Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 71 Man’s calculation is not as good as God’s calculation
Shi Shouxin couldn't sleep all night. Around midnight, Meng Guan, who was on duty in the military tent, brought in a middle-aged scholar.

It's actually Wei Guan!
However, Wei Guan was no longer the elegant man he used to be. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was tense. He looked like a demon about to grab Shi Shouxin by the neck.

"Is the military supervisor still up so late?"

Shi Shouxin gestured for Wei Guan to sit opposite him. He wore a mocking smile, showing no surprise at the supervisor's hasty arrival.

"Did Zhong Hui's men steal the box I asked you to send back to Chang'an? Did they?"

Without even a greeting, Wei Guan asked directly, his tone chilling.

“So what if it is, so what if it’s not?”

Shi Shouxin countered with a question.

"If so, you should have come back to me for help. If not... if not, then why did Zhong Hui take action against Hu Lie and the others?"

Wei Guan sounded very anxious.

"So, the last time you sent me back to Chang'an to deliver a message, it was a trap, right? It was specifically designed to test Zhong Hui."

Looking at Wei Guan's anxious face, Shi Shouxin asked slowly.

Wei Guan was speechless for a moment, took a deep breath, and remained silent. In fact, he was the one in the wrong, not Shi Shouxin.

"If Zhong Hui's men steal the box and I come back for help, you can use that to blackmail me into becoming your dog, is that right?"

Shi Shouxin continued to ask questions, his voice cold.

"Saying we should be treated like dogs is too harsh. I just hope we can cooperate sincerely."

Wei Guan said awkwardly, even an old hand like him felt a little embarrassed at this moment.

However, a moment later, Wei Guan's expression became more serious than ever before. He looked at Shi Shouxin and asked, "Now is not the time to argue about right and wrong. Tell me, did Zhong Hui's men get the box? This matter is a matter of life and death, so don't beat around the bush!"

"got it."

Shi Shouxin nodded, but refused to say anything more.

"You've really ruined me!"

Wei Guan sighed and shook his head, his body swaying as if he were about to faint.

“You get those letters of denunciation and deliberately let Zhong Hui get them. Once those denouncers find out, they will side with you.”

If I deliver your letter and it gets lost, I'll have to ask you for help.

You played the good guy behind the scenes and reaped all the benefits.

Of course, if Zhong Hui hadn't snatched the letter, then it would be as if nothing had happened, and you wouldn't have suffered any loss, would you?

Shi Shouxin uttered three key words: "letter of denunciation." Wei Guan immediately understood everything; he had ultimately underestimated this young man before him!
Wei Guan gave a bitter smile and nodded helplessly, saying, "That's right. I underestimated you. Now you've caught yourself in your own trap. What can you do? Zhong Hui has already seized the initiative. If he really makes a move, you won't escape death either."

Zhong Hui received the letter of betrayal, but Wei Guan, not seeing Shi Shouxin return, assumed Zhong Hui hadn't taken action. However, Zhong Hui kept his actions a secret until he reached Hanshou.

Wei Guan missed the deployment time and was caught off guard. After the banquet, during the review, he realized that the problem lay with Shi Shouxin.

Actually, things haven't gotten out of control yet.

Shi Shouxin said in a deep voice.

The current situation is extremely unfavorable to Wei Guan, but not to Shi Shouxin.

"Well then, tell me, what's your solution?"

Wei Guan composed himself, straightened his back, and looked at Shi Shouxin to inquire. He had calmed down by now; Zhong Hui's move had resulted in the arrest of many generals who had written the informants.

Some people, like Du Yu, who reported others but did not participate in the silver party, were also transferred from their posts by Zhong Hui under various pretexts, or separated from the soldiers under their command to manage other units, with their positions being exchanged.

Things are spiraling out of control.

The more anxious you are now, the more likely you are to make a foolish move, and then it will be too late to turn the tide.

"The fact that the army was engaged in debauchery may seem serious, but in fact, there are clear records of it starting with the Han army of Emperor Wu of Han, and it has been repeatedly prohibited but not stopped."

