Response

While Han was constantly preparing for war, Wei was also preparing for the expected conflict.

After forming the Wei-Wu alliance in what had been a three-way battle without alliances, and returning to Ye, Cao Pi immediately summoned Sima Yi.

Sima Yi, who had been in Luoyang dealing with the aftermath of the recent war and preparing defenses for the next one, traveled to the capital with the feeling that the inevitable had come.

Cao Pi’s tone when he first saw Sima Yi was not very pleasant.

“You must know well why I summoned you.”

It was a dry tone he usually didn’t use with Sima Yi, whom he showed the most trust among his brothers-in-law. Sima Yi prostrated himself and cried out:

“I am only sorry that I failed to live up to expectations.”

Cao Pi looked down at Sima Yi’s head without saying anything.

For Cao Pi, Sima Yi was his best card who rarely disappointed him.

Though he prioritized the Three Excellencies in managing state affairs, Sima Yi was by far the one who best understood Cao Pi’s innermost thoughts and spoke first about what Cao Pi wanted.

Although it didn’t go exactly as Sima Yi had initially proposed to Cao Pi, still, killing Guan Yu was killing Guan Yu. Cao Pi decided, very rarely, to show leniency.

A somewhat softened voice flowed from his mouth.

“I once said something like this to you.”

“Which imperial instruction do you mean…”

“When I’m in the east, you take charge of the west, and when I’m in the west, you take charge of the east, I said.”

“Of course I remember.”

This war was in the same vein. As Cao Pi personally went to Huainan in the southeast to fight Wu, Sima Yi blocked Shu Han from the opposite side in the west.

Sima Yi went a step further here. He proposed to Cao Pi the strategy of killing Guan Yu.

At the time, as the Huainan war was heading towards a ceasefire, Cao Pi accepted Sima Yi’s plan.

It was a decision based on the calculation that Sun Quan, who had already become enemies with Shu Han, would gladly lend a hand in attacking Liu Bei.

If they captured Guan Yu and drew out Liu Bei’s all-out war, Sun Quan would surely not miss the opportunity to bite at Shu Han’s flank.

However, the result Sima Yi produced was far from what he had originally planned.

The grand strategy was to capture Guan Yu through the encirclement of Xiahou Dun, Zhang He, and Sima Yi, and while Xiahou Dun held the center at Nanyang, Sima Yi would capture Shangyong and Zhang He would take Fancheng. They would completely block Shu Han’s advance route of Wuguan-Shangyong-Fanchen, and thoroughly maintain a defensive posture against their all-out war, causing them to wither from within.

That was the content with which Sima Yi persuaded Cao Pi, but what was the current reality? They had killed Guan Yu but failed to take his head, and the defense line against Shu had become Luoyang instead of Nanyang.

Let’s say handing over Nanyang was fine. Sima Yi himself had said that the Nanyang defense line was likely to collapse from the beginning.

But losing Hedong and Hongnong was a different matter. It was a fatal mistake and a painful loss.

The reason Sima Yi could do nothing but bow his body to Cao Pi’s reproach was not because of Cao Pi’s capriciousness, but because that was the reality.

However, internally, Sima Yi’s operation was known to have succeeded.

The fact that they had captured Guan Yu, the right arm of the Shu enemy leader Liu Bei, was true one way or another.

Given Wei’s situation of repeated defeats so far, they couldn’t say “We actually lost” – so this operation to behead Guan Yu was declared a success.

So Sima Yi was a victorious general. Even though he was bowing his head and pleading guilty before Cao Pi, Cao Pi had to reward him.

“I will appoint you as General of Chariots and Cavalry.”

Sima Yi’s existing position was General Who Comforts the Army with the Tally. This was a promotion to General of Chariots and Cavalry in recognition of his merit in killing Guan Yu. But it wasn’t a pure promotion.

“Intelligence has come in that Liu Bei is having Ma Chao and Zhang Ran gather ethnic minorities in Yong and Hetao. They surely intend to strike Bingzhou via Hetao, just as we did last time.”

Sima Yi realized what Cao Pi’s next words would be.

Raising his rank to appear to be giving a reward, but sending him to the outer regions to reduce his real power, thus effectively holding him responsible for the defeat. It was an obvious but proven method.

Cao Pi’s subsequent order was exactly as Sima Yi expected.

“We’ve made an alliance with Sun Quan in the south, and now I will personally take the field in the west, so you go to the north. Go and defeat those Shu rebels together with Hu Bei Hu Jiao Wei Jian Yong and General Who Conquers the East Tian Yu.”

“Your lowly subject is deeply grateful that Your Majesty has once again bestowed your sacred favor and given me an opportunity. This lowly subject will engrave it in his bones and dedicate his life to spreading Your Majesty’s majesty to all corners of the world.”

Thud! Thud!

Even though he had been pushed from Luoyang, the next most important area after Ye, to Bingzhou, Sima Yi bowed his head and obeyed Cao Pi’s words.

