Sima Yi said: "Since Your Majesty has asked this question, I believe Xunzi's words." Cao Rui nodded. He had guessed that Sima Yi would say so. Then he looked at Dong Zhao and Wei Zhen. Dong Zhao cupped his hands and said, "I second your opinion and I also believe what Xunzi said." Wei Zhen is like Sima Yi and Dong Zhao. "What about the general?" Cao Rui looked at Cao Zhen: "General, do you believe that human nature is good or evil?" Sima Yi and the emperor had already explained the matter clearly. Even if Cao Zhen didn't understand it very well, he understood what they meant. Cao Zhen cupped his hands and said, "I also believe that human nature is evil." Cao Rui nodded gently: "Since you all believe that 'human nature is evil, and those who are good are fake', if we talk about virtue, who would say that their daughter is not virtuous? There is no need to discuss this matter." "As for the beauty or ugliness of appearance," Cao Rui said with a smile, "you won't choose some ugly ones for me, right?" Cao Zhen also smiled and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. There is no need to worry about this. If anyone wants to cause trouble for Your Majesty, I will have him beheaded."
Seeing that the emperor was in a good mood, Sima Yi also asked tentatively: "Your Majesty, if we select from the nobles and officials, should we also restrict the regions of the nobles and the ranks of the officials?" After Sima Yi asked this question, the study gradually became quiet. Cao Rui chuckled: "Since we are talking about the noble families, which noble families I want to choose and which ones I don't want to choose, doesn't Sikong know?" "If we want to select women from officials' families, we should select them from officials in Luoyang." Sima Yi cupped his hands and said, "I understand." Just as the four were about to get up and say goodbye, Cao Rui stopped them all. "Please wait a moment." Cao Rui said, "There is one thing I forgot to mention just now." "I want to select someone to go to Wuchang to announce the decree to Sun Quan. I remember that during the Huangchu period, it was the then Minister of Rites Xing Zhen who conferred the title of King of Wu on Sun Quan on behalf of the late emperor." "The current Tailin Chang Bohuai doesn't seem to be in good health either." Cao Rui looked around at the four people and said, "I want to select 19 ministers to go to Wuchang. Who do you think can take on this task?" Dong Zhao heard this and immediately said, "Your Majesty, although I am the Minister of the Imperial Guards, I am afraid I am unable to serve as your envoy to Wuchang." Cao Rui waved his hand and said, "Mr. Dong wants Ansheng to stay in Luoyang to help me. How can I let you go?" Sima Yi said: "Since the positions of Taichang and Weiwei are not suitable, the positions of Guanglu Xun, Tingwei, Zongzheng, and Shaofu are not suitable, and the Grand Minister of Agriculture Xu Shu has just taken office." "The position of Grand Coachman is currently vacant, so why not let Grand Herald Cui Lin and Cui Deru go? This person is magnanimous and elegant, and is just the right person to promote the virtues of the Great Wei on behalf of Your Majesty." Cao Rui sighed: "The Minister of Works suggested that Cui Lin go, but I know Cui Lin well. He is an upright gentleman." "I am sending an envoy to Wuchang this time not to send a gentleman to get along with Sun Quan, but to send a capable official who can spread the power of the Great Wei and intimidate Sun Quan for me." "Cui Lin, he is not suitable." Sima Yi thought for a moment and asked, "When does your majesty want the envoy to leave?" Cao Rui replied: "If we can decide on the candidate today, we can set out tomorrow. No matter what happens with Sun Quan, I want a reply as soon as possible."
Sima Yi said: "If it is as your majesty said, then we can only select a 2,000 stone official from Luoyang to go there." Two thousand dan... Since the end of the Han Dynasty, the ranks of military officers have been getting higher and higher, which can be called inflation. But the two thousand dan among the civil officials is still as valuable as in the Han Dynasty, and there are not many candidates for the time being. Cao Rui thought for a moment, looked up at Sima Yi who was also thinking, and suddenly had an idea. Cao Rui smiled and said, "Sikong, how is your cousin Sima Zhi?" Sima Yi looked at the emperor with slight surprise. Previously, Sima Yi had recommended his cousin Sima Zhi to the emperor for the revision of the law. But what surprised Sima Yi this time was not the emperor's words "Sima Zhi", but the words "your cousin" in front of it. Sima Yi did not hesitate, and said, "Your Majesty, Sima Zihua has a strong and resolute character. If he can promote the great virtue of Wei, he should be able to meet your majesty's wishes." Cao Rui smiled and looked at Sima Yi: "Then let Sima Zhi go. Sikong, give him some advice." "By the way, isn't the position of Grand Coachman still vacant? Let Sima Zhi fill it and let him go tomorrow." Sima Yi cupped his hands and said, "As you wish. Your Majesty, do you have anything to say to Sima Zhi?" Cao Rui nodded and said, "After you leave, I will ask him to come to the palace." "There is one last thing." Cao Rui said calmly, "I recently married Sun Quan's daughter. What kind of betrothal gift should I give to Sun Quan?" The four people present did not look surprised at all, as if this matter was a natural thing. Cao Zhen smiled and said, "Just send the betrothal gift according to the standard for princes marrying off their daughters. How can Sun Quan refuse to accept it?" Cao Rui also smiled and nodded: "General, that's right! Although Sun Quan rebelled against Wei, the late emperor only took away Sun Quan's official position, and the title of King of Wu was still reserved for him." "That's it!" …… At the same time, Shu Han, Hanzhong. Hanzhong is the northern gate of Shu Han. The person who has been guarding here for seven years is Wei Yan, the governor of Hanzhong, the prefect of Hanzhong, and the general who guards the north of Shu Han. Last month, Prime Minister Zhuge Liang presented the "Memorial on Departure" to Liu Chan in Chengdu, and set out to the north the next day. Zhuge Liang still had seven days' journey to reach Hanzhong, but his prime minister's chief secretaries Xiang Lang and Xiang Juda had already gone ahead and arrived in Nanzheng. Outside the west gate of Nanzheng City, Wei Yan was waiting for Xiang Lang's arrival at the city gate. Seeing the carriage from afar, Wei Yan rode his horse alone to meet it. "Mr. Xiang, how are you?" Wei Yan said to Xiang Lang with a smile while sitting on his horse. "Hey, why did Wenchang come out of the city to welcome me?" Although Xiang Lang was the chief secretary of the prime minister, he was unwilling to be negligent at this time, so he quickly stopped the carriage and got off. Seeing this, Wei Yan also dismounted, holding the reins, and walked towards the city gate side by side with Xiang Lang. "Mr. Xiang is the chief secretary of the Prime Minister. How dare I not come to greet him?" Wei Yan said with a smile, "How many days will it take for the Prime Minister to arrive in Hanzhong?" Xiang Lang glanced at Wei Yan and said, "It will take about seven days for the Prime Minister to arrive. First go to Nanzheng and then to Mianyang." "Wen Chang, has the Prime Minister's Mansion in Mianyang City been built?"
