The Imperial Palace of Xuchang.
The sun was setting, casting a glow of crimson clouds...
From the Azure Dragon Gate to the Hall of Auspiciousness, one had to traverse a hundred-meter-long Eternal Alley. Passing through this alley signified entering the inner palace from the outer court.
The sides of the Eternal Alley were flanked by towering palace walls several zhang high. Sima Fang, accompanied by his seven sons and guided by a few eunuchs, was walking through this passage.
They were summoned by imperial decree to pay homage to the Son of Heaven!
It seemed that due to Sima Zhongda's meritorious service, the Son of Heaven had summoned Sima Fang and his sons to the palace to receive rewards. Except for Sima Yi, who was far away in Ye City, Sima Fang and his seven sons were all present.
"May I ask, attendant? I have always heard that when His Majesty summons his ministers, they use the Sima Gate. Why are we taking the Eternal Alley Gate this time?"
Sima Fang quickened his pace, moving beside the eunuch, and asked respectfully with cupped hands.
"How would this humble servant know His Majesty's thoughts?" The eunuch did not answer, instead exhibiting a tendency to avoid the question. "The Sima family has produced a good son. I hear Sima Zhongda has rendered many great services in the Directorate of Education and is the right-hand man of the Marquis of White Horse. His Majesty himself wishes to bestow rewards upon your Sima household. Rejoice in secret! Ah... Hahaha..."
Saying this, the eunuch covered his mouth and smiled, his laughter exceptionally hearty.
But... Sima Fang did not notice that he exchanged a glance with the other eunuchs, and the group quickened their pace considerably.
The eldest son, Sima Lang, felt something was amiss...
"Father, something is not right..."
Sima Lang stopped, signaling his father and younger brothers to halt.
When Cao Cao served as the Grand Minister of Works, he had been recruited as an official under the Grand Minister of Works. He had also served as the Magistrate of Chenggao, the Prefect of Tangyang, the Magistrate of Yuancheng, and the Chief Clerk to the Prime Minister, so he was familiar with some palace customs.
If Sima Fang's mention of taking the Eternal Alley Gate instead of the "Sima Gate" could be attributed to avoiding their Sima clan surname,
Then... this summons in the dead of night was even more peculiar!
The Great Han... especially the imperial palace, had exceptionally strict rules. Outer officials were not allowed to enter the inner palace. Even with an imperial summons, it was unheard of to be summoned after dusk.
This would affect the Son of Heaven's harem.
at night, no man with progeny was allowed to remain in the palace except for the Son of Heaven.
Sima Lang had not found anything strange earlier, but after his father's question, he too felt... the atmosphere around them was somewhat eerie.
"Your father also finds it very strange..."
Sima Fang paused...
He looked around. The towering palace walls, several zhang high, were completely dark...
Just as he was about to speak,
Suddenly... a gust of yellow wind arose, danger leaked, and countless flaming arrows rained down from the sky.
"Father, be careful!" Sima Lang exclaimed in alarm.
The Sima sons rose to their feet and dodged the arrows, then picked up arrows to block the volley of fiery projectiles.
Sima Fang had been extremely strict in educating his sons. All eight of his sons were known to the world as the "Eight Virtues of Sima." The six arts of a gentleman were naturally within their grasp. While their martial skills might vary, none of them were incapable of fighting.
The countless arrows failed to kill them!
However...
After dodging the fiery arrows, "assassins" appeared at both ends of the Eternal Alley and atop the palace walls. They threw torches and dry firewood down, and the flaming arrows rained down. The oil that had been spread on both sides of the alley immediately ignited, turning the entire Eternal Alley into a sea of fire!
At the same time...
From atop the towering palace walls, a stern voice called out at the opportune moment.
"The Sima clan has trespassed into the imperial palace, attempting to assassinate His Majesty. Guards, seize the assassins!"
As the words were spoken, countless torches were lit on the palace walls, and beneath the torches stood countless armored soldiers with bows drawn!
"It's... it's the Jin Wu Guard!"
Sima Fang shouted!
Currently, the Han dynasty had conceded to the Great Wei, maintaining a delicate balance. The troops guarding the imperial palace were not Wei soldiers, but the Imperial Guards led by the Jin Wu Guard, one of the Nine Ministers.
This meant that luring them into the imperial palace, and then... and then eliminating the Sima family of Henei under the guise of "assassins" was the work of the newly appointed Jin Wu Guard – Ma Teng!
"Father, don't just stand there! Run!"
Seeing the flames about to engulf them, Sima Lang pulled the still-reflecting Sima Fang and led his brothers back... The third son, Sima Fu, hastily patted the flames off his father's clothes.
