Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 5 Prologue 5 Sima Zhao's Intentions Are Known to All

Li Wan, this young lady, said she would come to deliver clothes to Shi Gandang after nightfall and see him out of the courtyard.

As it turned out, the young lady did come that night, bringing with her Shi Gandang's brocade robe.

However, she did not come alone; her father, Li Yin, accompanied her!

At this moment, Shi Gandang looked at the serious-looking middle-aged man in front of him, and then at his own disheveled appearance illuminated by the torchlight. He was so ashamed that he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

Li Wan held onto Li Yin's waist with both hands, laughing so hard she was almost out of breath.

"Get dressed and come with me to the study!"

Li Yin left with just one sentence, turned around and left decisively.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Wan stepped forward and asked with a bright smile, "I told you to wait, and you actually waited? The servants all left the courtyard and went back to their rooms, why didn't you run away?"

"Didn't you say that if I ran away, I wouldn't have a chance to marry you? How could I dare to run away?"

As Shi Gandang put on his robe, he asked in return.

Li Wan blushed slightly and said somewhat guiltily, "You're really stupid. How can you walk at night when there's a curfew? This was obviously a prank on you. And you just stood there waiting in the woodshed like an idiot, not knowing to run away, which made Father find out about this. I was deliberately lying to you during the day, didn't you realize that? You were really waiting for the marriage proposal?"

Shi Gandang really didn't recognize it!
In fact, he was just waiting for Shi Chong and Sima Yan to send people to rescue him from his predicament, but he didn't expect that the two of them really didn't treat him as an outsider.

They'll rip you off to the bone.

Let's see if he gets beaten to death and thrown into a mass grave tonight. He was just a retainer of the Shi family; he deserved to be beaten to death by Li Yin.

He arrived at Li Yin's study dejectedly. Bamboo slips were piled up everywhere, many of them official documents.

Shi Gandang casually picked up a scroll from the table, which turned out to be a comment on a candidate for official position: This person commits crimes in the countryside and should not be hired.

It seems that Li Wan's father wields considerable power!
This casual reading seemed to open up Shi Gandang's Ren and Du meridians, giving him a deeper understanding of the political rules of the Celestial Dragons.

Sima Yan was likely to become the founding emperor of the Western Jin Dynasty, but what about now?

It is likely that there are still many variables on the road to the top, especially since Sima You, who was adopted by Sima Shi, has a very good reputation among the aristocratic families and poses a fatal threat to Sima Yan.

Therefore, for officials like Li Yin, who rose from humble beginnings but now held high positions of power, they actually had the opportunity to become great help to Sima Yan.

His lustful desire for Li Yin's daughter was probably just an excuse or cover-up, and certainly not the only reason. His real intention was to take the opportunity to build up his own power base.

The Celestial Dragons may be evil, but they are not stupid, at least not all of them are.

At this moment, Shi Gandang seemed to understand many things, including why Sima Yan did not send anyone back to fetch him.

"You're a very strange person; I don't know how to describe you."

"Very well, it's not easy for you to obediently squat in the woodshed like this. I'll let today's matter go. You can go straight back to the General's Mansion later."

"Um, Father-in-law, I'd like to propose marriage."

Shi Gandang said in a low voice, shamelessly.

"Huh? Even if you say that, I would never agree to it. What nonsense are you talking about?"

Li Yin felt both angry and amused. He stared at Shi Gandang and asked, "Even if I agree, how are you going to marry my daughter?"

"I have my own way."

Shi Gandang patted his chest confidently and said.

"Well, it's good that young people have ambition! Why don't you tell me what you think it is? Maybe I'll agree if I'm in a good mood?"

Li Yin suddenly felt like teasing a fool. These days, old coins are plentiful, but fools are rare!

Numerous noblemen wanted to marry Li Wan, but Sima Yan turned them all away. He had never seen a fool like this before.

Even if he agreed, would Sima Yan spare him?

Li Yin awaited a reply; he had already planned to release Shi Gandang immediately.

"I certainly have a solution, and I would never do anything illegal."

But if I say it now, it won't work.

Shi Gandang said very seriously.

"Alright, whatever makes you happy. I'll wait for you to come and propose."

Li Yin couldn't help but chuckle and nodded, feeling somewhat reluctant to scold this fool.

As if remembering something, he suddenly changed the subject and asked, "The Grand General's abdication seems irreversible, and there's nothing more to say about that. But whether the heir apparent or the Marquis of Wuyang (Sima You) will step forward in the future is a truly troubling matter. Who do you think will take the lead?"

