Sima Yi…
When Yang Xiu turned his head, it was Sima Yi who appeared before him, and Sima Yi's presence indeed startled Yang Xiu.
"Sima Zhongda? What are you doing here?"
An extremely astonished question…
Yes, this wine shop contained a secret chamber of the Hongnong Yang clan, known to very few!
His Majesty knew, Dong Cheng knew, and Sima Fang… Sima Fang also knew.
Thinking of this, Yang Xiu's eyes narrowed.
"Sima Zhongda, what do you want?"
"Don't be nervous." Sima Yi shook his head. "If I were an enemy, I would have already reported this place to Sima Cao. I imagine my feelings at this moment are no different from yours, Dezhu!"
Hmm…
No different? Could it be that Lord Sima and my father felt the same way?
"Sima Zhongda, explain yourself clearly!"
"Do you still naively believe that Situ Lu let my father and Grand Commandant Yang go without knowing they were involved in the 'Emperor's Belt Edict'?" Sima Yi said softly…
"You… what exactly are you trying to say?" Yang Xiu's eyes grew cold, suddenly filled with caution.
Sima Yi, however, continued speaking to himself. "Situ Lu didn't kill our fathers because my father and Grand Commandant Yang weren't worth his trouble. He wanted something else?"
"What? Something?"
Even with just four words, Yang Xiu's voice faltered.
"A great battle is imminent… Cao and Yuan are about to clash. Killing is easy, but attacking the heart is difficult!"
Sima Yi explained in detail: "By releasing Father and Grand Commandant Yang, it allows scholars from Yingchuan, including Lord Xun, to be united with Sima Cao. The heads of Dong Cheng and Wang Zifu are enough to establish authority. Once authority is established, the next step is to bestow favors!"
"Situ Lu's deployment, using both might and grace, ensures that all officials and the populace will only surrender and revere Sima Cao. Those guilty will repent, and those innocent will be grateful and loyal. Although the punishment for the 'Emperor's Belt Edict' should have made Sima Cao lose the hearts of scholars across the land, Situ Lu, 'in the midst of silence,' subtly revealed Sima Cao's magnanimity. This is the brilliance! Keeping my father and Grand Commandant Yang is more brilliant than ten decrees seeking talent!"
Whoa…
Yang Xiu, who had been feeling down and hadn't considered this angle, suddenly understood.
Even though he had never underestimated his mentor, Situ Lu, after Sima Yi's analysis, he realized he still hadn't seen things clearly, hadn't grasped the essence.
He sighed…
"As expected of Chief Director Lu. Using both grace and might, resolving this internal strife in such a manner means that whether heading north, east, or south, Xudu will have no future worries! Brilliant!"
Wait…
With one statement, Yang Xiu felt something was amiss. Why did Sima Yi come to tell him all this? Were they on such good terms?
"Zhongda, you wouldn't have come here specifically to tell me this, would you?"
"Naturally not."
"Then let's speak plainly."
"I wish to ask Dezhu for an introduction, so that I may pledge my allegiance to Situ Lu…"
This…
As soon as these words were spoken, Yang Xiu's eyes blinked rapidly.
Almost everyone in the Imperial Academy knew that Chief Director Lu treated every Imperial student very well, except for Sima Yi!
For some reason, Chief Director Lu's attitude towards Sima Yi was extremely indifferent, as if… he held a considerable grudge against him.
Today…
Sima Yi asked Yang Xiu for an introduction, and Yang Xiu's gaze darted downwards, and he immediately waved his hand.
"The Chief Director has always disliked you; how could he entrust you with important matters?"
"Didn't the Chief Director dislike Dezhu in the past? He even severely punished Dezhu in front of hundreds of teachers and students in the Imperial Academy, yet isn't Dezhu now entrusted with important responsibilities?"
Sima Yi argued. "Chief Director Lu is skilled at winning hearts. For him, whether to entrust me with important matters depends not on his liking for me, but on whether I am useful."
"Useful?" Yang Xiu retorted.
