Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 25 Surrender and You Lose Half

Inside the Hedong Post Station outside Anyi City, Shi Shouxin was eating a flatbread in his guest room.

These pancakes are both crispy and soft; I don't know how they're made, but they've likely been fermented with yeast. While Madam Li Wan's pancakes taste good, they're made with unleavened dough and lack a pleasant texture.

So Shi Shouxin went to the kitchen of the post station and found the cook, asking him about the fermentation method.

I thought the other party would keep quiet and that it would be difficult to find out, but to my surprise, the cook proudly revealed his so-called "secret recipe": simply mix sour brine with rice to ferment, then dry it and grind it into powder to make a leavening agent. Adding it to the dough will make the pancakes fluffy.

It's that simple!
When you don't know, you think it's incredibly difficult, but once the mystery is solved, it's surprisingly easy and simple!
Worried that Shi Shouxin wouldn't believe him, the cook took out the leavening agent and dough from the kitchen and demonstrated on the spot.

Mix flour and leavening agent with water, knead the dough, let it sit for a while to ferment, and finally bake the fermented dough in the oven.

Before long, they received a batch of flatbreads from the post station for the officials to eat.

Just like the one Shi Shouxin ate before, the taste and texture are very consistent!

To express his gratitude to the cook for teaching him his skills, Shi Shouxin gave him a lot of five-zhu coins.

Perhaps because he had met a kindred spirit, or perhaps because he felt greatly respected, the chef actually told Shi Shouxin the secret recipes for several of his signature dishes, talking non-stop like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

He was probably always being bossed around by the officials who came and went. Sometimes, when important guests arrived in the middle of the night, he would have to get up and cook even if he was asleep, but no official ever truly respected him.

To find someone who treats him like a human being is even rarer than seeing a giant panda in Hedong.

After this conversation, Shi Shouxin gained a lot. He also learned a lot of useful information from the cook, such as the powerful clans in Hedong who had connections everywhere. He immediately made a plan in his mind.

Back in his room, Shi Shouxin's gloomy mood eased considerably. He had waited at the post station for two or three days, but no news had come from Anyi City.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't anxious; he had been away from home for some time, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was longing to return. But there was nothing he could do; this was a gamble he couldn't back down from, and even if he was anxious, he had to wait.

"Young master, those wealthy families in Hedong are said to own tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, more than a thousand servants, and countless tenant farmers. Won't you be bullied by them if you go to talk to them all by yourself?"

The greyhound asked with some concern.

"That's what you don't understand. I'm not alone."

Shi Shouxin grunted twice but offered no explanation.

Just then, there was a knock on the door three times, and the voice of Wang Jun's son, Wang Ju, came from outside: "Gentleman, a wealthy family from Hedong has sent people to Anyi to discuss important matters. They are waiting in the government office now, and will start the banquet after you arrive."

They were indeed feeling guilty! Upon hearing this news, Shi Shouxin felt much more at ease!
"I am unwell and unable to drink alcohol. If they wish to visit me, they can come to the post station alone."

Of course, all guests are welcome, and they can come together if they wish.

Shi Shouxin replied calmly, "To put it simply, he's completely unyielding."

Since it's about something important, we must maintain our composure and not give in. Attending a banquet at the prefect's office would likely be a bad experience; we might even be turned the tables and have the guests host us. What's the point of going to such a banquet?

"This, I'm afraid..."

Wang Ju, standing outside the door, hesitated.

He felt that Shi Shouxin was being a bit too arrogant, but considering Sima's usual style, he also felt that the other party was not entirely without support.

"Just go back and tell Lord Wang that even if the sky falls, it's not your place to hold it up."

Shi Shouxin offered a suggestion.

Wang Ju suddenly realized what was happening and immediately turned to leave.

Yeah, why should he worry about it? Anyway, he's not the one who's going to be unlucky, at least he's not the first one to be unlucky.

Not long after, a commotion broke out outside the post station.

A large group of people arrived at Hedong Post Station, including Wang Jun, who were all prominent figures in Hedong County.

