Wei Ni

The gentlemen in the Nine Dragon Hall were discussing matters such as the year-end temple sacrifices and the reports from various states and counties.

Originally, these mundane affairs should have been discussed in the East Hall of the Taiji Hall, but Emperor Cao Rui thought it was boring to wait for the results there, so he asked the ministers and officials to move here.

At least this place is not as solemn as the Taiji Hall, so there will be no psychological burden in holding a banquet outside the hall to enjoy the snow.

Wang Su, who was devoted to learning and served as the Secretary General, did not get involved in the affairs of the inner court, but he was named by the emperor to accompany him so that he could respond to him when he suddenly felt like writing poems or essays.

So when he followed the emperor into the Kowloon Palace, he felt embarrassed.

It's not the embarrassment of intruding into the inner court.

Instead, after Emperor Cao Rui made a decision on the discussion among the officials, he sent back some unimportant assistants and left behind some important officials to express their respective suggestions in response to Xiahou Hui's memorial.

Therefore, when the eunuch read Xiahou Hui's memorial aloud, all the officials glanced towards Wang Su at the same time.

Wang Su felt like sitting on pins and needles.

Why are you looking at me?

It's true that I am Xiahou Hui's uncle, but I have no involvement in this matter!
Of course, he couldn't say anything to defend himself.

At this time, he already understood that the emperor Cao Rui, who knew the soldiers' itinerary well, had no interest in enjoying the snow in the Nine Dragon Palace! What kind of favor was it for him to be chosen to accompany him today?

A cover!

Drunkard’s intention is not to drink!
Everything was intentional by the emperor and planned in advance.

Compared to Wang Su who got lost, the person who was more depressed was He Qia.

Because among the gentlemen who were left behind, except for Chen Jiao who had been absent from court due to illness for the past few days, the rest were the ones who had previously decided how to reward Ding Mi.

He had been drafted into the army before, and today was just unlucky for him.

How could he, who held the post of Taichang, not be present when matters concerning the year-end temple sacrifice were being discussed?

Moreover, after taking a glance at Wang Su, the others all turned their eyes to him just like last time, waiting for him to be the first to make a suggestion.

This time, you gentlemen are not in front of the Emperor, so you dare to shirk your responsibility.

But the Grand Marshal Sima Yi was still stationed in Yongliang, the position of Situ was vacant due to the death of Dong Zhao, and the Minister of Works Chen Qun had been bedridden for some time and had not attended court. As the head of the Nine Ministers, He Qia naturally had to speak first.

He Qia is unlucky.

Therefore, he was so depressed that he couldn't help cursing Liu Fang and Sun Zi in his heart.

The Secretariat, which is known as the "specialized" department, has not been free from abuse of power. These two people usually show a tough attitude, but now when things happen, do they remember the order of rank in the court?

Old man!
A treacherous and treacherous person!

After taking a deep breath and calming down his anger, He Qia bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, I still hold my words. Merits and demerits cannot be offset."

"Ah."

Cao Rui nodded slightly, his nasal tone barely audible. Just when he was about to turn his head to look at Liu Fangsun Zi, who were always good at guessing the emperor's intentions, he unexpectedly heard He Qia breathing heavily while speaking.

"But, Your Majesty."

"I think the words in the memorial of the Zhenhu General, such as 'It is the greatest thing to admit one's mistakes and correct them', 'The emperor's ambition is like the heaven and earth, and the mountains and rivers are beyond reach. He should not bear grudges and encourage people to do good', and at the end he quoted Li Si's "Remonstrance on Expelling Foreigners" to claim that this move would benefit the country, are quite commendable."

"So, although I insist that the emperor's decree cannot be changed at will, it is not a bad idea for the general to decline the request of the household to enfeoff Ding Mi! It can also show your majesty's ability and enhance the power of the court!"

Well, Xiahou Hui said this at the end of his memorial:

Said:
"Your Majesty has heard the saying, 'Mount Tai does not reject soil, so it can become big; rivers and seas do not reject small streams, so they can become deep; kings do not reject the masses, so they can show their virtues.' The former Emperor Gao of the Han Dynasty did not abandon the people, so the Han Dynasty lasted for 400 years; the current Emperor Wu did not stick to one type of talent, so the Wei Dynasty succeeded the Han Dynasty and inherited the Mandate of Heaven. Since your Majesty ascended the throne, you have worked hard to govern the country, with the intention of rectifying the current malpractices, strengthening the rules and regulations to consolidate the country, and sweeping away the disloyal people in the world. Why don't you follow the old example of Emperor Wu, choose Li Si's helpful advice, don't reject good people because of old grievances, and grant meritorious service to pardon criminals, recruit knowledgeable people from all over the world to serve the country, strive to make the best use of talents, and work together from the court to the people, so as to destroy Shu and Wu, conquer the four seas and accomplish great things, and pray to the spirits of Emperor Wu and Emperor Wen!"

"Yes! I understand what you mean."

This time, everyone heard Cao Rui's response clearly.

