Chapter 51 Seven, tasteless?

On the second day after Sima Yi left Jia's mansion, Jia Xu sent two handwritten application letters for sickness and leave to the court and Duke Wei's mansion at the same time, and from now on he will not go to the court to discuss matters, but stay in the mansion Close the door to cure "sickness". Jia Xu's illness was really untimely, and Cao Pi was so anxious that he was running around like ants on a hot pot.Seeing this, Wu Zhi and Zhu Shuo couldn't help scolding Jia Xu for being an "old slicker". He accepted "Zilong Jue" but didn't dare to stand up to support Cao Pi. He was simply an "official ruffian".However, only Sima Yi was noncommittal about this matter.In fact, anyone who gets along with Jia Xu in a different place has to temporarily adopt his technique of keeping silent.After all, Cao Pi and Cao Zhi are fighting for heirs, and their strengths are equal. It is really hard to predict who will win and who will lose.What a smart person Jia Xu is, how could he put all his eggs in one basket and get involved in disputes prematurely?At this moment, Jia Xu is pretending to be sick at home. One is to avoid conflicts and leave room for maneuver, and the other is to stand on the sidelines and wait for an opportunity to place a bet.Therefore, to deal with his move, we can only wait patiently, waiting for the day when Cao Pi really wins Cao Zhi with his own strength.On that day, Jia Xu will declare that he has recovered from his illness and go to court, and openly support Cao Pi.

However, Sima Yi was not the only one who realized Jia Xu's intentions.After Ding Yi learned that Jia Xu said he was ill and would not go to court, he immediately sent his younger brother Ding Zhen to personally invite Yang Xiu and Sima Fu to discuss important matters in his secret room.Naturally, Cao Zhi will not be present.Ding Yi knew that Cao Zhi had no intention of competing with Cao Pi for the position of the son. If he was allowed to participate in it, he would suffer from it. It would be better to contact all the people loyal to Cao Zhi behind his back and work together to push him to the throne.Therefore, in this silent and invisible battle for establishing an heir, Ding Yi convened all the people to discuss major issues, choose the good and follow them, often acting arbitrarily, doing what he should do, and never telling Cao Zhi.As for Cao Zhi, it seems that he never asked about everything he did.

In the secret room of Ding's mansion, as soon as Yang Xiu took his seat, he said to Ding Yi nervously: "Brother Ding, Yang has seen the contents of the open letter written by Master Cui Yan to Prime Minister Cao on the matter of having an heir!" Ding Yi, Ding Zhen and Sima Fu were all shocked.They had known for a long time that Prime Minister Cao had used secret letters in a jade box to interview more than a dozen senior officials in the court regarding the establishment of an heir.Minister Cui Yan actually disregarded Prime Minister Cao's secret instructions, and responded to his opinions in the form of an open letter, which fully demonstrated his clear and firm position on the matter of establishing an heir.

"What did he say in the open letter?" Ding Yi asked in a deep voice. "Yang originally thought that Marquis Pingyuan was the authentic nephew and son-in-law of Lord Cui, and Lord Cui should definitely help him." Yang Xiu patted his knees and sighed, "You really can't guess what he said in the open letter——he Said, "I have heard the meaning of "Spring and Autumn Annals" and established a son to grow up. Cao Pi, a man with five senses, is benevolent, filial and intelligent, and he should inherit the orthodoxy. Cui Yan has made up his mind, so he will stick to it and never take it away.'"

After Ding Yi listened quietly, her face slowly sank.But Sima Fu couldn't help sighing: "Master Cui's words are straightforward, his aspirations are as unmovable as a mountain, and his uprightness is really fascinating." Hearing Sima Fu's praise, Ding Yi couldn't help but glance at him.This brother Sima is really strange. Don't you know that the more upright and firm Cui Yan is, the greater the threat to Cao Zhi's ascension to the throne.Fortunately for him, the situation is grim, and the enemy is at hand, but he sang praises for his political opponents.I really don't know if he really reads books a bit roundabout.Fortunately, Hou Pingyuan still relied on him so much and regarded him as his confidant and friend.Thinking of this, his heart suddenly moved, and he asked Sima Fu, "Sima Jun, what is your second brother up to lately? It seems that Ding hasn't seen him in the prime minister's residence for a long time."

