"Wu and Shu swore an alliance to heaven and earth. I only said that they were close to each other. I didn't expect that Sun Quan would still act as before and wanted to take advantage of both sides."
In the Tai Chi Hall in Luoyang City, Cao Rui had a sneer on his face after reading the urgent letter sent from Jingzhou.
"Come here, summon Sun Zi and Liu Fang."
Lian Zhao, who was accompanying him, quickly responded, "Promise."
Then he trotted all the way to the door and ordered the little yellow gate guarding the corridor.
Liu Fang, the supervisor of the Zhongshu, and Sun Zi, the Zhongshu Ling, received the edict and did not dare to neglect it, so they rushed over.
When I walked to the east hall of Tai Chi Hall, I saw Lian Zhao standing guard at the door.
"I've met two lieutenants."
Liu Fang and Sun Zi returned the gift, and while standing up, one of them asked in a low voice:
"How is your Majesty feeling?"
Lian Zhao replied in the same low voice:
"Alright."
It's okay.
The two looked at each other and felt relieved.
Some time ago, rumors were rampant in Luoyang.
Among them, two poems by Feng Thief, "Crying Cao Zijian" and "Han Daochang", were sung all over Luoyang.
It puts His Majesty in a very bad mood.
It is good news to hear that His Majesty is in a good mood this time.
"I have met Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live forever and be happy forever!"
"rise."
After letting the two people sit down, Cao Rui asked Lian Zhao to hand over the letter on the desk:
"You two lieutenants, please read this. This is a letter intercepted from Jingzhou."
Liu Fang, the Supervisor of the Zhongshu, was located in front of Sun Zi, the Zhongshu Ling, so Liu Fang took it first and looked at it carefully, with a look of solemnity on his face.
After he finished reading it, he handed it to Sun Zi.
Sun Zi only saw half of it and couldn't help but said angrily:
"Sun Quan, what a villain! I just collected your majesty's thousand horses, turned around and wrote to Zhuge Liang, asking the two countries to join forces and agree to attack our great Wei Dynasty!"
Cao Rui looked at Liu Fang: "What do you think, the Supervisor?"
Liu Fang nodded and agreed:
"Sun Quan has always been at both ends of the spectrum. Everyone knows that if this matter is indeed not a trick by the Wu people and they deliberately let the Wei intercept the letter, then it would be better for the Wei to make preparations in advance."
Over the years, Wu people have intercepted countless letters from supplies and personnel.
So the other party learned the lesson in two years, and sometimes they actually sent fake letters and were intercepted on purpose.
Then when Wei went to attack according to the contents of the letter, he fell into the Wu's trick.
"It doesn't seem like they were intercepted by Wei on purpose." Cao Rui shook his head. "Sun Quan suggested in his letter that we should attack Wei together next spring. He must have considered it."
During the Battle of Longyou, Zhuge Liang dispatched from Hanzhong at the beginning of spring, borrowing the water transport of the Western Han Dynasty.
In July and August, September at the latest, there will be heavy rains in Hanzhong, and the rivers will surge, making it difficult to travel.
For the Jianghuai area, the situation is exactly the opposite.
In the spring, the Jianghuai River rains continuously and the river flows are full of water, which is good for the Wu people.
As for Da Wei, the road was muddy and Jingqi could not exert its due power.
Therefore, Sun Quan's suggestion that the two countries attack together next spring must have been considered.
When Liu Fang and Sun Zi heard what Cao Rui said, they couldn't help but look worried on their faces.
"Your Majesty, for such a big matter, it is better to summon the important ministers to discuss it."
"There's no rush." Cao Rui said calmly with a faint smile on his face, "Sun Quan is just a suggestion and it has not yet come true."
"Besides, even if the Shu people are willing at this time, they are afraid that they are powerless."
In the battle of Xiaoguan, Feng Thief's subordinates wiped out the Shu people's poor siege and cavalry style.
Attacking a city is like wind and thunder, and riding on horseback is like ghosts and gods.
But according to the reports from the Guanzhong armies afterwards, the reason why Feng Thief was able to win over Cao Da Sima.