Because when the eunuch read aloud Xiahou Hui's memorial just now, Cao Rui was fascinated by the last paragraph.

In other words, any emperor with a bit of ambition would be fascinated by the fact that Bi Sihai achieved great things and had his name recorded in history after his death.

However, he was well aware of the emperor's mind.

In order to keep himself mysterious, he spoke with heavy breathing as if in harmony, and added, "Although Zhiquan acted rashly and had been in the army for a long time, you should not forget that he was famous for his literary talent when he was young. When he made memorials to the emperor, he could quote from classics and use ancient examples to illustrate the present. You should stick to the facts and don't pay attention to his impassioned words. Hmm."

After saying this, Cao Rui looked around the hall, hesitated for a moment, and then changed his mind of asking Liu Fang and Sun Zi, and set his sights on Wei Zhen, "Wei Qing?"

When Chen Jiao was not around, he was the most outspoken person in the hall.

"Your Majesty, I have some objections."

Wei Zhen did not refuse, but bowed and answered directly.

"Ding Mi was deposed and imprisoned in the past, and it was announced to the world! Therefore, I, an old minister, secretly believe that he should not be pardoned or given an official position, so as to avoid the suspicion of changing orders every day and destroying the majesty of the court. Now, the general of Zhenhu is willing to ask for Ding Mi's title by dividing his household, and to follow the example of military merits being conferred titles since the Qin and Han dynasties. If the court agrees to it, it will inspire the people of the world to fight for the country."

"However, if we look closely, this move also seems to be a pardon for Ding Mi's imprisonment."

"As Han Feizi said, 'A thousand-foot-high embankment can be breached by a hole made by a mole. A hundred-foot-high room can be burned by a spark of fire.' For example, my son is also among those who will be dismissed and imprisoned. But if I want to make him join the army to gain military merit, it is not difficult! I am confused about the pros and cons of this matter. I dare not speak carelessly and mislead Your Majesty. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

He really lives up to the reputation of being loyal, bright, and upright!
Wang Su, who had recovered from the embarrassment and was listening quietly, sighed silently in his heart.

Without him.

Although Wei Zhen claimed that he was indecisive at the time, everyone present could hear that he was actually refuting Xiahou Hui's request and insisted that the previous conclusion of the merit record could not be changed.

There was deathly silence in the hall for a long time.

The man who had not spoken yet had his eyes lowered and his beard stroked, his expression as usual, but it was unknown what he was thinking.

In contrast, Taichang and Heqia became the most leisurely people.

Of course there are many concerns when making suggestions first, but you can also ignore the differences that arise later!
Emperor Cao Rui was also in deep thought.

His slightly furrowed brows and the occasional sway of wrinkles at the corners of his eyes made everyone think that he was weighing the pros and cons of two completely opposite suggestions.

No interruption at any time.
Perhaps, Wei Zhen's excuse is most appropriate for the emperor.

However, they all guessed wrong, and they were wrong by a huge margin.

His frown and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were twitching. Cao Rui was trying hard to hold back a smile. Wei Zhen's suggestion was really to his liking!
That’s right, he intended to comply with Xiahou Hui’s request.

But if he did not make any contradictory suggestions and insisted on sticking to the old ideas, how could he demonstrate his kindness as the Son of Heaven?
Gold is valuable because it is scarce.

Similarly, the greatness of a favor lies in the fact that it is hard-earned.

If those who have been deposed and imprisoned were to see the dawn of a new career without much twists and turns, would they cherish it?
More importantly, how grateful can they be to the emperor who gave them the dawn? How much support or concession can their fathers give in certain matters? If they cannot work together, the only way for the monarch and his subjects to get along is through mutual compromise.

The prerequisite is to ensure that the exchange of interests is equal.

Cao Rui didn't want to and couldn't sell his kindness at a low price.

"Ugh!"

Finally suppressing his joy, he sighed with emotion, and once again looked at Wei Zhen with a look of approval, "A mature and prudent man is like Wei Qing."

Immediately, his eyes shifted slightly, "Mr. Liu, Mr. Sun?"

The two of them have always been together, and both Cao Rui and the ministers are used to it, and they are treated as one person when asking questions.

as predicted.

Liu and Sun looked at each other, Sun Zi nodded slightly, and Liu Fang bowed his head and replied, "Your Majesty, the Minister of the Central Secretariat and I both agree with the proposal of the Minister of Rites."

The remaining Jiang Ji and Lu Yu did not wait for the emperor to ask questions one by one before speaking.

Jiang Ji chose to second Wei Zhen, while Lu Yu supported the idea of ​​peace.

In order to take Wang Su's feelings into consideration, the emperor asked this question specifically, and Wang Su chose to agree with Wei Zhen's opinion.

Liu and Sun regarded it as one, and Chen Jiao was absent due to illness, so that the two suggestions could be balanced. How the matter would be finally concluded, it all came back to the starting point - the emperor's decision.

So Cao Rui began to try hard to suppress his laughter again.