The area was cleared, guests were seen off, and the surroundings were guarded to prevent unauthorized personnel from approaching. When Shi Shouxin arrived at the post station's main hall, Wang Jun had already taken his seat with several richly dressed men, some older and some younger.

Apart from Wang Jun, the others were all representatives of prominent local families in Hedong, and their servants waited outside the post station.

"Gentlemen, there is something you have probably already heard about: the discussions in the court regarding the conquest of Shu."

Those who haven't heard of this, or who pretend not to, should leave now.

Shi Shouxin looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice, his words utterly impolite.

However, the representatives of the prominent families from Hedong exchanged glances and nodded frequently. They showed no annoyance whatsoever at Shi Shouxin's blunt words.

Sima Zhao's campaign against Shu was so grand in scale, how could these powerful families in Hedong not know? Since they knew something big was about to happen, who would be so foolish as to walk right into the line of fire?
"What the visitor said is true, but I don't know why you have come."

Pei Li of the Hedong Pei clan asked calmly. He was Pei Xiu's cousin and had not yet entered officialdom, but was only responsible for managing the family's miscellaneous affairs. Pei Xiu, on the other hand, was a confidant of Sima Zhao.

From this perspective, not all scions of prominent families become officials; someone always needs to manage the family business.

Shi Shouxin took out the "Summary of IOUs," unfolded it in his hand, and asked with some doubt:

"I don't know which company you are from?"

“Pei Li, courtesy name Bozong, is a member of the Pei family.”

Pei Li bowed to Shi Shouxin, his expression slightly reserved.

"Yes, when the Pei family first rebelled in Huainan, they borrowed 50,000 bushels of grain from the Agricultural Commissioner. I personally verified the IOU. Can you tell me what the Pei family intended to do with this grain?"

"Fifty thousand bushels, that's quite a lot. How many people are in your family? Do you need fifty thousand bushels of grain?"

Shi Shouxin looked up at Pei Li and asked.

It was because… Pei Li suddenly stammered. He couldn’t very well say that he was worried that the Sima family wouldn’t be able to control the situation back then, so he took advantage of their misfortune to fleece them, could he? If the Sima family was overthrown, then he wouldn’t have to return the 50,000 bushels of grain!

Seeing that Pei Li couldn't give a coherent explanation, Shi Shouxin slapped his forehead as if he had suddenly realized something and said, "This happened a long time ago, you might not remember. Zhuge Dan's rebellion shouldn't be too far off, right? Tsk tsk, back then your family borrowed a full 100,000 bushels of grain. Borrowing so much grain, could it be that you wanted to cooperate with Zhuge Dan in recruiting soldiers and horses?"

Shi Shouxin asked with a smile, but the smile looked rather cold!

Pei Li felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, because... Shi Shouxin was absolutely right! It was because Sima Zhao led a large army to fight against Zhuge Dan in Huainan for a long time without success, and it took nearly a year for the powerful clans of Hedong to make two preparations.

If the Sima family is overthrown by Zhuge Dan, then in order to protect themselves, the Pei family will have to recruit soldiers! Without food, how can they recruit soldiers?
“My lord, there’s more to this than meets the eye. The Pei family borrowed the grain only for disaster relief, nothing more.”

Pei Li chuckled awkwardly, his earlier arrogance completely gone. He tried to argue, but Shi Shouxin raised his hand, signaling him to shut up.

"Let me tell you the truth: the Agricultural Commissioner of Hedong is preparing to surrender to the court because of this matter!"
If the general suspects that he is colluding with someone to rebel, it will surely lead to another bloody conflict.

Since none of you can provide a satisfactory explanation, I, Shi, can only act impartially and report the situation to the General.

Shi Shouxin shook his head and sighed, clicking his tongue in amazement.

“My lord, the Wei family has no such intention. It is all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. This matter must not be reported to the General.”

Wei Shi, who was sitting on pins and needles to the side, quickly tried to smooth things over. "That young Pei Li doesn't know how to talk, but does Wei Shi, a middle-aged man, not understand these social niceties?"
If you really want to kill them, just send troops to their homes to arrest them and confiscate their property. Why go through all this trouble?
I know you have your own difficulties.

