Three Kingdoms

Large clouds are floating in the sky.

Like silk, like wadding, like yarn, like silk.

Sima Fu had never thought that the clouds in the sky could be so beautiful.

Even the stars exposed between the clouds are so beautiful.

Either silver or gold, bright or dark, it's like countless gods are watching this world and every living thing.

Including looking at Sima Fu himself.

The night wind was still cold, as if it could bite into the body.

Looking out from the railings of the prison car, the night sky with the Milky Way hanging upside down has a quiet but breathtaking beauty.

Why had I never noticed the beauty of the night sky before?

Sima Fu couldn't remember the last time he looked up at the stars.

Nowadays, I am exhausted physically and mentally, seriously injured, and my official career is completely ruined. Even if I have the opportunity to restart it in the future, I will not be able to escape the title of a defeated general...

Sima Fu was originally proud. When he was proud, the sky and the earth could not see him, and the stars could not be seen. Now he was finally able to let go of his pride, look up at the sky again, and feel his own insignificance.

The Sima family was not a particularly big family in the entire Han Dynasty, but in Wen County, it was big enough.

Sima Fu knew this when he was young, because there were many people surrounding him, but with no worries about food and clothing, he soon discovered that his qualifications were not as good as Sima Yi...

Sima Yi could understand the scriptures by reading them once, but he needed to read them several times.

Sima Fu felt uncomfortable if this happened once, twice, three times or five times. Because this is not someone else’s child, but his own brother.

"Look at your brother..."

"Why don't you learn from your brother..."

"Your brother can do well, why can't you?" 』

"..."

Sima Yi's attitude towards Sima Fu was not bad, and he was always concerned about him. But for some reason, Sima Fu always felt that the way Sima Yi looked at him was not like looking at a blood brother, but looking at... something. thing?

Cherished items.

Because we cherish it, we will love it, but this love has its limits.

Just like this war, Sima Yi's advice to Sima Fu was also limited.

Sima Fu and Sima Yi have been together for a long time, and he can understand to some extent that Sima Yi's nature is like this. It's not that Sima Yi doesn't have brotherhood in his heart, it's just...

Just like how he treated these private soldiers in Sima's family, Sima Fu felt that they were all members of his own family, and he should try his best not to be killed or injured. In Sima Yi's concept, as long as the death was worthwhile, then go ahead and die.

Sima Fu always felt that there was something wrong with Sima Yi's concept, but he didn't know what the problem was.

And now this defeat seems to prove that Sima Yi is right and he is wrong.

Is it really wrong?

Sima Fu raised his head and looked at the stars in the sky.

Sima Yi sent someone to tell him that he had captured Xia Houyuan. With this military exploit, he could avenge Sima Fu to some extent and save Sima Fu's life. At most, Sima Fu could be reactivated after a period of time.

I don't know why, but after learning the news, Sima Fu didn't feel much joy.

On the contrary, after the escorting soldiers learned the news, they wanted to get Sima Fu out of the prison car and changed their previous indifferent attitude.

But he was rejected by Sima Fu.

Sima Yi's achievements are Sima Yi's or Sima's, but they are not Sima Fu's own, so what qualifications does he have for preferential treatment?

Sima Yi is still so powerful.

Some memories from his youth slowly emerged in Sima Fu's mind.

While Sima Fu was still working hard to memorize and read ordinary scriptures, Sima Yi could already read many books, and even regretted that the Sima family's collection of books was not enough for him to read...

So when he was young, Sima Yi was very good at socializing. Sima Fu could always see Sima Yi smiling gently and chatting happily with the nobles one after another. But Sima Fu knew that it was Sima Yi who wanted to talk to those nobles. Books at home. If the library of a certain nobleman's family was drained by Sima Yi, Sima Yi would soon throw that nobleman aside.

Of course, according to Sima Yi's methods, the nobleman would often not notice anything. Instead, he would gradually appear dirty in daily communication, and then lose the confidence to get in front of Sima Yi, and automatically stay away from Sima Yi, and then have to Accepting Sima Yi's surprised inquiry, "Brother, why are you alienated from Yu Yi?" 』

Sima Fu thought, maybe Sima Yi just enjoyed the act itself.

