Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 139 Please be patient, Your Majesty.

In Chang'an, at the governor's mansion where Sima Zhao resided, the Duke of Jin was in his study reviewing secret letters sent by Yang Hu and Jia Chong.

Following his instructions, Yang Hu cut off the passage for transporting grain through Jiange into Shu, while Jia Chong went even further, ensuring that no grain was transported from the granaries in Hanzhong to Shu!

Both of their secret letters mentioned this matter, and it has been verified.

Upon seeing the letter, Sima Zhao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Cutting off the food supply was tantamount to taking away half of Zhong Hui's life!

This also means that neither side is pretending anymore; even before the fight has started, they have already confirmed each other's intentions!
"Duke Jin, the letter sent by Yang Hu was written by Shi Shouxin."

Shao Ti, a subordinate of the Western Bureau, cautiously entered the study and whispered to Sima Zhao, then handed the bamboo tube in his hand to Sima Zhao.

Now Shi Shouxin no longer needs to send his trusted confidants thousands of miles to Chang'an to deliver the letter; he only needs to deliver the letter to Jiange and hand it over to Yang Hu.

Moreover, now Zhong Hui's messengers can only deliver messages up to Jiange; no one is allowed to pass through Jiange without Sima Zhao's order.

Yang Xiu is alright because he is Yang Hu's cousin; otherwise, he would already be beheaded!
"Oh? This Shi Gandang is quite interesting."

After reading the letter, Sima Zhao revealed a playful smile.

Shi Shouxin mentioned four things in the letter:
First, I personally led troops to arrest Deng Ai.

Secondly, Wei Guan has been placed under house arrest by Zhong Hui.

Third, Zhong Hui will rebel, but it will definitely be after the autumn harvest. I will act according to the circumstances at that time.

Fourth, the imperial army should not enter Sichuan for the time being, so as not to alert the enemy.

"Wei Guan is truly useless; he was actually taken down by Zhong Hui."

Sima Zhao couldn't help but make a comment.

Shao Ti, however, saw things clearly. He explained from the side, "Duke Jin used Shi Shouxin to monitor Wei Guan, and the two were bound to have a conflict. With one gaining and the other losing, it's not surprising that Wei Guan got into trouble."

His argument was logical and well-founded, and Sima Zhao couldn't help but nod in agreement. There's a specific term for this kind of thing: "hindrance."

While using restrictive measures may improve the safety of personnel management, it will inevitably sacrifice efficiency.

Seeing that Sima Zhao remained noncommittal, Shao Ti continued, "The Duke of Jin can deploy troops in Hanzhong now. It's busy with the autumn harvest, and the court can't spare the time. Zhong Hui will also use the excuse of harvesting crops to refuse to return. It would be better to wait until the winter off-season to make a decision. The court also needs time to mobilize troops."

"That makes sense."

Sima Zhao nodded, but his face didn't show any disappointment. He knew very well that Zhong Hui couldn't cause any real trouble; the biggest problem was Zhong Hui and Deng Ai joining forces.

Now that Deng Ai has been eliminated, Zhong Hui is no longer a threat.

"In your opinion, how should I reply to this letter?"

Sima Zhao asked again.

"Duke Jin, there are still some matters to attend to in the court. The conquest of Shu is a great achievement, and it is naturally the time for Duke Jin to establish his prestige."

Things that were inconvenient to do before can now be done.

Shao Ti calmly offered his advice.

Upon hearing this, Sima Zhao's expression shifted, and he couldn't help but darken.

"You mean, send people and troops to Ye City, and then adjust the personnel appointments of the imperial court..."

As Sima Zhao spoke, his eyes sharpened involuntarily.

"We can order Shi Bao to lead troops to garrison around Ye City, with Shan Tao as the military supervisor. This is to prevent the Cao family from taking the opportunity to cause trouble."

Shao Ti offered his advice.

In any case, Zhong Hui is neither likely to withdraw his troops nor rebel in the short term, so we might as well take advantage of this window of opportunity to get things done.

Next year, after we've dealt with Zhong Hui and the army that invaded Shu has returned, we can... change the dynasty!
"Okay, you can make the arrangements."

