Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 244: Take what’s mine and give it back to me

To go or not to go, that is the question. Although it's not a matter of life or death, one cannot ignore one's reputation and image.

Hu Fen fell into deep thought, while his nephew Hu Xi, standing beside him, dared not utter a sound and waited quietly.

To be honest, Hu Fen didn't want to go, because leading troops to Guangling City would consume a lot of military rations, which he had planned to take with him to Bingzhou.

Of course, food is difficult to carry, so some of it will have to be sold locally, but in any case, it will cost money.

Hu Fen is no longer the Governor-General or Prefect of Xuzhou, so doing this is somewhat thankless.

However, it would be too humiliating not to go. Several members of the Hu family have worked in officialdom in this generation. Wouldn't it be a huge loss of face if they didn't go to Guangling?

He lost face, and Hu Lie and the others also lost face, which is not good.

"You can lose your head, but you can't lose face." This is the same principle as "A scholar can be killed, but he cannot be humiliated."

As a person, you can be indebted to others if you accept their gifts, but you can't be weak when faced with difficulties.

"Take my letter to Linzi and tell him that I, Hu, respectfully welcome Governor Shi. I will first lead troops to Guangling to set up defenses and hold a welcoming banquet for the Governor in Guangling City."

Hu Fen took a deep breath and said.

Hu Xi was taken aback. He had thought his uncle would meet Run, but he hadn't expected him to choose to meet the newly appointed Governor of Qingxu.

"Uncle, what we're doing is not worth the effort. It would be better to plunder Xuzhou and head to Bingzhou as soon as possible."

That place is also closer to my hometown in Anding.

Hu Xi advised.

"If you can't speak properly, don't talk nonsense! When have we ever plundered Xuzhou? Weren't those people all tributes from the local wealthy families? Would they be in a hurry to leave if we didn't want them?"

Hu Fen rebuked Hu Xi with a displeased expression.

Young people can't keep their mouths shut and spout nonsense, making them seem like thugs who rob and plunder.

They were all gifts from others, and I accepted them reluctantly. How can that be called plundering?
Hu Xi was scolded by his uncle, but he didn't seem to care. He leaned closer and whispered:
“Uncle, that may be true, but with the arrival of the Grand Commander of Qingzhou, the local powerful families of Xuzhou won’t be so compliant. Especially the powerful families in Langya County, there are plenty of them who are closely related.”

"If we leave now, we can still squeeze some money out of them before we go."

Hu Xi extended his right hand and made a fist, implying that they wanted "they want them all".

"I know what you're saying, but we can't lose face."

Hu Fen waved his hand gently, signaling Hu Xi to stop talking, and that there was no need to continue.

Soon, he sat down at the table and wrote a sincere letter in his own hand, with a very low-key and humble attitude. He simply wanted to be Shi Shouxin's "subordinate" and had no other thoughts.

After all, Ji Xi would take over his post after his departure, and Hu Fen would remain the governor of Xuzhou until the handover was completed, which was beyond doubt.

Hu Fen finished writing the letter with swift and flowing strokes. After looking at it, he was very satisfied. He then sealed it in a bamboo tube and handed it to Hu Xi.

"Go, go quickly, and come directly to Guangling City on your way back."

Or you can go with Governor Shi.

Hu Fen instructed Hu Xi.

Although he was extremely unwilling, Hu Xi accepted the letter and turned to prepare provisions, horses, and attendants. After he left, Hu Fen let out a long sigh.

He vaguely sensed the changes in the world.

Shi Shouxin's trip to Guangling City was probably not to give me a hard time, at least not the main reason.

The campaign against Wu will be the core military task for the next one or two decades. The last chance to gain merit will also be here.

Shi Shouxin's decision to lead his troops to Guangling City for military exercises was probably also to survey the terrain, if he wanted to make a name for himself.

Hu Fen was, after all, a veteran who had fought his way through countless battles. Back when Zhuge Dan rebelled in Huainan, it was his troops who killed Zhuge Dan in battle. He was a man with some skill.

But as for Shi Shouxin, Hu Fen was a little unsure.

His rise to power was too rapid, and it's said he's a staunch confidant of Qi King Sima You, with powerful backers!
Even if a person has no intention of harming a tiger, a tiger may still want to harm a person. How can one remain neither arrogant nor servile?

Finding the right balance between not provoking the tiger and not being harmed by it is very difficult.

Hu Fen felt increasingly frustrated.

……

In Linzi, the construction of the Qi King's palace was in full swing and had not stopped for a moment. Of course, this did not require Shi Shouxin to be squatting by the construction site by the lake every moment.

The weather is getting colder every day. It's not so noticeable during the day, but at night, the cold wind blows and makes people shiver.

After sending someone to Xiapi to deliver the message, Shi Shouxin did not rest. He summoned all his trusted advisors and staff for a meeting. Among them was a newcomer, Xi Zheng, the minister who served Liu Shan.

This was a talent recommended by Shi Shouxin after Liu Shan humbly pleaded with him to "give him a hand" (i.e., to help him or her).

