North Palace, inside the East Pavilion.
Sima Yi was not the only one in the East Pavilion, Wei Zhen was also present.
Therefore, Sima Zhi was not in a position to talk about private topics. Instead, he handled the matter in a businesslike manner and told Sima Yi the important points of what the emperor had just told him in the study.
Sima Yi asked: "Your Majesty is going to give Sun Quan a jade disk? Did you see it clearly?"
"It is a jade disk." Sima Zhi replied, "I just looked at it carefully, I can't be wrong."
Sima Yi stroked his beard and said, "According to the Zhou Li, to marry someone, you need to give him a jade pendant; to ask a scholar, you need to give him a jade disc; to summon someone, you need to give him a jade pendant; to break up with someone, you need to give him a jade pendant; and to break up with someone, you need to give him a jade pendant."
"Your Majesty gave Sun Quan a jade disk for visiting neighboring states, instead of a jade gui for the princes to use when they pay homage to the emperor. This probably shows that Your Majesty is not willing to force Sun Quan too much. If Sun Quan had given you enough on the surface, I'm sure the purpose of your trip would have been achieved."
Sima Zhi nodded: "What Sikong said is right. I wonder if Sikong has anything to teach me?"
Sima Yi glanced at Wei Zhen who was still handling official business next to him, and said slowly: "When you are on a diplomatic mission for the country, the most important thing is not to lose your dignity."
"Zihua, the dignity and decorum of the Great Wei are more important than your life!"
Sima Zhi bowed and said goodbye.
Sima Yi looked at his cousin's back as he walked away, knowing that he probably understood.
If etiquette is the most important thing, then it’s okay to put other things aside, right?
Sima Zhi only heard four words from his brother's instructions: come back alive.
In the afternoon.
Just as Cao Rui was about to set out to practice swordsmanship, a eunuch reported that Cao Shuang requested an audience.
Cao Rui nodded and said, "Since it's time, let Zhao Bo accompany me to practice swordplay!"
After receiving the order, the eunuch went out and informed Cao Shuang of the matter.
Cao Shuang was waiting outside the door. He looked at the emperor in his formal attire, bowed and said, "I am about to leave Luoyang, so I came to say goodbye to Your Majesty."
Cao Rui smiled and said, "Leave Luoyang? Where does the general want you to go? To Tian Yu, the commander of the Wuhuan Guard?"
"That's right." Cao Shuang replied, "The general asked me to go to Dai County to look for Captain Tian and serve as a squad leader in his army."
"It's fine to be a sergeant." Cao Rui looked at Cao Shuang's slightly fat body and said, "Tian Yu has always been a cautious person. I'm sure you won't encounter any danger under his command."
"Come on, I will try your current sword skills."
Cao Shuang responded: "Then I would be disrespectful to refuse it."
After a while, they arrived at the martial arts arena.
Cao Rui and Cao Shuang practiced with wooden swords for dozens of rounds. Cao Rui hit Cao Shuang's shoulders, arms, chest and abdomen several times.
"Let's practice this far first." Cao Rui threw the wooden sword to the eunuch and said to Cao Shuang with a hint of blame: "Zhao Bo's swordsmanship has some basic skills, but he still needs to practice more."
"Why, you don't dare to draw your sword against me?"
Cao Shuang smiled awkwardly and said, "To be honest, I am a little afraid to draw my sword. Even though it is a wooden sword, how dare I let it touch your Majesty's body?"
Cao Rui nodded, and he and Cao Shuang started to return.
"I tell you, Dai County is a border county, and its customs and habits are very different from those of the inland counties."
Cao Rui looked at Cao Shuang and asked, "Are you aware of the foreign tribes and enemy situations in the vicinity of Dai County?"
Cao Shuang replied straightforwardly: "I have roughly understood it all."
"Really?" Cao Rui said with a smile, "Come, tell me about it."