Sima Zhao nodded.

Zhong Hui was quietly advancing his career, and Sima Zhao was also advancing his own career.

In a side room not far from the study, Sima Zhao's wife, Wang Yuanji, was receiving her cousin, Yang Xiu, who had fled back from Shu.

Since it was a private chat among relatives, it wasn't as formal as when Sima Zhao met with his subordinates, and the conversation was very casual.

"If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be calling my cousin 'Empress' next year."

Yang Xiu flattered her with a smile on her face.

These words cannot be said elsewhere, but here there are no taboos, and it can even be said that these words greatly please Wang Yuanji.

"You, you, if you want someone to do something, just say so. Sweet talk won't help."

Wang Yuanji smiled slightly and waved her hand, indicating that she was not susceptible to Yang Xiu's sweet talk at all.

Yang Xiu smiled awkwardly and clapped her hands. The guards waiting outside carried in several bolts of Shu brocade, which appeared to be exquisitely crafted.

“My cousin hasn’t made herself any new clothes in a long time. When I went to Sichuan, I got a batch of Shu brocade, which I can give to my cousin to make new clothes.”

Yang Xiu chuckled, "Anyway, the Shu brocade belongs to Shi Shouxin and is piled up in the Jian Ge warehouse. I just took it without a second thought."

I don't feel bad at all if I give them away.

"Wow, you've made great progress since your trip to Sichuan. You even know how to give gifts now."

Wang Yuanji was clearly pleased and waved her hand, signaling all the servants in the room to leave.

After everyone had left, she stopped smiling and asked, "So, what is it?"

We've finally reached the crucial point!

Yang Xiu said in a deep voice, "It's like this, Zhong Hui is now..."

He recounted everything he had seen and heard in Shu, but made no mention of Shi Shouxin. After he finished speaking, Wang Yuanji waved her hand calmly and said, "There will be a family banquet tomorrow night. Come and have dinner. We can talk about anything else during the meal."

She clearly wanted to tell Sima Zhao about her cousin's unauthorized desertion from the army. This wasn't a big deal, but not informing him was obviously a sign of disrespect to Sima Zhao.

Yang Xiu bowed and left. Wang Yuanji instructed her servants to put away the several bolts of Shu brocade, and then acted as if nothing had happened, going about her business as usual.

For many, deserting from the army without permission is a capital offense, but for the Yang family members, it's just a matter of having a meal at Wang Yuanji's house and can be taken lightly.

Is it fair? It's definitely not fair, but that's just how the world is.

If you're not happy, take a knife and carve out a new world; otherwise, you'll have to put up with it!

……

Late at night, Wang Yuanji lay down next to Sima Zhao, recounting in detail how Yang Xiu had begged her to intercede for him during the day, even including the Shu brocade.

Sima Zhao, who was already so sleepy he was about to fall asleep, listened and yawned as he casually said, "This is just a small matter, you can handle it yourself, you don't need to tell me anymore."

Sima Zhao had absolute trust in his wife, who had been with him for over twenty years, and their relationship was deep. Clearly, Yang Xiu's little problem was nothing to worry about and could be resolved with a single word!
Instead of talking about these boring things, it's better to wash up and go to bed early.

"Ah Lang, I miss you a little..."

Wang Yuanji's eyes were somewhat glazed over. Recalling Yang Xiu's mention of the "Empress" during the day, her body felt weak and her voice became somewhat seductive.

Wang Yuanji reached out and stroked Sima Zhao's body, seemingly hinting at something.

Even after having two children, she is still a woman, and she still wants a man to love and cherish her.

Throughout her life, only Sima Zhao had ever touched her, and Wang Yuanji did not feel that there was anything wrong with asking Sima Zhao for pleasure.

This is the way of human relations.

However, even though Sima Zhao and Wang Yuanji had a deep affection for each other, many things follow natural laws determined by the structure and growth patterns of the human body, and have little to do with personal will.

Although Sima Zhao and Wang Yuanji had a deep affection for each other, decades of living together had transformed their love into familial affection. Faced with his wife's seductive advances, Sima Zhao was completely...unmoved!
The two touched hands, as if the left hand were holding the right.