Ma Teng stood atop the city wall.
His voice was icy. "Shoot, shoot! Shoot them to death!"
One!
Two!
Three!
Three of the Sima sons had already been hit by arrows. They struggled to get up, and under the raging fire... the suffocating heat and thick smoke instantly enveloped them.
"My sons..."
Sima Fang and Sima Lang wanted to save them, but they... simply had no time.
"Father, hurry... the palace gate is just ahead!"
Sima Lang reminded him... But as they truly reached a safe area, they discovered that the palace gate they had come through had been locked...
And behind them, the scorching beacon fires were already in pursuit!
"Ram the gate!"
Sima Lang immediately ordered his remaining few brothers.
"Bang, bang..."
They rammed the palace gate with their bodies, making continuous sounds, but... this was like a tickle to the palace gate.
Ma Teng arrived at the top of the palace gate with his archers. The archers were about to shoot, but Ma Teng waved them to stop...
And with that pause, Sima Fang, amidst the flames, met his gaze.
Sima Fang shouted with all his might, "Ma Shoucheng... my Sima family of Henei has no enmity with your Ma clan of Fufeng and Maoling! Your grandfather, the great scholar Ma Yuan, was also someone my Sima family admired! Why... why do you harm my household!"
"Why... why do you seek my death!" Sima Fang's voice grew louder and louder. He looked back at his three sons submerged in the sea of fire, his face deeply furrowed, his tone filled with extreme sorrow and heartache.
Finally... with a "pat," Sima Fang knelt before Ma Teng.
"Can you spare our lives?"
"Dad..."
"Dad..."
Seeing Sima Fang about to smash his head against the ground, the Sima sons quickly stopped him. They were the renowned "Eight Virtues of Sima," and they could not let their father kneel and kowtow to an enemy!
Finally...
Ma Teng spoke.
"Stop kneeling, it's useless! No one can save you!"
Sima Fang cried out, "Then leave me, and let my sons go... let them go!"
In the wind, Sima Fang's voice carried infinite tragic grandeur.
*Hoo...*
Ma Teng exhaled, he did not answer, but only shook his head, murmuring to himself...
"I'm sorry, I cannot let you go. You and I are both 'Ma's, the 'Ma' of 'three horses eating from the same trough'! If the Sima of Henei do not perish, my Ma family of Yongliang will be destroyed! I have no choice!"
With this thought...
Ma Teng waved his hand!
*Clang...*
With a loud crash, the gate of the Eternal Alley opened. Sima Fang initially thought Ma Teng had agreed to his request and was letting his sons go.
Who would have thought... over a hundred tall, heavy-armored cavalry with long spears burst ferociously from the Eternal Alley.
The general at the forefront was young, clad in black helmet and black armor. It was Ma Teng's second son, Ma Tie, leading the Xiliang cavalry fearlessly into the Eternal Alley!
Wherever they went, they swept through like a dark current. One rider lifted the fallen Sima Fang by his sword, while the other riders, with swift strokes of their blades, slaughtered these "Eight Virtues of Sima"!
Except for Sima Yi, that night... no one from the Sima family survived!
"Dead?"
"Dead!"
Ma Tie returned to the city tower to report to Ma Teng.
"Alas..." Ma Teng sighed deeply, looking at the corpses in the Eternal Alley. "Set the Eternal Alley ablaze. Leave no evidence!"
"Also... publicly declare that the Sima family trespassed into the imperial palace with weapons, plotting treason. The Jin Wu Guard Ma Teng executed them on the spot!"
"Yes!" Ma Tie also cast a deep gaze down into the Eternal Alley.
For the first time, he felt that this imperial palace in Luoyang... was ten times, a hundred times more dangerous than he had imagined!
The hearts and minds of people here were ten times, a hundred times more complex!
"Report..."
At this moment, an armored soldier arrived outside the door and stood waiting.
"Speak!"
Cao Cao immediately commanded...
From beyond the door frame, the armored soldier shouted, "Sima Fang and his seven sons trespassed into the imperial palace, intending to assassinate His Majesty. The Jin Wu Guard Ma Teng executed them on the spot!"
As these words were spoken...
"It's done!" Cao Cao was quite excited. He suddenly slammed his hands into the water barrel, splashing water everywhere.
Jia Xu, however, appeared quite calm.
One should know that he had been involved in this matter from beginning to end... for example, leaking information to Ma Teng, and what kind of "Ma" this was.
For example, sending someone to feign surrender to Ma Teng and offer him advice...
Otherwise, how could Ma Teng have conceived of such a brilliant scheme!