"That's right. Just as you, Yang Dezhu, are Grand Commandant Yang's only son, as long as you, Yang Xiu, are by Situ Lu's side, would the officials in the Han court who harbor ulterior motives dare to approach Grand Commandant Yang? It's the same for me… as long as the young masters of my Sima family are employed, the officials of the Han court will certainly not approach my father. This is a form of protection for the Sima family."
This…
Sima Yi's words made Yang Xiu's heart suddenly tremble.
He was right. Although his father was foolishly loyal to the Han dynasty, because of him, Yang Xiu, how could the officials of the Han dynasty approach his father again? Similarly, Sima Yi and he were in the same situation.
"Zhongda, you've truly impressed me today!"
Yang Xiu's lips curved, and he even let out a light laugh.
Sima Yi, however, waved his hand.
"By controlling one chess piece, Situ Lu can control the entire board, just like when… Sima Cao first employed Lord Xun! Although Lord Xun possessed strategy, it was the entire Yingchuan gentry behind him that Sima Cao valued. These gentry were intermarried and friendly, sharing honor and disgrace, advancing and retreating together. With Lord Xun alone in the command, Sima Cao would gain a continuous stream of talents!"
"Now, not to mention Sima Cao, even under Situ Lu, there are many advisors. Are we, two 'youthful' young masters, indispensable? Not indispensable, but behind you and me are all the officials in the court who lean towards the Han. Cutting off you and me is cutting off the lifeline of the Han court!"
Having said this, Sima Yi cupped his hands and bowed to Yang Xiu. "Everything relies on Brother Dezhu. If my predictions are correct, Chief Director Lu must also be waiting for this introduction from Brother Dezhu!"
As these words left his mouth, Yang Xiu respectfully returned the bow.
Admirable…
Sima Yi's analysis echoed in his mind, leaving him in awe!
Speaking of which, these two, who in ancient records were fierce rivals, even… fighting to the death, were now, for the same reason, temporarily forming an alliance and understanding.
Preservation, preserving their families in another form, this was their consensus.
Employing Yang Xiu, employing Sima Yi…
This not only garnered the favor of these two top aristocratic families but also allowed their families to distance themselves from anti-Cao officials. With Sima Fang and Yang Biao gone, the Han court could not stir up much trouble!
It seemed…
This time, it wasn't Lu Yu who asked them to be chess pieces, but these two talented young men willingly became Lu Yu's chess pieces, even if it meant going against the "divine right of kings," they would strive for victory!
It was, in a way, interesting.
If history were to proceed as written, the current Sima Yi would go to great lengths, even self-harm, to avoid Cao Cao's summons…
Because he knew that Cao Cao intended to use him as a weapon against the Han court, facing the dilemma of "advancing with the guilt of killing, retreating with the guilt of self-killing," neither path was viable!
Therefore, Sima Yi chose self-harm to evade the situation, "lying down" and begging for mercy.
However, with Lu Yu's appearance, Sima Yi not only avoided disaster but actively sought officialdom. The wheels of history had already changed. For Sima Yi, would this lead to a different outcome?
…
…
In Xudu City, the Zhen family mansion.
Although the Zhen family was an outsider, they had purchased two adjacent mansions on the most prosperous street in Xudu City.
Once connected, the entire courtyard was no less impressive than the Sima Cao Mansion or the Situ Mansion.
"I wonder if Situ Lu's visit is due to our lack of preparation, making Situ Lu laugh…"
From afar, the voice of Zhen Jiang, the eldest daughter of the Zhen family, could be heard.
Her voice, like a warbler, was pleasant to the ear.
Upon seeing Zhen Jiang, Lu Yu paused for a moment. He subconsciously recalled that, in the past… according to Guo Jia's arrangements, it seemed the eldest daughter Zhen Jiang and the youngest daughter Zhen Mi were allocated to him, Lu Yu?
It felt like an official distribution of wives!
Of course, this was just Guo Jia's saying, and Lu Yu had not taken it to heart.
