Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 156 A ruler has ten advantages, a Zen master has ten disadvantages

Jia Kui had seen the emperor's dejected expression on the King of Wei ten years ago.

At that time, all the officials urged him to ascend the throne, and the King of Wei said: If Heaven's mandate is with me, I will become King Wen of Zhou.

After Xiahou Yuan was killed in battle, King Wei personally led his troops into Hanzhong to confront Liu Bei.

Liu Bei said from afar, "Even if Cao Cao comes, he will be powerless. I will surely have Hanchuan."

The King of Wei attacked it.

After months of fruitless effort, they led their army back.

Before returning to the army, he said the words "chicken rib".

At that time, the King of Wei's expression was exactly the same as the Emperor's at that moment, both looking dejected and lonely.

Why?

However, the circumstances forced the King of Wei to realize that he would never be able to achieve the goal of unifying the world.

And today, the emperor is lonely and desolate, perhaps it is just like this.
Upon realizing this, Jia Kui felt a deep sense of sadness and loneliness.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

When he was young, Dong Zhuo seized power, and the country fell into chaos.

Now that he is nearing the end of his life, he still cannot see the world at peace and the hope of a unified Hai County.

Several times the mountains and rivers were about to be united, and several times the unification of the world seemed to be just around the corner.

As a result, the defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, the strategic error of "having gained Longxi, should we then covet Shu?", the loss of Hanzhong, and three other events related to Liu Bei, completely thwarted Cao Cao's chances of unifying the country.

After Liu Bei's death, all the officials and ministers believed that Liu Bei was the only one left in Shu. In addition, Shu had been silent for several years, so they were overjoyed and thought that as long as they recovered the southeast, Shu would surely surrender at the mere sight of them, and the unification of the world could be expected in a short time.

Unexpectedly, Liu Shan and Zhuge Liang, a pair of rulers and ministers ridiculed by the world, actually accomplished what Liu Bei could not.

Was Liu Shan and Zhuge Liang superior to Liu Bei, or were figures like Cao Zhen, Zhang He, and Sima Yi far inferior to the fierce generals of the Wei Kingdom?
"Does Jia Qing also have nothing to say?" Cao Rui asked, staring intently at Jia Kui, who remained silent for a long time.

"Do you also believe that Heaven has abandoned our Great Wei, and that the Luo River has stopped flowing because the Goddess of the Luo River is disgusted with the virtue of our Wei?"

Jia Kui paused for a moment, then came to his senses.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me."

"I was just reminiscing about Emperor Taizu Wu, and I was momentarily lost in thought."

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui's expression softened slightly.

However, when he thought of the foundation his grandfather had built, which even Cao Pi had not lost an inch of land, while his good grandson had buried the entire Guanzhong region at the hands of the pseudo-Han Liu Shan, he felt ashamed, resentful and angry, which was evident on his face.

Seeing that things were going badly, Jia Kui quickly said:
"Your Majesty's wise judgment."

"When Emperor Taizu fought the Battle of Guandu against Yuan Shao, he suffered more defeats than victories and was repeatedly in dire straits. However, he was tenacious and unwavering, and finally defeated Yuan Shao and unified Hebei."

"As for the narrow defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, Emperor Taizu was able to regroup and work diligently to govern the country. Several years later, he pacified the Di people in Guanzhong, defeated the Mahan state, declared himself a duke, established the state, and laid the foundation for the Wei dynasty."

"Although there were losses in Hanzhong and the disaster of Guan Yu flooding the seven armies, the difficulties were even greater than the setbacks in Guanzhong today. However, Emperor Taizu was able to stand firm in the middle of the tide and eventually made eight out of ten parts of the land under his control."

"Now Guanzhong is just a remote corner of the land, with a population of no more than 100,000, and its tax revenue is barely enough to support itself."

"Although we have fallen to the Shu invaders, it has not shaken the foundation of the Great Wei Kingdom in the slightest. How can Your Majesty claim that Heaven has abandoned the Great Wei Kingdom?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui's expression finally softened slightly.

The somber expressions on the faces of Cao Rui's ministers, such as Zhong Yao, Chen Qun, Jiang Ji, and Xin Pi, gradually faded.

Without pausing, Jia Kui first bowed deeply to the emperor, then spoke earnestly:

"His Majesty!
"King Wen was imprisoned in Youli and then wrote the Book of Changes."

"Chong'er went to a foreign land and started his hegemonic career."

"Goujian endured hardship and humiliation before conquering the three Wu regions."