Xi Zheng was extremely loyal to Liu Shan, and he stayed by Liu Shan's side even when Liu Shan went to Luoyang.

When Liu Shan spoke up, Shi Shouxin couldn't refuse, and since he was short of people around him, he reluctantly agreed.

Inside the Governor's study, everyone sat on the floor. Shi Shouxin looked at Xi Zheng and asked:
"Xi Zheng, I intend to lead troops to Guangling City for a military drill along the Yangtze River. What are your thoughts on this?"

He wanted to test how much knowledge this former Shu Han official, who was over fifty years old, possessed.

Xi Zheng thought for a moment, then hesitated and didn't speak.

Shi Shouxin waved his hand gently and said with a smile, "Please speak freely."

Since Liu Shan's act of laughing Sima Zhao to death had greatly helped him, he had to give Xi Zheng some face.

“Governor Shi, this matter should either not be done, or if it is, there will definitely be some problems. I hope you will think it over carefully before you act.”

Xi Zheng bowed respectfully with his head lowered.

"Think twice my ass! Hu Fen has already been transferred by the imperial court. What trouble can he cause? How can he accomplish anything if he's so timid and hesitant!"

Xi Zuo interrupted with a look of dissatisfaction.

Although the others were not as arrogant as him, they clearly did not understand what Xi Zheng was saying.

As Xi Zuo said, although the Hu family has a large fortune, they have many concerns and no one close to the emperor.

As the "little prince of the coup," Shi Shouxin not only had "outstanding military achievements," but was also someone Sima You relied on, even entrusting the task of repairing the palace to Shi Shouxin.

Can Hu Fen compare?
Shi Shouxin is making a big show of things as a new official, and the first thing he might do is burn Hu Fen!
“Military Advisor Xi, you might as well speak more clearly. There are no outsiders here now.”

There's no need to concern yourself with those formalities.

Shi Shouxin frowned slightly and looked at Xi Zheng.

Xi Zheng has now been appointed by Shi Shouxin as "military advisor" in the governor's office. It seems that he has a lot of power, but if Shi Shouxin ignores him, the position of military advisor is not as good as that of a captain who leads hundreds of soldiers.

Upon hearing this, Xi Zheng shook his head and said:
"Governor Shi has misunderstood. Hu Fen is about to leave Xuzhou. As long as the governor doesn't want to kill his children or take away his wives and concubines, Hu Fen will usually be patient and won't confront the governor head-on."

There's really nothing to worry about.

"My only concern is Eastern Wu." Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

These people, like Meng Guan, came from the lowest ranks of the Imperial Guard. People like Li Liang, Xi Zuo, and Zhao Lun were powerful figures from Hanzhong.

Even if one learns something from Shi Shouxin, one's knowledge is ultimately limited.

Xi Zheng served Liu Shan for thirty years and was knowledgeable and experienced. He had dealt with Eastern Wu, persuaded the tribal chiefs in the south to surrender, and even suggested that Jiang Wei go north to cultivate land and avoid disaster.

His knowledge far surpasses that of the people in front of him.

Shi Shouxin had no shortage of daredevils, and plenty of men who would shout their loyalty before striking with a swift stroke. However, when it came to strategic vision, he was far inferior to Xi Zheng.

Just like now, they all only see that sending troops to Guangling is to intimidate Hu Fen, and that this wave is a sure win.

But what they didn't see was that while giving Hu Fen a hard time, they were also giving Eastern Wu a hard time!
"Continue, Mr. Shi thinks that what Military Advisor Xi said is very interesting."

Shi Shouxin put away his smile and said seriously.

Seeing the expressions of the people around him, Xi Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that his trip here had not been in vain; he had indeed found a place to use his skills.

"Governor, Xuzhou is a place where powerful families and influential clans abound, and the land is fertile. It has been a strategic location fought over by military strategists in the Central Plains since ancient times."

However, the capital of Eastern Wu was just across the river, and Danyang was directly opposite Guangling City on the north bank of the river, where Eastern Wu gathered a large army.

It's easy to say that we couldn't cross the river to destroy Wu, but why didn't Wu attack us?

The capital of Xuzhou was in Xiapi, which was much farther from the front line at Guangling than Danyang was from Guangling.

Xi Zheng put forward a "very interesting" hypothesis: At this moment, it is clear that the forces in Xuzhou are weaker in the front and stronger in the back. Why doesn't Wu cross the river to attack Xuzhou? Putting aside everything else, it would be good to capture even one prefecture.

At first glance, it doesn't seem that difficult.

Shi Shouxin pondered for a moment and said:

"Xuzhou is easy to attack but difficult to defend. If we can only capture one prefecture, it will not be of much significance. The struggle between Jin and Wu lies in Jingzhou. If Jin obtains the entire territory of Jingzhou, the destruction of Wu will be just around the corner."

Advancing from Xuzhou, unable to hold the position after retreat, and hindered in advance, is truly an unsuitable military tactic.

Upon hearing this, Xi Zheng nodded and smiled, "The Commander's insight is indeed keen. Xuzhou is a place where either we don't fight, or we fight a war of annihilation. Now that the Commander is leading troops to Guangling, what do you think the newly enthroned Wu ruler, Sun Hao, will think when his spies find out?"

