Compared with Sima Yi's scheming, Gou Dao is the king.
Cao Shuang seems much more immature.
Growing up, he was a son of a powerful person and a clan member, so he was deeply loved by Cao Rui.
So there has never been any trouble in my life.
Now that he has suddenly reached a high position, he has all the power of the court in his hands.
There are 12,000 households in the city, and they are given swords and shoes to go to the palace. They don't follow him when he enters the court, and he doesn't pay tribute. Such honor makes him feel a little uneasy.
For this reason, on the one hand, he still has great respect for Liu Fang and Sun Zi who helped him rise to power.
Not only did it not take away the authority of Zhongshu Sheng from the two of them, but it actually relied on them even more.
In the first few months of taking charge of the government, he asked their opinions on almost everything.
On the other hand, he acted like a polite corporal and asked his disciples how to deal with the situation at hand.
There was a man under his family, whose surname was Ding Mi and whose given name was Yanjing.
When Cao Shuang was appointed as General of the Military Guard, he already had a good relationship with him.
The friendship between the two was so deep that Cao Shuang praised Ding Mi many times in front of Emperor Ming and suggested that Emperor Wei Ming reuse him.
As soon as Cao Shuang became the general, he immediately promoted Ding Mi to the rank of Sanqi Minister and regarded him as his confidant.
Ding Mi also knew what Cao Shuang was thinking, so he added:
"Although the general has the late emperor's edict to assist the emperor, the world is in turmoil and people's hearts are unstable. But those who are determined to serve the country cannot help but wait and see."
“In ancient times, horses’ bones were bought for thousands of gold. Why don’t the generals use wise men with no aspirations to show their enterprising spirit?”
Cao Shuang sighed:
"I want to seek virtuous people, but I don't know where they are."
Ding Mi smiled and said:
"If a general wants to show his desire for talents to the world, the fastest way is to recruit famous people who are famous but have no ambition."
"We, the Wei Dynasty, are in the middle of the world. We have so many famous people. Why should the general worry about seeking talents but not getting them?"
When Cao Shuang heard Ding Mi's words, his heart moved:
"Maybe Cheng Yanjing already has a candidate?"
But I saw Ding Mi gently shaking his feather fan, shaking his head, and said confidently:
"Uncle He Ping (also known as He Yan) has a long-standing reputation for talent. He once wrote annotations on the Analects of Confucius, and he was the adopted son of Emperor Wu. However, he has only been serving as a redundant official for so many years. Can he be said to be unsuccessful?"
"Deng Xuanmao (that is, Deng Yang) has a rare reputation. He once served as Shangshulang and then as magistrate of Luoyang County. He was later dismissed from office until now. Can it be said that he has no ambition?"
"Zhuge Gongxiu (i.e. Zhuge Dan) once served as an official to the imperial censor Zhongcheng. All colleagues in the court treated each other with caution, but now he is just a commoner. Can he be said to have no ambition?"
Ding Mi repeatedly said that the three of them were all well-known figures before the flashy case.
But later on, no matter whether they were big or small officials, they were all beaten to the end by Cao Rui and no longer had any effect.
When Cao Shuang heard this, he couldn't help but hesitate:
"These people were all deposed by the late emperor. If I appoint them, I'm afraid they will be criticized."
In fact, before the Fuhua case, everyone in Luoyang's dignitaries and aristocratic families was proud to participate in activities where celebrities could communicate and talk.
Cao Shuang is naturally no exception.
And at that time, he had a lot of friendship with these people.
So when Ding Mi mentioned these people, his heart moved.
But friendship is friendship. He had only been a general for less than half a year, and he had done something that went against the late emperor's suppression of ostentation during his lifetime. Naturally, he felt worried.
Ding Mi has known Cao Shuang for many years and is now Cao Shuang's confidant.
Naturally, he guessed a little bit about Cao Shuang's thoughts, and immediately said with a smile:
"Why should the general worry? I was also involved in it back then. Why doesn't the general worry about being criticized?"
"It is precisely because the late emperor suppressed these people too much, so if the general uses them outside the rules, they will feel grateful to the general. This can be said that a scholar who is a confidant will die."
When Cao Shuang heard this, he still hesitated and remained silent.
Ding Mi continued:
"Besides, they were not the only ones who were implicated in the Fuhua case. The closest ones are the two sons of Zhongshu from Zhongshu Province, and the distant one is the son of the one from Luoyang..."
"Now that they are all feudal lords, can anyone say that they are not?"
"On the other hand, the general is in charge of the government, but he is timid. He has the heart to seek talents but dare not act to appoint them. If others find out, I am afraid he will be disappointed."
Cao Shuang suddenly woke up:
Yes, the sons of Sun and Liu Zhongshu used to be the "Three Yus" in the "Four Congs, Eight Das and Three Yus".
Not to mention that Sima Yi's son Sima Shi was imprisoned in the palace by his Majesty himself for several days and nights as a warning.
Now that they have all been granted the title of marquis, I have to tie my hands with my close associates for re-election. Isn’t it ridiculous?
