Chapter 1080 Temptation
For more than half a year, the borders between Luoyang and Guanzhong, and between the Han and Wei dynasties, have been tightly sealed.
This is one of the reasons why Mi Shiyilang was a little embarrassed by Deng Yang's request.
The channel has been cut off. Where can we find the secret medicine for him?
Since the First World War in Guanzhong, the situation in Wei State has changed not only extremely quickly, but also greatly.
Much of the information collected by Mi Shiyilang cannot be sent out in time.
Furthermore, his activities in Wei also required the support of Han channels.
The most important thing is that because I have lost contact with the big man, I have no direction at all about what to do next.
Now that he saw Han Long arriving, he was naturally very happy.
It was Han Long, on the other hand, who confirmed the news of Yang Yi's surrender to the enemy from Mi Shiyilang's mouth, and was even more worried about Mi Shiyilang's situation:
“The Lord sent me here because he was worried that if Yang Yi defected to the enemy, Mr. Mi Lang would be implicated.”
“After all, this person has served as prime minister for many years and knows many military secrets, and a detailed list must be included among them.”
"Although the prince has never mentioned the existence of Mi Langjun to the outside world, he is afraid of everything."
“What’s more, Mi Langjun is a relative of the Han Emperor, so Yang Yi should know Mi Langjun.”
"If one day Yang Yi finds out that Mi Langjun is also in Wei State, and becomes suspicious, Mi Langjun's situation will be in danger! Please go back with me, Mi Langjun."
Hearing Han Long’s words, Mi Shiyilang’s expression changed slightly:
"I returned to Luoyang from Xuchang just to avoid meeting Yang Yi as much as possible, but I didn't think of this in my hurry."
It's not that he's worried about himself.
Don't mention that Yang Yi is in Xuchang now, even if he comes to Luoyang, what if he accidentally sees him?
After all, who in the powerful circle knew about the incident between King Feng Gui and Mr. Mi Lang?
Over the years, many people in Luoyang City know that he was forced by King Feng Gui to leave Shu.
The most important thing is that the detailed work of King Feng Gui and the Prime Minister's Mansion are two parallel teams.
The two groups of people do not belong to each other and do not know each other.
The reason why Mi Shiyilang changed his expression was because after being reminded by Han Long, he suddenly realized:
If Yang Yi really had the detailed list sent by the Prime Minister, how many people would die at the hands of the thieves?
Although those who were sent to enemy countries basically had the intention to die.
But these colleagues, who contributed to the country, died quietly in the end, and even their own people may not even know their names.
In the same work, Mi Langjun naturally suffered the same empathy about this. He only felt that his heart was pressed against the stone, and he couldn't breathe.
He made up his mind:
"This matter should not be taken lightly. I will try to find out more in the past two days."
Han Long couldn't help but feel anxious when he saw Mi Shiyilang like this:
"Mi Langjun, the most important thing now is to return to the Han Dynasty. Feng Junhou said that there is no need for Mi Langjun to stay in Luoyang now. Please don't take risks."
Mi Shiyilang shook his head:
"Feng Junhou is far away in Guanzhong, how can he understand the situation here better than me? I believe that my staying here is far more important than going back."
He looked at Han Long and emphasized:
“On the contrary, sir, you must be prepared to return to Dahan at any time. I have a lot of news here that I need sir to bring back to the prince.”
"If circumstances permit, I will send a caravan to Jingzhou in the name of purchasing and selling in a few days. Sir, I will follow you there. No one should doubt it."
Hebei and Luoyang are indeed tightly sealed.
But the borders between Wei and Wu in Jingzhou were very loose.
As long as we can enter Nan County, everything will be easy.
After all, there is a warehouse (stronghold) of the Xinghan Hui in Jingzhou.
This route to Jingzhou is one of Mi Langjun’s alternative routes.
Now that Hebei and Tongguan cannot pass, it is time to use the Jingzhou route.
With the name of Princess Qinghe, I believe this matter will not arouse suspicion.
