As the brief exclamation passed, both the scholars and the officials present at the scene looked up from their seats with eyes glued to the map.
Mountains, rivers, counties, and city walls are now all within their sight, fully visible.
"Respectful silence!" Gao Tao walked forward with a stern face and loudly maintained order within the hall. As his voice fell, the noise in the hall immediately subsided, leaving only the sound of breathing.
"What is the great trend of the world?" Cao Rui, with a serious face, spoke in a loud voice: "Today I want to talk with you about the fact that the great trend of the world actually only has four characters."
"The Mandate of Heaven is with Wei."
Cao Rui emphasized each word heavily, the resounding voice echoing slightly, stirring the hearts of the scholars in attendance. The scholars also turned to look at the emperor standing on the stage.
After a few moments, Cao Rui's face broke into a smile.
"I know, the Great Wei has not unified the rivers and mountains as of now," Cao Rui raised his right hand, with his index finger pointing towards the map, "In the southeast there is Wu, and in the southwest there is Shu. Together, Wu and Shu occupy four states of land. If Liu Chan in Chengdu or Sun Quan in Wu Chang were to give lessons like I do."
"They would also say something like 'the Mandate of Heaven is with Wu' or 'the Mandate of Heaven is with Han,'" Cao Rui replied, smiling.
With a smile on his face, Cao Rui spoke these two sentences with a touch of humor, which also lightened the atmosphere inside the Jixian Hall.
Cao Rui could still see the faces of the students in the first three rows sitting. Some were smirking, almost laughing, others had wide eyes fixed on him, and still others were furrowing their brows in thought.
Sima Shi glanced at Xiahou Yuan to the side, who was kneeling on the mat yet stood as tall and straight as a jade tree, his face serious with clear angles. Further away, Jiang Wei had his brows furrowed in deep thought.
"Heaven's Mandate is with Wei..." As the eldest son of Sima Yi, Sima Shishi was somewhat disdainful of these four words.
If other young lords from the public or high-ranking officials' families, perhaps they still have deep reverence for the imperial power in their bones. But Sima Shishi was different. Whether it was the affairs of the Jian'an years or the small and large events of the Huangchu years, Sima Yi had thoroughly explained them to his son in detail in his study.
What Mandate of Heaven? If it were not for my father assisting the former emperor to eliminate traitors and win the hearts of people, how could the former emperor have become the King of Wei and then achieve the imperial cause? I have also heard the saying, 'I know about the matters of Yao and Shun!'
Those who are close to the imperial power naturally have less reverence for it.
Cao Rui looked around and slowly said, "The first question I want to ask you is: why Wu and Shu can occupy a part of the land, which has led to the Great Wei not being able to stabilize for over a decade?"
"Because we can't beat them!" This was the first answer that popped into Sima Shi's mind, but of course, it was something he couldn't say aloud.
However... why can't we beat them? The answer to this question is likely to be more complicated and difficult to summarize. Sima Shi is still at a loss for words.
The scholars all looked thoughtful, and after a few moments, several students from Taixue raised their hands to indicate that they wanted to answer.
Cao Rui shifted his gaze: "Bo Niao, you speak up."
"In compliance with the command," Jiang Wei stood up and slowly bowed.
"Your Majesty, I hail from the Mangshan, Xiaocheng Prefecture, and Xicheng was once part of the old Liang state. Although I have never joined the army, many members of my clan have served under Emperor Wu in campaigns to conquer Hanzhong. Therefore, I have given some thought to this matter."
"Speak on," Cao Rui gestured with his hand.
Jiang Wei bowed his hands and said: "I believe the reason for Wu and Shu occupying a separate region is actually 'mountains and rivers divide the land, geography imposes control.'"
The majority of the students in the first three rows turned to look at Jiang Wei. Xiahou Yuan frowned, lost in thought, while Sima Shi was curious about how Jiang Wei would interpret the situation.
