Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 2 Prologue 2 The Celestial Dragons in the Celestial Dragon Kingdom

Shi Bao was a core member of the Sima family. Back when he was selling iron in Xuchang, he was promoted from a humble position by Sima Yi.

He now serves as General Who Guards the East, holds the authority of a general, and is enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongguang. He is also the military commander of Yangzhou and a confidant of Sima Shi. Unfortunately, Sima Shi is dead, and the current prominent figure in the Sima clan is Sima Zhao.

A brother's confidant may not necessarily become his brother's confidant. Therefore, Sima Zhao's attitude towards Shi Bao was somewhat ambiguous.

While giving them important roles, we also keep an eye on them.

A blatant reality is:

When the Sima family is at odds with other families, Shi Bao will definitely stand on the Sima family's side.

However, when internal strife arose within the Sima family, Shi Bao's attitude became uncertain.

Sima Zhao was worried about Shi Bao's stance, and Shi Bao also had concerns about Sima Zhao.

If Sima Zhao could no longer maintain order, the Sima family would recommend someone else, such as Sima Zhao's younger brother, the capable and skilled Sima Zhou, to take over.

It's really hard to say whose side Shi Bao will be on!

Shi Bao's return to Luoyang from Yangzhou was due to an urgent order from Sima Zhao to return to Luoyang and assume the post of Commandant of the Capital Region.

If Shi Bao returns to Luoyang, then he will still be one of our own.

If he doesn't come, Sima Zhao will most likely prepare to quell the rebellion.

All the way back to Luoyang, Shi Bao was worried about what he would encounter. By the time he arrived at the outskirts of Luoyang, he was already filled with anxiety.

Even if they weren't quite at the point of being frightened, their nerves were already stretched to the limit. If it weren't for this, even if Shi Gandang had shouted himself hoarse, Shi Bao wouldn't have let Shi Chong go back for a second look.

Because the current situation is so unpredictable and tense, any small mistake could potentially ruin the family.

That's why Shi Bao was extremely careful, not letting any slightest movement slip by.

The Shi family's mansion was quite large; even in Luoyang, where land was incredibly valuable, its scale was astonishing.

The Shi Mansion is located near the Dongyang Gate of Luoyang City. The mansion is rectangular in shape and surrounded by high walls with double-sloped eaves. Inside the main gate is the front hall, with a row of side rooms on each side.

This is the villa where Shi Bao and his wife lived.

A large gate, the front gate, is located in the center of the south wall. A gate tower is built on top of the gate, and there are roof tiles on the eaves. Windows are on all four walls, allowing one to look into the distance.

The mansion had four watchtowers at its four corners, with roofs identical to the gate towers, but only walls on the left and right sides beneath them, with a window on one side. The east and west sides of the mansion were divided into many separate courtyards, where Shi Chong's sons and unmarried daughters lived.

A small door runs through the center of the north wall, serving as the back door. The servants of the mansion all lived in the area near the back door, as did the stables, granaries, kitchen, and woodshed.

In the greenhouse in the backyard of the Shi family mansion, which was specially designed for bathing, Shi Gandang was leaning against the edge of the pool, resting with his eyes closed. Two young and beautiful maids were washing his body on his left and right.

In the dim firelight, the atmosphere here was quite ambiguous.

The warm water in the pool is fresh water that flows out to the "boiler room" for heating, so there is a constant influx of new warm water.

The stains on Shi Gandang's body were washed away at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Two other maids were adding flower petals to the pool. Their gazes occasionally drifted to Shi Gandang's taut abs, but neither of them spoke.

Just focus on doing your own thing.

Shi Gandang felt extremely embarrassed by being looked up and down, but then he thought about it and felt relieved. As long as he wasn't embarrassed, it was others who were embarrassed.

In name, Shi Gandang was Shi Bao’s so-called “adopted son”, but in reality, this identity meant that when the Shi family was in trouble, he would be the cannon fodder who rushed to the front line regardless of his own life and death, and would live and die with his master!

Shi Bao had at least several dozen adopted sons, if not a hundred. They were the wings, shield, spear, and mounted warriors of the Shi family.