The most important thing is that he took all the elites as bait from the beginning.
He even deliberately caused all the elite soldiers to suffer heavy losses and almost fell into a complete rout, causing Da Sima to misjudge the situation on the battlefield.
Only then did Feng Thief take out his iron cavalry at the last moment and caught the Guanzhong army off guard.
After this battle, the Guanzhong army was defeated miserably, but Feng Thief's elite troops were probably very few left.
Over the years, the Shu people have been fighting continuously for the territory of one state, and they also want to appease Longyou Liangzhou and other places.
How could it be possible to recover so quickly and be able to attack with the Wu people next year?
"I do hope that the people of Shu can agree to this matter of the people of Wu."
Cao Rui sighed, "In this case, as long as we survive next year, Wei's life will be much easier."
The Shu bandits, who were out of strength, tried their best to march into Guanzhong. Faced with the preparations Da Sima had made in Guanzhong in recent years, they were afraid that they would suffer a lot.
"It would be worrying if we wait for the Shu people to recover and then attack with the Wu people."
Sun Zi also sighed: "Thieves Ge and Feng are both outstanding men in the world. I'm afraid they have seen this a long time ago!"
Cao Rui nodded: "So I guess that Sun Quan's letter is not because he really wants to agree to attack together, but to show the Shu people that he will not change the alliance between Shu and Wu."
When Liu Fang heard Cao Rui's words with certainty, he immediately understood that His Majesty might have already made up his mind, so he tentatively asked:
"Then your Majesty's intention is..."
Cao Rui looked at Liu Fang, smiled slightly, and said slowly:
"Liu Zhongshu, I have always known that you are good at writing forgeries. My intention is that you add text based on this letter, and be sure to change the content to Sun Quan's intention to profess to me, the Wei Dynasty."
"Then it will be sent to Zhuge Liang in Shu to divide the two countries."
Liu Fang quickly said: "I obey the order."
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid Zhuge Liang won't be fooled so easily."
Sun Zi reminded.
He was not worried about Liu Fang's ability to tamper with letters.
Liu Fang imitated other people's handwriting, almost to the point of confusing the fake with the real one.
Even if you add text, it can be connected with the context without any obstruction.
What he was worried about was that this move might not achieve the purpose expected by His Majesty.
Cao Rui smiled calmly:
"If there was no such thing as Sun Quan collecting a thousand war horses, then it would naturally not arouse Zhuge Liang's suspicion."
"But this time, Sun Quan may not be able to explain it so easily. After all, the Wu people have always been untrustworthy. I know it, and Zhuge Liang also knows it..."
If Sun Quan took advantage of those thousand horses, it was a conspiracy.
So this time, it's a conspiracy.
There is falsehood within truth, yin and yang, which can confuse people the most.
Even if Zhuge Liang is not allowed to become suspicious, it is enough as long as the Shu people are dissatisfied.
This kind of secret struggle requires long-term efforts and unremitting persistence.
Cao Rui didn't think that he could drive a wedge between the two kingdoms of Shu and Wu once, but as long as there were many times and there was a rift between the two countries, there would always be a day when the Wei Dynasty would seize the opportunity.
"Your Majesty is wise."
Sun Zi understood Cao Rui's thoughts, rolled his eyes, and suggested:
"Since Your Majesty mentioned the war horses, why not also do something about the bright jewels sent by the Wu people?"
When Cao Rui heard this, he quickly asked with great interest: "Oh, what is Sun Zhongshu's plan?"
"A few days ago, rumors were spreading in Luoyang, and among them, people from Shu must be responsible."
"Why don't your Majesty deliberately show others the bright jewels you got from the Wu people to prove that they were presented by the Wu people as vassals."
"Presumably the Shu people will report this matter to Zhuge Liang if they see it carefully. When the time comes, it will be corroborated with the letter. Let's see how Sun Quan can identify himself?"
Cao Rui and Liu Fang cheered together: "Great idea!"
The monarch and ministers of Wei State discussed it again and made sure that there were no omissions, and then the matter was settled.
