Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 46 Sorrow and Grief

Early that morning, Yang Huiyu got up sleepily and leaned against the headboard, her mind a complete blank—in short, she was lost in thought. Just then, her maid Xu Ying came to report: Madam Li Wan, wife of Shi Shouxin, had come to visit with her servants.

Yang Huiyu was so frightened that she immediately sobered up. After washing up, she hurriedly went to the main room of the courtyard. She lowered her head with a guilty conscience, as if she was contemplating life.

That day, she acted like a fool, stubbornly delivering wild game to Shi Shouxin's house. She was determined to compete with Li Wan, and even put on makeup. After returning home and calming down, she felt a pang of guilt and regret.

That kind of thing is similar to a child throwing a tantrum; she simply couldn't believe she could do something like that!

"Madam Shi, what brings you here today?"

Yang Huiyu composed herself and asked calmly.

"Oh, right? Last time, didn't Lady Yang bring a lot of wild game on behalf of Lord Yang? As a woman, it's not convenient for me to meet Lord Yang alone. My family workshop recently produced some white paper, so I'm sending it to Lady Yang as a return gift. It's just a small token of my appreciation."

Li Wan said very politely.

It's only natural to reciprocate gifts, so Li Wan bringing her servants to deliver paper is a refined gesture.

Yang Huiyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. So the other party hadn't come to interrogate her. Her affair with another woman's husband couldn't be discussed under any circumstances! It couldn't even be mentioned.

She felt ashamed thinking about how she had made love with another man's husband in bed that night like a slut.

"Thank you, Madam Shi. I will then pass it on to my uncle."

Yang Huiyu smiled and said, not daring to meet Li Wan's gaze.

"I will take my leave now. Please forgive me for any inconvenience caused."

Li Wan was a straightforward person and didn't sense anything wrong with Yang Huiyu. She thanked him and left the courtyard.

In fact, she only sensed that this "widow of Sima Shi" had some goodwill towards her family, so she wanted to maintain and strengthen this relationship and slowly build a "network of relationships within the inner quarters," without thinking too much about it.

After Li Wan left, Yang Huiyu took out a stack of white paper from the gifts, gently stroked the texture, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "This is Shilang paper. It used to be hard to buy, but now someone is giving it to us."

She immediately felt much better, took the paper into the study, sat down and began grinding ink.

Yang Huiyu was filled with anxiety, feeling that the tone of the letter she had written last time was too harsh, like a superior reprimanding a subordinate.

This time, she wanted to write a letter that didn't seem so "businesslike," but when she picked up her pen, she didn't know what to write.

After thinking it over and over, Xu Ying knocked on the door and said, "Madam Yu, the messenger that Lord Yang sent to Longyou has returned. He says he has something to ask of me."

"Please!"

Yang Huiyu didn't even bother to put on shoes, simply letting her breathable white linen socks touch the ground as she lightly opened the door.

At the entrance to the study, the middle-aged messenger who had served the Yang family for decades and had been born into the Yang family asked Yang Huiyu, "Miss Yu, this is a reply from Young Master Shi. Would you like to receive it here, or should I deliver it to Master Yang?"

"I'll keep it. You go and rest at your uncle's place. You must be tired from your journey. Take this money and buy some clothes."

Yang Huiyu took out a few gold leaves from her sleeve and handed them to the man.

"One piece is enough; I dare not accept more than Lady Yu's reward."

The servant immediately knelt down and bowed, accepting the gold leaf with profuse thanks.

Often, loyal servants in noble households lived much better lives than ordinary people; their daughters even frequently became concubines of their masters. The relationship was far more complex than simple employment or enslavement; it contained a much richer connotation.

But servility is ultimately a distorted thing.

Yang Huiyu comforted the servant and then placed the remaining gold leaves into his hands. The essence of managing subordinates lies in wielding life and death power while simultaneously bestowing upon them benefits far exceeding their expectations; this allows for a balance of kindness and severity, making them feel at ease with one's own limbs.

Yang Huiyu, who had stood firm in the Sima family for many years, clearly knew the rules of the game.

After closing the door and making sure no one was eavesdropping or watching, Yang Huiyu smiled with satisfaction, looking like a little girl who had secretly eaten candy without her parents' knowledge and hadn't been caught yet.

Yang Huiyu removed the sealing wax from the bamboo tube, took out the letter inside, and was slightly disappointed.

She wrote so many letters, why did Shi Shouxin only reply with one sheet of paper?
Yang Huiyu sighed, her heart heavy. This ill-fated relationship was probably just wishful thinking on her part.