Seeing Mi Shiyilang's firm tone, Han Long sighed. At the same time, he was also moved by the other party's decision. He clasped his fists heavily:
“Since I came to the Han Dynasty, from generals and ministers to common men, there have been many sayings: ‘Destroy the thieves and prosper the Han Dynasty’. There are countless generous and lofty people. From this, it can be seen that the Han Dynasty will definitely rise!”
Mi Shiyilang smiled bitterly, and then let out a long sigh.
At the beginning, he really just wanted to come to Wei State to escape.
Who knows how it could become like this?
Okay, maybe I really met a ghost king.
“When you are alive, you should always do something meaningful, so that your trip to the world is worthwhile.”
Mi Shiyilang’s tone was a little erratic:
“To eliminate thieves and put an end to chaos, to restore peace to the world, to protect the peace of the people, to protect future generations from the suffering of war, to restore the prestige of the Han family, to be connected to the sky and the earth, and to be omnipotent.”
“Think about this matter, if it can really be achieved in our hands, it will probably be the most meaningful thing...”
Otherwise, what else could he do?
The situation in the world is increasingly tilted towards the Han Dynasty.
Whether it was forced or took the initiative, I have done so many things, why not stick to it?
What’s the point of giving up halfway like Yang Yi did?
“Maybe it’s because I really want to prove myself and that I’m doing something meaningful.”
It is said that in times of war, people will never suffer.
But it was not long after I came to Wei State, and I found that the people of Wei State were far more miserable than those under the rule of the Han Dynasty.
Thinking of this, Mi Shiyilang laughed: "If a man is still alive, if he can have the opportunity to destroy thieves, rejuvenate the country, and leave his name in history, why would he regret this life?"
He didn’t want to be a man, but things are unpredictable.
Han Long also laughed: "What a strong man! A big man!"
With great pride in his chest, Han Long could not control his emotions:
"You are somewhat confident in your own abilities. How about you go to Xuchang right now and stab that thief Yang Yi to death?"
Hearing this, Mi Shiyilang quickly stopped him and said:
“Absolutely not! When Yang Yi first arrived in Wei, it was the time to be cautious, fearing not to leave opportunities for others.”
“Besides, Xuchang is now the residence of the puppet emperor of Wei State, and it is heavily guarded. Even if you succeed, I’m afraid you won’t be able to escape unscathed.”
"To this day, I am afraid that Yang Yi has already said everything to the Wei thieves. It is not worth risking your life, sir."
"The most important thing at the moment is to send the news about Wei back to the Han Dynasty. The matter of Yang Yi will be dealt with separately in the future."
Han Long heard Mi Shiyilang’s strong objection and had no choice but to nod in agreement.
On the second day, before the sun was halfway up, Princess Qinghe sent someone to Juepinju and said that she would eat Juepinju’s food for lunch today.
Mi Shiyilang did not dare to neglect, and quickly asked someone to cook the signature dish, and then personally delivered it to the princess's house.
Of course, Mi Shiyilang is not qualified to walk through the front door yet.
But he was sent in through the small gate of the back house.
Just when Mi Shiyilang was delivering food to Princess Qinghe's house, Xia Houxuan's house also welcomed a guest.
“How can Taifu come here in his spare time?”
Xia Houxuan, who was like a jade tree in the wind, looked calm when facing the actual highest authority in Luoyang, as if he was just receiving an ordinary friend.
Sima Yi didn’t take it seriously either.
In today's Wei Dynasty, the "Xuanyuan School" is becoming more and more popular, which emphasizes being calm in dealing with things, and keeping calm in the face of thunder is the demeanor of a celebrity.
If Xiahou Xuanran was moved by his visit, how could he be promoted as the leader of "Xuanyuan School"?
“Taichu, long time no see.”
With a warm smile on his face, Sima Yi greeted Xia Houxuan warmly.
“The Grand Tutor is so busy with his affairs that he still deigns to take time out to come to his humble residence. It’s really beyond Xuan Zhi’s expectation.”
Sima Yi looked at Xia Houxuan's appearance and felt helpless:
“Won’t Taichu invite me to come in and sit down?”
Xia Houxuan has not spoken yet, but Master Sima who is following Sima Yi calls out worriedly: "Sir?"
