Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 39: Fight with reason
Inside the central command tent of the Wei army outside Mei County, Shi Shouxin scrutinized Zhong Hui, who was seated in the main seat.

At this moment, Zhong Hui was elegant and handsome, with a cloak draped over his back, a blue brocade robe on his body, and a mink scarf around his neck.

He was dressed like a young nobleman from a prominent family.

His beard was meticulously trimmed, making him look nothing like someone who had come to fight. Shi Shouxin, recalling how he and Xu Yi had taken turns overseeing the repairs of the plank road at the front, shivering in the cold wind, felt a surge of anger rising within him!

"Where is the commander of the vanguard?"

Zhong Hui asked calmly, his head slightly raised. The main seat was already elevated, and now he spoke from a superior position.

"General Xu Yi is here."

Xu Yi stepped forward, bowed to Zhong Hui, and said...

"Guards! Drag Xu Yi out and behead him as a warning to others!"

Zhong Hui directly gave the order to his personal guards.

"Grand Commander, may I ask what crime I have committed?"

Xu Yi looked terrified and asked in return with wide eyes.

At this moment, Wei Guan also stepped forward to stop the personal guards, and said with some displeasure, "Grand Commander, there must be reason and evidence to deal with generals. Your willful and arbitrary killing is against the rules."

"Commander of the Western Garrison, I ask you, what are the duties of the vanguard?"

Zhong Hui looked at Wei Guan and asked.

"When you encounter a mountain, build a road; when you encounter a river, build a bridge. When you meet the enemy, you must not be afraid to fight. If there is any enemy activity, you must report it immediately."

Wei Guan didn't even bother to look up, casually remarking with his eyes downcast. Shi Shouxin had a bad feeling; judging from Wei Guan's expression, he seemed to be observing the situation calmly.

At the very least, it tacitly condoned some of Zhong Hui's excessive behavior!
"Xu Yi, did you hear that? 'When you encounter mountains, you build roads; when you encounter rivers, you build bridges.' You were careless when you repaired the plank road, and the dilapidated plank road is simply not capable of accommodating tens of thousands of troops!"

"Commander-in-Chief, according to military law, how should this situation be handled?"

Zhong Hui asked Wei Guan again.

"If true, he shall be executed according to military law."

Wei Guan continued, still with the same expression.

"Xu Yi, are you convinced now?"

Zhong Hui retorted with a cold smile, looking at Xu Yi as if he were already dead. As for Shi Shouxin's responsibility, Zhong Hui had no intention of pursuing it at all.

Why did he do this? Because Shi Shouxin was someone who could still emerge alive and kicking after being imprisoned by Sima Zhao! There was no need to pick on this "tough nut."

"I refuse to accept this! Zhong Hui, you're just using this as a pretext for personal revenge!"

Xu Yi pointed at Zhong Hui and cursed him, but it was to no avail. As long as the supervising officer Wei Guan didn't speak, no one would stop Zhong Hui.

This scene is actually quite familiar; when Ji Kang was imprisoned, Zhong Hui used the same tactics.

"Hmph, I, Zhong, have always been fair in my dealings. You have violated military law and should be dealt with seriously as a warning to others!"

Zhong Hui snorted coldly and waved his hand. Several guards pounced on Xu Yi like wolves and tigers, grabbing his arm and preparing to drag him away.

"Wait!"

Shi Shouxin suddenly shouted and stepped forward.

"Shut up, it's not your turn to speak here!"

Zhong Hui pointed at Shi Shouxin and scolded him.

"Supervisor Wei, I'm just curious about something. Is it too much to ask in front of all you generals?"
Or, to put it another way, you have already relinquished the position of military supervisor to the Grand Commander, so he can now issue military laws at will?

"Is it you who holds the imperial staff, or the Grand Commander?"

Shi Shouxin looked at Wei Guan and asked a question that was so pointed that it was like killing someone's spirit; the latter had no choice but to stand up.

"Grand Commander, it wouldn't hurt to listen to what Shi Shouxin, the Chief Clerk, has to say."

It won't take much time. He's the military supervisor under Xu Yi, and he's quite familiar with the situation in the Baoxie Road area.

Wei Guan finally raised his head and looked at Zhong Hui, pleading.

He'd already spoken; if Zhong Hui tried to shut Shi Shouxin up now, under the watchful eyes of everyone, it would be too unseemly of him to do so.

There are at least a dozen deputy generals, lieutenant generals, cavalry commanders and captains here. Are they not even allowed to speak to the supervising officer?
In that case, Zhong Hui might as well have just declared a rebellion.

"Hmph, go ahead and say it!"

Zhong Hui slammed his hand on the table, his face full of displeasure.

"Grand Commander, have you ever built a bridge?"

Shi Shouxin asked.

Zhong Hui's face stiffened, and everyone's eyes turned to him.

"Never before has it."

Zhong Hui answered impatiently, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

"Then let me ask you another question: have you ever led troops into battle alone in the past?"