Ahem…
Clearing his throat, Lu Yu smiled. "You ladies have visited the Situ Mansion once. In terms of etiquette, I should have paid a return visit. However, I have been busy with matters recently and could not spare the time. I am the one who has been remiss."
Very polite…
After all, Lu Yu was here to gauge their intentions and sought their favor…
Unexpectedly, at this moment.
A clear male voice called out…
"Situ Lu, please don't say you've been remiss. Look, I, Guo Jia, visit the Zhen mansion on your behalf every day. Our etiquette is perfectly maintained!"
Led by Zhen Jiang, Lu Yu rounded a corridor and saw Guo Jia standing in a stone pavilion in the backyard, waving to him.
Beside him stood two young ladies, whom he recognized as Zhen Tuo, the second daughter of the Zhen family, and Zhen Rong, the fourth daughter of the Zhen family!
Good heavens…
Lu Yu's eyes widened. Why was Guo Jia here? That wasn't the main point! The main point was… had these "wives" he had allocated to himself already begun their conquest? Was he this efficient?
Heh heh…
Lu Yu simply "heh heh"-ed!
Considering Guo Fengxiao's character, there was no need to say more. Even if Guo Jia claimed to be visiting the Zhen mansion on his behalf, Lu Yu felt too awkward to expose the truth. Guo Fengxiao was involved in gambling, women, and drinking, so was he really visiting the Zhen mansion on behalf of someone else? Clearly, he was there to find a partner!
"Ahem…" Lu Yu cleared his throat and turned his gaze back to Zhen Jiang.
Zhen Jiang smiled and replied, "Yes, Tutor Guo visits our Zhen mansion every day, bringing us great honor. Speaking of which… Tutor Guo has helped us strategize and solve many business challenges."
It was a form of return…
Lu Yu's eyes fixed. Fortunately, Guo Jia had done some practical things, which might even be helpful for his request.
Lu Yu immediately smiled. "Fengxiao, I have important matters to discuss with Miss Zhen Jiang today. Aren't you good at strategizing? Come and listen…"
"Important matters?"
Guo Jia's eyes darted. In his opinion, the most important matter between him and Lu Yu was to turn the unmarried daughters of the Zhen family into pure young ladies…
"Hahaha…"
Of course, while thinking this, Guo Jia laughed aloud. "The affairs of the Zhen sisters are important matters for us."
…
In the main hall, Lu Yu and Guo Jia sat in the seats of honor. Opposite them, in the main seats, were the three daughters of the Zhen family.
For some reason…
The third daughter Zhen Dao and the fifth daughter Zhen Mi were not present.
However, this was not the main point…
The main point was the topic of discussion.
"What?" After hearing Lu Yu's intention, Zhen Jiang was slightly taken aback. "Does Situ Lu mean for the Zhen family to resume trade with the Hu people?"
"That's right…" Lu Yu nodded. "The Cao army needs horses very badly right now, not just for the upcoming decisive battle with Yuan Shao, but also for future campaigns in the northern territories. The Hu horses from beyond the frontier, with their inherent stamina, are the most suitable mounts for northern expeditions."
What others could see was the imminent decisive battle between Cao and Yuan, while Lu Yu saw the northern expedition.
It could be said that horses were the lifeline of the northern expedition. Although Old Cao had many more soldiers under his command now than in history.
However, after the Battle of Guandu, if he were to march north against Yuan Shao!
The northern regions were mostly plains, and it relied on warhorses, on the charge and counter-charge of cavalry. In this regard, the current infantry numbers did not form an overwhelming advantage.
The recruitment of Hu horses from beyond the frontier had to be put on the agenda.
"This young lady understands Situ Lu's meaning, but… our Zhen family has not done business with the Hu people for many years."
Zhen Jiang's tone was a little soft, seemingly with some unspeakable difficulty…
"Why is that?" Lu Yu asked urgently…
"It's… because of…" It was clear that Zhen Jiang was unwilling to recount the reason…
"In front of Situ Lu, there is nothing that cannot be said." It was Zhen Tuo, the second daughter, who explained proactively. "It's because of Father…"
"Shangcai Magistrate? Master Zhen?" Lu Yu asked in return.