Xia Houxuan’s eyes fell on Master Sima and suddenly became sharp:
“No one with a human face or an animal heart can enter the gate of Xiahou Mansion!”
When Master Sima heard this, his face turned pale at first, then turned red, and finally turned purple.
His first wife Xia Houhui was Xia Houxuan's biological sister.
Sima Shi poisoned Xia Houhui with his own hands and announced to the outside world that Xia Houhui died suddenly.
Sudden death is not a good word.
More like a curse, not to die well.
For Xia Houxuan, his sister gave birth to five daughters to Master Sima, and there have been no rumors of poor health.
Who would have expected that not long after Sima Yi led his army back to Luoyang, Amei would send a letter from someone, saying that Sima and his family were definitely not loyal ministers of the Wei Dynasty.
Subsequently, Amei died suddenly and inexplicably.
Who would believe that there are no twists and turns in this?
In fact, if Xia Houxuan had not been friends with Sima Yi when he was young, and coupled with Sima Yi's identity, Xia Houxuan would have even wanted to drive Sima Yi out.
Sima Master's cheeks were faintly exposed with ridges on his gums, showing that he was on the verge of breaking out.
Sima Yi seemed not to hear the implication of Xia Houxuan's words, and the smile on his face did not diminish.
But he seemed to have heard it, and he turned to the Sima Master and said:
"Zi Yuan, please wait outside. I will go in to discuss something with Taichu."
Master Sima lowered his head deeply: "Yes, sir."
When Xia Houxuan heard Sima Yi's instructions, he couldn't help but glance at Master Sima, and then took a deep look at Sima Yi.
But he did not immediately invite people into the house, but continued to ask: "I wonder what the master has to do?"
Sima Yi's face was filled with a warm smile, as warm as the sun in June: "State affairs."
“State affairs?”
"Yes, state affairs." Sima Yi nodded, "I am here today. I will not talk about personal affairs, only state affairs."
Xia Houxuan was silent for a moment, and finally said: "Master, please."
Entering the mansion, the two of them sat down separately as host and guest. Xia Houxuan said:
“If you have any important matters, Master, you can talk about it now.”
Sima Yi raised the tea cup, touched his lips briefly, and then put it down:
"Xuchang sent an appointment. The general intends to let Taichu go to Xuchang to serve as a regular attendant and guard of the Central Army."
"Oh?" Even though Xiahou Xuan was very powerful, he couldn't help but raise his brows when he heard the news. "When was the news?"
“Just now, as soon as it was delivered to me, I came to look for you.” Sima Yi smiled, “I wonder if Taichu is interested in this?”
Xiahou Xuan was resented by Cao Rui for the incident involving Queen Mao's brother, and was demoted from Huangmen Shilang to Yulin Supervisor ten years ago.
Later, all the main figures of the Xiahou clan were put under house arrest in Luoyang City by Cao Rui. As the most outstanding figure of the Xiahou clan, Xiahou Xuan was even less likely to recover.
After ten years of silence, Xia Houxuan couldn't help but feel his heart beat faster when he suddenly heard that the general was going to take him to an important position.
He forced himself to stabilize his emotions and smiled calmly:
“You can’t control whether Xuan is intentional or unintentional, so what’s the point of asking?”
“Oh? Taichu said he couldn’t help himself, so who should help him?”
“Of course it’s the Taifu.” Xia Houxuan stared at Sima Yi, “I wonder if the Taifu would like me to go to Xuchang?”
"So what Taichu means is that he is willing to serve as Luo?" Sima Yi laughed, "Yes, Taichu has great ambitions at a young age. The opportunity to contribute to the country is right in front of him, how could he give up."
"Since Taichu is determined to contribute to the country," Sima Yi also looked at Xia Houxuan, "Now it is a critical time for the Wei Dynasty. I wonder if Taichu has any opinions on this?"
“I dare not think highly of myself. Over the years, thieves have become more and more powerful, but who is not worried about the country’s ambitions?”
“Tai Chu, please speak.”
“Emperor Wen set up the nine-rank Zhongzheng system. His original intention was to better select talents for the country and give Zhongzheng officials great power. The high and low talents and virtues could all be decided by him.”