Shi Shouxin asked again.

"Never."

Zhong Hui said through gritted teeth, and some generals in the military tent were already barely holding back their laughter.

“Governor Zhong’s previous experience was that he had never led troops into battle alone, nor had he ever built bridges or repaired roads. He probably couldn’t even recite military law.”

If that's the case, how do you know that General Xu's plank road was built incorrectly? You've never built a bridge yourself, have you?
As the saying goes, there is a sequence to learning, and each profession has its own expertise.

You are a complete novice when it comes to building plank roads, so how can you offer your opinions on this matter?

Since you yourself lack the ability to determine whether the repairs are complete, how can you arbitrarily convict a high-ranking military officer based on your own conjectures and invoking military law?

Shi Shouxin retorted without any politeness.

"I didn't repair it, but did you? What gives you the right to question my decision?"

Zhong Hui was furious and pointed at Shi Shouxin, loudly questioning him, his guard down.

"Great Commander, I'm sorry, but I really did repair the bridge."

Previously, I worked in the Imperial Household Department for two years, where I oversaw the construction of a bridge over the Luo River. Records of this work can be found within the department.

Shi Shouxin bowed to Zhong Hui, speaking in a manner that was neither humble nor arrogant.

"Outrageous! As a fellow military supervisor, you dare to protect Xu Yi! Guards, drag Shi Shouxin away and deal with him according to military law!"

Zhong Hui lost control of his emotions and stopped pretending.

"Grand Commander, Commander-in-Chief, and all generals, is the plank road completed? Tomorrow, you may accompany me to Baoxie Road to observe it, or lead troops to test it."

What's true can't be hidden, and what's false can't be made true; the truth will be revealed in due time.

Shi Shouxin, with a humble expression, bowed to each of the people present. After speaking, Shi Shouxin looked at Zhong Hui, his expression suddenly changing to one of extreme seriousness.

He then drew his sword from his waist, pointed it at Zhong Hui, and shouted:
“Zhong Hui! I am also a military supervisor appointed by the imperial court. Only Wei Guan, the military commander of the Zhenxi Army, can execute me!”

The execution of the supervisor by others is tantamount to treason!
Did you just try to commit treason?! Tell all the generals loudly, did you just try to commit treason?!
This army that is conquering Shu is not your private army, Zhong Hui's alone!

His loud shout caused everyone to look at Zhong Hui with amusement in their eyes. No one stepped forward to make peace; they were all watching Zhong Hui make a fool of himself.

At this moment, Zhong Hui also came to his senses and realized that he had unknowingly fallen into a trap.

If this conflict were to reach Sima Zhao's ears, he would be in serious trouble, if not dead!

The Grand Commander cannot deal with the military supervisor; only a higher-ranking military supervisor can deal with the military supervisor!
Otherwise, if you make all the decisions, then the military supervisor is just a figurehead.

Seeing that the situation was on the verge of collapse, Wei Guan quickly stepped forward, took Shi Shouxin's sword, and put it back into its sheath.

Then, he stepped forward, bowed to Zhong Hui, and said:

"Grand Commander, whether Xu Yi is guilty or not will be determined when we go to the plank road to observe it tomorrow. If the plank road is not repaired, we can arrest him and question him without any further discussion. There is no need to engage in these petty squabbles now."

Wei Guan spoke slowly and deliberately, seemingly trying to make peace, but in reality, he was openly taking sides.

"Grand Commander, I know some construction techniques. Tomorrow I can verify the work alone, without the interference of others, and I will be absolutely impartial."

Du Yu, who had been keeping a low profile throughout the trip, suddenly stepped forward and offered advice to Zhong Hui.

His words seemed to be a major trend indicator, and many people subsequently came forward to say that it would be best to see the truth tomorrow, and there was nothing to argue about now.

Seeing that he couldn't defy the public's anger, Zhong Hui had no choice but to leave with a cold face and without even saying goodbye.

Zhong Hui is gone, but the matter is not over yet.

After everyone dispersed, Shi Shouxin was summoned to his tent by Wei Guan.

Wei Guan sent someone to bring hot porridge and flatbread. After dismissing all other people, the two ate and chatted, and the atmosphere was not as tense as outsiders imagined.

"You made excellent decisions tonight. There are some things that are not suitable for me to say, but it is appropriate for you to say them."

Wei Guan put away his smile and said, which can be considered as a characterization of Shi Shouxin's words and actions tonight: What you did was very good. Although I cannot openly oppose Zhong Hui, I do not think you did anything wrong.

Wei Guan's attitude was exactly what Shi Shouxin had expected.

The reason is simple: this elite army that was attacking Shu also had no personal relationship with Wei Guan! He also needed to win people's hearts!
In order to orchestrate the campaign against Shu, Sima Zhao actually employed a multi-layered system of checks and balances.

