Who else could it be except Cao Zhen?
Cao Zhen and Xiahou He led a hundred cavalrymen behind and hurried to the front of the emperor's army. They dismounted and walked towards the emperor.
The light drizzle adds a hazy feeling to the mountain scenery today.
Cao Rui glanced at Cao Zhen's shoulders, which were wet by the drizzle, and said calmly, "I came to Dingjun Mountain today to wait for the general to come with me."
Cao Zhen cupped his hands and said: "It is my fault that Your Majesty has been kept waiting in the rain for so long."
Cao Rui waved his hand, motioning Jiang Wei, who was following behind him, to come over, and continued to say to Cao Zhen:
"General, I have sent people to find the tomb of the late Xiahou Zhengxi. I will not go there, General, you go and offer sacrifices!"
"Take Xiahou Yiquan with you!"
Xiahou He, who was two steps behind Cao Zhen, was stunned at first, and then fell to his knees with a plop.
Almost instantly, Xiahou He's tears burst out and could not stop falling down his cheeks. Without even bothering to wipe them away, Xiahou He kowtowed to the emperor again and again.
After kowtowing three times, Xiahou He raised his head with an expression of mixed excitement and relief on his face, and cupped his hands as if to speak.
Cao Rui frowned, glanced at Cao Zhen, and pointed at Xiahou He.
Cao Zhen understood, turned around and pulled Xiahou He up from the ground.
Xiahou He continued to cry: "It has been nine years since my father died at the foot of Dingjun Mountain. Everyone in the world knows about this, but as a son, I can do nothing about it!"
"Every year during the New Year's Day, the whole family can only cry and worship in the direction of Hanzhong. This has been going on for nine years!"
As he spoke, Xiahou He became more and more choked up: "If it weren't for your majesty's great grace and leading the army to conquer the Shu bandits, how could I have seen my father's bones?"
"I am willing to die for Your Majesty!" After saying this, Xiahou He pretended to bow again, but was stopped by Cao Zhen.
It is indeed a true expression of feelings, and there is no truer emotion in the world.
When Xiahou He was crying bitterly, everyone accompanying him had sad expressions on their faces.
Cao Zhen gently patted Xiahou He's back and whispered in his ear to comfort him.
"General, Yiquan, the two of you go ahead." Cao Rui ordered softly, "After the sacrifice, choose an auspicious day to move the tomb of the late Xiahou Zhengxi to Yecheng and bury him beside Gaoling!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiahou He was pulled and couldn't kneel down, so he could only bow deeply.
"Go, go." Cao Rui waved his hand.
Jiang Wei had already prepared the sacrificial items according to the emperor's request. When he saw Cao Zhen and Xiahou He coming over, he immediately prepared to lead them to Xiahou Yuan's tomb.
Sima Yi also sighed with emotion.
The two terms "Zhu Xiahou Cao" or "Zhu Cao Xiahou" were used in parallel in the Wei Dynasty.
If we talk about generational marriage, the Ding family has also been married to the Cao family for generations, but where are they now?
The Xiahou family's special status in the Wei Dynasty was almost equivalent to that of the royal family. This was simply because Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, as the emperor's right-hand men, had earned special honors for the family.
Now, Your Majesty has led the army to Hanzhong, found Xiahou Yuan's tomb, and ordered it to be moved back to Yecheng. This favor is so great.
From today's event, all of Xiahou Yuan's sons, and even the entire Xiahou family, will receive your Majesty's great grace.
Cao Rui heard the voice and turned to look at Sima Yi: "I seem to hear Sikong sighing, what is it?"
The two people closest to Cao Rui in front of the carriage were Sima Yi and Wang Su, who were also riding on horses.
With Sima Yi's wisdom, he certainly would not say what was on his mind, but instead found something he had already prepared and said it.
