Wei Ni

The most helpless thing in life is knowing the outcome but being unable to stop it, only able to watch it unfold step by step. The senior officials and ministers of the court understood Xiahou Hui's gradual and insidious method of seizing power, yet they were powerless to stop it.

To be precise, they didn't actually mind using petitions and hearings to rectify officialdom, regardless of whether these two measures were done in the name of emulating the late Emperor Cao Rui.

After all, not all senior officials and ministers are involved in illegal activities such as corruption or bullying.

On the contrary, there were quite a few old ministers who upheld the true integrity of scholars, such as Wei Zhen, the Minister of Works, Cui Lin, the Minister of Personnel, Pei Qian, or Lu Yu, the Minister of Personnel.

If Xiahou Hui could bring about a clean and efficient administration in the State of Wei, they would actually be more pleased to see it.

What truly made them uneasy was that they all knew this was just Xiahou Hui's prelude, a test of the waters.

Just like the story of mending the fold after the sheep are lost.

If the hole in the sheepfold is not patched up, the sheep in the sheepfold will eventually be wiped out by wolves.

Xiahou Hui was this wolf.

The sheep represent the power in their hands and their voice in the halls of power.

In particular, they all knew that what Xiahou Hui wanted to do next was to reform the local talent selection system—the Nine-Rank System! To deprive them, the contributors to the establishment of Wei, of the benefits they had received and the legacy they had left for their descendants!
How is this any different from the mass killing of kings of different surnames after the establishment of the Former Han Dynasty?
Undeniably, the Nine-Rank System added the distinction of rank based on family background, and the rank-evaluation by the officials in each prefecture and county would also favor the local powerful families, greatly exacerbating the situation where it was difficult for commoners from poor families to rise in rank. But it was still better than the recommendation system of the previous dynasty, which was so corrupt that "those recommended as scholars were illiterate and those recommended as filial and incorruptible had fathers who lived separately."

Moreover, when Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, and Minister of Works Chen Qun established and implemented the Nine-Rank System, their original intention was to return the power of recommending talents from local prefectures and counties to the central government and strengthen the central government while weakening local officials!

Originally, this was a win-win situation for the Wei dynasty and the aristocratic families, so why should Xiahou Hui want to deprive them of their rightful share of the benefits?

The emperor receives the mandate of heaven and governs the entire country. The nation's meritorious officials and important ministers should all share in the emperor's wealth and honor, which will be passed down endlessly!
Could it be that a small number of members of the Wei royal family and the sons of Qiao and Pei could govern such a large country?

Could they possibly destroy rebellious states like Shu and Wu?

Filled with resentment at being discarded like a used tool, many senior officials couldn't help but focus their attention on Grand Tutor Sima Yi.

To this day, apart from the royal family members from Qiao and Pei, the biggest beneficiaries of the Wei state are none other than the Sima clan of Hanoi.

Not only did they rise from a prominent family to a powerful clan in Runan, a family that was no less prestigious than the Yuan family of Runan, which had produced four generations of high-ranking officials, but Sima Yi himself became a trusted minister entrusted by two emperors. Both of his sons, who were commoners, entered officialdom: one entered the Secretariat, which was in charge of the secrets of the court, and the other became a prefect with a salary of two thousand piculs.

But Grand Tutor Sima Yi showed no reaction.

Just as they were unaware of Xiahou Hui's next intentions.

Is it because the time is not right?

Or perhaps it was because he had already relinquished power, and the conflict between Xiahou Hui and Cao Shuang had become public, so it was not advisable to intervene in order to avoid it escalating into a struggle between the three trusted ministers who had entrusted him with the care of the young emperor.

The senior officials and ministers of the court were speculating in this way.

No one believed that Sima Yi would be completely unconcerned and simply wait for his doom.

After all, he was the Grand Tutor who remained unmoved when slandered as "fearing Shu like a tiger" and who still traveled thousands of miles to request to fight after being given a woman's clothes; his ability to endure is beyond question.

Of course, if Grand Tutor Sima Yi didn't express his opinion, no one could force him to.

Under these circumstances, Minister Wang Guan, at the urging of some people, found some free time to visit the Grand Tutor's residence.

Wang Guan was a veteran official of three reigns in the Wei Kingdom, and he was appointed as an Attendant Gentleman when Sima Yi served as Grand Commandant. Both his seniority and status allowed the Grand Tutor to reveal some information about him.

"Alas, Weitai shouldn't have come."

Grand Tutor Sima Yi was not particularly surprised by the visit of this former subordinate, but he still couldn't help but sigh.

This surprised Wang Guan for a moment, then he smiled wryly and bowed in apology.

He really shouldn't have come.

Although the Cao Wei government's Secretariat also had officials such as the Chief Minister and Left and Right Vice Ministers, these positions were merely for overall coordination and did not interfere with the actual power of the five Ministers. However, Sima Fu is now the Minister of Revenue, and Wang Guan's visit at this critical juncture publicly confirms that Sima Yi, who has already relinquished his power as Minister of Revenue and is now semi-retired, is still the most influential person in the Secretariat.

