Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 48 Everyone has their own plans
When news of the general offensive by the army against Shu reached Luoyang, Sima Zhao acted swiftly, personally leading 100,000 troops to Guanzhong to take command!

Yang Hu, Sima Wang, Jia Chong, Sima You, and others also accompanied the imperial guards. Before their departure, Sima Zhao gave Sima Yan a task: to oversee the state and ensure a continuous supply of grain from Luoyang to Guanzhong.

The war machine of Cao Wei has been fully activated! Multiple armies have been mobilized, determined to achieve their objective!
Yang'an Pass is the gateway from Hanzhong into Sichuan, holding a very important strategic position. To its southeast lies the famous Dingjun Mountain!
After leaving the Baoxie Road, Hu Lie led his vanguard directly to the walls of Yang'an Pass and attempted an attack. They found the pass to be treacherous, like a hedgehog's quills, offering no opportunity to breach it. The vanguard then set up camp ten miles east of Yang'an Pass to observe the situation.

However, Zhong Hui was much more reasonable at this time.

On one hand, he had already ordered Li Fu and Xun Kai to each lead 10,000 troops to besiege the cities of Han and Le, but not to attack. The remaining troops were to serve as reserves, waiting in the main camp to be ready to replace Li Fu and Xun Kai's troops periodically.

At the same time, small units of a thousand men were dispatched to launch attacks in all directions, sweeping away small towns and villages in Hanzhong.

Due to strategic considerations, the Shu army concentrated its forces in the cities of Han and Le, and Yang'an Pass, leaving only about a hundred soldiers stationed in other areas. Upon the arrival of the Wei army, these areas surrendered without resistance.

On the other hand, Hu Lie's vanguard camped in front of Yang'an Pass, keeping an eye on the Shu reinforcements from the west!
In other words, it would be best if Hu Lie could capture Yang'an Pass; if not, he should do the job of the vanguard. If the Shu army came out of Jiange to reinforce Hanzhong, they should fight a defensive counterattack.

Just like the Battle of Hanzhong between Cao Cao and Liu Bei back then!
Then Zhong Hui began his performance.

Zhong Hui wrote a proclamation entitled "Proclamation to the Generals, Officials, Soldiers and People of Shu," which was widely distributed throughout Hanzhong.

Then there is no more then.

He neither attacked the city nor urged Hu Lie to attack Yang'an Pass, but instead spent time in Hanzhong. For more than ten days, the major strongholds in Hanzhong were surrounded by Wei troops, and no battles took place.

As night fell, Hu Lie invited Shi Shouxin, Du Yu, and others to his command tent to discuss important military matters.

The atmosphere inside the military tent was somewhat tense. The Shu army at Yang'an Pass was only ten miles away, so drinking was forbidden in the vanguard camp. Anyone who disobeyed would be executed, and military law was strictly enforced.

The relaxed and cheerful atmosphere in the army during the Baoxie Road campaign had been completely swept away, replaced by tension and a grim atmosphere.

"General Hu, forgive my bluntness, but the Grand Commander has no intention of attacking Yang'an Pass. We don't need to discuss anything; just defend the camp."

Before anyone could speak, Shi Shouxin killed the conversation with a single sentence.

"Supervisor Shi, you can't just say things like that."

Hu Lie was a little confused. Although he also sensed that something was wrong, he still didn't dare to think in the direction Shi Shouxin had mentioned.

Because Zhong Hui has been too easy to talk to lately! This is not like his usual personality at all.

The generals in the army all had doubts, especially Du Yu, who had a deep impression of the matter concerning Ji Kang.

Ji Kang only spoke up for Lü An without knowing the truth. The young lady named Xu Ying was neither dead nor raped; she simply became Yang Huiyu's maid.

This matter had already been handled properly and could have been resolved peacefully, but Zhong Hui deliberately made a mountain out of a molehill to drag Ji Kang into it.

It's incredibly strange that such a cunning person didn't urge Hu Lie to attack Yang'an Pass!

"I dare say that. What do you mean?"