This is the world of the Celestial Dragons, and its wonders have nothing to do with the dogs on the street!
No one could reason with Shi Gandang, this time traveler! If he was called an adopted son, then he was an adopted son, and he would shed his last drop of blood for the Shi family! He had no choice but to accept it; everything was out of his control!

After Shi Gandang finished bathing, the four maids who had served him tidied up the room and dressed him. Then, without prior arrangement, they bowed and slowly retreated towards him until they left the greenhouse. Their humble attitude was heartbreaking.

Shi Gandang went to the bronze mirror placed by the window and looked at himself wearing a blue silk blouse and loose skirt and trousers.

In the firelight, a young man in ancient attire wearing a leather cap appeared in the bronze mirror. He was gentle and refined, yet his eyes were sharp. Although the cap covered his short hair, at first glance, his appearance and attire were no different from those of a nobleman of the era.

Moreover, his face looks just as handsome and dashing in period costume, without any sense of incongruity.

"This outfit is quite expensive. The Shi family must have something in mind for giving it to us."

Shi Gandang muttered to himself, put away his self-deprecating expression, straightened his brand-new clothes, strode forward, and pushed open the greenhouse door.

The four maids did not leave, but obediently waited on both sides of the door.

Besides these people, Shi Chong, who had saved his life during the day, was also there. At this moment, he was tucking his hands into his sleeves, looking Shi Gandang up and down.

A hint of surprise flashed across Shi Chong's face, perhaps because he felt that clothes make the man and a saddle makes the horse. After washing up, Shi Gandang no longer looked like a servant at all.

As the saying goes, "The face reflects the heart," and Shi Gandang's appearance was different from that of the obsequious servants he usually was, which made Shi Chong calm down.

"Take off all your clothes!"

Shi Chong looked at Shi Gandang and calmly gave the order, leaving the time traveler in front of him completely bewildered.

Taking off your clothes in public right after showering... isn't that inappropriate?

Before he could even ask a question, the four maids who had just served him during his bath untied their belts, took off their skirts, and pulled down their hair buns in unison, like robots.

Only after he was completely naked did he straighten his chest and look straight ahead.

"I know you've had a long and arduous journey. Among them, is there anyone you fancy? If so, they'll be your companions tonight."

Shi Chong gave the order with a smile, as if it were a trivial matter. He appeared intelligent and refined, with an indescribable cleanliness and elegance about him.

Anyone whose fate is not controlled by him will surely feel that this person is worth associating with.

“I have been saved by Liu Lang (Shi Chong’s sixth son), and I have no way to repay him. How can I accept a reward without having made any contribution?”
Mr. Shi simply had no such intention.

As Shi Gandang spoke, he took a step back and then quickly bowed in greeting.

Shi Chong smiled with satisfaction and waved his hand gently. The four maids quickly dressed and filed out of the courtyard.

Spring light briefly peeked out, then suddenly vanished, leaving Shi Gandang momentarily bewildered.

He also realized that servants had no human rights these days, and it was considered a great honor for a powerful person to make someone strip naked!

In the world of the Celestial Dragons, those who set the rules act with such impunity.

Whether master or slave, they had become accustomed to it.

"Come to my study, I have something to ask you."

Shi Chong's smile vanished, and he spoke solemnly to Shi Gandang. The two walked through the mansion, seemingly for a long time, until they finally arrived at a small but secluded courtyard, which was Shi Chong's residence, "Xianglan Courtyard."

Entering the antique-style study, Shi Gandang saw a mountain of bamboo slips piled up in the corner. It was clear that Shi Chong was quite fond of learning.

Shi Chong found a small wooden stool, then knelt down and sat on it.

Shi Gandang followed suit and sat down. Suddenly, he no longer felt uncomfortable kneeling. No wonder these Heavenly Dragons could sit for hours on end! Without this thing, he probably wouldn't be able to sit for more than a few days before his calf muscles developed varicose veins and died.

There will be a large number of people waiting for amputation in the clinic.

Shi Gandang thought to himself: There must be details among the "strange" habits of the ancients that are unknown to later generations. Because laziness is human nature, and just as modern people do not like to suffer, the ancients did as well.

