Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 188 Sneak into the night with the wind

Shi Shouxin hadn't visited his father-in-law's house in a long time; when he did, Li Yin was on official business in Guanzhong.

By the time Li Yin returned to Luoyang, Shi Shouxin had already joined the campaign against Shu, so they just missed each other.

He was lucky to be there this time, so he didn't stand on ceremony. After entering the house, he exchanged a few pleasantries with his father-in-law, then found a side room, lay down on the couch, and fell asleep immediately.

I slept very soundly and sweetly, and when I woke up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky.

Shi Shouxin has been working tirelessly these past two days, running around doing errands and offering advice, without getting a proper rest, which has left him exhausted.

The concept of "lunch" did not exist during the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Although it is not to say that people did not eat lunch, there was no social custom of families sitting together to eat lunch.

Today, however, Shi Shouxin was eating millet porridge with his father-in-law Li Yin and brother-in-law Li Gu by his side, both of whom stood silently by his side, eagerly watching Shi Shouxin speak.

After finishing the millet porridge, Shi Shouxin looked at Li Gu and said, "Brother-in-law, take all the servants in the house and go to the market to buy some grain. The lean season is coming soon, and we will need some grain."

"understood."

Li Gu reluctantly grunted and walked out of the main hall, leading his servants out of the courtyard.

When undertaking great tasks, the fewer people who know about them, the better, especially those who cannot help.

"Let's talk in the study."

Li Yin nodded to Shi Shouxin, and the two then went to the study and sat down.

Shi Shouxin recounted how Sima Zhao feigned illness in an attempt to use it to carry out his schemes. However, he did not mention that this was a trap set by Sima Zhao against Sima Fu's faction.

"Understood. I will make a trip to the Prince of Jin's residence after nightfall."

Li Yin nodded and did not ask any further questions.

If it were something that could be known, Shi Shouxin himself would have said so.

If you shouldn't know something, why ask it?

Li Yin was very efficient in his work; if Shi Shouxin didn't say anything, he simply didn't ask.

Once you meet Sima Zhao, all your questions will be answered.

Is this situation dangerous?

Li Yin frowned slightly and asked.

He had a vague idea of ​​what was going on, but he wasn't sure yet.

Shi Shouxin nodded and said, "It is extremely dangerous. If we are not careful, the country could be overthrown."

His expression was solemn, unlike his composure when he was in front of Sima You.

"Be careful. If things don't go well, you can go to Sichuan to hide."

He might even become the next Liu Bei.

Li Yin bluntly offered Shi Shouxin advice: If you can't win, then go to Shu.

You really dare to say that!
The two then discussed some details about Sima Zhao feigning illness, as well as the fact that Sima Yan and Sima You had joined forces.

An hour later, Shi Shouxin bowed to Li Yin and took his leave.

It seems that his father-in-law is quite shrewd.

This Imperial Censor had participated in many confidential matters alongside Sima Zhao and possessed a keen understanding of the obstacles and internal conflicts facing the Sima family. Shi Shouxin didn't need to reveal Sima Fu's affairs at all; Li Yin understood immediately and had already guessed the gist of it.

Despite its seemingly impeccable power, the Sima family was actually beset by internal and external troubles and could never deliver a perfect answer regarding the legitimacy of its regime.

Not only Sima Zhao knew, but his close advisors also knew.

Seeing his father-in-law's support, Shi Shouxin felt somewhat relieved.

Humans need two legs to walk, and now that he has found one leg, he is about to find the other.

Hopefully, this leg won't let him down!

……

Night fell quickly.

Before Shi Shouxin arrived at the Prince of Jin's residence, Li Yin had already arrived. He entered the residence smoothly and came to the door of Sima Zhao's bedroom, where he was blocked by Sima Yan and the residence's personal guards.

"Your Highness, before being promoted by the Prince of Jin, I also knew some medical skills and even treated the patients in my village."

I have a good remedy here. Let me go in and take a look at the Prince of Jin's condition.

If my estimation is correct, this prescription should be able to cure the illness.

Li Yin took a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Sima Yan.

The latter glanced at it quickly, a smile appearing on his lips, and handed the "prescription" to Li Yin, saying, "Please, Minister Li."

"It's easy to talk about."

Li Yin smiled and nodded, pushed open the door and entered, replacing Wei Fan, who was on duty inside.

Sitting down beside Sima Zhao's bed, Li Yin said softly, "Prince Jin, please feel free to give me any instructions. I will certainly do my best to fulfill them for you."

Sima Zhao opened his eyes and saw Li Yin bowing to him.

"Ugh!"

Sima Zhao sighed deeply, and said with helplessness and frustration, "Sit down, I was just about to go find you."

"Is the Prince of Jin worried that the lineage of the Duke of Changle has become too powerful to control?"

Li Yin leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

"That's right. If I still have twenty years, I can proceed slowly and methodically."

But now... it's too late.

The lineage of Duke Chang Le will surely become a scourge in the future.

