Johime Three Kingdoms

Chapter 212 Nine Tin
"Boda, Zhu Zhi from the Cavalry General's Mansion has returned, and he has brought Zhang Xiu's advisers with him. It seems... Nanyang is probably going to Jiangdong! What should we do?" Cao Pi was a little anxious. Asked Sima Lang.

After all, Cao Pi is still only a 13-year-old child, and he usually relies on his acting skills to make ends meet. When he really makes up his mind, he will inevitably be in a hurry.

Because Cao Pi and Sima Lang were in Jinling, they were unable to learn the news from the Prime Minister's Mansion - Cao Cao could not have traveled thousands of miles to send such important news to Jinling...

Otherwise, maybe Cao Pi and Sima Lang didn't get it and were intercepted by Baitu first!
It is precisely for this reason that Cao Cao gave Cao Pi and Sima Lang a lot of power to make decisions before the battle, which also tested Sima Lang's judgment.

"Young Master, there is no need to be impatient. Bai Gong has already mobilized his troops to the west. Obviously, the first target is Jingzhou, and Nanyang is newly attached. After Yuan Shu's remaining troops learn the news, they will definitely send troops to Rangcheng. Zhang Xiu does not have the energy to go north. , in fact... whether Zhang Xiu joins the Cheqi Mansion or the Prime Minister's Mansion, there is no difference in a short period of time." Sima Lang said.

Does Zhang Xiu's defection to the Chariot and Cavalry General's Mansion have a big impact on the Prime Minister's Mansion?

Of course big!
Now Cao Cao hopes to maintain a certain tacit understanding with Bai Tu, one entering Jingzhou and the other defeating Hebei...

Wancheng is located at the gateway between Nanyang and the Central Plains, and you can enter Yingchuan at any time.

Wancheng fell to Bai Tu, which created a situation where Bai Tu could educate Cao Cao at any time, but Cao Cao could not fight back. This was no longer a "tacit understanding", but a unilateral concession from Bai Tu.

However, Cao Pi can be anxious, but Sima Lang must sit still, and although what he just said was comforting, it is not unreasonable.

Yuan Shu's remaining troops stationed along the upper reaches of the Huaihe River are the most nervous now - equivalent to the east and west sides, being attacked by Bai Tu.

Once they take the initiative to use troops, Wancheng will definitely not be able to visit the north in a short period of time.

"But if Bai Tu captures Jingzhou first..." Cao Pi was not that easy to coax.

"No, that's what the lord and Xun Lingjun have to consider. What we really have to do now is to allow the lord to fight Yuan Shao without any scruples...even if it's just a signal to show good cooperation." Sima Lang said.

"What should we do?" Cao Pi asked proactively.

"Tomorrow... I will go to see Mr. Bai alone. Mr. Quan will stay in the post house, lest there be no way back if Mr. Bai refuses." Sima Lang said.

The next day, Sima Lang took the initiative to visit and brought the kindness and "suggestions" of the Prime Minister's Palace.

……

"General? Where does Prime Minister Cao want to place Yuan Shao? And... he is an official of the imperial court and has his own decree. Why tell me now?" Bai Tu asked Sima Lang in front of him.

Yes, what Sima Lang just told Bai Tu was that the Prime Minister hoped that Bai Tu could be promoted to the rank of general - nominally higher than the general of chariots and cavalry, but in fact...everyone has his own way now.

The Jian'an reign has been used for the fourth year, and the prestige of the Han Dynasty has become more and more superficial. Whether it is a general on horseback or a general, the only ones who can control it are his own people.

However, the current general is Yuan Shao. If Bai Tu takes the position of general at this time, it is tantamount to openly turning against Yuan Shao.

"The prime minister was worried that Duke Bai would not accept his humility, so he ordered the foreign ministers to come and investigate first." Sima Lang said.

"This great general...can he mobilize Xu Du's troops?" Bai Tu asked directly.

"The prime minister is in charge of Xudu, so he doesn't have to work for the general."

Without saying anything, the look in Bai Tu's eyes at Sima Lang told the latter that he was saying, "Since it's useless, why should I suffer?"
"The general is in charge of the world's troops..."