Sima Yi is knowledgeable and seems to know everything.

Whenever Sima Fu has a question, he can find the answer from Sima Yi, but the answer is often only half.

Maybe Sima Yi felt that Sima Fu only deserved half of it?

Whether it's the scriptures from his childhood, or the fact that Sima Fu was asked to be the county magistrate when he was the third assistant in Chang'an, it seems that even people in the Sima family feel that Sima Fu can only get half of it, and will never be able to achieve the same status as Sima Yi. .

Sima Yi is indeed smart and knowledgeable, but Sima Fu also has the same surname as Sima!

Because he is inferior to Sima Yi, he will always be inferior to Sima Yi, even if he is a biological brother? Sima Fu just couldn't understand that although there was a chasm-like difference between the nobles and the common people, and a distinction between upper and lower levels was needed, but in Sima's family, did it also need to be the same between brothers?

Sima Yi is powerful, and Sima Fu has already realized this, so he does not argue with Sima Yi on many things, but obeys Sima Yi's arrangements and strives to do his best. If Sima Yi wanted him to be the county magistrate, he would be the county magistrate. If he wanted him to lead the soldiers in battle, he would lead the soldiers and act as Sima Yi's vanguard.

Because Sima Fu felt that since they were family members and brothers, there was no need to care so much. Sima Yi was a natural leader and liked a large group of people to gather around him and obey his orders, so Sima Fu would quietly watch and listen.

Life is like a river, you should go with the flow.

However, there are still some thoughts in my heart, floating in the river.

Sima Fu, who cherished his life, was short-sighted, and didn't understand that kindness cannot control troops, ultimately failed to risk his life. Sima Fu all admitted that it was just that he was too tired to walk this road. He walked this road for a long time, looked at it for a long time, and thought about it for a long time, but he couldn't figure out how to take the next step.

When he was fighting on horseback, he thought the rivers of blood were magnificent.

But it was painful to sit in the prison car and bleed like a river.

Sima Yi asked him to plead guilty and sit in a prison car. Sima Fu felt that he deserved to be defeated. But Sima Fu would inevitably think in his heart, if Sima Yi was defeated one day, would Sima Yi willingly sit in the prison car?

Perhaps, Sima Yi will never be defeated.

That would be nice.

Sima Fu looked up at the night sky.

Maybe the Sima family only needs one Sima Yi and doesn't need too many people.

Maybe one day, the new Sima family's children will think about the road that they can't take, the problems that they can't understand, and they will be able to solve the problems...

The horizon in the distance gradually became brighter.

The night will eventually pass, and the light will still come.

Sima Fu slowly closed his eyes and sighed.

The last breath.

It was dark last night, and it will be dark tonight. There may be light tomorrow, but Sima Fu can no longer see the new sun.

he died.

Die quietly.

Perhaps in his last moments, could he remember that when he was young, he also held up a wooden sword, climbed up the rockery in the backyard of his home, stood at the highest point and shouted loudly, "I want to be Commander in Chief! I want to fight to the end of the world! I'm going to beat him until there are corpses everywhere! I want to see the river of blood! 』

Everyone knows that after winter comes spring.

Everyone thinks that they are the lucky one who can drag it through, endure it, and survive it, and can wait until spring, the only molecule among billions of probabilities.

But it was not clear that in the cruel war banquet, blood and flesh were placed on the table, and there were no seats left for ordinary people who could finally sit on both sides of the table.

…

…

Jingbei.

Xiangyang.

After Cao Cao took Jingzhou, Xiangyang became an important stronghold for Cao Cao to control Hanzhong and Jiangdong.

Jingzhou is really too important, so only Cao Ren has the qualification to sit here.

In Liu Biao's heyday, Jingzhou had hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Naturally, it is no longer as wealthy as it used to be. During the Battle of Jingzhou, the Xiangyang area in northern Jingzhou also suffered severe damage. Although it cannot be said that ten houses and nine empty houses, Of the ten rooms, three or four are empty, but there are still some.

