Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 34 Turning the Tide
Early that morning, Yang Huiyu arrived at the prison and saw Shi Shouxin sitting calmly at the table. She immediately felt a bit amused and exasperated.

She dropped her feigned concern, adopting an expression of complete unfamiliarity with the other person, and said with a cold, sarcastic tone:

"Looks like you haven't suffered any injustices here; you even have books to read."

Before Shi Shouxin could answer, Yang Huiyu waved her hand gently, and the jailer behind her quickly retreated. Xu Ying stood guard at the entrance of the corridor, preventing others from getting close.

Seeing that no one was around, Yang Huiyu quickly knelt down opposite Shi Shouxin. Looking at the handsome and upright man in front of her, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

She asked with concern, "Young Master Shi, are you alright?"

Two small, white hands patted Shi Shouxin on the left and right, as if checking whether he had been beaten by the prison guards.

Suddenly, Shi Shouxin grabbed Yang Huiyu's slender waist and forcefully kissed her lips. The two kissed passionately for a long time before finally separating.

"No, not here, I'm afraid someone will see me."

Tell me first what happened that led to your imprisonment.

Yang Huiyu lowered her head and asked shyly. This sudden intimacy made her feel like a woman in love, her joy beyond words.

"Lady Yu, this matter is related to Ji Kang."

Please help me persuade the general not to kill Ji Kang.

This matter will do him no good whatsoever. In the end, it's enough to let Ji Kang suffer a bit; you must not kill him.

Of course, you'll still need to handle this matter.

Upon hearing this, Yang Huiyu's expression immediately turned serious. She sighed and advised:

“Ji Kang helped Lü An falsely accuse you, and you even went out of your way to help him. This is not how you act as a good person.”

Yang Huiyu was heartbroken to see Shi Shouxin imprisoned, so naturally she had nothing nice to say to Ji Kang.

"The main reason why Ji Kang was tricked this time was that the general listened to Zhong Hui's slander and thought that Ji Kang was Cao's son-in-law and had a great influence, so he should be killed as a warning to others."

It seems to make a lot of sense, but nowadays, not only are the sons-in-law of the Cao family living well, but the Cao family members themselves are all doing just fine! So what is Ji Kang?
Often, the thought of killing happens in an instant, and people frequently regret it afterward. The General and Zhong Hui's intentions in this matter were completely different.

Shi Shouxin's words were a wake-up call.

Yang Huiyu was involved in family politics and was a true political animal. Hearing what he said, I suddenly felt that there was quite a bit of truth to it.

“What Mr. Shi said makes sense. After thinking about it carefully, it is indeed the case.”

Yang Huiyu nodded, her gaze towards Shi Shouxin gentle yet appreciative, the kind that grows on you the more you look at him.

"This is not something I want to meddle in, but it is closely related to my personal future."

Zhong Hui used the general as a weapon, and of course, he also used me as a weapon.

Afterwards, the killing of Ji Kang would inevitably be condemned by everyone, and the general's reputation would be ruined.

Those who pleaded for Ji Kang must have been numerous, and there was even a possibility that the scale of the plea was enormous.

Then the general can find an opportunity to back down gracefully, raising the board high and lowering it gently.

In any case, Ji Kang could escape the death penalty but not the punishment; he could be beaten and then exiled.

This way, we can both uphold the law and make an exception to win people's hearts.

Of course, I did this purely out of personal motives, not to stand up for Ji Kang.

If Ji Kang dies, I will surely be talked about behind my back, and even be regarded as an accomplice in killing Ji Kang. This is too unfair to me.

Lady Yu should persuade the General in this way, saying…

Shi Shouxin laid out his thoughts completely without reservation. He spoke in great detail, mentioning every point and even offering several suggestions for persuading Sima Zhao.

This included a fallback plan: simply imprison Ji Kang; he couldn't escape anyway, so why rush things after the campaign against Shu was over?

Yang Huiyu nodded. Shi Shouxin's words made perfect sense and were indeed true. The proposed solution was also quite feasible; it was worth a try.