People say Old Jia is venomous, and venomous he is... this reputation is not undeserved!
Similarly...
Since this plan was devised by Jia Xu, he naturally understood it most thoroughly, knew it best!
"My Lord, calm down... there's still a little bit left!"
His calm voice directly brought Cao Cao back to his senses.
Yes... there was still a little bit left, and one crucial person was missing – Sima Yi!
"How could I forget him!" Cao Cao's mind conjured up the image of this hawk-eyed, wolf-gazing young lord.
"Heh heh..." Jia Xu smiled faintly. "My Lord, rest assured. Guided by this old man, Ma Teng has already set up an ambush on the route Sima Yi must take to return. This second son of the Sima family cannot escape!"
*Hoo...*
Cao Cao exhaled slightly. It seemed everything was proceeding according to plan.
"Hahaha, Wen He, Zi Yu said you are venomous, and indeed your reputation is well-deserved!"
As Cao Cao's words just left his mouth...
"Report..."
Another urgent report arrived.
"What is it? Reporting again?" Cao Cao's expression showed displeasure...
"It's the Marquis of White Horse who sent a woman from the front lines, saying she must be presented to His Highness the King of Wei. The woman asked His Highness the King of Wei if he still remembers Mei'er by the Ying River and in the secret chamber?"
The Hu Ben armored soldier truthfully reported through the door frame...
However, as these words were spoken...
—*Whoosh*...
Cao Cao suddenly stood up from the water barrel. He was immensely excited, his eyes widening, even splashing water everywhere!
"Mei'er, my Mei'er is back!"
He was about to rush out the door...
It was Jia Xu who reacted quickly, "Prime Minister, your clothes... your clothes..."
Jia Xu had heard that during the Battle of Guandu, when Xu You defected, Cao Cao had gone to greet him without even putting on his shoes. But... wearing shoes was one thing, wearing clothes was another.
Although he knew that sooner or later the clothes would be taken off again, he couldn't run around naked in the King of Wei's palace, could he?
"Oh..."
Cao Cao's steps halted. He then remembered, and quickly put on his clothes, not forgetting to say as he turned back, "Wen He, after this matter is settled, I will bestow upon you the title of 'Marquis'!"
Cao Cao was very fond of Jia Xu...
Because Jia Xu was insightful, Jia Xu was someone who followed the "Dao"... he knew when to exert effort and when to be idle!
...
...
By the banks of the Zhang River, Sima Yi spurred his horse onward. Behind him, a hundred horsemen thundered, each carrying a crossbow on their backs and wielding curved sabers... each blow was fatal!
But he could only grit his teeth and whip his horse. He didn't even have time to think who, who exactly... could assassinate a high-ranking official of the Directorate of Education in this northern region!
"Da da da..."
The sound of horse hooves grew more urgent...
Those pursuing Sima Yi were Xiliang knights, their physiques robust, and they were adept at volley fire. Seeing them closing in... they simultaneously drew their bows and shot. Sima Yi only heard the whistling sound of arrows, and with all his might, he leaped off his horse, rolling to the side in an attempt to dodge the feathers. His horse had already been hit by several arrows and knelt down with a whimper.
Seeing the pursuers approaching...
Sima Yi muttered, "Who? Who exactly are you? Do you know... who I am?"
The pursuers paid no heed. They brandished their sabers, about to lop off Sima Yi's head!
Just then.
"Da da da..."
"De de de!"
With a burst of horse hooves and the neighing of horses, a person and a horse broke out from the official road. Along with a cloud of white powder... it obscured the vision of the pursuers.
In a flash, she quickly dismounted, helped the injured Sima Yi onto the horse, and galloped away again...
"Giddy up, giddy up..."
Her horse was fast, but burdened by two people, its speed naturally slowed considerably.
But she seemed to have anticipated this...
"Zhongda? Do you trust me?"
In their desperate situation, the woman's weak panting voice was heard.
"Besides you, I trust no one else!" Sima Yi murmured...
Just then.
"De de de..."
With the neighing of warhorses, the two people and one horse plunged directly into the Zhang River on the side.
The Zhang River flowed rapidly, instantly sweeping away the two people and the horse. The pursuing cavalry stopped and looked downstream, spotting many reefs. To charge down here would be almost certain death!
Everyone thought they had rushed into a dead end and perished in the Zhang River.
The leader of the Xiliang assassins chuckled.
"It's their bad luck that they didn't die by our hands. At least they won't have a complete corpse!"
Seeing the horse Sima Yi had dismounted and knelt upon, which still had a bundle on it, the leader pointed.
"Pick it up and take it back as proof!"
...
...