Facing Zhuge Liang's inquiry, Sima Yi was stunned for a moment.

What will I do?

The answer is obvious.

I just don't see it.

Anyway, none of my people told me that I would ask them for a little more salt water.

I don't know about that.

Even if I knew, it wouldn't have anything to do with me.

According to the regulations of the imperial court, no matter below the county level, including the county level government, can interfere in the matter of material supply, and I have a legitimate reason to do nothing.

It's none of your business, hang high.

Isn't that a matter of procedure?

Am I doing something wrong?

But seeing Zhuge Liang's incomparably clear eyes staring at him without a trace of confusion, he suddenly felt a little weak.

After the heart is weak, there is a trace of fear, and there is a trace of anger.

Why are you looking at me like this?

Are you mocking me?

Or do you think I'm spineless and cowardly?

You think I'm just like you?

You have Zhuge Jin behind you, and Zhang Zhao, who almost predetermined a great future in the future, but what about me?

What kind of backers does my Sima clan have in the court?

Nothing is good, right?

Cao Cao?

Is Cao Cao counted?

I begged Cao Cao twice before, begging him to help our Sima family operate and enter the Guo Wei regime, but he has exhausted the face of my father Sima Fang, and even made me a former official of the Guo family.

Now it's not that Cao Cao owes Sima a favor, but that Sima owes Cao Cao a favor.

Sima didn't know what to do to repay Cao Cao's favor, where would he have the face to beg Cao Cao again?

If something happens again, who else can I ask for help?

It can be said that Sima has no backstage, and there is no way out, it all depends on whether I, Sima Yi, can spell out a way.

So what do you want me to do?

Risking your family's political future or even your life in exchange for your respect and help that you may not be able to use?

really annoyed these Yanzhou people, Cao Cao can't speak well, how many political resources can you Xuzhou people come up with to save me, a Hanoi person?

Don't say I don't believe you.

Kong Ming, it's not that I don't believe you, I don't believe you.

I'm not a fellow countryman with you, will you really accept me?

I'm not that naïve, Kong Ming!

Under Zhuge Liang's expectant gaze, Sima Yi did not give a reply that could make Zhuge Liang feel happy.

Sima Yi just shook his head and sighed.

"Within the scope of the county magistrate's authority, there is nothing I can do, Kong Ming, the imperial court clearly stipulates that officials below the county level, including county-level officials, cannot interfere in the distribution of materials, this is the express order of the imperial court.

We don't have that authority, no matter whether the public is fair or not, we can't manage this matter, and if we forcibly manage it, it is to act on behalf of the court, not to mention whether the court can uphold justice, after this matter, can you and I still be able to gain a foothold in Liangzhou? ”

"It's not a fair thing to do."

Zhuge Liang shook his head and clenched Sima Yi's hand: "This is a matter of greedy ink or not, whether it is a crime or not, Zhongda!" It's a crime! Can we turn a blind eye to the crime?! ”

Sima Yi was silent for a while, looking down at Zhuge Liang's tightly held hand.

[Say no more, Kong Ming!

Don't make me so guilty, okay?

You have to do it, you do it yourself! Don't pull me!

I'm not like you!

I don't have a hard backstage like you!

I can't afford to offend them!

I don't want to be your scapegoat!

I still have six younger brothers in my family waiting for me to fight!

I can't joke with my future, you know! 】

Sima Yi's heart roared silently.

But this roar, Zhuge Liang should not be able to hear it.

So Sima Yi didn't really plan to yell at Zhuge Liang like this.

"Kong Ming, this is not something we should take care of, in what capacity do you want to take care of it? How? ”

Sima Yi looked at Zhuge Liang calmly.

"Can't you manage it as a citizen of Wei?"

Zhuge Liang looked at Sima Yi with some puzzlement: "What is the reason for the Dengwen drum that is set up from the gate of the county government to the main gate of the palace?" What is Your Majesty doing this for? Do you really not understand? Zhongda? Am I wrong? ”

Sima Yi was speechless.

Dengwen drum, this is a big drum that must be set up at the entrance of the county level and above including the county level after Guo Peng became emperor.

He stipulated that if ordinary people have grievances that cannot be resolved on the spot, or if they encounter unfair treatment, they can choose to go to the door of a higher government and beat the drum.

Once the drum is sounded, the principal administrative officials in various localities must respond, and the local law must intervene to protect the drum beater, and the matter must be reported to the Central Criminal Department for the record, so that the Central Criminal Department can know the ins and outs of the matter and the results of its disposition.

If there is any concealment, once it is discovered, it will be severely punished.

As a result, from the central to the local, from the Gyeonggi region to remote areas, a uniform style of Dengwen drum was set up at the entrance of the government offices at and above the county level.

Luoyang City also has it, and the Dengwen drum is set up at the main gate of the palace city, and the palace forbidden army is sent to protect it in turn.

Once someone comes to beat the drum, the forbidden army needs to protect them on the spot, and then immediately report it to the emperor himself.

What kind of grievances can't be solved locally, there is no way to go to heaven and no door to go down, so that it is necessary to go to the feet of the Son of Heaven to beat this drum.

The emperor is about to intervene, and use his supreme prestige to intervene in this matter to see which demons and monsters are at work.

However, although Guo Peng set up the Dengwen drum, in the eyes of many officials, the symbolic significance of the Dengwen drum is greater than the practical significance.

It's just a thought, it doesn't mean much.

If you think about it with your brain, you know that if it's really something that everyone in power doesn't want people to know, will the bitter lord really have a chance to beat the drum?

Is it rare for local officials to protect each other?

Whether it was in the past or today, will such a thing really disappear?

