Overthrowing Wei: Starting with Cao Cao's "I'd rather betray the world than surrender

Lu Ding continued, "However, before that, we need to probe the stance of the other prominent families in Runan."

Han Zixiu: "Alright, then let's discuss this matter publicly tomorrow."

The following day, the assembly convened and the state council's document was read aloud to the public.

The hall was more crowded than usual, with not only gentry members in attendance, but also several salt merchants and large business owners summoned to listen.

When the announcer read out, "We request the Prefect of Runan to personally go to Nanyang to discuss the state's taxes," the atmosphere in the hall began to rise and fall.

The moment the silk scroll was put away, Chen Ji, the second son of the Chen family, stepped forward first, cupped his hands, and said, "The discussion of state taxes concerns the weight of the entire state. Since Nanyang has discussed state affairs, it is only proper for the prefect to personally attend." His words were gentle, but his sharpness was hidden in the word "property."

Zhao Hong stepped forward almost simultaneously, his tone low but clear: "Before formalities, there must be a proper title. When was Nanyang designated as a prefecture?"

The hall fell silent instantly, and even the merchants listening in couldn't help but look up.

Chen Ji's expression darkened slightly as he said, "Lord Yuan is in charge of the prefecture, so the power is in his hands. What's wrong with discussing the tax in Nanyang?"

Zhao Hong retorted, "Whoever controls the situation owns the province. If that's the case, then can the cavalry from Yanzhou, pressing the front line, also come to discuss the taxes of my Yuzhou?"

As soon as these words were spoken, several members of the gentry whispered a warning to "be careful what you say," but they could no longer suppress the undercurrents in the hall.

Chen Ji said coldly, "Is the Zhao family going to stand against the Yuan family?"

Zhao Hong's gaze remained fixed: "Is the Chen family going to change their allegiance?"

The two men had been locked in a standoff for only a few breaths when the gentry members who had been whispering in the hall fell silent.

Several family heads who had close ties with Nanyang remained unmoved, clearly preferring to attend the meeting; however, several old families who had been rooted in Runan for many years tightened their gazes, showing wariness.

It wasn't explicitly stated who was on which side, but it was already clear.

The dividing line that was originally hidden in private was forced into shape by these few words.

Han Zixiu remained unmoved.

It wasn't until Chen Ji turned around and cupped his hands to him, saying, "Prefect, this matter must be made clear. If you do not go, Nanyang will surely be suspicious; if you do go, the name of the prefecture will be correct." Dozens of eyes simultaneously pressed down on the person in the main seat.

Lu Ding then slowly spoke: "The state council is the state council, and military affairs are military affairs."

The voice wasn't loud, but it brought the argument to a halt.

Chen Ji turned to him: "Does the acting manager mean he won't agree to either side?"

Lu Ding remained calm: "If the state's proposal is in the best interests of the prefecture, Runan will follow it; if it is detrimental to the prefecture's interests, Runan will not follow it."

In a single sentence, he skillfully concealed his sharp edge between "following" and "not following."

Chen Ji was speechless for a moment, and Zhao Hong stopped pressing him. Han Zixiu finally spoke: "The state council's letter has been returned." The hall then dispersed, but no one was truly at ease.

That evening, the West Market was abuzz with discussion. The voices of "The Prefect isn't going," "He's only sending his assistants," and "This is just stalling" echoed repeatedly in the teahouses and were intentionally or unintentionally carried to the east of the city.

In the courtyard of the cloth merchant, after hearing the report, the man tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"Did the Chen family interrogate the prefect in court whether he had personally gone to Nanyang?" he asked.

"Yes," the servant replied. "The Zhao family, however, immediately objected, saying that the name of the prefecture was not yet decided and it was not advisable to make any rash moves. The argument in the hall was quite fierce."

The man was silent for a moment, then asked, "What did the prefect say?"

"He did not go in person, but only said that he would send his assistants to discuss the matter."

"Not in person," he repeated softly.

It neither rejected nor admitted. This was not a fixed decision, but rather leaving room for maneuver.

He leaned back slowly in his chair, his expression calmer than a few days ago: "The disagreements in court are out in the open, and the prefect is not going there in person, so the discussions in the city have not been suppressed."