“If Zhongzheng officials select talents fairly, it would be okay. Unfortunately, most Zhongzheng officials today are controlled by wealthy families.”
“Over the years, Zhongzheng officials have first looked at family background and then character when evaluating talents. It is common for children from aristocratic families to be promoted without talent, while children from poor families have talent but are not selected.”
“In the past, when Emperor Wu was here, good ministers and fierce generals appeared one after another, and the danger was solved in a blink of an eye. Now the thieves are powerful, and the princes in the court are helpless, and they want good ministers but can’t."
“So according to Yixuan, at this time, the Wei Dynasty has reached the point where it has to change its system.”
Sima Yi, who originally looked calm, changed slightly after hearing Xia Houxuan's words: "Reorganization?"
“Yes, only by limiting the power of the official officials, eliminating redundant officials to drive out incompetence, re-examination of classes to recruit good talents, and correcting the shortcomings of the court can we revitalize the Wei Dynasty and counteract the power of thieves.”
After Xia Houxuan said this, he looked at Sima Yi again: "What do you think, Grand Master?"
Sima Yi forced himself to smile and said, "This is a very good thing."
Xia Houxuan pressed forward step by step: "Oh, Taifu also thinks that the Wei Dynasty has reached a point where it must change?"
"If we don't change it, the Wei Dynasty will be in danger. But if we change it," Sima Yi pondered, "we must have good opportunities and talented people to implement various measures!"
“Taichu also said that now that the thieves are becoming more and more powerful, there is no stability externally, and there are no talented people internally, how can we talk about restructuring?”
He said and shook his head: "The time has not come yet, the time has not come yet!"
Xia Houxuan couldn't help but frown when he heard Sima Yi's excuse.
Before he could speak again, Sima Yi had already stood up:
“I have benefited a lot from hearing Taichu’s words today. I love Taichu very much, but I am reluctant to let him go to Xuchang.”
“What’s more, all the Taichu people are in Luoyang. Isn’t it much better to work in Luoyang than in Xuchang?”
Xia Houxuan stood up and remained silent.
Sima Yi seemed to be discussing with him, but in fact he was informing him that it was impossible to let him leave Luoyang for Xuchang.
Seeing that Xia Houxuan didn't say anything, Sima Yi just thought he was responding:
“Then it’s settled, Taichu doesn’t have to see me off.”
After finishing speaking, he walked out of Xiahou Mansion.
"grown ups?"
Sima Shi, who had been guarding outside the mansion, saw Sima Yi coming out and rushed to greet him.
"Xiahou Taichu must be guarded by more people. He must not be allowed to leave Luoyang!"
After getting on the carriage, Sima Yi's face darkened and he gave instructions to the Sima division sitting opposite.
Xiahou Xuan is the most outstanding figure in the Xiahou family and is also a cousin of Cao Shuang (Xiahou Xuan's mother is Cao Shuang's aunt, the head of Deyang Township).
Cao Shuang has no independent opinion. If Xia Houxuan really goes to Xuchang, he might be able to persuade Cao Shuang to promote the restructuring.
Even if Cao Shuang cannot be persuaded, Xia Houxuan, who has a huge reputation, must not be allowed to go to Xuchang to help Cao Shuang.
When Master Sima heard this, his eyes flashed fiercely and he whispered:
“Since you are worried about Xia Houxuan, why don’t you...”
Since his wife Xia Houhui has been poisoned to death by himself, why not kill Xia Houxuan, his uncle?
Sima Yi looked at his son with a somewhat complicated expression.
In the end, he just sighed:
"I have a close friendship with Xiahou Xuan, and the Sima family and the Xiahou family are close friends, so how can I do it?"
"As long as I am alive, I must protect his life. Otherwise, wouldn't I become a cold person and be criticized by others?"
Master Sima said "Oh" with some disappointment, and then suddenly came back to his senses:
Doesn’t that mean that once the adults are gone, you can take action yourself?
ˆ PS: There are too many things to do during the New Year, so updates may be unstable. Don't think about complaining to Tiger Girl, she has already agreed, hahaha!
(End of this chapter)