Wei Ni

Fu Gu and Yu Song remained silent in response to Ding Mi's words, while Xiahou Hui merely nodded slightly to indicate that he had heard them.

They all knew that this approach, which would be criticized by officials for abusing public power to eliminate dissidents and causing them to lose popular support, was a bad strategy and should not be done unless they were desperate.

However, he did point out a problem: in the current court, there is no neutral force as heavyweight as Cao Zhao that could make Cao Shuang's ambitions inflate and become arrogant.

It can also serve as a catalyst for further discussion.

For example, Fu Gu put forward another advanced suggestion based on his point of view.

"As Yanjing said, most of those who attach themselves to Zhaobo are greedy, talented but lacking in virtue. If they hold high positions, they will inevitably engage in corrupt practices. Moreover, the people and officials alike are now spreading rumors about He Yingkao and Xiahou Taichu's remarks concerning officialdom. In my opinion, it would be better for Zhiquan to first follow public opinion and focus on rectifying officialdom. Once those who attach themselves to Zhaobo have acted recklessly and trampled on the laws of the court, then arrest and punish them, thereby holding Zhaobo accountable for his improper selection of officials and his appointment of treacherous ministers. Besides..."

At this point, Fu Gu paused, bowed to apologize to Ding Mi, and then continued, "Moreover, He Pingshu, Xiahou Taichu, Deng Yang, and Li Sheng were all people whom the late emperor had abandoned and not used. Zhao Bo valued them and spared no effort in promoting them, thus ruining the country's governance. This can be said to have failed the late emperor's entrustment of the young emperor! When the time comes, the court will hold him accountable, and the people will criticize him. Even if Zhao Bo does not lose his position, he will be powerless and defeated, and will not dare to contend with Zhi Quan."

"Um"

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Hui, who was stroking his beard with one hand, drew out a long, drawn-out sound, his eyes showing some interest.

After thinking for a moment, he finally shook his head. "Yan Jing's plan is too hasty, and Lan Shi's plan is too slow. Although I know the saying 'victory lies in the enemy, not in oneself,' sitting and waiting for others to defeat themselves and then governing is too unpredictable, which is not what I want."

After saying that, he glanced at Yu Song, who was still frowning and deep in thought, and continued, "I also have some ideas. Please help me consider them and see if they are feasible."

"it is good."

"Let's talk about it for now."

Ding Mi and Fu Gu nodded in response, and Yu Song, who had not spoken until now, also raised his head.

"His Majesty's appointment of Cao Changsi as the supervisor today has given me much inspiration."

Xiahou Hui said in a deep voice, "The generals who have rendered meritorious service in the war in Haidong will soon return to the capital. Among them, apart from Zhuge Dan, Sun Mi, and Bi Gui, those who joined the campaign as commoners are all people who are affiliated with Cao Zhaobo. When selecting the current commanders, I intend to let Guanqiu Jian or Zhuge Dan supervise the military preparations for Jingxiang and Huainan, while the others who are close to Zhaobo will be transferred to Yongliang. What do you think?"

Trying to drag Grand Tutor Sima Yi down with them?!

Fu Gu and Ding Mi immediately exchanged a glance.

Yu Song raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but the other two beat him to it.

"The Grand Marshal guarded Yong and Liang for more than ten years, and most of the generals and commanders in the northwest were under his command. Although the Grand Tutor succeeded him, the duties and arrangements of the generals and commanders changed, and veteran generals such as Zhang He, Wei Ping, Fei Yao, Hao Zhao, and Chen Sheng all died, Zhao Bo's rank and position were inferior to Zhi Quan's, and he must have had the intention of using his father's legacy to win over the various tribes in Yong and Liang and make them his wings."

The first person to speak was Ding Mi.