I don't really think about it; I'll just keep dancing while the music plays!

Shi Shouxin muttered to himself, "Of course, Sun Hao has just taken office, and no one knows him yet. At first, Sun Hao seemed quite normal."

But later, he became a force in Eastern Wu comparable to 100,000 Jin soldiers.

However, what Xi Zheng said made a lot of sense, and everyone present nodded in agreement.

"So, Military Advisor Xi means that we shouldn't lead troops?"

Shi Shouxin frowned slightly and asked.

He'd already made his promise, acting all smug and self-satisfied, so if he suddenly says he's not playing anymore, wouldn't that be a slap in his own face?
Doesn't he, as the Grand Commander, have any pride?

"No, what I mean is, either we don't go at all, or we go in a grand manner, with lots of banners, drums and music. Once we get there, we'll start building warships so that people who don't know the situation will think we're going to send troops to Jiangdong."

We won't actually attack Wu; we're just trying to scare them first. We'll force Wu to recall its troops to defend Danyang, and then the commander can write a letter and send it directly to Jingzhou, instructing them to act accordingly.

If successful, this feint attack will be credited to the governor, and the merit will be reported to the court.

If it fails, it's because the Jin army in Jingzhou is not good at fighting, failed to seize the opportunity, or held back and missed the opportunity.

The governor-general would report this to the court as well, and would not suffer any loss.

This shock must have thrown the Wu court into chaos, and they probably won't be considering attacking Xuzhou for the next year or two.

Xi Zheng suggested a plan to Shi Shouxin: The wolf is coming!
Apart from Shi Shouxin, everyone present seemed to have just woken up from a dream!
So it turns out that the Grand Commander, who sits in charge of a region, still has to do serious business! Their minds are still seamlessly switching between bandits and government soldiers, and they have never thought about making meritorious achievements.

After all, given the environment of the Sima family's usurpation, all their military achievements were essentially wasted. It was better to flatter the Sima family than to fight. Now, after hearing Xi Zheng's words, they finally understood that this world wasn't so easy to navigate.

Now, as the Grand Commander of the military affairs of Qing and Xu, Shi Shouxin is subject to "performance evaluation" because the times have changed. It is now the Jin state, ruled by the Sima family, and no longer the Wei state, which has been sidelined.

Now is the time to test who has the real skills!

Xi Zheng's words were timely.

"You all heard it, didn't you? Every word of Military Advisor Xi's words was precious. Go and make preparations. Once we receive Hu Fen's reply, we will immediately set off for Guangling."

It should be in the next day or two.

Shi Shouxin looked around at everyone and said seriously.

"Please rest assured, Commander!"

Everyone in the room answered in unison.

After everyone left, Shi Shouxin kept Li Liang and Xi Zheng behind.

"How did things go?"

Shi Shouxin looked at Li Liang and asked, without any formalities, getting straight to the point.

Li Liang shook his head angrily and said, "They're all the kind of people who won't shed a tear until they see the coffin. They don't take the Governor seriously at all. They probably think they have connections in the court."

Shi Shouxin nodded without speaking, then looked at Xi Zheng and asked, "How did the Prime Minister deal with the local powerful clans in Shu back then?"

"First deal with the strong, then deal with the weak, and directly target the local powerful families."

"Let their retainers join the army, let their tenants build irrigation works, and let their sons participate in the Northern Expedition."

Without even thinking, Xi Zheng spoke up.

"So, does the Prime Minister also enjoy killing?"

Shi Shouxin asked a question that left Xi Zheng speechless.

If we were to meticulously count the Cao Wei generals who indirectly died at Zhuge Liang's hands, the number would be countless. As for the powerful clans of Shu, one can easily imagine their fate.

Xi Zheng smiled wryly:
"Governor, the way to govern is to combine firmness and leniency. When it is necessary to kill, one must kill, even many."

Killing is for the purpose of governance, not for the sake of killing itself.

Upon hearing this, Shi Shouxin was overjoyed and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "I have always respected Prime Minister Zhuge. Since the Prime Minister is not afraid to kill, I am even less afraid."

He looked at Li Liang and said, "Act according to the plan. First, at the entrance of the village where the most arrogant family lives, have their misdeeds engraved on a stone tablet for people to admire. If they don't come to the government office to confess within three days, don't blame me for following the example of Prime Minister Zhuge Liang and showing no mercy."

"Yes, sir! I will carry it out immediately!"

Li Liang was so excited he was trembling. When they arrived in Qingzhou, these local powerful figures had never heard of them before and were acting arrogantly. It was simply outrageous.

Now that troops are about to be transferred to Guangling, it's a good time to deal with the local powerful families before leaving, so we can leave with peace of mind and not worry about trouble in Linzi.

Xi Zheng looked at Shi Shouxin and suddenly felt that this man seemed to have a rather ruthless and decisive nature.

It seems that Qing and Xu prefectures will sooner or later fall under his control.

(End of this chapter)