Shuhan

After reading the battle report, Sima Yi frowned and his eyes were deep, as if he could see through the paper and look directly at the flames of war thousands of miles away.

He remained silent. Only the sound of charcoal burning in the brazier in the hall could be heard. Every sound seemed to strike at the heartstrings of everyone present.

Inside the hall, the flickering candlelight illuminated Cao Pi's anxious expression.

cough cough~
He suppressed his physical discomfort and coughed, trying to break the depressing silence with this weak sound.

"My dear, do you have any solution?"

Cao Pi tried his best to make his tone sound strong, but his unconcealable weakness still revealed his condition.

Queen Guo Zhao sat aside with her hands clasped, her eyes full of worry; Crown Prince Cao Rui stood beside his father, looking at Sima Yi with bright eyes and full of expectation, as if placing all his hopes on this shrewd general.

During the Hongnong period, Cao Rui saw Sima Yi's ability.

If Sima Yi had not remained calm and responded appropriately in the face of extreme chaos, the city of Hongnong County would probably have been lost by now.

Sima Yi will definitely find a way!

Cao Rui's eyes flickered.

Sima Yi finally came back to his senses from his deep thoughts. He slowly raised his head and his eyes met Cao Pi's. It was a deep and firm look in his eyes, as if he could see into the future.

He stood up and bowed deeply to Cao Pi, his voice steady and powerful: "Your Majesty, now that Wu has been destroyed, the next target of Han will undoubtedly be Wei. The urgency of the situation is self-evident."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Cao Pi, Guo Zhao and Cao Rui instantly became solemn.

Cao Rui couldn't wait to ask: "General, don't we have any way to deal with it?"

There was a hint of anxiety and unwillingness in his voice, and he was obviously unwilling to accept such a fate.

Cao Pi's health is deteriorating, and the day when he becomes the ruler of Wei is probably not far away.

Could it be that he, the Emperor of Wei, had only been on the throne for a few days when the Han Kingdom invaded, and that Cao Rui would become the king of a fallen country?
this kind of thing
Please do not!

Sima Yi sighed softly, and a complicated light flashed in his eyes.

"It's not that there is no way, but..." He paused deliberately, as if he was considering his next words.

"After Han conquers Wu, if they govern Wu properly, they may march north next year and attack Wei. However, if Wu is in turmoil, the Han army will need time to quell the civil unrest, which will undoubtedly buy us precious time."

Although the Han State was good at local governance.

The Jingxiang and Guanzhong areas were developed and countless grains were obtained.

By plundering the barbarians in the four counties of Ba and Jingnan and increasing the population, the Han Dynasty greatly increased its national strength within a few years.

However, no matter how much the country's strength increased, the Han's five-pronged attack on Wei this year, coupled with the destruction of Wu, also greatly consumed the Han's war potential.

This year, the Han State may not be able to start another war.

The key now lies in the State of Wu!

If the Han State pacifies the Wu State without causing any major disturbances within the Wu State, the Han State can then integrate the resources of the Wu State.

Although Wu was short of food, Jingxiang had food and grass transportation, and with the support of Wu's military and civilians, they could barely support a Northern Expedition.

And if anything went wrong in the process of Han's control over Wu, the Han army would have to send troops to quell the rebellion in Wu.

The Han army will not be able to attack Wei this year or even next year.

After all, the Sun family ruled the Wu Kingdom for three generations. You can destroy the Wu Kingdom in one battle, but that does not mean you can make the Wu Kingdom surrender in one battle.

Destroying a country and gaining the submission of Wu's army and people are two different concepts.

In the future, if the old US military is the most powerful in the world, would it not be bogged down in Afghanistan and Iraq?
When Cao Pi heard this, a light flashed in his eyes, as if he saw the dawn of hope.

"My dear minister, what you mean is that we can disrupt the situation in Wu and make the Han army fall into the quagmire of Wu, so that they have no time to take care of other things?"

There was a hint of urgency in his tone, and it was clear that this strategy struck a chord with him.

Sima Yi nodded, a faint smile appearing on the corner of his mouth. That smile contained the calmness of a wise man and a deep insight into the situation.

"That's right, Your Majesty. We can secretly support the remaining forces of Wu, or incite dissatisfaction among the people, create chaos, and make the Han army run around in a hurry. At the same time, our Wei also needs to strengthen border defense and reorganize military preparations in case of emergency."

When Cao Rui heard this, a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes. He seemed to have seen the scene of the Han army being pinned down by the Wu State, while the Wei State took advantage of the situation to rise.

