Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 208 There's no such thing as a bad seller, only a bad buyer.
Yang Xiu was not one to procrastinate. After receiving Sima Yan's permission, he invited Guo Huai to have a private talk at the home of Guo Huai's elder brother, Guo Yu.

The location was chosen to be private and discreet, so as not to arouse suspicion.

Guo Huai, of course, would not refuse the olive branch extended by Sima Yan. Jia Bao's marriage to Sima You greatly enhanced the status of the woman she so feared within the family.

This put Guo Huai under immense pressure, and he even worried that Jia Chong would "bring back" his first wife, Li Shi, in the future.

So Guo Huai went to Guo Yu's house without thinking twice.

Guo Huai's elder brother provided a private meeting place, and Yang Xiu acted as matchmaker, so Sima Yan went alone to discuss the marriage of his eldest son, Sima Zhong, with Guo Huai one-on-one.

It must be said that Yang Xiu did a brilliant job; neither Sima Zhao nor Jia Chong noticed it.

Sima Yan hoped to leverage the power of the Jia and Guo families, while Guo Huai, in order to solidify his family's position, also wanted to find a powerful and influential son-in-law. The two hit it off immediately and arranged a marriage between Sima Zhong and Guo Huai's second daughter, Jia Wu.

Guo Huai originally proposed that his eldest daughter, Jia Nanfeng, marry Sima Zhong, but Sima Yan firmly disagreed, feeling that Jia Nanfeng was a bit too old and not suitable. Jia Wu, on the other hand, was only one or two years younger than Sima Zhong, which was the perfect age.

After a moment's thought, Guo Huai felt that it wasn't a big deal, so he stopped pursuing the matter, and both parties were happy.

However, the marriage between Sima Yan and Lady Jia, which seemed like a major event that could influence the future political situation, had little impact at this moment.

Firstly, it would be at least ten years before Sima Zhong and Jia Wu were to get married. Right now, it was just a rumor, and there were still many uncertainties in the future.
Secondly, Sima Yan is not yet the emperor, nor even the crown prince, so the impact of the engagement is minimal.

To avoid any unforeseen complications, both sides have kept this matter confidential.

……

Sima Yan, who was not in charge of the household, was oblivious to the cost of firewood and rice, yet he still had the mind to worry about his children's marriages and to flirt with high-ranking officials in the court, forming cliques and preparing for a future power grab.

However, Sima Zhao, who was in charge of the government, was overwhelmed by the political affairs in various places.

Just as Sima Yan and Guo Huai were secretly discussing the marriage agreement with Sima Zhong, in the study of the Prince of Jin's mansion, there was a memorial on Sima Zhao's desk, written by Lu Zhi, the current governor of Qingzhou.

This gentleman, who is over seventy years old, was a well-known incorruptible official during the Wei and Jin Dynasties. He rose to the rank of Grand Master of the Palace, held the title of Special Advisor, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yinping.

In this memorial, he complained to the "court," namely Sima Zhao, about the various chaotic situations in Qingzhou.

The absurdity and unbelievability of these events caused Sima Zhao's blood pressure to spike.

Ever since Zang Ba's troops "scattered" when Cao Cao died, this place has been a festering sore for the country, and it shows no signs of improvement. The government is practically useless, bandits in military uniforms roam freely, the military farms are in ruins and tenants have fled, and powerful families are encroaching on fertile land with impunity, and so on.

Even a single factor would be difficult to deal with, let alone when all the other elements are combined. Even if a rebellion were to break out tomorrow, Sima Zhao wouldn't be surprised.

Lu Zhi lived during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, experiencing the entire Cao Wei period from its rise to its founding and subsequent usurpation. Now, Lu Zhi is so old he has to travel by carriage even to go out; expecting him to lead troops to suppress "rebellions" throughout Qingzhou seems... a bit too much to ask of him.

Qingzhou is a special place. It is located within the territory of Cao Wei. It is the kind of place where people say that the imperial edict is their heart, but their actions are very "honest". They are always unruly and flirt with all kinds of blond-haired people, and often disobey the government's orders.

