Chapter 113: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Wancheng, the study of the General of Chariots and Cavalry.

Sima Yi sat behind his desk, dressed in loose, casual robes. He held a copy of the Spring and Autumn Annals in one hand and a brush in the other. He raised his wrist, hovering the tip over the paper as if about to write, but the brush remained suspended for a long time. After a moment, he arched his brows, let out a silent sigh, put down the book and brush, and smoothed his robes.

A brown spot suddenly appeared on the back of his hand. Sima Yi froze, extending his hand to examine it closely; the blemish looked stark and jarring against his pale skin. His eyes dimmed, and he could not help but feel a twinge of melancholy.

Sima Shi strode into the room. Seeing his father staring blankly at his hand, his gaze followed suit. Upon spotting the brown mark, he too paused for a moment before regaining his composure. He walked quickly to Sima Yi and handed over a military report with both hands.

"Father, Jin Dongliu has fled to Chang'an."

Hearing Sima Shi’s footsteps, Sima Yi had already composed himself. He lowered his sleeve calmly and took the report. After reading it once, his eyes flickered, and a faint smile touched the corners of his mouth.

"Ziyuan, who do you think this Wei Xing might be?"

Sima Shi laughed silently. "While I do not know who this Wei Xing is, I am certain he is no ordinary person. To have been imprisoned with Jin Dongliu and possess the means to obtain a travel permit, he must be a figure of some importance to the Wei family. Jin Dongliu likely knows his true identity, but he kept it from Xiahou Mao, no doubt harboring his own private motives—perhaps hoping to recruit a talent for you, Father."

Sima Yi nodded, his hands tucked into his sleeves, and smiled faintly. "His intentions are good, but he has more loyalty than shrewdness. If this were a mere commoner, it would be of no consequence. But if he is a person of high importance, will Xiahou Mao not grow suspicious once he finds out? Our family is already in a high and powerful position, attracting enough jealousy as it is. If we were to secretly recruit talents, especially defectors from Shu-Han, I fear it would only invite trouble."

Sima Shi bowed his head, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Does Father truly wish to retire into seclusion?"

Sima Yi let out a soft sigh. "Ziyuan, can you not see? His Majesty uses me, yet he also guards against me. The failure at Fangling—why has there been no punishment from His Majesty yet? It is because he is waiting for me to submit a petition of self-reproach. I cannot compare myself to Cao Xiu or Cao Zhen; they are of the imperial clan."

"But the late Emperor’s decree was to guard against those very members of the imperial clan. As one of the regents appointed by the late Emperor, how can you abandon the state for your own safety?"

"Regent?" Sima Yi sneered. "Do you think our current Majesty has any need for regents?"

Sima Shi fell silent. Before the late Emperor Cao Pi passed away, he had appointed Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu, Chen Qun, and Sima Yi as the four regents, telling Cao Rui in their presence that if anyone spoke ill of them, he should not listen. Unexpectedly, upon ascending the throne, Cao Rui did not keep any of them by his side. Chen Qun was appointed Minister of Works in the outer court, tasked with land and water management, while the three generals commanding armies were all sent to their respective jurisdictions. In one stroke, Cao Rui seized all power and ruled with absolute authority.

This was not a strategy the magnanimous Cao Pi could have conceived; it was more reminiscent of the legalist-inclined Emperor Wu of Wei, Cao Cao. Cao Rui had learned in Cao Cao’s military camps since he was old enough to understand, and he was intimately familiar with the Emperor’s methods of controlling his subordinates. During Cao Cao’s lifetime, Sima Yi had lived with restraint, hiding his true capabilities and daring not to overstep. Now, facing a Cao Rui who seemed like Cao Cao reborn, the tension in his heart was palpable.

A nation with a brilliant ruler is a blessing for the people. But for ministers, the strength of the monarch often means increased danger. Qin Shi Huang was strong, and his ministers held their breath in silence; Emperor Wu of Han was strong, and most of his chancellors met tragic ends; Emperor Wu of Wei was strong, and his purges were terrifying—even Xun Yu, who had rendered such great service to his cause, died an untimely death, let alone others.

His father’s luck was poor; first encountering Cao Cao, and now a Cao Rui who was his living image. It was only natural that he would harbor thoughts of retreating to avoid disaster. However, Sima Shi knew his father was not truly resigned. He had spent most of his life struggling for this; how could he simply let go?

To retire at the height of success sounds elegant, but when the moment comes, how many can truly be so detached?

"Father, although Jin Dongliu is not a man of great cunning, he should understand these basic truths. Since he acted this way, he must have his reasons. Should we..."

Sima Yi shook his head, cutting Sima Shi off. "Those who defect from Shu are too sensitive. If something were to go wrong, we could not bear the consequences. Write a reply telling Jin Dongliu not to take risks. No errors is a merit in itself. In these times of uncertainty, we must not complicate matters."

Sima Shi did not press the issue, though he felt a touch of regret. Sima Yi looked at him and shook his head helplessly. "Zishi, the bond between sovereign and subject is fixed, and the hierarchy is clear. His Majesty is in the prime of his life, while I am already old; I cannot hold out for another thirty years. You brothers have talent and potential, but do you truly believe you are his match?"