"I dare ask you, how much do you know about the current state of affairs in the world?"

Of course, I'm just saying, feel free to say whatever you want.

Shi Chong asked meaningfully.

Shi Gandang nodded slightly, pondering what to say. Generally speaking, when superiors, leaders, or people in power ask you to "just say something," you can't be negligent.

We absolutely cannot remain silent!
"I know a little, and have heard a bit about it."

Shi Gandang finally uttered eight words. One shouldn't speak too confidently, for that would only arouse suspicion. A few humble words, however, would make him appear self-assured.

"Please, please come in quickly!"

A flicker of excitement crossed Shi Chong's face, but it quickly vanished. He hurriedly poured Shi Gandang a cup of wine, filling it to the brim!
Seeing the joy on Shi Chong's face, Shi Gandang stood up, preparing his emotions and words.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Shi family treats him like a VIP now, showering him with good food and drink and arranging for maids to serve him while he bathes.

That's because the Shi family wasn't sure how much value he, this transmigrator, really had, and they couldn't see through his true capabilities!

Once it's determined that Shi Gandang is a complete incompetent fool, all the VIP treatment he currently enjoys will definitely be canceled, and he might even be driven into the stable to feed the horses every day.

The Celestial Dragons' world is realistic; it only allows the existence of born trash, not the trash who climbs up!

Shi Gandang coughed lightly, paused for a moment, and then said:
"I think it's not good, or rather, it seems clear but is actually dark."

Shi Gandang sighed.

Shi Chong immediately became interested and asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean by that?"

"The fate of the world rests primarily with the emperor! This can be described as a dragon without a head!"

What gives the emperor the right to rule the world?

It relies on four principles: loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness.

What are loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness?

To never forget the emperor's favor is loyalty; to never forget one's parents' upbringing is filial piety; to never forget to stand up for the people is benevolence; to never forget the kindness and affection of one's benefactors is righteousness.

After the Gaoping Mausoleum incident, the Sima clan's usurpation of the Cao dynasty was a steady and relentless advance. There was a saying among the people that Sima Zhao's intentions were obvious to everyone, which goes without saying.

As the saying goes, "When the Han dynasty lost its deer, the whole world chased after it!"

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and war raged everywhere.

Although the Cao family usurped the Han throne, they earned their territory through hard-fought battles, not by seizing it from Emperor Xian of Han, thus they could be considered to have acted in accordance with the will of Heaven. The Sima family's position, military power, and official titles were all granted by the Cao family, who placed great trust in them. Without the Cao family, how could the Sima family have achieved such absolute power?
To usurp the throne from the Cao family is disloyal; to forget the support of the Cao family is treacherous; and to point to the Luo River in front of Gaoping Mausoleum, breaking one's oath, is heartless and untrustworthy.

Of the three virtues of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness, only filial piety can still be discussed.

But have you heard that since ancient times, the country has been governed by filial piety, and thus the dynasty has lasted a long time?

How could the world not be in chaos?

Shi Gandang mustered his courage and finished speaking. When he looked at Shi Chong, he saw that the other man was completely dumbfounded, his hands tightly gripping the corner of the table.

You really dare to say that!
Shi Chong was so frightened that he didn't know what to say!

"This, this, this, this..."

Shi Chong couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about many things, but no one had ever said them so bluntly and thoroughly in front of him!
"Oh, why didn't you say so sooner? Father has just gone to the palace to pay homage to the Emperor and has not yet returned home."

Shi Chong said with some annoyance.

Shi Gandang was speechless and could only sigh. "You complain I spoke too late? Why the hell didn't you ask earlier?!"

He was cursing inwardly when he saw Shi Chong looking at Shi Gandang with an eager expression and asking, "What do you think?"

At this moment, Shi Chong had completely abandoned his previous airs.

"How about what?"

Shi Gandang was completely bewildered, not knowing what Shi Chong wanted to ask.

"It's about Father being summoned by the Emperor! It's so late, why not summon him during the day? There must be something going on here."

Shi Chong was getting a little anxious.

"General (Sima Zhao) was previously granted the Nine Bestowments, the title of Duke of Jin, and the position of Chancellor by the court. He has already declined these three honors twice, hasn't he?"