She bears a striking resemblance to those girls who smoke, drink, get perms, have tattoos, do drugs, and engage in promiscuous sex, yet claim to be good girls.

Now that the Wei royal family is in decline and the power of the Sima clan ministers cannot be delegated to the local areas, they have compromised on various local affairs, making the areas far from Luoyang uncontrollable.

Lu Zhi wrote this memorial with only one meaning: I want to return to Luoyang to retire. Please (referring to Sima Zhao) send a capable official to replace me. I really don't want to go through all this trouble.

I'm too exhausted to keep up with it.

An elderly bureaucrat in his seventies, known for his integrity, submitted a memorial requesting to retire and return to his hometown. Even someone as stern as Sima Zhao felt a pang of sympathy upon reading it.

Shi Shouxin should have gone to Qingzhou to take up his post long ago, and Sima Zhao certainly understood why he hadn't arrived yet.

Shi Shouxin's journey was delayed because he was "helping out" for the Prince of Jin's residence in Luoyang.

After reading the memorial, Sima Zhao suddenly had a question: Shi Shouxin was only in his early twenties. Although he had his own troops, could he really keep the situation under control?

Some of the matters mentioned by Lu Zhi in his memorial were so troublesome that even Sima Zhao himself felt they could not be suppressed without heavy troops!

This is not a situation that can be resolved by bribery, compromise, or conformity; it requires killing, and even killing many people, to eradicate the local poison.

Whether they were bandits who ruled the mountains or powerful families who seized public lands, they all had their own troops. Some of them even flew the banner of "state and county government troops," or at the very least, they were similar to the "local militia" organized by Cao Cao in the past.

These wealthy families were not Sima Zhao's "direct descendants," so he didn't care how many he killed. His only concern was whether Shi Shouxin could handle the situation.

"Well, it's good to test the waters first."

Sima Zhao began writing the memorial, then had Cao Huan affix his seal before sending it to Linzi, the capital of Qingzhou.

Qingzhou governs five prefectures: Beihai, Donglai, Qi, Jinan, and Le'an, but its registered population is a mere 50,000 households! It seems incredibly strange!

Of course, this refers to the officially registered households, not that Qingzhou only had 50,000 households. The government likely controlled fewer than 50,000 of them, while the total population of Qingzhou might be far more than 50,000. The reasons for this are complex and cannot be explained in a simplistic way.

Sima Zhao sighed deeply, finished writing the memorial, and couldn't help but chuckle.

Given the situation in Qingzhou, it's hard to imagine what Shi Shouxin could possibly accomplish. If he could manage Qi's fiefdom, centered around Linzi, well and complete Sima You's palace construction, everything would be fine. Sima Zhao dared not think of anything more.

……

In Taishan Prefecture, Fenggao County, the garden called Water Curtain Cave has been renamed back to its original name, "Yuanhui Residence".

In a bedroom in the courtyard, the passionate lovemaking had ended. At this moment, Yang Huiyu, completely naked, held Shi Shouxin's arm, breathing softly, feeling both excited and somewhat unsatisfied.

Her hair was damp with sweat, clinging to her face, the flush barely noticeable in the darkness. Their clothes were carelessly tossed on the floor, a testament to the urgency of their lovemaking.

"Ah Lang, are you still angry?"

Yang Huiyu asked somewhat guiltily. At this moment, she was just a little woman, completely lacking her usual decisiveness.

"That's not there."

Shi Shouxin comforted Yang Huiyu and continued:

"Wang Yuanji is a sophisticated egoist. Well, she's doing it all for her husband, Sima Zhao. She's single-mindedly trying to benefit Sima Zhao, and she's used every means possible."

When they exploited Sima Shi's extinct lineage, they showed no mercy. Now, fearing a conflict between Sima Yan and Sima You, they are doing everything in their power to force Sima You to return to his clan.

You deserve to teach her a lesson; honest people shouldn't have a knife held to their throats.

Shi Shouxin first affirmed Yang Huiyu's motives, but then changed the subject and said, "But you really don't need to resort to such underhanded methods. There are many ways to teach the Sima Zhao family a lesson. As for what Lady Yu is doing, well..."