Among the military supervisors were scions of prominent families like Wei Guan, as well as those from humble backgrounds (such as Shi Shouxin).

Among the senior commanders in the army were close confidants like Zhong Hui, and traditional direct descendants of the Sima family like Hu Lie and Li Fu. However, none of them had previously served as commanders in the Yongzhou army; they had been transferred from elsewhere.

For example, Hu Lie was recently parachuted into the army from Jingzhou and Xiangyang.

The lower and middle-ranking officers in the Yongzhou army were "second-generation military officers" like Xu Yi, the eldest son of Xu Chu. They might not be particularly fond of the Sima family, but others couldn't win them over either.

Besides, many other sons of the Celestial Dragons also served in the military to gain prestige, such as Du Yu, Yang Xiu, and Jia Fu.

It can be said that this army was a disorganized force from top to bottom, with no one able to use their authority to achieve personal goals.

From this perspective, Sima Zhao can be considered a master of balancing things.

Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to doing this. The advantage is that it is virtually impossible for anyone to coerce this army into rebellion. The disadvantage is that it is easy for them to fight amongst themselves.

Tonight's provocation of Zhong Hui and his high-profile actions were intentional on Shi Shouxin's part.

"I was just doing my duty."

Shi Shouxin said humbly to Wei Guan.

"I will write back to Chang'an to report to the General about what happened tonight."

Wei Guan said solemnly, without any politeness.

Shi Shouxin nodded and said, "This is the duty of the military supervisor."

He remained neither humble nor arrogant, and showed no sign of panic.

Wei Guan glanced at Shi Shouxin, always feeling that this man didn't seem to be swayed by his attempts to reason with him. When someone who should be humble isn't, their displayed arrogance becomes arrogance.

Wei Guan frowned slightly, then a mysterious smile appeared on his face. He asked, "Do you really not know how terrifying Zhong Hui is?"

"Judging from his arrogant demeanor tonight, I know what he might do. Of course, I understand."

Shi Shouxin said dismissively.

"He directly ordered your execution. After returning to Luoyang, it'll probably just be a matter of drinking three cups of wine as a punishment. Did you know that?"

Wei Guan asked again, now unsure whether the young man in front of him was genuinely stupid or pretending.

"Of course he can kill me, but tonight I will risk my life to protect Xu Yi. When Zhong Hui tries to kill me, the other generals in the army will surely fight to the death to protect me."

Otherwise, no one would stand up for them. Zhong Hui was physically weak; if he wanted to kill someone, he had to rely on his generals.

If those below him do not want to carry out his orders, then his military orders will not leave the military camp!

If people like Xu Yi in the army only want to watch the show from the sidelines, then if Zhong Hui uses them as a scapegoat in the future, it's their own fault.

Shi Shouxin directly exposed Wei Guan's bluff, implying that he should stop beating around the bush.

"Well said!"

Wei Guan immediately applauded Shi Shouxin. This move of advancing by retreating was truly well done!

Tonight, Shi Shouxin is setting an example for the military generals and also supporting his superior, Wei Guan.

Otherwise, even if Shi Shouxin had used some sarcastic remarks, he could have stopped Zhong Hui from killing Xu Yi.

His high-profile move won over a large group of people, but in doing so, he severely offended Zhong Hui!
To discuss the pros and cons of this matter, we need to examine whether Zhong Hui was truly trusted unconditionally by Sima Zhao.

If so, then after Zhong Hui won the war against Shu and returned to the capital, he could have easily killed Shi Shouxin by simply mentioning it to Sima Zhao.

If not, then this move was quite ingenious.

Of course, the army that was about to launch the campaign against Shu had only just set out, and there was still a long time ahead. It was still uncertain who would emerge victorious.

"Zhong Hui will definitely inspect the plank road tomorrow and find fault with it. Are you confident?"

Wei Guan seemed to remember something and suddenly changed the subject, asking, "Shi Shouxin's performance tonight was truly amazing, but if the plank road isn't repaired, it'll all be for nothing."

Only if the plank road is built to a high standard, leaving no room for criticism, can Zhong Hui be silenced!

"Don't worry, Commander Wei. Zhong Hui forced the vanguard to rush the repair of the plank road in the dead of winter and urged them to work without rest. He hoped that under such pressure, Xu Yi would be careless and perfunctory in repairing the plank road, thus revealing a flaw, so that Zhong Hui could use this as an opportunity to kill Xu Yi and establish his authority."

Tonight, without asking any questions, he immediately ordered the killings, probably because he had anticipated this.

However, Shi had previously supervised the construction of bridges in the Shaofu (Imperial Household Department).

Shi was an expert in building plank roads, and this time he constructed it flawlessly, without a single flaw. Zhong Hui's thoughts were nothing but wishful thinking!

Upon hearing this, Wei Guan finally revealed the cunning smile typical of an old fox.

"That's good. Tomorrow, I'll see what kind of expression Zhong Hui will have on his face."

(End of this chapter)