Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 33 Accident
Shi Shouxin was originally an official, and the position of Du Guan Congshi was just a minor official with a salary of 100 shi (a unit of grain), which was considered a small promotion.

Yang Xiu was a staff member of the General's Mansion. In terms of official rank, he was nothing, but he was one of Sima Zhao's "own people".

Their visit to the Imperial Guard camp was ostensibly on official business, but in reality, they were simply familiarizing themselves with the environment. After all, neither of them had any prior military experience, and they weren't even familiar with military passwords. If they didn't familiarize themselves with the area beforehand, they might make a fool of themselves on the expedition, or worse, cause serious trouble.

Shi Shouxin enjoyed the treatment of a Celestial Dragon this time. Military law and such were meaningless to him. As long as he didn't go too far, the management of the military camp was quite lax before the army set out. Yang Xiu returned to Luoyang City the next day. Wei Guan didn't give him any face, so he directly showed his displeasure, showing his youthful impetuosity.

Shi Shouxin was not as arrogant as him; he kept a low profile. When he entered the army camp, he only did a few things: eat, sleep, and memorize military regulations. His self-discipline was so strict that it was almost heartbreaking. He never mentioned going home to be intimate with his wife.

Even Wei Guan couldn't stand it anymore and insisted on giving him a day off. He went home to rest for a day and then continued to study military law in the military camp.

Wei Guan recalled his brother Wei Shi's letter, in which Wei Shi mentioned that the family had made up for the shortfall in military rations and also spoke highly of Shi Shouxin's words and actions.

That's how the Celestial Dragons are; if you're weak and easily bullied, they'll take advantage of you. On the contrary, if you demonstrate exceptional abilities, they'll treat you differently and even show you goodwill.

They are the type who remember the good times but not the bad.

Wei Shi is a typical example. After the Wei family was taught a lesson by Shi Shouxin in Hedong, the Wei family not only did not hold a grudge, but also felt that Shi Shouxin was quite insightful and capable, and worth winning over.

It was precisely because of this that Wei Guan was almost always responsive to Shi Shouxin's requests in the camp, and was generous in offering his guidance. Over time, although the two did not have any heart-to-heart talks, their relationship was exceptionally harmonious, and they were able to maintain a facade of "sincere cooperation."

That day, Shi Shouxin was reviewing military law in his military tent when someone suddenly came uninvited.

It turned out to be Zhong Hui, who had been appointed by Sima Zhao as General Who Guards the West and Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of Guanzhong not long ago!

"General Zhong, what brings you here?"

Wei Guan asked calmly, without any hint of humility. In fact, it was common for military supervisors and commanding generals to be at odds. If Wei Guan were to genuinely fawn over Zhong Hui, Sima Zhao would likely punish him instead.

"Is that you, Shi Shouxin, the official in charge of the capital?"

Zhong Hui pointed at Shi Shouxin and said something nonsensical that left everyone bewildered.

"This humble official greets the Grand Commander."

Shi Shouxin quickly stood up, placed the military law bamboo slips in his hand on the table, took a few steps forward, and bowed.

"Take him back to the yamen for questioning. By the way, he is not a prisoner, so don't neglect him."

Zhong Hui gave instructions to his personal guards.

"Wait a minute."

Wei Guan reached out and stopped Zhong Hui. He looked at the other man with a half-smile and asked, "As the Minister of Justice, how come I don't know to arrest this person?"

Zhong Hui was speechless.

Sima Zhao ordered the arrests; he couldn't possibly say that the General's Office's orders were more effective than the Court of Justice's, could he?

That's not how you slap someone in the face!
Zhong Hui coughed lightly and explained, "This matter is of great importance. He was only asked to go to the Court of Justice as a witness, not as a criminal. Although the Imperial Guard Supervisor concurrently serves as the Imperial Guard Supervisor, he is not responsible for daily affairs. It is normal that you do not know about this matter. If you really want to find out, the Imperial Guard Supervisor can go to the General's Mansion to inquire. I do not want to say more."