A balanced stalemate is in the best interests of the arbitrator.

Originally, he had asked everyone to review the decision as he was preparing to confer the title of nobility on Ding Mi, but Wei Zhen's selfless and fair words made the result even more perfect.

So, let things ferment for a while!

Anyway, Xiahou Hui already knows his intentions, and he will definitely submit another memorial to fight with you all to the end.

Good things are hard to come by.

Every time you grind, you get more excited.

Time is also the best catalyst.

Every day of delay would increase his favor.

"Since there is no conclusion, let's leave it alone for now."

After a moment of silence, he suppressed his joy again and found a random excuse to prevaricate the inner court, "At the end of the year, there are many complicated matters, and you should take care of them carefully."

"only."

Everyone stood up and respectfully saw the emperor off, then went about their business.

Wang Su, who was free from mundane affairs, returned home after leaving the palace. He simply ignored the greetings from his children and the steward, strode into the study, spread out paper and grind ink, and picked up a pen to write a letter.

The pine soot ink and paper were sent by my daughter, and the letter was addressed to my son-in-law.

He asked them to return home the next day on the pretext that the New Year was approaching.

Today he was dragged into the inner court for no reason, and it was all because of Xiahou Hui!

Although he also knew that Xiahou Hui was completely unaware of the situation and that everything was done by Emperor Cao Rui, could he blame the emperor?
Uncle-in-law is also father.

Isn't it natural for him to want to scold his son-in-law to vent his anger?
Of course, his real intention was to tell Xiahou Hui the results and details in the Nine Dragon Hall, such as who opposed and who agreed, the reasons for the rebuttal, etc.

He already understands his role.

The purpose of Emperor Cao Rui letting him enter the inner court by mistake was to let him pass a message to Xiahou Hui!
Everyone in the Nine Dragon Hall glanced at him at the same time, knowing that Xiahou Hui would definitely learn the details of the discussion in the hall from him.

This feeling is very bad.

He was a great scholar, and his lifelong pursuit was to have his teachings known as "Wangxue" by the world.

Just like Zheng Xuan’s “Zhengxue”.

But now, because of Xiahou Hui, he was forced to become a gossiper in private!
The hurt in his face and the anger of shame were like a fish bone stuck in his throat, which he could neither swallow nor vomit out. It was so painful. But the most frustrating thing was that he knew very clearly that he had to do it no matter how unbearable it was.

Your orders cannot be violated.

Yes, everything can be blamed on Emperor Cao Rui.

Even Xiahou Hui was the same. He submitted a petition to the court to object to the merits being recorded, which was also in accordance with the emperor's wishes. Wang Su, who had participated in the discussion among the officials, recalled the conversation between the emperor and Xiahou Hui outside the Nine Dragon Hall and was able to draw a conclusion.

He didn't know and didn't want to know what the emperor was going to do.

But he knew the difference between "Tao" and "Shu".

Lao Tzu said: "If one has the Way but no technique, one can still seek the technique. If one has the technique but no Way, one will only be stuck with the technique."

Zhuangzi said: "If the Dao controls the technique, the technique will succeed. If the technique is separated from the Dao, the technique will fail."

The king is the king, and the minister is the minister.

The king has his own way, and the minister has his own way.

How can the ministers who assist the king in maintaining peace and stability of the country be manipulated in the king's hands?
Don’t be afraid of the evil of being centrifugal!
Emperor Cao Rui understood the mind of an emperor well, but he understood it too well, so that he neglected the Tao and was drifting further and further away from the essence of an emperor without realizing it.

Wang Su's thoughts turned to this layer. When he recalled the buildings and palaces built in Luoyang and Xuchang in the past two years, and the ministers and officials' advice to change the emperor Cao Rui's mind, he suddenly felt bored. Even when facing the letter he had just written, he suddenly felt that his anger towards Xiahou Hui was very childish and unwise.

It's just in vain, isn't it?

Xiahou Hui has no choice, right?

Alas, that’s all.

Moreover, Zhiquan has been away from the capital for nearly two years and has not even seen his son. Why should I disturb his rare opportunity to return home and reunite with his wife and children?
He casually crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it into the brazier, then took out a few more sheets and spread them out on the table one by one. Wang Su closed his eyes and recalled the details in the Nine Dragon Hall for a moment, then picked up a pen and wrote them down one by one.

It took him a while to put down the brush.

He twisted his wrist to ease the stiffness of his writing for a moment, and after waiting for the ink to dry, he folded the three sheets of paper covered with tiny handwriting and put them into the sealed envelope, calling out loudly, "Someone come!"

"Send this letter to Bochang Pavilion. Oh no, it should be sent to Lingzhihou Mansion to Xiahou Zhiquan. If Zhiquan is not in the city, go to Shiquan Pine Forest. Don't let others do it for you, you must hand it to Zhiquan in person, understand? Also, it's cold and hard to travel, you should bring two or three followers to take care of him."

"only."

"Don't worry, my dear. I know the importance of this matter." (End of this chapter)