Wei Ni

What's it like to be roasted alive by your boss on your first day at work?
Looking at the steaming, golden-brown roasted meat on the table, Jia Chong, who was raising his wine cup and laughing and chatting with his colleagues, felt incredibly complicated.

Even though he had already heard that Xiahou Hui was fond of personally roasting meat for his relatives, friends, or subordinates.

The reason is very simple.

Because he never imagined that he would become an aide in the General's Office.

And he could not refuse the order to withdraw.

Grand Secretary Sun Zi and his father Jia Kui were close friends for decades. After his father's death, Sun Zi had taken good care of Jia Kui's family in recent years. A few days ago, Sun Zi personally wrote a letter to inform them of this matter, which was no different from "a gift from an elder that cannot be refused".

In particular, Sun Zi explained the whole story in his letter: Xiahou Hui originally wanted to recruit Sun Zi's eldest son, but Sun Zi felt that his son was more talented and deserved such an opportunity.

It was definitely an opportunity.

The one who now holds the reins of power in the State of Wei is General Xiahou Hui.

Even an ordinary official could add a dazzling touch to his resume if he were appointed as a clerk in the General's office, let alone someone who had only been in office for a few years and was then recruited as an aide.

But to be fair, he didn't want to have any involvement with Xiahou Hui.

It wasn't just his family background that gave him prejudice against the Xiahou and Cao families; it was also because he felt that Xiahou Hui, who was not yet thirty, had too many uncertainties about his future.

After all, the world is always changing.

The same applies to people.

He knew about Xiahou Hui's past and never questioned Xiahou Hui's loyalty to the state of Wei.

However, these factors could not overcome Xiahou Hui's biggest weakness: he was too young.

When Emperor Cao Fang grows up and takes over the government, and is ready to make his mark, Xiahou Hui will not yet be old and frail. Conflicts and contradictions will inevitably arise between them.

Such conflicts and contradictions are unavoidable.

Because there cannot be two suns in the sky.

Xiahou Hui was granted the title of acting ruler and minister by the late Emperor Cao Rui, and many people gathered around him inevitably regarded him as "the ruler." Emperor Cao Fang wanted to become a legitimate emperor and exercise imperial power, and the first step was to weaken Xiahou Hui's authority and expel or eliminate those who were attached to him.

Or perhaps such concerns are somewhat one-sided.

For example, Xiahou Hui, by fulfilling his duty as a subject and returning power to Emperor Cao Fang at the right time, might have been able to maintain a harmonious relationship with the emperor in the future, perhaps even repeating the story of the Duke of Zhou and King Cheng.

Jia Chong scoffed at this idealized ending, feeling it was utterly impossible.

He wasn't being arrogant, thinking he was the only one sober while everyone else was drunk.

Although he was also very young and inexperienced, he had been orphaned at a young age and grew up in the capital city of Luoyang, observing the changing power dynamics and the coldness and warmth of human nature.

Therefore, he can see through some things and also see far ahead.

If, when Emperor Cao Fang assumes personal rule, Xiahou Hui wants to become the Duke of Zhou and return power to the people, will those who have relied on him for many years and have long since tied their personal honor and the survival of their families to him willingly let him become the Duke of Zhou?
Xiahou Hui, a descendant of a meritorious official from Qiao and Pei, could have become the Duke of Zhou and his name would have been remembered for eternity, with his descendants enjoying glory and prosperity alongside the nation. But what about these people?

How could Emperor Cao Fang, who wanted to establish his authority and seize power, possibly continue to rely on them!

Moreover, the path to officialdom is never short of ambitious and hardworking people.

These people were given important positions and enjoyed great glory because of Xiahou Hui. After Xiahou Hui returned power, their power would inevitably attract the covetous eyes of many people, who would then fabricate charges, frame and attack them in order to take their place.

When that time comes, Emperor Cao Fang will surely be pleased to see it happen.
Perhaps, in the end, even Xiahou Hui, who has already returned power, will face retribution.

