Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 13 Prologue 13 Hypocrisy and Cunning
A hundred lashes are just the temporary pain of gritting your teeth; three months in prison is the real mental torture.

After Shi Gandang's injury to his buttocks healed, a period of boredom began. Li Wan, under the pretext of tending to his injury, had visited him daily in the Yeting prison, a practice Yang Hu had readily agreed to. However, Li Wan was later confined by Li Yin and never visited again until his release.

The cell where Shi Gandang lived was fairly clean, but he didn't receive the special treatment reserved for the Celestial Dragons. Forget about beautiful female slaves to relieve his boredom; there were no books during the day, no torches at night, and nothing to do once it got dark—truly a good place to temper one's character.

Three months later, Yang Hu arrived in a hurry early in the morning. When he saw Shi Gandang, he nodded to him very solemnly without saying a word.

Then he opened the cell door, and a middle-aged man with a familiar face strode in behind him. This man was none other than Sima Zhao!

Shi Gandang inwardly groaned. The person he least wanted to see was Sima Zhao. On the day Cao Mao launched his desperate attack, Shi Gandang acted as the emperor's mouthpiece, and he thoroughly enjoyed cursing Sima Zhao.

The more satisfying it was to rant back then, the more terrified it is now.

"Li Wan is a noblewoman from an official family, and she is not a good match for you. So, let's cancel the old marriage agreement. Cao Mao is just the Duke of Gaogui Township, what kind of emperor is he! His bestowed marriage is invalid."

I won't let you suffer any losses. If you're willing to break the contract, I'll have the newly enthroned Emperor Cao Huan bestow a marriage upon you, betrothing my fourth brother Sima Liang's daughter. You'll be released from prison immediately to marry him, and I'll even arrange an official position commensurate with your status. What do you say?"

Sima Zhao suppressed his disgust, forcing a helpless smile onto his face. His muscles were stiff, and his words were insincere.

Even a single piece of paper left behind by Cao Mao was a thorn in Sima Zhao's side.

"General, I follow the Emperor to repay the life-saving grace of Shi Liulang. I have not considered anything else."

Shi Gandang bowed to Sima Zhao and continued to explain, "Trust is the foundation of one's character. One may lose one's head, but one's marriage contract cannot be broken. Even if Sima Liang's daughter is outstanding, even if she could immediately offer me wealth and honor, I would absolutely not consider her."

"If I kill you, the engagement will be null and void. Don't be ungrateful."

Sima Zhao looked at Shi Gandang threateningly, his eyes filled with coldness.

“General, even if you kill me, the marriage contract will still stand. It’s there, whether you kill me or not.”

Shi Gandang met Sima Zhao's gaze without showing any weakness.

“Uncle, go to the yamen later and inform them to change Shi Gandang’s household registration. Since he is such a trustworthy person, let’s just call him Shi Shouxin and change Gandang to his courtesy name. Let’s release him.”

Sima Zhao seemed relieved, as if a great weight had been lifted from his heart, and his face showed no disappointment. To truly allow Sima Liang's daughter to marry Shi Gandang would be a tremendous disgrace to the Sima family!
Being rejected by Shi Gandang is not necessarily a bad thing. It also gives him an explanation to Sima Yan, who has been pleading with him.

"Thank you for your kindness, General."

Shi Gandang, no, Shi Shouxin, bowed deeply to Sima Zhao.

"Yes, follow your uncle and do your job well."

Sima Zhao shook his head and sighed as he left, not even bothering to look back at Shi Shouxin once more.

Yang Hu saw him off from the inner palace, then returned, his face stern, and warned him:
"You should stay here for another month to avoid trouble. The General has finally persuaded the General of the West (Sima Liang) to marry his daughter to you. Now that you have refused, the General of the West will surely be furious and kill you as soon as possible!"
But he was originally stationed in Guanzhong; he's only temporarily residing in Luoyang because of the emperor's funeral. Once he returns to Guanzhong and you've completed your marriage to Lady Li, his anger will likely subside.

Yang Hu patted Shi Shouxin on the shoulder and smiled.

These words made Shi Shouxin break out in a cold sweat!

