Has the Han Dynasty been restored today?

Chapter 91 The Appointment to Divide Shaanxi (Part 2) (Seeking First Subscription) (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

Upon seeing Wang Guan enter to report, Sima Yi frowned and waved his hand, saying, "Weitai, have the two of them wait a moment. I am speaking with His Majesty's envoy and must not be disturbed."

Wang Guan didn't speak, cupped his hands and was about to leave, but was stopped by Guanqiu Jian.

"Brother Weitai, please wait a moment." Guanqiu Jian called out to Wang Guan, then cupped his hands and said, "Grand Commandant, why don't you ask Lord Yan and General Zhang to speak first? I'll wait here for a while. I have many things to discuss with the Grand Commandant, and I'm afraid it will take a while."

"Very well." Sima Yi nodded calmly. "Weitai, please invite the two of them here."

"As you command." Wang Guan remained silent, bowing in agreement.

Before long, Yan Fei, the Prefect of Jingzhao, and Zhang Lie, the Agricultural Commissioner of Chang'an, entered together. After bowing to Sima Yi, they greeted Guanqiu Jian and Xiahou Xuan, and learned that Sima Yi had been reassigned as Grand Commandant.

Unlike the Shu Han state, the officials of the Wei state mostly came from prominent families. When officials of different ranks interacted, they not only had to consider their official rank, but also their family background and social standing.

Yan Fei was the 23rd generation descendant of Yan Hui. In his early years, he served as the Crown Prince's tutor in Cao Pi's court and was also a former colleague of Sima Yi. Zhang Lie, on the other hand, came from the Zhang clan of Xiuwu in Henan Province. He was a relative of Sima Yi's wife, Zhang Chunhua, and was a legitimate descendant of Marquis Liu, Zhang Liang.

Even though Sima Yi held a high rank, he still had to treat officials from prominent aristocratic families with utmost respect and courtesy.

"Wenlin, Xiuzhang." Sima Yi glanced at Yan Fei and Zhang Lie, then asked, "What brings you two to see me today?"

Yan Fei, who was already sixty years old and had a completely white beard, said with some hesitation, "Please forgive us, Your Excellency. We were unaware that an imperial envoy was here, which is why we have disturbed you. It would be better if we came to see Your Excellency again tomorrow to explain."

Zhang Lie chimed in from the side.

Sima Yi frowned and replied, "It is precisely because the imperial envoy is here that we must speak now. What is it? There is no need to hide anything!"

"Since that's the case, then I'll speak." Yan Fei cupped his hands in greeting. "So that you may know, at the beginning of last year, you established a military market south of Chang'an, selling all kinds of goods and collecting rent. The military market was suspended during the war with Shu last year, and it reopened last month. However, the market magistrate recently extorted money from the people, taking all the money from several households and even driving one person to their death. That's why the people complained to the magistrate of Chang'an. Military matters cannot be interfered with by the prefecture and county, so I have come to you today to seek your help."

"Did this really happen?" Sima Yi's face showed no emotion.

"Yes." Yan Fei bowed again.

"I understand. You two may take your seats. I will provide an explanation to the prefecture." Sima Yi raised his hand and pointed in Wang Guan's direction: "Who is the military market commander of Chang'an?"

Wang Guan cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to the General, this is Lu Yi."

"Quickly capture him and bring him here!" Sima Yi ordered sternly, "I'll wait here!"

"As you command," Wang Guan replied, and then left.

About 15 minutes later, Lu Yi, the military market magistrate, was brought before the court. He dared not conceal his crime and confessed to it. Sima Yi then ordered him to be flogged one hundred times on the spot, which was carried out in front of everyone in the court.

To be fair, this matter was actually an internal affair of Sima Yi's own army. He should be punished for his mistake, and no one needed to offer any advice.

Guanqiu Jian, standing to the side, watched as the guards prepared to carry out the execution in the hall. Faced with this scene, Guanqiu Jian's expression also turned somewhat unpleasant. Exercising power was certainly permissible, but to do so in front of the imperial envoys seemed to be nothing short of displaying arrogance.

