Shuhan

Sima Yi killed hundreds of people in a few days. Among them might be spies of the Secret Service and people who colluded with the Secret Service, but there was no doubt that there were many innocent people. As the Secret Service spread the news that Sima Yi killed people for personal gain and for fun, the people in Shouchun City talked about Sima Yi's killing.

On the streets, in teahouses and taverns, and even in the homes of ordinary people, everyone was talking about his thunderous methods - hundreds of people, regardless of their social status, were turned into speechless souls under the loess overnight.

"Have you heard? In order to eliminate the spies in the city, Lord Sima Yi has killed hundreds of people in the past few days!" An old man stroked his beard, a hint of fear in his eyes, and whispered to the young man beside him.

"Yes, it is said that they are spies of the secret service and people who collude with them, but who knows? In this world, aren't there enough innocent people involved?" The young man sighed, his brows full of helplessness about the current situation.

"Humph, killing for personal gain? Killing for fun? This rumor is too sensational." A middle-aged man dressed as a scholar shook his head, obviously skeptical about such rumors.

"Sima Yi has always been known for his wisdom, how could he act so rashly?"

"Well, no matter what, people in Shouchun City are in a panic now. Every household has their doors closed, fearing that disaster will befall them someday." The shopkeeper at the side interrupted, with a hint of worry in his tone.

"I just hope this storm will pass soon so that we ordinary people can live a stable life."

"Yes, it is said that heroes emerge in troubled times, but it is often the lives of ordinary people like us that are trampled upon by heroes." The old man sighed again, his eyes far-reaching, as if he was recalling the peaceful times of the past.

“However, some people also say that Lord Sima Yi’s move is to stabilize the overall situation, prevent the conspiracy of the military commander from succeeding, and protect more innocent people.” A seemingly well-informed vendor joined the discussion.

"How can we, the little people, easily know the truth?"

"The war is imminent and Shouchun will soon become a battlefield. I think if possible, it is better to leave Shouchun and go to live with relatives."

Someone sighed with emotion.

Go to relatives?

Everyone in the room was stunned for a moment.

"Where are the relatives going?"

The middle-aged man dressed as a merchant said with a twinkling eye: "Now the world is in the hands of the Han Dynasty. If you go to the Han Dynasty to seek refuge with your relatives, you won't have to suffer from war. Besides, there are many opportunities in the Han territory. I heard that there are countless people who have made fortunes in Jianye and Jiangling."

"Yes, Sima Yi killed innocent people indiscriminately. Maybe it will be your turn and mine next. We should move our belongings to Jianye or Jiangling to make a fortune!"

Public opinion surged like a tide. In the general's mansion, Sima Yi sat at his desk, his brows filled with heavy worry and his face so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip out of it.

His hands unconsciously clenched into fists, with veins faintly visible, revealing his inner anxiety and struggle.

The wind was howling outside the window, and it seemed that even the sounds of nature were questioning his recent actions.

Jing Shu, who was standing by, had a gentle face and eyes full of concern. She walked towards Sima Yi with light lotus steps and said softly, "General, although public opinion is fierce, the truth will eventually come to light. You have done things for the country and the people, and the heavens and the earth can bear witness to your deeds. Why should you worry too much?"

Niu Jin was a burly man with a resolute face. He strode to Sima Yi's side with a loud voice, "General, we have never been afraid of any enemy on the battlefield. How can this mere public opinion shake our determination? I am willing to put on my armor and take up my sword again to clear all obstacles for you, General!"

Jing Shu responded, "Master, those rumors in the Han Kingdom are nothing but slander by incompetent people. As long as we work together, why worry that we can't stabilize the situation and restore your innocence?"

The words of the two were like a ray of warm sunshine in winter, gradually dispelling the haze in Sima Yi's heart.

He slowly raised his head, his eyes glowing with determination again, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He said, "You all have a point. I, Sima Yi, have never been afraid of storms in my life. Although public opinion is turbulent, it is also a time to test people's hearts. As long as we stick to the right path, the truth will come to light."

"Hehe, what is the truth?"

At this critical moment, Cao Xiu's sudden appearance was like a huge rock thrown into an already turbulent lake, causing ripples.

Cao Xiu's face was so gloomy that it seemed like water could drip out of it. His brows were furrowed, and there was a sneer of dissatisfaction and sarcasm on the corner of his mouth. His steps were heavy and powerful, and every step seemed to vent his inner dissatisfaction and anger.

"With a powerful enemy at hand, do you have any plan to defeat them?" Cao Xiu's voice was deep and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, full of questions and provocations. His eyes were as sharp as a knife, staring directly at Sima Yi, as if he wanted to dig out all the secrets deep in his heart.