Sima Zhao, that old coin, clearly knew about this, but deliberately kept quiet!
If it weren't for Yang Hu's advice, he would have been happily released from prison, preparing to marry Bai Qiongmei, when suddenly, in the darkness, an arrow carrying Sima Liang's anger was shot out and killed him.

After the incident, Sima Zhao stepped forward again to act as a good person and investigate the case fairly, giving Sima Liang a warning, and finally went along with it to persuade Li Yin to let Li Wan become Sima Yan's concubine.

Kill three birds with one stone!
Of course, if Sima Liang sent assassins to the inner palace to kill Shi Shouxin, it wouldn't be as simple as killing a powerless person; it would also be a slap in the face to Yang Hu.

Such things are a major taboo within the Celestial Dragons' circle!
Sima Liang had no reason to pull such a stunt.

Yang Hu took Shi Shouxin out of the prison and had him change into a jailer's uniform to "work" for him in the prison, responsible for guarding the prisoners. Yang Hu was meticulous and very tactful in his dealings with people, so he couldn't treat Shi Shouxin as a prisoner when he was here to avoid trouble; that would be too impolite.

At noon, Yang Hu invited Shi Shouxin to lunch in the signing room to welcome him back. The table was covered with game, which Yang Hu had hunted outside the city the day before.

The two men drank some turbid wine and chatted idly.

After several rounds of drinks, Yang Hu suddenly asked, "Li is as beautiful as a flower. Could it be that you are so captivated by her beauty that you are holding on to her so tightly?"

"No, it's just that I, Shi, have experienced many injustices and hardships, and that's why I feel that talent and appearance are all illusions, and only the word 'good person' is truly rare."

As the saying goes, "It's easy to draw the skin of a tiger, but hard to draw its bones; you can know a person's face, but not their heart." Even if my wife were ugly, I would still marry her. Her beauty is merely a blessing from heaven, a completely unexpected joy.

Shi Shouxin told 90% of the truth, but the remaining 10% was the basis for his judgment.

Because Li Wan was the woman Sima Yan could never forget, the woman he could never have. Being noticed by Sima Yan was a golden reputation.

In his haste, how could Shi Shouxin possibly know a woman's character? He only knew that to save his life, he had to marry a woman from an official family, or he was doomed!
Being favored by Sima Yan indicates good looks; failing to win him over multiple times suggests good character. In any case, Shi Shouxin was determined to be with Sima Yan; if the other side bet big, he bet big; if the other side bet small, he bet small.

If you don't seize the opportunity while Cao Mao is in power, you're just blind to the truth. If you end up marrying someone like Jia Nanfeng, you can't blame anyone else.

Of course, these words couldn't be said to Yang Hu, much less to Li Wan. Understanding and judging people is a skill in itself, and there's no point in discussing it with others; it's better to keep quiet.

"Yes, if you had just broken off the engagement, I would have regretted taking such good care of you all these days, and regretted not beating you to death when I was giving you the beating."

Yang Hu chuckled and downed the turbid wine in his cup in one gulp.

Often, wise people can discern a person's character from just one or two incidents. It was precisely because Shi Shouxin was a man of his word and kept his promises that he earned Yang Hu's high regard.

Otherwise, why would he train this person as a staff member?
Yang Hu wanted to accomplish great things, so he naturally wanted to recruit loyal, trustworthy, grateful people who would stand by him in crucial moments as his advisors to help him achieve his goals.

Of course, this great undertaking is not about usurping power, but about assisting the monarch in governing the country when in power, and guarding the frontiers when out in power.

Whether it's receiving or giving, you need help; one person can't do anything well.

Therefore, in Yang Hu's view, character is the most important thing, followed by talent and learning, while background is not important.

Yang Hu's own background already places him among the top figures in the Celestial Dragons' circle. He can mentor younger generations in various ways and doesn't need to look for small fry in the Celestial Dragons' circle at all.

"Shi Chong said you are very learned and have keen insight. I wonder what your opinion is on the tripartite division of the world?"

Yang Hu put away his smile and said seriously.

