"General, the Hanoi Yu family has become quite close to the Sima family over the years. Do you know why?"

When General Cao heard this, he looked a little embarrassed on his face.

Why?

Isn’t it because he put Empress Dowager Yu under house arrest in another palace?

It's just...well, there's nothing I can do about it.

After all, the late emperor visited Xuchang eastward, and everyone said that he was forced to do so by bandits from the West.

But how could General Cao, who was ordered before the late emperor's deathbed, not know that Sima Yi led the Guanzhong army back to Luoyang without an edict, which was also an important reason?

After the late emperor left, Sima Yi was stationed in Luoyang, watching with eager eyes, ready to attack Xuchang at any time.

Xuchang is in shock every day, and people's hearts are fluctuating. If the situation cannot be stabilized as soon as possible, the Cao family will be in danger.

It happened because the emperor was young and ignorant, and the queen mother was a woman. If she listened to the villain's slander, it would lead to many problems in the government. This would not be a blessing to the Wei Dynasty!

As an auxiliary minister who was favored by the late emperor, I naturally want to try my best to avoid this situation from happening, so I can only do extraordinary things at extraordinary times, right?

He Yan didn't seem to notice General Cao's uncertain expression, and just said with a little emotion:

"Speaking of which, the Queen Mother's journey since she became the Princess of Pingyuan has been quite bumpy."

"Emperor Wen proposed to marry the Yu family of Hanoi for the late emperor. Who would have expected that the late emperor did not love his wife and preferred concubines. After he ascended the throne, he did not make the main concubine Yu family his queen, but instead made the partial concubine Mao family."

It's nice to say partial concubine, but if it's not nice, it's called concubine.

After all, when the Yu family learned that she had not been appointed, she couldn't help but say to the then Queen Mother, "Cao is a bitch who likes to establish a throne."

It was precisely because of this incident that the Yu family, as a majestic concubine, was deposed by the emperor and sent to Yecheng, and could no longer stay in Luoyang.

Unexpectedly, after the Battle of Guanzhong, the situation suddenly changed.

The late emperor was critically ill and the prince was young.

Mao was from a humble background and could not provide much help to the prince.

So the late emperor invited the Yu family back, issued an edict to kill Mao family, and then made the Yu family his queen.

To put it bluntly, don’t you just want to use the power of the Yu family in Hanoi to support the emperor?

At the same time, a wedge can be placed in Hanoi so that Sima cannot concentrate on running Hanoi.

It's just that the late emperor was still unable to control Sima Yi during his lifetime.

If not, why did the late emperor not stay in Luoyang and wait for Sima Yi to return, but why he had to go east to Xuchang despite being sick?

So how can we ask the general to take care of the young emperor, take care of the widow, control the commander-in-chief, and support the great Wei?

"General, as the saying goes, the bustle in the world is all for profit; the turmoil in the world is all for profit. The first emperor deposed the Mao family and established the Yu family, which was for profit; the Yu family wanted to support the emperor, and later became friendly with the Sima family, so

It’s for profit.”

He Yan did not shy away from this.

That's right, I and others are so dedicated to planning for the general. If it's not for profit, how can it be righteousness?

How much is justice worth?

Can you transform into a beautiful concubine?

Or can you become powerful and wealthy?

"If the benefits that the general can give to the Yu family can exceed what Sima Yi can give, let alone asking the Queen Mother to issue an edict, even if the Yu family can rejoin the general, it is not impossible."

"Benefits?" General Cao frowned, "The Yu family already has a daughter as the Queen Mother, what other benefits can I give them?"

He Yan smiled confidently:

"General, Sima Yi braved the disapproval of the world and crossed the state boundaries to seize territory without any edict. Why are there still people in Hebei supporting him?"

"Isn't it because he has been deliberately trying to win over people in Hebei over the past few years?"

Speaking of this, He Yan emphasized his tone:

"What did he buy it with?"

He Yan got closer:

"Although the Western Thieves say they are treasonous and unethical, I have to say that they are indeed unique in terms of construction. They have many good things and are highly praised by the Kanto clan."

"Don't talk about anything else, just talk about the white paper. When it was smuggled to Luoyang, how many literati were obsessed with it? People at the time said: Luoyang paper is expensive."

"The paper is just like this, let alone other good things. Most of these good things first entered Luoyang and then spread throughout Guandong."

"Sima Yi has been in Luoyang for so many years. If the major families in Guandong and Hebei want to get some good things, they naturally have to deal with him more."

"Not to mention if you want to borrow something from a Western thief or trade goods for profit, then you have to please him even more."

Of course, Sima Yi's ability to bribe the wealthy families in Hebei was definitely not just based on these goods.