Sima Zhao no longer feels that way; it's not that he dislikes it, but rather a kind of terrifying habit and adaptation.

If Wang Yuanji were to die of illness, he would certainly be heartbroken. But now that she is asking him for sexual relations, Sima Zhao truly cannot do it.

Sima Zhao felt ashamed and helpless in the face of his wife's advances.

"Yuanji, I'm a little tired today, how about another day?"

Sima Zhao kissed Wang Yuanji on the forehead and smiled wryly. In the darkness, the weariness on his face was naturally invisible, but the weariness in his voice was all too obvious.

How many older men can still be promiscuous when faced with a wife who has lost her beauty and with whom they have been intimate countless times?
Wang Yuanji felt extremely disappointed, but she did not rebuke her husband. She held Sima Zhao's hand and whispered in his ear, "Then, my love, touch me, just like we did when we were newlyweds."

Upon hearing this, Sima Zhao knew that his wife was truly aroused today, so he had no choice but to remove her nightgown and grope around in the dark.

The relationship between Sima Zhao and his wife was tinged with the awkwardness and helplessness typical of middle-aged men and women, but Zhong Hui, a young man who was not yet forty, remained passionate!
Even though it was time to go to bed, the Taiji Hall in the Chengdu Imperial Palace was still brightly lit.

Dancers in colorful gauze skirts danced gracefully inside the hall.

Zhong Hui sat on the dragon throne, appearing completely at ease. His arrogant demeanor was arguably even more outrageous than Deng Ai's.

Deng Ai only sat there when he was working, but Zhong Hui was already treating himself as the emperor and the military generals as his subjects, holding a grand banquet in the palace!

Its pomp and circumstance were no different from that of an emperor!

Where is General Liu?

Sitting on the dragon throne, Zhong Hui shouted loudly, clearly a little carried away tonight.

The drumming stopped, and the dancers wisely stood on both sides, waiting for Zhong Hui to speak.

Liu Shan, looking embarrassed, rose from his seat, stepped forward, bowed to Zhong Hui, and said, "I am here."

Seeing Liu Shan's meek and submissive demeanor, the generals in the hall were all whispering among themselves.

Shi Shouxin ate his food in silence, secretly observing the expressions on everyone's faces. Most of the people here were treating Liu Shan like a monkey being toyed with in a zoo.

Suddenly, he saw anger surge on Jiang Wei's face, which he then forcibly suppressed. It was only a brief moment, but Shi Shouxin caught it.

Hehe, this is going to be interesting.

Shi Shouxin thought to himself, but on the surface he remained calm and composed.

"General Liu, when I was in Luoyang, I heard that you were good at singing and dancing."

"Since all the generals are here today, why don't you perform a dance for them? What do you say?"

Zhong Hui made a gesture of invitation, his tone questioning yet carrying an undeniable air of authority!
No one stood up to speak well of Liu Shan, not even Shi Shouxin.

A king who has lost his country should be humble and subservient in front of the victors.

If you don't want to jump, then the generals present will go to your bedroom and watch your wives and concubines jump!
Go ahead and jump!

Liu Shan's face turned pale and then flushed.

He gritted his teeth, and still awkwardly twisted his body, beginning to dance a dance whose meaning was unclear.

Zhong Hui looked at the dancers and musicians with some displeasure and shouted, "What's wrong with you all? Hurry up and dance and play accompaniment for General Liu!"

Seeing Zhong Hui's anger, the dancers quickly came to Liu Shan's side and began to dance gracefully in sync with his movements. Liu Shan suddenly looked like a caterpillar among a group of butterflies, appearing extremely out of place.

During the banquet, all the Wei generals watched Liu Shan dancing with smiles on their faces, except for Jiang Wei, who sat to the side with a stern expression and a murderous glint in his eyes.

Jiang Wei suddenly noticed someone watching him. Following the direction of the gaze, he saw Shi Shouxin eating with his head down, neither smiling nor speaking, like a transparent person.

Shi Shouxin noticed Jiang Wei looking at him, so he raised his head, put his index finger to his lips, and made a shushing gesture.

(End of this chapter)