After thinking about this, Cao Shuang showed a smile on his face: "Yan Jing's words made me enlightened!"
So he asked again:
"But don't you know that these three people can be qualified for any position?"
Ding Mi suggested:
"Uncle He Ping and Deng Xuanmao are both known for their talents. They can be appointed ministers. The general can consult on important state affairs sooner or later."
Speaking of this, Ding Mi said meaningfully:
"These two people have been recommended by the general. When they enter the Chancery, they will naturally think of the general's kindness."
"When the time comes for the Minister to report something, he will naturally have to go through the general first. In this case, why should the general worry about losing his authority?"
Cao Shuang was so happy that he couldn't help shouting: "Wonderful!"
It turns out that this is the purpose of confidants and minions!
So he asked happily again:
"Then what about Zhuge Gong's rest?"
"Zhuge Gongxiu is fair in his dealings, and his colleagues in the early years have treated him with caution. He can be appointed as the Sili Xiaowei, in charge of both the inside and outside of the capital. In this way, the general will be safe both inside and outside!"
Cao Shuang laughed.
Then he looked at Ding Mi and said:
"Yan Jing thought a lot, but there was still something missing."
When Ding Mi heard what Cao Shuang said, he couldn't help but think about it again, but he didn't find anything wrong. He immediately asked:
"I dare to ask the general, but I don't know where Mi is missing?"
Cao Shuang looked at Ding Mi's appearance and felt even more happy:
"This estrangement means that Yan Jing has estranged himself!"
"Mi just wants to be able to be by the general's side and do her little bit, that's enough!"
Ding Mi quickly said modestly.
"Uncle He Ping and Deng Xuanmao were recommended by Yan Jing, and they can still be admitted to the ministerial office. How can I take Yan Jing lightly if he is such a talented person?"
Cao Shuang waved his hand grandly and said:
"How about I also let Yan Jing join the ministerial office and hold the position of election?"
The so-called dian election is actually responsible for selecting officials.
This can be said to be weighty.
Ding Mi received Cao Shuang's promise. Even with his arrogance, he was so excited that his body trembled slightly. He bowed deeply to Cao Shuang:
"Mi, I will live up to the general's trust and select talented people who are loyal to the country's affairs for the general!"
Cao Shuang was relieved of a piece of his heartache, and at the same time he thought he had gained a man with a humeral bone, so he couldn't help but feel a little elated.
It turns out that this is what it feels like to have control of power.
Just as one word can make someone become a minister, one word can also make someone become a commoner. It is up to oneself to like or dislike it. This feeling can be described as refreshing!
However, he still maintained a trace of sobriety and corrected:
"This is not for me, but for the Emperor. Yan Jing, you have lost your words!"
Ding Mi quickly said: "Yes, yes, it was Mi who made a mistake."
Just as Ding Mi said, when the conquest order issued by General Cao was delivered to He Yan, Deng Yang, Zhuge Dan and others, everyone heard about it and came.
Seeing that all these famous talents in the past responded to his call, Cao Shuang felt extremely relieved.
For a time, the general's residence was crowded with celebrities, cars and people came and went, and it was very lively.
Cao Shuang listened to the praises of celebrities every day and felt that in the future the Wei Dynasty would be full of talented people, and he would be the minister of the resurgence of the Wei Dynasty.
Just when Cao Shuang was trying to bribe his confidants and was preparing to use his fists, someone finally stood up and objected:
"General, when the late emperor was still here, he once said, 'Don't be famous for your election. Make cakes with picturesque names and don't eat them.'"
"Nowadays, not only are most of the generals employed by the former emperors, they are also selected based on reputation and not on talent. This is not an acceptable approach!"
This person is none other than General Shi Sunli.
It turned out that Cao Rui knew that Cao Shuang was weak by nature and had no independent opinions. He could only rest assured when he had a good assistant.
Therefore, after making Cao Shuang the general, Sun Li was appointed as the general's commander-in-chief to help Cao Shuang handle affairs.
Sun Li was recruited by Cao Cao to serve as Sikong's advisor after Cao Cao captured Youzhou. In this way, he can be called an old man from the Four Dynasties.
It's just because his background is not very good, but he has a bad temper, and he once let criminals go without permission.
Therefore, although he is quite talented, he has served as governor in various places and his political achievements are considerable.
But in the end, he just returned to the court and took up the position of minister.
He finally got the position of Minister, but he repeatedly advised Cao Rui not to carry out large-scale construction projects.
Once, after Cao Rui agreed to let the people go back to farming, the supervisor asked the people to stay one more day to finish the work.
When Sun Li learned about this, he went directly to the construction site and said that the emperor had issued an edict to exempt people from labor and let the people go home in advance.
Although Cao Rui didn't blame him in the end, it was simply impossible to say that he didn't have any regrets.
It is precisely because of Sun Li's temper that he went through three emperors, Cao Cao, Cao Pi and Cao Rui, but he did not receive much importance.
Finally, by chance, Cao Rui went out to hunt and encountered a tiger on the road.
In order to protect Cao Rui, Sun Li wanted to fight the tiger alone, and then he got Cao Rui's attention.