Guanqiu Jian felt uncomfortable looking at it, and Yan Fei and Zhang Lie felt the same way.

During the execution, Lu Yi, the military market magistrate, was able to endure the first few dozen strokes of the cane without making a sound. After about fifty strokes, it was obvious to onlookers that Lu Yi had lost consciousness. After the last twenty or thirty strokes, anyone with common sense could see that Lu Yi was bleeding from his mouth and nose, and had obviously been beaten to death.

Whether it was Guanqiu Jian, Xiahou Xuan, Yan Fei, or Zhang Lie, who hadn't seen a dead person? But when a culpable officer was beaten to death in front of several people, they were still shocked, feeling that Sima Yi had gone too far. But this was Chang'an, Sima Yi's governor's mansion. If Sima Yi insisted on doing this, who could stop him?

The principle of accepting punishment for making mistakes is self-evident.

This whole affair started because of Yan Fei. Zhang Lie, who came along, was just there to make up the numbers. Midway through the fight, Zhang Lie, sitting at the table, kept giving Yan Fei meaningful glances and even pushed her forcefully. Yan Fei, perhaps unable to bear watching...

Still frightened, he kept his head down and remained silent.

This action was seen by everyone in the hall.

Only after Lu Yi's body was executed by the guards and carried out of the hall did Sima Yi let out a long sigh and look at Yan Fei: "Lord Yan, the criminal has been punished. I wonder if the Jingzhao Prefecture is satisfied with this response?"

Yan Fei remained silent with his head down, not daring to look directly at Sima Yi's face. After a moment, he turned from his seat and bowed respectfully to Sima Yi.

Yan Fei prostrated himself in respect and said, "Your Excellency, you have been appointed by the court to govern Shaanxi. Today, you are carrying out punishments in the hall to show that you will treat the people of the army and the prefecture as one, without any favoritism. Just now, General Zhang pushed me at the banquet, which was probably to ask me to apologize to Your Excellency. If I were to apologize to Your Excellency, it would be contrary to Your Excellency's original intention in governing."

"Now that Your Excellency has already exerted your power and influence, I should take my leave."

Zhang Lie, feeling awkward, also lowered his head and clasped his hands in apology.

"Alright, then you two may proceed." Sima Yi nodded in agreement.

"Yes, sir." Yan Fei and Zhang Lie responded in unison, then stood up, bowed, and retreated in small steps.

Guanqiu Jian and Xiahou Xuan, seated on the left side of the hall, had witnessed everything that had just transpired. Both had served as officials for a considerable time; Guanqiu Jian had even been the governor of Jingzhou. This was the first time they had ever encountered Sima Yi's forceful and decisive approach to governance here.

Regardless of their individual thoughts, Sima Yi remained composed and asked, "What was the third thing Zhonggong wanted to say?"

Guanqiu Jian swallowed hard, cupped his hands, and replied, "Reporting to the Grand Commandant, the third matter concerns Gongsun Yuan of Liaodong. This man is fickle and unpredictable, causing havoc on the northern frontier. He flatters Sun Quan and often tries to use the distance between the mountains and the sea to avoid submitting to the Great Wei."

"Now that Zhuge Liang of Shu is dead, and Sun Quan has launched two military campaigns last year and the year before, both Wu and Shu are temporarily powerless. Your Majesty wants to send troops to conquer Liaodong. To my shame, Your Majesty has already appointed me as General Who Crosses Liaodong. After Wang Yuanbo (Wang Xiong, the Governor of Youzhou) is transferred back to the capital in the middle of this year, I will be appointed as the Governor of Youzhou. He wants me to conquer this villain."

"Grand Commandant, a veteran of three reigns, whose merits surpass those of all other officials, is a master of military strategy and has devised numerous plans. His Majesty has ordered me to come and ask you in person: if we were to wage war against Liaodong, what should we do? Does the Grand Commandant have any good strategies?"

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