Wei Ni

With the approval of Xiahou Hui's petition to reduce his military power, many words of praise for him circulated in the capital, Luoyang.

After all, the impression and evaluation of him from both the government and the public was that he was upright and eager for quick success.

Now that he has become the Grand General and is assisting the government, he has already requested the appointments of the other two regents and the sons of Empress Dowager Guo, thus easing the tensions between the three forces that could influence the young emperor. He then had the officials in the court recommend candidates for the position of Governor of Henan, and removed his relatives from the list, leaving the decision to the relevant authorities to show that he would not usurp the power of the various departments. Now he has even relinquished his military power. Isn't this a manifestation of prioritizing the overall situation and being loyal to the emperor and the country?
Who would dare say he has a personality flaw!
in contrast.

Whether the officials were truly dedicated to public service or prioritized their own interests over the nation's well-being, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Their worries about powerful regents and the rewriting of the traditional power structure with each new emperor could now be put to rest, couldn't they?
Of course, everyone's joys and sorrows, separations and reunions are different.

There are still people who are worried.

Like Grand Commandant Sima Yi and General of Chariots and Cavalry Cao Shuang, who were entrusted with the care of the young emperor.

On the day Emperor Cao Fang granted the request, Grand Commandant Sima Yi returned to his residence and sighed to his eldest son Sima Shi, "The younger generation is formidable. The General has gained popular support and is poised for success. Only today do I realize how far-sighted my son's previous concerns were."

He no longer needed to stay at the Southern Capital Commandant's residence.

On the one hand, the new emperor has already ascended the throne, so there is no need for him to appease the people.

Another reason is that he had always considered retiring.

Therefore, he did not want to stay in Nanque and be frequently visited by officials, lest Xiahou Hui and Cao Shuang make unfounded speculations that he coveted power or had selfish motives.

Upon hearing this, Sima Shi remained silent.

He suddenly remembered that he had corresponded with Xiahou Hui in his early years and regarded each other as close friends.

If I hadn't refused his invitation back then and had gone to the banquet as my late wife Xiahou Hui had suggested, I would probably be able to discuss the state of affairs with Zhiquan now and fully display my talents and ambitions.

But he quickly dismissed the idea.

There are no "what ifs" in this world.

He also knew that, as the eldest son of the Grand Commandant, he would one day turn his back on Xiahou Hui.

Therefore, after a moment's thought, he replied, "My previous statement was merely a conjecture, and I was fortunate to have guessed correctly. It is not worthy of Father's words. As the Grand General and the one entrusted with the care of the young emperor by Emperor Ming, Zhiquan already possesses both the title and the power. Now, he has won the favor of the officials and gained popular support. In the near future, he will surely wield immense power and do as he pleases. Father, you should make plans as soon as possible."

"Alas, how could I not know something so obvious!"

This time, Sima Yi remained silent for a moment before sighing, "Alas, I am now caught in the middle of this situation. Even if I wish to withdraw, it will be difficult to do so. Ziyuan, do you not know the saying 'A wise man devises strategies, a petty man seeks good intentions'? In my opinion, with Zhiquan gaining power, Zhaobo must feel resentful and fearful, which will likely cause me more trouble."

"Father, I know that."

With a beaming smile, Sima Shi answered without any modesty, "I had a premonition about today's situation when Zhi Quan was appointed Prefect of Anping."

so early?
Sima Yi raised his eyebrows slightly, looking surprised, then lowered his eyelids to continue his thoughts, plunging the study into silence.

It wasn't that he suspected his eldest son of boasting, but rather that he wanted to calm down and carefully review the recent events, trying to find out if he had been too caught up in the situation to make any mistakes or overlooked anything.

To be fair, both his family traditions and his personal cultivation instilled in him the habit of never looking down on anyone.

Not to mention Xiahou Hui, who had many achievements to his name.

However, since Xiahou Hui took the lead, all his actions have been made public, but he only understood Xiahou Hui's intentions after Xiahou Hui had completed his plan.

If their methods are clever and their plans are far-reaching, then so be it.

He achieved remarkable results with very ordinary measures, like a gazelle hanging its horns on a tree, and he was only just turning thirty! So his exclamation "The younger generation is truly formidable" was indeed heartfelt.

After carefully reviewing the case and finding no flaws, Sima Yi ultimately gave up.

Perhaps Ziyuan had long regarded Xiahou Zhiquan as a hypothetical enemy, constantly studying his actions and thoughts, which is why he was able to discover the subtle clues now.

That's how he comforted himself, and he also took the opportunity to ask a question.

"Since Ziyuan anticipated this, he must have already considered a countermeasure. Tell me, how should I, as your father, conduct myself to avoid this turmoil?"

"Father, I have thought it over."

Sima Shi, his smile vanished, sat up straight and began to speak eloquently.

"I believe that Father's words 'A wise man devises strategies' refer to Zhiquan's upright and honest approach in gaining the respect of the court and the people. 'A petty man's good intentions' refers to Zhaobo's observation that Zhiquan is gaining the praise and prestige of the officials and ministers and fearing that he will be unable to compete with Zhiquan's growing power. Therefore, he will become 'a petty man who is always worried' and wants to win him over or use Father's name to consolidate his own power."

"Zhao Bo is second only to Zhi Quan in rank, but his achievements are inferior, and his talent is even more unmatched. Therefore, in my opinion, if he has any ambition for power, the only way is to recommend his trusted confidants to the court to hold prominent positions and wield real power. However, most of those who are currently under Zhao Bo's command are like me, whose careers have been restricted by the late emperor in the name of extravagance."