Hu Lie asked in a deep voice, his face serious. Now, with battle approaching, all those who had previously boasted and joked with Shi Shouxin were now wearing stern, unsmiling expressions!
Before Shi Shouxin could speak, Hu Lie's son, Hu Yuan, cautiously walked in and whispered something in his ear. Hu Lie, whose expression had been somewhat melancholy, suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Yang'an Pass Deputy General Jiang Shu is willing to surrender. He will lead his troops out of the pass tomorrow afternoon. It will be called an attack, but in reality, it is a surrender."

As soon as we see him leave the city, we will cooperate with Jiang Shu to seize Yang'an Pass, and then we can break through the pass!

"Hu Lie said excitedly. The plan sounded like a fantasy, but upon closer inspection, it was actually quite feasible."

If you're mentally focused but not mentally focused, the chances of success are very high.

So now only one question remains: Did Jiang Shu truly surrender, or was it a feigned surrender?

Surrendering without taking your family is a feigned surrender; this is common sense and there is no doubt about it.

However, when Yang Hu's father-in-law, Xiahou Ba, fled to Shu Han, he didn't travel alone. He truly surrendered, but he didn't bring any family with him!

Therefore, everything has both universality and particularity. Nothing can be generalized; only specific situations can be analyzed.

Which one is Jiang Shu? This question was now facing Hu Lie.

"Did they go back?"

Hu Lie asked in a deep voice.

His son, Hu Yuan, said helplessly, "He went back, but he was just a lowly soldier. Apart from what Jiang Shu told him, he didn't know anything else."

The people present looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

On the one hand, they had no correspondence to rely on, and on the other hand, they were not familiar with Jiang Shu, and had never even heard of him before this battle.

"General Hu, Jiang Shu has truly surrendered and can be trusted."

No one dared to comment rashly, but Shi Shouxin suddenly spoke up again to make a definitive judgment. This time, however, no one felt embarrassed. Hu Lie asked, "Supervisor Shi, what makes you so sure?"

"The Shu army in Hanzhong has a maximum of 20,000 garrison troops, which is far inferior to our army in terms of manpower."

If Jiang Shu's surrender is a ruse, even if it succeeds, how much damage can it do to our army? He only has so many men, and we are just the vanguard. At most, we might suffer a loss of one or two thousand men, but it won't be a fatal blow.

Rather than feigning surrender, Jiang Shu would be better off defending Yang'an Pass to the death. After all, they are hiding inside the pass, and our army cannot do anything to them for the time being.

Therefore, Jiang Shu's dispatch of a messenger must be a genuine surrender. If he were to feign surrender and lose this battle, he would be captured, and his entire family would inevitably perish with him.

Jiang Shu's feigned surrender was too risky; most people wouldn't do that.

Shi Shouxin spoke without changing his expression. Although his tone was calm, his words were full of reason, leaving no room for argument.

If Jiang Shu's surrender is feigned, the gains will be minimal if successful, but if it fails, he is very likely to lose his life.

As long as his head hasn't been caught in a door, he'll definitely hold Yang'an Pass to the death. What's the point of all this fuss?
This has nothing to do with loyalty; it's purely a matter of intelligence.

Many schemes are like this; when you look at them, they're worthless, but only the person who points them out first has wisdom.

"Therefore, tomorrow will be the opportunity to break through the barrier. Everyone, go back and prepare to meet Jiang Shu tomorrow!"

Hu Lie nodded, letting out a long sigh of relief; the worry that had lingered for days had vanished. The generals were all buzzing with discussion, some eager to try, others beaming with joy, but Shi Shouxin only frowned slightly and remained silent.

Du Yu noticed his expression, and like him, remained silent, head down, eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought.

……

Early that morning, Yang Huiyu was reading in her study when a guest arrived. This person was none other than Wang Yuanji, the wife of Sima Zhao!
Suppressing her inner unease, Yang Huiyu invited Wang Yuanji into her study.

Although they were cousins ​​and best friends, Yang Huiyu was still worried that Wang Yuanji would bring up that matter: two women sharing one husband!
“Yu Niang, I have come to your door today to discuss an important matter.”

Wang Yuanji's expression was extremely serious.

"Cousin, please speak."

Yang Huiyu nodded and said.

"Sima You's marriage should be settled."

Wang Yuanji smiled and spoke with an unquestionable tone.

Yang Huiyu nodded, secretly relieved. She asked noncommittally, "May I ask, whose young lady is she?"