Or perhaps it was those who instigated Wang Guanlai who did it intentionally.

Sima Yi was never one to dwell on the past, nor did he delve into who had instigated Wang Guan to come over, or perhaps he himself deliberately pretended not to know.

After exchanging pleasantries and catching up for a while, he took the lead in getting to the main topic.

"I have a general idea of ​​what Weitai is here for, and I have not said anything to him. I am old and my eyesight is failing. This year, I have been reading through the agricultural records of the Ministry of Agriculture in Luoyang and my head is sore and my eyes are tired. If Weitai has nothing else to do, please take a look at them for me."

After speaking, he closed his eyes to rest without waiting for Wang Guan's reply.

Wang Guan did not answer, nor did he refuse.

Some things don't need to be explicitly stated.

He stood up straight and glanced at the cloth of the imperial census, his eyes then fixed on a line of words that Sima Yi had highlighted in vermilion: "Compared to last year, the production of grain and mulberry cloth from the fields has increased by more than 30%."

Ugh.
After a moment of contemplation, Wang Guan couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He then stepped back a few paces, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said, "Grand Tutor, I apologize for disturbing you today. I shall return now."

Sima Yi remained silent, his eyelids still closed, and his steady, long breathing sounded as if he were already asleep.

Ugh!
With another sigh in his heart, Wang Guan said no more and turned to leave.

As soon as he left the hall, Sima Shi came out from the side room, sat upright beside his father's desk, and asked softly, "Father, Minister Wang should understand our family's intentions, right?"

Never underestimate anyone in the world.

Sima Yi opened his eyes and looked at his eldest son with slight dissatisfaction. "Wang Weitai has been immersed in officialdom for many years and has worked with me before. Moreover, he is not a scheming person. How could he not see through my intentions?"

“Father, you misunderstand. I do not mean to underestimate Minister Wang.”

Sima Shi slowly shook his head and explained softly, "What I'm worried about is that people like Minister Wang, who are friendly to my family, might think that Father intends to claim Tian Qianqiu (a title for the imperial estate), and thus lose the will to compete in the future. After all, Xiahou Zhiquan's actions were not excessive, and in the long run, they are beneficial to the Wei dynasty." Hearing this, Sima Yi frowned slightly, his eyes showing a hint of heaviness.

But in the end, he said nothing, only slowly lowered his eyelids, as if he were dozing off.

Sima Shi also fell silent.

A fast horse needs no whip to urge it on, and a loud drum needs no heavy hammer to beat it.

Based on the understanding between father and son, he knew that his father had heard about and was carefully considering the response strategy he had previously proposed.

Indeed, ever since Xiahou Hui’s intentions became increasingly clear, Sima Yi and his son had discussed the matter, but their views were completely opposite, and there was no possibility of finding common ground.

More accurately, Sima Shi changed his mind and suddenly became radical.

Initially, Sima Yi's decision to voluntarily relinquish his power as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and retire to the prestigious position of Grand Tutor was a consensus between father and son: to bide their time, avoid immediate conflicts, and wait for the opportune moment to seize the opportunity.

This opportune moment coincided with the time when Emperor Cao Fang assumed personal rule.

Yes, Emperor Cao Fang will eventually rule in his own right, and General Xiahou Hui, who will temporarily control the emperor's power, will one day have to step down and return to the ranks of the ministers, no longer holding the reins of power.

Given the current situation where the generals of the Wei royal family and the commanders of Qiao and Pei are in short supply, the greatest power in the court will eventually return to the hands of the ministers—even the late Emperor Cao Rui had to compromise, let alone Emperor Cao Fang.

Therefore, no matter what General Xiahou Hui does now, it is of no consequence in the eyes of the Sima father and son: it is only ten years at most, what is there to worry about?
Not to mention, Cao Shuang, now a member of the imperial clan, has recklessly clashed with Xiahou Hui for his own selfish reasons!
The discord and conflict between the imperial clan and the youths of Qiao and Pei, regardless of who ultimately prevails or even if they eventually reconcile, cannot change the fact that it has once again dealt a heavy blow to the prestige of the Wei dynasty.

It should be noted that the pillars that defended the Wei dynasty were no longer what they used to be.

During the reign of Emperor Wu (Cao Cao), members of the imperial clan from Qiao and Pei held military command, while scholars from Ru and Ying governed the country. During the reign of Emperor Wen (Cao Pi), his three sons still guarded the borders. However, during the reign of Emperor Ming (Cao Rui), following Cao Xiu's defeat at the Battle of Shiting and Xiahou Shang's untimely death, the ranks of those from the scholar-official class began to rise to the position of commander-in-chief. When Cao Zhen's campaign against Shu ended in failure, and he died of illness in shame, this ultimately evolved into a situation where scholar-official families became the pillars of the Wei dynasty. Their actions threatened to destabilize the dynasty.
Under such circumstances, if General Xiahou Hui could govern by doing nothing and wait for Emperor Cao Fang to come of age and assume personal rule, thus gradually consolidating the foundation of the Wei dynasty and completing the great cause of unification, then the Wei dynasty would naturally enjoy an impregnable and long-lasting peace and stability.