Li Yin stroked his beard and said something that made Shi Gandang's head explode!
Sure enough, these days, everyone who can get by in Sima Zhao's mansion is a shrewd person; where can you find a fool? This person in front of me understands things very well, and his thinking is exceptionally clear.

Li Yin could see that Sima Yan and Sima You would inevitably clash in the future, which speaks volumes about his foresight.

"The Marquis of Wuyang has no chance; the heir will surely rise to prominence in the future."

Shi Gandang said with great certainty.

"That's not necessarily true. I think they're evenly matched. But could you tell me why you think Sima Yan will win?"

Li Yin asked calmly.

"Both the Crown Prince and the Marquis of Wuyang are the eldest sons of the Grand General. It doesn't really matter who succeeds to the throne, but the rules of etiquette are the shackles on them."

For the Great General, since he could already secure the divine weapon, why leave a potential problem related to etiquette? Allowing Sima Shi's lineage to succeed him was truly unwise.

If this precedent is set, then even a collateral branch of the Sima family could use the law to be adopted into the main wife and seize the imperial regalia. In any case, it should not be the lineage of the Grand General who inherits it, which would lead to endless troubles.

Therefore, as long as the general is not out of his mind, he would never allow the Marquis of Wuyang to become the heir to the divine artifact. Moreover, he can shut everyone up by insisting on the words "eldest son".

Although the emperor and the head of the Sima clan could be the same person, there was still a fundamental difference between them.

Shi Gandang spoke eloquently.

Li Yin was immediately surprised, then suddenly realized and said, "No wonder Commander Shi adopted you as his son. Your insight is indeed extraordinary. Shi Bao's own sons may be unworthy, but his adopted sons all have a skill. It's just that most of them serve in the army, and some are bound to die young."

"You flatter me, Li Gong. I have nothing of value but my mouth."

Shi Gandang smiled bitterly.

He could boast a little in front of Li Wan without any problem, but when he encountered an old fox like Li Yin, it would be embarrassing to brag again.

"I serve in the General's mansion, and I know perfectly well what the General wants to do."

The Han dynasty lost its rule due to its fierce and ruthless nature. The Cao family replaced the Han, and the world was divided into three. It was thought that Shu would be the first to perish, but unexpectedly it was Wei.

Cao Cao did not bestow any favors upon Li, therefore Li must repay the favors to the Sima family. The word "loyalty" is not something Li is worthy of uttering.

However, the emperor and the general are now plotting against each other, and their true intentions have been revealed. A change of dynasty is not far off.

A storm is coming; who knows how much turmoil it will cause.

Li Yin shook his head and sighed, "He understands everything, he knows everything."

However, circumstances are beyond our control; knowing this is one thing, but doing it is another.

Do you know why someone told you so much?

Seeing that Shi Gandang remained silent, Li Yin asked him with some curiosity.

Shi Gandang shook his head; he was still wondering whether he should address his son-in-law as "father-in-law." Of course, there was no need for that if he were a son-in-law living with his wife's family.

"Because the Crown Prince and Shi Chong both ran away, but you didn't. Let's not talk about Shi Chong, but the Crown Prince shouldn't have run away."

Li Yin said with some disappointment, his face showing regret. He was also Sima Yan's teacher, specifically responsible for checking on the heir apparent's learning of government affairs.

How can a future monarch lack a sense of responsibility?

So what if he was caught climbing over the wall into a woman's house? Can't he even handle such a small thing?

Li Yin was not disappointed that Sima Yan had secretly come to steal his lover's body, but rather that the other party had chosen to run away after being discovered!

So what if I openly admit to being a womanizer? What's wrong with a man being a little lustful?
If you can't even handle this small matter, how can you shoulder the responsibility of governing the country?
For the first time, Li Yin felt that if Sima Yan, the heir apparent, were to inherit the throne, something terrible would definitely happen. He had already made a decision in his heart: his daughter must never have any connection with Sima Yan.

The one in front of me, on the other hand, is quite interesting. He has a simple-minded look, or perhaps you could call it blind confidence.

"Actually, I couldn't escape, and I was... tricked by someone."

Shi Gandang chuckled and gestured.

"Being someone's adopted son sounds nice, but in reality, it's no different from being a servant; you're always living under someone else's roof."

I think you're not bad, why not break away from the Shi family and start your own business?
"I still have some power to recommend people for official positions, so recommending you shouldn't be a problem. Once you're in office, it's not impossible that I'd consider having you as my son-in-law in the future."

Li Yin said with a smile.

His daily life is simple and upright, but that doesn't mean he's inflexible or rigid.

"Shi Chong, the sixth son of the Shi family, saved my life. I must repay this debt of gratitude before we can discuss anything else."

