When Sima Yi, Dong Zhao and Biqiu Jian entered the hall, the atmosphere in the hall was obviously more solemn.

Chen Qun and Wei Zhen sat down with solemn expressions.

The main strategists in the Cao Pi period were Sima Yi and Chen Qun, and then there were several secondary strategists such as Dong Zhao, Jiang Ji, Liu Ye, Zhu Shuo, and Wu Zhen.

But Zhu Shuo and Wu Zhen were only reused because they were courtiers during the Cao Pidong Palace period.

And now a generation of emperors and ministers, their ability is only so great, so after Cao Rong took the throne, he abandoned them, leaving only Sima Yi, Chen Qun, Dong Zhao, Jiang Ji, and Liu Ye.

As for Wei Zhen and Biqiu Jian, they are important ministers who accompanied him during the East Palace period, so the current Cao Heng's strategist group is a few people left by Cao Pi before, plus Wei Zhen and Biqiu Jian.

However, now Jiang Ji and Liu Ye are still in Huainan, Liu Ye is the leader of the central army, and Jiang Ji is the central protector, helping the newly appointed hussar general Xiahou Yuan to stabilize the situation in Huainan.

So now there are only Sima Yi, Chen Qun and others in the hall, as well as Wei Zhen and Biqiu Jian, who were newly introduced by Cao Rong as their confidants.

The people sat down in columns.

Cao Rong's face was ugly, and he looked at the people below and said: "You should all know that it has arrived, Shen Chen raided Hedong County from Zuo Feng Yi, and now Xu Huang and Zhu Ling are surrounded, Zhao Yun has restrained Zidan in Huayin, and Hedong is isolated." ”

Below, Qiu Jian immediately said: "Your Majesty, it is advisable to send reinforcements to help." ”

"Where's the reinforcements?"

Cao Rong said with a sad face: "I also plan to recuperate this year, and continue to expand the army and horses in two years." But now that the Han army is in a hurry, it is temporarily recruited, and I am afraid that before the soldiers and horses arrive in Luoyang, there have been rebellions. ”

"Ugh."

Wei Zhen sighed and said: "Your Majesty has been raising Xianbei Wuhuan and Gongsun Yuan in the north for half a year, and Liu Han in the south, and wants to recuperate, and it should be another two years to alleviate the situation at this time, but at this juncture."

Sima Yi muttered: "The south should have guessed that His Majesty is now in a difficult situation, so he wants to rush to send troops, if he can resist their offensive, maybe the south will no longer be able to go north in the next few years, this is a crisis, but at the same time, if you can survive this crisis, Your Majesty's situation will be much better." ”

Cao Rong now wants to recuperate, reduce the burden of the people, and get some grain and grass from the big families and population to temporarily supplement the military. If this continues, it will probably be only a few years before Cao Wei will be able to recover some vitality and enter a situation of equal strength with the southern Han Dynasty again.

But the Southern Han Dynasty obviously knew a little bit about it, so it wanted to take advantage of your illness to kill you, and when Cao Wei was not able to take advantage of the lack of reception, the people had not yet recuperated and recovered, and the internal situation was still extremely unstable, they immediately sent troops to crusade against them, hoping to achieve the final effect.

"What should I do?"

Cao Rong asked.

Wei Zhen immediately said: "If Your Majesty doesn't immediately issue an edict to recruit talents and soldiers, whoever produces more grain and grass and more soldiers and horses from the major families will be promoted to the top grade!" ”

"No!"

Sima Yi almost instinctively wanted to object.

Cao Rong frowned and said, "Does Wuyang Hou have another clever plan to alleviate the urgency of the soldiers coming to the city at this time?" ”

"Amount"

Sima Yi was speechless for a while.

Of course, he didn't think that this solution was a bad solution, but that it involved his own interests.

Although the Jiupin Zhongzheng system allows small and medium-sized families and poor families to enter the office, it is still a carnival feast for top families and nobles in essence.

The top grade is almost monopolized by the top families, such as the Sima family, the Xun family, the Zhong family, the Chen family, the Wang family, the Cui family, the Lu family, the Zheng family, the Yang family, etc.

The remaining middle and lower grades can be picked up by the rest of the small and medium-sized families.

Wei Zhen's family was born in a Yanzhou family, although he was kind to Cao Cao in his early years, but the family's talents were relatively withered, and he only chose a middle and lower grade, so he supported Cao Rong to exchange grain and grass and soldiers and horses for rank.

However, the Sima family has many children in the court, and they belong to vested interests, so they naturally do not want other families to join the high-grade families to snatch their seats.

You must know that even if the Jiupin Zhongzheng system, Cao Wei was still very cautious at the beginning, and did not distribute too much, only if the family does have relatively good talents, and he is a famous family can be selected.

Even a famous family like the Yingchuan Guo family, with the death of Guo Jia and the withering of talents, the family was not selected as the top grade, and ended up in the middle grade, and the heir was only a free rider Guo Chang.