Shi Gandang asked in a deep voice.

"One-click triple like?"

There was one word Shi Chong didn't understand, but he roughly understood what it meant.

"Don't worry about the details. Let's just say that the General has already taken the second step in declining the offer three times."

Shi Gandang waved his hand and asked.

Under the torchlight inside the room, Shi Chong looked quite tense.

"That's right. Our return to Luoyang from Huainan this time is... for some matters related to it."

Shi Chong nodded slightly and said, still holding back a secret.

Although Sima Zhao did not say it explicitly, now that he has successfully been granted the Nine Bestowments and the title of Duke of Jin, the next step is to usurp the throne!

At the very least, "Duke of Jin" should be changed to "King of Jin".

Since he intended to usurp the throne, he naturally needed to ensure the safety of the capital. Sima Zhao recalled Shi Bao to facilitate his own ascension to the throne. Shi Bao's arrival meant he would be responsible for the defense of the capital.

Of course, before the three rebellions in Huainan, Guanqiu Jian and Zhuge Dan had all sided with the Sima family. Before Shi Bao came to Luoyang, Sima Zhao did not believe in his loyalty at all.

However, it's hard to say what Sima Zhao is really thinking right now. All of the above are just Shi Chong's guesses. Maybe Sima Zhao just wanted to see Shi Bao, so he summoned him back to Luoyang? Maybe they just wanted to play chess and chat?

In any case, no one would write down something like this in black and white to give others grounds for criticism!

"I suppose tonight the emperor must be trying to persuade his adoptive father to stage a coup and cut off one of the Sima clan's arms."

Shi Gandang sighed softly, his heart sinking to the bottom, but his face remained expressionless.

When he first transmigrated here, the unwarranted beatings he suffered taught him a lesson:
This is a world where even trying to survive isn't always possible! Only by constantly winning can one secure a chance to live.

Everything else is meaningless; the only thing that matters is living well! Other things are unimportant.

Shi Gandang felt he was still young. Here, he had no parents, no wife, and no children. He could live with the sky as his blanket and the earth as his bed, and even if he died, he would face the sky.

Let alone risking his life to turn a bicycle into a motorcycle, he would even risk his life to assassinate Sima Zhao!

"I dare say, how do you think the relationship between the Emperor and the Grand General will change in the future?"

Shi Chong leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

"With the Sima clan holding absolute power, usurpation is inevitable. Whatever the emperor does is like throwing an egg against a rock; it will change nothing."

Shi Gandang said with great certainty, though his tone was low. Shi Chong nodded; in fact, he thought so too.

"However, the Sima family's establishment of the state was inherently flawed and its foundation unstable. What the future will hold is hard to say."

Will the originator of this practice have no descendants? Can the Sima family truly hold onto the throne securely?

Shi Gandang uttered something that sent chills down Shi Chong's spine. At this point in their conversation, they had already shared everything they knew.

"Then, what should I do?"

Shi Chong pressed on, now somewhat frightened. Many things, whether you feign ignorance or genuinely remain ignorant, you can get by.

I'm afraid some clever little devil will puncture the window paper! Shi Gandang's words were exactly that punctured window paper.

"Sixth Brother, let's wait until our godfather returns before we discuss this further."

Shi Gandang subtly hinted at something to Shi Chong. It seems Shi Chong hasn't even managed to secure the lowest official position, let alone even consider entering officialdom!

"Yes, yes, it's because I'm too concerned that I've lost my mind! Hahahaha!"

Drink, drink! "

Shi Chong slapped his forehead, laughed heartily, and quickly poured wine for Shi Gandang.

That night, neither Shi Chong nor Shi Gandang dared to sleep. Besides them, there was another person who dared not sleep: Shi Bao, who had spent the entire night in the Luoyang palace talking with Emperor Cao Mao!

Shi Gandang was wrong. Cao Mao and Shi Bao didn't exchange any nonsense, or rather, they talked "nonsense" all night long.

Cao Mao kept asking Shi Bao about the situation in Huainan, the military situation in Eastern Wu, and the deployment of troops.