In particular, Jingzhou's economic and trade system was severely damaged, and due to the Wancheng effect, the entire business in Jingzhou experienced negative growth.

Even though Cao Ren carefully comforted and coordinated the various clans, there was still not much improvement.

After all, human life is not a leek. Although most of the gentry children think that ordinary people are untouchables and can grow in the cracks of stones. However, it still takes time for a person to grow from childhood to adulthood. It is impossible that wildfire cannot burn out the spring breeze. Blow and grow again.

After the population of Jingzhou lost a lot of blood, it would not be able to recover in a short period of time, and its economic development would naturally not be very good. Moreover, the land of Jingzhou not only needs to recover itself, but also supplies blood to Xu County in Yuzhou...

Under such circumstances, Cao Ren not only had to keep an eye on Jiangdong, but now he also had to mobilize his forces to prepare to cooperate with Cao Cong in the battle, which was not an easy task. Although Cai Shi, Kuai Shi and others in Jingzhou did not say anything on the surface, Cao Ren knew that this large-scale requisition of grain, weapons and equipment, tenant farmers, etc. was already the limit of the patience of Cai Shi, Kuai Shi and others.

There is nothing wrong with Wancheng being obtained, but now Cao Ren is faced with a difficult problem.

Should we raise the egg-laying chicken of Wancheng and wait for a while to lay an egg, or should we kill it now in order to have a full meal in front of us?

Everyone knows that it is not advisable to kill the chicken to obtain the eggs, and it is a move that only stupid people would make. But the truth is the truth. When it came time to do it, Cao Ren hesitated and did not immediately make the decision to raise the chicken...

Cao Ren hoped that Cao Cao could finally make this decision for him, but Cao Ren looked northward again and again, waiting for Heluo's reply, but there was no reply.

Cao Cao only sent a message to Cao Ren once, and there was no new progress after that, let alone any relevant good news.

What is Tongguan like?

Even if there is no news from Tongguan, what about the Bingzhou area, the Taihang area, and the land east of Hedong?

There is no follow-up news at all.

Of course, the most important thing is that there is no news about Cao Tai...

Cao Ren had a thought in his mind these past few days that he couldn't suppress.

Cao Kai stood aside, "Father, my brother will definitely return in triumph..."

Cao Ren was in a daze, and when Cao Kai finished speaking, he realized, "Kaier, what did you just say?" 』

"Father, I mean, my brother will definitely be able to make a triumphant return..." Cao Kai repeated, "There is no news yet, which means everything is going well..."

"Well..." Cao Ren suppressed his anxious heart, "My lord is in Heluo, and brother Yuan Rang is in Bingzhou. There should be no problem..."

Cao Kai was silent for a while and said, "Father, the scouts who went to Shangyong in the past two days have not come back." 』

Cao Ren frowned and said, "Li Mancheng, the thief general in Hanzhong, did he discover something?" Blocked Hanzhong Shangyong? 』

Cao Kai said, "Father, do you want to send more scouts to investigate?" 』

Cao Ren thought for a moment, shook his head and said, "No need for now." It would be bad if you try to scare the snake away. Keep the original number and let the scouts be more careful..."

Cao Kai agreed.

The two stood on the Xiangyang city wall again, looking northward.

After a moment of silence, Cao Kai spoke again, "Father, this Qiusi is said to be... modifying the Han system, promoting scientific examinations, and those related decrees... What exactly does he want to do?" Helping the country, or do you have ulterior motives? Is he crazy, or does he really mean it? 』

Cao Ren was silent for a longer time, and then whispered: "Before there is no strength, everything is just a fantasy." 』

Cao Ren commented, and then his eyes changed slightly, "But... the development of Guanzhong is indeed... But even so, it is still far from being able to compete in the world... It is far from it. This world is not Guanzhong." Of course, the world of man is not the people of Shandong... As long as the world benefits from Guanzhong, will the people of Shandong agree? 』

"So this time, the Hussars will be defeated..." Cao Kai's tone seemed to be a statement, but also a question.