She opened the letter and found a poem on it:

The return date is not yet due, but the night rain in Bashan rises in the autumn pond.

He Dang altogether cuts the candles at the west window, but talks about the rain in Bashan.

Her heart suddenly felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand, and her breathing became erratic.

Yang Huiyu closed her eyes, her thoughts returning to that night.

That night she trembled, she cheered, she gasped, and she fell into a daze.

It was indeed a wonderful and fulfilling night. She had overheard Shi Shouxin and Xu Ying's conversation at the gatehouse and was deeply moved.

It wasn't until she woke up the next day that Yang Huiyu realized how crazy she had been.

Upon seeing the poem "written" by Shi Shouxin, her fear and anxiety instantly subsided.

Feeling that her sincere efforts had been accepted and affirmed, Yang Huiyu couldn't help but wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Heaven had finally been kind to her, sending her a marriage with an uncertain future when she was feeling hopeless.

Yang Huiyu's heart was filled with love, but she couldn't help feeling a little anxious and insecure.

What if, what if my lover is murdered in Shu?
Yang Huiyu was immediately in a state of panic, wishing she could go to the General's Mansion right away and beg Sima Zhao to transfer Shi Shouxin back to Luoyang.

But after calming down, she realized that there was nothing she could do. At the very least, she had to wait until Shi Shouxin returned to Luoyang before she could speak to Sima Zhao to ensure that the credit was recognized and that other powerful figures would not steal Shi Shouxin's achievements.

Yang Huiyu is now even a little afraid to meet Sima Zhao.

She noticed that as the war against Shu progressed, Sima Zhao's thoughts became increasingly undisguised, and his gaze often scrutinized her with profound meaning.

Of course, the romantic relationship played only a small part in this; the key issue was the intrigue surrounding etiquette and law. The core of the problem lay not in Yang Huiyu herself, but in her relationship with Sima You and her status as Sima Shi's second wife.

Yang Huiyu was worried. What if this general suddenly pounced on her and promised to take her as a concubine? What should she do then?
Previously, it was impossible because everyone cared about their reputation, and Sima Zhao was not yet the emperor, so there was no opportunity to act.

Now, as Sima Zhao draws ever closer to the throne of the Duke of Jin, he has become increasingly less restrained.

"Ugh!"

Yang Huiyu sighed deeply. At that moment, all she wanted to do was lean against Shi Shouxin's chest, regardless of how he might molest or harass her. Political matters were just too distressing.

Just as she was sighing deeply, there was another knock on the study door, but this time it wasn't the maid Xu Ying, but her younger brother Yang Hu. Yang Huiyu opened the door, and Yang Hu, seeing the tear stains on his sister's face, couldn't help but ask with concern, "Are you grieving over the past again, elder sister?"

"It's nothing, come in and let's talk."

Yang Huiyu waved her hand gently. How could she tell Yang Hu that she was already deeply entangled in an emotional vortex and had long planned to go down a dark path?

Tears were simply shed because of being moved.

After the two were seated, Yang Hu handed an imperial edict to Yang Huiyu with a solemn expression.

The document reads: Yang Hu is appointed as the Commander of the Central Army, effective immediately.

Cao Huan's imperial edict was tantamount to Sima Zhao's order. Yang Huiyu had been avoiding Sima Zhao recently and hadn't gone to the General's mansion, so she was unaware of what had happened at court.

As a result, Sima Zhao followed Yang Huiyu's advice and appointed Sima Wang as the Central Protector General, but still appointed Yang Hu as the Central Commander General.

In the original political structure and rules of Cao Wei, the Commander of the Central Army held a higher position than the Protector of the Central Army, both wielding power within the imperial guards. However, after the Sima clan usurped the throne, they strengthened the power of the Protector of the Central Army, so now the Commander of the Central Army is actually less powerful than the Protector of the Central Army.

Clearly, Sima Zhao did not fully trust Sima Wang, who came from a collateral branch of the Sima clan. He still placed Yang Hu in the Imperial Guard system to disperse power!

This is actually a very typical way of checks and balances.

The conquest of Shu, the planned disposal of Zhong Hui, and the reorganization of personnel within the Imperial Guard were all preparations made by Sima Zhao for the abdication of the throne; he proceeded step by step.

"Does my uncle want me to persuade the general to retract his order?"

Yang Huiyu asked in confusion.

Yang Hu shook his head and sighed, "The fact that the General didn't summon me in advance this time clearly shows that he doesn't want me to refuse. My sister going to the General's mansion won't change anything."

To say something like that requires absolute clarity of mind.