"Your Majesty, I am thinking about the division of Hanzhong." Sima Yi replied calmly: "Two months ago, Your Majesty just divided Longyou and Wudu and Yinping counties to establish Qinzhou. Now that Hanzhong has been obtained, the issue of jurisdiction should also be put on the agenda."
Cao Rui was not surprised, and nodded slightly, saying, "I have the same idea."
"Qinzhou was newly established, and Yongzhou's territory was also reduced. Chen Jiao and Yang Fu both took office recently, and Zhang He's position as the governor of Qin and Yong has also been decided."
"It looks like we need to make another decision."
Sima Yi replied: "Hanzhong is a very important place. We should select an important general and send a large number of troops to garrison Hanzhong."
"Who to send?" Cao Rui asked.
Sima Yi said: "When Hanzhong was not lost, it was Zhang He who guarded Hanzhong. Now that Hanzhong has been captured, there is no need to keep Zhang He in Qishan after the battle."
"Why not let Zhang He come here?"
Cao Rui raised his eyebrows and looked at Sima Yi: "Zhang He has come to Hanzhong, then who will be the governor of Qin and Yongzhou? Are we still going to let Zhang He take on the responsibility alone?"
Sima Yi shook his head slightly: "I have no idea yet. I am just offering some military suggestions based on the importance of Hanzhong."
Still no idea?
Cao Rui knew in his heart that Sima Yi must have some ideas, but he just couldn't say them or it was inconvenient to say them.
There are three sensitive issues involved.
First, Hanzhong was part of Yizhou. Zhang He, the governor of Qin and Yong, came to Yizhou. What about Qinzhou and Yongzhou?
Second, how many troops should be sent to Hanzhong?
Thirdly, should we set up the post of Yizhou governor or commander-in-chief of Yizhou’s military affairs?
Cao Rui laughed: "With Sikong's wisdom, it's just a few human affairs, how can he not have any ideas?"
After saying that, Cao Rui pointed around. Apart from the tiger guards beside him, only Sima Yi and Wang Su were present.
Add to that the sound of rain, and the sound can travel even further.
Sima Yi pursed his lips, cupped his hands and said: "The post of Governor Qin Yong should be removed!"
"Since Hanzhong has returned to the rule of Wei, Qinzhou and Yongzhou are not directly enemies, so they should be governed like Yanzhou and Yuzhou!"
Yanzhou, Yuzhou?
According to Sima Yi's words, Yanzhou obviously corresponds to Yongzhou, which is not facing the enemy. And Yuzhou corresponds to Qinzhou. Yuzhou is now guarded by the former general Man Chong.
Almost instinctively, Cao Rui realized the inappropriateness of Sima Yi's suggestion.
The paths of civil and military affairs are different, and this is not just empty talk.
As a civil official, from the perspective of governance, I certainly hope that there will be fewer and fewer troops stationed there and that we will be affected as little by the military as possible.
It's an instinctive choice.
From the perspective of a general, of course the governor of two states has greater military authority and responsibility!
"I think it's inappropriate."
To Cao Rui's surprise, Wang Su, who had been silent all this time, spoke up:
"Although the Shu rebels are no match for the Wei, they still hold the land in the middle of Shu and cannot be taken lightly."
Cao Rui smiled and asked Wang Su: "What do you think should be done?"
"General Zhang is a famous general of the country. It is a wise choice to use him to guard Hanzhong." Wang Su said seriously: "And the armies of Qinzhou and Yongzhou still need someone to supervise them!"
"Your Majesty and the Central Army must not be allowed to run around like this again!"
Cao Rui's mind moved: "Who should be given the command of Qin Yong's military affairs?"
Wang Su replied directly: "It should be handed over to the general! And Liangzhou should be appointed as well, and he should be made the commander-in-chief of the military affairs of the four states of Yong, Liang, Qin and Yi!"
Cao Rui gradually put away his smile and looked Wang Su up and down with narrowed eyes.
Wang Su was not afraid at all. He lowered his head slightly, but did not show any intention of taking back his words.
