North Palace, East Pavilion interior.
In the East Pavilion, it was not only Sima Yi present, but also Wei Zheng who was there.
Therefore, Sima Ji also found it inappropriate to discuss private matters, and instead dealt with official business, summarizing the important points that the emperor had entrusted to him in the study just now and conveying them to Sima Yi.
Sima Yi asked, "Your Majesty is giving Sun Quan a jade plate? Have you confirmed this?"
"It is a jade plate," Sima Ji replied. "I saw it clearly just now, so there should be no mistake."
Sima Yi stroked his beard and said, "According to the Rites of Zhou, one offers a gu to send someone, asks a scholar with a jade plate, summons someone with a yuan, and excludes someone with a gu. To reverse the exclusion, one uses a ring."
"Your Majesty is giving Sun Quan a jade plate for visiting neighboring countries, rather than the jade square that is used by feudal lords to pay homage to the emperor. This probably indicates that Your Majesty does not want to pressure Sun Quan too much. If Sun Quan shows a more conciliatory attitude on the surface, your goal in this trip should be achieved."
Sima Ji nodded, "Master Si said that. What advice do you have for me?"
Sima Yi glanced at Wei Zheng, who was still handling official business next to him, and slowly said, "For a state mission, the most important thing is not to lose one's composure."
"Zi Hua, the dignity and composure of Great Wei are more important than your life!"
Sima Ji bowed with his hands, then took his leave.
Sima Yi watched as Wei Zheng walked away, knowing that he had probably understood what had been said.
If the most important thing is composure, then is it okay to put other things aside?
From his elder brother's instructions, Sima Ji heard only four words: "Return alive."
In the afternoon.
When Cao Rui was about to go to practice sword skills, the palace guard reported that Cao Shuang had requested an audience.
Cao Rui nodded and said, "Since it's convenient at this time, let's have Zhao Bo accompany me to practice the sword!"
After the palace official received the order, he immediately went out to inform Cao Shuang of this.
Cao Shuang waited outside and watched the emperor wearing the strength-booster attire, bowing respectfully and saying, "The subject is about to leave Luoyang, so I have come here to bid farewell to Your Majesty."
Cao Rui smiled and said, "Leave Luoyang? Where is the Marshal sending you, to the commandant of the defense against the Wanyan, Tian Yu?"
"Exactly so," Cao Shuang replied: "The Marshal has sent me to the commandant of the defense in Daijiang, where I will serve as a senior officer in his army."
"Senior officer is fine too," Cao Rui glanced at Cao Shuang's slightly heavier build: "Tian Yu has always been cautious, so you're unlikely to encounter any danger under his command."
"Come, I want to test your swordsmanship now."
Cao Shuang replied, "Then I shall be unworthy if I decline."
Shortly after, they arrived at the training ground.
Cao Rui and Cao Shuang practiced with wooden swords, engaging in numerous rounds. After dozens of exchanges, Cao Rui managed to hit Cao Shuang's shoulder, arm, chest, and abdomen several times.
"Let's practice until this point," Cao Rui said, throwing the wooden sword to a palace official and scolding Cao Shuang with a hint of criticism: "Zhao Bo's swordsmanship has some foundation, but he should still practice more."
"How is that, are you afraid to strike at me?"
Cao Shuang smiled awkwardly and said, "To be honest, I am a bit hesitant to draw my sword. Even though it's a wooden sword, how could I dare let it touch Your Majesty's body?"
Cao Rui nodded and began to return with Cao Shuang and the others.
"I told you, Daijiang is a frontier area, with customs and people greatly different from those of the central provinces."
Cao Rui looked at Cao Shuang, "Are you familiar with the ethnic minorities and enemy situations near Daijiang?"
Cao Shuang answered very directly, "The subject has learned about them in general."
"Oh really?" Cao Rui laughed and said, "Then come and tell me about them."
Cao Shuang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, may I start by talking about Commandant Tian Yu's duties?"
Cao Rui nodded.
