Chapter 154 People’s hearts are fickle
The people are good and the banquet is good.
This time the rift was resolved, Cao Zhi took off his shackles, and the uncle and nephew had a great time and got drunk, and returned home in high spirits.
Early the next morning, Guanqiu Jian took the initiative to find the emperor and ask him about what happened last night.
"I have something to report to Your Majesty." Guanqiu Jian said respectfully after paying his respects.
"What's the matter, Zhonggong?" Cao Rui asked casually.
"Your Majesty," Guanqiu Jian asked, "yesterday, Your Majesty issued an order to summon Prince Yongqiu back to the court. The Inspector General of the Imperial Guards is investigating the rumor case in Luoyang, but has not yet reached a final conclusion. If Prince Yongqiu arrives in Luoyang, will he be involved in the rumor case in Luoyang again?"
Cao Rui waved his hand and said, "It's okay. Don't worry about Prince Yongqiu. I believe that after this incident, Prince Yongqiu will know which things are hard to come by and which things should never be touched."
"If Prince Yongqiu is cautious in everything he does in Luoyang, I will naturally use him in literary affairs. If Prince Yongqiu has any improper thoughts, the positions of Sili Xiaowei and Tingwei are not empty positions of the state."
Guanqiu Jian replied: "Your Majesty is wise, and I am afraid that others will take the initiative to involve Prince Yongqiu. Then I will hand over the matter I drafted last night to the Minister of the Central Secretariat today?"
"What Zhong Gong said does make some sense." Cao Rui thought for a moment and said, "It doesn't matter. Prince Yongqiu has been waiting for seven years, so half a month or one month won't make a difference. After I arrive in Luoyang and the case is concluded, it won't be too late to hand over this order to the Secretariat."
"I obey your order." Guanqiu Jian bowed and took his leave.
……
Sili, Luoyang.
After many days of marching, the central army troops returning from Yangzhou to Sili had all arrived outside the city of Luoyang.
After all, they were returning from a great victory. According to the previous practice of the Wei Dynasty's military expeditions, the emperor had to send an envoy to welcome the central army outside the city of Luoyang when it returned.
But the emperor was not in Luoyang, so naturally he could not send an envoy to welcome them. Moreover, the Sili Xiaowei and the three officials in Luoyang City did not have the status to imitate the emperor and send an envoy to welcome the central army.
Therefore, the three dukes, nine ministers and the Inspector of the Capital Region in the city had to offer a brief welcome at the city gate.
However, the central army, from the general Cao Zhen to the officials of 2,000, 1,000 and 600 shi, did not care much about such formalities. The expedition lasted for several months and returned with a great victory, and the emperor and the general also generally praised the credit.
The real important thing is for everyone to go home and see their families.
Cao Zhen naturally returned to his general's mansion. The various camps of the central army stationed in Luoyang City also returned to their respective stations.
Sima Yi naturally had no exclusive information channels in the army and was completely unaware of what was happening in Luoyang.
But when Sima Yi returned to Luoyang, he was like a tiger entering the forest, back to his home turf. After all, he had been the Minister of the Chancellery and the Recorder of the Chancellery for many years, so he still had some skills.
On the road of only a few miles from the city gate to Sikong Mansion, Sikong Mansion's confidants had already briefly reported all the major events in Luoyang City in the past few months.
Sima Yi sat in the carriage, his expression becoming serious as he listened.
He never expected that Wei Zhen would be so bold as to beat Xun Ya to death in prison!
Is this still the gentle and cautious Wei Zhen, Wei Gongzhen, whom I knew before? Just now at the city gate, Wei Zhen was smiling and bowing to me.
Sima Yi found that this matter was somewhat beyond his expectations.
The carriage slowly drove to the gate of Sikong Mansion.
The butler had already come forward and lifted the curtain of the carriage. When Sima Yi got off the carriage and entered the mansion, his frown had not yet completely relaxed.
Inside the gate of Sikong Mansion, Sima Yi's wives, concubines and children stood in front and behind and saluted him.
Standing in the front is naturally Sima Yi's wife Zhang Chunhua, while Zhang's two biological sons Sima Shi and Sima Zhao stand behind their mother.
Standing next to Zhang Chunhua was Sima Yi's concubine, Madam Fu.
"Welcome my husband (father) back home."
Accompanied by greetings from his family, Sima Yi slowly walked into the mansion.
There is no doubt that Zhang Chunhua, the 39-year-old wife, was standing in the front. But as soon as the words fell, Mrs. Fu, who was standing next to Zhang Chunhua and was just in her early twenties, began to wipe away tears.
Zhang Chunhua naturally hoped that her husband would greet her, but her husband's eyes only stayed on her face for a moment, and he didn't even look at her, and immediately turned to Mrs. Fu.
Sima Yi walked straight to Madam Fu and raised his hand to wipe away her tears: "I'm back now, why are you crying?"
After saying that, Sima Yi held Madam Fu's hand with his left hand, and rubbed Madam Fu's arm a few times with his right hand.
Madam Fu forced a smile and looked up at Sima Yi: "I just missed my husband too much. I haven't seen him for several months. I feel relieved to see him today."
