When the emperor called for help, Sima Yi did not dare to neglect.
Even though he was worried, he quickly arranged the defense of Wancheng and rushed straight to Luoyang to participate in the discussion.
When he arrived in Luoyang, Sima Yi relaxed a little when he saw Cao Rui.
After Cao Rui summoned him, his attitude did not change significantly. After asking in detail about Wancheng's defense and Jingzhou's reaction, he praised Sima Yi for his efforts in guarding the city, gave him some rewards, and then asked Sima Yi to stay temporarily. Discuss the matter tomorrow.
From Cao Rui's attitude, Sima Yi couldn't see anything different from before.
This attitude could make Sima Yi relax a little, but it wouldn't make him let go of all his worries.
There was one thing that still made Sima Yi feel a little uneasy.
When he returned to Luoyang, Chen Qun, the auxiliary minister who was also from a noble family, did not even send a greeting note. This was very abnormal.
To be honest, Sima Yi and Chen Qun don't have much friendship, but they are both assistant ministers and come from aristocratic families. Even if Chen Qun is really busy with state affairs and has no time to visit Sima Yi, a greeting note can still be sent. It's considered a courtesy interaction.
But Chen Qun didn't send it at all.
This made Sima Yi feel that something was fishy.
But for a while, Sima Yi really couldn't find much evidence to prove his guess. Even if he did find it, what could Sima Yi do? !
The emperor is suspicious of you. You are in Luoyang, how can you still rebel on the spot? !
Therefore, Sima Yi could only suppress his inner uneasiness, think calmly, and deal with the future affairs.
At this time, Sima Yi did not wait too long. On the fifth day after Sima Yi arrived in Luoyang, Cao Zhen rushed back to Luoyang from Hangu Pass. Cao Rui convened the meeting the next day.
It's not a serious court meeting. Some things are basically a foregone conclusion once they go through the court meeting. People who should know and people who shouldn't know will know.
Therefore, some matters involving confidentiality must be agreed upon within one's own small circle before they can be formally brought to the court for discussion. After that, the rest is executed.
Cao Rui can be regarded as a young man who succeeded to the throne. He ascended the throne in his twenties. He has not yet had time to train his close team. Therefore, Cao Pi's team is still helping Cao Rui make suggestions for this discussion.
All the four auxiliary ministers were present, plus two dog-headed military advisors, Sun Zi, Liu Fang, and Qin Lang.
Qin Lang's appearance was indeed somewhat beyond the expectations of the other six people, including Sun Zi and Liu Fang.
Qin Lang's identity is somewhat special. He is Cao Cao's fake son.
Qin Lang's father is Qin Yilu, who was originally a subordinate of Lu Bu. After Cao Cao defeated Lu Bu, he took Qin Lang's mother, Du, and adopted Qin Lang in the palace, becoming Cao Cao's fake son.
This is Qin Lang's special identity.
By the way, this story comes from the "Biography of Emperor Xian", which Pei Songzhi quoted as annotation on Qin Lang's origins.
But the records in it... Well, I can't comment very well at all. I feel that Cao Cao, Guan Yu, and Liu Bei all had the intention of being hacked. It's up to everyone to make their own judgments about the authenticity.
But one thing is that Qin Lang is indeed Cao Cao's fake person, and he has served as Cao Cao and Cao Pi for two generations without any official experience. In the Cao Rui period, Cao Rui actually valued him very much.
And there is a very strange phenomenon here. Cao Rui admires Qin Lang very much. When summoning Qin Lang, he often calls Qin Lang's nickname "Asu" affectionately.
This seems to be a very intimate title, representing Cao Rui's trust in Qin Lang. But no matter how you think about it, there is something wrong with it.
Qin Lang is Cao Cao's fake son, and Cao Rui is Cao Cao's grandson. According to seniority, Qin Lang should be a generation higher than Cao Rui. What's the situation when a nephew calls his uncle by his nickname? !
Anyway, it's just... weird.
But no matter what, Cao Rui really admires Qin Lang, because Qin Lang is a low-key person. As Cao Cao's pretender, he doesn't care about government affairs if he doesn't become an official. After becoming an official, he only cares about his own one-third of land. The most important thing is, with Qin Lang's identity, he has a good relationship with Qin Lang. , in the past ten years, he has not recommended anyone.
This move is very much in line with Cao Rui's appetite.
Able people should be recommended to serve the court, but this does not mean that regardless of ability, as long as they are close, they can be recommended.
This is the "flashy style" that Cao Rui hates most.
Therefore, Cao Rui became more and more appreciative of Qin Lang's low profile and keeping his duty, and even allowed Qin Lang to participate in such an important discussion.
As for Qin Lang, Qin Lang has a very clear understanding of how much he weighs.
Although Cao Rui allowed him to participate in this discussion, Qin Lang knew his identity very well, and the purpose of his existence was just a signal for Cao Rui to cultivate his own team.
In terms of status, he is definitely not as good as the four auxiliary ministers. In terms of qualifications and experience, he is not as good as Sun Zi and Liu Fang. Therefore, he knows his position very well. As long as he exists in this hall, he will be fine. There is no need to say more about other words, and the emperor does not want himself to say more.
Therefore, Qin Lang placed his status very low and upright. Seeing that Qin Lang was so well-behaved, the four auxiliary ministers did not pay much attention to his existence.
The main thing is to discuss matters.