If Cao Rong chooses to let the rest of the small and medium-sized families exchange grain, grass, and soldiers and horses for rank, then there will inevitably be a large number of small and medium-sized families with more talents and more prosperous families.

These people will squeeze out the living space of the original high-grade family and snatch the official positions that originally belonged to them. Second, the reason why the high-grade family is a high-grade family and has a high status is because of the scarcity of the number and the hard-won results.

Now you can buy it with money and grain, which will undoubtedly cause the content of the high-grade family to plummet. Just like the period of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty and Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, even the three princes and nine kings could be traded and traded, and the ministers naturally became worthless.

Therefore, Sima Yi, as the current leader of the Shangpin family, definitely doesn't want Cao Yi to open this opening.

But the problem is that now Cao Wei is really difficult.

If you don't open this opening, where will the soldiers, horses, and grass come from?

Cao Wei is all gone, what's the use of thinking about it again?

So after hesitating for a moment, Sima Yi still said: "Your Majesty has tasted the pain of Huan Ling's betrayal of the official mantle, and you should know that if this is the case, then the court's law and faith will be lost, and the harm will be endless." ”

Cao Rong said coldly: "Now that the imperial court has reached a critical time, if the big families don't send troops and money and food to support the war, and the Great Wei perishes, aren't you afraid that Liu Han in the south will win the world, and the population and land of these big families will all be confiscated by them?" ”

"This"

Sima Yi smiled bitterly.

This is the fundamental stake of the family.

Although Cao Wei is not tied to the family like Jiangdong, it is not much different.

At least at present, more than half of the population of Cao Wei is controlled by the big families, and less than one-third of the registered population is far inferior to the southern Han Dynasty.

Although the Cao Wei court also took some measures to curb the development of the great clans, trying to take land and people from them, the way was relatively gentle, not as simple and crude as in the south.

Therefore, in terms of family interests, the big families in the north will obviously support Cao Wei more than the southern Han.

Then Sima Yi and Chen Qun, people from high-grade families, have to consider a problem.

It is to let the small and medium-sized families enter the circle of the high-grade family, and turn the originally relatively rare and noble high-grade family into a big road. Or did he keep the dignity and face of the high-grade family, so that Cao Wei was short of soldiers and food, and was finally eliminated by the southern Han?

The answer is obvious.

If Cao Wei perishes, then all the nine-grade Zhongzheng system will have to be abolished, and the high-grade family will be gone, how can there be any dignity and face?

So Sima Yi could only say: "Your Majesty, the nine grades are related to the righteousness of the imperial court's law, if a large number of families are among the high-grade families, and the high-grade families are everywhere, then where is the court's law and faithfulness?" Therefore, the minister believes that we should still be cautious on this issue, and we can adopt the method of quota benefit. ”

"Oh?"

Cao Rong became interested and asked, "What does Wuyang Hou mean?" ”

Sima Yi said: "This time, it can be said that the imperial court is recruiting talents, so the grades are opened, and those who were originally rated as inferior can hand over money and grain to see if they can be rated as middle grade." Those who are of medium grade will hand over money and grain to see if they can be rated as high-grade. The number of places for each product is limited, and the one with the highest price wins, and not only has to contribute money and efforts, but also has to re-evaluate the family. ”

"It's more than that."

Chen Qun also took over and said: "If the grade of the family and talents can be bought with money, where is the face of the imperial court?" Therefore, if the lower family wants to become a medium-grade family, it will cost more money and food. If the middle and lower middle families want to become high-grade families, the money and grain paid must be more than double the money and grain paid by the middle and upper families. ”

The essence of the Jiupin Zhongzheng system is through selection, and the imperial court will send large and small Zhongzheng in various states and counties, which is equivalent to the assessment of officials, and after the selection and assessment of the major families, the talents and families are divided into grades.

And the meaning of Sima Yi and Chen Qun is very simple, that is, in order to prevent some small families with deep pockets from directly becoming high-grade families from lower-grade families by spending money, they must be strictly selected.

First, it can only change the lower grade into the middle grade, and the middle grade into the upper grade. Even if a family that was originally rated as a middle and lower grade wants to become a top grade, it will have to spend more money.

The second is to negotiate the price through auction.

In this way, in order to snatch the quota of the high-grade and middle-grade families, those small and medium-sized families may break their heads. In this way, it not only protects the face of these high-grade families, but also prevents too many small and medium-sized families from entering the high-grade families and diluting their gold content.

After hearing this, Cao Rong nodded slightly, feeling that what they said was very reasonable, so he said: "Well, very wonderful, then do what you want." ”

Wei Zhen was a little unhappy beside him, he originally wanted to take this opportunity to turn the family into a high-grade family, but through the operation of Sima Yi and Chen Qun, if he wanted to snatch this place, he was afraid that it would cost me an unknown amount of food, and he teased for a while: "The middle-grade and lower-grade families have to spend more money and grain to be promoted to the top-grade family, I don't know how much grain their own high-grade families have to pay?" ”

Sima Yi and Chen Qun's faces changed slightly.