Cao Rui, standing on the platform, remained silent, listening intently to what Jiang Wei had to say.
"In the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an, I was nineteen years old, and my father was in charge of transporting supplies for the campaign in Hanzhong for the Han Dynasty. According to what I know, after Emperor Wu marched on Hanzhong from Chang'an, Liu Bei strongly fortified himself in Hanzhong without engaging in battle and repeatedly damaged the food supply routes of the army. As a result, the army withdrew from Hanzhong."
The 24th year of Jian'an was a year that almost determined the blueprint of the world order. Many of the ministers present were personally involved in that great battle.
As for the four chamberlains, Liu Xie was then serving as the military historian during Cao Cao's campaign to conquer Hanzhong, and Xin Pi was the chief historian of the Prime Minister. Both were part of the army. Yang Fu was in charge of logistics as the governor of Wudu, and Chen Jiao was serving as an imperial secretary in Ye City handling administrative affairs.
Liu Xie looked at Jiang Wei and pondered what reasonable explanations the young man would give. The other three chamberlains were also thinking the same thing.
Liu Xie was extremely sensitive to the power structure around the emperor. During the southern expedition, Jiang Wei and Xiahou Yuan served the emperor, but Liu Xie had little communication with Jiang Wei and did not know him well.
Cao Rui nodded: "Bo Niao is correct. I also agree that at the time, Emperor Wu was forced to withdraw from Hanzhong by Liu Bei's strategy of defending strong positions without engaging in battle."
Jiang Wei spoke up loudly: "The real reason for the withdrawal of the Great Wei's army was the lack of resources and food in Mengyang and Liangyang. Moreover, transportation along Qianshan Road and Baoxi Road was difficult. This was the fundamental reason for the withdrawal, not due to military failures."
"There is a vast Qin River between Yongliang and Hanzhong, and the obstacles posed by the mountains and rivers require more manpower, financial resources, and military strength to compensate for."
"And the separation between the Wei in the north and the Eastern Jiang between them is also due to the natural barriers posed by the river, and because of Wei's disadvantage in water battles. The vast river is actually similar to the Qin River."
Therefore, I believe that the reason for Wu and Shu occupying separate regions is that 'mountains and rivers divide the land, geography imposes control'."
Cao Rui lowered his right hand, pressing it downward to indicate for Jiang Wei to sit down.
"Just now, Jiang Wei referred to 'mountains and rivers divide the land, geography imposes control.' What do you all think is correct or not?" Cao Rui said, looking around: "Is there any different opinion?"
Now more people raised their hands, some of them starting the trend by giving examples, and others following suit with more courage.
"Taichu!" Cao Rui pointed towards Xiahou Yuan.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiahou Yuan stood up and respectfully bowed, then continued: "I believe what Jiang Wei just said is somewhat correct, but it is not the primary reason for Wu and Shu's occupation of separate regions."
Cao Rui smiled: "Then tell me, what is the real reason?"
"The Eastern Wu and Western Shu occupy separate regions, fundamentally because the central plains are in ruins, while the Shu region and south of the great river have suffered very little."
"Starting from the time of Huanling and Ling, various provinces and counties in the central plain suffered from disasters, famines, and unrest. First, it was the Yellow Turban Rebellion, followed by the domination of warlords. Emperor Wu spent decades campaigning throughout the land. Compared to Shu in the south and Jiang Dong, the central plain was no longer an overwhelming advantage in terms of manpower and material resources."
"White bones lie exposed in the fields, with no roosters crowing for miles. Of every hundred people, only one survives. These thoughts break the heart." Xiahou Yuan recited these two lines with a solemn tone, and then continued slowly: "Since the turmoil, whether it be Liu Bei in Shu or Sun Quan in Wu, they have been able to accumulate considerable strength to oppose the central plains."
"Your Majesty," Xiahou Yuan bowed and said, "This is what I believe."
