The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 232 Rehabilitation, all can be rehabilitated
"General, Uncle, something terrible has happened!"

Cao Tai arrived hastily on horseback.

Despite the lingering chill of early spring, I was covered in sweat.

Seeing his disheveled state, Cao Hong sternly reprimanded him:

"A general should remain calm in the face of change."

"You're always so easily startled. Will you one day carry on your father's legacy and restore the Wei dynasty?"

Cao Tai was momentarily embarrassed.

He argued:
"Our army has always valued speed in military operations. I was worried about delaying the military operation, so I was in a hurry. I hope you will forgive me, Uncle!"

Cao Hong snorted:
"You only know one side of the story, not the other!"

"The late emperor's military strategy, while emphasizing speed, also emphasized caution."

"If we fail to assess the enemy's situation and blindly pursue speed, we will easily be anticipated by the enemy and fall into a disadvantageous position!"

Cao Tai repeatedly agreed.

Cao Hong then said:

"Why are you so flustered? Is it because the Han army is afraid to fight and dares not drive Xiahou Quan Zhong out on flat ground?"

"If that's the case, you can go and persuade Xiahou Quanzhong to withdraw his troops in a grand manner. If he doesn't listen... no, he definitely won't listen. Then you can have a big fight with him and leave on bad terms. Afterwards, send spies to spread the word to the Han army camp."

"Thus, seeing that Xiahou Quanzhong had lost his support, the Han army dared to leave the city and drive him away!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Tai saw Cao Hong's confident expression and hesitated to speak.

Cao Hong then frowned, stepped forward, and asked in a low voice:

"what do you want to say in the end?"

Cao Tai responded in a low voice as well, but first offered a flattering remark:
“Uncle is a master strategist, far superior to me.”

"As my uncle predicted, the Han army emerged from the mountains and cities onto the plains, but they did not rush to attack Xiahou Zhongquan's forces. Instead, they surrounded them south of the Zhi River."

"I really don't understand what the Han army intends to do, so I've come to ask you for advice, Uncle!"

Cao Hong's expression changed drastically: "Surrounding without attacking?"

"Yes!" Cao Tai nodded emphatically.

"I tried to send knights across the river to scout ahead this morning, but I found that the pontoon bridge was destroyed and several sandbars were blocked by Han army outposts!"

Whoosh!
Cao Hong flicked his whip lightly.

Although his mount was not directly hit, it reacted instinctively upon hearing the sound and started to run forward in small steps.

After galloping for twenty or thirty paces, Cao Hong finally remembered to rein in his horse.

Seeing his loss of composure, the crowd stirred with agitation.

Cao Tai, however, forgot all about mocking his opponent and spurred his horse to catch up, asking:
"Uncle, the Han army is already prepared... Should we still go back to rescue them?"

Cao Hong's face alternated between turning red and blue.

It's unclear whether he was ashamed of his earlier pretentious act that resulted in a laughing stock, or whether he was worried that if Xiahou Ba were to fall, it would bring him immeasurable political repercussions.

It took me a long time to suppress my emotions and pull myself together.

"The Han army arrived in haste and could only rely on wooden barriers to block the passageway. They did not have time to reinforce the passageway or build walls."

"With our superior numbers and rapid advance, we will surely break through their encirclement and rescue Xiahou Zhongquan!"

The generals readily accepted the order.

Cao Tai, on the other hand, pondered in secret.

My uncle's military strategy, as expected, still hinges on speed.

……

"My lord, does the court... truly intend to vindicate my late master?"

Inside the Wancheng Prefecture, Yang Jun's eyes were bloodshot as he tightly gripped Mi Wei's hands, refusing to let go.

On that day at the Spring Festival banquet, Mi Wei's words astonished everyone present.

In summary, it can be summed up in one sentence:

To redress the grievances of those famous scholars who were once suppressed by Cao Wei and restore their reputations!

Mi Wei did this not merely to cater to the saying, "Only by going against Cao Cao can things be accomplished."

Or rather, it was precisely because clearing the names of these people could have a significant negative effect on Cao Cao that he did so.

Take, for example, Yang Jun's teacher, Bian Rang, a great Confucian scholar and renowned figure from Chenliu.

Why was he killed by Cao Cao back then?
Perhaps it's due to his personality.

