Luoyang, the northern palace.
Cao Rui stood with his hands behind his back at the side of the study room, his brow slightly furrowed as he looked at the grand map of the Great Wei hanging on the wooden screen.
Since the end of the seventh year of Huang Chu, the emperor's study began to hang a map of the empire, and year after year, the map has been replaced three times:
In the upper right corner of Liaodong, the four prefectures and counties originally painted in ochre yellow have been marked with the scarlet flag symbolizing the Great Wei, with 'Yingzhou' inscribed in square Han seal script. Also on the left side above are the Hanzhong region and below to the right is the Lujiang Prefecture along the Yangtze River, both now matching in color to those in the north.
On such a vast map, only the gray representing the Shu Kingdom in the lower left and the light blue representing the Wu Kingdom in the lower right stand out obtrusively.
Although from an intuitive perspective on the map, the areas occupied by Wu and Shu countries account for half a wall of land, there is still a certain deceptive nature to it.
However, those with insight in their hearts are very clear. The seemingly vast territory, which is mostly undeveloped mountainous and barbaric areas, has relatively few places where the subjects have settled for a long time compared to the northern regions of Guanzhong, Zhongyuan, Qingxu, Hebei, etc.
"Xiangyang." Cao Rui spoke the two characters to himself, and with a brush dipped in vermilion ink, he circled an area on the map.
Liu Ye, the right chief of the Zhongshu, stood in front of his seat and introduced to the assembled senior officials in the study room a military report sent by Ju Shi, an Assistant General of Niucheng. Liu Ye had finished speaking when Cao Rui also just threw the brush back onto the desktop.
"Just now, the words of Duke Liu were heard by all," said Cao Rui, turning his head to look at the crowd. "I had never thought, before returning to Luoyang, that my first meeting in the study room upon my return would be to discuss with you all how to respond to Sun Quan."
"Before I ask you about the military, I would like to ask another question," said Cao Rui, with a slight smile. "You are all wise and insightful individuals. Who can tell me what Sun Quan is thinking? How could he dare?"
The ministers sitting in the hall, some were deep in thought, some were frowning and tangled, all tried to clear their minds about this question. The emperor's attitude and tone just now was clearly upset. To be honest, after just finishing the battle in Liaodong and learning about this news, how could he hold back his anger?
From the perspective of how ministers interact with the emperor, the current emperor has three excellent qualities:
Firstly, he is generous. There is no need to discuss this. Everyone in the study room has been promoted by the emperor. The Taiyi Dong Zhao and Sima Yi, sitting in front almost symbolize that those who have worked hard will be rewarded.
Secondly, he is open. He never entangles his ministers, and rarely punishes them because of personal likes or dislikes or mere rumors. The people involved in the Fuhua case and the likes of Wang Xiang who were in the crowd clearly do not fall into this category.
And the most important point is sincerity, a word rarely used to describe an emperor, but it fits the current emperor well. If I had to sum it up in one sentence, it would be that his joys and anger are evident on his face.
Who would want to spend their whole day with a riddle-lover? The emperor often blurts out two words, causing the ministers to guess and guess, those who guess right are rewarded, those who guess wrong are demoted or fired, and he shrugs it off completely, like this way can a country be governed well?
As a sovereign, during the critical time of discussing politics, if you have a preference, clearly state it, and if you reject something, make your attitude clear. This can maximize the central communication cost savings and ensure the efficient operation of the decision-making system.
Liu Ye had not yet sat down. Turning towards the emperor, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that Sun Quan is acting out of old habits. As early as the years of Jian'an, when the Great Wei was fighting in Hebei and Guanxi, Sun Quan repeatedly led his army to attack and invade areas such as Hefei, and he was repeatedly defeated by the commanders of the Great Wei. Recently, there has been much rain in the Central Plains, with the I River, Luo River, Yellow River, and Han River all overflowing. Among them, the water level of the Han River was highest and lasted the longest. Sun Quan must be taking advantage of this opportunity to advance towards Xiangyang in order to fully control the south side of the Han River."
Sima Yi also added, "What Duke Liu said is correct. Sun Quan is like this, always seeking to steal attacks. In Hefei against Zhang Wenyuan, in Jiangling against Guan Yunlong, and in Wan City against Your Imperial Majesty, it was all the same."