This matter could be serious or minor; Zhong Hui has only placed them under house arrest temporarily.

I heard tonight that Zhong Hui is about to attack Jiange, and I am certain that this battle will not succeed.

When the military council was held, the military supervisor raised questions, saying that the reason why the battle could not be won was because many generals in the army had committed crimes and could not participate in the battle, which affected the morale of the army.

At that time, others will surely suggest restoring Hu Lie and the others to their original positions, allowing them to atone for their crimes through meritorious service, thus resolving the trouble themselves.

After hearing this, Wei Guan remained silent for a long time before sighing and saying, "So you mean you only wish Zhong Hui would suffer a crushing defeat at the gates of Jian Ge, right? If Zhong Hui wins, we really will be completely helpless."

"Although I don't want to boost their morale, that's just how things are. Only when Zhong Hui loses will we have a chance to turn the tide."

Shi Shouxin said calmly.

He now understood that Zhong Hui hadn't yet made up his mind to kill Hu Lie and Yang Xiu, and was still hesitant. Because no news of Deng Ai had arrived, Zhong Hui didn't know whether he could actually enter Shu.

If they cannot enter Shu, then no matter how Zhong Hui rebels, it will be a meaningless endeavor.

So, the situation is indeed very serious, but it's not time for the "final battle" yet, and there is still a lot of room for the situation to turn around.

"The General has already granted me the authority to act on behalf of the General. Could the Military Supervisor please do me a favor and transfer Liu Qin's troops to Hanshou, so that we can send another army to besiege Huangjinwei?"

Shi Shouxin said in a deep voice.

Wei Guan shook his head and said, "Restoring troops is difficult, and Zhong Hui is extremely wary of it. But transferring Liu Qin's troops to Hanshou is not difficult. If Zhong Hui wants to rebel, he will definitely think that the more troops under his command, the better."

Although Zhong Hui said he would transfer Liu Qin's troops, the actual outcome was still uncertain, and Shi Shouxin was prepared for both possibilities. "Yes, that would be best. I will persuade Liu Qin not to accept Zhong Hui's command after entering Shu, and to act according to the circumstances."

We have a force that we can completely control. If Zhong Hui were to rebel, we can find a way to suppress him!

With a stern face, Shi Shouxin drew the precious sword that Shi Chong had given him years ago and cut off a corner of the table.

He handed the letter of appointment from Sima Zhao to Wei Guan, who looked at it repeatedly before he was convinced that Shi Shouxin must have had an in-depth conversation with Sima Zhao.

Although Shi Shouxin only controlled Liu Qin's troops, he held a nominal authority and could intervene in military affairs at crucial moments.

Sima Zhao has delegated a great deal of power to Shi Shouxin this time. Even if this power requires many objective conditions to take effect, it cannot be denied that this man is truly not to be underestimated.

Wei Guan had to admit that he had been misled.

"Supervisor Shi, I admit I treated you somewhat unfairly before. But the situation is now extremely dangerous, and I hope you can set aside your past prejudices and cooperate sincerely. I will tell you everything I know without reservation."

Wei Guan said very sincerely.

Shi Shouxin nodded and said, "That's for sure. If the army really does enter Chengdu, there will almost certainly be a life-or-death struggle between us and Zhong Hui."

"Commander Shi, to show my sincerity, I'll tell you something very important to you. Of course, this is just my guess."

Wei Guan's smile faded, and he spoke seriously.

"Please speak, Supervisor Wei!"

Shi Shouxin also spoke seriously.

"Yang Xiu sent someone to secretly inquire about your whereabouts, which seems to be with ill intentions. It would be best for Supervisor Shi to be more vigilant about what's behind him."

If we enter Shu, Yang Xiu will definitely take some action.

But you can't kill him, you absolutely can't. Whether it's openly or secretly.

"If you trust Wei this once, after the campaign against Shu is over and you return to Luoyang, Wei will step in to mediate peace."

Wei Guan offered his suggestion without changing his expression.

It's Yang Xiu again!

Shi Shouxin's heart tightened.

