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

The third rain since the start of summer has just stopped.

The bluestone steps outside the county seat were still wet; as soon as a footprint was stepped on, the watermarks slowly spread out.

Early that morning, the area in front of the prefectural government building was unusually quiet.

It's not because there are too many people.

None of the people who came spoke.

A clerk carrying a file entered the hall through a side door.

There was no red string on the case file.

But it was pressed down by a new seal.

Inside the main hall of the prefecture, several officials were already seated.

No one exchanged pleasantries.

No one asked any further questions.

"The Zhao family came again last night."

Someone whispered.

"What did you say?"

"He didn't say anything else." The man paused, "He just kept repeating one thing—"

"The Shen family's conversion to tenant farming has already caused unrest among the tenants."

Someone inside the hall let out a soft hum.

"Restless?"

"Everyone has heard about what happened on the ridge of the field in Zhao Family Village."

No one responded.

Because everyone understands—

What truly makes people restless is never the ridges between the fields.

It's that tenancy contract that, once followed, can never be taken back.

The Zhao family was not the first to speak up.

But he's the one who knows best when to exert force.

They didn't mention Lü Ding again.

Not a single word was mentioned.

He just kept talking about the Shen family.

"The Shen family has taken in many tenants in recent years."

"Tenant transfers were not reported."

"Although the act of amending the treaty is called benevolent and righteous, it has already gone beyond the old system."

That's enough.

If I go any further, it won't be a reminder.

It is an accusation.

What the county is best at is writing "reminder" as "routine".

"We'll see," the Zhao family envoy added softly, "The Shen family has connections in the court, so they already have support."

He spoke the word "originally" very softly.

The people inside the hall exchanged glances.

No one answered.

Because everyone knows who he's talking about.

I also know—

That person has already died at the hands of Dong Zhuo.

This is not meant to be derogatory.

It's not a transfer.

He is dead.

They died very quickly.

It's also very clean.

Once the central government's power is disrupted, the attitude of the local governments can change.

Many things that were originally immovable are now—

You can move around a bit now.

"Then let's follow the old practice."

The registrar finally spoke.

"The usual practice?" someone looked up.

"Check the land register."

"The entire tenant family."

"To verify the Shen family's recent recruitment of tenants and contract amendments."

He paused.

"Let's not convict them yet."

But those who understand can tell—

Start with a soft approach.

On the surface, it belongs to the Shen family.

actual--

They were waiting for the reaction from the Lu family.

The clerk picked up his pen.

The ink fell very slowly.

The document was written line by line:

"In recent years, the number of tenants at the Shen Family Manor has increased, and the leases have been changed, which may lead to unrest among the residents."

According to the regulations of the prefecture, the new treaty is hereby suspended, and the old system shall be reinstated until further clarification.

Not a single word was said that the Shen family was wrong.

But every sentence negates what the Shen family is doing now.

The last line of text was finished.

The registrar glanced at it and nodded.

"Use the seal."

The moment the print fell.

No one spoke inside the room.

Because this means—

The county authorities finally took action against the Shen family.

In the afternoon, the documents were sealed. They weren't urgent, but there was no delay either. The two constables took their orders and left the county seat.

The sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance.

Someone inside the hall suddenly spoke:

"Will the Shen family intervene?"

"Yes," the clerk replied quickly.

"That--"

"I can't get around this."

He paused for a moment.

"The Shen family's power is gone."

Inside Shenjiazhuang.

When the document arrived, the air was stuffy and suffocating.

The steward opened the package, read two lines, and his expression changed.

He didn't dare look any longer.

He carried the documents directly into the inner courtyard.

Shen Shao was looking at the accounts, the ledgers were still spread out.

The steward stood at the door, his throat tight.

"Master of the family."

Shen Shao looked up.

I spotted the document at a glance.

He didn't answer.

It was just a gesture to put it down.

After the steward left, Shen Shao slowly picked it up.

I read it word by word.

The room was very quiet.

It was so quiet you could hear the pages rustling softly.

I saw the last sentence, "The new test is suspended, and the old order is restored."

Shen Shao's hand stopped.

Shen Wan stood to the side.

She finished reading it too.

He understood faster than his father.

"They want to target the Shen family first."

She whispered.

Shen Shao nodded.

"Yes."

"They acted too quickly."

Shen Wan added a sentence.

Shen Shao glanced at her.

No denial.

"Because of what's above us—"

He paused, then said, "There's no one here."

After those words were spoken, the room fell silent for a moment.

At the same time.

Lüjiazhuang.

Under the lamplight, Xun You pushed the copied document from the prefecture in front of Lü Ding.

No further explanation is needed.

He only touched the corner of the paper lightly with his finger.

"Suspend the new treaty and restore the old order."

Lu Ding glanced at it, but his gaze didn't linger.

He was looking at the signature.

County seal.

Not a clerk.

It is not a subordinate official.

Yes--

The seal of the prefecture.

This means that this is not a test.

It's a decision.

"They didn't mention me," Lü Ding suddenly said.

Xun You nodded.

"It was deliberately not mentioned."

"Because mentioning you would not be a dispute over the tenancy contract, but an overstepping of authority."

Lü Ding smiled.

It's very light.

"So we're targeting the Shen family first."

"Let's see if I can move."

Xun You remained silent for a moment.

"If you move."

"Then they can legitimately say—"

"You are interfering in county affairs."

"If you do not move..."

He paused for a moment.

"The Shen family's tenancy agreement will be wiped clean with a single document."

The room fell silent.

The candlelight flickered slightly.

"Now," Lü Ding said slowly, "am I able to stand up to the prefecture?"

This is a very dangerous problem.

Xun You did not go around it.

"Nominally, no."

"You are not a county official."

"You have no right to manage the tenants."

"They have no right to reform it either."

He spoke very frankly.

But it didn't end there.

"but--"

Lü Ding looked up.

"But the county doesn't want to really make a big deal out of it."

What they're doing now is pressure.

"It's not about killing."

"They are waiting for your response."

Lu Ding tapped the table lightly with his fingertips.

a bit.

Two times.

"wait for me--"

"retreat."

Xun You nodded.

"If you retreat..."

"The Shen family's trial of land rent was a failure."

"Next."

"All the ideas that were ever considered for Zhuangzi will be suppressed."

Lü Ding did not speak again.

He stood up and walked to the window.

The night breeze blew in from outside the fields.

It carried the scent of damp earth.

Xun You hesitated for a moment and said, "Now I'm afraid the prefecture will take more than this step."

"Are you worried that the county may have other tricks up its sleeve?" Lü Ding asked.

Xun You looked at Lü Ding and said slowly, "I'm afraid the prefecture will issue you another document, 'assist in verifying the facts'."

Lü Ding's hand stopped on the windowsill.

"Assist in verifying the facts," he repeated in a low voice.

It's not about accusing someone.

It wasn't a summons either.

Instead, you need to be there in person.

He told them to list all the things he and the Shen family had done and let them determine their actions.

"If this document is truly issued," Lü Ding said slowly.

"Holy crap—"

He paused.

"It is up to me to examine the rules I myself uphold."

Xun You did not respond.

He knew what that meant.

Going means entering the game.

It is not only necessary to explain the Shen family's tenancy agreement,

We also need to address "why they can change it" and "what gives them the right to change it."

Give the county an explanation.

"I'm not going—"

Lü Ding turned around and looked at Xun You.

"It means that we can only watch as the Shen family is forced to revert to the old system with a single document."

outside the window.

The night was deep.

And in a more distant place.

The first document was titled "Assistance in Verification".

It's already on my desk, waiting to be stamped.