Sima Zhao opened his eyes and spoke calmly, without hiding anything.

Li Yin was someone he could trust; when Cao Mao launched his rebellion, this man was by his side offering advice and strategies.

The phrase "too big to fail" is really apt! If things drag on any longer, there might be a situation like "Quwo replacing Yi" (a reference to a historical event or policy).

"What's the plan?"

Sima Zhao asked.

Li Yin leaned closer and whispered a few words in his ear.

A glint of light flashed in the eyes of the Prince of Jin.

"Is this Shi Shouxin's scheme?"

Sima Zhao asked.

Li Yin nodded and said, "That's true."

“In the past, I wondered how he could defeat Zhong Hui in Shu. But now I see that Zhong Hui’s defeat was not unjust.”

"Then I'll trouble Lord Li to spread the word about my illness, and proceed according to plan."

Sima Zhao instructed.

His strength is that, although his abilities are average, he is still relatively receptive to advice.

Sima Zhao certainly knew why Li Yin was there. He only needed to think about who Li Yin was to Shi Shouxin to understand. The old physician Wei Fan was also invited by Shi Shouxin.

Indeed, as Li Yin said, the "illness" cannot be left untreated. If it goes on for too long, even if there is nothing wrong, it will become something wrong.

"This humble official takes his leave. If the Duke of Changle seeks me out, I will tell him that the Prince of Jin is beyond medical help and that after his last moments of lucidity, he must prepare for his passing."

As for the rest, this humble official cannot agree to the Duke of Chang Le's request.

Li Yin smiled.

Sima Zhao nodded, grasped Li Yin's hand tightly, and said, "Then I'll leave it to you."

"When faced with two evils, choose the lesser one. Prince Jin, please rest assured, I have no reason to help the Duke of Changle."

Li Yin comforted Sima Zhao.

Sima Zhao thought about it and realized that this was indeed the case. Both Zhong Hui in the past and Jia Chong now were promoted by Sima Shi.

Only Li Yin was promoted by Sima Shi himself, and had nothing to do with Sima Shi, let alone with Sima Fu.

What reason would Li Yin have to help Sima Fu?
Sima Zhao remained lying on the bed. As soon as Li Yin stepped out of the bedroom, Sima Yan and the others surrounded him, their expressions extremely anxious.

"How is my father's condition? Will that prescription work?"

Sima Yan asked a question with a double meaning.

Li Yin nodded and said, "It should be useful, but there are still a few herbs that need to be adjusted. I'll go home and prepare the herbs first."

Sima Yan understood the implication and bowed to Li Yin, saying, "In that case, I will leave it to you, Vice Minister Li."

"It is the physicians who treat illnesses; doctors have the heart of parents."

Li came to treat the Prince of Jin; he was a doctor, not an official.

Li Yin smiled slightly, waved his hand lightly, and drifted away gracefully.

Seeing this, Sima Yan felt relieved. It turned out that Li Yin was the first savior that Shi Shouxin had found!
He's definitely a reliable person!
Li Yin once served in the General's Office and was Sima Yan's teacher, explaining political affairs to him.

He had a very close personal relationship with both Sima Zhao and Sima Yan, and his character and judgment were trustworthy.

Otherwise, why would he have chosen Shi Shouxin as his son-in-law? The fact that Shi Shouxin is doing well today is enough to show Li Yin's discerning eye.

Is it possible that Li Yin would side with Sima Fu to oppose Sima Zhao, the lord who had shown him great favor, and his own student Sima Yan?

It's not impossible, but the chances are so slim that they can hardly be considered.

Sima Yan suddenly felt an irresistible urge. Who would be the second savior that Shi Shouxin had found?

……

In the study of the Nanpi Earl's mansion north of Luoyang, Sima Zhou, now the founding earl, looked constipated as he gazed at the uninvited Shi Shouxin, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

Sima Zhou still vividly remembered the words Shi Shouxin had cursed at him when he tried to stop Cao Mao, as if it had happened just yesterday.

It is vivid in my mind.

Every time he woke up in the middle of the night, Sima Zhou would relive that scene in his dreams.

Commonly known as breaking through defenses.

This tastes really not good.

Under the torchlight, Shi Shouxin's face looked a bit more mature than it had been back then, but his expression and demeanor were exactly the same, which made Sima Zhou very angry.

However, Shi Shouxin's visit today was definitely for a reason, and Sima Zhou did not dare to neglect him, so he still invited him to the study to discuss the matter.

"Sir Shi, please speak frankly. I still need to inspect the city's defenses."

Sima Zhou sighed, too lazy to dwell on past grievances with Shi Shouxin. This man had now latched onto Sima You's powerful backer and was not someone he, as a concubine's "uncle," could easily deal with.

"Although Nanpi Bo has been appointed General Who Conquers the Barbarians and is granted the authority to act on behalf of the emperor, he should have gone to Yanzhou to take up his post, but you have not yet set off."

He is still in Luoyang City, serving as the Commandant of the Cavalry in one of the five major camps.

