Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 161 Behave and stand up
Life is often about making choices; when you gain something, you also have to pay a price.

Shi Shouxin didn't want to help Sima Zhao kill Deng Ai, and he didn't want to be the executioner, so he also paid the price. He had just returned to Luoyang in triumph when he was imprisoned.

The night was so dark that it was almost impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

Inside a prison in Silitai, the light from torches on the walls dispelled the deep darkness.

Looking at Shi Shouxin, whose appearance had matured considerably since then, Shi Bao was filled with mixed emotions and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"You went to Shu and didn't return for more than a year. During that time, I heard a lot about you, and each one was quite astonishing."

But you still have the same problem as before, always wanting to go to jail.

Shi Bao smiled and casually untied the shackles from Shi Shouxin's body. To make the performance more convincing, Shi Shouxin was already in shackles when he was taken out of the Prince of Jin's residence.

"If the Sima family asks me to kill my adoptive father in the future, my answer will be the same as today."

Shi Shouxin said dismissively. Upon hearing this, Shi Bao fell silent.

"Alas! At my peak, I had over a hundred adopted sons, but now I only have a dozen or so left. Please take good care of yourself."

He sighed again and continued, "Actually, everyone knows what happened when Deng Ai was assassinated. The one who killed Deng Ai was a servant of the Prince of Jin's household. If you search now, you can definitely find out. But even if all the officials in Luoyang know about this, no one will say it to his face."

Sima Zhao ordered Shi Bao to investigate the case. Haha, how could this case be investigated?
What if they find out something? Wouldn't that be terrible?
Should we tell the court officials and report to the imperial court that Sima Zhao sent someone to execute Deng Ai?

Shi Bao felt disgusted and subconsciously didn't want to think about these troubling matters.

"When I left Shu, I told Deng Ai that he was doomed."

When we arrived at Tongguan, he told me that he should explain the situation to the Prince of Jin in person, saying that he was innocent.

As a result, he didn't even get a chance to speak.

Shi Shouxin's face showed a mocking expression.

The server version has been updated, but some players' strategies and tactics are still based on the previous version, so they will naturally be eliminated.

Deng Ai was not wrong; what was wrong was that this era could no longer tolerate him.

"What I fear most is meeting someone like you who understands everything but still insists on doing it."

Shi Bao smiled helplessly, patted Shi Shouxin on the shoulder and said, "You'll have to endure the injustice in the Silitai prison for three days. After that, go home and wait for news. Don't even mention the military commander position. You've already resigned from your post since arriving in Luoyang and are awaiting selection. The Prince of Jin is considering appointing you as a Marquis within the Passes and a Cavalry Commandant. As for whether you'll be appointed as a prefect, it's hard to say."

Hearing this, Shi Shouxin finally felt relieved.

During the Three Kingdoms period, wars were frequent, and the common people preferred to talk with swords rather than reason. Therefore, those who governed a region often held military positions.

Without military force, it is difficult to govern a local area, let alone achieve anything significant.

For example, a local governor often concurrently holds the title of a general with a miscellaneous title, or at least a cavalry captain or a gatekeeper general.

Shi Shouxin's decisiveness and ruthlessness in participating in the campaign against Shu earned him the appreciation of many colleagues and superiors. After all, in this era, everyone prefers people who are efficient and decisive.

Sending someone to a local post with a civil or military rank and a noble title is standard procedure. Conversely, staying in Luoyang and taking a position in the central government is considered an exceptional promotion.

"The waters in Luoyang are deep; it's easy to drown here. I'm also looking to develop my career elsewhere, but I don't know which place would be best yet."

Shi Shouxin nodded.

These days, surveillance measures are still inadequate. Being far from the emperor's reach, one can develop however one pleases. If this were in Luoyang, where even drinking water would be monitored, developing here wouldn't be a good idea.

"Let me tell you about something that happened in this area."

A thief broke into someone's house to steal and was arrested by a passing official (a minor official who arrests criminals). The thief resisted arrest with a knife and was killed by the official during the fight.

His brothers, without regard for right or wrong, lurked near the home of the thief Cao and attempted to ambush him. They even tried to kill Cao's family members. After Cao's neighbors reported them to the authorities, they then tried to kill the neighbors as well.

Finally, the thief had no choice but to write a letter to the prefect, recounting the matter and handing it over to the prefect for punishment. The prefect then had the entire family beheaded.

Do you understand what I mean by this?

Shi Bao told Shi Shouxin a true story.

"The knife in your hand is for use, not for looking at."

Shi Shouxin answered without hesitation.

"It's good that you understand this principle. In this world, many things are unreasonable, just like that family of thieves."

If you don't kill them, they'll kill you. These people are unafraid of threats and unreasonable. The only way to solve the problem is to kill them and eliminate any future trouble.

When you have a knife in your hand, your thoughts become the laws. And these laws are meant to restrain those whose knives are not sharp enough.

If the family of the thief were to rally a large following in the local community, it would constitute a popular uprising. Officials must avoid being soft-hearted, inflexible, or rigidly compliant.

However, judging from your performance in Shu, this is somewhat redundant; you surely understand that.

Shi Bao gave a very subtle hint.

For intelligent people, a word is enough; there's no need to spell it out so bluntly.

Shi Bao had great confidence in his adopted son's abilities. Shi Shouxin instantly understood that his imprisonment was nothing compared to the fact that all the suppression was merely a ploy to emphasize obedience. Otherwise, Shi Bao wouldn't have uttered these nonsensical words. These tips were meant for the living, not for the dead.

If Shi Shouxin had a hereditary army under his command, Sima Zhao would bestow upon him official titles, ranks, and territory to house his troops. In return, Shi Shouxin would offer what was called "loyalty" and the courage to charge into battle at crucial moments.