Cao Rui sighed lightly: "I am not talking about his raid. Wu does not want to surrender to Wei and be the one who separates itself from its enemy. The war is inevitable. But it's a pity that from the first year of Taiping to the fourth year, over several years, there have been many letters exchanged between us. These things seem superfluous now, more like a joke without any hint at all."
Dong Zhao sat back confidently in his chair, with an air of composure. Since becoming the Taiwei, his demeanor and presence had changed somewhat; not only did he fill the entire chair, but he also leaned back against the chair with great relaxation. Having reached the rank of a tri부 (three ministers), his advanced age and noble character naturally did not require him to be so meticulous.
"Your Majesty," Dong Zhao slightly bowed his hand: "I have some other thoughts."
Cao Rui looked up: "Speak."
"Your Majesty," Dong Zhao said as he stood up, "Just now, both the Marquis and the Duke of the Secretariat spoke based on Sun Quan's habits, but what if we consider it from a timing perspective? The Wu army, if they set out from Wuchang to Xiangyang, sailing upstream, taking into account the conquest of the counties and prefectures along the way, even at a slow pace, it would take seven or eight days to arrive."
"During the flood, it would be difficult for Xiangyang and Biancheng to support the downstream counties. They should prioritize self-defense," said Dong Zhao.
Before Dong Zhao finished speaking, Cao Rui took the initiative to pick up the conversation: "Dongzi's words are spot on! The Wu troops arrived at Xiangyang and Biancheng at 10 a.m., which means they must have begun their military campaign by September 9th at the latest. And according to Ju Shi's military report, based on the number of warships the Wu troops had, there were at least thirty thousand or more. Sun Quan could not have sent only the central troops near Wuchang. There must be other Wu forces from other places."
"That means Sun Quan must have been planning to mobilize troops as soon as the Han River flooding began!"
Dong Zhao nodded and said, "Your Majesty is wise. However, once the Wu army has moved out, I think it's possible that the troops from the Western Shu may also move out at the same time. This year, Zhuge Liang did not launch any attacks."
Sima Yi squinted his eyes and pondered for a moment before softly agreeing: "I support the opinion."
"I also agree."
"We also agree."
The ministers responded in unison.
Cao Rui looked around the hall at the ministers and scornfully laughed, "So it seems that Wu and Shu are planning to launch simultaneous attacks? One towards Xiangyang, another towards Longyou? Sun Quan and Zhuge Liang, these two, in order to compete with me, have truly exerted their utmost efforts."
"What do you think, should I go to Qinzhou or Jingzhou?"
Emperor, are you still going to lead the campaign in person?
Among the ministers, Wei Zhen was the first to furrow his brow. Rising immediately, he said, "I humbly request that Your Majesty remain in Luoyang and watch as our generals win the battle. In previous campaigns against Wu, half of the national army went out to fight, and Your Majesty could not have missed it. During the campaign against Shu, the situation in Guanzhong was urgent and unclear; it was only with Your Majesty's presence that we felt secure."
"But now it's the year of Taihe, and both Youjing and Yongjin are stable. The country has no worries in the rear, so why should Your Majesty personally travel? Moreover, if we need to deal with two fronts, Your Majesty should sit in Luoyang and command the overall situation. No matter whether to go to Longyou or Jingzhou, if there is a problem at the other place, can Your Majesty still rush back like when returning from Youjing as quickly as possible?"
"The hardships that the Emperor endured previously were precisely to avoid the current level of hardship!"
Cao Rui pursed his lips, allowing the flattery to fade away and focusing solely on Wei Zhen's point about fighting on two fronts, which did make some sense.
However, before Cao Rui could open his mouth, Liu Ye added on from the side:
"Your Majesty, what Zhao Sherguan said makes sense. Chen Dusheng is at Shouchun, Zhao Dujian is at Xiangyang, and Xu Yuanzhong just went to Jingzhou. They should be able to arrive in time. One guarding the west, another in Jingzhou, Your Majesty sitting in Luoyang would not be better?"