"Qiao Qi is too arrogant..." Cao Ren said, "I think that with Tongguan in the middle of the pass, I can be impregnable...but...why hasn't the messenger come yet?" Logically speaking, it’s time to come...』

The two of them were discussing.

Calculating time, the war in the Taiyuan area of ​​Shangdang should be over. If our side wins, then Hedong will not be a concern, and Guanzhong will naturally be within the attack range of Cao Cao's soldiers.

If Shangdang lost in Taiyuan, then...

Finally, several cavalrymen rolled up smoke and dust from a distance and came in a hurry.

"..."

Cao Ren held the letter and frowned.

"Father?" ” Cao Kai asked.

Cao Ren sighed and said briefly, "The Crown Prince suggested that we attack Wuguan." 』

It's not Cao Tai's message, but Cao Pi's letter.

If it was Cao Cao's order, Cao Ren would of course follow it, but now it was Cao Pi's "suggestion". Of course, Cao Ren could listen to this suggestion or not, but the difference between listening and not listening was very subtle.

Historically, when Cao Pi ascended the throne, the territory of the Three Kingdoms was basically stable. There are so-called thirteen states in the world, and Cao Wei monopolizes nine states. Cao Pi inherited such a big deal. However, during Cao Pi's reign, large-scale foreign wars basically ended. There were only several battles with ethnic minorities in the west and north, and three conquests. In the Battle of Wu, two of them can be said to have other motives. They were not so pure in wanting to unify. There was no such thing as the conquest of Sichuan and Shu, or the personal conquest of Hanzhong like his father Cao Cao did...

Perhaps Cao Pi felt that after the fiasco at Yiling, the Shu Han was not worth mentioning.

But in any case, after the heroes of the previous generation passed away, the situation of taking the world as the goal and unifying China as the lifelong pursuit has quietly changed. The three countries have turned their main goals to how to protect their vested interests.

Only Zhuge Liang was left, looking at the north alone, persisting in the Northern Expedition until his death.

Cao Cao liked his wife, so Cao Cao also had many children. Except for Cao Zhen and other people who changed their surnames to Cao, they could not compete for the throne. Cao Pi was not as good as Cao Zhi in literature and Cao Zhang in martial arts...

In history, after Cao Cao's death, Cao Zhang rushed back. He did not ask how Cao Cao was doing at the first moment, but asked where the seal was. This more or less reflected some subtle meanings. At the same time, after Cao Pi came to the throne, the Qingzhou Army immediately dispersed. This shows that even at the critical moment of Cao Wei's succession of power, there was still a very dangerous political struggle.

So did Cao Pi start to make political plans after Cao Cao's death?

Obviously not.

Just like Cao Pi's letter to Cao Ren now, it is actually a kind of temptation.

Cao Cao is still here, so of course it is impossible for Cao Pi to really adjust Cao Ren's military power, it can only be a "suggestion".

"Father..." Cao Kai is not stupid, he also understands the meaning contained in it.

In fact, regardless of Cao Pi's "suggestion" or not, after acquiring Wancheng, Cao Ren will launch an attack on Wuguan as planned to reduce the pressure on Cao Cao in Tongguan and also look for some additional opportunities.

But in this case, will it send the wrong signal?

Cao Ren sighed deeply, "Too anxious... Your Majesty is too anxious..."

"So, what should we do?" ” asked Cao Kai.

Cao Ren was silent for a moment, "No. 』

You can't reply to Cao Pi with a letter to refute or preach. After all, when Cao Cao went on the expedition, he did say that he would let Cao Pi handle some affairs on his behalf. Therefore, there is no problem with Cao Pi's "suggestion" on the surface. If Cao Ren reacted too much, it would actually become a problem.

Cao Kai asked: "Would you like to... tell the truth to the lord..."

Cao Ren waved his hand and said, "Let's wait until after this battle!" 』

Some things only make sense after defeating Fei Qian, and if victory cannot be achieved...

"Send an order to Zidan..." Cao Ren looked up at the sky, watching the twinkling stars, and whispered, "Order Zidan to go to Wancheng and do everything he can to collect the necessary armaments... in preparation for the march to Wuguan!" 』

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