However, with the general's campaign against Shu imminent and supplies extremely scarce, the amounts on these IOUs... cannot be disregarded.

How about this, you pay back half this year, and the rest can be paid off in two installments.

how is it? "

Shi Shouxin asked in a deep voice.

Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. Much of the grain borrowed in batches had been used for working capital; if it had been given out all at once, it would have been worse than taking their lives.

Asking for only half is already quite lenient. Besides, borrowed grain should be returned anyway; they're only delaying because they know Sima Zhao won't offend them over something like this. Giving it back now is a zero-sum game!
“What the attendant said is absolutely right. We will certainly do as he says.”

Wei Shi nodded and said.

"but."

Shi Shouxin suddenly shouted, and everyone present held their breath, knowing that the real "sex scene" was about to begin.

"The General still has some doubts about the actions of the wealthy families in Hedong during the three rebellions in Huainan. He still doesn't understand why you borrowed grain back then."

"How about each family writes a letter of repentance, which Shi will then take back to Luoyang? That way, we'll have something to say to the General. What do you think?"

Writing a letter of repentance is a public statement, and it's not something you can do casually.

Everyone present remained silent, except for Wang Jun, the governor of Hedong, who looked at Shi Shouxin and seemed to understand his thoughts.

Shi Shouxin glanced at the expressions on these people's faces and secretly felt fortunate.

The Sima clan's cruelty and untrustworthiness over the years have instilled fear and become a taboo among many powerful families. When asked to replenish their grain supplies, they uttered not a single word of objection. However, when asked to write letters of repentance, they all looked as if they were being stared at by venomous snakes, their faces contorted in fear.

"This letter of repentance cannot be written. How about this, we find a way to make up for all the grain we have borrowed over the years, and then have the Agricultural Commissioner burn all the IOUs, as if nothing had happened. What do you think?"

Wei Shi asked, having already revealed his trump card.

"Wouldn't that be a bit of a dilemma? That's over a million bushels of grain, no small amount."

Shi Shouxin deliberately made it difficult.

"It's no trouble at all, really no trouble at all."

Wei Shi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Although he felt a pang of heartache, he understood that destroying the evidence would solve everything. Sima Zhao was a petty person; keeping a record of this matter would always be a source of trouble.

"Alright, I have a proposal here. You can sign it."

Shi Shouxin pulled a silk scroll from his sleeve. It read: "Hearing that the court intends to wage war abroad, we, the great clans of Hedong, also wish to contribute. The grain and fodder we borrowed previously will be returned this time. If the court needs our assistance, we will certainly provide manpower and funds."

Isn't this the same thing?
Everyone present looked at each other in bewilderment, but Wang Jun remained as steady as an old dog, his eyes downcast and his mind at ease, like an old monk in deep meditation.

"Your Excellency, is there any difference between signing this and writing a letter of repentance?"

Pei Li asked, puzzled.

"Of course there is a difference. The letter of repentance is for the General, while the letter of proposal is for the Commandant of the Capital Region. How can you confuse the two?"

Shi Shouxin smiled. Everyone suddenly understood, and their unspeakable little schemes vanished instantly.

These days, if you have someone's weakness, everyone can feel at ease.

What if I burn the IOU and destroy the evidence? What if you retaliate against me in the future? I have to keep a backup plan.

"Gentlemen, let's get this over with quickly. Dragging it out won't do any good."

Wang Jun said in a deep voice that he also hoped to turn a big problem into a small one and a small one into nothing, otherwise, it would only be a matter of time before Sima Zhao punished him!
The people had no choice but to reluctantly sign their names.

Shi Shouxin handed the "Summary of IOUs" to Wang Jun and said, "Your Excellency, first transfer the grain and fodder from the Anyi granary to make up for the deficit. Then, each household should send their grain and fodder to the Anyi granary. Burn this book in front of everyone. Stabilize the granaries and ensure the smooth progress of the war, so that no unexpected problems will arise. I entrust this matter to Your Excellency, Wang Jun."

Upon hearing this, the representatives of the prominent families in Hedong all secretly admired Shi Shouxin's meticulous thinking, as he had dragged all the major families in Hedong into this mess.