But did Cao Cao lack strategists with personality flaws?
Take Cheng Yu, for example. This strategist, who would undoubtedly rank among the top ten advisors under Cao Cao in later generations, was widely recognized for his fierce and arrogant nature. But did this prevent him from holding high office and enjoying a long and peaceful life under Cao Cao?
Ultimately, Cao Cao killed Bian Rang because the latter's existence hindered his efforts to seize power from the Han dynasty.

It threatened the rule of Cao Wei.

Another typical example is Kong Rong.

An even more typical example is Xun Yu, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, who once served as Cao Cao's "Xiao He" and made outstanding contributions.

These people are more or less extreme and stubborn.

But this is by no means the fundamental reason why they were killed.

The difference lies in one's stance.

Because once one harbors the idea of ​​preserving the Han dynasty, even if it is merely a formality, it will inevitably create a fundamental conflict of interest with Cao Wei and its supporters.

and so.

The renowned scholar Bian Rang was killed by Cao Cao, the governor of Yan Province.

The renowned scholar Kong Rong was killed by Prime Minister Cao Cao.

The renowned scholar Cui Yan was killed by Cao Cao, the Duke of Wei.

When Cao Cao, the Duke of Wei, was preparing to declare himself king and receive the Nine Bestowments, he was on his way to and from court.

Even his former comrade-in-arms, Xun Yu, was driven to suicide.

These people may not all be truly loyal to the Han Dynasty.

But it is not important.

Importantly, they are all generally acknowledged to have been persecuted to death by Cao Cao.

Moreover, in the hearts of many, they were upholding the legitimacy of the Han Dynasty during their lifetimes.

It is perfectly justified to exonerate these "loyal officials of the Han Dynasty".

And because these people were already great Confucian scholars and famous figures of their time.

His students and former subordinates are all over the world.

According to the unspoken rules of that era, old connections were directly tied to one's career path.

Therefore, these people's extended interpersonal networks are all motivated by a desire to vindicate their teachers and elders.

This is the foundation of a network of connections.

Based on this, anyone who was officially recognized by the government as having loyalty to the Han Dynasty during this major rehabilitation was eligible for rehabilitation.

Even if they were "forced" to become Wei officials, their past actions could be forgiven.

His disciples and followers, who later return to the Shu Han dynasty and serve in government, will all be treated with preferential treatment.

This was the final "concession" that Mi Wei made after discussing it with Liu Bei and Guan Yu.

Their main objective was to undermine Cao Wei's power.

In fact, Mi Wei originally intended to exonerate far more than just these few important figures.

He even planned to "exonerate" all the officials, big and small, involved in the entire Wei Feng Rebellion and to plead their innocence.

Moreover, Miwei had a perfectly legitimate reason for doing this:
His teacher's teacher was Song Zhong, a great Confucian scholar from Jingzhou.

He died because he was implicated in Wei Feng's rebellion.

Miwei was one of the "victims"!
It can be said that, at least in this matter, Miwei has a sufficiently broad base of support among the literati.

However, when Zhuge Qiao and Deng Ai were sorting out the list for him, they found that some of the people on it were originally loyal ministers of the Wei dynasty. It would be difficult to exonerate them, so they made some cuts to the list.

Otherwise, if it were simply to annoy Cao Pi, Mi Wei might even have considered bringing up Cao Zhi to turn the Cao Wei court upside down.

But in any case, seeing Yang Jun so agitated and out of control...

He then knew that his plan had worked.

As long as military victories are secured, the voices of doubt and opposition regarding the "two fields" issue will be greatly reduced and unlikely to gain traction.

He then solemnly said to Yang Jun:
"Rest assured, Lord Yang, this matter concerns the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty. His Majesty has already granted permission, and a formal edict will be issued within the month."

"As a Han official, how can I not do my utmost to restore a bright and clear world for the scholars of the land?"

"It's just that my reputation is not good enough, and I'm afraid I won't be able to gain the trust of the people."

"Master Yang is a renowned scholar and a respected elder in the state. If you were to take charge of this matter, the scholars of the Central Plains would surely believe in the sincerity of the imperial court and would no longer be deceived by that false dynasty and false emperor!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Jun took a deep breath and proudly declared:

"Since it is for the greater good of the world, how could I dare disobey?"

(End of this chapter)