Cao Shuang was silent for a few moments, then said, "Your Majesty, shall I start with the duties of Captain Tian Yutian?"
Cao Rui nodded.
Cao Shuang said: "Mr. Tian Yu, the commander of the Wuhuan Guard, is currently stationed in Dai County with 2,000 troops. He is responsible for managing and pacifying the Wuhuan tribes north of Dai County, as well as monitoring the movements of the Xianbei tribes."
Cao Rui asked: "Do you know the situation of Wuhuan and Xianbei?"
"I know roughly what I know. The general has told me a little bit about it." Cao Shuang replied: "After the Wuhuan rebelled together with the Xianbei in the 23rd year of Jian'an, the Wuhuan who originally lived in Liaoxi and Youbeiping have now been basically moved to Yuyang, Shanggu and Daijun."
"The three Wuhuan counties are now obeying the imperial court's call for conscription and are now working together with the imperial court to deal with the Xianbei people."
Cao Rui asked: "Where are the Xianbei leaders?"
Cao Shuang replied: "Your Majesty, as far as I know, the Xianbei are currently led by Kebi Neng, who is almost ready to annex all of the Eastern Xianbei, Central Xianbei, and Western Xianbei."
"The imperial court is using the Budugen tribe currently living in Yanmen and the Suli tribe in Shanggu, Dai County, to contain Kebinen."
Cao Rui nodded: "The grassland is vast, and the court is guarding against Wu and Shu in the east and west. There is no time to worry about the north. We can only use capable ministers such as Qian Zhao, Tian Yu, and Liang Xi to stabilize the situation temporarily."
"I have read the records of the Hebei army over the years. Qian Zhao, Tian Yu, and Liang Xi mobilized troops almost every year during the Huangchu period. The fundamental reason was Ke Bineng."
"If Kebi can annex all the tribes, and he is given another ten years or so, he will be able to accomplish this." Cao Rui sighed softly, "Who knows, there may be another Tan Shihuai on the grassland."
After saying this, Cao Rui couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. Ke Bineng is already over fifty years old this year, right? There are many heroes who died suddenly in the wind and sun on the grassland. Can he have another ten years to accomplish such a feat as Tan Shihuai?
Tan Shihuai was a Xianbei leader during the Western Han Dynasty, and died during the Guanghe reign of Emperor Ling. When Tan Shihuai unified the Xianbei, he plundered the Eastern Han in the south, resisted the Dingling in the north, repelled the Fuyu in the east, and attacked the Wusun in the west, completely occupying the Xiongnu's homeland. He was an unrivaled king of the Xianbei clan.
Cao Rui asked Cao Shuang: "How should we deal with the Xianbei in the north? Does Zhao Bo have any plan?" After hearing the emperor's words, Cao Shuang answered seriously: "I think the current Wuhuan Protector Tian Yugong's approach can be used as a model for all ages."
"Oh?" As they were about to reach the study, Cao Rui asked with a smile, "What do you think of Tian Yu's approach?"
Cao Shuang said, "Your Majesty, I have read the report that Captain Tian gave to the court."
"Captain Tian believed that there were hundreds of tribes on the grasslands and that they could not be wiped out by killing, and the Han people could not live in the grasslands for a long time."
"We should still try to win over the Xianbei, Wuhuan, Xiongnu and other ethnic minorities. Support those who have submitted to the Wei Dynasty or those who are relatively weak, and target powerful tribes like Kebi Neng."
"And we can open up trade for horses, so that the Xianbei tribes will have a hard time causing trouble."
Cao Rui nodded and said: "The Han Dynasty faced the Qiang people in Liangzhou and the Xianbei and Wuhuan in Youbing. I don't know how much military expenditure was spent, but they still fought year after year."
"Tian Yu is right." Cao Rui said to Cao Shuang: "Zhao Bo, although we should win over the weak and target the strong, we should still be brave enough to use troops when necessary."
"The Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Xiongnu actually all have the same temperament."
