Wei Ni

Xuchang, Yingchuan County welcomed the first snow of the year.

Tiny snowflakes fell on the fields and melted as soon as they met the soil. They were difficult to accumulate, but gradually made the road muddy. They hit the faces of people on the road and saw through the collars of their clothes, making them feel wet, cold and sticky.

There was almost no smoke rising from the firewood burned for heating in the settlements outside the city and in the residential areas inside the city, which made the gray sky unable to help but have thick red clouds floating over it, which gathered together to mock the poverty of the people in the world.

Emperor Cao Rui, who was temporarily staying in Xuchang Palace, wore a well-made fur coat and stood alone on the high east palace wall, overlooking the continuous settlements outside the city. What caught his eye was the endless fertile plains; hidden in his heart was the fighting spirit to achieve great achievements like the unification of the Qin and Han dynasties.

Many of his large-scale construction projects that cost the people a lot of money and labor this year were indeed driven by this expectation.

At least in his heart, he was emulating the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor.

From Chen Sheng's words "the world has suffered from Qin for a long time", we know how much trauma Qin Shihuang's construction of the Afang Palace, the Mausoleum of the First Emperor and the Great Wall brought to the scholars and common people of the world; from the fact that countless people in various states and counties of the empire, who could not bear the suffering, rose up in rebellion in the late period of Emperor Wu of Han, we know that decades of wars including driving the Huns to the north, establishing the Four Han Counties in the east, and expanding to the west and south, we know to what extent the heavy taxes and levies and the decline of people's livelihood were.

In his early years in the Eastern Palace and the first few years of his reign, Cao Rui felt that the two of them were not benevolent rulers. They were only concerned with military achievements and neglected civil governance.

But now he feels that what they both did was right.

Because they all have something to rely on; because they are all emperors, shepherds who can do whatever the people of the world want.

For example, Qin Shihuang knew the temperament of Prince Fusu. Fusu's kindness could help the Qin Empire ease the trauma of war, but he did not have enough prestige to enforce some things that "suffer the people", so he, who was called "Zulong", did it in advance.

Emperor Wu of Han personally felt the powerful restorative power of the rule of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing.

When Liu Bang became emperor, "he could not afford all the horses, and his generals and ministers sometimes rode in ox carts." During this period, there was the Lü Rebellion and the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion. However, there was still a prosperous time in which "the money in the capital was in huge quantities, the coins were so rotten that they could not be counted; the grain in the granary was piled up one after another, overflowing and exposed outside, and was rotten and inedible." Therefore, Emperor Wu of Han resorted to war and aggression, so that his successors would emulate the rule of Wen and Jing once again.

Cao Rui's reliance was that he was in his prime.

So after Shu and Wu no longer had the strength to advance into the Central Plains, he began to build on a large scale.

He felt that if he didn't do it now, it would be difficult to find opportunities in the future.

Ever since Emperor Wu of Wei, Cao Cao, started his business, the world has never stopped fighting, and the common people in the states and counties of Wei have never had a chance to rest and recuperate.

People have become accustomed to the burden that war brings to their lives.

This custom reached its peak after he ascended the throne, as the two kingdoms of Shu and Wu invaded almost every year.

Therefore, he wanted to build a palace that would demonstrate the emperor's majesty before this habit completely disappeared, instead of listening to the advice of the ministers and officials to give the people a rest.

Without him.

From frugality to luxury is easy, from luxury to frugality.

Once the scholars and common people become lax, it will be difficult for him to repair the palace.

After all, the unification of the State of Wei by destroying Shu and swallowing Wu was the most important event for the State of Wei. Allowing the scholars and common people to recuperate was also for this purpose, not to repair the palace.

Cao Rui, who had been on the throne for quite a few years, knew that unifying the Wei Kingdom would not be achieved in ten or eight years.

Wars were destined to continue throughout his lifetime, so he would never have the opportunity to build palaces on a large scale without harming the people's livelihood when the world was prosperous.

Now, while the corvee labor has not been reduced, we should hurry up and do it.

He made the common people suffer for a few more years, and then he would rectify the administration of officials, set an example of frugality, and reduce conscription in the prefectures and counties. This would also win the praise of the people and help accumulate strength to destroy Shu and Wu.

Besides, he didn't care much about the voices of the scholars and common people.

On the one hand, the person who claims to be the only one with the most influence is standing too high up and unable to hear the voices from the grassroots; on the other hand, he wants to prepare for the implementation of reforms and the elimination of long-standing malpractices.

This was also what he had previously revealed to Xia Houhui in private.

But Xiahou Hui alone cannot do it.

Even though Xiahou Hui successfully accumulated prestige in the war against Liaodong, and with the cooperation of Guanqiu Jian, he was unable to break through the heavy resistance from the ministers in the court and the powerful people in the counties and prefectures.

So Cao Rui remembered the words that the late Grand Marshal Cao Zhen said to him before his death: "The sun will set when it is at its zenith, and the moon will wane when it is full. The defeat of an old minister will cause the prestige of the royal family to decline, which may not be a bad thing for the country."