Then Cao Rui picked up another secret memorandum, signaled Lian Zhao to hand it over again, and said with a slight sigh:
"Wang Ling, the governor of Yangzhou, came to give another memorial. He only said that after Man Chong defeated Sun Quan, he became increasingly arrogant and complained about the court. He claimed that his achievements were great but the rewards were insufficient."
"Also, he is not a clan relative, but he has done many things to win people's hearts in Yangzhou. He may have disobedient intentions. What do you think of the two middle secretaries?"
It is well known that Wang Ling and Man Chong have always had a bad relationship.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Wang Ling would write a letter to impeach Man Chong.
But His Majesty asked them for their opinions at this time, which is enough to show that His Majesty may have worries again.
Sun Zi stood up and left his seat, bowed and said sincerely:
"Your Majesty, you are a man of great favor and a veteran of three dynasties. He is honest and strict with the law, brave and resourceful, so both Emperor Wu and Emperor Wen value him."
"Back then, His Majesty asked him to supervise the military affairs in Yangzhou as a former general. The soldiers and people of Runan were in love with him. They followed each other and followed the road. There is no way to stop him."
"It can be seen from this that Manchu loves the people and has always been like this. How can it be said that he only bought people's hearts in Yangzhou?"
"Today is the time for the country to employ people. Man Chong only defeated Sun Quan last year, which is a great achievement. If your majesty doubts it now, how can all the people in the world be used by the country?"
"I am willing to vouch for you, and I will definitely be my best friend!"
Liu Fang also followed Sun Tzu in advancing and retreating:
"The last time His Majesty ordered Man Chong to return to Beijing, Man Chong once claimed that he was old and did not want to return to Yangzhou again. This has proven his true feelings!"
"His Majesty personally persuaded Man Chong to return to Yangzhou. If trouble occurs again now, it may not appear that His Majesty has gone back on his word."
With the deaths of two important clan ministers, Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen, Wei's hundreds of thousands of foreign troops were all controlled by people with foreign surnames.
In addition, Cao Rui's foundation was unstable and he was still sensitive to matters involving the generals in charge of the army.
However, Liu Fang and Sun Zi have been in control of the mobile phone for a long time, since Sun Zi dared to use his wealth as a guarantee for Man Chong.
In addition, what Liu Fang said was very reasonable, so Cao Rui gave up the idea of sending people to investigate:
"How can I be suspicious of the veteran ministers of the three dynasties? However, Wang Ling and Man Chong are quarreling, and I am afraid that the Wu people will take advantage of it."
"Your Majesty, the Wu pirates have invaded Hefei many times and have never gained any success. It can be seen that although Wang Ling Man Chong and Wang Ling Man Chong are at odds, they can still fight against the thieves with all their strength. There is no need to worry too much about this."
At this point, Sun Zi hesitated for a moment and continued, "On the contrary, Bi Gui, the governor of Bingzhou, first forced the Hu people to rebel, and then defeated them outside the wall."
"Your Majesty just reprimanded him, but still allowed him to serve as the governor of Bingzhou. I'm afraid there is something wrong."
"If we don't follow what Jiang Hujun (that is, Jiang Ji) said and transfer him back to Beijing and take up the position of central committee, we can avoid further troubles."
When Cao Rui heard Bi Gui's name, he couldn't help but feel irritated.
He shook his head:
"Bi Gui is a man of great talent. Although he made mistakes before, I have sent someone to reprimand him. I think I will act cautiously in the future and not let him return to Luoyang."
It would be false to say that Cao Rui does not hold grudge against Bi Gui.
But after the Xiahou clan was banned in Luoyang, the poem "Crying Cao Zijian" was spread throughout the Central Plains.
There are already rumors that the Emperor of Wei is narrow-minded and has always treated his relatives badly.
Bi Gui's son married a princess and was considered a relative of the emperor. If he was summoned back to Luoyang at this time, wouldn't it be true for this rumor?
So Cao Rui was naturally unwilling to move Bi Gui at this time.
Anyway, the place of Bingzhou is remote and far away, and it is a frontier place. In addition, after Kebi Neng was defeated by Qin Lang, I heard that he had moved his court account to his hometown of Jiuyuan.