"It seems you have figured it out."

Shi Bao nodded in satisfaction, then, as if remembering something, laughed heartily and said, "Ji Lun has returned to Luoyang. You haven't seen each other for many years, so it's the perfect time to drink and reminisce. He has returned to Luoyang to serve as a Gentleman Attendant-in-Ordinary, serving Sima Yan. Come to my house for a drink when you have time."

Clearly, Shi Bao was also quite satisfied with Shi Chong.

As for Shi Chong's transfer from a county magistrate in the Hanoi region back to the capital to serve by the side of the "Crown Prince," Sima Zhao's considerations were also obvious: to pave the way for his son's succession.

Since the conquest of Shu, everything in Luoyang has changed. Everyone understands what is about to happen, so those who need to take their seats do so, and those who need to sit at the table do so. Everyone is waiting for the grand feast to begin!
"Jilun has had a very smooth life these past few years."

Shi Shouxin sighed.

Shi Chong clearly used Sima Yan's connections and made no attempt to hide it. He remained as straightforward as ever.

Meanwhile, in the study of the Prince of Jin's residence, people were also discussing matters related to Shi Shouxin.

"Xiuyuan (Chen Qian's courtesy name), what do you think is the best way to handle the matter of Deng Ai?"

Sima Zhao, sitting on the bed, asked, while Wang Yuanji massaged his shoulders from behind. This was clearly a very private occasion, demonstrating Sima Zhao's trust in Chen Qian.

Previously, Chen Qian was on official business in Jingzhou and Xiangyang as the military governor of Jingzhou. He was just transferred back this year to serve in the imperial court. The powerful figures who could control the military and political affairs of a region in Jingzhou and Xiangyang were all confidants of Sima Zhao.

"Although Deng Ai did not rebel, he appointed former officials of Shu without authorization and proposed to make Liu Shan a king. His thoughts were treacherous and unfathomable."

Even if he hasn't done many things yet, it doesn't mean he hasn't thought about doing them.

Since Deng Ai is dead, let's not dwell on this matter anymore. Let's just exile Deng Ai's family in Luoyang to the frontier.

As for Deng Zhong, who fled... let him go. The government doesn't need to go out of its way to arrest him.

Chen Qian spoke slowly, his eyes half-open, his expression calm and unreadable.

"That's fine then. When it comes to rewarding meritorious service, we just won't mention Deng Ai."

Sima Zhao nodded and said that he neither said who killed Deng Ai nor intended to make a big fuss about Deng Ai's case.

Since it's a shameful affair, it's best to keep a low profile and not act innocent after gaining an advantage.

"What does Xiuyuan think of the matter of Shi Shouxin?"

Sima Zhao asked again.

"Shi Shouxin is capable and tight-lipped. His willingness to come to Luoyang alone already shows that he has no ulterior motives."

In my opinion, he should be richly rewarded, with titles, land, and official positions bestowed upon him. However, he should be sent to a remote area to demonstrate the Prince of Jin's dislike for him.

When the crown prince ascends the throne, he will recall him to demonstrate his loyalty. Only in this way can he ensure the prince's dedication and willingness to serve.

Chen Qian stroked his beard and smiled.

Sima Zhao hadn't expected Chen Qian to set traps for Shi Shouxin at the banquet, and to speak so highly of him privately. Of course, the two were not related, and this was their first meeting tonight, so Chen Qian certainly didn't have any ulterior motives.

“How come you see?”

Sima Zhao immediately became interested.

"He stationed his troops in Gucheng, with only four personal guards by his side, to escort Deng Ai to Luoyang. Although it was only a few dozen miles, the risks involved were considerable."

But Shi Shouxin still came, which means he either guessed what was going to happen or was loyal to the Prince of Jin. In any case, everyone could see what was going on.

If this is not rewarded, people who encounter similar situations in the future will not be as obedient as Shi Shouxin.

Deng Ai is dead, and no one will stand up for him, but Shi Shouxin has a bright future, and there will surely be many who will try to persuade him. The Prince of Jin should just go with the flow; he deserves the reward anyway.

Chen Qian gave an explanation.

Before Sima Zhao could speak, Wang Yuanji laughed and said, "What Lord Chen said is absolutely right. The Prince of Jin just wants to know where it would be best to send Shi Shouxin out to.

Chen Qian smiled and said, "Let Shi Bao be sent to Huainan to serve as the military commander of Huainan."

He sent his adopted son to Qingxu as a rear base to support Huainan. This was to reassure Shi Bao and, in the event of any unusual behavior from Shi Bao, to have his adopted son restrain him.

This was also to preserve talent for An Shi (Sima Yan). Decades later, when An Shi ascended the throne, Shi Shouxin, a few years younger, would be perfectly positioned to undertake important tasks.

"Chen Gong is a man of profound wisdom and foresight, truly a pillar of the nation."

Sima Zhao couldn't help but sigh, then changed the subject and asked, "What do you think about Tao Fu (Sima You) returning to his clan?"

Upon hearing this question, Chen Qian, who had just been speaking eloquently, immediately chuckled and said, "This is a matter concerning the Prince of Jin's family and does not involve court politics, so it is really inconvenient for me to speak on it. However, we can arrange for Sima Liang's son to be adopted by the Prince of Jing right now."

Although the matter of Sima You returning to the lineage of Sima Zhao needs to be delayed, there are no obstacles to the adoption of Sima Liang's son to Sima Shi.

There's no rule in etiquette that says a sonless uncle can only adopt one son!

Wang Yuanji glanced at Chen Qian and cursed inwardly: "That old fox really knows what he's got up his sleeve!"
(End of this chapter)