"Then there's no time to lose. I'll go to the General's mansion right now and persuade him to conduct a fair trial."

No matter what, we can't let Zhong Hui get away with this.

Yang Huiyu finally agreed and prepared to get up.

"Yu Niang".

Shi Shouxin suddenly called out softly and took her hand.

Yang Huiyu blushed, remembering that the other party had just stolen a kiss from her, so she glared at Shi Shouxin and asked, "What is it now?"

"In the future, could you tell me more about yourself?"

Shi Shouxin met her gaze and said very seriously, "I want to know more about you."

"As long as Ah Lang doesn't find me annoying, that's fine."

Yang Huiyu muttered something like a mosquito's buzz, then pulled her hand away and fled the prison as if escaping. Stepping out of the prison, she looked up at the autumn sun hanging in the sky, only to find her mind buzzing incessantly, her thoughts completely muddled.

An unprecedented feeling of exhilaration spread throughout her body, almost making her lose her balance.

……

Ji Kang was a renowned scholar of the Cao Wei dynasty. Because he married a daughter of the Cao family and was the son-in-law of the Cao family, Ji Kang was executed, which brings to mind the "unspeakable things" done by the Sima clan to the Cao family.

Moreover, the Ji family was also a member of the political group in Pei County, and their overall political leanings were towards the Cao family.

Thus, feeling a sense of shared sorrow, many people stepped forward to plead for Ji Kang's life.

Those people argued that the Xu family's rape case was completely fabricated, that the Lü family was despicable and muddle-headed, and that there was really nothing to say about the case. However, Ji Kang's fault was at most that he misjudged people and rashly spoke out without understanding right from wrong.

There may be some guilt, but it certainly doesn't warrant death!

However, Lü An has already been swiftly executed by the Court of Justice, making it an ironclad case. But the fate of Ji Kang remains unresolved, seemingly due to a fierce struggle between two forces.

Immediately, some said Ji Kang should be released without charge, some said he should be imprisoned to serve his sentence, and others said he deserved to die.

In any case, it's a hot topic of discussion and has become the most talked-about issue right now.

Sima Zhao was also fed up with this and refused to listen to anyone's opinions, even forbidding them from speaking!
A few days later, Yang Huiyu came to the General's Mansion, saying he had important business to discuss.

Sima Zhao smiled wryly, knowing full well why his sister-in-law had come.

After inviting Yang Huiyu into his study, Sima Zhao asked somewhat uneasily, "Sister-in-law, you've come here, surely for the matter of Ji Kang?"

"What else can we do? Wang Yuanji and I are like sisters. Are we just going to stand by and watch the General make a mistake and be infamous?"

Yang Huiyu reprimanded him in a low voice without any politeness! Her aggressive demeanor was a stark contrast to her timid and submissive attitude in front of Shi Shouxin!
Sima Zhao had no choice; he still knew who was thinking of him.

Giving Yang Huiyu face was giving face to his wife, Wang Yuanji. Sima Zhao might ignore what others said, but he would at least consider Yang Huiyu's words. Not to mention, he also wanted to curry favor with this young sister-in-law.

"The General has already decided to kill Ji Kang, right?"

Yang Huiyu asked directly.

Sima Zhao nodded without denying it. This matter was naturally true, or rather, anyone who was involved in officialdom knew that Ji Kang was doomed!

The day Ji Kang was beheaded was the same day Shi Shouxin was released and his name was cleared. Everything was arranged, just like a play, the purpose of which was to kill Ji Kang.

Even if Shi Shouxin now admits to drugging and raping Xu, and Xu changes her story to say that she was indeed drugged and raped by Shi Shouxin, it is enough to show that Ji Kang did not wrong anyone, and it cannot change the fact that he will be punished according to the law.

Everything was proceeding according to plan. "You, you, the thing you're not as good as your brother about is that you're soft-hearted and easily deceived by bad people."

You know what? You've been scammed again!