The "Master Zhen" mentioned by Lu Yu was precisely the patriarch of the Zhen family of Zhongshan Wuji, the husband of Madam Zhang, and the father of the five Zhen daughters—Zhen Yi!
He was a descendant of Zhen Han, the Grand Protector of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and his family had inherited official positions with a salary of two thousand shi, rising to the position of Shangcai Magistrate…
He was very famous throughout Jizhou.
"Second sister…" Zhen Jiang turned her head and gazed deeply at her second sister, Zhen Tuo…
As if telling her not to speak.
Lu Yu could see that the eldest daughter of the Zhen family had unspeakable difficulties in her words.
"Is there something unspeakable?" Lu Yu asked proactively…
"This…" Zhen Jiang lowered her head, her expression somewhat ashamed.
"If you don't want to say…" Lu Yu didn't want to make things difficult for her, as seeing Zhen Jiang's pitiable appearance made his heart ache.
Who would have thought… before his words were out.
The second sister, Zhen Tuo, proactively said, "Sister, didn't Father say that if you make a mistake, you make a mistake, and you must bravely bear the responsibility? Now… Situ Lu is asking, should our Zhen family still evade?"
Having said this, Zhen Tuo suddenly stood up.
It was obvious that as Zhen Tuo suddenly stood up, Guo Jia's expression changed, giving the impression that he had already uncovered these secrets of the Zhen family in advance.
"Doesn't Situ Lu wonder why our Zhen family, originally a family of officials, could become involved in commerce and even become the largest merchant in the entire northern region in just over a decade?"
Zhen Tuo's voice flowed out gracefully.
"Second…" Zhen Jiang tried to stop her, but in the end, before the word "sister" from "Second Sister" even left her mouth, she gave up. Since… the conversation had come this far, they might as well tell the story. It was better to speak out than to hide the pain.
"It was an agreement, an agreement made by Father with the Hu people…" Zhen Tuo recounted truthfully. "Father secretly sold Han iron, cloth, and grain to the Hu people, in return for good Hu horses, Hu clothing, and Hu weapons… Then he sold Hu horses in the northern region. Those Hu weapons were once in high demand, and a single Hu horse was even priced at an exorbitant sum. The Zhen family naturally made a fortune, and within a few years, they could be compared with the Lu family of Xuzhou and the Shi family of Jiaozhi!"
Having said this, Zhen Tuo paused for a moment.
Lu Yu thought… this was nothing. It was a matter of mutual benefit, the nature of merchants. But it wasn't until the words "Han iron" flashed in his mind. No… if it was supplying Han iron to the Hu people…
Then…
As expected, Zhen Tuo's next words confirmed Lu Yu's guess.
"But… who would have thought that after a few years of relative peace, the Hu people began to raid the border annually, frantically heading south… and the reason was that they had sufficient reserves of Han iron, from which they forged many sharp curved blades and arrows…"
"Subsequently, they no longer needed to seek grain from the Zhen family's business; they chose a more direct and brutal method. It was precisely because of this that the Xianbei, Southern Xiongnu, and Wuhuan rose rapidly… constantly raiding the borders, constantly plundering Han territory… constantly causing the border populations to suffer greatly.
"And Father, it was also… it was after hearing this news that he realized his sin. It was the Han iron he supplied to the Hu people that became the tool for the Hu people's atrocities, and it was the cause of the current southward migration of the Three Hu and the devastation of the Han border. Although… the Hu people tacitly spared Jizhou, and Zhongshan Commandery, the inner condemnation was unbearable for Father, until the end… until the end…"
Zhen Tuo did not finish her words… but she had already broken down in tears. Clearly, revealing this secret hidden in her heart allowed her emotions to be uncontrollably released.
Lu Yu could understand this feeling.
