The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 568 The Low-Key Sima Yi
Yan Xing sighed heavily, a hint of shame flashing in his eyes, and said bitterly, "Zhongda anticipated the enemy's move; I was rash."

"General, you are exceptionally brave, but the Qiang people are cunning. In my opinion, it would be better to postpone the attack and first ascertain the enemy's situation."

Sima Yi shook his head slightly, not taking his words to heart.

Yan Xing pondered for a moment, then finally nodded and said, "Let's follow Zhongda's plan."

That night, the Tang army camp was under heavy guard. Inside the central command tent, Yan Xing and Sima Yi sat facing each other and talked.

"Zhongda, what happened during the day?" Yan Xing hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Sima Yi poured Yan Xing a cup of wine and comforted him, saying, "General, there's no need to worry. Victory and defeat are common in war; what's important is how to proceed."

Yan Xing downed his drink in one gulp and said in a deep voice, "The Qiang people have clearly been preparing for this ambush. Our army has just suffered a defeat, and morale is low. Does the strategist have any brilliant ideas?"

Sima Yi's gaze was deep as he said, "Although the Qiang people are numerous, they each harbor their own ambitions. As far as I know, although Midang calls himself the 'King of the Western Qiang,' the Xianling Qiang leader Ke Wu does not submit to him. If we can sow discord between the two..."

Although Qin Shou believed that the Tang Dynasty was powerful enough to easily defeat all enemies by simply sweeping through, Yan Xing was not the Tang Emperor and did not possess the Tang's formidable military strength.

Sima Yi decided to proceed with his own plan, hoping to resolve the Northwest issue as soon as possible.

Yan Xing's eyes lit up: "Brilliant plan! But how do we implement it?"

Sima Yi smiled slightly: "I have already sent spies to infiltrate the Qiang camp. News will arrive soon."

Three days later, a scout dressed as a Qiang person secretly returned to the Tang camp and reported to Sima Yi: "My lord, Ke Wu is indeed dissatisfied with Midang. Midang has kept most of the spoils of war for himself, and Ke Wu is extremely angry."

Sima Yi nodded and took out a pre-prepared letter: "Secretly deliver this letter to Ke Wu's trusted confidant. Remember, do not let Mi Dang's men discover it."

Meanwhile, Sima Yi advised Yan Xing to send small groups of troops to harass the Qiang camp and create tension. The Qiang people, who had been on guard for days, were exhausted.

Five days later, a sudden civil war broke out in the Qiang camp. The Xianling Qiang and Shaodang Qiang clashed fiercely, resulting in heavy casualties. A scout rode at full speed to report: "Midang has killed Kewu's nephew; the two tribes are now sworn enemies!"

Yan Xing slammed his fist on the table, overjoyed: "Heaven is on our side! Prepare the entire army, let's strike while the chaos is at its peak!"

Sima Yi pressed down on Yan Xing's hand: "General, wait. If we attack now, the Qiang people will surely unite against our army temporarily. We should wait a little longer."

That night, flames soared into the sky above the Qiang camp, and shouts of battle filled the air. At dawn, scouts reported: "The Xianling Qiang have retreated overnight, and the Shaodang Qiang have also suffered heavy losses!"

Sima Yi then nodded: "The time has come."

Yan Xing personally led a large army across the river, heading straight for the Qiang people's main camp. The Qiang people, weakened by internal strife, were unable to mount any effective resistance. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Midang fled westward in panic.

The Tang army won a great victory and recovered the lost territory. When the news of the victory reached Chang'an, the entire court was overjoyed.

Inside the Daming Palace, after reading the victory report, Qin Shou said meaningfully to Jia Xu beside him, "Sima Yi is not only exceptionally resourceful, but more importantly, he knows how to conceal his brilliance and not become arrogant with his achievements."

Jia Xu nodded slightly: "This young man is well-versed in the art of advancing and retreating; he is indeed extraordinary."

After the pacification of the Northwest, Yan Xing was completely convinced of Sima Yi's abilities. On the way back to the capital, he sincerely said, "This time, thanks to Zhongda's strategic planning, otherwise I would have almost caused a great disaster."

