Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Just as they were talking, the Minister of the Central Secretariat Liu Fang walked in slowly from outside the door.

Thinking that something urgent must have happened again, Dong Zhao, Man Chong, Sima Yi and Xin Pi all looked at Liu Fang, but noticed that there was a young official in his early twenties following behind Liu Fang.

After the two men entered the study one after another, Liu Fang walked towards the emperor in small steps. However, the young official did not continue to follow him. Instead, he stood by the door with his hands behind his back, neither humble nor arrogant, as if he was not affected by the gazes of the cabinet ministers.

This person is Yin Fan.

Since Sun Quan withdrew his troops from Jingxiang in early November, Yin Fan returned to Xuchang from Xiangyang on horseback. Man Chong, who was also in Xuchang at the time, knew that Yin Fan had returned and had also seen the military strength, official positions, court and public figures, and conversations of the Wu Kingdom that Yin Fan had memorized.

Before the news spread, Dong Zhao and Xin Pi who were in Luoyang and Sima Yi who was in Yanzhou at the time were unaware of the existence of Yinfan.

Man Chong smiled slightly and said nothing more.

Liu Fang, who had already walked to the emperor's side, bowed and presented a document, then whispered:
"Your Majesty, General Tian Yu, the Protector of Wuhuan, has submitted a petition requesting an attack on the Xianbei. This letter has just been sent from Dai County to Luoyang."

"What happened to the Xianbei?" Cao Rui frowned slightly and took out a letter from the envelope. "Kebi Neng has only been dead for a few months. Didn't Budugen kill the Han envoy who was Kebi Neng's son-in-law? Didn't he send his head to Luoyang? Something happened again?"

Liu Fang stood aside with his hands behind his back and replied cautiously, "Yes, but the situation is more complicated than it was then."

Cao Rui unfolded the letter and read it slowly. A sneer and sarcasm appeared on his face. He held the letter in his right hand and handed it to Man Chong:
"Come, all four of you, take a look. The Xianbei people are making a fuss just because Kebi Neng is dead. It's really ridiculous."

After Man Chong received the letter, he leaned his hands slightly towards Dong Zhao. After the two of them read it at a glance, they passed Tian Yu's letter to Sima Yi and Xin Pi.

Yin Fan, who was guarding the door, just felt it was fresh.

When Yin Fan was in Luoyang Imperial College, he was not familiar with the working methods of the Wei Central Government, but he saw some of the operations of the country's top leaders in Wuchang with Sun Quan. After he returned to Luoyang yesterday and officially took up his post as the Secretary of State, he learned that His Majesty was diligent in the study every day. Now that he saw the emperor discussing with his ministers, he felt that the emperor was wise and kind.

Sima Yi stood up and returned the letter to the emperor's desk, then stood beside Liu Fang and said calmly:
"Since the Xianbei are in such a mess right now, what General Tian said is not wrong. We should start the expedition after the spring weather warms up."

In Tian Yu's letter, he described clearly the bad things that had happened in the Western Xianbei tribe in recent months.

Heqibu sent a Han envoy, Han Yuanlong, to Budugen, but he was killed by Budugen himself and his head was sent to Dai County overnight.

Heqibu had originally been relying on Kebi Neng's power. Now Kebi Neng was killed by the Wei Dynasty, and the envoy sent to Budugen was dead. Budugen then sent an envoy back to the western Xianbei to rebuke Heqibu's rude and presumptuous behavior in person, making Heqibu blush and unable to get off the stage.

But what can he do if he can't save his face? He is just a coward. Budugen, as a senior official, dared to kill Heqibu's envoy, but Heqibu, whose position is unstable, dared not do anything to Budugen's envoy.

When an organization is in chaos, internally unstable and its leader has little prestige, the slightest spark from the outside will ignite this powder keg and then explode.

This rejection was the fuse.

Budugen's envoys had not yet left the Western Xianbei when, that very night, a group of Xianbei nobles who were dissatisfied with Heqibu murdered him and appointed Kebinen's brother Zonu as their leader.

Kebi Neng's old general named Borgu, who had originally split off half of the Western Xianbei, somehow got in touch with the Western Dingling people north of the Hexi region. Kebi Neng's brother Zonu got in touch with the Northern Dingling, and also gathered together the miscellaneous Hu people and scattered Xianbei tribes north of Youzhou who did not belong to the Wuhuan and had long been oppressed by the Wuhuan, as well as the scattered Xianbei tribes, intending to confront Borgu.

In short, in the few months after Kebi Neng's death, envoys traveled back and forth in an endless stream on the vast grasslands from Liaoxi in the east to Hexi in the west. Both Borgu and Zonu were trying to win over troops and horses, as if they were ready to start a war as soon as the spring weather got warmer.

Moreover, both sides were trying to win the support of the Great Wei, Budugen, Suli, Xieguini and other Xianbei tribes.

Cao Rui said helplessly: "One move affects the whole body. Once Ke Bineng died, the whole grassland will be in chaos."

"The main purpose of Tian Yu's memorial is to make Wei choose the support of Borgu and Suonu, and then send troops to defeat the other side. He also recruited Xianbei cavalry like he recruited Xiongnu cavalry, so as to weaken the western Xianbei and maintain order on the grassland."

"But I am not satisfied with Tian Yu's idea."

Dong Zhao said in a slightly hoarse voice: "The tribes on the grassland are like flowing water. One tribe will be under one's rule today and another tribe will be under another's rule tomorrow. Borgu and Suonu are fighting each other right now. Given the fickle character of the Hu people, with the intervention of the 'outsider' Wei, who knows, they may be able to reunite one day and regain the momentum that Kebi Neng had in suppressing the other Hu tribes."