Thanks to Cao Pi stopping him midway, he didn’t bleed, but Sima Yi left the throne room staggering, holding his throbbing head.

‘Tian Yu and Jian Yong are famous generals not far behind the Former Emperor’s Five Tiger Generals. Ma Chao won’t be much of a problem.’

Sima Yi was confident.

There was certainly his own inadequacy in the operation to behead Guan Yu. Just as Guan Yu underestimated Sima Yi, Sima Yi himself had also underestimated Guan Yu too much. On top of that, with the intervention of the ridiculous variable called Zhang Ran, the situation had become distorted.

But Ma Chao is different. Even Zhang Ran, being human, has only one body. He can’t be in Luoyang and Bingzhou at the same time.

‘First is Xianbei Nengpu. It’s clear as day that those Shu rebels will try to connect with Xianbei Nengpu. Sending Quan Guoliang should be enough. Meanwhile, I’ll have Jian Zijing gather the northern barbarians who still follow our Wei.’

Even with his dizzy head, Sima Yi constantly thought about how to defeat Ma Chao.

After somewhat organizing his thoughts on dealing with Ma Chao, another problem surfaced in a corner of his brain.

‘His Majesty prefers to directly command and use troops, but unfortunately his military talent is not extraordinary. In the end, it’s a matter of how well the supporting staff like Xiahou Dun and Zhang He perform.’

The real problem is that Cao Pi, the decision-maker, tends not to listen well to others.

No matter how good strategies and excellent tactics Xiahou Dun and Zhang He devise, they’re useless if Cao Pi doesn’t listen.

‘If only I could send Xiahou Dun or Zhang He to the north and remain by His Majesty’s side.’

Cao Pi had somewhat trusted and followed Sima Yi’s words. But Cao Pi wanted to send Sima Yi, whom he could trust the most, to a region where he wasn’t present, and the imperial order had already been issued.

‘The second-best option is to send the Three Excellencies.’

The Wei Three Excellencies consisting of Zhong Yao, Hua Xin, and Wang Lang were Cao Pi’s pride and the ones he trusted and followed next after Sima Yi and Chen Qun.

‘Especially the Grand Commander has a high understanding of and great influence in the Luoyang area. I should go see the Grand Commander.’

Grand Commander Zhong Yao was the very person who had cleaned up and rebuilt Luoyang, which had become a ruin and lawless zone due to Dong Zhuo.

It would be perfect if Xiahou Dun and Zhang He established tactics based on Zhong Yao’s understanding of Luoyang, and Zhong Yao persuaded Cao Pi to accept them.

‘But the enemy’s top generals are not to be taken lightly. Though Xiahou Dun and Zhang He are excellent, they may not be enough to block them all. It’s a pity that Man Chong is tied up in Huainan.’

No matter how much they had allied with Sun Quan, it was unreasonable to carelessly withdraw troops, given that Sun Quan had already betrayed them multiple times.

Still, they had to divert some troops to the war with Shu Han, so at least the commanders needed to be excellent. That’s why Man Zong was still remaining in Huainan.

‘A reversal of talent is occurring. Until now our country overwhelmed them in talent, but now the Shu rebels have more talented people. We really have to win this time. If we lose this war too…’

Sima Yi, holding his head which had started throbbing due to thinking too deeply from the physical shock, headed towards Zhong Yao’s residence.

Though there was no appointment, Zhong Yao came out to the gate himself to welcome Sima Yi when he heard of his visit.

“Zhongda, what brings you here?”

“I have urgent matters to discuss with the Grand Commander, so I’ve committed this rudeness.”

Sima Yi calmly explained the situation to Zhong Yao. From receiving orders from Cao Pi to deal with Ma Chao in the north, to the thoughts he had carefully considered afterwards.

After listening intently to Sima Yi’s words to the end, Zhong Yao spoke.

“Don’t worry. I share the same thoughts as you. Since their Grand Commander Pang Tong is said to be following their leader Liu Bei, shouldn’t I, the Grand Commander on this side, go to assist His Majesty?”

“I feel truly relieved that you say so, Grand Commander. By chance, have you heard who His Majesty is taking with him to Luoyang?”

“I heard that Minister of Works Wei Jin and Xin Pi will assist His Majesty. But if you’re going to Bingzhou, there will surely be additional personnel.”

“I suppose so.”

But Sima Yi was somewhat relieved just by hearing those two names.

If Xiahou Dun, Zhang He, Cao Zhen, and Xiahou Shang commanded the troops, and advisors like Zhong Yao, Wei Jin, and Xin Pi prepared strategies and tactics well, there shouldn’t be much difficulty in defending Luoyang.

‘I’ve done all I can do. The rest is up to those going to Luoyang.’

The next day, Sima Yi sighed with concern as he headed straight to Bingzhou without even time to rest.