The patriarch of the Zhen family, Zhen Yi… most likely died from his own self-reproach!
It was no wonder the Zhen family had no male heirs.
It wasn't that they had no male heirs, but that these male heirs were ashamed of themselves and could not face their own mistakes!
And these stories would not be recorded in ancient texts. The Zhen family's journey from officialdom to commerce, from rise to decline… who would know the hardships involved if not for this second daughter of the Zhen family recounting them?
Alas…
This was the so-called "one thought can lead to widespread suffering."
Seeing Zhen Jiang, Zhen Tuo, and Zhen Rong weeping profusely, Lu Yu wanted to offer words of comfort, but… before Lu Yu could speak, Zhen Jiang's words preceded him.
"Therefore, Father was consumed by self-reproach, and his health deteriorated day by day. On his deathbed… he called Mother and the five of us sisters to his bedside, saying that the Zhen family would never trade with the Hu people again… Therefore, concerning the request made by Situ Lu, our Zhen family is afraid that…"
"I understand!"
Lu Yu nodded…
Then, he also stood up abruptly, turned around, and stood with his hands behind his back, adopting an empathetic posture.
"I can understand the feelings of Clan Leader Zhen…"
"However, perhaps… if Clan Leader Zhen's spirit is in heaven, he would prefer to see the Han counter-attack the Hu people rather than never trading with the Hu land. In the past… it was indeed wrong for your Zhen family to exchange Han iron for Hu horses, but now… what if we could exchange something that would bring the Hu people great harm and no benefit for border Hu horses?"
"And these Hu horses will be used for the future conquest of Hu territory by the Han? Would Clan Leader Zhen's spirit in heaven be able to rest in peace, and would the past mistakes of the Zhen family be atoned for?"
This…
Clearly, Lu Yu's words made the three daughters of the Zhen family tremble.
If there was indeed something that could bring great harm and no benefit to the Hu people, and… could be exchanged for warhorses, then… Father's spirit in heaven…
But…
"An item that brings great harm and no benefit to the Hu people? Would the Hu people want it? Would they be so foolish as to trade Hu horses for it?" Zhen Jiang raised her doubt…
Lu Yu's eyes, however, were exceptionally sharp.
"Yes… they definitely will!"
"Because no one in this world does not yearn for confusion, for illusion. The common people of the Han are not living easily, but the Hu people are also not living easily. They also need spiritual solace!"
Mentioning this, Lu Yu thought of Wushisan again.
In fact…
Strictly speaking, this thing was far less harmful than opium. To put it bluntly… it was a combination of five types of hot medicinal herbs, which made people feel unbearable heat, thus producing a feeling of surging climax.
Even…
If taken in small doses, it was beneficial to health…
This was the original intention of Zhang Zhongjing in developing this medicine. As for its toxicity, it was just that. Many people in the Wei and Jin dynasties consumed Wushisan, but few died. It was simply a spiritual disintegration and a transformation into walking corpses in behavior!
If he were to profit from this, Lu Yu would feel some guilt, but… transporting it to the Hu territory in exchange for horses, and even… in the near future, controlling the Three Hu mentally, Lu Yu felt very at ease.
Just then…
Whoosh…
With a heavy exhale, Guo Jia also stood up.
It seemed he knew what Lu Yu was talking about…
And…
He, Guo Jia, also occasionally consumed it!
If it were this thing, then perhaps the "Three Hu problem," which every dynasty had been unable to solve, would find a new answer!
It was a bit insidious, and a bit cruel!
But…
For these "Hu dogs" who never regarded Han people as humans, no measure of cruelty or insidiousness was too much.
Although Guo Jia was involved in gambling, women, and drinking.
However…
When it came to matters of national righteousness, he had a sense of proportion!
"Situ Lu, why don't you let me and the Zhen sisters handle this matter together? Would that be acceptable?"
"Hu territory? Heh heh, it seems… Guo Fengxiao's footsteps will be all over it. Why not try to disintegrate them and solve this Three Hu problem once and for all!"
…
…