However, he was too eager for quick results and even planned to reform the Nine-Rank System while Cao Shuang was eager to seize power.
The troubles at our doorstep have not yet subsided, and now they have stirred up the resentment of the officials and nobles!

This is no different from hiding a fire under a pile of firewood and sleeping on it, claiming peace before the fire even reaches you!

In Sima Yi's view, Xiahou Hui was still too young and too impetuous.

It's good for young people to be ambitious, but they should also consider their position. As those in power, whose every word and action affects the stability of the nation, how can they be solely focused on being ambitious and enterprising?

That's right.

Sima Yi did not think that Xiahou Hui's actions were wrong.

Conversely, he also agreed that the bureaucracy in Wei should be thoroughly reformed; and he could foresee that the Nine-Rank System's reliance on family background for selecting officials would indeed make it difficult for talented individuals from humble backgrounds to enter the emperor's court.

But agreeing is one thing, and whether or not to do it is another.

After a period of chaos and disorder, it is very easy for a period of great order to follow.

The wisdom here lies not so much in the concerted efforts of a wise ruler and virtuous ministers, but more in the fact that the old system of interest distribution was broken down and a new system of interest distribution was established that satisfied the vast majority of people.

The Nine-Rank System was the most important part of the new system of interest distribution; it was also one of the factors that enabled the establishment and continued existence of the Wei Kingdom. How could it be changed at will?

The recommendation system, which was already so corrupt in the previous dynasty that it was criticized by scholars and commoners alike, still exists today.
Did Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, not want to abolish and completely reclaim the power of selecting and appointing officials from local prefectures and counties from the imperial court?

Of course, it wasn't that they didn't want to, but rather that given the prevailing social customs and conditions at the time, it was simply impossible.

Given the current situation of a young ruler and a nation in turmoil, it is even more impossible!

Therefore, Sima Yi was completely baffled as to why Xiahou Hui would want to take away the benefits of the scholar-official families. What made him think he could do it?

Even if we take a step back and assume that Xiahou Hui could have done it, didn't he ever think about leaving himself a way out?

Throughout history, those who assisted young emperors and held power on their behalf almost always faced the emperor's growing apprehension as he grew older. Even the Duke of Zhou had to retreat to the east to avoid rumors!

Xiahou Hui is only thirty years old now!
After Emperor Cao Fang came of age and assumed personal rule, he could live for many more years!

Given the lifespans of Emperor Wen (Cao Pi) and Emperor Ming (Cao Rui), would Emperor Cao Fang have the same patience as Emperor Xuan of Han, quietly waiting for Xiahou Hui to die of old age before truly ruling the world?

In Sima Yi's view, this answer required no further thought.

Those who claim to be the only ruler have no sense of right and wrong; they only have a sense of self-importance, wanting to hold power firmly in their own hands.

Even the incompetent Emperors Huan and Ling of the previous dynasty took steps to consolidate power, not to mention the fact that people like Xiahou Yuan, Cao Hong, and Bao Xun have already proven that the emperors of the Wei dynasty were not lacking in harshness and ungratefulness!

Therefore, Xiahou Hui's current attempt to rectify officialdom and reform the national talent selection system is fundamentally flawed, regardless of whether it benefits the Wei state or contributes to the Wei's overall development.

Because regardless of whether the outcome is success or failure, he needs to centralize power to push things forward, which in turn consolidates his own prestige and power!
In other words, it usurped the emperor's prestige!

Large branches spread out, and large tails do not fall.

If Emperor Cao Fang were to assume personal rule and wish to reclaim Xiahou Hui's power, who would he rely on, given Emperor Wen Cao Pi's established rules prohibiting the interference of imperial relatives and eunuchs in politics?
Such an obvious answer needs no further explanation.

This is why, when Minister Wang Guan came to Sima Yi's residence to seek his advice, Sima Yi remained silent, only showing him the report submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture in Luoyang—General Xiahou Hui's current actions are all justified and beneficial to the state, therefore there is no need to refute or confront him, lest he lose his moral obligation to be loyal to the emperor and the country. As for the potential loss of some benefits due to not arguing, it is not a big deal. When Emperor Cao Fang assumes personal rule and needs to rely on us, the old ministers and senior officials, to reclaim power, and when the dividends from the distribution of wealth by the scholar-official families during the establishment of the Wei state are returned, Emperor Cao Fang will decide that with a single word.

You might even get more!
How can one be so short-sighted as to argue over temporary gains and losses!

However, his thoughts differed from those of his eldest son, Sima Shi, who had always made him feel proud and gratified.

Sima Shi was certainly not a short-sighted person.

Instead, they thought about it more deeply.

He felt that if his family didn't push things forward now and just passively waited for the right time, they might not have another chance in the future.

This is because those who succeed rely not only on favorable timing, but also on harmonious relationships with others! (End of Chapter)