"Oh... you asked my second brother," Sima Fu replied without hesitation, "after he was transferred to the prime minister's barracks, he was busy every day preparing rations for the prime minister's expedition to Hanzhong, repairing weapons, and running around. , almost no time to rest, and rarely go back home a few times a month, and often just lay down in the barracks for the night..." Ding Yi listened carefully to his words, pondered for a moment, and then asked cautiously: "Do you think he has had any contact with the general of the five senses recently?" He replied: "My second elder brother saw that the officialdom is dangerous and unpredictable. In order to get rid of the right and wrong in the prime minister's mansion, he voluntarily resigned from the position of chief secretary and went to work in the prime minister's barracks. During this time, he has been busy with military affairs. , I have never seen him go to the Mansion of the Five Senses Zhonglang. What is it? Brother Ding also has doubts about a person like him who tries his best to stay out of the matter but wants to protect himself?"

Seeing Sima Fu's frank and straightforward face, Ding Yi thought he didn't pretend to hide anything for his second brother, so he waved his hand and apologized: "Ding has no other intentions, Mr. Sima, please don't be offended. Since your second brother It would be better to stay out of the matter." Ding Yan was watching the situation, and when he saw that the situation was a little awkward, he stood up and changed the question, saying to everyone: "I will not talk about the topic for now. Master Cui is now Now that we have publicly expressed our support for Cao Pi, how should we respond?" Suddenly, everyone in the field fell silent.For a long time, Ding Yi's hoarse and difficult voice broke the silence, and slowly rang out: "There is an old saying: 'Zhilan is in the way, so we have to hoe it.' Cui Yan was the first to publicly oppose the establishment of Pingyuan Hou. As the son of the world, although he is a virtuous person, we don't care much, and we will just remove his stumbling block when the time comes."

As soon as he said this, everyone in the room was shocked and looked at each other in blank dismay.Sima Fu lost his voice and said: "Why is this? Brother Ding, you can't make mistakes in this matter. It's better to ask Pingyuan Hou for his own opinion first!" What's the benefit? Marquis Pingyuan can only sit high in the palace and keep himself clean, without wading into this muddy water. Let Ding do the evil deeds of this wicked person! If I don't go to hell, who will go to hell? As long as you can help Pingyuan Hou will become the king of Yao and Shun in the future, and Ding is willing to give everything he has!" Yang Xiu heard the words, his face was serious, he stood up, bowed deeply to Ding Yi, and sighed: "Brother Ding is full of loyalty, it is true. Compete with the sun and the moon!" After saying that, tears glistened in his eyes.

But Ding Yi smiled faintly, waved his hand a little embarrassedly, and said: "Brother Yang killed Ding with this move! Ding is a blind and abandoned person, thanks to the kindness of Prime Minister Cao and Marquis Pingyuan, he was able to surpass mediocrity. A mediocre person can show his strengths on top of it, and he should live and die, and repay each other with his life, brother Yang is too praised." Yang Xiu's heart was surging, and he slowly retreated to the wooden chair and sat down, allowing himself to slowly regain his composure.But Ding Yi asked again: "How many people have responded to the secret letter in the jade box sent by Prime Minister Cao? What is the content? How many people have not yet responded?"

Yang Xiu listened, pondered for a moment, and slowly replied: "As far as I know, Prime Minister Cao sent a total of thirteen secret letters in jade boxes, and twelve have been received so far, including Xun You, Cui Yan, Mao Jie, Huan Jie, Wang Lang and other six lords agreed that the five-featured Zhonglang general should be established as the son, and Yang Jun, Wei Xi, Wang Can and other six lords agreed that Pingyuanhou should be established as the son. Only the Taizhong official Jia Xu has not yet replied to the letter." Ding Yi smiled slightly.His smile is getting deeper and deeper, making it seem like it will never bottom out.He slowly stretched out his hand to pick up a boxwood cup with two ears carved in the shape of a swan on the side table. Steam was steaming from the mouth of the cup, overflowing with a fresh and fragrant fragrance.Sima Fu and the others stared at it, only to see golden chrysanthemums floating on the water in the cup, and it was they that exuded a strong fragrance.