"The war report says that Sun Deng killed his father to seize the throne, and the fake Han Liu Gongsi stayed overnight in the palace. We can spread rumors that Liu Gongsi defiled the Wu palace and insulted the Wu concubines, so as to alienate the relationship between Sun Deng and Liu Chan. If we can get Liu Gongsi to kill Sun Deng, the Wu Kingdom will definitely be in turmoil!"

"General, this is a brilliant plan! It can not only alleviate the immediate danger, but also create conditions for future struggles."

Cao Rui was about to applaud.

of course
What he didn't expect was that Liu Chan stayed overnight in the palace. This was not a rumor at all, but something that had already happened.

Not only did he slept with the King of Wu's concubines, he also put a green hat on Sun Deng and slept with the Crown Princess.

Guo Zhao also nodded slightly, with a glimmer of approval in his eyes.

"It is a blessing for the Great Wei to have a great general!"

At this critical moment, Sima Yi's strategy was undoubtedly a ray of hope for the Wei Dynasty.

Seeing this, Sima Yi was secretly relieved.

To make this plan a success, it requires not only careful planning, but also unity and joint efforts.

It is definitely not enough to rely on Sima Yi alone.

"Your Majesty, this matter must be carried out in secret and must not be leaked. I am willing to personally go to the border of Wu State and make secret arrangements to plan a grand plan."

When Cao Pi heard this, a warm feeling surged in his heart.

Be able to stand up in times of crisis.

Sima Yi!
He is truly a loyal minister to his country!
Sima Yi's move was not only for the Great Wei, but also for himself and the entire royal family.

He raised his hand, his voice choking with sobs: "My dear, the safety of the Great Wei is now in your hands. Please be careful and take care of yourself."

Sima Yi smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my best to live up to your trust."

"That's it. The general will go to the Secretariat and look for Chen Qun to discuss the matter. I will prepare to deploy defenses in various places soon."

"promise!"

Sima Yi slowly left the hall.

Sima Yi's figure had just disappeared outside the palace gate, and his calm and profound aura seemed to still linger in the air.

Emperor Cao Pi slowly turned around and his eyes fell on Crown Prince Cao Rui, with a complex light flashing in his eyes.

It was a complex emotion of both relief and worry, expectation and doubt, as if at this moment, the balance in his heart was subtly swaying. He was born by that bitch, but in the end, he was still the blood of the Cao family, and my seed!
"Prince went to Hongnong to resist the Han army before, and he was quite as brave as I was back then."

Cao Pi's voice was not loud, but it carried a power that could not be ignored. Every word seemed to be carefully crafted, expressing both recognition of his son and expectation for the future.

"Xiahou Shang and General Sima Yi both praised you in the military report, which made me very happy."

These words were undoubtedly a great encouragement to Cao Rui.

Ever since the Long Yang incident, he has been living under the shadow of his father, and the uneasy feeling that he might be deposed at any time has been with him all the time.

Now, his performance on the battlefield seems to have become the key to his turnaround. He has proved that he is not just a crown prince in name only, but also a capable and responsible heir to the throne.

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui immediately bowed and saluted, his words full of humility: "My contribution is just a mere fraction of what your father did back then. I have only fulfilled my duty, and I hope your father will not praise me too much."

Queen Guo Zhao sat aside, her eyes gentle and deep. She stroked her clothes gently, with a barely perceptible smile on her lips.

At this delicate moment, she chose to stand on the side of the prince.

Cao Pi did dote on her, but he was indeed running out of energy.

Queen Guo has to think about her own future.

At this moment, she said in a soft but firm voice: "The Crown Prince is not only capable, but also filial. During this expedition, he always kept the safety of the country and your Majesty's expectations in mind, which is a blessing for our Great Wei."

Guo Zhao's words, like a warm current, quietly warmed Cao Pi's heart.

However, this warmth did not seem to dispel the gloom between his brows.

Cao Pi nodded, but his face turned even paler. His deep eyes seemed to be able to see into people's hearts. He stared at Cao Rui closely, and his tone became heavier: "If I live a hundred years later, can you suppress Sima Yi? And suppress all the officials in the court?"

This question came suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, instantly freezing the originally harmonious atmosphere.

Cao Rui was stunned. He never expected that his father would ask such a sharp question at this time.

For a moment, he felt unprecedented pressure, his heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and breathing became difficult.

How should he answer?

Should I show my ambition or continue to remain humble?
The hall was eerily quiet, with only the occasional crackling of the burning candles and the gentle breathing of the three people.

This question feels very important.

If one of the answers was wrong, the good impression that he had left on the emperor in Hongnong would probably disappear.