Wei Yan patted his chest and said, "It has already been built. When the Prime Minister asked me to do that, I took everything to heart." Wei Yan glanced around and then asked in a low voice, "Is Li Zhengfang still in Chengdu?" "The Prime Minister has sent Li Yan to Jiangzhou. He is not in Chengdu." Xiang Lang also said calmly, "The garrison in Chengdu is led by my nephew Xiang Chong. Your Majesty has promoted him to the position of commander-in-chief." Wei Yan nodded in understanding: "The Xiang family is quite favored by the emperor." Xiang Lang was silent for a few moments, then said, "Wen Chang, I came to Nanzheng ahead of schedule this time because His Majesty has given you a decree." "What's the order?" Wei Yan seemed a little puzzled. Xiang Lang replied, "I will go to your governor's office to announce the decree later. Please wait for a moment." Wei Yan nodded without asking any more questions. The two men slowly entered Nanzheng City, and then entered Wei Yan's Hanzhong Governor's Mansion. After Xiang Lang finished reading the imperial edict, Wei Yan knelt down to express his gratitude and slowly stood up. He took the imperial edict and read it carefully before putting it away carefully. Xiang Lang smiled and said, "Wen Chang is now also the governor of a state. This is the governor of Liangzhou!" "Wenchang, do you know? A few days ago in Chengdu, Li Yan publicly asked the Prime Minister to separate Bazhou from Yizhou so that he could be the governor of Bazhou. Of course, he failed in the end." So, I am now more powerful than Li Yan? Wei Yan thought about it, then smiled and said: "Your Majesty and the Prime Minister believe in me. I know what I am doing and I will definitely die for the Han Dynasty." "You are too kind, Mr. Wen." Xiang Lang said slowly, "Mr. Wen, I also have something to tell you." "Oh? What did you talk about?" Wei Yan held the imperial edict and looked at Xiang Lang with a smile. "The Prime Minister intends to appoint you as his military advisor." Xiang Lang said this in a flat tone. Wei Yan nodded, with some emotion at this time: "When the late emperor was the King of Hanzhong in Mianyang, he publicly rejected all objections and promoted me to supervise the military affairs of Hanzhong." "Now that your majesty and the prime minister have trusted me so much and are using me, I have received this great favor from the country and the prime minister, and I really don't know how to repay them." Xiang Lang smiled: "How can I repay you? Didn't His Majesty explain the official position he gave you?" "Hahahaha." Wei Yan stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Xiang Gong is right! Your Majesty has appointed me as the governor of Liangzhou, so I will conquer Liangzhou for Your Majesty!" "Mr. Xiang, I have already done the things that the Prime Minister ordered me to do before." Xiang Lang slowly sat down at the table, and Wei Yan did not sit in his main seat, but sat below Xiang Lang. Seeing Xiang Lang didn't say anything, Wei Yan continued, "I have sent people to explore the Baoxie Road and the Tangluo Road. These two roads are indeed difficult, but in any case, the Baoxie Road seems to be easier to travel than the Tangluo Road." "Mr. Xiang," Wei Yan asked, "Which way is the Prime Minister going to take?" Xiang Lang shook his head: "How can I guess what the Prime Minister meant? The Prime Minister asked you to send someone to explore the way, there must be a deep meaning behind it." "Has the site for shipbuilding been chosen?" Wei Yan nodded and replied, "When we attacked Wudu and Xiabian in the early years, the boats we used were all made temporarily and were not usable. Now the Prime Minister has ordered me to choose a site by the West Han River. The site has been chosen and many trees have been cut down."
"Very good, very good." Xiang Lang said with a little satisfaction: "Wen Chang has taken care of everything in Hanzhong!" Unexpectedly, Wei Yan sighed. "Mr. Xiang, I have been in Hanzhong for seven years, and I have always wanted to make contributions to the Han Dynasty. In these seven years, the mountains and rivers of every place in Hanzhong have been memorized in my mind." "Now that the Prime Minister wants to march north, I will finally have the opportunity to lead the troops into battle." Xiang Lang glanced at Wei Yan again and said with a smile: "You want fame and reward, right?" "Is there anything wrong with that?" Wei Yan replied, "Isn't it right for a man to serve his country on the battlefield and gain fame?" Xiang Lang nodded slightly and said no more. (End of this chapter)