The servant asked in a low voice, "What is that?"

The man said calmly, "The situation in the prefecture is still unsettled."

He stopped trying to find a way around the problem and that very night he picked up a brush and wrote down nine characters—

"The situation in the prefecture is still unsettled; it is time to test our troops."

A strong wind was blowing on the city wall, and Lü Ding and Xun You stood side by side.

Xun You said in a low voice, "That question in the hall almost got out of control."

The wind howled on the city walls, and lights flickered in the distance.

Lu Ding did not respond immediately, but watched the lights in the city gradually go out, and after a long time said, "That's exactly the question I wanted to ask."

Xun You glanced sideways.

"If we don't let them speak out in public," Lü Ding said calmly, "those stances will always remain hidden in private. And those thoughts hidden in private are the hardest to discern."

Xun You pondered for a moment and said, "Today in the hall, the Chen family has clearly indicated their intention to go to Nanyang. Although the other families have not spoken yet, we can roughly guess what they are thinking."

"However, those who truly want to change their allegiance won't rush to speak in court. They will wait," Lü Ding said.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait for others to make the first move."

The wind whistled past the city walls, bringing with it the clamor of the distant West Market.

-

The next morning, the prefectural government suddenly issued a document that was neither too big nor too small—

"All salt contracts and grain contracts that are filed with the prefecture must be submitted in complete account books within three days, specifying the merchants with whom they have dealings, both within and outside the prefecture."

The document was not strict; it was merely an audit.

But it was like a fine needle, gently piercing the nerves of the gentry and merchants.

The salt shops in the West Market were the first to be blown up.

"Account books?" one merchant frowned. "Accounts are accounts, but do you really need to specify whether they're from within or outside the state?"

"What are they investigating? Who has connections with Nanyang?"

The words weren't explicitly stated, yet everyone understood.

At this moment, in the second branch of the Chen family's residence, Chen Ji's expression changed slightly for the first time upon hearing this edict. He asked in a low voice, "Who drafted it?"

"Acting".

Chen Ji remained silent for a long time, then sneered, "He's forcing people to take sides."

At the same time, in the back hall of the Zhao family.

Zhao Hong placed the document on the table and said slowly, "It would be better not to investigate. But once we investigate, we'll surely find something."

"How should the Zhao family respond?" a member of the clan asked.

"Report it according to regulations," Zhao Hong said calmly, "without missing a single detail."

-

Within three days, the account books were successively delivered to the government office.

Lu Ding did not hold a court hearing or publicly question Lu Ding; he simply had people categorize and copy the documents.

Xun You, who was flipping through the documents, suddenly stopped: "The Chen family has been dealing with the Nanyang salt merchants frequently, by 30% more than in previous years."

Lü Ding nodded: "I'll remember that."

"Should we—"

"Let's not move for now," Lü Ding said. "Let's wait a bit longer."

In the same ledger, there were also several inconspicuous small merchants who had been quietly transporting grain to Nanyang in the past two months.

The number is small, but the direction is clear.

Xun You looked at the names and said softly, "These people may not dare to speak in court, but they have already made their choices in private."

Lu Ding closed the ledger: "I'm not afraid of making choices, what I'm afraid of is making choices and then not knowing what we've chosen."

He paused, then said, "Let some air out."

What kind of wind is it?

"It is said that the prefectural government has investigated and found several accounts with other states to be irregular."

Xun You's eyes flashed: "No roll call?"

"No names will be named."

-

That evening, at a teahouse in the West Market.

"I heard that the prefectural government has discovered discrepancies in the accounts of several companies."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"The Chen family?"

"The Zhao family?"

"I heard it's a few small businesses."

The rumors spread and became increasingly confusing, yet no one dared to confirm them.

The lights were still on in the second branch of the Chen family's residence.

Chen Ji paced back and forth, a sense of unease rising in his heart for the first time.

He suddenly asked, "How are things going with the cloth merchants?"

"Still closed."

Chen Ji frowned and didn't ask any more questions.

-

Inside the cloth merchant's courtyard in the east of the city.

After hearing the rumors in the West Market, the man slowed down the rhythm of his tapping on the table.

"Is the prefectural government auditing the accounts?"