Who else could it be besides Cao Zhen?
Cao Zhen, along with Xiahou He and a hundred riders, came to the emperor's camp in a hurry, dismounted, and walked towards the emperor.
A gentle drizzle added a touch of haziness to the scenery today.
Cao Rui glanced at Cao Zhen's wet shoulder from the fine rain, then composedly said, "Today I come to the Mount Dingjun just to wait for the General of the Great Army."
Cao Zhen bowed and said, "Allowing the Emperor to wait in the rain for so long is my fault."
Cao Rui waved his hand, indicating that Jiang Wei, who followed behind, should come forward and continue speaking to Cao Zhen:
"General, I have already sent someone to find the tomb of Xuhou Zhengxi. I won't go there myself. Please go and worship it!"
"Take Xiahou Yi Quan with you as well!"
Xiahou He, who was two steps behind Cao Zhen, initially had a surprised expression, but then he knelt down on one knee.
Almost instantly, Xiahou He's tears burst out and rolled down his cheeks uncontrollably. Without wiping his tears away, Xiahou He bowed repeatedly to the emperor.
After three resounding kowtows, Xiahou He lifted his head, his face showing a mixture of excitement and relief. He raised his hands in a gesture to speak.
Cao Rui furrowed his brow, looked at Cao Zhen and pointed to Xiahou He with his finger.
Cao Zhen understood and turned around directly, pulling Xiahou He up from the ground.
Xiahou He continued to weep uncontrollably: "My father has been buried under the Mount Dingjun for nine years, and this is known to all under heaven. Yet, as his son, I have been unable to do anything about it!"
"Every year during the festival, our whole family can only cry and bow towards the direction of Hanzhong for nine years now!"
As he spoke, Xiahou He's voice grew more and more choked: "Without the Emperor's great mercy and his leading a large army to attack the treacherous Wu state, how could I ever see my father's bones?"
"May I die for Your Majesty!" After saying this, Xiahou He bowed as if to do another bow, but was stopped by Cao Zhen.
Indeed, this is truly the overflowing of sincerity. There is no more authentic emotion in the world.
As Xiahou He wept, the people who followed the carriage had sad expressions on their faces.
Cao Zhen gently patted Xiahou He's back and comforted him by leaning in close to his ear.
"Cao Zhen and Yi Quan, go.” Cao Rui whispered: "After the worship, choose a propitious day and move the tomb of Xuhou Zhengxi to the capital of Yeheng, burying it next to Gaoling!"
"Thank Your Majesty!" Xiahou He was pulled so hard he couldn't kneel, so he had to bow deeply in respect.
"Go on, go on." Cao Rui waved his hand.
Jiang Wei had already prepared the ritual items as requested by the emperor. Upon seeing Cao Zhen and Xiahou He approaching, he immediately prepared to lead them to the tomb of Xiahou Yan.
Sima Yi also sighed with a sense of melancholy.
Both terms, "Zhuge Zhao Cao" and "Zhuge Cao Zhao," are used simultaneously in Wei.
If we talk about dynastic marriages, the Ding family has also been in a dynastic marriage with the Cao family for generations. Where is it now?
The Xiao family's almost equal status to the royal family in Wei was just the unique achievements made by Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan as stock bones for Wu Di, who earned the unique achievements for their clan.
Now, Your Majesty has led the army personally to Hanzhong, found Xiahou Yuan's tomb, and ordered it to be moved back to Yecheng. This favor is great beyond measure.
From today's event, all the sons of Xiahou Yuan and even the whole Xiao family have all benefited greatly from Your Majesty's great favor.
Cao Rui turned his head and looked at Sima Yi: "I seem to have heard the Minister of Righteousness sigh. What's wrong?"
The two people closest to Emperor Cao Rui, riding on horses alongside the carriage, were Sima Yi and Wang Shu.
As smart as Sima Yi was, he wouldn't have said what he was thinking. Instead, he chose something that had already been prepared.
"Your Majesty, I have been pondering over the matter of the Hanzhong Division," Sima Yi said calmly: "Two months ago, Your Majesty had just set up Gansu State by dividing Ling'ou and Wudu, Yingping Two Districts. Now that we have taken control of Hanzhong, the management matters should also be placed on the agenda."