Sima Yi humbly replied, "General, you flatter me. If it weren't for your bravery and the intimidation you instilled in the Qiang people, even the best strategies would have been difficult to implement."

Upon returning to Chang'an, Qin Shou bestowed lavish rewards upon them. Yan Xing was promoted to General of the Guards, while Sima Yi was appointed Grand Academician of the Jiade Hall, replacing Gu Yong and participating in court affairs. At the victory banquet, however, Sima Yi appeared preoccupied. His eldest son, Sima Shi, asked in a low voice, "Father, now that you have achieved such great merit, why are you so worried?"

Sima Yi gazed at the assembled officials in the hall, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, and said softly, "The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind. Today's glory and favor may be tomorrow's calamity."

Sure enough, it wasn't long before rumors began to circulate in the court that Sima Yi's "merits were so great that they threatened the emperor's power." Furthermore, an imperial censor impeached him for "abusing his power and seizing authority" in the northwest.

Qin Shou kept these memorials hidden and did not send them out, but after a court meeting, he kept Sima Yi behind alone.

"Zhongda, have you heard about the recent turmoil in the court?" Qin Shou's tone was calm, yet it concealed a sharp edge.

Sima Yi immediately knelt on the ground, gesturing with his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I am wholeheartedly devoted to the country and have no other intentions. If there is anything inappropriate, please enlighten me."

Qin Shou stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled and said, "My dear minister, you are overthinking things. I naturally trust you. However..." He changed the subject, "My dear minister, you are exceptionally intelligent. I intend to appoint you as the Crown Prince's tutor, to teach the Crown Prince the ways of governing the country. What do you think?"

Sima Yi was startled, but outwardly replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I will certainly do my utmost to fulfill your expectations."

After leaving the palace, Sima Yi's clothes were soaked with cold sweat. He understood that this was a test from Qin Shou.

Upon returning home, he immediately summoned his two sons for a private meeting.

"His Majesty has become suspicious of me," Sima Yi said in a deep voice. "From now on, we must be even more careful with our words and actions."

Sima Shi asked unwillingly, "Are we just going to sit here and wait to die?"

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Sima Yi's eyes: "No. It's precisely at times like these that we must remain calm. Remember, the true hunter often appears as the prey."

He took a deep breath, for he understood that with Qin Shou around, all his schemes were futile. This emperor, who appeared to be a reckless fool, was in reality a treacherous and cunning man. A moment's carelessness could lead to the extermination of his entire clan.

Meanwhile, Qin Shou was deep in thought in the imperial study. Jia Xu asked softly, "Your Majesty, what about Sima Yi?"

Qin Shou interrupted him: "This man is cunning and scheming; we must be wary. However, with me here, we will naturally be safe. He is older than me, and throughout my life, he will never escape my control. There's no need to worry about him."

Sima Yi was very capable, outliving three generations of the Cao Wei dynasty, but he was not Cao Cao, Cao Pi, or Cao Rui. Sima Yi could only die before himself.

Even if he doesn't die, he will be made to die in the end.

Why did Sima Yi not die in Cao Wei? Aside from his talent, the main reason was that Cao Wei needed him, especially during the reign of Cao Rui, when the Cao clan's generals had been almost entirely wiped out. Only Sima Yi could rival Zhuge Liang, which is why they allowed him to live.

But things are different now. The Tang Dynasty has completed the unification of the Central Plains, and Sima Yi's role is not particularly significant. He is dead, so that's that.

Qin Shou also believed that Sima Yi was a clever man.

Sure enough, since becoming the Crown Prince's tutor, he has risen at dawn every day and entered the Eastern Palace at dawn to teach. His words and actions are always measured and he dares not overstep the bounds in the slightest.

"Grand Tutor, Sun Tzu's Art of War says, 'Warfare is based on deception.' But Father Emperor often says that the Tang Dynasty's iron cavalry has swept across the land, so why would we need deception?" Crown Prince Qin Chengqian suddenly asked after a lesson one day.

Sima Yi put down his book, his fingers tightening slightly in his sleeve. When he looked up, he smiled and said, "Your Highness, His Majesty is naturally divinely gifted and can easily subdue ten opponents with sheer force. However, governing a country is like navigating a boat; only by combining strength and flexibility can one go far."

(End of this chapter)