Yang Xiu is young and impulsive, unlike the seasoned veteran who is thoughtful and calculating, and she doesn't handle details well. However, she acts without restraint and is solely driven by profit, a trait that can be observed from her youth to old age.

"Shi thanked the military supervisor."

Shi Shouxin bowed to Wei Guan, his anger surging within him, but his face remained impassive.

"No problem, no problem. Then let's get Hu Lie and the others out of trouble at the next military meeting."

Wei Guan nodded slightly, then suddenly seemed to remember something and frowned as he asked, "When you handed over the imperial rewards to Zhong Hui, did he say anything?"

"Nothing special, but very polite."

Shi Shouxin replied after a moment's thought.

Wei Guan nodded: "That's it. Zhong Hui now thinks that Shi Jianjun didn't report him, so he's someone who can be won over. As for why you were able to return safely, he's actually not sure, but it's inconvenient for him to test you and reveal his true thoughts. As long as Shi Jianjun doesn't show hostility towards Zhong Hui in the future, everything will be fine."

Wei Guan's words were incisive and showed that he saw right through Zhong Hui.

If Zhong Hui's feelings about the current situation could be described in one word, it would be "empty".

Because he couldn't charge into battle, he felt very "ineffective" in fighting.

Because they had no connections or people of their own in the military, their personnel appointments were very "unofficial."

Knowing that few people would support his rebellion, he dared not offend anyone and tried to win over those he could.

This can be seen from Zhong Hui's attitude towards Shi Shouxin throughout the story. He even tried to win over someone like Shi Shouxin, who had previously confronted him directly, because he was unsure about his own rebellion and desperately wanted to win over everyone he could!
A glimpse into the leopard from within its cave reveals its true nature; Zhong Hui would absolutely not dare to kill indiscriminately again.

When Shi Shouxin had just set off from Hanzhong to return to Chang'an to deliver the message, it was very likely that Zhong Hui had not yet decided to launch a real rebellion. He still harbored the illusion of "preserving his dignity," which is why he killed people to establish his authority.

Now that Zhong Hui has resolutely rebelled, he naturally needs to use both kindness and severity on his subordinates. Arresting Hu Lie and his ilk for writing the informant letters is a form of severity, while he is trying to win over the others.

With this in mind, Shi Shouxin felt more confident. He knew why history had changed and how to solve the problem.

After Wei Guan took his leave, drowsiness overwhelmed him, and Shi Shouxin lay down on the table and soon fell into a deep sleep.

……

At the northern end of Sichuan, there is a mountain called Liangshan. It is named Dajianshan (Great Sword Mountain) because of its steep cliffs and precipitous terrain, which resemble a sword. Thirty li to its east is Xiaojianshan (Small Sword Mountain).

The Great and Small Sword Mountains stretch for over two hundred miles, with undulating peaks that soar into the clouds like city walls. The gap between the Great and Small Sword Mountains is vertical and steep, with two cliffs facing each other, like a gate opening or a sword planted, hence the name Sword Gate.

Both mountains are steep cliffs, extremely dangerous, and a "pavilion road" extends into Sichuan, hence the name "Jiange".

The pavilion path is similar to a plank road, a path carved into a steep rock face, with thick wooden poles inserted and planks laid on top for people to walk on. Jiange is a narrow passage that runs through the valleys of the Greater and Lesser Jian Mountains, hanging on a vertical cliff and connecting with the Shu region.

It's unclear how this place was discovered by our ancestors, but in reality, it is indeed the strongest gateway to the eastern part of Sichuan! Without a doubt!

A few days later, in front of Xiaojian Mountain, looking at the valley in front of them, all the Wei soldiers, from Zhong Hui down, were filled with fear.

The valley is flanked by mountain walls, and while it's passable for marching, it's isolated with no villages or shops in sight, offering only a single route for logistical support. It's manageable during the day, but at night it's pitch black; how can the Shu army launch a night attack?
"Supervisor Wei, what are your thoughts on the attack on Jiange?"

Zhong Hui looked at Wei Guan and asked. Now, all the generals around him, unless they were blind, could see that something was wrong with Zhong Hui.

The composure he once possessed was gone.

(End of this chapter)