"All understand the principle that adversity strengthens a nation and refines it to perfection!"

"Although Guanzhong has been lost, the Tai hexagram in the Book of Changes says, 'There is no plain without a slope, and no going without returning.'"

"In the world, nothing is ever completely smooth and without obstacles, nor is anything ever that moves forward without setbacks."

However... after the worst comes the best!

"Your Majesty has inherited the legacy of the founding emperor, and is blessed with divine wisdom and decisive judgment."

"Only by holding firm to one's will and with an iron will can one conquer Shu and destroy Wu, accomplishing the unfinished work of our ancestors and emperors, a feat of unparalleled merit!"
"When Your Majesty looks back on today's defeat in Guanzhong, it will be nothing more than a misfortune, and the country will be blessed with future fortune."

With unwavering resolve and an iron will, how can one be steadfast in one's will?
Sai Weng lost his horse, how do you know it is not a blessing?
Upon hearing this, Cao Rui's troubled and frustrated mood was finally somewhat relieved. His tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and his dull eyes brightened slightly.

Four or five days after news of Sima Yi's disastrous defeat in Guanzhong reached Luoyang, ministers such as Zhong Yao, Chen Qun, and Jiang Ji were all devastated and at a loss.

The emperor of the Great Wei was first furious, then deeply saddened, and then drank alcohol and took poison for several days. None of the officials and ministers were able to enter the palace to pay their respects.

It wasn't until the news of the Luo River drying up reached Luoyang that the emperor finally emerged from the deep palace and met with his officials and ministers outside the palace for the first time.

It was only at this moment that important officials such as Chen Qun, Zhong Yao, and Yang Fu learned that the two generals Cao Xiu and Jia Kui, who were in charge of heavy troops, had been urgently recalled to Luoyang from the front line in Nanyang by the emperor.

It is unknown whether he was afraid that the Shu bandits would leave Tongguan and Wuguan and threaten Luoyang and Nanyang, so he summoned them to give military instructions.

They were still afraid that a rebellion might break out in Luoyang and the surrounding areas, so they summoned them back to take charge of the central government.

"I will never forget Jia Qing's words." Cao Rui took Jia Kui's hand and helped him up.

With the support of this veteran official who held military and political power in Yuzhou and protected Luoyang, he felt more confident facing Chen Qun, Zhong Yao, and other long-serving officials from Yingchuan.

His confidence has always come from military power and from checks and balances.

Back then, Cao Pi appointed four regents for him.

Two members of the imperial clan, Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu.

Sima Yi, the leader of the Heluo gentry who was detached from the Yingchuan gentry.

Chen Qun, a leader of the Yingchuan gentry.

To prevent any one side from becoming too powerful, he elevated Chen Qun's status and continued to use the Nine-Rank System to win over the Yingchuan gentry, suppress Hebei, and check the military power of Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu.

At the same time, the military power of the imperial clan generals was retained to prevent the aristocratic families from controlling the government.

Later, due to the need for border defense, powerful ministers had to be sent to remote areas, leaving Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu, and Sima Yi far from the central government.

Although Chen Qun remained in the court, his authority was gradually divided among his confidants Liu Ye and Jiang Ji, and he also appointed Jiang Ji, Qin Lang, Xiahou Xian and others to jointly command the Luoyang Central Army.

At the same time, he also made good use of close officials such as Liu Fang, the Director of the Secretariat, and Sun Zi, the Grand Secretary, so that they could bypass the Secretariat under Chen Qun and issue orders directly.

If the world is at peace, his system of checks and balances will be extremely effective, allowing him to firmly grasp power and truly make decisions based on his own will and act according to his own whims.

I only hate the Shu bandits and the northern invaders!
Cao Zhen is dead.

Sima Yi was defeated.

Grand Secretary Sun Zi died.

Chen Qun's son, Chen Tai, is dead.

Sima Yi's son, Sima Shi, died. Guanzhong was lost, and the Shu rebels returned to Chang'an.

All of this... has completely thrown his entire system of power struggles and checks and balances into disarray!
Chen Qun stepped forward from Cao Rui's side, bowed to Cao Rui, and said:
"Your Majesty, Governor Jia's words make sense."

"The loss of Guanzhong is like the old man on the frontier losing his horse; who knows if good fortune will follow?"
The Mencius states:
"When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it will first test their will, strain their muscles and bones, starve their body and clothes, and disrupt their actions, so as to strengthen their resolve and increase their abilities."