Yang Huiyu sighed in exasperation at his lack of ambition, which made Sima Zhao feel extremely ashamed.

"Why do you say that, sister-in-law?"

Sima Zhao asked somewhat guiltily. Since they were speaking as if they were family, he had no choice but to listen carefully.

"Is the General truly blind to Zhong Hui's scheme of using someone else to do his dirty work, or is he pretending to be oblivious?"

Yang Huiyu asked in a half-smile, her cool and pretty face full of coldness.

Sima Zhao's face instantly darkened, and he bowed to Yang Huiyu, saying, "Sister-in-law, please explain in detail. Some things might be better left unsaid."

"After the successful conquest of Shu, Zhong Hui's reputation will surely soar to its zenith."

The general's killing of Ji Kang would only alienate the people, at least the scholars. Just look at how many officials and intellectuals pleaded for Ji Kang's life.

Zhong Hui could later claim that the Grand General had suppressed the matter and that it had nothing to do with him. But could the Grand General shirk responsibility? Even if you said you listened to Zhong Hui's slander, how could outsiders believe you?
In case, in case the General encounters some accident a few years later, and if there is any change in the General's Mansion, wouldn't you hear about the Gaoping Mausoleum incident?
The Zhong family's reputation was no less than that of the Sima family back then. And Zhong Hui was no less foolish than the Sima family.

"Such a clever man, such a prestigious family—isn't the general afraid?"

isn't it?
Sima Zhao immediately sat up straight, instantly filled with shock and anger.

Yang Huiyu put it very bluntly: The Zhong family is the second Sima family. Zhong Hui is the second Sima Yi.

If Sima Zhao dies young, you will be the second Cao Rui!

Every time Zhong Hui does something that damages his reputation, he is actually contributing to his ascent to the top!
"Sister-in-law, let me take a break."

Sima Zhao took a deep breath, growing more and more frightened the more he thought about it.

After suppressing the rebellion of Zhuge Dan in Huainan, Sima Zhao felt his health deteriorating day by day, so he delegated power to Sima Yan in the past two years.

He hadn't been unaware of what would happen after his death, which is why he started planning two years ago, preparing for the conquest of Shu in a very slow and meticulous manner.

Yang Huiyu's words may seem like alarmist talk at first glance.

But if we turn back the clock thirty years, who would have believed that Sima Yi would be planning a "management buyout" in the future?

Would Sima Zhao dare to take the gamble?

He dared not, because even if Ji Kang were let go, it wouldn't be a big deal, so why should he have to follow Zhong Hui's wishes?

Zhong Hui now has far more potential than Sima Yi did back then. Judging by age alone, he's practically invincible; he can easily outlive Sima Yan!
Moreover, Zhong Hui, as a close advisor, knew perfectly well how Sima Zhao was in health!

Seeing that Sima Zhao was somewhat moved, Yang Huiyu continued to persuade him, "General, this matter is not difficult to resolve. We can keep Ji Kang imprisoned for now and deal with him after the conquest of Shu is successful. By then, the truth will come to light. Even if we have to kill him, we can do so then. Ji Kang can't escape anyway!"

"Thank you, sister-in-law. I relied on your strong support back then, and you still protect me like this now. I really don't know what to say."

Sima Zhao said gratefully.

Yang Huiyu played a significant role in his rise to power at a crucial moment.

It was Yang Huiyu who proposed that Sima You be adopted. As for whether Yang Huiyu and Wang Yuanji supported each other or even maliciously plotted to exploit Sima Shi's childless lineage, it's hard to say, and outsiders have no way of knowing the inside story.

In any case, Sima Zhao was the ultimate beneficiary; that is beyond doubt.

In Sima Zhao's mind, Yang Huiyu would never harm him, so his feelings towards this sister-in-law were complicated. His desire to sleep with this young widow wasn't just about lust; there were also emotional needs involved.

"General, you might as well appease Zhong Hui for now, and then when a lot of people jump out to plead for Ji Kang, go along with everyone's wishes and exile Ji Kang, so that this matter can be reduced to a minor issue and forgotten."