"A detailed report from the land of Shu. At the end of last year, the Shu rebels Qinzhou and Qiang rebelled. Zhuge Liang personally led an army to put down the rebellion. Within a few months, the rebellion was settled. However, Zhuge Liang still stayed in Qinzhou and did not return. I don't know why."
"I'm reporting from the detailed work in Guanzhong. The Shu thieves in Guanzhong have been making frequent movements in recent months. They have mobilized their troops frequently. They have recruited nearly 10,000 new soldiers from the counties to serve. They are practicing every day. It seems that they are useful."
"Liangzhou is reporting carefully. The Shu thief Zhao Yun recently led the Liangzhou cavalry south and stationed in Wuwei County. It is suspected that he intends to join forces with Zhuge Liang of Qinzhou."
"There have been frequent troop mobilizations in the northwest areas outside the Pass this year. I am afraid that the Shu thieves have the intention of invading the Pass, so I would like to ask Your Majesty to take a closer look."
As the general of the army and the governor of Yongliang, Cao Zhen stated the intelligence he had obtained in front of Cao Rui, and finally came to the conclusion that the Shu thieves were so unusual that they might use troops against the pass.
This is not a trivial matter. If the Shu thieves really gather the strength of the whole country and launch the Northern Expedition again. In the current situation, it is no longer possible for Cao Wei to fight with the military strength and logistics of a region.
Once the Shu thieves really broke through the three levels and entered the Central Plains, it would be a fatal blow to Cao Wei.
This matter is indeed worthy of Cao Rui summoning the four auxiliary ministers to discuss it together.
When faced with such a crisis, Cao Rui showed the qualities of a qualified wise king. Although he was worried, he was not panicked.
After thinking carefully, Cao Rui did not answer Cao Zhen's question, but turned his head, looked at Sima Yi, and asked, "General Hussar has been in Nanyang for a long time. I wonder if there is any change in Jingzhou?!"
Cao Rui asked this question, which showed that his thinking was very clear.
In the first two Northern Expeditions of the Shu bandits, they attacked in two directions, one in Guanzhong and the other in Nanyang. They attacked from both sides and echoed each other.
This time the Shu thieves made such a big noise in the pass, it is not entirely certain whether they really want to use troops against the pass.
The information Cao Zhen gave here is only superficial. Cao Zhen didn't say what the actual information was, but it doesn't mean that Cao Rui doesn't know.
Zhuge Liang stayed in Qinzhou and did not return, so the only possibility was to use troops within the pass. The Qiang people in Qinzhou were experiencing repeated civil strife, and Zhuge Liang wanted to use troops to suppress the place. Liangzhou and Yongzhou needed to dispatch troops just in case. This possibility is also possible. of.
Another one. What if Zhuge Liang is in a high position and controls the elite Northern Army and has different intentions, or what if Liu Chan, the pseudo-emperor of the Shu thieves, has suspicions about Zhuge Liang? !
If you think about it from this perspective, the troops mobilized by Qinzhou and Yongzhou are not necessarily directed at the pass, but towards Qinzhou.
These possibilities are all possible, and both Cao Rui and Cao Zhen have received similar secret intelligence analysis.
However, Cao Zhen relied on his own experience and felt that this possibility was really unlikely, so he ignored it. After all, Cao Rui lacked experience and needed other evidence to prove it.
The best evidence is whether there is any change in Jingzhou.
If the Jingzhou Army is also preparing to attack north, then there is no need to ask, because the Shu thieves are going to make another northern expedition.
But if there is no change in the Jingzhou Army, it's really hard to say what the situation will be.
As for the movements of the Shu thief Jingzhou legion, we must ask Sima Yi, the hussar general who is in charge of Nanyang and is also responsible for the affairs of Jingzhou and Henan.
As soon as Sima Yi heard Cao Rui's question, he immediately stood up. While bowing and saluting, he took advantage of this time to quickly sort out what he wanted to say.
Because this question is difficult to answer.
If there hadn't been Zhuge Liang's letter persuading him to surrender, and no one would have flattered his second son and planned to kill him, then Sima Yi would have told the truth and there would be no need to avoid anything.
But the situation is completely different now. When Sima Yi speaks, he must be careful not to arouse the emperor's suspicion of him.
But... in the past few years, Guan Yu of the Shu bandits has been in poor health, and he has fallen out with Soochow. There are too many places to defend. The Jingzhou Army has been very honest. Even on the Xiangfan front, the Shu bandits have shown a sluggish appearance. Ground defensive posture.
If this was reported to Cao Rui truthfully, Sima Yi was really not sure what Cao Rui would think.
Sima Yi, who has been guarding Cao Rui all year round, doesn't know what Cao Rui's character is. What if he is a monarch who is generous on the surface but petty on the inside? !
It's not impossible, after all, the late emperor's character, well, you shouldn't think so, the late emperor was still very good to him, Sima Yi.
But today's emperor is Cao Rui, not Cao Pi. If Cao Rui looks back and asks himself, why is the Jingzhou Army so honest, and you, Sima Yi, haven't taken the initiative to send troops to regain the entire territory of Nanyang? !
How to answer this? !
Don't forget, Cao Xiu of Runan impeached himself for this matter every now and then. Although the emperor rejected it every time, who actually knew what he thought? !
Sima Yi read poetry and books, how could he not know about the three men becoming tigers! ! !
(End of chapter)