Cao Shuang said, "Commandant Tian Yu, the commander of the defense against the Wanyan, has a garrison of two thousand troops stationed in Daijiang. His duties include managing and pacifying the various Wanyan tribes north of Daijiang, as well as monitoring the movements of the Xianbei tribes."
Cao Rui said, "Do you know the situation with the Wanyan and Xianbei?"
"In general, I have some knowledge of them. The Marshal has told me about some of them," Cao Shuang replied: "After the Uighur and Xianbei rebellion in 223, the Uighur who originally lived in Liangxi and Youping have been mostly relocated to Yuyang, Shanggu, and Daijiang."
"The Wanyan in the three regions now obey the court's mobilization, and are currently fighting against the Xianbei with the court."
Cao Rui asked, "What about the Xianbei leaders?"
Cao Shuang replied, "Your Majesty, according to what I know, the Xianbei are currently led by Ko Bidayu, who is trying to conquer both the eastern, middle, and western Xianbei tribes."
"The court is currently using the Bu Tu Rong tribe residing in Yanmen, and the Su Li tribe in Daijiang and Shanggu, to exert control over Ko Bidayu."
Cao Rui nodded: "The grasslands are vast, and the court has to defend against Wu and Shu in the east and west. There is no time to pay much attention to the north, so we can only rely on capable officials like Qian Zhao, Tian Yu, and Liang Xi to temporarily stabilize the situation."
"I have reviewed the records of various armies in Hebei over the years. Qian Zhao, Tian Yu, and Liang Xi were almost always sent into battle every year during the Huang Chu period, and the fundamental reason for this was Ko Bidayu."
"Ko Bidayu's conquest of the various tribes, combined with another ten years or so, could see him achieve his goals." Cao Rui sighed lightly: "It's possible that there will be another Tuyi Haji emerging on the grasslands."
After saying this, Cao Rui couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. Ko Bidayu is over fifty years old this year, right? With the wind and sun beating down on the grasslands, aren't there few enough warrior heroes who die suddenly? Can he really have another ten years to achieve a feat like that of Tansi Huai?
Tansi Huai was a leader of the Xianbei in the Former Han, who died during the Guanghe era. During Tansi Huai's unification of the Xianbei, he raided the Han empire to the south, resisted the Dongling to the north, repelled the Funiu to the east, and advanced against the Uighur to the west. He completely occupied Xiongnu territory and was an unprecedented king of the Xianbei people.
Cao Rui asked Cao Shuang, "How should we deal with the Xianbei in the north? Do you have any strategy?"
Upon hearing the emperor's words, Cao Shuang replied seriously, "I believe that the approach of the current Commandant for Defense against the Wanyan, Tian Yu, is a model that can be followed for generations."
"Oh?" As they were almost at the study, Cao Rui smiled and asked, "What is Tian Yu's approach like?"
Cao Shuang said, "Your Majesty, the subject has reviewed the report from Commandant Tian Yu."
Commandant Tian believes that with many tribes scattered across the grasslands, killing them will not solve the problem as they cannot be exterminated permanently, and Han people cannot live on the grasslands for a long time.
"Instead, we should aim to lure them. Support those who submit to or are relatively weaker than the major tribes, such as Ko Bidayu. In contrast to powerful tribes like him."
"And we can establish a mutual market for horses, which will make it difficult for the various Xianbei tribes to cause trouble."
Cao Rui nodded: "Under the Han dynasty, facing the Qiang people in Liangzhou and the Xianbei and Wanyan tribes in Youbei, they spent an unknown amount of military expenditure, but still had to fight year after year."
"What Tian Yu said is correct," Cao Rui told Cao Shuang: "Zhao Bo, while we need to lure the weak and counter the strong, we still need to be brave enough to use military force when necessary."
"Ughan, Xianbei, and Xiongnu are all of a kind of temperament."
"No matter how much benevolence the court shows to them, they will still rebel when they should. When it's time to fight, we must fight; when it's time to punish, we must punish."
"Such as this, these tribes will be obedient to the court."