Is there really any politician who is willing to risk offending his colleagues and ruining his political career for the sake of a grasshopper?

Many people silently mocked the symbolic significance of this measure in their hearts.

What is it to give people an impossible expectation?

The Emperor's Bad Taste?

The emperor is just doing this to show everyone a gesture, right?

Let everyone know that he cares about people's livelihood very much, and he wants to speak out for justice, but in fact?

If you really want to talk about it, from the central government to the local government, beating the drum of Dengwen and successfully avenging grievances is only a small probability event, and it is a beautiful idea that makes people hard to believe that they can really succeed.

It's just a thought.

That's exactly what I said.

[Who dares to be wronged? 】

The Emperor's bad taste is inevitably a little too cruel.

Sima Yi felt that people like himself and Zhuge Liang who lived in the upper class should be more aware of the practical significance of this existence.

It's just a political game symbol, and no one has sounded it since the establishment of the Dengwen drum, isn't that the reality response to this game symbol?

The drums were not beaten in the past, they will not be beaten now, and they will not be beaten in the future.

The Great Wei Empire is a country and a peaceful country, a strong country and a rich people, officials abide by the law, the people live and work in peace and contentment, everyone praises the emperor for his benevolent government, there is no lawlessness, it is really a fairyland on earth!

That's the reality.

But now Zhuge Liang told Sima Yi that he believed that the existence of Dengwengu was of practical significance, and that there were really people who could successfully avenge their grievances through Dengwengu.

As long as the drum is beaten, justice can be done.

The wicked will be punished, the righteous will succeed in administering justice, the injured will be compensated and helped, and after that, they will live happily ever after.

Such a fairy tale.

Sima Yi couldn't help but be surprised.

Kong Ming, are you blinded by lard?

If he could, Sima Yi really wanted to ask Zhuge Liang like this.

After learning about this, some people in the cabinet jokingly said that "who in the hall sues this official", do you really think that this kind of thing does not exist?

Sima Yi wanted to laugh at Zhuge Liang.

If this was what happened at the wine table, Sima Yi would definitely do it with the strength of the wine.

Laughed at Zhuge Liang's innocence.

But now it's not, Zhuge Liang is sober, and he is also sober.

"Dengwen Drum...... Kong Ming, can the injustices in the world really be solved? Can a drum have such a big impact? ”

"I don't care if it has that much of an impact, it's there! Zhongda, Dengwen Drum is there! The grievances are there, too! ”

Zhuge Liang stared at Sima Yi deadly: "The imperial court decree clearly stipulates that it is there!" It's in! ”

"Kong Ming, listen to my advice, you can't take care of this matter, you can take care of it by someone from another place, but you can't."

Sima Yi advised bitterly.

Zhuge Liang looked at Sima Yi.

"Then Zhongda, are you willing to take care of it? I don't care, my identity is special, you can, your identity is not special. ”

Zhuge Liang's question made Sima Yi feel ridiculous.

[Don't ask me that!]

I've said it all! Don't ask me that! 】

Sima Yi really wanted to shake off Zhuge Liang's hand and let him leave here, don't ask him about this kind of proposition.

The ardent expectations of the white-haired old father and the bright future of the six younger brothers are waiting for him to open up!

He won't answer, he doesn't know how to answer.

But Zhuge Liang's eyes were staring at him so directly.

Still so clear, firm, without a trace of confusion.

Somehow, a feeling of disgust suddenly took over Sima Yi's entire mind.

[Do you know, Kong Ming, sometimes, I really hate you. 】

A voice sounded deep in Sima Yi's heart.

This made Sima Yi, who came back to his senses, startled.

Sima Yi took a deep breath and forcibly calmed himself.

"Kong Ming, don't think too much, this matter must involve a wide range of areas, if it really involves a very critical place, someone will take care of it after all, so ......"

"Do you care? Zhongda? ”

Zhuge Liang looked at Sima Yi like this.

Sima Yi licked his somewhat dry lips.

He didn't know what to say.

He knew that Zhuge Liang was right to think so, and the voice in his heart told him that it was right.

But he also felt that it was wrong, and there was also a voice, a louder and easier to hear voice that told Sima Yi that it was wrong.

Sima Yi didn't answer Zhuge Liang for a long time, and the two stood facing each other, just looking at each other.

So at this moment, Zhuge Liang seemed to know what Sima Yi wanted to say.

He waited for a while, and without waiting for Sima Yi's reply, he lowered his head and slowly let go of the hand he was holding Sima Yi's wrist.

Thinking about it carefully, it is indeed embarrassing for Sima Yi to do this.

Zhuge Liang smiled self-deprecatingly.

"Zhongda, I'm embarrassed for you, I can't stand you."

After speaking, Zhuge Liang glanced at Sima Yi deeply and turned to leave.

Without waiting for Sima Yi's wife to finish the meal, without waiting for a few drinks and a meal, he left.

After a while, Sima Yi's wife, Zhang, came over with a pot of wine, and saw Sima Yi standing stupidly at the entrance of the hall, looking in the direction of the empty door.

"Where's Kong Ming?"

"Gone."

"Gone?"

"Gone."

"Why?"

"For the sake of the drums."

"Dengwen Drum?"

Zhang was puzzled, not knowing what Sima Yi was talking about.

And Sima Yi didn't answer Zhang's question after all.

But he himself knows the answer.

He knew the answer that made him ashamed, made him resentful, made him remorseful, and made him jealous.

If he also had the same backer as Zhuge Liang, the same political resources, and the same promising future, he wouldn't have to know such an answer.

You don't have to be tortured like this.

Taking a deep breath, Sima Yi looked up at the gray sky, his heart filled with strange emotions.