Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 11 Prologue 11 Each Gets What They Deserve (Part 1)

In the study of the Grand General's mansion, Sima Zhao of the Jin Dynasty sat upright at his desk, next to a thick basket of bamboo slips, all written by his ministers pleading for Shi Chong's life.

Even someone as arrogant as Zhong Hui wrote to Sima Zhao, saying: "Shi Chong is not even twenty years old, has little political experience, and is serving in office for the first time. He is easily deceived and manipulated. Furthermore, he is merely a lone guard protecting the emperor and cannot truly play a significant role. Even without Shi Chong, the same thing would have happened. It would be better to release him and handle the matter discreetly. It is truly unnecessary to create further complications."

Public opinion on this matter was almost unanimously critical of Sima Zhao's lawlessness, while many secretly praised Shi Chong for his loyalty to the country and his perfect balance of loyalty and filial piety, leaving Sima Zhao humiliated and disliked by everyone.

Internally, Shi Chong was the son of Shi Bao, a heavyweight figure in the Sima clan. Shi Bao, unable to repay the Sima clan's kindness, chose to fulfill his loyalty in his father's stead, guarding the emperor alone, his unwavering devotion worthy of historical record.

If you kill him, when you, Sima Zhao, become emperor, will you no longer need loyal ministers? Your subordinates will follow suit and flock to powerful ministers. Aren't you afraid then?
There's no other reason than that you've already killed all the loyal ministers like Shi Chong. Who will dare to be a loyal minister in the future?

This was the prevailing opinion among many of Sima Zhao's confidants: if Shi Chong were killed, they would surely feel a sense of shared loss and unease.

Externally, Sima Zhao's subordinates stabbed the emperor to death in the street, an unprecedented scandal. Some officials in the court had already publicly submitted memorials accusing Sima Zhao of being heartless and insane in plotting to assassinate the emperor in the street, and openly condemning him.

As I said before, Sima Zhao, you're going to change dynasties and become emperor someday. If the emperor can be stabbed to death in the street by a powerful minister, aren't you afraid that future generations will follow suit?

Who plays like that?

Such problems greatly troubled Sima Zhao. He resented Shi Chong and others (including Shi Gandang) for their double-dealing and blatant betrayal, and he almost wanted to kill them. But these people couldn't be killed, or at least not arbitrarily without proper legal punishment.

These days, he has been dealing with all sorts of troubles after Cao Mao's death, and he is already exhausted.

To extricate himself from this predicament, Sima Zhao was not without options. Left with no other choice, he resorted to three drastic measures, akin to a warrior cutting off his own arm.

First, he submitted a memorial to the court, requesting the ministers to decide on the successor to the throne. Sima Zhao proposed that Cao Huan, the son of Cao Yu, the Prince of Yan, be made emperor, and that the era name be changed to Jingyuan. This was to imply that he had not killed Cao Mao to usurp the throne, but rather that it was merely an "accident" caused by the misbehavior of his subordinates.

Second, he submitted a memorial to Empress Dowager Guo, requesting that Cao Mao be buried with royal honors, but that the emperor's title not be changed, and that all previous reign titles be changed to "the year of the Duke of Gaogui Township".

Third, in order to reduce the impact of the regicide, Sima Zhao requested the court to revoke the honors of "Duke of Jin" and "Nine Bestowments" that he had declined three times, in order to punish him for his "lax management of his subordinates" which led to Cao Mao's unexpected death.

Frankly speaking, for Sima Zhao, these three moves were like cutting off his own flesh to stop the bleeding—a self-contradictory act that was not only painful but also required him to put on a humble and cautious smiling face.

All the efforts made over the years were abandoned in one fell swoop, and it was no longer possible to replace Cao Wei smoothly and peacefully under the pretext of "virtuous rule" like Cao Pi had done when he usurped the Han throne.

The powerful families of the Celestial Dragons all thought: You just murdered the emperor in the middle of the street in front of everyone, what kind of morals do you have? You should just stay in the General's Mansion!
However, after these three moves were made, they did reduce the criticism of Sima Zhao from both the court and the public. At least, he did not immediately change the dynasty after killing Cao Mao.