Upon hearing this, Shi Shouxin immediately bowed to Wei Guan.

Wei Guan was somewhat displeased that Zhong Hui had embarrassed him, but he still gently raised his hand, allowing Zhong Hui to take Shi Shouxin away.

Wei Guan pondered to himself, thinking it over and over, but he didn't think Shi Shouxin was a troublemaker. He just didn't know what important matter it was that required taking this person away from the Imperial Guard camp.

Along the way, Shi Shouxin had many questions he wanted to ask, but after thinking about it, he couldn't figure out what major event he had encountered.

Zhong Hui, however, pretended to be mute, closing his eyes and resting in the carriage without speaking.

With a heavy heart, Shi Shouxin was taken to the Court of Justice. As soon as he entered the main hall, he saw a man kneeling on the ground with his buttocks bruised and bleeding. It was Xu Ying's ex-husband, Lü An.

Standing beside him was a handsome man in flowing robes, whose demeanor was neither humble nor arrogant—it was none other than Ji Kang!
Shi Shouxin didn't recognize the official in charge of the trial, but he was likely Zuo Ping, the official in charge of the imperial prison. When Ji Kang saw Zhong Hui arrive, his eyes were full of disdain.

"Shi Shouxin, Lü An accused you of seducing his ex-wife and forcing him to write a letter of divorce. Is this true?"

Zuo Ping asked Chen Tan in a calm tone.

Zhong Hui chimed in from the side, "Shi Shouxin, you must answer truthfully."

"Here's what happened."

Shi Shouxin recounted the entire story of rescuing Xu Ying during his trip to Hedong. Lu An, enraged, pointed at him and shouted, "Nonsense! If you hadn't drugged and raped my wife, how could she have gone with you?"

"Shi Shouxin, what do you have to say? Think about it slowly, there's no rush. The court will handle the case impartially."

Chen Tan asked gently, his bias already quite obvious.

Ji Kang, standing to the side, frowned slightly, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

"The Lü family is heartless and treacherous; the elder brother is despicable and the younger brother is muddle-headed. Madam Xu is currently safe and sound and is not with me. The Court of Justice can send someone to my house to investigate."

Obtaining evidence from Xu was not difficult; the innocent are innocent, and Shi has nothing to say.

"This is a very important matter. We might as well separate them and investigate the evidence before proceeding with the trial."

Zhong Hui offered Chen Tan this advice.

He shouldn't have been here, much less had the right to comment on the case. But since this isn't a fully-fledged feudal dynasty, people are often more useful than official positions.

Zhong Hui came representing Sima Zhao; this identity was a trump card.

"Guards, take them all away and detain them separately. Do not neglect them."

Chen Tan gave an order and then got up and left the main hall of the yamen, just as if it were a routine matter.

Shi Shouxin frowned slightly, unable to understand what this was all about. Sima Zhao knew the truth of the matter perfectly well. Shi Shouxin didn't believe that this general was targeting him, a mere nobody.

It's not worth it.

As for his private affair with Yang Huiyu... it's unlikely that it would leak out, right?

It’s only been a few days!
If something that serious really happened, Shi Shouxin probably would have been secretly killed and buried in the wilderness.

How could they appear so openly at the Court of Justice?
Could it be that this trip wasn't for his own sake?

Shi Shouxin glanced at Ji Kang, whose expression remained calm, and seemed to understand something!
As expected, he was taken to the "Celestial Dragon's Cell" in the Imperial Prison. Inside, there were dry blankets, a bed, torches for lighting, and the floor was spotless. There were even bamboo slips on the table.

This is clearly not the treatment he deserves, unless... this conspiracy wasn't directed at him.

As expected, that very night Li Wan brought fine wine and food to visit Shi Shouxin in the imperial prison.