If the powerful families wanted to repay the grain, they could simply send it to the prefectural granary. Wang Jun, on the other hand, was to transport the grain from the prefectural granary to the military farm granaries to make up for the deficit. As for how to manage the grain in the prefectural granary, that was a matter between him, the prefect, and the local powerful families.

If something goes wrong, no one will benefit!
Everyone signed the "proposal," and after the ink dried, Shi Shouxin looked at it again and again, finally putting it into his sleeve with satisfaction. He planned to hand it over to Shi Bao upon returning to Luoyang, and that would conclude the matter.

It's a good idea, and there's no need to worry about these big players retaliating later.

"Gentlemen, I, Shi, will now inform the Agricultural Commissioner and urge him to burn the IOU after receiving the grain and fodder, and then return to Luoyang."

Although the world is not at peace these days, the trade route between Hedong and Luoyang is still quite safe. I believe Mr. Shi will not encounter any accidents on his journey.

But if something truly unknown happens, the general will think that I was silenced because I knew some crucial secret. In that case, the Commandant of the Capital Region will probably send a large number of envoys to Hedong to investigate the case, which would be troublesome.

If that day ever comes, please take good care of yourselves, everyone. Other attendants may not be as easy to talk to as I am.”

Shi Shouxin couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, looking regretful.

Pei Li and the others' expressions changed slightly. They hurriedly offered to send someone to escort Shi Shouxin back to Luoyang, but the latter refused.

These people had no choice but to leave dejectedly and return home to discuss the matter with their families.

After everyone had left, Wang Jun, who was in his fifties, stepped forward and looked Shi Shouxin up and down.

"The young attendant is quite capable."

Wang Jun nodded, his eyes revealing his admiration for Shi Shouxin.

Wang Jun, having served as an official for many years, knew all too well that these powerful and influential families were the most difficult to deal with. These people were not only local bullies, but also had relatives holding official positions in the imperial court, making them utterly impervious to both soft and hard tactics.

But Shi Shouxin managed to make those people obediently return the grain and fodder they had originally intended to seize.

"Your Excellency is too kind; it is all within my duty."

Shi Shouxin said modestly, bowing to Wang Jun. This time, he had also helped Wang Jun defuse a landmine.

"Don't worry, I will have someone transport the grain to the granary at the garrison headquarters tomorrow."

Wang Jun said very solemnly. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "I have a question. Did the Attendant never intend to have those aristocratic families write letters of repentance from the beginning?"

This question is not easy to answer.

Shi Shouxin laughed heartily and said, "Lord Wang has stumped me. I don't have that many thoughts in mind. It was just a coincidence."

He waved his hand gently, neither admitting nor denying.

Wang Jun laughed heartily but didn't expose him. He then invited Shi Shouxin to have a simple meal at the prefect's residence, but Shi Shouxin felt that this might cause unnecessary trouble and declined on the grounds that "reporting back to the emperor is of utmost importance."

By the time we got back to our room at the inn, it was already completely dark.

Seeing Shi Shouxin's beaming face, Xigou stepped forward and asked, "Master, is everything settled?"

"Alright, I'll go home tomorrow! Oh, and I'll also deliver a recruitment notice while I'm at it, no problem."

Shi Shouxin was in high spirits, having finally completed the important matter and gotten the powerful families to return all the grain and fodder. As for informing Sima Zhao, that was impossible; this was merely a desperate move to destroy everyone involved.

Just like nuclear weapons, they can't be used immediately; the optimal solution is to keep them in hand, always in a state of "about to be used."

If we actually use it, it will result in a lose-lose situation.

The greyhound suddenly asked in a low voice, "Master, this matter is of great importance. Didn't those wealthy families give you any gold, silver, or jewels?"

"Even if they gave it to you, you can't accept it. Taking a bribe is like selling your soul to an evil spirit; it's hard to turn back then."

Shi Shouxin said meaningfully. The little dog nodded as if it understood, but for some reason it felt that what Shi Shouxin said made a lot of sense.

(End of this chapter)