He sighed deeply, unsure how to put it. It was all in the past; there was no going back.

"I just acted impulsively at the time, without thinking too much."

Yang Huiyu offered a helpless explanation.

"Don't worry, this matter may seem serious on the surface, but in reality, nothing has actually happened."

Shi Shouxin said calmly, his hand groping Yang Huiyu's slender waist.

"Nothing happened?"

Yang Huiyu was taken aback, then asked in return, "Ah Lang, how should I put this?"

"If Sima Zhao knew about this, what would he do? If Sima Yan and Sima You knew, what would they do?"

Shi Shouxin countered with a question.

Yang Huiyu didn't answer, but Shi Shouxin answered his own question: "They will pretend nothing happened, and they won't even do anything to you. Besides, Wang Yuanji would never let Sima Zhao know. These kinds of things are best left unsaid when asked. It's like a mute eating dumplings—they know what filling they're getting, but they won't tell anyone."

"Are you saying that Sima Zhao would pretend not to know even if he knew?"

Yang Huiyu was somewhat surprised, but relieved. As long as Sima Zhao didn't care about this matter, no one would say anything. "That's right. The Wang family is now part of the Sima family; the Wang family is an in-law. Even if they know about this, they will pretend not to know, after all, family scandals shouldn't be aired in public."

If Sima Zhao were targeting you, you would definitely spread the news, which would be a lose-lose situation. Why would Sima Zhao bother to air his dirty laundry in public?
Moreover, all they did was vent their anger, but what they really damaged was their pride, which they valued most.

So everyone just pretended not to know. As long as no one said anything, it meant it never happened.

On a scale, it weighs over a thousand pounds. But if you don't weigh it, it's only three or four ounces, easily lifted with one hand.

"Don't worry, I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong. I don't believe Wang Yuanji will let this get out."

Shi Shouxin, seemingly unconcerned, comforted Yang Huiyu.

These days, it's not uncommon for wealthy and noblewomen to have affairs with monks in temples or to use the guise of Taoist cultivation and alchemy to have illicit relationships with Taoist priests.

Everyone does their own thing; who would talk about this kind of thing so casually?
These days, what's imposed on powerful families isn't called law, but merely "rules." Shoot quietly, warn others not to, those who know, know.

Judging from Yang Huiyu's account of the whole incident, including how Wang Yuanji "calmly" took Xigou away a few days later, the Princess of Jin's emotions were probably not anger.

Perhaps there will be some entirely new and enjoyable experiences as well.

Shi Shouxin then grasped Yang Huiyu's hand and said:
"From now on, I will make three rules with you."

If you promise me, I will treat you as a proper wife at home.

"Really?"

Yang Huiyu sat up in bed with a look of surprise and excitement, her whole body trembling.

"In the future, our children can only be adopted by Li Wan. This is the first rule."

Shi Shouxin spoke solemnly. Although Yang Huiyu couldn't see his face in the darkness, she sensed an unprecedented seriousness in him.

"This is the proper thing to do, and I have no objection to it."

Yang Huiyu nodded and said she didn't object. She didn't even know if she could have children. Even if she did, due to the pressure from public opinion within the aristocratic circle, they couldn't admit that the child was hers.

It would be perfect to adopt him to Li Wan.

"No matter what major event you encounter in the future, you must discuss it with me in advance before deciding whether or not to do it."

You must truly treat me as your husband; you cannot act on your own initiative. This is the second point.

We're not just having a casual relationship. Once you're my woman, I'll take responsibility for you. You need to adjust your expectations and not treat me like some random guy who just wants to sleep with you.

Shi Shouxin continued.

Seeing that Yang Huiyu remained silent, Shi Shouxin reminded her, "Otherwise, if there are any more incidents like Xigou serving Wang Yuanji, I won't interfere."

"Then I will listen to my husband from now on."

Yang Huiyu hugged Shi Shouxin's arm, nestled beside him, and spoke cautiously, as if afraid that Shi Shouxin would abandon her.