Cao Rui was not surprised, nodding slightly and saying, "I have also been thinking along those lines."
"Gansu State has just been established, and Yong Province has also lost territory. Chen Jiao and Yang Fu are both newly appointed, and Zhang He has been appointed as the military commander of Yong Province."
"It seems that we will have to make another arrangement."
Sima Yi replied, "The land of Hanzhong is very important. We should choose a capable general to send with a strong force to garrison in Hanzhong."
"Who should we send?" Cao Rui asked.
Sima Yi said, "When Hanzhong had not been lost, it was Zhang He who garrisoned there. Since Hanzhong has been recovered, there is no need to have Zhang He remain at Qiushan after the war."
"Let's have Zhang He come here."
Cao Rui raised his eyebrows and looked at Sima Yi: "If Zhang He comes to Hanzhong, who should be the military commander of the two provinces of Qin and Yong? Shouldn't Zhang He handle it alone?"
Sima Yi gently shook his head: "I have not yet come up with an idea. I just made some military suggestions based on the importance of Hanzhong."
Not yet have any ideas?
Cao Rui understood in his heart that Sima Yi should have some thoughts, but he couldn't say or it wasn't convenient to say.
This involved three sensitive issues.
The first sensitive issue is that Hanzhong is part of Yizhou. If Zhang He, the military commander of Qin and Yong provinces, comes to Yizhou, what should be done about Qin and Yong provinces?
The second sensitive issue is how many troops should be stationed in Hanzhong.
The third sensitive issue is whether another position of Yizhou Governor or the Military Governor of Yizhou needs to be set up.
Cao Rui laughed and said, "With the wisdom of Minister of Righteousness, such trivial personnel matters. How could there not be any ideas?"
After saying that, Cao Rui pointed to the surroundings. There were only Sima Yi and Wang Shu present, aside from the guards next to him.
The sound was even harder to hear with the rain.
Sima Yi pursed his lips and said with a bow, "The position of military commander of Qin and Yong provinces should be abolished!"
"Since Hanzhong has been restored under the rule of Wei, Qin and Yong provinces are no longer front lines against enemies. They should be governed in the same way as other provinces such as Lu and Yu!"
Lu and Yu?
According to Sima Yi's words, it seems that the "Yu" he is referring to corresponds to the Yong province, which is not on the front lines of enemy confrontation.
And Yu, which corresponds to Qin. Yu is now governed by former general Man Meng, who is leading the army.
Almost instinctively, Emperor Cao Rui realized the impracticality of Sima Yi's suggestion.
"Different paths for literary and martial prowess is not just empty talk."
As a literatus, from the perspective of governance, of course hopes that the garrisoned troops in the area are fewer and less influenced by military affairs.
This is an instinctive choice.
From the perspective of military commanders, it is of course more important to be the military commander of two provinces!
"I think it's not appropriate."
To Emperor Cao Rui's surprise, Wang Shu, who had been silent, spoke up:
"Now although the Wu bandit is not strong enough to match Wei, he still holds territory in the Wu region and cannot be lightly taken."
Cao Rui smiled and asked Wang Shu: "Then what do you think should be done?"
"General Zhang is a famous general of the state, and using him to garrison Hanzhong is a wise choice," Wang Shu replied seriously. "The armies of Qin and Yong provinces still need someone to supervise!"
"Absolutely not! Don't let Your Majesty and the middle army be so troublesome!"
Cao Rui's heart stirred: "Who should be given the title of military governor of Qin and Yong provinces?"
Wang Shu replied directly, "It should be entrusted to the General Commander! And the command of Liang province should also be assigned, making him the military governor of Yong, Liang, Qin, and Yizhou."
Cao Rui gradually stopped smiling, squinting his eyes to examine Wang Shu from top to bottom.
Wang Shu showed no fear at all, slightly lowering his head, but there was no intention of retracting his words.
Sima Yi, who was standing beside him, widened his pupils slightly and felt a surge of alertness in his heart.