Shi Gandang said solemnly, resolutely rejecting Li Yin's undisguised attempt to win him over.

"Since that's the case, then I won't keep you at my house overnight. Take the token from the General's Mansion to deal with the curfew. You can go back now, and the heir can return the token to me tomorrow."

Li Yin waved his hand gently, indicating that Shi Gandang could leave. However, judging from the smile on his face, he seemed to greatly appreciate Shi Gandang's gratitude.

When Shi Gandang came out, he found Li Wan guarding the door of the study, holding a lantern in her hand.

"Let me walk you to the door."

Li Wan spoke in a low voice, the light was a bit dim so it was hard to see her expression, the two walked side by side in the courtyard.

"You can still refuse Sima Yan now, but you probably won't be able to soon."

"Once Sima Yan becomes the crown prince, or even the emperor, your father won't be able to protect you."

Shi Gandang tried to speak in a calm tone.

"I know. Sima Zhao successfully usurped the throne and became emperor, and Sima Yan was the crown prince."

When Sima Yan becomes emperor, I will go from being a concubine to a noble consort, a high-ranking concubine, or a noble lady.

Isn't that what you're talking about?

Li Wan said nonchalantly.

"Don't you already know that?"

Shi Gandang was shocked. He thought this young woman was confused, but he didn't expect her to know everything.

"But I don't like it."

Li Wan looked at Shi Gandang, her eyes gleaming with an inexplicable light.

"If I don't like it, what good is it if you give me mountains of gold and silver?"
What good would it do to become a concubine or imperial consort in the future? I don't care about any of that.

I have so many days ahead of me, and I'm living in the home of someone who's causing me so much trouble. I'm annoyed whether I see him or not.

Should I endure it for a day or two, or for a year or two, or for ten or twenty years? How could I possibly endure it?

"This is still talking about being a wife, let alone just being Sima Yan's concubine." Li Wan said confidently, without a trace of hesitation or regret in her eyes.

Shi Gandang never expected that he would encounter such an extraordinary woman in such a world. Yang Qian, as vine-like as a creeper, was as different in temperament as a candle flame compared to the bright moon compared to Li Wan.

Shi Gandang was sincerely convinced and bowed to Li Wan, saying, "I am far inferior to you, which is truly shameful."

"Hehe, so you're not going to hold it against me for messing with you today?"

Li Wan was very proud of herself. She looked at Shi Gandang and asked him a question, revealing her dimples.

"Yes, I was stupid. I'll learn from my mistake, but I still want to marry you."

Shi Gandang emphasized one point.

"Keep bragging. I'm waiting at home for you to come and marry me. Let's see if you come or not."

Hearing this joking remark, Li Wan exchanged a knowing smile with him. Then, as if sensing something, they both guiltily looked away.

Suddenly, the two of them stopped involuntarily. They were almost at the gate of the not-so-long courtyard, and they hesitated whether to continue walking.

Once you step out the door, it's time to part ways. And when we meet again, even if there is a next time, it could very well be a world changed.

"I have something to say."

Shi Gandang stopped and mustered his courage to look at Li Wan.

"Well... you can say it, I'm listening."

Li Wan seemed to sense something. She lowered her head, holding a lantern in her left hand and twisting the coarse cloth sleeve in her right.

"Uh, wait for me to come and propose marriage."

Shi Gandang held back for a long time, but in the end he could only manage to utter one sentence.

"This, this is not up to my father to decide. What can I say... If you want to come, then come."

Li Wan turned her head away uncomfortably, not daring to look at Shi Gandang at all.

Suddenly, her slightly rough hand was grasped. Li Wan tried to struggle but failed, so she had no choice but to give up and let Shi Gandang hold it.

Li Wan was suddenly amused by his persistence, seriousness, and fearless recklessness.

Her eyes sparkled as she glanced at Shi Gandang and scolded him, "You're so shameless! You've only just met us today and you're already asking for my hand in marriage. You're even worse than Sima Yan. Sima Yan only wanted to get close to her, but you're already asking to be my husband."

"If I can't marry you, I will never get married in my life."

Shi Gandang looked into Li Wan's eyes and said.

"Alright, alright, then you should work hard. As long as you can convince my father, I'll do whatever you say, okay?"

Li Wan turned her head away, not letting Shi Gandang see her face. She took the opportunity to pull her hand back and hurriedly pushed him out of the courtyard gate, feeling as if her heart was about to jump out of her throat.

When Li Wan returned to Li Yin's study, the blush on her face was clearly visible even under the lamplight.

"Actually, Father, there's no need to be in such a hurry. It's like you're desperately trying anything..."