With the main conflict eased, ambitious figures like Shi Chong, who were constantly stirring up trouble, became the focus of the ensuing power struggle. Shi Chong's own fate was not important, but he was a crucial indicator of the future political climate! Many wanted to protect him; this was already the mainstream opinion in the court.

As for Shi Gandang, no one cares.

Who would care about a servant of the Shi family? Not killing him on the spot was already a great favor to Shi Bao and Li Yin.

Just as Sima Zhao was reading these letters with a troubled mind, his servant announced that Yang Hu requested an audience!
Yang Hu's family background was quite remarkable. His elder sister, Yang Huiyu, was Sima Shi's principal wife (his second wife). Sima Zhao's mother-in-law was also a member of the Yang clan, making them even more closely related.

Yang Hu himself was very capable and of outstanding virtue.

He is currently at the peak of his political experience and physical energy. While others could ignore requests to see Sima Zhao, he could not refuse Yang Hu's request.

Upon meeting, Sima Zhao noticed that Yang Hu looked worried and haggard.

So he asked in confusion, "Uncle (Yang Hu's courtesy name), have you encountered some trouble?"

Yang Hu nodded and said, "That's right. As a relative by marriage of the Sima family, I feel deeply uneasy about the current situation and can't sleep at night."

Upon hearing this, Sima Zhao's expression darkened, and his smile vanished.

"General, I have come here today only to discuss the matter of Shi Chong, and we will not discuss anything else."

Yang Hu quickly explained.

Sima Zhao's expression softened somewhat. If Yang Hu were to lecture him about why Cao Mao should have been killed, then he could simply ask Yang Hu to leave the study.

It's all old news, not worth listening to.

"Speak, I can't hold back any longer if I want to kill Shi Chong."

Sima Zhao sighed.

He needed to create a "prosperity for those who obey and ruin for those who defy" spectacle within the aristocratic circles by killing Shi Chong.

"General, killing Shi Chong is not difficult, but winning back the hearts of the people is very difficult. Shi Chong listens to the emperor and does whatever the emperor tells him to do; this is merely a matter of loyalty between ruler and subject."

Even if they are guilty, they do not deserve to die.

If we really kill Shi Chong, and then some people rebel in the future, it won't be like Shi Chong, who went to his death. For example, if the Shi family were to cause trouble this time, secretly returning to Huainan and staging another mutiny, wouldn't the Grand General be in an even more embarrassing position?
Since Shi Chong was fulfilling his filial duty, it would be better to commend him properly. Let's not mention anything about accompanying the emperor; just say that Shi Chong was fulfilling his filial duty. Therefore, he is not only without fault, but also meritorious. The court should commend him and separate him from the Duke of Gaogui.

Shi Chong is Shi Chong, and the Duke of Gaogui Township is the Duke of Gaogui Township.

In this way, Shi Bao will be able to stabilize the army in Huainan and prevent them from acting rashly, which is most beneficial to the General.

Yang Hu cautiously offered this advice to Sima Zhao.

Seeing the thoughtful look on the other's face, and his apparent interest, Yang Hu continued, "In this way, Governor Shi will also be grateful for the General's kindness, and the scions of noble families will see the General's magnanimity. 'A hundred-times-forged steel is not as good as silken silk,' this is much better than killing Shi Chong. In the future, if Shi Chong remembers the General's leniency today, wouldn't he be loyal to the Sima family?"

It must be said that Yang Hu was very good at guiding the conversation and persuading his opponent. His words were reasonable and logical, and his points were logically connected, hitting Sima Zhao's concerns exactly.

The Sima clan even stabbed the emperor to death in the street. In addition, Sima Yi and Sima Shi killed each other in a bloodbath, and even dug up the coffins and whipped the corpses.

To outsiders, the Sima clan was already ruthless and cruel enough, infamous among aristocratic families. Even killing Shi Chong was merely adding to their image of cruelty.

What's the point?
Instead, releasing Shi Chong and even promoting him to a higher official position could set an example, emphasize filial piety, and greatly alleviate the anxiety among the Celestial Dragons regarding the Sima family's rule.

Isn't this much more effective than killing someone?
Furthermore, Shi Bao had been managing Huainan for many years, and now that his son had died, guess who he would vent his anger on?
Yang Hu was telling Sima Zhao that there was no need to act impulsively or escalate the matter. By praising Shi Chong for "filial piety," they could turn the tables and take the initiative.