The pressure of external war has eased, and it is time to sort out internal affairs.

He knew that if he wanted to pass on the Wei Dynasty, destroying the disloyal was only one of the things he needed to do. Learning from the lessons of the previous dynasty and avoiding repeating the same mistakes was the most important thing. So it was time to select the ministers who were loyal to the Wei Dynasty, and to train them with all their heart.

For example, he silently kept in mind the advice from his ministers in recent days about not building large-scale projects and about curbing extravagance and being self-disciplined.

Of course, he would not simply think that those ministers who did not submit memorials to advise him should not be reused.

He just wanted to find a few ministers who were brave enough to take on responsibilities.

Because clearing up the accumulated malpractices is an offensive matter and may even bring about public criticism, it is necessary to select people who dare to speak out, are not afraid of power, and do not care about their careers to be qualified for the task.

However, the results were far from satisfactory.

It's not that Wei State didn't have honest ministers who dared to speak out, but most of these honest ministers were old ministers during the Wei Wu period, and they were too old. They could only wave flags and shout, and could not personally implement the reforms.

Besides, young people’s blood is hot.

The old ministers are old, have experienced a lot, and have been immersed in official career for a long time. It is inevitable that their edges will be smoothed out by the ways of the world and their passion will be cooled by the coldness of the world.

When doing things, people naturally become timid and want to be cautious in everything.

So far, the only person who Cao Rui considers to be a promising talent, regardless of age or ability, is the Secretary of the Central Secretariat Wang Ji.

This was a person who submitted a memorial to the emperor to stop extravagance after he had already made it clear that he would not accept advice and had banished Xiahou Hui to Liaoxi to serve as a warning to others. This was truly precious, so he sent him to be a county governor to be used in the future. Although Zhonglang Du Shu did not submit a memorial this time, his behavior in his early years made him feel that he should be promoted first in case he could serve as a subordinate and helper in the future.

But among the many ministers, he felt that only these two were capable of serving as the vanguard of reform.

This result is ironic.

The huge Wei Kingdom~
It is already very difficult to find a few loyal and upright ministers!
What made Cao Rui feel most helpless was the silence and inaction of many clan members and Qiao Pei children.

Leaving Xiahou Hui aside, not a single person came to him to advise him; and after he banished Xiahou Hui to Liaoxi, there were even calls to establish a military supervisor in the Zhenhu Department!
What else can this group of people do besides fighting for power?
Do you still have any thought for the country in your heart?

Such a result made Cao Rui very disappointed, and it completely killed his unrealistic thoughts.

Some people are destined not to be entrusted with important tasks. The rich and spoiled children born into noble families are always more concerned about themselves than the country.

Alas, how many years has it been since the Wei Kingdom replaced the Han Dynasty and inherited the Mandate of Heaven? The descendants who shared weal and woe with the Wei Dynasty are so miserable.

With such emotion, Cao Rui's expectations for Xiahou Hui and Guanqiu Jian became higher and higher, and he also fully agreed with the reports submitted by Youzhou in recent days.

For example, when A Luo Pan came to Luoyang to pay tribute, he made more than 30 people who had surrendered to him from Youbeiping and Liaoxi Wuhuan tribes kings and dukes. In addition, as Guanqiu Jian had requested, he appointed A Luo Pan, who was in charge of 200 cavalry, as a lieutenant general, and Zuo Junbo, a commoner who had made great contributions in recruiting the surrendered people, as a military commander. He incorporated them all into the central army in Luoyang and placed them under the command of the General of Zhenhu.

For example, the imperial edict to summon Gongsun Yuan to the court had already been announced to the world, giving the war against Liaodong a legitimate reason.

It is not necessary to think too much. Gongsun Yuan would never obey the imperial edict to come to Luoyang and become a lamb to be slaughtered at will, and give up the Liaodong foundation that has been passed down for three generations without firing a single arrow. He was still a nominal minister of Wei State, refusing to obey the imperial edict. Regardless of whether he proclaimed himself king and raised the banner of rebellion, he was a traitor that Wei State could justifiably punish.

In addition, he also instructed Liu Fang and Sun Zi to personally handle the dispatch of some logistics support such as food and fodder, and to ensure that the war against Liaodong would not fail due to problems in the rear. Even the early matters such as sending spies to Liaodong under the guise of merchants and looking for internal support were all directly under the command of Guanqiu Jian.

In order to reform the auxiliary roads, to eliminate the accumulated problems and to lay a solid foundation, the war against Liaodong must be won!

Even if it was a tragic victory with the loss of tens of thousands of soldiers and billions of dollars in military expenditure, Cao Rui felt that it was bearable and regarded it as a price that had to be paid.

In the name of the country and on behalf of the Wei Dynasty, he, as a king, did not care about the lives of his soldiers.

One will be a million bones.

Not to mention the achievement of a king.

In his eyes, common people, soldiers and generals are all straw dogs of the country.