Their operation is squeezing small and medium-sized families, but small and medium-sized families are far inferior to their original high-grade families in terms of scale, financial resources, and land and population. Otherwise, they won't be promoted to a high level when the grades are judged.

And the small and medium-sized families in the family have contributed money and efforts, so you are the top families of the top grades, sitting on such a large business, don't you pay a penny?

"Not bad."

Cao Rong immediately took over the conversation and said: "The middle and lower grade families have paid for it, and the top grade families should also contribute money and efforts. ”

These words are all of you, but the Sima family and the Chen family are of the highest grade in this group of people, and they are undoubtedly talking to them.

Sima Yi had no choice but to say: "After the minister returned, he immediately repaired the book and returned to Hanoi, and asked his nephew to transfer some clan slaves, form soldiers and horses, and bring some grain and grass to Luoyang to obey His Majesty's dispatch." ”

"The minister is also willing to share his worries for His Majesty, and he will also write back to Yingchuan after he returns."

Chen Qun replied in the same way.

Hearing that they said what they wanted, Cao Rong nodded with satisfaction and said, "Very good, then I will leave this matter to the two of you." ”

Dong Zhao saw that Cao Rong had already scraped the grain, grass and population from the family, so he said: "Your Majesty, the top priority now is to find a way to lift the siege of Hedong. Now that Shen Chen suddenly made a move, I am afraid that they have other plans. ”

"What scheme?"

Cao Rong asked.

Dong Zhao said: "First, this matter may be that Shen Chen intends to take Hedong first, and the south does not have the intention of immediately going north, and after Shen Chen gets Hedong, then the south will start the northern expedition, and Shen Chen will attack and annex the state to besiege Luoyang. Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu sent troops from Nanyang and Huainan to attack the hinterland of the Central Plains. ”

"Hmm."

Cao Rong nodded.

"Second, it is also possible that the south decided to launch a large-scale northern expedition at this time, Shen Chen attacked Hedong first, and then Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu immediately sent troops to Henan."

Dong Zhao said again.

Cao Rong pondered.

Although it seems that what Dong Zhao said is the same meaning, it is not.

The first is that Liu Han did not mean to attack with the whole army, but just wanted to wait for Shen Chen to capture Hedong, and then recuperate in the south for a period of time, and then launch a large-scale northern expedition.

If this is the case, it would be easier to do, they could concentrate their forces on dealing with Shen Chen first, and then defend the south after Shen Chen was defeated.

The second meaning is that now Shen Chen will send troops, Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu will then send troops, and the south will prepare for a full-scale northern expedition.

If this is the case, then Cao Wei will face the pressure of a third-line attack, and they will not be able to support Hedong, because once the soldiers and horses of the southern town are withdrawn, Henan will be empty, and Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu will take advantage of the weakness.

Therefore, one of the problems before them now is to first find out whether the south is a local offensive or a full-scale northern expedition.

Sima Yi said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that no matter whether Shen Chen wants to take Hedong first, or the other party invades on a large scale, we can't immediately transfer troops from the south to help Hedong. Because once it is transferred, even if the other party only wants to take Hedong first, and Henan has few troops, the other party will immediately change its strategy and invade on a large scale, so it is better to be cautious. ”

"What Zhongda said is reasonable."

When Cao Rong heard that Sima Yi was going to pay money and food, he even became much more affectionate, and nodded in agreement: "But if you don't transfer troops, when the grain, grass, and soldiers and horses of the major families are gathered, I'm afraid that Hedong has been captured by Shen Chen, how can this be good?" ”

Sima Yi thought about it and said in a deep voice: "The soldiers are very fast, why don't Your Majesty immediately dispatch some cavalry, even if there are only thousands of people, first relieve the enemy's siege from Zhongtiao Mountain to Hedong, and then immediately return to Henan to defend after repelling Shen Chen." ”

"But before Zhongda said that he couldn't transfer troops from the south, not to mention that there were less than tens of thousands of cavalry, what impact could it have on Hedong? Shen Chen's army of 100,000 is probably not so easy to repel it. ”

Cao Rong retorted.

"Your Majesty."

Sima Yi said: "If there are many soldiers and few soldiers, they can all be contained. The most important thing is that although Nanyang is close, Zhuge Liang wants to launch a surprise attack immediately, and it is not so fast, as long as it takes a month or two to let Xu Huang hold on longer, this is enough. When the soldiers and horses of the major families are sent, we will have enough troops to deal with it. ”

"Hmm"

Cao Rong pondered for a long time, and finally said: "Okay, then do it, order Sun Li to lead 8,000 cavalry and immediately rush to the aid of Hedong!" ”

(End of chapter)