This reckoning has nothing to do with Xiahou Hui's loyalty to the state of Wei or Emperor Cao Fang, but rather with the fact that he once held the throne on behalf of the emperor.

Monarchical power is a poison that can cause people to lose their morality and ethics and disregard benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and trustworthiness.

For example, the case of the Crown Prince Li of the Former Han Dynasty.

He did not die from the conspiracy of Liu Quli and Li Guangli, or from the framing and coercion of Jiang Chong and other petty people; rather, he died from Emperor Xiaowu's tyrannical mentality and his vigilance against anyone encroaching on his imperial power.

Therefore, even though Xiahou Hui was loyal and had the desire to retire gracefully, he could not achieve his wish.

After all, how many powerful ministers throughout history, if they could not advance further, could have a good end?

Even Huo Guang, who has been praised for hundreds of years and regarded as a model of a good minister, could not escape the fate of death and the extermination of his clan!

If Xiahou Hui harbored ambitions of Wei Wu and truly desired to advance further...
Then there's even less to say.

Anyone who has ever had dealings with him should be prepared to "die for it or die trying."

This is why Jia Chong didn't want any connection with Xiahou Hui—it wasn't that he lacked ambition and only wanted to peacefully pass on his title and family business to his descendants, but rather that he didn't want to gamble away his future.

It's not worth it, is it?

The fact that Emperor Ming of the Ming Dynasty, Cao Rui, favored Cao Xiu in his judgment after the Battle of Shiting foreshadowed his current mindset.

In particular, in his view, given Xiahou Hui's current personality and determination to make a difference, he would inevitably face the suspicion and desire to leave Emperor Cao Fang in the future.

Being in a position of suspicion means that whatever you do will be subject to excessive interpretation.

As a subject, Xiahou Hui did more and made the state of Wei better, which only made Emperor Cao Fang more suspicious and his resentment even stronger!

Therefore, Jia Chong felt that the fragrant roasted meat was like chewing wax, and the fine wine was extremely bitter.

He has been forced to become involved with Xiahou Hui.

The most painful thing for a person is to see the abyss ahead but still be forced to walk into it step by step.

Or rather, he could distance himself by not putting in any real effort, and minimize his presence by being mediocre, thus avoiding being labeled as a follower of Xiahou Hui.
He had considered this idea.

Having lost his child at a young age, he neither wanted nor could bear the reputation of being mediocre during the prime of his life.

The Jia family of Hedong is indeed a prominent family, but when his deceased relative Jia Kui was young, he was so poor that he took his wife's brother and sister's trousers without asking in the dead of winter, which is enough to prove that his lineage had no one to rely on.

Therefore, once he is labeled as mediocre, he may become accustomed to it and live a life of mediocrity.

Even if he pretends to be mediocre, he can hardly escape unscathed.

When Sun Zi recommended him to Xiahou Hui, he was full of praise.

If he did that, people would understand that he did not want to associate with Xiahou Hui, but they would also inevitably ridicule Sun Zi.

It's not that this is mocking Sun Zi for lacking the ability to recognize talent, but rather ridiculing his character and conduct—his reputation was so poor that even the son of an old friend didn't bother to appreciate him.

It is easy to imagine how much of a blow such sarcastic remarks would be to Sun Zi.

First, he lost his exclusive power, then he became estranged from Liu Fang, the Grand Secretary who had been his comrade for decades, and now he is being scorned by the son of an old friend. At his age, he might fall ill and die of shame and indignation.

Jia Chong himself will not fare any better.

If someone treats their fathers and old friends, who have always cared for and promoted them, in this way, who will dare to be friendly with them in the future?

What future career prospects does he have?
Alas, there is no solution.

This morning, as Jia Chong went to the General's office to receive his new post, he indulged in unrealistic fantasies: how wonderful it would be if Sun Zi recommended him to Grand Tutor Sima Yi!
The Sima family, with its tradition of scholarship and poetry, naturally gave him a sense of closeness.