Shi Bao answered truthfully, but his mind was elsewhere.

He had also heard some of what was happening in Luoyang. This Cao emperor was being relentlessly pressured by Sima Zhao and had nowhere left to retreat.

Sima Zhao had some guesses about why he summoned Shi Bao back to Luoyang.

The emperor was puzzled; he shouldn't have said these things, nor should he have done these "tedious" things. After the three rebellions in Huainan, who could possibly be Cao Cao's ally? What was the point of all this rambling?
They chatted idly all night, and when the rooster crowed, Cao Mao yawned repeatedly. After exchanging a few polite words, he asked Shi Bao to leave the study.

This was destined to be a sleepless night. Someone who was very "concerned" about Shi Bao's movements waited for him all night at the gatehouse of Sima Gate on the south side of the palace.

This person was none other than General Sima Zhao.

He was worried about the situation, so he waited for Shi Bao at the palace gate. He waited for him, but a whole night had passed.

The feeling was like a turtle man seeing his girlfriend go into the hotel where the blond guy was staying alone, and then walking out alone the next day.

Who knows if she shared a room with the blond guy last night, or if she booked a private room by herself?
Sima Zhao was eager to know what Cao Mao had said to Shi Bao that night.

It should be noted that Shi Bao held military power, enjoyed the support of his troops, and was a skilled strategist! He had achieved numerous victories in previous battles!

Sima Zhao was not as cunning as his elder brother Sima Shi, so when they met, he asked Shi Bao very bluntly: "You stayed in the palace all night. What did you do for so long? That was several hours!"

Shi Bao replied: The emperor is no ordinary person; he has been inquiring about the affairs of Huainan.

Sima Zhao didn't believe it, but couldn't explain why. Seeing that Shi Bao didn't seem to be lying, he had no choice but to return to his residence in a huff.

To catch a thief, you must seize the stolen goods; to catch an adulterer, you must catch them in the act.

Faced with Shi Bao's well-reasoned and evidence-based explanation, Sima Zhao felt as if he had swallowed a fly.

When Shi Bao returned home, he found that Shi Chong had not slept all night and was waiting for him in the study. Deeply moved, he rushed to the study, and the father and son had a private talk.

Upon hearing Shi Chong recount what Shi Gandang had said the previous night, Shi Bao immediately summoned his adopted son, who had made such startling remarks, to his study to discuss important matters.

Once everyone had arrived, Shi Bao recounted everything he had seen and heard in the palace the previous night. Shi Chong and Shi Gandang exchanged bewildered glances, both finding it unbelievable.

The emperor finally had a chance to win over his core forces, and this is what he does?
Huang Mao finally got a chance to go to a hotel with a beautiful woman, but ended up playing animal chess all night.

What good would it do for Cao Mao to inquire about the affairs of Huainan now?
Shi Bao was not one of Sima Zhao's direct subordinates, but if he could be won over, his importance in turning the tide of the situation would be self-evident!

Eliminating Sima Zhao and placing power in the hands of a non-direct descendant of the Sima clan, such as Sima Zhao's brother Sima Zhou or Sima Yi's brother Sima Fu, should have been one of Cao Mao's options. Of course, whether it would succeed is another matter, but at least a try would be worthwhile.

"You dare to accept that? Ji Lun said you are resourceful and wise. What do you think of this matter?"

Shi Bao looked at Shi Gandang and asked.

Before returning to his residence, Sima Zhao's questioning made Shi Bao very nervous. As a direct descendant of Sima Shi, Shi Bao was very clear about the Sima family's style of doing things.

This is why he even used someone of dubious origin like Shi Gandang. It's because this matter is far too important; a single misstep could lead to the extermination of one's entire clan.

"What the emperor did was probably a scheme to sow discord; trying to win over his adoptive father was like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree."

Shi Gandang pondered for a moment before speaking.

“I dare not say such things lightly. If the Shi family falls, you will surely die as well.”

Shi Chong lowered his voice and reminded him.

"Father, Zhong Hui, the Imperial Secretary, requests an audience, saying he has important matters to discuss!"

The voice of Shi Qiao, Shi Bao's other son, came from outside the study door.

(End of this chapter)