Chapter 150 Pointing to Luozhong
Cao Rui frowned: "Zhong Gong, Master Wei believes that Xun Ya and Xun Hong are the masterminds?"
Guanqiu Jian nodded: "Your Majesty, that is exactly the case."
"What about Zang Ba, the Chief of the Imperial Guards?" Cao Rui asked, "He has no soldiers left and can't go back to Qingxu. Why did he get involved in this matter instead of living in Luoyang?"
"Zang Ba was arrested for being implicated. It has nothing to do with Zang Ba at the moment." Guanqiu Jian explained: "The one who got into trouble was Zang Ba's son Zang Ai."
"Zang Aiyin held a low position in the government, and he had been traveling around Luozhong in recent months, trying to find a good job for himself. But somehow, he got involved with the Xun family."
Cao Rui asked: "So this Zang Ai is actually stupid, not evil?"
Guanqiu Jian replied, "The Inspector General of the Imperial Guards also holds the same view, but we should be cautious when it comes to a major case of treason. We should arrest Zang Ai and his father Zang Ba and put them in the imperial prison."
Zang Ba...
Cao Rui shook his head slightly: "Although Zang Ba was suspected of separatism, he also made contributions to the Wei Dynasty in his early years, and he did not waver in the face of major issues. I wanted to give him a good ending, but I didn't expect that he would be involved in such a thing."
"Zang Ba is almost seventy years old, right?"
Guanqiu Jian said: "He should be seventy years old."
Cao Rui sighed and said, "Zhong Gong, send a message to Master Wei, saying that I consider Zang Ba's old age and his military merits to the country, so I allow him to return home and stay under house arrest until this case is settled."
"As for his son Zang Ai, you can deal with him as you wish. I will not interfere."
"Yes, I will send a message later." Guanqiu Jian folded his hands and said, "Your Majesty, what should we do with the people of the Xun family?"
Cao Rui shook his head gently: "I still don't ask. Zang Ba has been a general for many years. I take care of him to tell the generals that I respect military merit."
"As for the people of the Xun family, let Master Wei do whatever he wants. There is no need to wait for me or ask me again."
"I understand." said Guanqiu Jian.
Since Zang Ba was taken to Luoyang by the previous emperor Cao Pi, he was like a tiger without claws and fangs, and no longer posed any threat. Whether he stayed or left, lived or died, it had no impact on the court.
But the nature of Xun's people is different.
Rumors to mislead the people, intentions to usurp power... let’s not talk about these for now.
Just based on how fertile their family is, if there is no more suppression of the gentry, how many officials with the surname Xun will there be in the court in the future?
It would be fine if there were just a large population, but if they intermarried with other noble families, this network would only grow larger and larger. If it was not restrained, this network would probably become deeply rooted.
"Zhonggong," Cao Rui looked at Guanqiu Jian, "Does the Grand Empress Dowager Luozhong and the Empress Dowager have anything to say?"
Guanqiu Jian thought for a moment and said, "When Empress Dowager Bian heard that the royal army had won a great victory and Your Majesty was safe and sound, she was naturally very happy. I heard that Empress Dowager Guo was also very happy."
"Does the Empress Dowager have anything to say about Prince Yongqiu?" Cao Rui asked again.
Guanqiu Jian replied, "The Empress Dowager once told the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards that it must be the work of some scoundrels and that it had nothing to do with Prince Yongqiu, and she also asked the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards to investigate the case carefully."
Cao Rui tapped his fingers on the table a few times: "Mother and son love each other deeply, I can't be this evil person. Today, Prince Yongqiu will come to Chenliu City, I will talk to Prince Yongqiu in detail."
"Zhong Gong."
Guanqiu Jian bowed and said, "I am here."
"Tonight I will have a banquet with the King of Yongqiu. It will be just the two of us. You will be by my side. The attendants are all old officials. I don't want them to get involved."
"I obey your command." Guanqiu Jian bowed and said.
Seeing that the emperor was about to end the topic, Guanqiu Jian quickly said, "Your Majesty, before I left Luoyang, the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards asked me to report Lu Xun's situation to Your Majesty."
"Oh?" Cao Rui raised his eyebrows: "How many days did Lu Xun stay in Luoyang?"
Guanqiu Jian replied: "Lu Xun stayed in Luoyang for three days. After entering Luoyang, Lu Xun first went to the Secretariat to find the Inspector of the Imperial Guards and received his seal and official credentials with an imperial edict. The Inspector of the Imperial Guards also wrote personal letters to the Left General and the two governors, Guo and Xiahou, to introduce him."
Cao Rui nodded upon hearing this.
The post of Protector of the Qiang has always been concurrently held by the Governor of Liangzhou. Now that it has become independent, the power must also be separated from the Governor's offices of Liangzhou and Yongzhou.
If there were no personal letters from Wei Zhen to Zhang He, Guo Huai and Xiahou Ba, Lu Xun, the surrendered general, might not have been able to make a breakthrough in Liang Province.
"I remember that the garrison commander of the Qiang Guard has always been in Lingju, right?" Cao Rui asked, "Where did Master Wei ask Lu Xun to go? Was it Lingju?"
Lingju was the almost fixed station of the Protector of the Qiang after the 100-year Qiang Rebellion in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Lingju is located at the junction of Jincheng County and Wuwei County, and its geographical location is strategic. Going north from Lingju can cut off the arms of the four counties in Hexi, and going south from Lingju can directly attack Jincheng and Yuzhong.
"Your Majesty," Guanqiu Jian replied, "Lu Xun is not going to Lingju County, but Poqiang County."
Defeat the Qiang...
In fact, many place names in the Han Dynasty are very interesting.