After Xiahou Yuan finished speaking, the students in the audience fell into deep thought.
Jiang Wei and Xiahou Yuan, from different perspectives of geography and national power, respectively, complementarily explained the reasons for Wu and Shu to occupy separate regions.
Liu Xie and Xin Pi exchanged glances, quickly conveying their opinions through eye contact. They had worked together for many years, so this mutual understanding was quite natural. In the eyes of these emperor's confidants, their views were hardly surprising and merely recycled old cliches.
Liu Xie and Xin Pi are of what rank and experience? Although they do not think much of it, in the eyes of the students present, this overarching perspective is indeed awe-inspiring.
Cao Rui nodded in approval while standing on the platform.
"Students, what Jiang Wei and Xiahou Yuan have just said explains the basis for Wu and Shu's current occupation of separate regions from two different perspectives, but it does not explain the fundamental reason for their separation."
Jiang Wei and Xiahou Yuan believed that what they had said just now was thoughtfully considered. But what did the emperor mean when he said that their words only explained the current situation but not the cause?
Jiang Wei and Xiahou Yuan also began to contemplate.
However, from Sima Shi's perspective, what is wrong with what Jiang Wei and Xiahou Yuan have said? How will the emperor explain it?
The ordinary students of the Taixue, without the military experience of Jiang Wei and Xiahou Yuan or the scholarly background of Sima Shi, felt bewildered at this moment. The amount of information was too overwhelming, and it would take some time to digest.
Cao Rui turned to look at Liu Xie and said, "Liu, during this southern campaign, I entrusted you with talks with Huang Quan and Lu Xun. Are you capable of retaining everything? You can share some of it with today's students."
Liu Xie moved forward, bowed his hands, and spoke slowly: "Are you asking about the Long Zhong Objectives and the Cotbed Strategy?"
"That is right," Cao Rui nodded in response.
"In compliance," Liu Xie began to explain in a clear and concise manner to the students present.
Restricted by the low efficiency of information transmission in this era, it is impossible for ordinary people to know the strategic plans of high-ranking officials from enemy states. Huang Quan, a former high-ranking official of Shu Han, and Lu Xun, a former high-ranking official of Eastern Wu, are both aware of these two matters.
Huang Quan and Lu Xun were not required to speak either. But since the emperor had long 'known' about Zhuge Liang's Long Zhong Strategy and Lu Su's Cotbed Strategy, what could they do? Since the emperor asked, how could they not answer?
Liu Xie not only has outstanding wisdom, but also exceptional oratory skills.
"In the fifth year of the Jian'an era, after Lu Su was recommended to Sun Quan by Zhou Yu, he secretly plotted with Sun Quan while drinking on a bed..."
"Therefore, Lu Su's advice to Sun Quan was one: 'To establish a stronghold in the Eastern Jiangdong to observe the troubles in the rest of the world,' and two: 'To handle northern matters, invade Liu Bei and reach the extreme of the Yangtze River, establishing a kingdom to conquer the whole world.'"
After Liu Xie finished explaining the Cotbed Strategy, he looked at the emperor. Cao Rui nodded and gestured for Liu Xie to continue.
"And in the twelfth year of the Jian'an era, Xu Yu recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei, who was then stationed in Xinye. The 'Long Zhong Strategy' was the proposal that Zhuge Liang made to Liu Bei at that time..."
"In summary, Zhuge Liang proposed that when there are changes in the world, it would be necessary to retreat from Jingzhou to the North of Yanluo and from Yizhou to the North of Yongliang, in order to recover the central plain and revive the Han Dynasty."
After Liu Xie finished explaining the "Cotbed Strategy" and the "Long Zhong Strategy," he stood upright, with a serious expression, and said, "However, subsequent events are well known. Liu Bei's ally Guan Yu suffered a defeat in Yanluo to the north, and Sun Quan also failed to fully control Jingchu."
(Chapter ends)