Although they moved to the west of Bingzhou, they were blocked by the five Xiongnu tribes left by Emperor Wu.
Coupled with the fact that Ke Bineng's vitality was severely damaged, Bingyou Province must have finally been able to settle down for a while.
It's just that the Grand Sima in Guanzhong has to work harder. Note that Kebi can invade Beidi County from the south.
But how could Da Sima be compared to someone like Bi Gui?
As long as Bi Gui is not allowed to lead the troops and he is reprimanded to stop misbehaving and oppressing the barbarians, that will be enough.
When he heard that Qin Lang was leading his army to Bingzhou, Bi Gui not only respected him very much, but even wanted to let Qin Lang ride to the government office.
This shows that Bi Gui has a sense of awe, so Cao Rui is still confident that Bi Gui will not make the same mistakes again.
When Sun Zi proposed Bi Gui, he still had the intention of preserving his favor.
He was secretly reminding Cao Rui that if His Majesty was unwilling to touch Bi Gui, who had suffered a great defeat, then what reason would there be for Man Chong, who had made great achievements, to pursue his small mistakes?
"Since Your Majesty has already decided, I won't say any more."
After retaining Man Chong and letting Bi Gui go, Sun Zi retreated very wisely.
He would not be like Yang Fu and Jiang Ji, who desperately tried to persuade his Majesty to follow his own wishes.
This is the reason why he and Liu Fang have been able to control the machine for many years, gain the respect of His Majesty, and take charge of all matters in the court.
Jiang Ji, on the other hand, could only say with jealousy that the two of them had too much power and served His Majesty every day. He asked Your Majesty to be careful to avoid the disadvantages of "evil officials monopolizing power".
A few days later, Juepinju in Luoyang City.
In the most luxuriously decorated private room, Mi Shiyilang was personally directing his servants to serve exquisite wine and food.
The servants who bring the dishes must be specially appointed, and their feet must be washed with soap first.
Then he went barefoot and handed the dish from the door.
Because the floor in this private room is a fine pile carpet.
When you step on it, you feel like you are trapped in the clouds.
So everyone has to be careful not to spill a drop of soup.
The pavement on this case is Shu brocade passed down from Shu.
The patterns on it are extremely complicated, and you can tell at a glance that it is high-quality brocade cloth.
Ordinary wealthy families may not have the means to obtain such things.
Using this kind of brocade cloth as a table cloth, the status of the guests used to entertain is naturally very important.
"Langjun, Langjun!"
Suddenly someone called at the door, "The princess has sent someone over."
"Oh?!" Mi Shiyilang hurriedly walked out after hearing this. When he saw Princess Qinghe's servants, he quickly said, "The princess is almost here. This way..."
Before he finished speaking, the servant sent by the princess shook his head and said:
"Back to Mi Langjun, the princess said that if something important happens today, she won't come over so that Mi Langjun doesn't have to worry anymore."
Mi Shiyilang was startled when he heard this:
"Princess why...oh, yes, I understand."
The beautiful face went from surprise to disappointment, and finally to despair, in perfect order, which makes people feel heartbroken.
The servant took a look inside the room and sighed in his heart:
"Mr. Sir, you don't have to be like this. The princess specifically told the villain that this time it was actually because the Wu people sent a large number of treasures to your majesty."
"Your Majesty was very pleased with it, so he specially ordered that the carriages be loaded with jewels and jewels to pass through the streets and appreciate them with the officials."
"The princess specially left a good seat for Mr. Lang, so she sent a villain over to ask Mr. Lang if he was okay?"
Mi Shiyilang's body trembled as soon as he heard this "is it true or not?"
Then a surprise smile appeared on his face again: "Intentional, intentional! How can it be unintentional?"
The servant only said that the gentleman in front of him was shaking with excitement, smiled with satisfaction, said goodbye and left, preparing to go back and report to the princess.
Mi Shiyilang gritted his teeth:
"Someone, please put these dishes into a warm box and send them to the princess's house."
But as soon as he closed his eyes and stamped his feet, it was as if he was feeding a tiger with his body!