The position of the crown prince, which had just been stable, was about to become shaky.

Cao Rui took a deep breath and tried to calm his inner turmoil. He slowly raised his head, looked at Cao Pi with a firm gaze, and said:
"Father, I know that I have a heavy responsibility on my shoulders. Sima Yi is the pillar of our Wei Dynasty. I will treat him with sincerity and work with him on state affairs. As for the officials in the court, I will uphold justice, use both kindness and power, and let all the officials do their best to help our Wei Dynasty."

Seeing that Cao Pi didn't show any expression, Cao Rui continued:
"I have been thinking deeply about the way of an emperor recently, and I think its essence lies in reason, checks and balances, and benevolence.

A sensible person needs to have insight into worldly affairs and know the basis of governing a country, so that he can plan and win battles thousands of miles away; a person who checks and balances is like the two ends of a scale. Power must be cleverly distributed among ministers so that they can check and balance each other and work together for national affairs. In this way, the court will be stable and the country will prosper; a benevolent person is the foundation of an emperor. He must be like the sun in spring, warm and bright to the people, so that the people will be convinced and the country will naturally be strong.

I, your son, would like to learn from these three principles and study diligently, so that I can assist my father in the future and build the glory of our Great Wei together."

After hearing this, a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction flashed across Cao Pi's eyes, but was immediately replaced by deeper worry.

The transfer of power is never smooth, especially in such turbulent times.

"Okay, okay." Cao Pi said okay repeatedly, but his voice sounded a little empty.

"Remember, a ruler must not only be brave and resourceful, but also tolerant. Sima Yi's talent is rare in the world. If you can make good use of his strengths and avoid his weaknesses, there will be no worries for the prosperity of the Wei Dynasty."

Having said this, Cao Pi seemed a little tired. He waved his hand, signaling Cao Rui and Guo Zhao to leave.

He was already in poor health, and now after talking so much, he was in a bad mood.

The two men bowed and took their leave. When they walked out of the hall, they both looked back at the figure sitting on the dragon throne with mixed feelings.

It was late at night, and the moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the empty palace, making it seem particularly cold and desolate.

Cao Rui and Guo Zhao walked side by side, but they had their own thoughts in their hearts.

For Cao Rui, today's conversation is undoubtedly an important turning point. It not only means his father's recognition of his ability, but also indicates the stability of his position as crown prince.

Guo Zhao, on the other hand, was thinking more about how to pave a more stable path for Cao Rui in this complex political chess game.

In order to preserve his wealth and power after Cao Pi ascended the throne as his guest of honor.

"Mother, I will take my leave now."

Empress Guo Zhao nodded and said, "As soon as there is news in the palace, I will send someone to the Crown Prince's Palace to inform you. Now is the critical moment, don't be confused anymore, go to the Shangshutai and the General's Mansion more often, because in the future, the heavy burden of the Great Wei will be placed on your shoulders."

Cao Rui bowed respectfully to Queen Guo and said, "I understand."

This time he was able to keep his position as crown prince and turn danger into safety, and Queen Guo Zhao played a big role in it.

This time he had to rely more on Queen Guo, so naturally he wouldn't dare to be disrespectful in the slightest.

"My son, please retire!"

After returning to the Eastern Palace, Cao Rui sat alone in the study. The moonlight outside the window was bright, but he had no intention of appreciating it.

My father's questions and the answers I gave kept echoing in my mind.

Sima Yi is a high-ranking official. Can I really check and balance him?
There are also those noble families in the country, those uncles and uncles of the royal family
Each of them is a tough guy.

The most important thing is that his enemies are too strong.

The Han Kingdom was at its peak.

The pseudo-Han emperor Liu Gongsi was as fierce as a wolf and a tiger.

The real test has just begun: how to balance the power in the court, how to realize his own philosophy of governing the country while ensuring national stability, how to protect the country and how to gain an advantage in the competition with the Han State.

This will be a subject he must face as the crown prince and even as the future emperor.

In the dead of night, with candlelight flickering, Cao Rui cast a long shadow on the wall. He closed his eyes and thought, secretly making a vow in his heart:

No matter how difficult the road ahead is, he will move forward courageously, for the future of Wei and to prove himself that he can become an emperor who is worthy of heaven and earth and the hearts of the people.

I, Cao Rui, am a man of great reputation!

Could he be worse than Liu Gongsi?

And at this moment, in Shangshutai.

Sima Yi soon met the Minister of Chancellery Chen Qun and the General Zhu Shao who was in charge of the palace guards. (End of this chapter)