Sima Yi, who was following beside him, had his pupils slightly dilated and felt alert.
I thought that Liu Ye, Huang Quan, Chen Jiao and Yang Fu were all sent to other places for postings, and my words would be more important in front of Your Majesty in the future.
The only person he forgot to consider was Wang Su!
Recalling the time when Wang Su had caused him trouble when they were discussing the affairs of the Secretariat and Gao Rou in His Majesty's study, Sima Yi's hatred grew even more.
Doesn’t Wang Su know what’s going on?
Chen Qun and Cao Xiu were both serving in other places, and of the four ministers left by the previous emperor, only himself and Cao Zhen were in Luoyang.
Now, taking advantage of the war in the west and transferring Cao Zhen to a post outside, wouldn't he become the only assistant minister in Luozhong?
Never a good thing.
Your Majesty has won a series of great victories over Shu, and his prestige has already reached a new level, and he does not need Cao Zhen's help to control the central army at all.
If I help His Majesty to move Cao Zhen away, will I be the next one?
Why are you helping His Majesty to centralize power? What benefits did His Majesty promise your family?
Sima Yi was about to use the fact that Cao Zhen was a great general and should not be moved lightly to stop him, but just as he opened his mouth, he heard the emperor speak himself.
Cao Rui nodded slightly: "Wang Qing's words are for the benefit of the country. I should record your merits!"
"If the general is to be the governor of Yong, Liang, Qin and Yi, where should he be stationed?"
Wang Su answered directly: "Chencang."
"Good!" Cao Rui nodded again.
Then the emperor and Wang Su stopped speaking.
At this moment, Sima Yi's heart was filled with alarm bells, and he tried his best to search for every detail related to Wang Su.
Was it because His Majesty had warned him that his second son Sima Zhao's marriage to the Wang family would be ruined?
Or was there some kind of tacit understanding between Wang Lang and the emperor?
For a moment, Sima Yi was at a loss as to what to do.
He had no idea that the real tacit understanding between His Majesty and the father and son Wang Lang and Wang Su was achieved through the "corporal punishment" of the revised law that day!
Political affairs, military affairs, personnel affairs... are actually all interconnected. You planted melons yesterday, and you get fruits today. That's all.
The rain gradually subsided until it stopped completely.
In almost the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the sky began to clear up again.
Cao Rui still looked at Dingjun Mountain, but what he was thinking about in his mind was not centralization of power or sending Cao Zhen to an external post, but how to restore the country's strength.
Although Hanzhong was captured, the Wei Dynasty still had another hole to fill.
Even if Zhang He was in Hanzhong, how many troops should be stationed there?
Previously in Qinzhou, Cao Rui had roughly calculated that there could be more than 30,000 foreign troops in Qinzhou, and the rest could be supplemented by Qiang soldiers to 60,000.
Now, after a series of battles from Xiabian to Chiting, and from Chiting to Hanzhong, our troops have been greatly depleted.
Where can we find 30,000 foreign troops to be stationed in Hanzhong?
If there were 30,000 troops stationed there, Hanzhong would not be able to support them. How would they solve the problem of food and logistics?
Should we elect a governor of Yizhou? Who should be in charge of the civil affairs of Hanzhong?
Although we won the battle, there are still many things to do that need to be sorted out carefully.
Just as they were silent, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came from the north, just like when Cao Zhen came.
It just sounds like there isn't that much riding.
When the Tiger Guards saw that it was Guanqiu Jian who came, they did not stop him but let Guanqiu Jian ride directly to the front of the carriage.
Guanqiu Jian dismounted from his horse, bowed to the emperor, and then kowtowed to Wang Su.
Just when the emperor, Sima Yi, and Wang Su were all confused, Guanqiu Jian slowly took out a letter and handed it forward:
"Your Majesty, the Minister of the Interior passed away in Luoyang fifteen days ago. The Minister of the Interior is sending this special message of condolence." (End of this chapter)