Upon meeting, Li Wan sighed and said, "My lord is truly farsighted. Fortunately, you didn't take Xu as a concubine. If you had, there would be no way to explain things now."

"I was studying military law in the barracks when I was suddenly arrested and brought to the imperial prison, where I was placed in such a nice cell. It's all so puzzling."

Shi Shouxin accepted the food box his beloved wife brought him and sat down across the cell to chat with her, looking puzzled.

Li Wan looked around and found that only Shi Shouxin was there; the other cells were empty. She quickly stepped forward and whispered, "My lord, after Ji Kang learned that Lü An was imprisoned, he rushed from Shanyang County to Luoyang to plead for Lü An, saying that the court's trial was unfair. And then... just as you saw, my lord, you're in prison, and Ji Kang is in prison too." "Oh no! The General wants to kill Ji Kang!"

Shi Shouxin was shocked and finally understood the cause and effect, as well as why Zhong Hui had been jumping around in this matter.

Ji Kang had repeatedly refused Zhong Hui's invitations to serve in the government, thus incurring Zhong Hui's deep wrath. Zhong Hui was no magnanimous man and had long harbored thoughts of revenge.

There are even rumors that Zhong Hui's hatred for Ji Kang stemmed from love!

This whole scheme was specifically designed to trap Ji Kang. It just so happened that Ji Kang was indignant on behalf of his friend Lü Anming. Without this, there would certainly have been something else entirely.

In fact, the Court of Justice had already finished trying Lü An's case. Xu Ying was busy running around Yang Huiyu's side. Sima Zhao wasn't blind, so how could he not know the truth of the matter?
They knew, but didn't say it outright, waiting for Ji Kang to fall into their trap so that he and Lü An would be dealt with together!

What a vicious plan!
Shi Shouxin finally understood how ruthless and cunning the Celestial Dragons could be when they plotted against each other.

He recalled Yang Huiyu, who had been kissed so passionately in his arms that day, and thought to himself that this Lady Yu was indeed not a bad person. If she really wanted to cause trouble, who knows what kind of commotion she would make? She might even have ruined Li Wan.

"My lord, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it."

Li Wan asked in a low voice, her tone pleading.

"Please speak freely, madam. What is there between us that we cannot discuss?"

Shi Shouxin sighed softly; he already knew what the other party was going to say.

“Ji Kang came to our wedding and gave us a kitchen knife. Logically, we should return the favor.”

However, I believe this is quite dangerous, and rashly getting involved could lead to our deaths.

Ah Lang is usually very helpful and always ready to help others when they fall into the water... Could he please be more patient this time?

Even if the prince takes a concubine or goes out and messes around with other women, the concubine won't say anything and will let the prince do as he pleases.

"I just ask that you stay in jail this time and don't cause any trouble, okay?"

Li Wan pleaded desperately, wiping away tears as she spoke.

She greatly admired her husband's character, which was why she was so worried. If Shi Shouxin were truly a petty and naive person, she wouldn't be so worried at all.

Even Li Wan sensed a strong killing intent behind this!
Let alone Ji Kang being implicated simply for standing up for a friend, even if he had stepped on a cat on the street, Sima Zhao would probably have arrested and interrogated him.

When you're determined to find fault, you can always find a pretext. They made a whole pot of dumplings just because they were jealous of Ji Kang!
At this point, talking about principles of justice and morality, right and wrong, is useless, especially since Ji Kang really has no point!
Hearing Li Wan's words, Shi Shouxin felt a pang of sadness. This time, he had truly become an accomplice in the assassination of Ji Kang.

Over the years, he had cultivated relationships with many officials in the court. For example, he had saved Du Yu's life and had a mentor-student relationship with Yang Hu. These people, knowing that he had been falsely accused by Lü An, would certainly help to fuel the flames.

In other words, the force that ultimately led to Lü An being falsely accused and punished was extremely powerful!
If Lü An dies, then Ji Kang, who stood up for Lü An, must also die. Sima Zhao's insidious plan was flawless.