"The Wei Kingdom has already gained the upper hand, the Shu Kingdom is exhausted and struggling to hold on, and the Wu Kingdom is embroiled in internal strife and endless infighting."

First, conquer the Shu Kingdom and seize its territory. Then, build warships on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and sail downstream, first pacifying Jingzhou and Xiangyang, then conquering Huaiyang, and finally, in one fell swoop, march to Jiangdong to destroy Wu.

Shi Shouxin gave a brief and concise introduction.

"Conquer Shu first, then pacify Wu?"

Yang Hu nodded calmly, already having a clear understanding of the situation.

"Yes, this order absolutely cannot be reversed. If we cannot obtain Shu, we will find it difficult to defeat Eastern Wu in naval warfare."

The Great Wei aims to conquer the world, not to slaughter the people of Wu and Shu. If the war to destroy Wu drags on without success, it will result in widespread suffering and mutual destruction.

Shi Shouxin said with emotion.

"No wonder Lord Li wanted to marry his daughter to you, and the General wouldn't budge no matter how much he tried to persuade him. So that's why."

Yang Hu suddenly realized that everyone was not blind these days; in order to strengthen themselves, they all needed to recruit young talents to their side.

Who wouldn't want something good? And who would want their daughter to marry a mediocre man?
Yang Hu had already realized that Shi Shouxin's honesty, integrity, gratitude, and grasp of the world's trends meant that if given the opportunity to hone his skills, his future achievements would certainly be extraordinary.

"The key to unifying the world lies in the Jingxiang region. If we control and govern Jingxiang, then the world will be at peace."

"I am currently only browsing through the classics in the Imperial Household Department, hoping to offer some assistance." Yang Hu sighed deeply, took a sip of wine, and felt an urgent sense of unfulfilled ambition.

He really didn't want to stay in Luoyang. The interpersonal relationships there were extremely complicated, especially since he came from a high-ranking family, was talented, and was related to the Sima family by marriage, which naturally gave him an advantage.

No matter how humble Yang Hu appeared, many people would still be jealous of him and speak ill of him behind his back.

Yang Hu's request to Li Yin was to have him speak to Sima Zhao and have him demoted! This was in exchange for favors from Shi Shouxin.

It wasn't a promotion, but a demotion! This was because Yang Hu felt a lot of hostile stares.

For example, Zhong Hui and Jia Chong both spoke ill of Yang Hu to Sima Zhao.

If he is demoted, that's one thing; but if he is promoted, those people will likely not only talk badly about him behind his back, but may even plot against him.

This terrified Yang Hu.

The position of Secretary-General is similar to that of the Director of the National Library, as Shi Shouxin knows.

Whether he was promoted or relegated to a less important position is obvious at a glance.

Why didn't Sima Zhao send Yang Hu out to a remote area?

Because he wants to usurp the throne!

During a coup, one needs the strong support of one's own people, and Yang Hu was one of them.

"Lord Yang, I humbly believe that in a few years, the General will surely raise an army to attack Shu."

That will be Yang Gong's opportunity. For now, Yang Gong should remain in seclusion and not concern himself with court affairs. He can offer advice and strategies to the court when the time comes to conquer Shu.

Shi Shouxin said in a deep voice.

Yang Hu's eyes lit up, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

"That's right, that's what I think too."

Hehe, I, Yang, have no children, only the offspring of my elder brother who were adopted by me.

If she has an unmarried daughter, she will definitely want you to be her son-in-law.

Li Gong was known in the General's mansion for his simple life, honesty, and self-discipline. Who would have thought that he, too, had his selfish motives when it came to his daughter?

Yang Hu laughed heartily, all the pent-up frustration in his heart vanished!

What people fear most is the unknown; not knowing what the future holds brings anxiety and unease.

This applies to even the strongest, highest-ranking, and most intelligent people.

According to Shi Shouxin, Yang Hu was certain that Sima Zhao would soon plan an attack on Shu. At that time, he would definitely be given the opportunity to be transferred to a post outside the capital and would no longer have to stay in Luoyang and endure all kinds of open and covert attacks.

I hope life will be much more comfortable then.