Sima Shi felt a sense of frustration. A struggle between sovereign and subject always puts the subject at a disadvantage, unless he faces a weak and incompetent ruler. Encountering a strong, young, and capable ruler like Cao Rui was bad news for any powerful minister. By comparison, his father’s idea of retiring was the safer path. Even with his own youthful vigor, he lacked the confidence to say he could succeed against such a monarch.

Sima Yi looked at the plum tree outside the window, nearing the end of its bloom, and after a long silence, he said faintly, "Have Blackfish investigate who this Wei Xing is. If possible, have him make a trip to Chang'an himself."

Sima Shi was overjoyed and quickly replied, "Understood."

...

Jin Dongliu rubbed his hands together, looking at Wei Ba with a trace of regret, and tried to persuade him one last time. "Ziyu, are you really content to live a life of obscurity as a loafer?"

He had been helping Wei Ba hide his identity—partly at Wei Ba’s request, but more importantly because he did not want Xiahou Mao to know about Wei Ba. He still wanted to take Wei Ba to Wancheng and present him to Sima Yi. Wei Ba did not trust Sima Yi, but Jin Dongliu believed Sima Yi was not a narrow-minded man and would gladly accept a talent like Wei Ba.

Wei Ba felt anxious. How could he be content to live in obscurity? He simply did not want to leave Chang'an, nor did he want to follow Jin Dongliu to serve Sima Yi. The idea of going to Luoyang to surrender and live as a wealthy idler was merely a ruse. He hoped to remain in Chang'an to gather intelligence and execute his own plans. But he had been trapped in the post house for nearly ten days, watching the time slip away while his mission remained at a standstill, and he was already burning with impatience.

However, no matter how urgent he felt, he could not show it on his face; he had to maintain the appearance of being dispirited. Today, Jin Dongliu had obtained the credentials from Wancheng and was finally able to leave Chang'an. The travel permit for "Wei Xing" to go to Luoyang was also in Jin Dongliu's hands, yet Jin Dongliu remained stubborn, intent on persuading him to travel together to Wancheng to serve Sima Yi.

Wei Ba pondered for a moment, looked up at Jin Dongliu, and smiled faintly. "Zhaoming, you know as well as I do that after the Battle of Fangling, it is difficult for Sima Yi and me to see eye to eye. Furthermore, I will be honest with you: I do not think highly of Sima Yi."

"Why?" Jin Dongliu looked around vigilantly. Seeing no one was monitoring them, he lowered his voice. "Although there is a brilliant ruler above and powerful members of the imperial clan below, you should know that the Great Wei now practices the Nine-Rank System. The world will eventually belong to the great clans. Among the imperial clan, while Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen hold great military power, they have no successors. Moreover, His Majesty strictly prevents the imperial clan from growing too strong—even a talent like the Prince of Chen is kept under virtual house arrest, let alone others. I cannot think of anyone with a more promising future than the General of Chariots and Cavalry."

"You still know there is a brilliant ruler above, do you?" Wei Ba laughed with feigned profundity. "Being a powerful minister is not impossible, but a powerful minister who commands troops is in a very dangerous position. Zhaoming, I will say no more. I wish you a safe journey."

Jin Dongliu sighed in resignation, looked at Wei Ba with infinite regret, and said, "Take care!"

"Take care!" Wei Ba cupped his hands, rose, and saw Jin Dongliu out.

After Jin Dongliu left the post house, he did not depart immediately, standing at the gate in hesitation for a long time. He had received Sima Yi’s orders, and while he hadn't voiced it to Wei Ba, he agreed with the caution regarding Wei Ba’s identity. At a time when everyone was watching, he understood why Sima Yi would not want to invite trouble for the sake of a defecting general. Although he regretted that Wei Ba would not join him in serving Sima Yi, it was but a fleeting thought. He believed that if Sima Yi knew this "Wei Xing" was Wei Ba, the son of Wei Yan, Sima Yi would certainly not accept him.

Since that was the case, he could no longer hide it from Xiahou Mao. If the matter were exposed in the future, not only would he be unable to explain himself, but Sima Yi would also be implicated—this would be disloyal. Yet, to expose Wei Ba’s true identity to Xiahou Mao could bring him harm—this would be unjust. Though it is said that when loyalty and righteousness cannot both be preserved, one should choose loyalty and abandon righteousness, when faced with the actual choice, he found it incredibly difficult to decide.

"Sigh, if it is exposed, I shall take all the blame upon myself so as not to implicate the General of Chariots and Cavalry," Jin Dongliu sighed, mounted his horse, and rode toward the city gates.

Back in his room, Wei Ba packed his travel permit and, accompanied by Dun Wu, left the post house. He planned to head to Tong Pass, which was crucial to his Ziwu Valley plan, to scout the situation and rendezvous with the Shu-Han agents scattered throughout Chang'an. After leaving the city, just as Wei Ba was about to head to the first meeting spot to see Zhao Su—whom he had previously arranged to be sent to Chang'an—Dun Wu suddenly covered his mouth, sneezed, and whispered, "Young Master, we are being followed."