"Jia Chong's eldest daughter, Jia Bao, the daughter of his ex-wife Li Wan, was the maternal grandfather of the disgraced official Li Feng."

Wang Yuanji said slowly.

Yang Huiyu looked puzzled and muttered to himself, "How come Jia Chong's ex-wife shares the same name as Shi Shouxin's wife?"

Unexpectedly, Wang Yuanji overheard this and waved her hand, saying, "That is indeed true. That's why Jia Gonglu secretly took care of Shi Shouxin because he loved the house. If Jia Gonglu hadn't sworn to bring this man to justice, he would have been thrown into a mass grave along with the retainers of the Duke of Gaogui Township."

I can't believe such a thing actually happened!
Yang Huiyu was somewhat shocked, but upon reflection, it made sense. Jia Chong was cunning and rarely acted impulsively. Every word and action of his was meaningful. It was pointless and unbecoming of his status to fixate on someone who was merely a retainer.

Yang Huiyu sighed softly and asked, "Sima You is your son, why do you insist on him marrying someone of lower social standing? Wouldn't it be better to marry someone of equal social standing?"

Li Feng was once at odds with the Sima family! Now, he's making Sima You marry Li Feng's granddaughter—that's a ruthless move!

Although Yang Huiyu was Sima You's adoptive mother, she had no say in Sima You's affairs because Sima Shi had already died.

"Putting a rope around Sima You's body was also to prevent him from taking his brother's position in the future."

Brothers should each fulfill their roles; as long as they don't dwell on things they shouldn't, they can live in harmony, with brotherly love and respect.

Wang Yuanji sighed, uttered cold words, and then took out a betrothal letter from her bosom.

"I've come today solely for this matter."

Wang Yuanji's face was ashen.

Yang Huiyu took the red paper, looked at it again and again, and felt a mix of emotions.

Sima Zhao and his wife had foreseen everything, and everything was being prepared in an orderly manner.

All for the sake of planning after Sima Zhao's death!

Yang Huiyu remained silent for a moment, then began grinding ink, and signed his name and personal seal on the red paper.

She handed the letter of appointment to Wang Yuanji and said, "He is also a child of yours. If you don't care about him, I have nothing more to say."

Yang Huiyu was clearly dissatisfied with Jia Chong's daughter. But as the saying goes, you can't fight city hall.

"Suffering a loss may not necessarily be a bad thing."

Wang Yuanji said calmly, having already made up her mind and would no longer hesitate. Although arranged marriages were no longer common these days, in marriage, the opinions of parents were still paramount and difficult to disobey.

"Yu Niang, I'll take my leave now. I still need to go to Jia Chong's house to deliver the betrothal letter."

Wang Yuanji bowed to Yang Huiyu and then left the study. Yang Huiyu escorted her to the courtyard gate. Several times Wang Yuanji wanted to speak, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

After Wang Yuanji left, Yang Huiyu's mood visibly worsened.

Xu Ying accompanied her to the study and asked with a puzzled look, "Why is Lady Yu so depressed?"

"The mistakes I made back then, I must now pay the price for; how can I not be sorrowful?"

Yang Huiyu sighed, her face somber and filled with regret.

Xu Ying remained silent, waiting for Yang Huiyu to speak.

"At the time, Sima Zhao and his wife were fully aware that Sima Shi had no children and was impotent."

Because Wang Yuanji is my cousin, she and her husband came up with a plan to deceive everyone by asking me to help them by offering to adopt a child.

At that time, Sima Shi was still in good health, so he was very reluctant. I persuaded him many times, saying that I wanted a child by my side to serve me, and only then did Sima Shi reluctantly agree.

Now, Sima You, as Sima Shi's eldest son, is already seen as a potential threat by Sima Zhao and his wife. As his adoptive mother, I am caught in the middle, torn between two options..."

Yang Huiyu did not continue speaking.

Power corrupts human nature; Sima Zhao is no longer the Sima Zhao of the past, and Wang Yuanji is no longer the Wang Yuanji of the past.

They all became political animals.

"Miss Yu, you should let go of this matter," Xu Ying whispered, trying to persuade her.

"Who says otherwise? What can I do if I try to stop him? After all, Sima You is Wang Yuanji's own son."

I am ultimately just an outsider.

Yang Huiyu sighed deeply, filled with endless grievances and weakness.

(End of this chapter)