The two men found themselves increasingly compatible as they talked, and their views on the military situation in the border towns were largely in agreement. Yang Hu decided that after Shi Shouxin left the prison in the Yeting Palace, he would use his authority to give Shi Shouxin more opportunities to read classic texts, so that he could assist him in making contributions on the frontier in the future.

While Yang Hu and Shi Shouxin were enjoying their drinks in the signing room of the Imperial Palace, a completely different scene was unfolding in the study of the General's Mansion.

The atmosphere was rather oppressive.

Sima Liang, Sima Zhao's fourth brother, was turning pale and then flushed, while Sima Yan, standing beside him, looked dejected.

Sima Yan thought that with his father's help and his fourth uncle's assistance, dealing with a powerless servant would be a piece of cake!

Even Li Yin said that as long as Shi Shouxin broke the contract, he would send Li Wan to the General's Mansion to be Sima Yan's concubine without any objection!

Unexpectedly, Shi Shouxin remained unmoved by either soft or hard tactics!
"This is outrageous! This servant of the Shi family has defied the heavens!"

Sima Liang was so angry that he blew his beard and glared.

He barely managed to agree to take this son-in-law after enduring the humiliation. After returning to Guanzhong, he still doesn't know how to tell his unfortunate youngest daughter about this!
Unexpectedly, he was overthinking things. He agreed, but Shi Shouxin disagreed!
They've got their eyes on Li Yin's daughter and won't let go.

Many Celestial Dragons are like this: even though they were the ones who harbored malicious intentions first, they failed and instead felt that the victim was humiliating them.

"This is the last edict issued by the Duke of Gaogui Township, and I cannot forcibly abolish it, as there is too much criticism in the court."

Since it won't work, let's just give up.

A hint of smugness flashed in Sima Zhao's eyes as he sighed deeply.

"Hmph, brother, you're too kind. You can swallow this insult, but I can't!"

Sima Liang slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and stormed off.

Sima Zhao quickly grabbed Sima Liang and warned him sternly, "Fourth Brother, the country has laws, and you cannot commit crimes! If you break the law, with the eyes of the court and the public, there will be too much criticism, and I will certainly deal with you impartially!"

"understood!"

Sima Liang gave an impatient reply and left the study.

After he left, Sima Zhao patted Sima Yan on the shoulder and said, "If we can elevate this Shi Shouxin, he will surely serve the Sima family to the death. Besides, the woman you married is your cousin, not your own sister, nor my daughter. If your fourth uncle can't swallow this insult, then... well, the Li family girl will be yours sooner or later anyway."

Sima Zhao comforted Sima Yan.

He couldn't possibly lower himself to persuade Li Yin to let his daughter become his son's concubine, as this would conflict with the image of Sima Zhao as someone who respected and valued scholars.

However, Sima Yan's request could not be ignored, and moreover, the heir of the Sima family had actually lost a woman to a mere retainer.

I'm not going to steam buns, I'm just trying to save face!

Forcibly seizing it would only be shameful. Making Shi Shouxin give up on his own and then groveling to become the Sima family's son-in-law would be truly devastating!
Now that the best outcome has not been achieved, we can only use Sima Liang as a tool to kill Shi Shouxin.

Then, he would use this incident to deal with Sima Liang, in order to show his "noble character" and suppress Sima Liang's potential future power grab.

This was such a brilliant move that Sima Zhao almost wanted to post notices everywhere to publicize it.

Sima Yan hesitated and advised, "Father, as long as we get the Li family girl, that's enough. As for Shi Gandang, let him be. Why kill him?"

"Him? What does this have to do with him? These things involve many people, including Yang Hu, but Shi Shouxin is insignificant."

What does killing him have to do with him?

Sima Zhao glanced at Sima Yan, his words revealing disappointment.

This young master of ours is a bit soft-hearted and doesn't yet understand the ruthlessness and bloodshed of politics.

The "chicken" that Shi Shouxin was killed was meant to serve as a warning to the staff in the General's mansion and the "monkeys" in the court and among the common people. If this chicken wasn't killed, should Sima Liang be killed as a deterrent?

"Rest now, this is none of your business!"

Sima Zhao impatiently gave instructions to Sima Yan.

(End of this chapter)