Wei Ni

The light of a firefly cannot rival the brilliance of the moon.

This is a true reflection of Sima Zhao; overshadowed by the dazzling brilliance of his father and brothers, he was like a transparent person.

For example, whenever someone introduces him, they always start by saying, "This is the second son of the Grand Commandant and the younger brother of Sima Ziyuan."

But just as Cao Zhi, the Prince of Chensi, wrote in his "Memorial Requesting a Test," "I hope to use the slightest dust and mist to supplement the mountains and seas, and the last light of a firefly to enhance the brilliance of the sun and moon," Sima Zhao had always wanted to prove himself and bring glory to his family with his talent and learning.

The reason they wanted to recruit Gan Xing as their follower was precisely because of this.

He had previously returned to his hometown of Henan with his elder brother Sima Shi, mainly because Sima Yi intended to appoint him to a government post. Therefore, he was asked to return home to select a few attendants to make preparations in advance.

As one of the most prestigious families in the State of Wei, the Sima family had no shortage of followers.

Whether it's a capable advisor on government affairs, a warrior to protect your safety, or even a chivalrous outlaw, they can all be found in the manor at any time.

Therefore, Sima Shi, who was in charge of the family affairs on behalf of his father, did not need to exert any effort and directly selected five people for his younger brother.

Three of them were guards: one was an old advisor, and the other was a roughneck.

After accepting all the money, Sima Zhao claimed that he had not returned to his hometown for a long time. Since his family needed some time to find him a government position, he planned to travel around the county during this period, which might require some money for welcoming and sending off guests.

Sima Shi smiled at this, and then asked him meaningfully if he wanted to go to Bo County.

Sima Zhao immediately blushed.

The Sima family had previously sent someone to Bo County to recruit Gan Xing, but after Gan Xing refused, nothing more was heard of him. He was just a commoner, and the Sima family, which kept many retired soldiers, had no reason to treat him with such respect.

Sima Zhao wanted to recruit him so that he could prove to his father and brothers that he, who was about to enter officialdom, was also capable of succeeding.

"Gan Xing is no ordinary man. When my family went to recruit him, we had someone investigate his background. He is originally from Xuzhou, and he became a fugitive after killing someone to avenge the massacre of his family. Such a person has wandered the Jianghu for many years, and his will is extremely resilient. He cannot be subdued by force or bribed with money. Moreover, his actions are not bound by etiquette or morality, nor are they swayed by right and wrong. If you wish to recruit him as a follower, do not bring money or other useless items. Go with sincerity and befriend him first before you can invite him to serve you. Hmm, we can see from his revenge for Enlao that whether it succeeds or not is not up to my family or you, but up to his decision. Do not be impatient. First, establish good relations. Even if this matter does not succeed this time, it may not succeed in the future."

Having seen through his brother's intentions, Sima Shi left these words and departed.

This left Sima Zhao feeling both frustrated and delighted.

Frustration stemmed from the fact that his thoughts could not be hidden from his brother, while joy came from the fact that Sima Shi had already allowed him to act freely.

But soon, the frustration and joy transformed into high morale.

From the phrase "Even if this attempt fails, it may not succeed in the future," he could tell that Sima Shi was not optimistic about the outcome of this mission to recruit Gan Xing.

That's why he needs to work even harder to succeed!
To this end, he even sought out someone to learn about Gan Xing's past in detail, and very politely consulted the old staff member and the rough-and-tumble fellow who had just been assigned to him.

The conclusion is that the best way to quickly gain the favor of someone of lower status is not just to offer them food or clothing; it's also to discuss things in their areas of expertise. The satisfaction and pride they derive from this will translate into goodwill towards you.

He humbly accepted the advice and put it into practice, and the results seemed to be quite good.

He went to Bo County three times in one month.

The first time Gan Xing saw them, his first instinct was to yell at the children to run back inside the house, while he himself dropped what he was doing and picked up a knife.

The second time, although Gan Xing was still somewhat wary of him, he was able to awkwardly strike up a conversation.

The third time, however, progressed very well.

Gan Xing not only talked to him about his past as a bandit in Wangwu Mountain, but also stopped telling his wife and children to avoid him.
In the minds of aristocratic families or official families, it is considered impolite to let guests see their wives and children, but in the eyes of ordinary people or commoners, it is a sign of no longer being a stranger.

Therefore, Sima Zhao was very happy, thinking that if he visited a few more times, they could become friends.

Just then, news came back from the capital Luoyang that Emperor Cao Rui would decide on granting him an official position after the year-end accounting, so he still had plenty of time.

In fact, what he didn't know was that his repeated visits were extremely annoying to Gan Xing.

Ever since Uncle Sun took in a few of his children to raise in his home, he no longer wanted to have anything to do with any official or aristocratic families.

He is not a dull person.

Of course, he could guess that Yin Yang and his people were shady characters, and this matter was a good opportunity for him to repay Xiahou Hui's kindness. How could he associate with Sima Zhao and increase the risk of exposure?
As for why their attitude towards Sima Zhao gradually improved...
As a registered household member who had once been a bandit and was under close scrutiny by the government, he had already refused the Sima family once. If he were to offend Sima Zhao's kindness in treating people with respect again, even if the Sima family generously did not pursue the matter, the governor of Hanoi or the magistrate of Bo County would surely wonder why he was so ungrateful and would no longer regard him as a good commoner.