Before Cao Rui died, he finally thought of him and asked him to serve as General Commander Shi to assist Cao Shuang.
Sun Li was upright and fierce by nature. Naturally, he couldn't get used to what Cao Shuang was doing now, so he didn't give the general any face at all:
How long ago did the late emperor pass away? As the person designated by the late emperor to assist the government, how could you, General, overturn the measures taken by the late emperor during his lifetime?
If it had been before, Cao Shuang might not have been unable to listen to Sun Li's advice.
It's just that these days, he feels so comfortable being flattered by famous celebrities that his mentality can't help but feel a little inflated.
When I heard Sun Li's words again, I just felt that they were harsh.
So he couldn't help but lower his face and scolded:
"You have only a long history. You are assisting me in doing things, not teaching me to do things!"
How could Sun Li endure this with his violent temper?
Immediately he pushed it back:
"According to the general's opinion, doesn't that mean that even the late emperor made mistakes? Or does the general want to teach the late emperor how to do things?"
Sun Li fought against mountain bandits in his early years, served as governor of various places, and then followed Cao Xiu to attack the state of Wu. He was very courageous. How could the weak-tempered Cao Shuang withstand it?
When he heard Sun Li say this, he already felt a little guilty.
Seeing Sun Li's stern expression again, he couldn't help but take a step back.
After retreating, Cao Shuang realized that he was actually showing weakness in front of his auxiliary officers.
At that moment, I couldn't help but feel bad and angry, and shouted:
"Bold! Have you ever talked to a superior like this?"
Sun Li refused to give in at all:
"The late emperor appointed Li as the general and made history because he wanted Li to assist the general in his actions."
"What the general is doing now is inappropriate. If Li still keeps silent, what is the difference between Li and those who flatter him?"
"In this case, the etiquette violates the entrustment of the late emperor and must not be done!"
Cao Shuang was so angry that his whole body was shaking. He pointed his fingers in parallel and pointed at Sun Li: "You, you, you... you are so bold!"
He talked about "you" for a long time, and finally realized that he couldn't defeat Sun Li, so he waved his sleeves bitterly and turned around to leave.
I can’t afford to offend you, but I can’t afford to hide?
But when he returned to the palace, Cao Shuang became more and more angry. He immediately summoned Ding Mi and told him what had happened.
Then asked:
"I want to make a difference, but Sun Li is extremely rude! If I let him restrict me, I'm afraid there will be many inconveniences."
"However, he is a general appointed by the late emperor himself. I cannot dismiss him lightly. What can I do?"
Winning the hearts of famous people to increase their reputation was Ding Mi's personal suggestion.
Ding Mi has always been arrogant. When he lived in Yecheng in his early years, he once borrowed an empty house from others.
Some members of the Cao clan also took a fancy to this house, but they didn't know that Ding Mi would get it first, so they entered directly.
When Ding Mi saw his clan members entering, he crossed his legs and lay down on the bed, and directly ordered his servants:
"What kind of person is this? Why don't you drive them out quickly?"
It's so arrogant.
When he heard that Sun Li was totally against his idea, how could Ding Mi still hold back?
He and Cao Shuang naturally shared the same hatred and resentment towards Sun Li.
But he has more ideas than Cao Shuang.
After thinking about it carefully, he said to Cao Shuang:
"Since the late emperor valued Sun Deda (i.e. Sun Li), he must be a talented person. At this time, the country was in turmoil, especially Yecheng, Hebei, which was the founding place of the Wei Dynasty."
"At this time, the Shu captives are approaching the party and want to take a peek at Ye City. This must be guarded against. Why doesn't the general order Sun Deda to go to Ye City to prevent the Shu captives?"
Can't you?
Then go to Hebei. If you can defeat the Shu captives, it will be because the general knows people well and uses them well to stabilize the situation in Wei.
"If Sun Deda fails to resist the captives, then he is just talking arrogantly. If he is disrespectful to the general and fails to resist the captives, then the general will punish him for several crimes. What can a mere long history do?"
When Cao Shuang heard this suggestion, he agreed with it. Then he showed a ruthless expression and gritted his teeth and said, "That's exactly what it should be!"
At that moment, without any hesitation, Sun Li was directly appointed as the governor of Jizhou.
In order to avoid telling the truth, Cao Shuang also spent a lot of money to confer Sun Li with the title of General Fubo and the title of Marquis of Guannei.
Although Sun Li knew that Cao Shuang wanted to transfer him away from Xuchang, he couldn't refuse.
After all, the Wei State at this time was indeed at a critical moment.
After he was appointed, he took ten blank appointment documents, led 3,000 troops, and started heading north.
At this time, Wei Yan had already led the army, all the way up the Fen River, passing through Pingyang County, Xihe County, Taiyuan County, and then rested briefly in Qi County on the right side of the original Xiongnu.
After resting, they turned around and headed down the Nirvana River, breaking through several small counties and dozens of villages along the way, heading straight for Xiangyuan.
As long as Xiangyuan is captured, the next step is Huguan, the county seat of Shangdang County.