Sima Yi, who had long since achieved great success and was now retiring at the height of his career, possessed a wisdom in dealing with the world that I greatly admired.

Of course, people always have to face reality.

After Jia Chong took office, he was informed by Wang Ji, a member of the Imperial Guard, that the General was out enjoying the spring scenery that day. Wang Ji told him that if he wanted to pay his respects, he should go to the Beiman Mountain Manor with his colleagues Deng Ai, Jiang Ban, Jiao Yi, and Wu Gang. Wang Ji also thoughtfully called Wu Gang to introduce him to Jia Chong.

This forced him to make the trip.

I can't very well refuse my colleagues' kindness on my first day in office and then be accused of not wanting to pay my respects to the general, can I?
On the way there, Jia Chong did not try to get close to his colleagues.

I simply observed their actions and words silently.

These colleagues were all former subordinates whom Xiahou Hui had gathered when he was serving in Huainan before he rose to prominence.

Through these people, one can discern some aspects of Xiahou Hui's character.

If he knew the backgrounds of these people, he would understand that Xiahou Hui did not have any concept of social status when employing people.

When they arrived at the picnic area of ​​the Beiman Mountain Manor, Jia Chong went up to pay his respects to Xiahou Hui. Just then, Xiahou Hui was starting a fire to roast meat, so their conversation was very brief.

“The person whom Lord Sun praised so highly is truly extraordinary.”

Xiahou Hui, after scrutinizing him for a moment, smiled and said, "We are both sons of meritorious officials of the Wei dynasty, so there is no need for you to be so formal. Well, today we are going on a picnic and enjoying the spring scenery, so let's not talk about official business. Please feel free to do as you please, Gonglu."

"only."

Jia Chong readily agreed and went to sit with his colleagues. He wasn't without any gain.

He could tell from those seemingly polite words that Xiahou Hui was subtly encouraging him, implying that he would be given an important position simply because of Sun Zi's recommendation and his father Jia Kui's contributions to the Wei state.

This made him feel increasingly heavy-hearted.

Does this mean that my fate is predetermined and inevitable?

Although he had a vague answer in his heart, he still quietly asked himself a question, silently savoring the resentment and indignation of being swept along by the tide of the times.

"As the general said, Gonglu need not feel cramped."

Just as he was pondering, Wu Gang, who possessed the gentle and refined demeanor of a scholar and was the only person along the way who could pique his interest in conversation, raised his wine cup in invitation and explained with a beaming smile, "When the General was in the army in his early years, he established the rule that 'the general will not eat if the soldiers are not well fed,' and it remains so today. Gonglu, please eat as you please, there is no need to wait. Come, let's drink to victory."

It turned out that Wu Gang misunderstood his silence, thinking that he was being too concerned about hierarchy and dared not eat before Xiahou Hui had a meal, which was why he raised his cup to invite him to eat.

"Thank you for informing me, Shidu."

Once he came to his senses, Jia Chong first bowed respectfully before raising his wine cup with a smile, "Drink."

After putting down his wine cup, he took the initiative to invite his other colleagues to drink a few cups, exchange a few polite words, and get to know each other. Then he couldn't help but continue his thoughts: If he were to stand on the opposite side of the emperor's banner in the future, would these former generals back down?

They probably won't back down.

Even if they hesitated and weighed the pros and cons several times, they would still ultimately follow Xiahou Hui's lead.

It's not just because many righteous people are from humble backgrounds.

Furthermore, it was the great general, not the emperor of Wei, who gave them the opportunity to change their lives.

If it weren't for Xiahou Hui's loyalty to his old friends, their wives and children might never have had the chance to set foot on the soil of Luoyang, the capital, nor would they have had the opportunity to yearn for the feeling of wearing a blue sash in the future.

What about yourself?

