Wei Ni

Sima Yi understood what it meant to say "the family affairs are properly arranged".

This refers not only to the year-end affairs of one's hometown, but also to the fact that the mansion in Luoyang, the capital, has already closed to guests at this critical juncture, and to the restraint of the words and deeds of one's children and servants.

Therefore, he temporarily put aside his distracting thoughts and enjoyed the warmth of dining and chatting with his two sons.

The night is getting darker.

As Sima Yi moved into the office, the two brothers squeezed together on a small couch and slept fully clothed.

But Sima Shi, who had been snoring loudly, stopped snoring abruptly after Sima Zhao's breathing became steady as he slept. He quietly got up and left, going to his father's office.

The lamp inside the room was dimly lit.

Sima Yi, who had expected this, was kneeling in front of the table with his eyes closed, resting. When he heard the door being pushed open, he said without looking up, "Sit down."

They all tacitly avoided Sima Zhao.

It wasn't that I thought Sima Zhao lacked the wisdom to strategize, or that he couldn't keep things to himself; it was out of concern for him.

Because knowing some things can actually be a burden.

For Sima Yi, there were some things that the eldest son had to bear, but there was no need to expose his still young second son to the dark side of petty scheming too early.

"It's cold, Father, why didn't you light a fire?"

Sima Shi did not sit down as instructed, but instead went to the wall by the window to fetch a brazier.

"Ziyuan, there's no need to bother. Although I am old, I am not so cold as to be afraid of the cold."

Sima Yi waved his hand, his voice filled with relief, but then, as if remembering something, he sighed with melancholy, "Alas!"

This also caused Sima Shi to pause slightly.

But he still brought a brazier and placed it beside his father. As he lit the charcoal, he whispered, “I know what you are worried about, Father. But the Emperor is a matter ordained by Heaven, and it is not something you can control. You should take care of yourself and not let other things bother you.”

"Um"

With a soft nasal sound, Sima Yi slowly lowered his eyelids.

Sima Shi, who had returned to his seat, waited silently. After a long while, when his father still did not speak, he could not help but ask, "Father, is there anything you need to tell me?"

This is also why he rushed from his hometown to Luoyang and entered the Southern Palace today after receiving a letter from Sima Zhao informing him that the emperor had been ill for a long time and that he and his father were staying at the Grand Commandant's residence instead of returning home.

Because the capital was about to change, his father was also trapped inside the Southern Palace.

What is he still doing in his hometown?

What if his father needs his advice or assistance with something?
"Nothing."

Sima Yi shook his head slightly, "Now that Ziyuan has returned to the capital, I can finally rest easy in my office. Besides, with my son's wisdom, doesn't he understand that for our family now, even if Mount Tai collapses before us, it will not budge?"

"I am aware of that."

Sima Shi answered softly, his tone somewhat worried, "It's just that people's hearts are restless these days, and I'm worried that the tree may wish to remain still while the wind keeps blowing, and I fear that Father may be disturbed."

"A virtuous person establishes himself between heaven and earth by restraining himself and upholding righteousness, so what fear is there of the impending storm?"

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi couldn't help but chuckle. "Ziyuan, you're overthinking it. I've been immersed in officialdom for decades; my mind isn't so easily disturbed by petty, rebellious individuals." But as soon as he finished speaking, he paused slightly and asked, "The tree desires stillness, but the wind will not cease; does Ziyuan have something to say?"

"Nothing can be hidden from Father."

Smiling and nodding, Sima Shi lowered his voice and asked, "Does Father not think that the incident of the two Xiahou visiting the Imperial Ancestral Temple is indeed somewhat perplexing?"

Of course I can see that there are many suspicious points here.

They even dared to assert that many officials and nobles in the imperial court found the matter suspicious.

It was only because the incident occurred in the Jiafu Palace, and Emperor Cao Rui handled it so swiftly, that the court officials had no chance to understand the situation or react before Xiahou Xian lost power and was banished from the capital, Luoyang. Therefore, even those court officials who noticed something amiss dared not say anything more.

The matter is already settled.

Moreover, Xiahou Hui had been granted the authority to command the four battalions again and was already designated as a regent. Who would dare to indulge in momentary verbal sparring and bring trouble upon themselves in the future?

Sima Yi remained silent.

After a moment, he solemnly instructed, "What I think is unimportant; what matters is that the Emperor has already made his decision. Ziyuan, do not..." As he spoke, his words abruptly stopped, and he squinted at his eldest son for a long while before continuing to ask, "Has Ziyuan done anything?"

“Father, this morning I wrote a letter to Yuzhou, asking the Agricultural Commissioner to release two families of scholars to Qiao County to return to their agricultural status.”

"That's all?"

"Heaven and earth bear witness, how could I dare to deceive my father!"

"Why don't you discuss this with your father first?"

"Father, getting Xiahou Xian to reveal the whole story is not something that can be done overnight. Besides, I am only doing this as a precaution, and since I may not need it in the future, I will do it on my own."

Sima Yi remained silent once again.

Perhaps feeling stifled by the heat of the brazier, he got up and went to the window, lifting the thick curtains to let the cool breeze caress his face.

Seeing this, Sima Shi dared not remain seated any longer. He quickly stood up, bowed, and apologized, saying, "I was reckless, please forgive me, Father. If you think this matter is inappropriate, I will send someone to retrieve the letter after I return home the next day."

"No need. And I didn't mean to blame you."