Yang Huiyu nodded and said, "Being appointed as the Commander of the Central Army will surely arouse jealousy. Uncle, you must be careful with your words and actions in the future."

She told her younger brother to be careful with his words, but that night she was whispering sweet nothings in Shi Shouxin's arms, their lovemaking never ceasing, having long forgotten that she was Sima Shi's widow.

Thinking of this, Yang Huiyu, who was strict with others but lenient with herself, couldn't help but blush with shame.

"Sister, do you think something might happen to the army that is going to conquer Shu? Yang Xiu is inside, and Shi Gandang is inside too."

With a grave expression, Yang Hu continued, "If there is a real threat of collapse, how will they protect their lives and families?"

"So you want to go to Guanzhong?"

Yang Huiyu was exceptionally intelligent. As long as she wasn't in Shi Shouxin's arms, her mind was perfectly clear, and she instantly understood Yang Hu's unspoken meaning.

"If anything goes wrong with the expeditionary force to Shu, the Commander of the Central Army will definitely lead the Imperial Guards to Guanzhong to garrison and wait for the opportune moment. Sending troops is not something that can be done overnight; we must prepare now so that we can launch the attack when the time comes."

Yang Hu said with a solemn expression that he had many friends in the army that was going to conquer Shu. If something serious happened, he dared not imagine what the consequences would be.

"The General has some unspeakable thoughts about me, but I'm afraid... it's not appropriate for me to come forward now."

"If something so shameful happens, how can I ever face anyone again?"

Yang Huiyu said helplessly.

Yang Hu looked at his sister's beautiful and radiant face, and then at her well-maintained figure—slender and charming despite not having given birth—and immediately understood what was going on.

Her older sister was a great beauty in her youth, and she still has charm now, especially for Sima Zhao.

"Sister means..."

Yang Hu's eyes widened as he recalled past events and realized that many things had been brewing for some time, and that Yang Huiyu was not just overthinking things.

The devastating impact of the phrase "brother's things" is something only those directly involved can truly understand. Sima Shi was a mountain weighing heavily on Sima Zhao back then.

Sima Shi is dead, and Yang Huiyu is his widow, who has lost power.

Even in an ordinary family, it would be difficult to get by in such a situation, let alone in the Sima family.

Logically speaking, Sima Zhao should have tried every means to dismantle everything his brother owned.

The result was that Yang Huiyu adopted her legitimate son, Sima You, and took good care of her in every way, giving her a great deal of freedom, which was clearly not in line with common sense.

This general must have had some feelings for his sister-in-law, who had helped him a lot in the past, was young and beautiful, and had never given birth, right? He just didn't make a move because of face and etiquette, feeling that the returns were not proportional to the risks.

It's worth noting that Yang Huiyu was considerably younger than Sima Zhao.

Thinking of this, Yang Hu gave a helpless, bitter smile.

If Sima Shi could poison his first wife and threaten his second wife, it wouldn't be surprising if this family did anything, especially since Sima Zhao hadn't even made a move yet!
It's really hard to say what will happen in the future.

"It's just as you think, so I plan to go back to my parents' home in Yanzhou and not stay in Luoyang anymore."

If we remain in Luoyang, things might not go well. If such a disgraceful incident were to occur, how could I face Wang Yuanji?

Yang Huiyu asked back with a helpless expression.

Of course, this wasn't just about avoiding Sima Zhao; Yang Huiyu had her own ulterior motives. If a woman's betrayal of her marriage is considered moral decay, then she was now deeply mired in a dark quagmire, with no way to turn back.

Yang Huiyu is now planning to get away from Luoyang, a place of trouble, for herself and her young lover.

Then a big thing was brewing!
"Going back to my parents' home..."

Yang Hu pondered for a moment, but ultimately remained silent.

Sima Zhao should be very pleased that Yang Huiyu left the Sima family ancestral home and even disappeared from public view. Because that would mean that half of his brother's lineage had already "disappeared."

Without Yang Huiyu's powerful support, Sima You was naturally unable to compete with Sima Yan for the position of "Crown Prince." As for Sima Zhao's little schemes, they amounted to nothing in the face of the crucial matter of succession.

Everything is concealed by dark schemes.

Clearly, Yang Huiyu, having served in the Sima family for many years, was well-versed in this matter. She knew exactly what Sima Zhao liked and what he feared, which things were essential to acquire, and which were merely icing on the cake.

"Then I will go to the General's mansion now to meet the General and explain my appointment as Commander of the Central Army."

Not wanting to embarrass her sister, Yang Hu immediately chose to say those things herself.

(End of this chapter)