Thanks to his family's influence and his own talent, he doesn't need Xiahou Hui's appreciation or promotion to have the opportunity to wear the purple ribbon in this life. So, is he doing this for the purple ribbon?

To be ranked among the highest officials and nobles was indeed the career goal pursued by scholars like us.

But for someone like myself, a son of an official, is it not a bit rash to put my family in danger just for a purple ribbon before the situation is clear?
Jia Chong certainly knew the difference between adding flowers to brocade and providing charcoal in snowy weather.

But he also knew that the danger of a career in politics was that once a choice was made, there was often no turning back.

Yes.

His inner turmoil and hesitation at this moment stemmed from his own position at a crossroads in life, wondering which path would be more appropriate; rather than from his anxieties about the future of the Wei dynasty.

The tragic deaths of his fathers, filled with grief and resentment, had made him realize that from the perspective of a monarch, there is no distinction between justice and right and wrong.

Therefore, as an outsider to the Wei dynasty, he did not need to consider the family or clan too much—many officials of the previous dynasty were prominent, and now they are all ranked as high-ranking officials or ministers, enjoying the same honors!
Therefore, if things are already beyond redemption, shouldn't we just go with the flow?
There is no such thing as having your cake and eating it too.

No matter how much resentment and helplessness I feel, I will eventually have to choose a path to continue down; and the future and whether my choice is right or wrong are not things that can be determined now.

Upon reflection, Jia Chong felt somewhat relieved.

After putting aside his thoughts and joking and drinking with his colleagues, his gaze still involuntarily drifted towards Xiahou Hui, but this time, the observation in his eyes was that of an ordinary person.

Therefore, he suddenly felt that the care and concern that Sun Zi, a close friend of his late father, showed him was almost beyond compare.

Because Xiahou Hui has not yet eaten.

Instead, he took food to feed his son, Xiao Quji, so that Han Long and the other troop members who were watching over Xiao Quji would have time to eat.

A person who can treat even the most humble laborers and peddlers with kindness is bound to inspire people to work themselves to the bone, and is destined for great achievements, especially now that the world is not yet unified.

A talented person who follows such a person and is valued by him will surely have a time when he becomes famous far and wide.

Even if the final outcome is tragic and desolate.

He had this thought not only because his mindset had changed from "since I can't resist it, I might as well enjoy it" but also because he saw that Fu Gu had come over.

He wasn't surprised to see Fu Gu come over as well.

Although Fu Gu was not an official in the General's Office, everyone knew that he was Xiahou Hui's confidant, and his position in Xiahou Hui's heart was no less than that of Ding Mi.

The reasons are self-evident.

Fu Gu had already approached Xiahou Hui when Xiahou Hui had just returned to Luoyang to take up his post and had not yet officially gained a voice in the imperial court.

This is also why Jia Chong's state of mind suddenly changed.

He suddenly thought of a question—Xiahou Xuan and He Yan, who were famous in the capital in their early years, wanted to befriend Fu Gu, but Fu Gu refused them. Even when they asked Xun Can to intercede on their behalf, they could not succeed. Fu Gu even predicted that Xiahou Xuan and He Yan were both immoral people and would surely suffer misfortune in the future. But when Xiahou Hui was still ridiculed as a "court brute," Fu Gu was not stingy with his friendship. Why was that?

Jia Chong certainly didn't think that Fu Gu was doing this because "it's a rare commodity."

In terms of talent and family background, Fu Gu and he had many similarities.

These were all family elders who had already laid a solid foundation for their family's official careers during the Wei dynasty's replacement of the Han dynasty. As their descendants, they only needed to follow the established path, diligently cultivate virtue, and not seek power or engage in speculation to secure their future as officials with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain).

Therefore, when Jia Chong saw Fu Gu approaching, he couldn't help but think, "The stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade," and put himself in Fu Gu's shoes to think about why Fu Gu thought Xiahou Hui was someone to rely on.

Sometimes things are just that magical.