If you don't stand up straight, your words won't carry weight.
Therefore, after Sima Zhao visited for the fourth time and asked him to guide him to hunt in Wangwu Mountain because he had not hunted in autumn and winter for many years, he found a time to bring the furs to a shop in Gucheng to sell.

The shop was managed by Sun Kan, the eldest son of Uncle Sun.

As Xiahou Hui's official position continued to rise and he received increasing favor from Emperor Cao Rui, Sun Shu gradually attracted the attention of many people and was no longer suitable to be in charge of raising children in seclusion.

Sun Kan, who grew up in Qiao County, was naturally recruited to the capital region by Xiahou Hui.

After learning about Gan Xing's situation, Sun Kan did not dare to delay. He wrote a letter and sent it to the Marquis of Lingzhi's residence to ask Xiahou Hui's opinion: should Gan Xing be moved back to his hometown to avoid Sima Zhao?
This was also Gan Xing's own wish.

He was willing to risk being prosecuted for past crimes by the Donghai County government rather than rely on the Sima family to gain an opportunity to change the fate of his descendants. Moreover, this matter would be easy for Xiahou Hui.

Given the official positions of Deng Ai, Gou Quan, and other former subordinates in Xuzhou, it would be a simple matter of a word for the government to spare Gan Xing from punishment.

There's no need to worry about the Sima family noticing anything.

Although Sima Yi held a very high position, his influence had not yet extended to Xuzhou.

In particular, Gan Xing's relocation to his hometown to decline the offer of recruitment was a reason that even Sima Zhao could not force.
However, after struggling with his conscience several times while sitting alone in his study, Xiahou Hui ultimately succumbed to his lust for power over morality.

He wanted Gan Xing to accept Sima Zhao's offer of recruitment.

It's not for the sake of time.

He doesn't need Gan Xing to spy on him or anything like that.

Even if he doesn't become mortal enemies with the Sima family in the future, Gan Xing will be Sima Zhao's true follower and live out his days in the Sima family smoothly.

Yes, he intended to use Gan Xin as a suicide soldier.

As the name suggests, a suicide soldier is a one-time consumable. They may never need to be used in their lifetime, but once they are used, Gan Xing will have to die.

He originally did not want to treat Gan Xing as a disposable commodity.

But such an opportunity is so rare that it will never come again.

Firstly, it was Sima Zhao, not Sima Shi, who wanted to recruit Gan Xing.

Therefore, Xiahou Hui has no need to worry that Gan Xing will slip up or have his true identity discovered in the future.

Another factor is Gan Xing's character.

He possessed the spirit of a scholar from the pre-Qin period, the kind of person who did not concern himself with right or wrong, nor with life or death, but only sought not to owe others anything and to keep his word; he was also the most ideal choice for a death-defying warrior.

The reason he hesitated so much before making his decision was that he still had a kind heart and did not want to do something like demanding repayment for favors or treating other people's lives as worthless.

Therefore, he could only silently recite, "Where there is a fragrant bait, there will be a fish; where there is a heavy reward, there will be a man who will die," comforting himself with the idea that there is essentially no difference between demanding repayment for favors and repaying kindness, deliberately ignoring the threshold that distinguishes the two.

This hurdle is like the Chu River and Han Border on a chessboard; once you cross it, the board changes color, and you can never go back.

“I will take care of your wife and children, so don’t worry. Your brother will live in Xiapi and become an official.”

This is Xiahou Hui's reply.

After reading it, Gan Xing did not feel indignant about being forced to become a suicide soldier, but instead breathed a long sigh of relief.

Because in the heart of someone like him, receiving kindness from strangers and being unable to repay it for a long time is a burdensome and unsettling thing.

It's like a heart ailment.

Now he has finally found relief and can finally let go of his worries.

In particular, his younger brother Gan Ping will be relocated to Xiapi County, which borders Donghai County, to serve as an official. In the future, he will have no shortage of opportunities to return to his hometown to repair his parents' graves. As a man, he should know how to repay kindness. Moreover, he has ensured that his wife and children will have a worry-free life, and he has not failed his parents and taken care of his younger brother. What is there to regret in dying?

Therefore, when Sima Zhao came uninvited for the fifth time, Gan Xing did not engage in conversation with him, but instead asked him directly whether his recent actions were intended to recruit him as a follower.

Sima Zhao also frankly admitted it.

Because he knew that if he said something against his conscience, it would backfire.

"Go back now. Have someone send fifty thousand coins and thirteen bolts of silk."

Sima Zhao was delighted by this demand for money and immediately surrendered as Gan Xing had suggested.

But soon, he became somewhat frustrated.

Because Gan Xing had sent his wife and children away when he left, and distributed the wealth to thirteen households, those who had previously been bandits with him in Wangwu Mountain. Then he came alone and became his attendant with the words, "This is my life, I am at your service."

ok~
They've given gifts to old friends and seen off their wives and children—what kind of entourage is this?

He clearly felt that Sima Zhao recruited him to do something shady, which is why he was determined to die and made arrangements for his life beforehand.

It's no wonder Sima Zhao was frustrated.

But he couldn't blame Gan Xing for misunderstanding, after all, Gan Xing had already refused once, yet he still persisted in going to Gan Xing's house.

From another perspective, isn't this blatant coercion using their family as leverage? (End of Chapter)