He stroked his sparse beard, his eyes filled with worry. "But isn't Zhiquan afraid that the Grand Tutor's former students and officials might be used by Zhao Bo? Don't forget, Zhiquan only heard a lawsuit before, and yet there were old ministers from the court who paid a visit to the Grand Tutor. The Grand Tutor may seem to have relinquished power and retired, but he is still someone the court and the people eagerly await. If he secretly instigates something, it could lead to more unpredictable events in the future. Zhao Bo has a dying wish to assist in governing, which Zhiquan cannot eliminate in a short time, but he is not to be feared; while the Grand Tutor is known for his loyalty and integrity, and his prestige is unparalleled in the court. Unless absolutely necessary, I think Zhiquan should not provoke him."

“My opinion is the opposite of Yanjing’s.”

As soon as Ding Mi finished speaking, Fu Gu, without waiting for Xiahou Hui's reaction, went straight to the point, "The Grand Tutor also has a dying wish to assist in governing. How can he not be affected by the conflict between Zhi Quan and Zhao Bo? In my opinion, the Grand Tutor is avoiding this now only because both Zhi Quan and Zhao Bo are loyal to the Wei court, and he fears being seen as an outsider and ostracized. Therefore, I believe Zhi Quan's plan is feasible. If the Grand Tutor's old friends from Yong and Liang are employed by Zhao Bo, it will be like adding another 'Cao Zhao' to Zhao Bo's ranks; but if he is unwilling to be employed, then a rift will inevitably arise between Zhao Bo and the Grand Tutor, from which Zhi Quan will easily benefit! However, judging from the Grand Tutor's character, he is unlikely to make peace with Zhao Bo, and later... well, Zhi Quan will probably be in an even more difficult position."

It is indeed more difficult.

Xiahou Hui remained silent and nodded slightly.

If Fu Gu's speculation is true, and Sima Yi and Cao Shuang also had a conflict, then it would not be difficult for Xiahou Hui to dismiss Cao Shuang. However, it would also be impossible to prevent Sima Yi from benefiting from the situation and becoming even more powerful. It is impossible for Xiahou Hui to turn her back on Sima Yi and help him get rid of Cao Shuang, a threat from within, and then remove his power.

Alas, everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

It seems like a bad deal to solve an immediate problem at the cost of greater future risks.
After pondering for a long time, Xiahou Hui finally gave up his idea and turned his gaze to Yu Song. "Shu Mao, do you have any insights? There is no need for details. We can pool our wisdom and efforts."

"only."

Yu Song responded slowly, "I am not good at this kind of planning. In my haste, I have no overall strategy. I only have three points that may be helpful for Zhi Quan to fill in the gaps."

After giving a brief explanation, he proceeded to speak eloquently without waiting for Xiahou Hui to urge him on. "Firstly, it is inappropriate for Zhi Quan to interfere in Huainan."

"When the late emperor was alive, the General Who Conquers the East criticized Grand Commandant Man for being too old and incompetent. Later, he dismissed and sidelined former officials of Zhi Quan, which shows how strong his lust for power was. From this, we can infer that he was involved with Zhao Bo, but their alliance was based on mutual benefit and they had no intention of advancing or retreating together. However, if Zhi Quan recommends a friendly person to supervise the military preparations for Huainan, it will make him feel resentful and worried, and he will surely be of one mind with Zhao Bo."

Hmm. That makes sense.

Previously, when Man Chong returned, he had asked Wang Ling if he would be convinced by him, but Man Chong gave an irrelevant answer.

This shows that, given his personality, he would not be convinced by Cao Shuang.

As long as his territory remains untouched, Cao Shuang will likely remain indecisive no matter how much he fights with me, until the dust settles.

Xiahou Hui showed an approving expression.

"Secondly, it is because Zhiquan does not need to set up a scheme in Yongliang."

“The land of Yongliang is a place that Zhiquan has never set foot in and has no foundation in, but it is a place that the Grand Tutor has painstakingly cultivated, and it is also what Zhaobo desires. Therefore, Zhiquan only needs to ignore it, and Zhaobo will naturally compete with the Grand Tutor. Whether they make peace or secretly harbor resentment, Zhiquan can handle it calmly and choose what is advantageous.”

