Chapter 75 Guanzhong Military On the afternoon of the second day, after receiving the emperor's edict, General Anxi and Commander-in-Chief of Guanzhong Military Xiahou Mao entered the palace. The Imperial Guardsman Zhong Yu led Xiahou Mao to the emperor's study. After all, he was the son of General Zhong, and although he was only fourteen years old, he was quite adept at welcoming and seeing off guests. When Cao Rui saw Xiahou Mao coming, before he could salute him, Cao Rui asked directly: "General Xiahou, why are you slandering me?" Upon hearing this, Xiahou Mao knelt down with his head bowed, and said, "I am guilty. Your Majesty, please punish me." Cao Rui raised his head, looked at Xiahou Mao kneeling on the ground and said, "What crime should I punish you for? Why didn't you tell me when I came to the palace?" Xiahou Meng just kowtowed heavily on the ground without saying anything else. Seeing this, Cao Rui shook his head slightly and slowly walked to Xiahou Mi's side. When Xiahou Meng heard the footsteps, he knew that it was the emperor coming towards him, and for a moment he looked up in fear. But unlike Xiahou Meng's expectations, the emperor did not look angry, but instead had a hint of compassion in his expression. Cao Rui stood two steps away from Xiahou Mao and said softly, "I have asked the school officials to investigate this matter. The school officials have arrested your two brothers in Chang'an. They are Xiahou Zizang and Xiahou Zijiang, right?"
"These two people wrote this petition for Princess Qinghe, who is also my aunt." Then Cao Rui bent down, held Xiahou Mao's arm, and helped Xiahou Mao up. Cao Rui said, "I know it's not your fault. I have already obtained the confessions of your two brothers. Princess Qinghe believed in slander and made false reports to deceive the emperor. Xiahou Zizang and Xiahou Zijiang framed my brother. These three people are the real culprits." "I will now hand over the confessions of the two men to the court for trial. General Xiahou, I will clear your name." Xiahou Mao sighed and said, "Your Majesty, the fault of my wife and brother is ultimately the fault of me as their husband and brother." "I ask to resign and return home, and I also hope that Your Majesty can forgive my wife and two brothers." Cao Rui also sighed: "That's right. If someone in your family commits a crime, the crime can naturally be attributed to you. If my subjects commit a crime, can it also be attributed to me?" Cao Rui walked back to his chair and looked at Xiahou Mao, who was standing there with his hands folded and looking quite depressed, and then said: "However, you have kept many concubines outside and caused discord in the house. Although it cannot be said that you have committed a crime, you are also involved." "How about this, you stay in Luoyang and serve as a minister. After all, you have served as a governor. If I give you the title of special promotion and the title of minister, it can't be considered that I am treating you unfairly, right?" The so-called "special advancement" does not refer to a specific position. It is a political treatment that allows the owner to be ranked after the three dukes and before the nine ministers in the court. Xiahou Mao's rank as the governor of Guanzhong is similar to that of the nine ministers, and the title of "special advancement" is really not a bad treatment for Xiahou Mao. Xiahou Mao bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, I have no way to repay your kindness. I know that I have no talent for commanding troops, and I have been appointed as a military governor in vain. Now that I am staying in Luoyang as a minister, I have been relieved of the burden. Your Majesty, please choose someone wiser to handle the affairs of Chang'an." Cao Rui nodded and then asked, "How is the military situation in Guanzhong now? Tell me the truth." Although Xiahou Mao was not very good at marching and fighting, he was still clear about the situation in his own jurisdiction. He then slowly said: "In my opinion, since Liu Bei's death, Yongliang has not been involved in war for a long time, so it is naturally incomparable to Jingzhou and Yangzhou." Xiahou Mao's words must be true. In the original history, after Liu Bei's death, Cao Wei focused on the war against Wu and basically ignored the threat of Shu Han. This is actually logical! Shu Han was a small country with few people and limited strength. It suffered two disastrous defeats in succession, the loss of Jingzhou and the Battle of Yiling. How much spare energy could it have to cross the Qinling Mountains to threaten Yongliang? So when Zhuge Liang launched his first northern expedition in history, the three counties in Longyou rebelled one after another, and even Luoyang was shaken. It was indeed unexpected. Cao Rui understood these things. If Zhuge Liang launched a northern expedition, it would take at least a year. Yongliang just needed to take its time. The current Cao Wei has 20,000 foreign troops stationed in Chang'an and Meixian areas, and Yongzhou has nearly 20,000 soldiers from the prefectures and counties, so the total number is only 40,000. It was still a little weak. But at this time, they were about to fight against the Eastern Wu, and they could not take care of strengthening Yongliang's military strength for the time being. Cao Rui looked at Xiahou Mao and said, "After you return to Luoyang from Chang'an, who should be in charge of the affairs of Chang'an?"
Xiahou Mao was silent for a moment and said, "Why not let the general station in Chang'an? If the affairs of Guanxi are entrusted to the general, Your Majesty can rest assured." Xiahou Mao did not know that the court wanted to fight against Eastern Wu. In addition, Cao Rui wanted to keep Cao Zhen by his side to command the central army, so it was even more impossible for him to let Cao Zhen go. Cao Rui looked at Xiahou Mao and said, "The general's duty is not in Yongliang. I have my own needs for the general. Do you have anyone else to recommend to me?" Xiahou Mao thought for a moment and shook his head to indicate that he didn't know: "Except for the general, there seems to be no other suitable candidate in the Cao and Xiahou families." Cao Rui nodded: "I understand, please go back. Take care of your family affairs and don't bother me anymore." Xiahou Mao naturally agreed. In fact, Xiahou Mao’s thinking has obvious limitations, or it can be said that Cao Wei’s thinking has always had obvious limitations. Since the beginning of his career, Cao Cao has received great support from the Cao clan and the Xiahou clan. Also, because the situation in the world was not stable, the commander-in-chief of all the armies was generally held by the Xiahou and Cao clans. Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Cao Xiu, Xiahou Shang, Cao Zhen and others were all close friends and respected at the time. They made great contributions to the country and made great contributions. When Cao Pi came to power, he gave Yongzhou to Xiahou Mao and Jingzhou to Xiahou Shang. It is true that there is no problem in always handing over the positions of power to the relatives of the Xiahou and Cao families when the Xiahou and Cao families are all together. But people grow old and die. When the first and second generation elites of the Cao and Xiahou families have all died out, who can be entrusted with the responsibility of the area? To the scholars? Of course not. Originally, the military nobles were positioned to compete with the aristocratic families. How could the gentry be allowed to lead the army? The affairs of the court are all about balance, so naturally there is a need to deploy a group of military nobles whose surnames are not Cao or Xiahou. They must be given real power and high enough political treatment to avoid the disastrous consequences of scholars controlling the army. Take the so-called 'Five Elite Generals' for example, which one of them could really command troops and defend a region on his own? When a general is good enough, but finds that his ceiling is made up of a group of people with the surname Cao or Xiahou, will he fight to preserve the Cao family? The answer seems to be no. (End of this chapter)