Cao Shuang bowed and replied: "Your Majesty's words, I will remember them."
"Um," Cao Rui asked, "Zhao Bo, when is the Marshal ordering you to depart?"
Cao Shuang said, "Your Majesty, the Marshal has ordered me to depart for the north tomorrow. What more advice does Your Majesty have for the subject?"
Cao Rui thought for a moment and patted Cao Shuang's thick shoulder: "Once you arrive in Daijiang, observe, ask, learn and speak less!"
"The frontier is different from the interior. Traditionally, the generals of the Cao and Xiahou clans have been directly promoted, almost all starting from above the level of Doubo. You are the first to serve as a senior officer."
"Every three months, send me a letter. Do you understand?"
Cao Shuang executed a respectful bow: "The subject understands."
......
At this time, in the town of Shangyong in Jingzhou.
Deng Xian rushed in from outside, holding a letter and exclaiming, "Uncle, Zhu Geliang has sent another messenger with a letter?"
Meng Da furrowed his brow: "Why another letter? Is the messenger outside?"
"Exactly so," Deng Xian said: "The messenger from Zhu Geliang wants to see the uncle."
Meng Da looked at Deng Xian for a moment: "What's the rush? I haven't even read the letter yet. We'll talk about it later."
After saying that, Meng Da calmly took the letter, walked leisurely to the center, and carefully unfolded the letter.
After carefully reading it a few times, Meng Da snorted with laughter: "Zhu Geliang is still just good at talking! No matter how many times he talks, there's no mention of any rewards. He just keeps fooling me."
"However..." Meng Da's eyebrows slowly furrowed again: "Zhu Geliang clearly states in the letter that he is heading to Hanzhong?"
Deng Xian nodded in agreement: "The messenger did indeed say that he was coming from the direction of Hanzhong."
Hanzhong, Hanzhong.
Meng Da suddenly remembered that when Liu Bei was still alive, he sent Liu Feng to take over Meng Da's troops in Shangyong by following the Han River from Hanzhong and flowing downstream.
For seven years after Liu Bei was crowned King of Hanzhong and returned to Chengdu, there were no wars between Wei and Shu.
At this time, Meng Da naturally did not think that Zhu Geliang was coming to attack the North from the Wei-controlled lands, but rather that he was coming to attack himself.
Meng Da stood up from his seat and began to pace up and down in the hall, walking in a continuous circle without stopping.
Deng Xian watched anxiously beside him, "Uncle, what's wrong with you? What are you worried about?"
After standing still, Meng Da looked at Deng Xian and asked, "What do you think, if Zhu Geliang comes to Hanzhong, will he be coming to attack me?"
"If I follow Zhu Geliang, everything will be fine. If I don't follow him, will Zhu Geliang attack by following the Han River?"
Deng Xian was also at a loss for what to think at this point.
Meng Da thought for a moment, "Zhu Geliang's previous letters all said that everything was fine. Why does he suddenly want to attack?"
Deng Xian, almost instinctively, said: "Uncle, it might be better to seek help from the court and say that Zhu Geliang is coming to attack the eastern three districts?"
After a moment of silence, Meng Da nodded heavily, "That's a good idea. Let's do that! I'll write an edict to the emperor now, asking for the court to send troops to support me."
Deng Xian interjected, "But, what about the messenger from Zhu Geliang? He's still waiting outside."
Meng Da snorted coldly: "Feed and pamper him for a few days, then send him back with gifts, saying that I'm sick and can't see guests!"
Deng Xian took a deep breath, knowing that Meng Da had finally decided to sever ties with Zhu Geliang and agreed solemnly.
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 and check the condition of the ships. Dispatch a few groups to guard the dock around the clock!"
Deng Xian understood that his uncle was preparing for a worst-case scenario. His own life and well-being were intertwined with his uncle's.
Therefore, Deng Xian did not dare to delay and immediately accepted the order to go.
Only Meng Da was left in the hall, starting to write a letter to Luoyang. (This chapter ends)
