the rewards bestowed upon the two men, the court officials generally understood Emperor Cao Rui's plan—once the war in Haidong was completely over, Xiahou Ba would become the person in charge of guarding Haidong; while Guanqiu Jian would be transferred back to Jingxiang or Huainan to serve as a candidate for frontline commander.

The other generals were also recorded for their merits and received different rewards.

It is worth mentioning that Emperor Cao Rui not only rewarded Zhuge Dan, Sun Mi, Li Sheng, Deng Yang, and others who were imprisoned for the "Extravagance Case" and forced to serve in the war as commoners, but also issued a special edict to commend them for their diligence in serving the country and their loyalty to the emperor!
From the early condemnation of those who were "frivolous and neglected the fundamental principles" to the current praise of those who are "diligent in serving the king," the change in the imperial edict also means that they will usher in the dawn of the liberation of their official careers.

The exact time should be when the war in Haidong was completely over, and Emperor Cao Rui granted them a special pardon on the grounds that they had assisted the Wei state in expanding its territory, at the time when he was reporting the victory at the temple.

Of course, this is on the premise that nothing unexpected happens during the process.

Just as the Wei Kingdom was enjoying a successful military campaign in the east of the sea, Yong and Liang in the west were also facing turmoil.

Mangzhong and Zhuyi, the Qiang kings of Shaodang in Xiping County, Liangzhou, raised an army and started a rebellion. Various Qiang tribes in the Hehuang region also took the opportunity to secretly send troops to plunder the people. Even the neighboring Jincheng County and Longxi County were not spared from the poison.

In response, Xu Miao, the governor of Liangzhou and the military commander in charge of protecting the Qiang, submitted a memorial to the imperial court and then led his troops to quell the rebellion.

Xiahou Hui, who concurrently held the position of Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, was summoned to the Nine Dragon Hall by Emperor Cao Rui for making a note in his memorial. (End of Chapter)