With a "let's give it a try" attitude, Jia Chong changed his perspective and immediately felt enlightened, and all the problems that had been troubling him were easily solved.

It wasn't that he discovered anything special about Xiahou Hui, or that he could see through Fu Gu's motives.

Instead, he thought of Baili Xi, the Five Rams General.

In the eyes of the various states of China at the time, Qin, located on the western frontier, was a small country plagued by Rong and Di tribes and bordering the powerful state of Jin, a country trapped by its geography and with no future. However, in Baili Xi's eyes, Qin was a state with great potential, capable of dominating the other states. Indeed, after Baili Xi subdued the Rong and Di tribes, Qin truly did become the dominant state among the other states.

Perhaps this is why Fu Gu placed his bet.

After all, Xiahou Hui, who had just begun to make a name for himself at that time, had many flaws, but he also had the potential to rise that anyone with eyes could see.

Of course, whether Fu Gu aspired to leave his mark on history like Baili Xi, or whether Xiahou Hui possessed qualities similar to Duke Mu of Qin, Jia Chong neither knew nor wanted to speculate.

After changing his perspective, he realized that his previous hesitation was unwise.

Having been recommended by Sun Zi, he is now inevitably drawn into the power struggle and can no longer return to the days when he worked his way up through seniority. He can only look forward.

How do we look forward?

It was simply a matter of choosing one of the three regents—Xiahou Hui, Sima Yi, and Cao Shuang—to follow in their footsteps.

To be precise, the choice was between members of the imperial clan from Qiao and Pei, and powerful officials from aristocratic families—specifically, between Xiahou Hui and Sima Yi. As for Cao Shuang, who was inferior to Xiahou Hui in terms of rank, achievements, and talent, let's just pretend he didn't exist.

He was originally inclined towards Sima Yi and was resentful that Sun Zi had not recommended him to Sima Yi's faction.

Only now did he suddenly realize Sun Zi's shrewdness.

One reason is Sima Yi's age.

The current emperor is only eight years old. When he assumes full power, will Sima Yi still be alive?

Seventy is a rare age indeed!
If, by any chance, he were to join Sima Yi's faction, what could he possibly accomplish?

Even assuming Sima Yi is still vigorous in his old age, let's not forget that he has spent decades navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom, ultimately rising to the highest ranks of the court, and already possesses trusted confidants and loyal followers. If I were to now pledge allegiance to him, given my age and status, how could I possibly have a chance to rise to prominence?

In comparison, Xiahou Hui's youth actually became an advantage.

The second option is to be caught in the vortex of power in the imperial court. The best way to protect oneself is to be the tail of a phoenix rather than the head of a chicken.

Sima Yi today is a "chicken head"!
As you can see, just as Cao Shuang and Xiahou Hui were beginning to show signs of vying for power, Sima Yi was demoted from Grand Commandant to Grand Tutor and relinquished his power to oversee the affairs of the Secretariat.
Was Sima Yi willing to do this?

Of course not.

It was simply because Sima Yi knew very well that if he did not withdraw from the situation, he would inevitably be affected by the power struggle between Cao Shuang and Xiahou Hui, becoming a target at every turn, getting splattered with blood from time to time, and eventually even having to sacrifice his reputation and wealth.

no way.

Who made the Wei dynasty replace the Han dynasty, and he, an outsider, rose to the positions of general and prime minister, becoming the hope of the court and the people!

Therefore, Sun Zi's recommendation of him to be the "Phoenix Tail" was indeed out of deep affection and a desire to ensure that his career would be smooth sailing for at least the next ten years.

As for when the emperor would assume personal rule ten or eight years later...
Life is ever-changing; who can see what will happen ten or eight years from now?
Take the late emperor's sons as an example; it's uncertain whether the emperor will still be the same one by then!

Why bother with unnecessary worries now!
Once his mind was at peace, Jia Chong accepted the situation calmly. (End of Chapter)