The most classic ones are the four counties in Hexi: Guohuang, Jiuquan, Zhangye and Wuwei. Zhangye means "Zhangguo's arm and elbow, to connect to the Western Regions", and Wuwei's name is even more understandable.
The word "Poqiang" in Poqiang County is more straightforward than "Wuwei". Cao Rui asked: "Why is it Poqiang County?"
Guanqiu Jian replied, "Your Majesty, some time ago, General Zuo reported that Qu Ying of Xiping County had rebelled and had occupied Linqiang and Xidu counties. The rebels and the county troops of Jincheng County are fighting in the remaining Anyi and Poqiang counties."
"The Si Li Xiao Wei ordered him to go and defeat the Qiang, and he also wanted Xiao Wei Lu to help quell the rebellion."
Cao Rui nodded gently: "If Lu Xun was there, I'm sure he would be able to control the situation faster."
"The day before yesterday, I received a report that Xiahou Ba has led the Wuwei County troops southward. It is worth mentioning that Xiahou Ba also gathered 3,000 Qiang cavalry from Wuwei to accompany him."
Guanqiu Jian cupped his hands and said, "It seems that Governor Xiahou did gain something after arriving in Wuwei."
Cao Rui nodded: "Xiahou Yuan's son should be used in Liang Province."
Guanqiu Jian continued to report: "In addition to writing a letter for Lu Xun himself, the Inspector General also found Yang Fu and Yang Yishan and had a thorough conversation with Lu Xun for two days."
"Yang Fu Yang Yishan? Is he the captain of the city gate, Yang Fu?" Cao Rui asked.
"Your Majesty, it is this Yang Fu." Guanqiu Jian said, "Yang Fu is from Tianshui, Liangzhou. When Ma Chao rebelled in Liangzhou, Yang Fu was granted the title of Guannei Hou for his meritorious service in the war."
"When Emperor Wu conquered Hanzhong, he appointed Yang Fu as the governor of Yizhou. Later, when Yang Fu was the governor of Wudu, he was summoned to the court by the previous emperor."
After hearing Guanqiu Jian's report, Cao Rui nodded.
The affairs of Liang Province were complicated, and Lu Xun, a native of Yangzhou who had just arrived, certainly had no idea what was going on.
With the advice of someone like Yang Fu who knows Liangzhou inside and out, it is probably easier to understand the complex history of Liangzhou, where Han and Qiang peoples have lived together for more than a hundred years.
Cao Rui said softly: "Why didn't I notice this Yang Fu before? It seems that there are still enough talented people in the court, but I just don't have time to discover them. Master Wei is still reliable."
Guanqiu Jian smiled and replied, "The Colonel of the Imperial Guards was previously the Minister of Personnel. If we talk about officials in Luozhong, perhaps no one knows more than the Colonel of the Imperial Guards."
Cao Rui laughed a few times.
Indeed, Wei Zhen chose the right person for Lu Xun this time. The people of Liangzhou know the affairs of Liangzhou.
Yang Fu...it won’t be too late to summon this person after returning to the court. I want to ask him personally about the affairs of Liangzhou.
……
In the afternoon, Cao Zhi and his party arrived outside the city of Chenliu.
Before the carriage reached the east gate of Chenliu City, Cao Zhi stopped the driver and got off the carriage to walk.
When the prime minister Huang Xiu saw Cao Zhi getting off the car, he had no choice but to get off and walk with Cao Zhi. After all, the position of prime minister was nominally Cao Zhi's "minister".
Huang Xiu did not ask any questions. In Huang Xiu's opinion, the King of Yongqiu got off the car outside the city gate and prepared to walk into the city just to give His Majesty a preconceived impression of respect before meeting His Majesty.
I just don't know if it's useful.
With a nervous mood, Cao Zhi walked into the city step by step, and slowly walked to the gate of the Chenliu Palace.
Chenliu City is now almost filled with the emperor's accompanying central army and tiger guards, and someone has already informed the emperor of Cao Zhi's actions.
When Cao Zhi hurried to Chenliu Palace, he was surprised to find that the emperor himself was standing outside the door to greet him.
Cao Zhi had not seen the emperor for more than ten years, so of course he could not remember the emperor's appearance. However, he knew the ceremonial regulations that were exclusive to the emperor.
When he was still a few feet away from the emperor, Cao Zhi took a few quick steps and knelt down to pay homage in full view of everyone, just ten feet away from the emperor.
"Your Majesty, your servant Cao Zhi pays homage to you." Cao Zhi said loudly, prostrating himself on the ground.
Cao Rui was also a little surprised by Cao Zhi's behavior at this time, but he quickly reacted and hurriedly stepped forward to help Cao Zhi up.
Unlike the spirited Cao Zhi in his early years, Cao Zhi today still has bright eyes but is thin, looking as if he has drunk too much or is worrying too much.
Cao Rui thought for a moment, then smiled and took Cao Zhi's arm and said, "I haven't seen my uncle for many years. Why should I be so polite to him?"
Cao Zhi bowed his head respectfully and said, "Since your majesty ascended the throne, I have never had the opportunity to pay homage to your majesty. This is my fault."
Cao Rui said with a smile: "It's okay, uncle, come in with me."
As soon as he finished speaking, before Cao Zhi could respond, he pulled Cao Zhi inside. Cao Zhi was slightly stunned, and then he followed the emperor inside almost instinctively.
When he was about to enter the main gate, Cao Rui seemed to have thought of something and turned to look at the person who was still kneeling outside: "Is it Huang Qing, the Prime Minister of Yongqiu State? Stand up and stop kneeling outside."
Huang Xiu stood up carefully, lowered his head and did not dare to look directly at the emperor.
"Since you're up, let's come in together." After saying this, Cao Rui turned around and continued to pull Cao Zhi inside.
(End of this chapter)