"Your Majesty only needs to regroup and follow the example of Goujian's perseverance and hard work, and strive to strengthen the country. You will surely be able to conquer Shu and destroy Wu, and achieve the unfinished feats of Emperor Taizu and the late Emperor."

After Chen Qun finished speaking, Jiang Ji, Liu Ye, Zhong Yao and the others looked at each other, speechless, while Jia Kui also frowned slightly.

Chen Qun quoted a passage from Mencius, but omitted the most crucial second half.

First, "People always make mistakes before they can correct them."

Secondly, "If a country has no wise advisors or capable ministers within, and no external enemies without, it will inevitably perish. Only then will we realize that one is born in hardship and dies in comfort."

This is saying that His Majesty has made mistakes that should be corrected.

This is yet another admonition to His Majesty: those who are born in hardship will perish in comfort; without a sense of crisis and without striving for good governance, the country will inevitably perish.

There is some truth to what he said.

This emperor indeed lacked any sense of crisis regarding Shu and Wu, and in his private life, he did indeed behave in ways unbecoming of a wise ruler.

But given this crushing defeat, and the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Luo River... what if His Majesty, provoked, angered, or frustrated, simply gives up or acts recklessly? What would become of the nation then?
What this emperor needs now is not advice, but the "Ten Victories and Ten Defeats" that Guo Jia gave him when Emperor Taizu suffered repeated defeats against Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, was extremely disappointed, and was almost about to give up on the struggle for supremacy.

Just as Jia Kui had said, it was entirely meant to encourage His Majesty, without the slightest hint of criticism.

Cao Rui remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly, seemingly unconcerned.

“What the Central Protector General said is absolutely right. The blame for the defeat in Guanzhong lies with me.”

"It was because I underestimated the enemy and was careless, and was unprepared for Guanzhong, that I suffered this defeat."

Chen Qun had lost his son, who had died protecting him, so Cao Rui found it somewhat difficult to face Chen Qun.

In fact, Cao Zhen, Zhang He, and Sima Yi suffered repeated defeats, Guanzhong was lost, and Chang'an fell. The reason for this was that Guanzhong was unprepared. As the ruler of a country, he could not escape responsibility no matter what.

He is someone who "makes mistakes and then corrects them."

But... is the country his own? All the officials and civil servants are paid by the Wei court; shouldn't they be loyal to their sovereign?
Jiang Ji then stepped forward:

"Your Majesty, it is true that the defenses in Guanzhong were inadequate, leading to this defeat."

"But it is not Your Majesty's fault, but rather the result of our inadequate assistance and dereliction of duty."

“We, your humble servants, have been fed by Your Majesty but have failed to serve Your Majesty faithfully. We have neither been able to plan ahead for Your Majesty nor to relieve Your Majesty’s worries and difficulties. We have truly failed Your Majesty’s grace.”

"Your Majesty, please do not blame Your Majesty but blame us for our mistakes, our negligence, and our faults. We are deeply grateful and moved to tears!"

After Jiang Ji finished speaking, Liu Ye and Hua Xin also stepped forward to echo him, disregarding Chen Qun's attitude.

Jia Kui frowned almost imperceptibly, but said nothing. This was certainly not the time for His Majesty to examine his mistakes, and they, as his ministers, could not absolve themselves of responsibility for the defeat in Guanzhong.

Although he did advise the emperor not to underestimate the Shu bandits.

But why didn't you try to persuade them more often?
Ultimately, amidst an atmosphere where all the officials and civil servants looked down on Liu Shan and Zhuge Liang, he was persuaded that Liu Shan and Zhuge Liang could not cause any trouble, and that the focus of the country should indeed be placed in the southeast.

After all, the supply route to Guanzhong was difficult, and the cost of supporting 20,000 people was roughly the same as that of supporting 70,000 to 80,000 people in Huainan and Nanyang.

Although the country occupies the land of nine provinces, is it really possible that so many resources are readily available everywhere?

Upon realizing this, Jia Kui sighed again.

The Shu bandits lay low for five years, using mountains and rivers as barriers, time as cover, and the discord between powerful ministers and incompetent rulers as bait to lull the Wei court and its officials into complacency.

This is what military strategy calls "to appear incapable when capable, and to appear not to use when ready to act."

It also means "luring them with profit, preparing against them with strength, avoiding them when they are powerful, exhausting them when they are at ease, attacking where they are unprepared, and striking when they least expect it."