As for Shi Shouxin, he can only be considered a minor figure who was inadvertently dragged into the matter.

"Go and find Yang Gong and bring him here. I have something to say to him."

Shi Shouxin gave instructions to Li Wan.

"My lord, can I... not go?"

Li Wan was somewhat reluctant.

She truly loves her life now; she's married to the man she loves, and she's living a comfortable life with no one to cause her trouble. If Shi Shouxin gets into trouble, all of this will be destroyed.

Is it worth it for Ji Kang, with whom you have little to no connection?
Although she didn't know what Shi Shouxin was thinking, Li Wan felt that it was not worth it to stand up for Ji Kang!

At that moment, she had selfish thoughts. She wanted to keep everything she had and didn't want to be in danger because of someone she wasn't close to.

"Trust me this once, I won't mess things up. I already have you, and our child, I won't let you down."

Shi Shouxin held Li Wan's hand tightly and wouldn't let go. After a long time, Li Wan wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and sighed, "Alright, since you're going to die anyway, I won't live either. Our whole family will go to the underworld together, it'll be quite lively."

After saying that, she got up and left, her steps very decisive.

Shi Shouxin smiled wryly, realizing that his well-mannered and sensible wife was truly angry this time.

In Li Wan's mind, it wouldn't be a big deal if Shi Shouxin took Xu Shi into his household, but this time, the fact that it involved the General's Mansion's hunt for Ji Kang made her tremble with fear.

But if Shi Shouxin didn't have this kind of temper, would she still love this man?
In truth, Li Wan was conflicted, but ultimately gave in. She truly loved Shi Shouxin to the point of madness, and knowing he was upholding the greater good, she couldn't refuse his request.

After a peaceful night, Yang Hu arrived at the imperial prison the next morning as expected.

In fact, Sima Zhao never intended to do anything to Shi Shouxin, so he did not issue any "blacklist" against him, and his relatives and friends could visit him without prior notice.

However, the situation was completely different for Ji Kang.

Not only were the living conditions appalling, but all of Ji Kang's friends, such as Shan Tao, were completely barred from visiting him, revealing their bias and intention to take sides.

Yang Hu entered the prison and, seeing the furnishings around him, smiled and said, "Your wife came to me for help yesterday, and I was quite worried about you. Now that we've met, you can rest assured and recuperate here. You'll be released in a few days, and the General will definitely compensate you."

He wasn't nervous at all, because just by looking at the prison, he knew Shi Shouxin couldn't possibly be in any trouble. It's an unspoken rule, everyone knows that.

"No, this time I am asking for your help, Uncle, on behalf of Ji Kang."

Shi Shouxin said in a deep voice.

Yang Hu looked at him strangely, then sighed and said, "Ji Kang helped others falsely accuse you, and you still spoke up for him. You're not a pushover. I won't help you with this."

As expected, Yang Hu was clear about his likes and dislikes. This time, it was Ji Kang who rashly sided with his relatives instead of the truth, so how could he blame others? He resolutely rejected Shi Shouxin's request.

Yang Hu held Shi Shouxin in high regard, so he was very disgusted by Ji Kang's false accusations.

"Then, surely you can ask your elder sister to come here? I want to ask her to put in a good word for me. She has connections with the General."

Shi Shouxin did not insist on his suggestion, but instead proposed a second option.

"You are really..."

Yang Hu shook his head helplessly, unsure of what to say to Shi Shouxin.

He pondered for a moment, and finally compromised. To be honest, Shi Shouxin was a good man and a trustworthy friend. His eagerness to help others wasn't really a flaw.

It's better than a treacherous villain, isn't it?
"I'll help you this once, and I won't say another word about Ji Kang after this."

Yang Hu reminded Shi Shou to follow the Way.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Shi Shouxin gratefully grasped his hands and said.

(End of this chapter)