Sima Lang saw Bai Tu's disdainful eyes when he was speaking, but he continued: "The Prime Minister is willing to share the power of the state with Duke Bai to help the Han Dynasty together."

The horse that divides and merges states?
Baitu is indeed short of horses. Now that Yuan Shao has unified Hebei and controls the largest source of horses in China, it is not easy to get horses even in the Central Plains, let alone Yangzhou?

As for the Yunnan horses in Yizhou... although they are smaller and are more suitable for carrying heavy loads and not good at charging, Bai Tu can also deal with them. However, with Liu Biao in the middle, Bai Tu can only use the "salt guide" to exchange for some. .

Until Gan Ning takes the sea route to Liaodong, the cavalry will always be Baitu's shortcoming!
However, does Sima Lang's empty promise now have any credibility?
When Yuan Shao is defeated, will Cao Cao still be so talkative?

Besides... Gan Ning's fleet has also begun to explore the sea route, and Bai Tu is optimistic about this.

Bai Tu took a sip of tea and said nothing.

"Baigong prime minister Yangzhou, pacified Yuan Ni, the merits of the country are great, and the benefits are to all the people... The prime minister has long wanted to ask Baigong to be awarded Jiuxi!" Sima Lang said through gritted teeth.

When he saw Bai Tu, he didn't let the rabbit out of sight, so Sima Lang had no choice but to speak more realistically.

"Jiuxi... Isn't this good? If you do it once or twice, I will definitely refuse it." Bai Tu said with an upright face.

When Sima Lang saw this, the corner of his mouth twitched and he said, "Of course it won't be... once or twice."

Bai Tu nodded. As a gentleman, he still had to make "three concessions and three concessions".

Acknowledging the position of "General" is also a smooth move for Bai Tu. The meaning is to completely finalize the alliance with Cao Cao and actively solicit Yuan Shao as a "voucher of honor."

The reason why Bai Tu can ask for benefits is because Bai Tu takes the initiative in this alliance...

However, it is impossible to really expect Cao Cao to cede two counties to him. The previous talks about dividing the two counties and merging the states were just words. Bai Tu estimated that Sima Lang himself did not take it seriously.

In comparison, this award of Jiuxi is just right...

It would not make Cao Cao feel distressed, but it would also give Bai Tu the motivation to accept it!

What is Jiuxi?A kind of ritual vessel recorded in the "Book of Rites", given by the emperor to the princes, adding nine tin is this kind of ceremony.

"Book of Rites" mainly writes about the ritual system of the pre-Qin period. The "emperor" and "princes" here naturally refer to the emperor of Zhou and the princes and kings of various countries. They are the same as the unified emperor of the Han Dynasty. They only have the same name, but they are actually completely different. Different systems.

In the pre-Qin Dynasty, it is actually impossible to test who was awarded Jiuxi. Legend has it that Zhou Gongdan was awarded Jiuxi, but... In the unified Han Dynasty, studying Jiuxi was only for academic purposes. How could the unified emperor teach people Jiuxi? ?

Of course, nothing is absolute. Under normal circumstances, there will be no Jiuxi award, but... for example, in 200, Wang Mang was awarded Jiuxi!
In the history without the white picture effect, later on, Cao Cao was awarded Jiuxi, Sun Quan was added to Jiuxi, Sima Zhao was added to Jiuxi, Huan Xuan was added to Jiuxi, and the founding emperors of the four kingdoms of the Southern Dynasties were all punished in turn. In the previous dynasty, Jiuxi, Li Yuan, Wang Shichong, Gao Huan...

Looking around, every vote brings loyal ministers!
There is only one Wang Mang now, so he is not too sensitive. In addition, for Bai Tu, unlike "general", "granting nine tins" has practical benefits.

The general is still a Han official. Now, apart from offending Yuan Shao, this general has almost no role, and is even nominally lower than the prime minister.

However, after the ceremony of "adding nine tins", it has to be debated whether the relationship between the Emperor of Han and Bai Tu is a monarch and minister, or the relationship between the Emperor of Zhou and the princes and kings.