Li Wan muttered to herself, she hadn't expected Shi Gandang to be so bold.

"Sending you to be the concubine of the Grand General's son is like pushing you into a fire pit."

On the contrary, this talented young man who has fallen to rock bottom is worth observing. He speaks elegantly, has neat teeth, and fair skin, so he must come from an official family.

Being a slave now is just bad luck; it's nothing serious.

Men fear choosing the wrong career, and women fear marrying the wrong man. Official position and status are not important; character and talent are the most important.

You're already seventeen this year. If you don't get married soon, the government will start assigning men to your family. How can you wait any longer?

After the Great General changed the world, the young master became the crown prince. If he asks for permission, I, as his father, will have no way to refuse. Even if I know it's a pit of fire, I can only watch you jump in.

It's rare to find a fool who isn't afraid of Sima Yan, how could I not be anxious?

Let's see how he proposes; I'm actually kind of looking forward to it.

Li Yin looked at Li Wan with a half-smile and asked, having clearly seen what had just happened in the courtyard.

His three sons all hold official positions in other regions, so the family line continues smoothly without any problem. While climbing the social ladder by associating with powerful figures is desirable, it also carries enormous risks and is simply not worth it.

My daughter is fine living a simple, ordinary life.

At this moment, Li Wan was also filled with excitement, seriously considering her life's most important matter for the first time.

Shi Gandang was truly daring, just like his name! It wasn't that holding her hand in the courtyard was daring, but daring to steal a woman from Sima Yan was absolutely outrageous.

That kind of courage is something most people don't possess. How could he dare!

In the eyes of the world, a wife is half the head of the household, while a concubine is merely a commodity that can be traded and discarded at any time.

In Li Wan's eyes, becoming Sima Yan's concubine was absolutely unacceptable. Of course, even if Shi Gandang wanted to marry her, there were still many major problems to be solved.

For example, differences in social status.

……

Late at night, in the study of a secluded courtyard within the General's Mansion, Sima Yan was playing chess with Shi Chong, his face showing no trace of the embarrassment from the daytime incident. However, both of them seemed somewhat distracted.

The entire game was a mess, much like playing Gomoku.

"Shi Gandang lives up to his name; he's quite responsible. I just wonder if he's out of trouble now."

Sima Yan sighed, somewhat worried about Shi Gandang's situation. Of course, he was also worried that if Shi Gandang was captured, he would implicate him.

Sima Zhao was very strict with his heir, Sima Yan, which fueled many rebellious thoughts in his mind. However, he couldn't do whatever he wanted, so he easily turned to lust as an outlet for his emotions.

After all, for an emperor, lust is not a flaw, and it was something Sima Zhao could tolerate. Sima Yan's wife, Lady Yang, was a woman of unparalleled beauty, so much so that she was famous far and wide, but this heir apparent was not content to be tied to just one woman.

He wanted to have some fun.

"Your Highness, rest assured, Shi Gandang is very quick-witted and will surely be able to escape."

Shi Chong yawned, secretly chuckling to himself. If Shi Gandang were caught by Li Yin, he'd be lucky to escape with his life.

Of course, once Li Yin had vented his anger, the matter was considered closed. The arrest of Shi Gandang, Shi Bao's adopted son, was no different from the arrest of a servant; he was to be beaten to death without question.

But what if Shi Chong is arrested and forced into marriage by Li Yin? That would be quite a problem.

It's not that the young lady of the Li family is a bad person, nor that Li Yin's family background is not good enough for Shi Chong, but this woman has caught the eye of Sima Yan, who is eyeing this dish and is ready to take a bite!
Would Shi Chong really try to steal a woman from Sima Yan? Of course not, why would he bother?
The two talked a lot after returning today, but didn't mention Li Wan at all. Sima Yan, on the contrary, sighed and spoke highly of Li Yin, calling him a pillar of the state. In reality, Sima Yan was lustful, but he might not have genuinely been interested in any woman; it was all just for pleasure.

Once he's tired of her, even the best woman becomes an eyesore in his eyes.

Suddenly, Sima Yan said with great regret, "The emperor has been making moves lately, and I'm afraid something big is about to happen."

"If the emperor abdicates, he can still save his life and his family. But if the emperor is stubborn and unyielding, well, that's another story."

Shi Chong was a man of few words, and his speech was always to the point!

"Ji Lun, be careful what you say! Are these the kinds of things you and I should be saying?"

Sima Yan was shocked, only to find Shi Chong looking at him with disdain. He then realized that his friend was looking down on him, so he gave an awkward, dry laugh.

We're all friends, and we're all smart people. There's no point in putting on such a charade that only makes things more obvious.