"Why are you pleading for Shi Chong when you are not related to him?"

Sima Zhao asked in confusion, but in fact he had already accepted Yang Hu's suggestion.

"I'm not doing this for Shi Chong, but only for the Sima family. After all, my elder sister is already married into the Sima family, and she is my closest relative."

"I have my own ulterior motives for coming to see the General today."

Yang Hu spoke the truth.

"Sigh, then let's do it your way."

You petition the court to pardon Shi Chong, and I will then promote him to a higher official rank and send him to a remote post. That will settle the matter.

You are responsible for screening and vetting all the prisoners entering the prison, to prevent Jia Chong from using this opportunity to settle personal scores.

Sima Zhao smiled and nodded.

He was quite shrewd; he pardoned Shi Bao's son and then appointed Shi Bao as the Commandant of the Capital Region. This both won over the hearts of the people and made his image shine—a double win. With this favor, Shi Bao would remain his confidant and wouldn't rebel in the future.

"By the way, General, could you hand over the servant of Shi Chong to me for disposal?"

Yang Hu made his request.

"That man, I heard he offended Jia Chong and even spoke rudely to this general. But since you want him, he can be spared the death penalty, but he will not escape punishment. Give him a hundred lashes as a warning to others, and then lock him up for three months to curb his arrogance."

Sima Zhao waved his hand impatiently. Most of the adopted sons were practically servants, registered as "retainers," which was a rank lower than commoners, only slightly better than slaves.

Sima Zhao couldn't be bothered with such a person, because he was just following Shi Chong's orders; he was nothing more than a dog.

If Jia Chong hadn't insisted on executing this man in a proper and just manner, Sima Zhao would have preferred him to die at the hands of the jailers in the inner palace.

However, since Yang Hu wants people, let's just do him a favor and send them over; it's not a big deal.

Sometimes, the gods forgive ants not because they are merciful, but because they simply don't care!

After leaving the General's Mansion, Yang Hu went directly to Li Yin's house. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the pure and beautiful young lady of the Li family greeting him.

"Master Yang, has that matter been settled?"

Li Wan hurriedly stepped forward to ask, feigning composure on her face, but inwardly she was burning with anxiety.

"Since it is a marriage bestowed by the Emperor, I, Yang, will naturally do my part to help make it happen, but I will inevitably suffer some hardships."

Yang Hu laughed heartily and then walked into Li Yin's study.

Even if Li Wan hadn't asked him, he would have found a way to get Shi Gandang out, not for any other reason than to fulfill Cao Mao's last wish.

That imperial edict granting the marriage was the last decree issued by Cao Mao. Respect for the dead is paramount, especially for the emperor; even if Yang Hu acted out of a sense of duty, he had to handle the matter properly.

After Li Wan left the room, Yang Hu sat down opposite Li Yin and asked directly, "Lord Li, I have taken care of the matter. Have you taken care of yours?"

"I have arranged for Lord Yang to take up a position in the Bureau of Secret Arts, in charge of illustrated books and records, which is a very leisurely job. As for Lord Yang's desire to be transferred to another post, I think it is not advisable for the time being."

The general, in order to seize power, will surely launch an attack on either Shu or Wu after making thorough preparations. You should be patient for now; an opportunity will surely come in a few years.

Li will immediately suggest to the general that you be demoted to the position of Director of the Bureau of Secret Arts, so as to prevent you from attracting jealousy and becoming too prominent.

"When the time is right, Lord Yang will make a decision."

Li Yin nodded slightly and said.

He was a blind spot among the many advisors in the General's Mansion. He was usually low-key, but his power was extremely important.

Li Yin never accepted gifts from outsiders, and he was content with his simple life. He had no money at home and was unyielding to both soft and hard approaches, which made outsiders think of him as a stubborn and unyielding rock.

But how could someone who can get along in the General's Mansion be a fool?

Li Wan was anxious, her concern clouding her judgment, but Li Yin was not worried at all. He easily got Shi Gandang out with a single move. Being a retainer had its advantages; they were completely ignored by those in power and could be released with a flick of their wrist.

