The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 167 This Child is Alright

How does Your Majesty know the candidate for the new Inspector of the Imperial Guard?
Could it be that his influence outside has reached the point where he can interfere with the selection of the Inspector of the Imperial Guards?

Wang Xiang was still daydreaming here, but Chen Qian in the distance had a frown on his face.

Like Cao Mao, Chen Qian believed that Sima Shi would start to deal with Guanqiu Jian in a month.

After all, this war is not a small-scale one. To encircle and suppress the entire Huainan, cooperation from all places is needed. It is not something that can be done just by saying it.

It is very necessary to report to various places, coordinate food and supplies, and determine the strategy. How can we just start a war without any preparation?

Sima Shi's actions disrupted Chen Qian's original plan.

Chen Qian frowned. He was different from Wang Xiang. What he cared about was not whether this thing could be accomplished, but whether he could accomplish it himself.

In fact, Chen Qian is somewhat similar to Zhong Hui.

What Zhong Hui cared about was not whether the world was prosperous or not, but whether the world was prosperous because of his own governance. If someone else had governed it well, Zhong Hui would not be happy.

Of course, Chen Qian was much more restrained than Zhong Hui. At least he did not dare to criticize Sima Zhao in front of him.

Chen Qian knew that this proposal would surely gain the support of many people and would surely succeed if carried out safely. However, if it was accomplished by the ministers, what would he have to do?
Not only does he have to be the minister who proposes the idea, he also has to be the one who completes it.

No, I must meet the emperor!
We must first inform the Queen Mother, then put forward the proposal before sending troops, and complete this matter quickly.

The ministers had different reactions.

The court meeting ended and everyone left.

Gao Guang followed Pei Xiu with some worry in his eyes.

He was also worried that if Guanqiu Jian was defeated, his family would be liquidated.

He looked at Pei Xiu beside him and couldn't help asking, "Ji Yan, do you think the General Zhendong will accept the appointment?"

Pei Xiu didn't say anything, but just walked quickly outside, his pace getting faster and faster.

Gao Guang also hurriedly quickened his pace, and the two of them quickly left the ministers behind.

"You can speak now."

As Gao Guang was speaking, Pei Xiu suddenly stopped and turned to look at Gao Guang.

Gao Guang saw that his face was red and his eyes were full of fiery light.

"Aha~~"

Pei Xiu let out a strange cry and ran away again.

Gao Guang was stunned for a moment, then reacted.

"Someone, come! Send Pei Jun back home!"

Then four or five guards rushed forward, but Pei Xiu was so fast that the guards almost couldn't catch up with him. The scene was very chaotic.

At some point, Gao Rou stood behind Gao Guang, watching the guards protecting Pei Xiu in the middle and hurriedly leaving towards his mansion.

Gao Guang shook his head. "Father, this man takes drugs all day long. Although it's a noble thing, he doesn't know how to control himself. I'm afraid he'll die from this sooner or later."

Gao Rou narrowed her eyes and said, "It was Guanqiu Jian who recommended him."

"what??"

Gao Guang's eyes widened. "Wasn't it Cao Shuang who recommended him?"

"It was Guanqiu Jian who recommended him to Cao Shuang."

"Do you think he really likes to take medicine and act crazy and stupid?"

Gao Rou looked at Pei Xiu with a complicated look.

"Recommended by Guanqiu Jian and valued by Cao Shuang, I have the talent for practical work, but I'm not very old and have been dismissed from my post. What can I do?"

Gao Guang suddenly realized, and then there was more pity in his eyes.

"Father, do I have to be like him in the future?"

Gao Rou shook her head and said, "Don't worry, it won't happen."

"You don't have the same talent as him, so you won't be feared."

For a moment, Gao Guang didn't know whether he should be happy or sad.

Before Chen Qian had time to find Wang Xiang, he saw Wang Xiang taking the initiative to find these ministers.

"Everyone!"

“Prince!!”

Everyone was very polite to the new head of the Nine Ministers, with smiles on their faces.

After all, everyone had relatives who sought official positions based on their knowledge of Confucian classics, and the Minister of Rites was in a position to assess these officials. Confucian classics were the foundation of the aristocratic families, and the inheritance could not be broken, so they did not dare to be rude to Wang Xiang.

Wang Xiang said to them seriously, "It is like this. I heard that the young scholars in the court have gathered in the East Hall of Taiji Hall, setting up a banquet and debating the classics."

"I'm also worried that these young people might go astray, so I want to invite you all to give them some lessons so they know right from wrong."

The ministers did not understand why Wang Xiang suddenly invited them to the East Hall.

In fact, they didn't really want to go to the palace, mainly because they didn't want to meet the emperor.

Afraid of bringing trouble to myself.

But this was Wang Xiang who invited him personally, so I couldn't ignore him.

Some ministers politely declined his invitation on the grounds of their lack of talent and knowledge, but they also gave him enough face and said they would visit him another day. Some ministers simply agreed.

Chen Qian originally wanted to ask Wang Xiang to take him to see the emperor, but unexpectedly, Wang Xiang actually took the initiative to invite him.

Is this your Majesty's order?

Chen Qian couldn't help but think about it.

"come in."

"Greetings, General!!"

Zheng Mao walked into the study and immediately bowed to Sima Shi.

Sima Shi did not look up. There were three memorials in front of him, one from three different places.