“Anshi, the General has already shown me those two letters of betrayal. The Emperor is about to take action tomorrow, so what’s the point of you saying all this now?”

Upon hearing this, Sima Yan subconsciously looked around and, finding that there was indeed no one else in the room, breathed a sigh of relief.

"This matter has indeed reached the point where everyone knows it, and Father's deposition of the emperor is a foregone conclusion!"

Sima Yan nodded with a gloomy expression, speaking openly about powerful ministers deposing emperors without any sense of incongruity, and did not deny what Shi Chong said.

Cao Mao was dishonest, and Sima Zhao had already decided to replace him with a member of the Cao family as emperor. That's how powerful ministers are.

The emperor is a puppet; if you're unhappy with him, just replace him!

As for Sima Zhao's three-pronged plan to usurp the throne, it is already progressing slowly but steadily. One step at a time, it will eventually reach the finish line.

Sima Yan played chess with Shi Chong until late at night, not to wait for Shi Gandang. Sima Yan was simply afraid; he worried that the Sima family would fall into Cao Mao's trap the next day, and that his entire family would be wiped out!

"The General truly cherishes the Crown Prince."

Shi Chong shook his head and sighed. He took out an imperial edict, which had not yet been stamped with the imperial seal, from his sleeve and unfolded it, placing it on the table. The yellow silk scroll read: "I am unwell, and the court assembly will be postponed for three days."

Shi Chong then produced another silk scroll appointing him, which read: "Shi Chong is appointed as Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate."

This official position meant serving the emperor closely, specifically running errands and issuing imperial edicts.

"By order of the General, I, Shi, will enter the palace tomorrow to await the Emperor's command."

A glint of light flashed in Shi Chong's eyes, and his tone was slightly smug.

Is the position of Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate a high-ranking official?

It is both very small and very large, but it is insignificant at this moment.

It is considered small because it is of a very low grade.

It was considered very important because it was close to the emperor and had a great influence.

The reason why it is not worth mentioning at this moment is because Cao Mao was a puppet emperor, and the close ministers of a puppet emperor are also puppets.

Those who truly held real power were officials like Li Yin, who worked within the General's Mansion.

Serving as a Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate for Sima Zhao is the path to great success; what good is serving as a Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate for Cao Mao?
Sima Zhao's move was brilliant.

Shi Bao sent his young son Shi Chong as a hostage, and in return, he sent Shi Chong to the palace to act as his spy.

As for Shi Chong's situation in the palace—whether he's alive or dead, whether he's siding with Cao Mao or obediently acting as his spy—none of that matters!

Anyway, if something goes wrong, it'll all be Cao Mao's fault!

As for the possibility that Shi Chong had been bribed by Cao Mao, Sima Zhao thought it would be better to bribe him. Shi Chong was useless on his own; if he wanted to help Cao Mao, he would definitely send someone to inform Shi Bao. Only Shi Bao leading an army in a coup would pose a real threat.

As long as Shi Chong dared to pass messages to Shi Bao, they could catch him red-handed and eliminate this unstable factor. Sima Zhao had already made arrangements for this; the Shi residence was surrounded by spies from the General's Mansion.

"Yes, Jia Chong is now stationed at the Imperial Guard camp, with his trusted troops ready for battle. I heard that Li Yin is about to head to Tongguan and become the military commander of Guanzhong, to control the troops there... It seems he's really coming."

Sima Yan was so excited that his hands trembled, and he stood up and paced back and forth almost nervously. Shi Chong glanced at him and understood perfectly why Sima Yan was so agitated.

Cao Mao had ambushed troops in the Forbidden City, and Sima Zhao, showing no mercy, immediately prepared a counterattack. What would be the outcome of this fierce battle?
At this moment, Shi Chong recalled what Shi Gandang had said about "the Great General being plotted against by the Emperor," and looked at the agitated Sima Yan. He suddenly felt that this matter was probably not as simple as it seemed to him now.

Just then, a servant from the manor led Shi Gandang into the study and then quietly withdrew.

Upon seeing this, Shi Chong hurriedly stepped forward and affectionately patted off the non-existent dust on Shi Gandang's body, asking with concern, "Gandang, later... how did you get out?"

"It's hard to explain in a few words. We hide like rats and then come out when it gets dark."

Shi Gandang answered truthfully, avoiding the important point, without revealing that he had already set his sights on the luxurious bicycle that Sima Yan desired and had already begun to poach him.

"Very well, tomorrow you will serve as the attendant of the Yellow Gate Attendant and accompany me to the palace to meet the Emperor."

Shi Chong said excitedly.

(End of this chapter)