Of course, the more viciously Shi Gandang cursed Sima Zhao that day, the more painful the beatings he received. This was a case of being spared the death penalty but not escaping punishment.

……

Inside the Yeting prison, several cells were specially cleared out for so-called "nobles" to live in.

Not only is it well-ventilated, but someone comes in every day to clean and change the chamber pots.

Although the environment couldn't compare to the bedrooms where scions of noble families lived, it was much better than the treatment of ordinary prisoners.

Now Shi Chong lives in such a cell, with books to read and torches to light at night. Last night, the Shi family even sent in a beautiful courtesan so that Shi Chong could have his "thirst" quenched.

The young woman's alluring moans echoed through the prison cell at night.

But it didn't matter; everyone thought this was the treatment Shi Chong deserved.

Today, all the scions of prominent families take him as a role model. Whenever Shi Chong is mentioned, they all give him a thumbs up and say, "He was both loyal and filial."

Envy and jealousy were palpable.

As for Shi Gandang, nobody cared, and nobody remembered him. At most, he was mentioned briefly as Cao Mao's shrewish attendant when discussing Shi Chong and the emperor's earth-shattering counterattack.

The words Shi Gandang used to scold Sima Zhou and Jia Chong, and the words that boosted morale, such as "His noble spirit remains in the vast void, and his loyal heart shines through the ages" and "The Cao family has nurtured scholars for fifty years, and today is the day to uphold righteousness and die for them," were all popular and widely circulated in the Tianlong people's circle. They were all said by Shi Chong.

The whole affair was transformed into a tragic story of Shi Chong fulfilling his filial duty to his father, Shi Chong planning, Shi Chong participating, Shi Chong performing brilliantly, Shi Chong being fearless of death, and the emperor being stabbed to death by Cheng Ji in order to protect Shi Chong. It was a poignant tale of a scion of a noble family and the emperor appreciating each other and being able to entrust their lives to one another.

The whole thing was done by Shi Chong, and had nothing to do with Shi Gandang. He didn't even have a role in the story, and was only mentioned briefly in the sentence "Shi Chong entered the palace with a servant".

His name naturally wouldn't circulate within the Celestial Dragons' circle; only a very few big shots had a deep impression of him.

To put it bluntly, Shi Chong picked all the peaches that Shi Gandang had grown, leaving not a single one for himself.

Early that morning, Shi Bao arrived at the Yeting prison in a cheerful mood.

He saw Shi Chong sitting on a cushion reading, so he asked the jailer to open the cell door, took the key from the jailer, and went inside.

"Jilun, are you getting used to living in there?"

Shi Bao asked with a smile.

"I'm used to it; I can sit down and read quietly."

Shi Chong raised his head and spoke, then continued reading the bamboo slips in his hands.

“Your adventure this time was truly worthwhile. The General will not only not kill you, but will instead elevate you. Look, the appointment letter for the magistrate of Xiuwu County has already been issued, and today your father has come to take you out of prison.”

Shi Bao patted Shi Chong's shoulder affectionately and said.

After his performance, Shi Chong was thrown into prison by Sima Zhao, seemingly for nothing. In reality, however, he was using this blatant humiliation of Sima Zhao to gain hidden political advantages for himself.

In other words, reputation within the Celestial Dragons' circle!

In this world where everyone is just trying to please others, being good at getting things done is useless; you also need a great reputation.

The greater one's reputation, the higher the official position one can hold!

Reputation is the upper limit of a person's career, while ability is the lower limit.

After all this commotion, Shi Chong had elevated his reputation to a level that was previously unimaginable.

What's lacking is simply a record of achievements in local governance.

Once he has distinguished himself in a post outside the capital and returned to Luoyang to report on his duties, he can then boast about his achievements to further enhance his reputation, because he will have something to brag about!

Shi Bao was quite certain that it wouldn't be surprising if Shi Chong became one of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers in the future!

“Father, this time it was thanks to Shi Gandang’s efforts that I was able to bring him along as an advisor when I went to Xiuwu County to take up my post.”

Shi Chong placed the bamboo slips on the ground and looked at Shi Bao, making a request.

"This... I'm afraid it's a bit difficult."

Shi Bao immediately looked troubled.

(End of this chapter)