Sima Yi became secretly alert when he heard this. He knew very well that Cao Xiu had come with ill intentions, but on the surface he remained calm and composed.

He stood up slowly, looked at Cao Xiu calmly, and smiled faintly, saying, "I don't have a plan to defeat the enemy, do you have one, General?"

Cao Xiu snorted coldly. His dissatisfaction with Sima Yi had already reached its peak. He pointed at Sima Yi, his tone full of sarcasm and disdain: "I think you are afraid of Liu Gongsi. In the past few months in Shouchun, what have you done besides consuming a huge amount of food and supplies? Now you are killing people at will. If you can't deal with the Han army, I think you should give up this position as soon as possible and let someone capable do it."

Cao Xiu's voice became louder and louder, almost like a roar, and it was obvious that he could no longer tolerate Sima Yi's actions.

Sima Yi's face darkened slightly when he heard this, but he quickly regained his composure.

Cao Xiu's provocation and dissatisfaction were not groundless, but he also had his own difficulties and considerations.

Sima Yi said in a deep voice: "General Cao is wrong. I guard Shouchun, and everything I do is for the sake of the overall situation. Now the Han Dynasty's secret army is ready to make a move, and I have to guard against them inciting my people to revolt. I let my own people take up key positions, which is indeed to prevent the secret army from inciting a rebellion. But you think this is a sign of my self-reliance, which really makes me disappointed."

Cao Xiu sneered. He did not believe Sima Yi's explanation.

He said, "Being prepared for the possibility of a rebellion by the military commander? I think you are taking this opportunity to eliminate dissidents and consolidate your position. You have killed so many people, and public opinion is surging. Have you ever thought about how much of an impact this will have on our overall situation? Doing this will only make more people dissatisfied with you, and make our morale even lower."

When Sima Yi heard this, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger in his heart.

He suppressed his displeasure and said in a deep voice: "General Cao, your words are too one-sided. Everything I did was for the sake of the overall situation. Although public opinion is turbulent, the truth will always come to light. I killed those people because they were indeed suspected of collaborating with the enemy.

I can't let go of my real enemy just because of temporary public opinion.

It is better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one go.

As for the low morale, it is because we have not found a strategy to defeat the enemy. As long as we can work together to fight against the Han army and win a few battles, morale will surely rise. "

Cao Xiu snorted coldly. He did not agree with Sima Yi's statement.

He said, "Work together? I think you want everyone to obey you, right? You have your own army and exclude those who are different from you, which will only make our Wei Dynasty more divided."

Sima Yi's face became even gloomier when he heard this.

He said in a deep voice: "General Cao, your words are too serious. Everything I did was for the sake of the overall situation. If you think I am wrong, then you can write a letter to the court to impeach me. But before that, I hope you can calmly think about whether your actions are really beneficial to our overall situation."

Ah.

A rake?
Cao Xiu's expression became increasingly unfriendly.

The atmosphere between the two became increasingly tense, as if a fierce conflict would break out at any time.

At this moment, Jing Shu suddenly interrupted and said, "Generals, we are facing a powerful enemy now. We should work together to fight against the Han army. If we have internal conflicts due to some misunderstandings, it will only make us more passive. General Sima has done everything for the overall situation, and I hope General Cao can put the overall situation first."

Jingshu's words were like a stream of fresh air, easing the originally tense atmosphere a little.

Upon hearing this, Cao Xiu's expression eased slightly.

He looked at Sima Yi deeply, then snorted and turned away. Sima Yi stood there, looking at Cao Xiu's departing back with complicated eyes.

Sima Yi sighed, a trace of helplessness and fatigue revealed between his brows.

He slowly turned around and said to Jing Shu and Niu Jin on his left and right: "What Cao Xiu said is indeed reasonable. I really don't have the confidence to resist the Han army in Shouchun. If Cao Xiu has this ability, I can give up my position and let others do it."

His voice was low and hoarse, revealing a deep sense of powerlessness.

Jingshu and Niu Jin were both shocked when they heard this.

They knew Sima Yi's talent and wisdom very well, and had never seen him so depressed.

Jing Shu quickly tried to comfort him, "General, why do you blame yourself so much? What Cao Xiu said was just his personal opinion, not everyone would think so. You have been doing your best since you guarded Shouchun, and we have all seen it. You don't have to care about his verbal attacks."

Niu Jin also echoed, "Yes, General. Cao Xiu just wants to take this opportunity to seize power. Why should you help him?"

However, Sima Yi had made up his mind.

He shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Now that the Han emperor Liu Gongsi has arrived in Shouchun, guarding Shouchun has become a hot potato. If I continue to stay here, it will only make the situation more complicated. If I can take this opportunity to give up this position, it may be a good thing. As for reputation... I never care about these. Besides, if I lose the battle and lose Shouchun, what reputation will I have?"