"This is the 'Golden Chrysanthemum Cake' that Marquis Pingyuan picked and dried in the imperial garden for Yi." Ding Yi stared at the petaled chrysanthemum in the cup, and said leisurely, "He knows that after making tea, the chrysanthemum is made with its chrysanthemum. The aroma diffuses the eyes, and it has the miraculous effect of clearing the heart and clearing the eyes. It is really hard for Yi to repay the sincerity of Pingyuan Hou Daiyi!" As he spoke, he slowly put his slightly red and swollen right eye on the boxwood double-eared cup, and steamed it with the steaming aroma of golden chrysanthemum tea... After half a stick of incense, the aroma of the tea gradually faded away.Ding Yi slightly closed his right eye, raised his head, drank the slightly cold tea in the cup, and then leaned on the back of the couch, leisurely looking for the aftertaste in the tea. His leisurely attitude made Yang Xiu, Sima Fu and Ding Zhen confused.They were full of doubts, but they didn't know where to ask, so they had to wait patiently for Ding Yi to explain.Like all wise and resourceful people, Ding Yi will finally reveal the mystery for her comrades after she has had enough of her ostentation, their appetites, and her desire to perform. Ding Yi said slowly: "Although General Zhonglang and Marquis Pingyuan are equally equal at present, among the twelve people who have expressed their views, there is still one who can remain neutral and change his original position. The last remaining A Jia Xu should also have a way to take over." Yang Xiu asked: "Which of the twelve people will change their position and remain neutral?" Ding Yi smiled slightly and said, "Xun You, Prime Minister Cao's chief counselor and Minister of the State of Wei!" "Him?" Yang Xiu was taken aback, "How is this possible?" Ding Yi smiled slightly and looked at Yang Xiu: "Brother Yang, Your Honor, Yang Biao, Yang Taiwei and Xun You are close friends. At the same time, Yang Taiwei is one of the most trusted veterans of His Majesty today. To a certain extent, Mrs. Yang Wei is the spokesperson of His Majesty today. If Brother Yang persuades His Majesty to persuade Xun You to change his position and clarify that this is His Majesty's intention, Ding believes that Lord Xun You, who has always been loyal to the Han Dynasty, will eventually remain neutral." When Yang Xiu heard this, he couldn't help but be overjoyed.Ding Yi's words really made him suddenly enlightened, it really hit the point, extremely correct.He immediately agreed: "Brother Ding is right, after Yang returned home, he begged my father to help." "As for Mrs. Jia Xu and Mrs. Jia..." Ding Yi said thoughtfully, "I am afraid that only by persuading the Marquis of Ping Yuan to visit Dr. Jia in person, leaning forward, and treating Dr. Jia with respect, can we get Dr. Jia's help. !" Unexpectedly, just after he finished speaking, Yang Xiu blushed suddenly and shouted anxiously: "No!" Ding Yi couldn't help being startled: "Why?" Yang Xiu calmed down, and said solemnly: "Jia Xu is a man with two ends, extremely smooth, mercenary, daring to harm the country and the people for his own selfishness. What's more, my father has always hated Jia Xu for disturbing the Han Dynasty, and he was in a relationship with him. If Jia Xu stood up to support Pingyuanhou, it would definitely arouse my father's ignorance, and it would be very detrimental to Pingyuanhou's succession! I hope brother Ding will think carefully." After Ding Yi heard this, she couldn't help frowning, and said "oh", but didn't answer right away.He turned to look at Sima Fu, and asked, "What's your opinion, Mr. Sima?" "This...younger brother is ignorant, so I don't have any good or bad opinions." Sima Fu resigned first, and when Ding Yi insisted on asking, he pondered for a while before answering, "It's just common sense, Jia Xu This time he said that he was sick at home, and he made it clear that he just wanted to stay out of the matter, and he probably would not vote for any party. Therefore, for the time being, he is like the metaphor that Brother Yang once said-chicken ribs, it is tasteless to eat, and it is a pity to throw them away. It seems that there is no need to worry about it he." Ding Zhen, who is the servant of the Huangmen, said from the side: "Brother, my younger brother has also seen several memorials in the palace recently, written by Taiwei Yang, General Dong Cheng, and Master Yang Jun. They are all aimed at Jia. The doctor claimed that he was sick. Yang Taiwei asked His Majesty in the memorial to take advantage of Jia Xu's claim of illness, so he ordered Jia Xu to abdicate and return to his hometown because of illness. It can be seen that Yang Taiwei is indeed at odds with Dr. Jia. If the Marquis of Pingyuan went to pay respects to Doctor Jia, he would surely attract the dissatisfaction of the confidants of the Han Dynasty! They would not support Marquis Pingyuan to make him the crown prince!" After hearing this, Ding Yi couldn't help but fell into deep thought.yes!You can't have your cake and eat it too.If you want to get the support of this party, you have to give up trying to win over the other party.Stepping on two boats, you may end up drowning because you have no way to focus.As long as you don't deliberately stimulate the sensitive nerves of the confidants of the Han Dynasty, don't get too close to Jia Xu, and naturally you can't stay too far away from Jia Xu, try to keep Jia Xu neutral, this may be the only feasible way to go up at present. The best policy!However, what if Cao Pi strikes first and wins Jia Xu over?Ding Yi's head hurt from thinking about it, and his right eye also felt sore.He looked up to the sky and sighed, hoping that what Sima Fu said was true - Jia Xu was a "chicken rib", there was no great benefit to gaining it, and there was no great harm to abandoning it. However, will Jia Xu really be what Sima Fu said?Ding Yi was not sure about the answer.