"Therefore, I dare to assert that if he intends to disrupt Father's plans, he will surely follow the example of Zhi Quan's petition to the Emperor to grant me an official position! This is because if I am granted an official position by His Majesty, those who rely on him, such as Xiahou Taichu and He Pingshu, will also be granted official positions. Taichu is the descendant of a meritorious official from Qiao and Pei, and Pingshu is Emperor Wu's adopted son; both have long been famous. It would not be difficult for Zhaobo to obtain positions such as Minister for them. In this way, Zhaobo's ambition to seize real power in the court to oppose Zhi Quan will be fulfilled."

These words filled Sima Yi's eyes with satisfaction. With a son like this, what more could a husband ask for?

For a fleeting moment, he even considered taking some slow-acting poison to render himself unable to manage affairs, feign illness, and return to his hometown to pave the way for his eldest son's career.

Of course, it's best to just think about it.

“What Ziyuan said is all correct.”

Sima Yi nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "However, this matter concerns Zhao Bo and the Emperor, not my family. Whether Ziyuan is granted an official position is beyond my control."

“I did not mean to beg you, Father, to decline on my behalf.”

Sima Shi continued, “As Father said, Zhao Bo’s heart and His Majesty’s will are not something our family can interfere with. But as the saying goes, ‘possessing a treasure is a crime,’ if Father can take a step back, regardless of whether I am given a position, Father will no longer be disturbed!”

"What's the meaning of this statement?"

“Father can be appointed Grand Tutor, and retire to enjoy honors and privileges, so as to relinquish the power of the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.”

After he finished speaking, Sima Yi fell silent again.

He wasn't thinking about how to be promoted to the position of Grand Tutor.

With his connections in the court, all he had to do was have Sima Shi make some private contacts, and someone would be willing to submit a memorial on his behalf. Moreover, most of the court officials would persuade Emperor Cao Fang to grant the request.

It wasn't that he was unwilling to relinquish the power of holding the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

He had wanted to retire for a long time, but now he felt he couldn't.

The two emperors of the Wei dynasty bestowed great favor upon him and even left him a will to assist in governing. Now, in order to avoid disaster, he has gone into hiding. How will he face Emperor Wen and Emperor Ming in the afterlife?
Furthermore, wasn't the reason Emperor Ming entrusted him with the care of the young emperor precisely because Emperor Ming valued his prestige as a veteran minister of four generations, and hoped that he could "harmonize the yin and yang and maintain peace between the inside and outside" when Xiahou Hui and Cao Shuang were in conflict?

How can you shirk responsibility when things come to a head?
There's a saying that no one knows a son better than his father, and the reverse is also true.

Seeing him fall into deep thought, Sima Shi roughly guessed his concerns and gently advised him again, "I know what you're thinking, Father, and I don't mean to advise you to stay out of it. I just feel that with Zhiquan and Zhaobo about to start a power struggle, you can't reconcile them if you get involved, and it might even backfire. It would be better for you to temporarily avoid the conflict and wait until their dispute is resolved or if it disturbs the country before you step in to clean up the mess. I'm advising you to be patient for the sake of the country and repay the kindness of Emperor Wen and Emperor Ming, not to leave things to the riverbank."

"good!"

The same late-night conversation also took place in the study of Cao Shuang's residence.

Unlike the united efforts of Sima father and son, Cao Shuang, He Yan, and Xiahou Xuan, who were present, all had different expressions and thoughts.

Cao Shuang looked indignant, his heart filled with the frustration of being mocked.

From never stopping Xu Yun, whom he recommended, from being appointed as the governor of Anfeng, to recommending his three younger brothers for official positions, he always thought that Xiahou Hui was showing goodwill and trying to reconcile with him!

Little did he know that it was all just wishful thinking on his part.

Xiahou Hui merely used him as a stepping stone to demonstrate humility and a pawn to win the favor of the nobles and officials!

It's a shame that when he was recommending candidates for Governor of Henan, he specifically included Xiahou Heng.

Tolerable or unbearable!
This is why he returned to his residence today to seek out He Yan and Xiahou Xuan to discuss matters—since Xiahou Hui ignored him and did not coexist peacefully with him, but only wanted to build his own reputation and gain full control of the court, he could not sit idly by and wait for his death, ultimately losing even his voice in the court.

He Yan's face showed an eager expression, his heart filled with a burning desire for power.

One emperor and one courtier.

From the moment Emperor Cao Fang ascended the throne, it meant that the extravagant scandal of Emperor Ming Cao Rui's reign had vanished, and he began to yearn to return to officialdom and hold a prominent position.

Now he has finally found the right opportunity!
Therefore, when Cao Shuang asked him for advice on how to preserve his future power, he immediately revealed his pre-existing plan and suggested that Cao Shuang recommend Sima Shi for the position of Attendant Gentleman of the Secretariat.

Let's test the waters first.

If Xiahou Hui and the officials did not object, and Emperor Cao Fang granted his request, he and Xiahou Xuan, among others, would be able to ascend to high positions in the imperial court and expand Cao Shuang's power.

If this proposal is rejected, will Grand Commandant Sima Yi harbor resentment towards Xiahou Hui? Even if they don't, Cao Shuang has plenty of ways to "make" some people think they do!

He also knew that Cao Shuang would definitely adopt his suggestion, and even Xiahou Xuan couldn't stop him.

There's no better way, is there?

Indeed, Xiahou Xuan did not speak up to stop it and remained silent.

Because he knew he couldn't stop it, didn't want to waste his efforts, and was filled with worry. (End of Chapter)