He thought that Liu Ye, Huang Quan, Chen Jiao, and Yang Fu were all sent out of office. In the future, his words would become more important in front of the emperor.
He only failed to take into account one person—Wang Shu!
As he thought back to the time when they discussed the issues between the Central Office and Gao Rui in Your Majesty's study. Wang Shu had added a few words of disobedience to himself. Sima Yi's heart filled with resentment.
Doesn't Wang Shu know the world?
Chen Qun and Cao Xu are both on external assignments. Of the four ministers left behind by the late emperor, only Wang Shu and himself, Sima Yi, are left in Luoyang.
With the war on the western front and Cao Zhen being transferred to an external position, he would be the only one remaining as a minister in Luoyang.
It is certainly not a good thing.
The emperor has achieved a series of great victories over Shu, and his prestige has already risen to a new level, so he does not need Cao Zhen's help to control the central army.
If helping the emperor move Cao Zhen out of the central army, wouldn't the next target be himself?
Why help the emperor centralize power? What benefits has the emperor promised to your Wang family?
Just as Sima Yi was about to use the reasons for not moving Cao Zhen, who was a general, to object, he stopped short as he heard the emperor speak himself.
Cao Rui nodded slightly: "Wang's words are wise for the country. I will remember it as a merit for you!"
"If General Commander is appointed to command the four provinces of Yong, Liang, Qin, and Yizhou, where should the residence be set up?"
Wang Shu answered directly, "Chen Cang."
"Very good!" Cao Rui nodded again.
Then the emperor and Wang Shu did not speak again.
At this moment, Sima Yi's alarm bells rang, and he searched tirelessly for any and all details related to Wang Shu.
Or did Your Majesty reprimand himself and ruin the marriage between his second son Sima Zhao and Wang's family?
Or was there some kind of tacit understanding between Wang Lang and the emperor?
For a moment, Sima Yi couldn't figure it out.
He was completely unaware that Your Majesty had reached a tacit understanding with Wang Lang and Wang Shu's father on that day, which was when they discussed the "meat penalties" during the process of revising the laws!
Politics, military affairs, personnel... In fact, they are all interconnected. The fruit today is due to the seed sown the day before. This is it.
The rain gradually lightened until it completely stopped.
The sky began to clear up almost at the same time as a censer, in just a short while.
Cao Rui was still looking at Dingjun Mountain, but his thoughts were not about centralizing power or the transfer of Cao Zhen's duties to the outside. Instead, he pondered on how to restore the nation's strength.
Although Hanzhong had been captured, Wei now had another pit to fill.
Even if Zhang He is in Hanzhong, how many troops should be stationed there?
Before the conquest of Qin, Cao Rui had roughly calculated that there would be around thirty thousand foreign troops in Qin, with the remaining troops being supplemented by the Qiang forces to a total of sixty thousand.
After a series of battles, from Xianping to Chiting, and from Chiting to Hanzhong, a great deal of manpower has been depleted.
Where would Wei have thirty thousand foreign troops stationed in Hanzhong?
If there were three thousand troops stationed in Hanzhong, it is certain that the local supply could not sustain them. How should provisions and logistics be handled?
Should a Yizhou governor be selected? Who should lead the civil affairs in Hanzhong?
Although they had won on the battlefield, there were still countless things to be done, and it was necessary to carefully sort them out.
As the few people fell silent, a series of urgent hoofbeats came from the north, just as when Cao Zhen had arrived.
Just listening, there don't seem to be many horses.
The guards, seeing that Guan Qiuan was here, did not block him. Instead, they allowed Guan Qiuan to ride directly up to the emperor's chariot.
Guan Qiuan dismounted, bowed to the emperor, and then kowtowed to Wang Shu.
Just as the emperor, Sima Yi, and Wang Shu were all at a loss, Guan Qiuan slowly produced a letter and handed it over:
As the emperor, Sima Yi, and Wang Shu were all confused, Guan Qiuan slowly produced a letter, handing it over: "Report to Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wang passed away in Luoyang fifteen days ago. Minister of Works Guan presents his condolences." (End of chapter)