The only question he considered was whether the State of Wei could afford such a price.

Moreover, his mind has now gone beyond the arrangements for the war against Liaodong, and he has begun to consider in advance the measures to be taken against the power of the court after the victory.

For example, the responsibilities of the royal family and the children of Qiao Pei were adjusted.

Previously, he increased Cao Zhao's power to control the five schools of the central army because he wanted to test the intentions of the many young men of the Wei family - since these people could not work together, he would divide the power and let them act on their own to see if they could pick a general from among the short ones.

The effect is still very good.

Qin Lang, who had already closed his door to visitors and had gradually lost his desire to fight for power, finally lived up to Cao Zhen's evaluation that he was "capable of use".

Cao Zhao is also okay.

At least he never denigrated or excluded anyone.

Moreover, after his power was increased, he made friends with court officials according to his own preferences, and did not go beyond the rules. For example, he had previously criticized Liu Fang and Sun Zi for seizing power, but now he no longer slandered them.

As for Cao Shuang
Apart from his prejudice against Xiahou Hui, nothing has changed. He is still the average-looking man with a reputation for being humble and courteous, and does not require too much attention.

The person Cao Rui really wanted to adjust was Xiahou Xian.

Among the many sons of the royal family of Qiaopei, Xiahou Xian was the first to be promoted and given the highest military position. However, Xiahou Xian's performance in recent years made Cao Rui feel that it was time to send him out to polish him.

It’s not that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment, but that jade cannot be made into anything useful without being polished.

He had been in the central army in Luoyang for a long time and had already shown signs of being a frog in a well, so Cao Rui wanted to send him out to a distant place so that he could broaden his horizons and not just focus on his own little piece of land and not make progress.

To put it bluntly, Cao Rui still had hope for him.

It is hoped that through tempering, he can regain the style of his ancestor Xiahou Dun and become a pillar of the country in the future.

Moreover, Cao Rui had already thought it through. He decided that the position of the Central Commander could be left vacant for the time being, waiting for Xiahou Xian to gain experience and become a capable man. Then he could return to Luoyang to serve as the Commander-in-Chief.

After all, in Cao Rui's mind, he was the only choice to command the central army in Luoyang.

The reason why Xiahou Hui was promoted to the position of General Zhenhu was just to motivate him and serve as a whetstone for him; because Cao Rui positioned Xiahou Hui as a lone minister, a vanguard who presided over reforms and cleared up accumulated malpractices.

The two are inherently different.

Yes, Xiahou Hui would never share Xiahou Xian’s power.

Because Xiahou Xian's talent was destined to be below Xiahou Hui in the future.
It's just a pity that Xiahou Xian couldn't see through Cao Rui's intentions, and had no self-awareness. Over the years, the two of them had overlapping and conflicting powers, and they became cunning and despicable. Alas!
There are contingency plans for the clan members and descendants of Qiao Pei within the clan, and of course there is no exception for officials from other families.

The first to bear the brunt of the attack was General Guard Jiang Ji.

Cao Rui had long had the idea of ​​transferring Jiang Ji to another position.

If it weren't for Xiahou Hui's previous refusal and the subsequent preparations for the war against Liaodong, Cao Rui would have transferred Xiahou Hui to the position of Central Guard General instead of the current position of Zhenhu General.

But Cao Rui’s current idea is not to demote Jiang Ji, but to appoint him as the Minister of the Chancellery.

Jiang Ji's loyalty and obedience made Cao Rui feel that if he wanted to eliminate the accumulated malpractices and control the Secretariat, there was no one more suitable than Jiang Ji.

There's just something wrong with it.

Jiang Ji was not on good terms with Liu Fang and Sun Zi.

Although the Secretariat and the Chancellery were originally meant to check and balance each other, Cao Rui hoped that they could keep in step when it came to reforming the accumulated malpractices.

Come to think of it, it might be difficult.

It is precisely for this reason that Cao Rui has not yet made up his mind.

There are also two people who urgently need adjustment, namely the Grand Marshal Sima Yi and the Palace Attendant Chen Jiao.

Sima Yi needs no introduction.

It's about time for him to be recalled to the imperial court and resign as the governor of Yongliang.

Sima Yi served as the governor of two of the three major war zones of Wei State, namely Yongliang, Jingxiang and Huainan. Moreover, as a minister of state, he had run a government for ten years and his students and former officials were spread all over the country. If he did not give up his military power, neither Cao Rui nor Sima Yi would be able to feel at ease!
As for Chen Jiao, the attendant who went to Huainan to meet the new army of the Shi family, Cao Rui had already made up his mind and listed him as the first candidate to succeed the Three Dukes.

The intention was to let him take charge of the reforms.

It was for this purpose that he had previously appointed his second son Chen Qian as Sima of the Zhenhu Department.

Of course, Cao Rui could only put aside the adjustments within the royal family or among officials from other families for the time being and wait until the war against Liaodong was over before implementing them.

And it must be a victory in the war. (End of this chapter)