Sima Yi whispered, "That's good, that's good. I'll come back to see you later after I talk to Ziyuan."
Madam Fu raised her head and blinked, then smiled and nodded at Sima Yi.
Sima Yi still didn't say a word to Zhang Chunhua, but walked around his wife and went to the side of his eldest son Sima Shi. Zhang Chunhua's expression was still smiling, but it was getting stiffer and stiffer, as if it was frozen. Sima Yi walked to the side of his son behind him, and Zhang Chunhua still didn't look back.
Seeing Sima Yi coming towards him, Sima Shi bowed respectfully and said: "I haven't seen you for several months. You have worked hard, father. Congratulations on your triumphant return."
Sima Yi shook his head slightly: "I didn't fight the war. I just accompanied Your Majesty on the journey. What does victory have to do with me?"
"I haven't seen you for three months. Ziyuan seems to be stronger." Sima Yi said with a smile: "Come to the study with your father."
"Yes." Sima Shi responded.
Sima Zhao asked, "Father always talks with my brother in the study. What do they talk about? Can you take me with you?"
Sima Yi smiled and patted Sima Zhao on the shoulder: "Zhao'er is still young, your father will talk to your brother about the affairs of the Luoyang court, you can go to study on your own."
Sima Yi's face was intimidating without him getting angry. No matter big or small matters in the family, as long as Sima Yi made arrangements, no one else dared to refute or delay in the slightest.
"I understand, my son. I will go to study now." Sima Zhao responded respectfully.
Sima Yi nodded, then led Sima Shi inside, and the two of them walked towards the study together.
After the two left, Sima Zhao wanted to go back to his room, but after a few steps, he felt something was wrong.
Turning around, he found that his mother Zhang Chunhua was still standing there in a daze, while Mrs. Fu had already left.
Sima Zhao naturally felt that there was some rift between his parents. However, Sima Zhao always had a respectful and fearful attitude towards his father Sima Yi, so he could only walk to his mother and comfort her softly.
In the study room.
Sima Yi walked to his desk and sat down.
Last year, the emperor gave chairs to many court officials, and he also got one. I have to say, sitting on the chair is indeed much more comfortable.
Sima Yi asked slowly, "During the time when I was away from Luoyang, has Ziyuan been doing well in the Imperial College?"
Sima Shi also sat down by himself. Everything in his father's study was too familiar to him. "My son is doing very well in the Imperial College. The teachers' explanations of the classics are also very subtle. I have learned better in the Imperial College in a few months than I did in the previous year of studying at home."
"However," Sima Shi said, "my son's classmate in the Imperial College was a man named Xun Can, who was the youngest son of Lord Xun Yu."
"Several of Xun Can's brothers and many of his family members were arrested by the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards and imprisoned. Even Xun Lingjun's second son, Xun Ya, died in prison."
Sima Shi thought for a moment and said, "There has been a lot of discussion about this matter in the Imperial College recently. Xun Can has also been running around the Imperial College and Luozhong seeking help, but no one can help him at all."
As Sima Shi spoke, Sima Yi's expression gradually became colder.
"Ziyuan," Sima Yi looked at his eldest son, "What do you think about the arrest of the Xun family members?"
Sima Shi bowed and asked, "Father, are you asking about right or wrong, or about the impact?"
"Ask both." Sima Yi said slowly.
Sima Shi asked tentatively: "Then let my son tell me whether he is right or wrong first?"
"Sure." Sima Yi replied.
Sima Shi thought for a moment and then said, "The news from the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards is that Xun Ya and Xun Hong were the masterminds behind the rumors."
"I have also heard this rumor, and it has indeed caused panic among the people of Luoyang. But I just can't understand why spreading this rumor will do any good to the two of them."
"Even if His Majesty really died, or even if Prince Yongqiu could really return to Luoyang, would the two of them who spread the rumors still get any benefit?"
Sima Yi said: "So Ziyuan thinks this is false?"
"That's not what I meant. Xun Ya has always admired King Yongqiu. Since the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards said that Xun Ya is guilty, then we should just assume that he is guilty." Sima Shi responded, "My son just can't understand why they did it."
Sima Yi shook his head: "Emperor Wu ordered Xun Lingjun to be executed even though he was so wise and resourceful. Can't there be two fools among Xun Yu's descendants?"
"Ziyuan, you have to remember this." Sima Yi said slowly: "Not everyone in this world has the patience to make decisions after careful consideration."
"The majority of people are those who act on impulse without regard for the consequences and only care about what makes them happy at the moment. And such people are often the ones we can use."
Sima Shi said, "I understand what you said, father. However, the descendants of Xun Lingjun were imprisoned in this way, and Xun Can ran around in the Imperial Academy seeking help. Now there are many people in the Imperial Academy who sympathize with the Xun family."
"Is this kind of sympathy useful?" Sima Yi looked into his son's eyes.
Sima Shi shook his head slightly: "It's actually useless, it's just some public opinion."
"And the title of Si Li Xiao Wei is becoming more and more intimidating now. Some people say that Si Li Xiao Wei's style this time is comparable to that of Man Chong in Xuchang back then."
(End of this chapter)