Sima Yi, whose eyes were still closed, raised his head slightly, letting the cold wind tug at his beard and hair. His voice was somewhat ethereal. "I just don't understand. His Majesty is the Prince of Yan, in charge of the Imperial Guards, and will surely be the one entrusted with the care of the young emperor in the future. Why is Ziyuan so certain that Xiahou Zhiquan will be the one to oppose my family in the future?"

“Father, I believe that since the King of Qin and the King of Qi are both young, the government will be entrusted to ministers. Xiahou Zhiquan, on the other hand, is ambitious and daring, and will eventually show his true colors. Even if the King of Yan is in the lead, he cannot be controlled.”

"Fine, do as you please. I am old and weary, Ziyuan, go and rest."

"Yes, Father. I thank you for your forgiveness, and I will certainly not cause any more trouble."

After Sima Shi's promise, the Grand Commandant's office returned to the deathly silence befitting the deep of night.

However, he forgot his own words, "The tree desires stillness, but the wind will not cease." At this critical juncture, when a storm is brewing, it's not something that the father and son can simply choose to remain calm.

Time flies like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the eleventh day of the first month of the third year of Jingchu.

Apart from the snow being lighter, the capital city of Luoyang seemed unchanged. Officials were still busy with their appointments, while ordinary people were more concerned about the woodcutters selling firewood at higher prices.

However, for people like Xiahou Hui or Sima Yi who were qualified to enter and exit the Jiafu Palace, the weather in the capital changed drastically in less than half a month.

Perhaps in just a few more days, things will change completely.

Yes, Emperor Cao Rui was already very weak. His originally pale and listless face had become dull and withered, and he could not even swallow a few mouthfuls of well-cooked minced meat.

The time he was awake each day became very short; he could only say a few words before falling asleep again.

But he persisted and still did not formally appoint a regent.

The reason was known to Cao Yu, the Prince of Yan, who served in the Jiafu Hall, Cao Shuang, who was on duty, and Liu Fang and Sun Zi, who occasionally came to report on official business and request the use of the emperor's seal.

Although five batches of envoys were sent to urge him on, Qin Lang, who was far away in Jiuyuan County, had not yet returned.

It wasn't that Qin Lang was dawdling or that the envoy was being negligent.

Just as the first month of the lunar calendar began, the governor of Bingzhou sent a memorial claiming that heavy snow had ravaged the counties and prefectures of Bingzhou in late winter, accumulating several feet of snow on the ground, collapsing countless houses, and causing many people and livestock to freeze to death.

Moreover, this memorial, which was sent from Jinyang in Taiyuan Prefecture, took a full five days to reach the capital, Luoyang.

Based on this calculation, it would take Qin Lang at least twenty days, under ideal circumstances, to return to the capital from Jiuyuan in Wuyuan County.

After all, it takes time for the post horses along the route to take turns rushing to deliver the imperial edict day and night!

Therefore, whenever Emperor Cao Rui was lucid, he would ask the Prince of Yan, "Has Asu returned?"

Asking several times a day.

The Prince of Yan, Cao Yu, who was reluctant to do so, was at a loss for words.

Even Xiahou Hui, who only had an audience with the emperor every two or three days, felt heartbroken upon witnessing this scene, wishing he could stab himself in the back.

Liu Fang and Sun Zi had heard it many times.

Furthermore, they also knew that whenever Emperor Cao Rui could not eat minced meat or drink ginseng soup, the Prince of Yan, Cao Yu, who served him, would only say, "Asu has not yet returned, Your Majesty, please try your best," and the emperor would force himself to swallow it.

Even if they vomit halfway through, they will still continue eating.

It can be said that waiting for Qin Lang to return and receive the imperial edict had become the emperor's obsession in not dying.

Therefore, the worries in Liu Fang and Sun Zi's eyes completely faded away.

The difference was that Liu Fang's gaze also held a hint of determination.

That night, at the office of the Directorate of State Affairs.

In the shared office room, after having a servant bring in wine to warm it up, Liu Fang closed the door and called to Sun Zi, who was about to go to bed, "Master Sun, come and have some wine."

Sun Zi originally wasn't in the mood for this.

These days, they, like the Three Dukes and the ministers of various departments, have been on duty inside the palace. They have been so cautious every day that they haven't had a full night's sleep. They are so tired that they have no appetite for drinking.
Besides, it's already late at night. The next day, I still need to take the official business I've finished handling today to the Jiafu Hall to get Emperor Cao Rui's approval (actually, Cao Yu reviewed it) to use the imperial seal. What if I'm still drunk and clash with the emperor?
As human beings, we must have at least a basic conscience.

Having enjoyed the emperor's favor for so many years, how could he not think of him at all?

However, before he could refuse, Liu Fang added a sentence that silenced him, and then he walked over and sat down with a look of melancholy on his face.

"The world is about to change. If we don't indulge in wine today, we'll have to wait until our descendants offer sacrifices to us again in the future."

That's what Liu Fang said, his tone filled with helplessness and self-deprecation.

"Master Sun, drink the holy wine!"

Upon seeing Sun Zi approach, Liu Fang filled both of their wine cups with a ladle, then raised his cup in invitation, saying, "We have worked together for decades, and Mr. Sun has always been humble and deferential to me. Today, I would like to offer this cup as a token of my gratitude."

Sun Zi, of course, would not refuse and immediately drank it all in one gulp.

After setting down his wine cup, he hesitated briefly before advising, "Lord Liu, things haven't come to this. Besides, Zhiquan should be able to protect us in the future, right?" (End of Chapter)