After saying this, Sima Yi stopped talking.

He walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and began to write a letter begging for his remains. His strokes were strong and firm, and every word revealed his inner determination.

In the letter, he recommended Cao Xiu as the general to guard Shouchun, and expressed his willingness to abdicate in order to achieve the overall situation.

After finishing the letter, Sima Yi put down his pen and took a long breath. A look of relief appeared on his face, as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

He turned to Jingshu and Niu Jin and said, "Please help me deliver this letter. I believe Cao Xiu will understand my intention. As for me... maybe I should go out and live a peaceful life for a few days."

Jingshu and Niu Jin both sighed when they heard this.

Sima Yi's letter begging for his remains was like an urgent beacon. Along with the sound of horses' hooves at an accelerated speed of 800 miles, it crossed the mountains and rivers and quickly rushed towards Luoyang.

In the Shangshutai of Luoyang, the regent prince Cao Rui sat upright, handling a mountain of official business. His brows revealed an extraordinary heroic spirit, but his eyes could hardly hide a trace of fatigue.

Shangshu Ling Chen Qun, this old minister who is as steady as a mountain, has always been Cao Rui's right-hand man.

He walked into the Shangshu Terrace with steady steps, tightly holding the letter he had just received from an express messenger who had traveled eight hundred miles.

Chen Qun was not in a hurry to open the letter, as he knew very well how important it was.

He walked to Cao Rui's desk, handed the letter to him with both hands, and said solemnly: "Your Highness, this is an urgent letter from Sima Yi from Shouchun."

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui frowned slightly. He took the letter and felt an ominous premonition in his heart.

He opened the envelope, took out the letter, and just took a look at it. The expression on his face suddenly changed.

Cao Rui's eyes revealed disbelief and anxiety, and he held the letter tightly in both hands as if he wanted to crush it.

Chen Qun, who was standing by, was also nervous when he saw this. He quickly asked, "Your Highness, is there something wrong in Shouchun?"

Cao Rui did not answer. He handed the letter to Chen Qun, who took it and read it carefully.

As the contents of the letter gradually came into view, his expression turned grim.

He looked up at Cao Rui and said worriedly, "Shouchun is about to fight a big battle. We must not change generals before the battle!"

Cao Rui's dissatisfaction with Sima Yi surged up in his heart at this moment.

He said in a deep voice: "At this time, the general is begging for his life. Isn't this putting our Wei in danger? We must not agree to his request."

Chen Qun looked at Cao Rui. He could understand Cao Rui's anxiety and dissatisfaction.

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "Then how do you plan to deal with this letter, Your Highness?"

Cao Rui pondered for a moment, his eyes lingered on the letter for a moment, and then he said resolutely: "Send someone to convey the imperial edict to comfort Sima Yi, tell him that the country is in danger, as a general, how can he retreat at this time? Let him hold on to Shouchun and wait for reinforcements."

Chen Qun nodded when he heard this. But he still had doubts in his heart. He said, "There may be something behind this. Why don't you let Your Majesty take a look at this letter and make a decision."

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui hesitated for a moment.

Reporting this matter to his father, Emperor Cao Pi, would undoubtedly cause even greater disturbance.

But what Chen Qun said also made sense. After all, Sima Yi was a general and his decision was related to the safety of the country.

So he nodded and said, "Okay, I will present the letter to my father and ask His Majesty to make a judgment."

After saying this, Cao Rui stood up, carefully put the letter away, and then quickly walked out of the Secretariat.

Cao Rui came to Cao Pi's bedroom and presented the letter.

Cao Pi's face was pale, but after recuperating for many days, he felt much better.

At this moment he opened the letter and read it carefully.

Cao Pi's expression gradually became solemn as he read the content of the letter.

After reading the letter, he was silent for a moment, then looked up at Cao Rui and asked, "What do you think of this?"

Cao Rui replied respectfully: "I think it is inappropriate for Sima Yi to ask for his death at this time. The country is in danger, and as a general, he should stick to his post. How can he retreat so easily?"

Cao Pi nodded after hearing this. He thought for a moment and said, "You have a point. As a general, Sima Yi should set an example and defend Shouchun. However, we must also consider his feelings. Maybe he really has his own reasons. How about this, you send someone to Shouchun to ask him in person what is going on. If there is really something going on, we can make a decision later."

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui felt relieved.

He nodded quickly and agreed: "As you wish, son."

Cao Pi felt heavy in his heart.

The Han Dynasty launched a Northern Expedition.

Wei Dynasty
Can you bear it? (End of this chapter)