"No matter how much kindness the court shows them, they will still rebel when it's time to rebel. They will be beaten when they should be beaten, and punished when they should be punished."
"In this way, these tribes will be in awe of the imperial court."
Cao Shuang cupped his hands and replied, "I have taken note of what your Majesty has just said."
"Yes." Cao Rui asked, "Zhao Bo, when does the general ask you to leave?"
Cao Shuang said, "Your Majesty, the general has asked me to set out north tomorrow. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Cao Rui thought for a moment and patted Cao Shuang on the thick shoulder: "After you arrive in Dai County, watch more, ask more, learn more, and talk less!"
"Border counties are different from inland areas. Historically, generals of the Cao and Xiahou clans were directly promoted, and almost all of them started as dubo or above. You are the first one to be a dubo."
"Every three months, send me a letter. Got it?"
Cao Shuang bowed earnestly and said, "I understand."
……
At this time, in Shangyong City, Jingzhou.
Deng Xian rushed in from outside, holding up a letter and said, "Uncle, Zhuge Liang sent someone to deliver another letter?"
Meng Da frowned: "Why is there another letter? Is the messenger outside?"
"That's right." Deng Xian said, "Zhuge Liang's envoys also want to pay a visit to my uncle."
Meng Da glanced at Deng Xian and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? I haven't read the letter yet. I'll talk to you later."
After saying that, Meng Da took the letter slowly, walked slowly to the middle, and opened it carefully.
After reading it carefully several times, Meng Da sneered, "Zhuge Liang is still just a talker! He talks a lot but doesn't even have any reward. He just lies to me."
"But..." Meng Da's brows slowly frowned again: "Zhuge Liang made it clear in the letter. Is he going to Hanzhong?"
Deng Xian nodded and replied, "The messenger did say that he came from the direction of Hanzhong."
Hanzhong, Hanzhong.
Meng Da suddenly remembered that when Liu Bei was still alive, he sent Liu Feng from Hanzhong down the Han River to Shangyong to take over his army.
Since Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong and then returned to Chengdu, there was no war between Wei and Shu for seven years.
At this time, Meng Da certainly did not think that Zhuge Liang was coming north to attack Longyou and Guanzhong, but thought that Zhuge Liang was coming to attack him!
Meng Da stood up from his seat and began to pace in the hall again, walking around in circles.
Deng Xian looked on anxiously: "Uncle, what's wrong? What are you worried about?"
Meng Da stood still, looked at Deng Xian and asked, "Do you think Zhuge Liang came to Hanzhong to fight me?"
"If I follow Zhuge Liang, nothing will happen. If I don't follow Zhuge Liang, will Zhuge Liang attack us along the Han River?"
Deng Xian was also confused at this time.
Didn't Zhuge Liang's previous and later letters say that everything was fine? Why is he going to attack again?
Deng Xian subconsciously said, "Uncle, why don't we ask the court for help and tell them that Zhuge Liang is coming to attack the three eastern counties?"
Meng Da was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily: "Well said, let's do it! I will submit a petition to His Majesty right now, asking His Majesty to send troops to help me."
Deng Xian interrupted and asked, "But what about Zhuge Liang's messenger? He's still waiting outside."
Meng Da snorted coldly: "Feed him well for a few days, then invite him back and tell him I'm sick and can't see guests!"
Deng Xian took a deep breath, knowing that Meng Da was finally going to draw a clear line between himself and Zhuge Liang, and he agreed quite seriously.
Just as Deng Xian was about to leave, Meng Da called him back.
"After dealing with the messenger, go to the dock outside the city to check the ships and send a few teams to guard the dock day and night!"
Deng Xian knew that his uncle was preparing a way out. His life and property were tied to his uncle's.
Therefore, Deng Xian did not dare to delay and immediately took the order and went.
Only Meng Da remained in the hall, and he began to write a letter to Luoyang. (End of this chapter)