At the very least, we should wait until the conquest of Shu is successful before making a decision; we must not grant Zhong Hui's wish.

If Zhong Hui succeeds in establishing his authority this time, countless people will be willing to gamble on his side should anything happen in the future.

"At that time, disaster may be imminent."

Yang Huiyu said solemnly.

"I understand, sister-in-law, please rest assured."

Sima Zhao nodded slightly and said that he had already decided to kill Zhong Hui.

In order to pave the way for his son Sima Yan, he had already planned to give Sima Yan the opportunity to kill Zhong Hui to establish his authority.

Of course, not now, but after we capture Hanzhong and the army returns to Luoyang.

"I'm a little tired, I'll go back and rest now. General, please be very careful with Zhong Hui. Just keep Ji Kang locked up. General, you should make your own decisions about things and not be misled by others."

Yang Huiyu was trying to seduce Sima Zhao, but she reminded him not to be swayed by others, because the same words spoken by different people have completely different effects.

Sima Zhao quickly agreed and personally escorted Yang Huiyu to the carriage before returning to his study.

He took out the memorial written by Zhong Hui and became angrier the more he read it.

Zhong Hui bluntly stated his intention to kill Ji Kang to establish his authority, in order to intimidate the Cao clan and those who sympathized with them. This is clearly stated in black and white.

"Establishing authority? I'm afraid it's not for me, but for yourself, isn't it?"

Sima Zhao sneered and lit the paper in his hand on the oil lamp.

……

Unsurprisingly, Lü An was beheaded for falsely accusing someone, and his brother Lü Xun was also arrested and exiled to the frontier. The case, which was not complicated to begin with, was quickly settled thanks to Xu Ying's statement and the letter of divorce.

However, the matter concerning Ji Kang only escalated further.

Because it's obvious to anyone with eyes that Ji Kang's crime didn't warrant death. Even if they investigated further, he shouldn't be beheaded.

Yang Hu, Du Yu, Chen Tan, and even Wei Guan all pleaded for Ji Kang, hoping that Sima Zhao would show leniency.

Zhong Hui, worried that Sima Zhao would be soft-hearted, continued to persuade him, saying: "We must kill Ji Kang, otherwise the authority of the General's Mansion will be lost."

Sima Zhao readily accepted Zhong Hui's advice and set the execution of Ji Kang for five days later, which was the winter solstice, one of the twenty-four solar terms.

The date for the execution in the autumn was chosen with great care.

The execution was to take place in the square in front of the south gate of Luoyang Palace, a place that could hold more than ten thousand people. Sima Zhao seemed to want to publicly kill Ji Kang and show everyone what the consequences of opposing the Sima family would be.

On the day of the execution, the crowd completely surrounded the execution ground.

Three thousand students from the Imperial Academy collectively petitioned, kneeling on the ground in front of the south gate of Luoyang Palace, begging Sima Zhao to show leniency.

Just when Zhong Hui thought Sima Zhao would sternly refuse, the great general actually... agreed! The crowd erupted in a thunderous cheer, greatly satisfying Sima Zhao's vanity at that moment!

Zhong Hui froze on the spot, then felt a chill run through his body.

Sima Zhao had never mentioned this to him before, which meant that this powerful minister had already decided to kill him!
Sima Zhao, who had been planning this for a long time, immediately announced that Ji Kang would be exiled to Shanyang County (his hometown). Without an imperial edict, he would not be allowed to leave the county, and no official would be allowed to hire him as a staff member.

He then turned and left.

The Sima family's treacherous and ruthless nature was on full display at this moment.

Zhong Hui never expected Sima Zhao to betray him at the last minute. If he had planned ahead, there would have been other ways to kill Ji Kang if one plan failed! But now, the opportunity was gone.

Sima Zhao left with an air of nonchalance, leaving Zhong Hui bewildered and terrified in the wind. He stood like a fool in front of the south gate of Luoyang Palace, receiving disdainful glances from passersby every now and then.

(End of this chapter)