Yanzhou, Jingzhou, and Xuzhou.

Zheng Mao received no response from Sima Shi, so he could only maintain his salute posture, not daring to move. After a long while, Sima Shi finally raised his head, as if he had just seen Zheng Mao, and said, "Please sit down."

"Thank you, General."

Zheng Mao stood up and sat carefully next to Sima Shi. He didn't know why Sima Shi suddenly summoned him.

"Mr. Zheng, why haven't you sent me a memorial these days?"

"what?"

Zheng Mao looked at Sima Shi in astonishment.

"I haven't read your memorials in six months. You used to recommend talented individuals and advise me to open schools so more people could learn. I remember your last memorial, which urged me to prioritize education and not use corporal punishment to intimidate the people. Instead, you urged me to first popularize the law and let them understand reason. Was I right?"

Zheng Mao was already sweating profusely. "You are not wrong. It is like this."

"I deeply agreed with what you said back then, and I ordered it to be accepted and implemented. But why are you silent now?"

Sima Shi's right eye stared at Zheng Mao in front of him with a great sense of oppression.

"I am a humble and inexperienced minister."

"Lord Zheng, what strategy should we use to defeat Guanqiu Jian?"

Sima Shi interrupted Zheng Mao's defense and suddenly asked.

Zheng Mao's eyes widened. Sima Shi was clearly going to express his own opinion.

Zheng Mao really didn't want to get involved in these things at all. From childhood to adulthood, he had a very accurate eye for people.

Sima Shi was a man who could accomplish great things, and Zheng Mao also acknowledged this.

In some ways, he even did better than his father.

But the problem is that the general is about to die.

Zheng Mao felt that Sima Zhao was simply unable to carry on the general's legacy.

Although Sima Zhao had a good reputation and was courteous to others, and everyone loved him, he was eager for quick success and had a bad temper. If everything went well, it would be fine, but whenever he encountered a major event, he would handle it improperly, resulting in very serious consequences.

As for Sima Yan, there is no need to say more. Zheng Mao's evaluation of him is even lower.

Based on Zheng Mao's understanding of him, he believed that this person would destroy the Sima family's foundation.

If Sima Shi was still strong and had a few more decades to live, Zheng Mao would have said nothing and would have offered him advice and helped him pacify the world.
But now, Zheng Mao doesn't want to be tied down.

Faced with Sima Shi's pressure, Zheng Mao's mind once again appeared Chen Qian's face and his words.

"I don't know!"

Zheng Mao said again.

A hint of astonishment flashed in Sima Shi's right eye. He looked at Zheng Mao in front of him again and did not speak for a long time.

Zheng Mao didn't say much, just waited calmly.

The atmosphere was strangely calm. Sima Shizhang sighed and said, "Okay, you can go back now. Don't forget to submit your report in the future."

"only!"

Zheng Mao hurriedly left here.

Shortly after he left, Sima Zhao appeared here. He was about to speak when he saw the empty study. He hurriedly looked around but did not see Zheng Mao.

"What about others?"

Sima Shi said calmly, "He's gone."

"Huh? Didn't you agree that I would come and comfort you? Why did you leave?"

"He offered no advice."

Upon hearing this, Sima Zhao flew into a rage. "So, he simply refuses to stand on our side? Brother! We should kill him!"

"sit down."

Sima Zhao was still very angry, his face flushed, and he sat next to Sima Shi, cursing.

Sima Shi's expression became even colder than before.

"I really don't understand why you get so angry when something happens. What's the point of being angry? Can it scare the ministers in the court? Or will it make you look more powerful?!"

Sima Zhao's anger immediately subsided, and he whispered in defense, "Brother, father valued him so much back then and promoted him personally. You doted on him even more and entrusted him with important tasks, but now he is unwilling to stand on our side. I am just angry at his ungratefulness."

"If you weren't so irritable, he might have surrendered to us long ago."

"My brother, what should we do now? Should we depose him or kill him?"

Sima Shi shook his head. "He is a capable minister and can be put to good use."

Sima Zhao asked bewilderedly, "Do you still want to reuse him???"

"Shangzi."

“Anyone who wishes to govern the world must know how to employ all capable people, regardless of whether they are gentlemen or villains, loyal or ambitious.”

"I'm worried about Zheng Mao, not because he won't take sides, but because he acts so selfless. He doesn't covet money, he doesn't care about reputation, he doesn't love women, he doesn't seek profit for his clan, and he doesn't even have the ambition to climb the social ladder."

"If I defeat Guanqiu Jian and pacify all internal affairs, then you should use him in a prominent position and appoint all his descendants to official positions. You should treat him with great respect and listen to his advice. Don't worry about whether he is close to you."

"If I fail, you kill him."

Sima Zhao grinned when he heard this.

"How could my brother fail?"

"I still remember when you assisted father in handling important matters, father was very surprised and pointed at you and said: This boy is actually quite good."

"My father has never praised me once in my life."

"There's no need to say more about these things."

Sima Shi frowned. "Today, Zheng Mao didn't even offer me any advice. He seems to have someone to rely on. I don't know what his confidence is. But I'm sure something big will happen in the court in the next few days."

"Send someone to secretly monitor Zheng Mao now, see who he is in contact with, and report back immediately."

"only!!"

(End of this chapter)