"It seems the Prince of Jin has other plans."

Shi Shouxin briefly summarized Sima Zhou's experiences. This third uncle of Sima Yan stayed in Luoyang, seemingly with other plans.

Upon hearing what Shi Shouxin said, Sima Zhou also put away his nonchalant expression and began to take it seriously.

Seeing Sima Zhou's expression, Shi Shouxin felt confident and went straight to the point:

"The Duke of Nanpi must also know about the matter concerning the King of Jin."

I have been entrusted by the Crown Prince and the Second Prince of Jin to ask the Earl of Nanpi for a favor.

Sima Zhou nodded, slightly relieved.

The Prince of Jin's heir and second son are not significant individually, because Sima Zhao is still in charge.

However, the two of them together are terrifying!

Putting everything else aside, the fact that someone could actually get these two people to work together shows that the matter at hand is no simple matter!
"Please speak, Sima Shi. I am naturally duty-bound to handle the matter concerning the Prince of Jin."

Sima Zhou made a gesture of invitation.

"The Luoyang Imperial Guards can be broadly divided into the Left and Right Guards, which guard the imperial palace; the four armies surrounding Luoyang: front, rear, left, and right; and the five schools guarding Luoyang city."

However, not all the Imperial Guards were in Luoyang. Two years ago, the Imperial Guards participated in the conquest of Shu, and many of them have not yet returned and are still on their way.

The troops of the Left and Right Guards were basically complete, with the four armies stationed in Xuchang, Chang'an, Yecheng, and Nanyang respectively, still some distance from Luoyang.

Each of the five schools has only about a thousand students.

Mr. Shi wanted to know, besides the Earl of Nanpi, who else in Luoyang was currently in command of the army?

Shi Shouxin asked seriously.

Sima Zhou was greatly alarmed and hurriedly asked, "Did An Shi tell you all this?"

"He said some things, but didn't go into details."

Shi Shouxin gave a vague answer, saying that he had actually learned these things piecemeal from his past experiences. After all, he had participated in the campaign against Shu, and with so many generals in the military camp, he could learn a lot of so-called "secrets" through casual conversations.

It can only be said that Sima Zhou did not participate in the conquest of Shu, so it's just a case of making a fuss over nothing!
"Luoyang is currently depleted of troops. Of the five military schools, only the cavalry are stationed there. The others have all participated in the campaign against Shu and have not yet returned."

The Right Army was stationed in Xuchang and was commanded by Sima Jun.

The vanguard was stationed in Guanzhong and was commanded by Sima Liang.

The commander of the Left Guard was Sima You, and the commander of the Right Guard was Sima Wang, each with five thousand men.

They are all in Luoyang, they should be.

Furthermore, Yang Hu was the Left General, and the Left Army's troops were stationed in Shu.

Sima Zhou gave a brief and concise introduction.

“That would be terrible. If Sima Wang listens to the Duke of Chang Le (Sima Fu) and decides to eliminate corrupt officials and even kill his own relatives for the greater good, I’m afraid the foundation of the Prince of Jin will be destroyed.”

Shi Shouxin sighed with shamelessness.

"Is there such a thing?"

Sima Zhou suddenly stood up, his eyes wide open.

"If, Mr. Shi means if."

Duke Chang Le said that even non-legitimate sons like the Earl of Nanpi are innocent, and he would not punish them.

Instead, they used the Cao family to kill only the Prince of Jin, Sima Yan, and Sima You. Did the Earl of Nanpi think this was outrageous?

Shi Shouxin countered with a question.

Sima Zhou slowly sat down. Guanqiu Jian had done something similar back then! He emphasized that only Sima Shi should be killed and called on Sima Fu to take power.

Because the current imperial family is still the Cao family!
The internal reshuffling of the Sima family, though seen as a cataclysmic event by the Sima family members, seems quite unusual to outsiders...

Isn't it just about getting rid of Sima Yi's legitimate sons and grandsons, and then internally adjusting the leadership?

This is such a big deal that it doesn't even affect the collateral branches of Sima Yi's lineage, including Sima Zhou, Sima Jun, and Sima Liang.

Sima Zhou took a few deep breaths to calm his inner fear and anxiety before looking at Shi Shouxin seriously and saying, "Tell me, what should we do?"

He didn't mention Sima Fu at all.

Seeing this, Shi Shouxin breathed a sigh of relief.

The Sima family is still quite united. However, their troop deployment has not yet been fully adjusted due to the conquest of Shu.

Since people's hearts haven't completely collapsed, things are easier to handle.

“Lord Nanpi, the situation is not good now. At Fuping Ferry, a force of about three thousand soldiers from Yewang County has been stationed.”

It should be under Sima Fu's command and control; you can send someone to confirm.

I'll go back and inform the Prince of Jin's heir first, and I'll come again tomorrow. Farewell!

Shi Shouxin bowed to Sima Zhou, and without waiting for a reply, turned and left.

(End of this chapter)