Cao Rui observed the reactions of the ministers. Dong Zhao did not respond, but it seemed as if Sima Yi wanted to say something.
"What do you, Sima Yi, have to say?"
Sima Yi, bowing slightly, said, "When compared to Jingzhou, Guanzhong has General Da Shengze, Zhang Zhengxi, Guo Zhengshu, and Lu Huqiang, which is more secure. I believe that the priority should be on Jingzhou and that Your Majesty might as well sit in Xuchang!"
Xuchang, Luoyang...
Cao Rui faintly remembered that last year, at this very study room, he and the ministers discussed the importance of Xuchang.
Wu and Shu, Wu has stronger national strength, more troops, and a wider frontline.
Whether it's against Wu or Shu, it is almost an obvious conclusion which side should be given priority.
With his hands behind his back, Cao Rui, facing the crowd, leisurely looked at everyone and said, "What Sima Yi said makes sense. With Xuchang, we can control both Jingzhou and Yangzhong at the same time. Therefore, Xuchang is better."
"My words of all ministers have been listened to. I will personally move to Xuchang to control the overall situation. Is there any objection from all of you?"
"Your Majesty, you have the discernment," said Sima Yi, seeing that his strategy had been recognized. He immediately stood up and bowed.
"Xuchang is also a regular capital, and it is definitely better than personally leading the campaign. Wei Zhen, who earlier advised against personally leading the campaign, also spoke in agreement."
Dong Zhao, Liu Ye, Wang Guan, Pei Qian, and others also expressed their agreement.
Cao Rui nodded: "Very well, according to the arrangement at the end of last year, the Secretariat and the Ministry of Ceremonies will all follow me to Xuchang."
Just as the words were spoken, Cao Rui took a few steps forward to stand in front of Dong Zhao: "Dongzi is elderly. This time, I will have Dongzi stay in Luoyang for me. In charge of all affairs within and outside the capital city, in command of nine ministers, with the title of Principal Magistrate, how about that?"
Not only was Dong Zhao surprised, but the other ministers in the study room were also rather taken aback. In the past, this task had always been led by Wei Zhen. If Dong Zhao is staying in Luoyang, then what about Wei Zhen?
Dong Zhao couldn't help but say, "Thank you for Your Majesty's consideration. Although I am old, I can still watch over matters in Luoyang for You. But what about Wei Zhen if I am in Luoyang?"
Cao Rui nodded slightly and then turned to look at Wei Zhen again: "Master Wei, would you be so kind as to accompany me on a trip to Guanzhong? Although General Da Shengze and Zhan Zhengxi have many excellent generals in the west, I am not particularly worried about military affairs. However, logistics is a tough issue, and without a senior minister going there, I feel uneasy."
"Am I to go to Chencang?" Wei Zhen's eyes widened slightly, feeling a sense of surprise. Having been stationed behind the emperor multiple times, he had grown accustomed to being based in Luoyang. This new assignment felt somewhat unaccustomed.
Intuitively, Cao Rui believed that someone should be stationed in Guanzhong. It's not that the Duke of Zhou, Dou Xi, was inadequate, nor was the ability of Tan Zhengxing, who served as the inspector of grain transport insufficient. It was simply to add an extra layer of insurance to Guanzhong affairs from a higher level.
This candidate needs the approval of Cao Zhen and the ministers, and it would be best if they were not overly assertive to avoid any conflict with Cao Zhen. After much thought, it really seems that Wei Zhen is the most suitable person for the job.
"Yes, Master Wei, please go to Chencang," Cao Rui nodded firmly and said, "Dou Xi serves as the General's Strategist in Chencang. I can't just dismiss him. What position does Master Wei need for this trip?"
Wei Zhen pondered for a moment and then shook his head, "As a national minister, I will be overseeing grain supplies as the Right Assistant Minister of Ceremonies. There's no need for any additional title."
While Cao Rui was thinking, Dong Zhao whispered, "Why not add the title of Guardian of the Western Regions to Master Wei? The Guardian title is not often used, and with this military and official title, along with a command to command all governors, he can be summoned by any state governor."
Cao Rui almost felt a bright light in his vision. He immediately nodded and said, "Dongzi's advice is spot on." (This chapter ends)