But I have to admit that these goods and the Luoyang trade route played a big role.

It's okay that He Yan didn't mention this matter. When he mentioned it, General Cao just snorted.

Is the stuff from West Thieves any good?

That is naturally good.

What Shu brocade, brown sugar, wool, candles, fine wine...

All of them are high-quality goods that are not available in the Wei Dynasty.

Are you saying that those big families won’t be allowed to use it?

I think back then, Emperor Wen even issued an edict and tried his best to belittle Shu brocade in order to prevent it from entering the Central Plains.

But is it useful?

The Shu brocade is not being snatched by others.

Even General Cao, no matter how much he hates the Western Thieves, has to admit that the Western Thieves' things are really useful.

In this life, how can we avoid "food, clothing, housing and transportation"?

No matter whether they have wealth or power, how many people are still willing to live in rough clothing?

Why can't we enjoy "eating, drinking and having fun"?

If not, what would I do with all that wealth and power?

only……

Thinking that in order to get the good things from the Western Thieves, he actually had to find a way to transfer them from Luoyang, General Cao couldn't help but grit his teeth and cursed:

"Sima Yi secretly communicated with the Western thieves for personal gain. He deserves to die!"

I don’t know how much money the old thief Sima Yi has made from doing this over the years.

Otherwise, how could Sima Yi have been able to do so for so many years despite deliberately controlling Luoyang's food supply?

The wealthy families in Hebei Province secretly supported Sima Yi with grain and grass because of this.

He Yan coughed and then said:

"General, Sima Yi secretly communicated with the Western thieves, so he deserves to die, but the good things from the Western thieves are indeed in the favor of the major families in Guandong and Hebei!"

"If the property of the Western thieves fell into Sima Yi's hands, it would naturally be for personal gain. But if it could be in the hands of the general, it would be possible to turn the thieves' property into the hands of the country."

When General Cao heard this, he couldn't help but sigh:

"What Uncle Ping said is not unreasonable, but Sima Yi is in Luoyang and briefly said, what can be done?"

"Now is your chance, General!" He Yan came closer, his voice low and full of excitement, "Xia Houmao, who fled to the Western Bandits, just sent someone to Xuchang to find out the news."

"In addition to wanting to know news about his tribe, this person also sent a message to Yan," He Yan swallowed before continuing, "He met Xiahou Ba, who has lived in Han for a long time, in Chang'an."

"Xiahou Ba's sister is the mother of the queen of the Han Kingdom, so Xia Houmao got to know many powerful people in the Han Kingdom through the two brothers and sisters."

"In addition, he himself was knighted by the Han Dynasty and was highly valued, so he found a way to persuade Feng Thief to strictly inspect Tongguan, Hangu Pass, Maojindu and other passes to prevent the goods from being returned.

Head to Luoyang."

When General Cao heard this, he was immediately surprised: "Is this happening?"

To be honest, it is impossible for General Cao to say that he does not mind at all that some of the Xiahou family fled to the Western Bandits.

He was able to treat the Xiahou family who came to Xuchang well mostly because of Xiahou Xuan's face.

Not only because Xia Houxuan was his cousin, but also because Xia Houxuan sacrificed his life for justice and risked his life to expose Sima's true nature.

But when he heard He Yan's words, he suddenly felt:

It has to be the Xiahou family. Sure enough, they are the closest in-laws and relatives of the Cao family in the Great Wei Dynasty!

"Yan An dares to deceive the general?" He Yan raised his hand, "Besides, Yan also wants to congratulate the general."

"Oh? Where does joy come from?"

"That Xiahou Mao not only persuaded Feng to block the trade route to Luoyang, but also persuaded Feng to open another trade route directly to Xuchang."

"Ah?" General Cao felt that today was really auspicious and full of happy events, "Direct line to Xuchang? From where..."

He was about to ask where the direct route to Xuchang was, but then he immediately realized: "Wuguan?"

"The general is wise, exactly."

Although he felt that he had been overwhelmed by the happy event coming from heaven, his vigilance against the Western thieves still allowed General Cao to maintain his last trace of sobriety:

"That Thief Feng is a man of great foresight and cunning. How could he be easily persuaded? Is it possible that he is deceitful?"

He Yan burst out laughing when he heard this:

"The general is overly worried. From Wuguan to Xuchang, there is Caoqiao Pass and Nanyang County. There are many dangerous and important towns along the way. No matter how treacherous Feng is, how can he still fly over?"

"The reason why Thief Feng agreed is actually because it is more advantageous to go to Xuchang via Wuguan Pass than to go to Luoyang via Tongguan Pass and Hangu Pass, so he agreed!"
To be continued...