Not only were Zhuge Liang and Liu Shan able to use military strategy to defeat their enemies on the battlefield, but they also applied military strategy to national strategy early on.

The Great Wei fell into the trap and suffered today's defeat. What more can be said?

We must learn from this experience and never repeat the same mistake.

Jiang Ji stepped forward again at this time:

"Your Majesty, when Emperor Taizu fought against Yuan Shao at Guandu, he suffered repeated setbacks."

"Zhenhou Guo Fengxiao explained the advantages and disadvantages to Taizu and presented the theory of 'ten advantages and ten disadvantages'. As a result, Taizu defeated the enemy and took Hebei."

"I also believe that Your Majesty has ten advantages, while Liu Shan has ten disadvantages."

Jiang Ji's words left the ministers on the banks of the Luo River looking at each other in bewilderment.

Cao Rui paused slightly: "Commander, please speak."

Jiang Ji sorted out his thoughts and said:

"Liu Shan falsely claimed the Han throne, seized control of Shu, and committed usurpation, yet falsely claimed to be the legitimate ruler."

"The Great Wei received the abdication from Heaven, and Your Majesty inherited the foundation of the Wei dynasty. The legal system is clear, and this is the best way."

"Sichuan is a remote and desolate place with few people and exhausted soldiers. Even if it gains control of Guanzhong, it will be difficult to hold it for long."

"Your Majesty possesses the land of the Central Plains, with a million armored soldiers and fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles. This is the second advantage."

"A country cannot have two rulers. Although Liu Shan had this advantage, he entrusted all political affairs to Zhuge Liang. The powerful minister monopolized power, which is what is meant by 'the government is controlled by the Ge family, but the sacrifices are performed by the emperor.'"

"Your Majesty's decisive leadership and the obedience of your ministers have brought order to the court and the country. This is the third reason for your excellent governance."

"Zhuge Liang only appointed his trusted confidants, such as Ma Su, which ultimately led to the defeat at Jieting."
"Your Majesty appoints officials according to their talents, promoting both civil and military officials. This is superior to the fourth measure."

"The Shu bandits have invaded the north, supplying provisions from a thousand miles away, leaving their troops exhausted and worn out. Your Majesty, by waiting in comfort and holding strategic positions, will allow them to collapse on their own. This is the fifth reason for your superior strategy."

"Liu Shan is incompetent and only relies on Zhuge Liang to maintain the people's hearts. Once Zhuge Liang dies, Shu will surely fall into internal strife. Your Majesty's benevolence is widespread, your ministers are loyal, and the people are devoted to you. This is the sixth reason why your virtue is superior."

"Liu Shan was concerned with small favors but lost sight of the big picture, and his rewards and punishments were unclear; Your Majesty, on the other hand, applies both kindness and severity, rewards are given promptly, and punishments are not avoided for the noble. This is the seventh reason why Your Majesty is benevolent."

"Slanderous and treacherous officials emerged early in Shu, such as Li Yan, who hindered Zhuge Liang and ultimately led to internal strife; Your Majesty's discernment is astute, and slanderous words have not been heeded, this is the eighth reason for Your Majesty's wisdom."

"Liu Shan was unlearned and incompetent, relying solely on Zhuge Liang to govern the country; Your Majesty is well-versed in classics and history, and your culture and education are flourishing, with scholars submitting to you and winning your hearts. This is the ninth reason why Wen Sheng is superior."

"The Shu bandits had few soldiers and generals, relying solely on Zhao Yun, but Zhao Yun was old and could not last long."

"Your Majesty's generals, such as Grand Marshal, Jia Yuzhou, Wang Ling, Man Chong, Tian Yu, Qian Zhao... are all famous generals of the world. They are at the peak of their strength. This is the tenth reason why they are so powerful."

"With these ten victories and Liu Shan's ten defeats, the balance of power in the world is already clear."

After Jiang Ji finished praising him, Chen Qun, Zhong Yao, Liu Ye, Hua Xin, and even veteran officials like Jia Kui and Xin Pi were all dumbfounded.

By the end, Cao Rui had no idea what Jiang Ji was saying.

But he finally understood how Emperor Taizu felt when he heard Guo Jia's theory of ten victories and ten defeats.

Somewhat embarrassing.

It was somewhat comforting.

Hua Xin then stepped forward and said, "General Jiang's theory of ten victories and ten defeats today will surely shine for generations, just like Emperor Taizu's theory of ten victories and ten defeats obtained from Marquis Zhen, becoming a timeless tale!"

(End of this chapter)