Having traveled to Sichuan and returned, Yang Huiyu could clearly sense Shi Shouxin's strength and domineering nature. This was especially evident during sexual intercourse; his aggressiveness and domineering control were even more pronounced than before.

"The third point is that I haven't thought about it yet, and I'll bring it up later when I have."

Shi Shouxin casually mentioned the third point.

"Well, that works too."

Yang Huiyu sighed. She had originally wanted to control everything, but now it seemed that Shi Shouxin was a man she couldn't control.

After a moment of silence, Yang Huiyu said with some resentment, "Ah Lang has fallen for Sima Zhao's trick this time. There are no good people in their family after all."

"How do you even begin to explain this?"

Shi Shouxin put his arm around the other person's smooth shoulder and asked.

Yang Huiyu sighed, complaining somewhat resentfully:

"The reason I arranged for you to come to Taishan County was not only because I wanted to see you every day, but also because the Yang family has completely taken control of Taishan County."

Whatever Ah Lang wants to do, he can do it as easily as his own arm. If there are any obstacles, I can step in and resolve them.

However, although Qingzhou is a large prefecture, being its governor is not an easy job; it's better to be the prefect of Taishan Commandery.

Yang Huiyu's words greatly surprised Shi Shouxin. Indeed, in officialdom, the same official position can lead to completely different outcomes and different situations depending on where one is assigned.

"Why don't you explain in more detail, Madam Yu?"

Shi Shouxin kissed Yang Huiyu's cheek and said.

"In Qingzhou, if we're talking about prominent families, then the Cui family of Qinghe and the Wang family of Langya are the main ones. Although they didn't rise to prominence in Qingzhou, they have deep roots here and have been operating for generations."

If it were only these people, that would be fine.

Besides them, there were also various local warlords who refused to obey orders.

Led by Zang Ba's forces, along with his former subordinates Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and others, they now each form their own faction and act as local tyrants in Qingzhou.

They were nominally government troops, but in reality they never obeyed the government's orders and frequently plundered the local area.

Furthermore, Cao Cao's military colonies in Qingzhou were quite extensive. After his death, the Qingzhou troops were disbanded and reorganized, and many of them became farmers.

Nowadays, the military farms in Qingzhou are not well managed. Tenants have fled in large numbers, the government-owned lands are left unattended, and the ownership of the lands is a mess.

With so many things tangled up together, how easy is it for Alang to become the governor of Qingzhou, help Sima You build palaces, and manage his future fiefdom?

Yang Huiyu's words were full of regret and complaint.

She arranged official positions for Shi Shouxin with such meticulous care that everything was presented as a perfect, easy-to-take role, allowing Shi Shouxin to take office comfortably.

But why would Sima Zhao be so polite to Shi Shouxin, who had no family background? It must be because he was giving a troublesome official position to someone without connections!

The current situation is like Sima Zhao ordering his cook to bring a live cow to the table, forcing Shi Shouxin to slaughter and cook it on the spot. If Shi Shouxin lacks the ability, he might not only fail to get any meat but also get kicked by the cow – that's not impossible.

"Alas, people always say that there is no such thing as a bad seller, only a bad buyer, and it is indeed true."

After listening to Yang Huiyu's introduction, Shi Shouxin sighed and cursed Sima Zhao in his heart for being so dishonest.

He helped Sima Zhao deal with the mutiny in Luoyang, and the other party actually arranged such a "thoughtful" and good official position for him.

Shi Shouxin really wanted to thank Sima Zhao in person. But he decided to let Xigou work hard on Wang Yuanji in the future, hoping she would "repay" Sima Zhao on his behalf.

He thought to himself in a very self-deceptive way.

"My lord, are you taking your concubine to Linzi?"

Yang Huiyu suddenly asked.

"Of course we won't leave you alone. You are Sima You's nominal mother and you're going to live in his palace. How can you not go?"

Shi Shouxin chuckled mischievously and suddenly kissed Yang Huiyu's red lips. The widow responded passionately, panting and laughing, without the slightest shyness.

(End of this chapter)