"Your Majesty, I suggest not interfering with the affairs of the Western Xianbei." Dong Zhao said calmly: "Boergu and Suonu of the Western Xianbei are not only trying to win over the Wei Dynasty, but also want to use the Wuhuan tribes that are friendly to the Wei Dynasty, as well as the Xianbei people such as Budugen, Suli, and Xieguini, as well as the military strength of the Wei Dynasty."

Man Chong also said, "I agree. In the fourth year of Taihe, Hebei was heavily recruited, so we should rest and recuperate our business instead of sending out troops. Holding back will provide the greatest deterrent." After Sima Yi saw the emperor's statement, Dong Zhao and Man Chong followed suit and echoed him, rejecting his agreement with Tian Yu's words. He felt a little unhappy at the moment.

But just a few moments later, a new idea emerged in Sima Yi's mind.

"Your Majesty," Sima Yi said to Cao Rui, "Mr. Dong and General Man are right. It is right to rest and recuperate."

"But if we only let Tian Yu lead his own army to supervise the Xianbei, Wuhuan and other Hu people to march north, and after winning, reward the Xianbei and Wuhuan tribes with money and silk. Then Tian Yu will come forward and divide the people of the defeated party with the victors, and bring them under the direct jurisdiction of the Wei government, wouldn't it be better?"

"Sikong's words are interesting." Cao Rui nodded thoughtfully: "Tell me, how can we directly govern it?"

Sima Yi walked back to his seat and said calmly, "Didn't Your Majesty order a garrison to be set up outside Yanmen County at the beginning of the year?"

"I remember, it is in the former site of Shanwu County in the Later Han Dynasty." Cao Rui replied.

Sima Yi said: "We will take 2,000 civilians from Bingzhou and 500 herdsmen from the Wuhuan tribe, and set up a garrison in Shanwu County. We will build houses and walls, reclaim wasteland, and graze animals to make a living. After spring, summer, and autumn, we will see if they are doing quite well."

"Since Wei can appoint a garrison commander to manage five hundred Wuhuan herdsmen together with two thousand people, why can't it directly manage the Xianbei herdsmen? Rather than letting the Western Xianbei fight with the Western Dingling and Northern Dingling on the grassland and then decide on a new leader, Wei might as well get involved in time and gain more practical benefits!"

Cao Rui was slightly moved and looked at Sima Yi:

"What Sikong said is very interesting, but the border areas of Youzhou and Bingzhou are occupied by the Xiongnu, Xianbei, and Wuhuan tribes. If we really capture thousands or tens of thousands of Xianbei herdsmen, where should we place them?"

Sima Yi also showed a little smugness on his face, and replied calmly: "Your Majesty, just resettle the Xianbei herdsmen in other places! Since the second year of Taihe, the Qiang people in Liangzhou and Qinzhou have surrendered and cultivated land, and the two counties of Xiping and Jincheng in Liangzhou have also vacated a lot of land for grazing. The Qiang tribes outside Xiping County have repeatedly tried to enter the Huangshui Valley to graze, but because the population there is sparse and remote, the court can't stop them."

"Your Majesty, General Xiahouba, who is stationed in Wuwei, is still 800 miles away from the Huangshui Valley. The General Huqiang, who was previously stationed in Xiping County, is stationed in Dazhong, 1,500 miles away. We can't take care of him at all."

"The court moved the Xianbei herdsmen from the grasslands to Xiping County in Liangzhou. First, to strengthen the border, and second, to use the Xianbei to control the Qiang and prevent the Qiang people in the western part of Liangzhou who did not obey the court's orders from causing chaos. Isn't this killing two birds with one stone?"

After hearing this, Cao Rui turned and looked in the direction of Dong Zhao and Man Chong. The two of them just looked thoughtful and didn't say anything.

"Xin Qing?"

Xin Pi coughed lightly and said, "I agree with what the Minister of Works just said. But the most crucial thing is which side to support, Borgu or Suonu, and how Tian Yu can gather the various Hu people to attack, and how to prevent Borgu and Suonu from joining forces and temporarily turning against the Wei Dynasty."

Cao Rui smiled and said, "That's three things."

"First, who should Wei support? Does Tian Yu have a preference?"

Sima Yi replied softly, "Tian Yu chose Borgu. After all, Suonu is Kebinen's brother, but Borgu is just an old general of Kebinen, so there is a difference in closeness and distance."

"Well, let's go with Borgu." Cao Rui said calmly, "I don't know what kind of person Suonu is. Just think of him as having bad luck. Tell Tian Yu that if Suonu can survive, he doesn't need to be handed over to Borgu. Just give him a house in Yecheng."

"The second thing is, how is Tian Yu doing in combat?"

Man Chong also smiled at this time and said: "From your point of view, Tian Yu's fighting style is methodical but also rigid. It is not suitable for him to fight Wu and Shu in the south. However, fighting against the Xianbei and other Hu people on the grassland, rigidity means fewer mistakes, which is an advantage."

"I think Tian Yu is still trustworthy."

"Okay." Cao Rui nodded. "Who can be Tian Yu's advisor and stabilize the situation so that Suonu and Borgu don't rebel at the same time?"

Xin Pi then cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have a candidate who is qualified for this task."

"Who?" Cao Rui asked back. Dong Zhao, Man Chong and Sima Yi also looked over.

"Shanggu Governor Yan Zhi." Xin Pi said, "This man is the younger brother of the former Du Liao General Yan Rou, and he has a great reputation among the Xianbei."

"Well, let Yan Zhi go." Cao Rui nodded to show his approval. (End of this chapter)