"Finally, I believe that Zhiquan should focus on the capital region and Hebei, rather than the three front-line areas."

"As the heir apparent, Zhiquan is rightfully in charge of all military affairs, both within and outside the capital, and is responsible for deciding the military preparations and operations in the three frontier regions. Why should he waste his energy vying for a position as a military commander? It would be better to allow Cao Zhaobo to place his cronies and cronies in the provinces, thereby consolidating control over the capital region and appointing trusted and capable officials to important positions in Hebei. The prefectures and counties of Hebei are now free from war and are densely populated, making them a vital source of tax revenue and grain for our Wei state. In this way, Zhiquan will have both the title and the substance of his position, control over the capital region, and no worries about money and grain. He will be in an invincible position! He only needs to cultivate virtue and build public support, and govern with integrity to deter evildoers. Any concerns about immediate troubles or long-term threats can be completely eliminated with a simple imperial edict!"

Okay.

Xiahou Hui understood immediately upon hearing this.

Yu Song still insisted that scheming and trickery would not lead to great things, and advised him to take the righteous path, for those who follow the right path will receive more help.

This is also where he differs from Ding Mi and Fu Gu—he was the last to become a trusted confidant, and he was not very clear that Xiahou Hui's current desire to seize power was to pave the way for eliminating the accumulated problems in Wei and promoting institutional reforms in the future; he was also unaware that Xiahou Hui's time was actually very tight and that he had to take shortcuts to achieve his goal.

However, his suggestions still have some merit.

For example, controlling Ji and Bing provinces as a base and strengthening control over the capital region was something Xiahou Hui hadn't considered.
The four men had different opinions, and their differences were quite significant, making it difficult to find common ground. Therefore, not long after, Xiahou Hui ended the secret meeting on the grounds that there was enough time to consider things carefully.

There is indeed plenty of time.

Since the alliance between Shu and Wu was renewed after the Battle of Yiling, Wei has become accustomed to the inevitable outbreak of war every year or two on the Yongliang, Jingxiang, and Huainan fronts. Therefore, its garrison strength and stockpiles of food and supplies are sufficient to at least hold out until the central army from Luoyang arrives to provide reinforcements.

The so-called advance deployment of reinforcements to prepare for a possible attack from Shu and Wu the following year is nothing more than an excuse to plant wings and fight for power.

Even if the war ends the following year, it is acceptable to finalize the establishment of new units in various regions.

However, to Xiahou Hui's surprise, as the meritorious soldiers returned to the capital after the battle of Haidong, the matter was brought up again, and he reached a consensus with Cao Shuang through a private compromise.

The reason was Guanqiu Jian's sincere devotion to the Wei dynasty.

Meanwhile, with the arrival of mid-winter in November, the generals led by Guanqiu Jian and Cao Zhao returned to the capital, Luoyang.

After Emperor Cao Fang announced the victory at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and issued a special edict ordering Guanqiu Jian and Cao Zhao to visit the late Emperor's Gaoping Mausoleum to report the triumph, the imperial court also issued edicts recording the merits and bestowing rewards.

This was something that the officials in the imperial court had already discussed when the news of the victory in Haidong was sent back to the capital.

The document only addressed the promotion of meritorious officials, the granting of titles and fiefs, and the bestowal of wealth, beautiful maids, and servants, without specifying any concrete duties.

According to the imperial edict, these meritorious soldiers had traveled thousands of miles to suppress the rebels and stayed in the barren and cold land for more than a year. They returned with the merit of destroying the country and expanding the territory by thousands of miles. The court should commend and care for them, and should not assign them any duties for the time being, but let them go home to reunite with their families and recuperate for a period of time.

Guanqiu Jian, who was credited with the greatest merit, was granted an additional 1,200 households of fiefdom, and promoted to Left General, did not return home to celebrate with his family and friends like the others, nor did he hold a banquet to reminisce about their long separation.

The day after returning from paying homage at the late Emperor's Gaoping Mausoleum, he went directly to the General's Office to request an audience with Xiahou Hui. (End of Chapter)