In a short period of time, Bai Tu will definitely want to "help the Han Dynasty". After giving in several times, he really can't stand the hospitality of the Han Dynasty. When he accepts Jiuxi, Bai Tu will also write an article (finding a ghostwriter) to express this position. However, Cao Cao's advantage in controlling the imperial court will be greatly compressed for Baitu.

Thus, in March of the fourth year of Jian'an, Bai Tu took the position of General and accused Yuan Shao of misbehavior with the same caliber as the court!

At the same time, an edict that caused huge controversy not only in the court but also in the Prime Minister's Office was finally issued - granting Bai Tu the title of Marquis of Chu and adding Jiuxi.

Although Bai Tu published the "Rejection of Nine Tin Fu" immediately and declined the court's good intentions, but... everyone with a discerning eye knows that after two or three tossing, three to five months, it will be finally implemented!
Not only in the court, some courtiers criticized Sang and Huai, but Xun Yu also claimed to be ill for several days.

Xun Yu was nominally the "Shang Shu Ling" and a courtier of the Han Dynasty, but everyone knew that he was also the leader of the conspiracy in the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Xun Yu showed great resistance to adding Jiuxi. It was not until a few days later that Cao Cao visited the house in person. After a long talk, Xun Yu returned to work.

In history without the White Rabbit Effect, Xun Yu also had a conflict of opinion with Cao Cao and Cao Cao's staff group on the issue of Cao Cao's award of Nine Tins. In the end, after receiving Cao Cao's empty food box, Xun Yu committed suicide by taking poison.

As Cao Cao's leader, could it be that Xun Yu was loyal to the Han Dynasty?He never realized that Cao Cao had become more and more disrespectful of the Han Emperor. Even when Cao Cao killed the pregnant Dong Guiren, Xun Yu still thought that Cao Cao was a loyal minister?

So slow that you only discovered Cao Cao's ambition when you added Jiuxi?

of course not!

Xun Yu did not believe in the court, the ministers, or even the emperor of Han, but he believed in Cao Cao.

But at the same time, he hoped that Cao Cao could stop being the prime minister, and even hoped that there would be a capable person from generation to generation who could "stand out" from the emperor of the Han Dynasty and maintain the longevity of the Han Dynasty.

The Han Dynasty was the first unified and long-lived dynasty. Bai Tu only regarded the Han Dynasty as one of countless feudal dynasties, but Xun Yu regarded the Han Dynasty as the only one.

Therefore, he does not hope that changing dynasties will become a habit, but rather hopes that only Han and capable people will be in charge of the dynasty...

Rather than being loyal to the Han Dynasty, it is better to say that Xun Yu conflicted with the faction that advocated usurping the throne in terms of political ideas.

It's just that... in the context of the family world, the attraction of the emperor's position is ultimately much greater than that of the prime minister, and the heroes of the prime minister's palace are far from comparable to the heroes of the founding of the country.

Xun Yu's political opinions made him a loner in Cao Cao's camp. Even other Xun family descendants, Zhong Yao, Chen Qun and others whom he recommended to positions of power were all standing against him at this time.

In addition, Cao Cao was actively attacking Liu Biao at the time, and Xun Yu was sitting in the rear, and the two of them neglected to communicate. Under such circumstances, Xun Yu, who was hated and slandered by everyone, inevitably had his image in Cao Cao's mind continue to deteriorate, and eventually died of a Empty food box.

Now, Cao Cao took the initiative to add Jiuxi to Bai Tu, which undoubtedly made Xun Yu see some bad signs.

But after all, it was not Cao Cao who awarded Jiuxi himself, and Xun Yu and Cao Cao were now at odds with each other. Except for a small core group of civil servants and generals in the Prime Minister's Mansion, most of them were still trembling in the shadow of Yuan Shao. No one would Xun Yu regarded it as a roadblock, so Xun Yu finally chose to reconcile.

However, Xun Yu was very dissatisfied with Sima Lang's self-assertion - of course Cao Cao would not tell him that this was one of the candidacy conditions given to him by Cao Cao himself before Sima Lang left.

At the same time, regarding the default white map, Xun Yu has also turned dark, and he and Guo Jia suddenly have a common language...

(End of this chapter)