Chapter 24 Second, the soft egg prefect

"Zhao Chongguo, courtesy name Wengsun, was born in Shangyu, Longxi, and moved to Jincheng Lingju. He was a knight at the beginning, and he was good at riding and shooting to fill Yulin with the sons of the six counties. , familiar with the affairs of the four barbarians..." A burst of ups and downs chanting came from the main room in the East Wing, echoing clearly in the quiet night sky. "Ma Yi" standing in the middle of the courtyard dam - that is, Sima Yi, could hear very clearly that it was his father Sima Fang who was reciting the "Book of Han" he admired most.Sima Yi changed his name to "Ma Yi" and went around in circles. It is very meaningful to set foot in an official career from Hezhi County, which is far away from Wen County: His eldest brother Sima Lang brought 20,000 Wuding into Sikong Cao Cao more than three years ago. Cao Cao regards him as a confidant and serves as the master, and now he is also an important cardinal holding real power in the court of Xudu; despite this, Sima Yi still disdains to rely on his family background and his elder brother's relationship to become an official , he wanted to rely on his true talents to work hard and break out a broad road in a down-to-earth manner.Also, by concealing his name and family background, he can directly contact and observe the real situation in the officialdom like ordinary people, and accumulate valuable political experience for himself. There is a saying in "Mencius": "The source is mixed up, day and night, full of science and technology, and spread to the world. Those who have roots are like this, so take what you want. If you don't have roots, the rain will gather between July and August, and the ditches will be full; If it is dry, you can stand and wait." For this inscription, Sima Yi has always regarded it as a standard.

After listening to Sima Fang's recitation, Sima Yi was just about to walk away slowly, but there was a creaking sound, and the door of the main room in the East Chamber suddenly opened—Sima Fang stood there, holding a volume of "Han" in his left hand. "Book" bamboo slips, his right hand beckoned to him from a distance! After entering the room, Sima Fang sat down behind a boxwood book, without raising his head, while flipping through the slips in his hand, he asked indifferently: "I heard that the Yuan brothers invited you to the office again today. Is your person having a banquet in the Four Seas Building?"

"Yes. The Yuan brothers moved out of Du Juncheng to invite them, and Wei Taishou couldn't help but give them some face. ——So, all the staff members in our government office can't refuse." Sima Yi replied with his hands down, "My child would have Those who don't want to go to this boring banquet are just afraid that if they refuse, it will damage the relationship with colleagues, and it will not be good to have a reputation of not being too gregarious." "Hehehe...the two Yuan brothers have 'a small banquet every three days, and a big banquet every five days', they serve the people in your government yamen so generously, the people in your yamen are really lucky. Father, I heard that after today's banquet, the Yuan brothers gave each of you a bolt of silk satin! These two brothers spent so much money to win you over, I'm afraid they still have other ideas? This Jun Cheng Du Chuan was also beating gongs and drums in the middle, blatantly threading needles for the Yuan brothers, maybe he is also planning some unknown tricks?" Sima Fang really deserved to be a veteran official with rich experience, and he saw through it at a glance. "The proverb says: 'Eat people's mouths are soft, and others' hands are short.' At that time, if the Yuan brothers and Du Chuan have any misdemeanors and are exposed, you will be in your government office from the prefect Wei Zhong down. Who dares to be serious with them? Alas... Cao Mengde is so wise—but he let Wei Zhong, a softie like Wei Zhong, in Hanoi County, I am afraid that he will inevitably miss a big deal in the future!"

"This... Father's teaching is correct. In the future, the child will definitely restrain himself more, and he must refuse the banquet of the Yuan brothers without ambiguity." Sima Yi nodded slightly after hearing this, still respectfully with lowered eyebrows He replied, "However, my father commented that Cao Sikong put Wei Zhong, a soft-hearted prefect, in Hanoi County. On the surface, it seems inappropriate. However, in my child's opinion, this is precisely Cao Sikong's superiority in employing people to govern the country." place." When Sima Fang heard it and thought about it carefully, he immediately understood what Sima Yi meant: Hanoi County is close to the frontier of Jizhou under the control of General Yuan Shao. It will arouse Yuan Shao's vigilance, and it will become an excuse for Yuan Shao to use his teachers to launch troubles; but his appointment of Wei Zhong, a mediocre and self-confident official with little achievements, can more or less reduce Yuan Shao's suspicion, and will not trigger fierce conflicts between the two sides.In this way, Cao Cao is indeed very clever in employing people in this way.

"Yi'er, for my father, I heard that the government office has entrusted you with the task of garrisoning the fields and reassuring the people?" Sima Fanglue pondered for a moment, then asked again. "Yes, Father." Sima Yi nodded deeply. "Hey... this matter is a hard job that Du Chuan kicked for you! This Du Chuan is very cunning, he must have ulterior motives, can you find a chance to shirk it?" Sima Fang put down the letter, Lifted his head and looked directly at him. "My lord, my son wants to take this opportunity to experience something—no matter how complicated and difficult the matter of farming and reassuring the people is, my son is willing to show his skills and face it!" Sima Yi's attitude was still the same. Humility is added, but his tone is firm and solid like a rock that cannot be moved lightly.

"Okay! As the saying goes: 'Things have to go through before you don't know the difficulties.' You can actually go to the fields to experience it!" Sima Fang pondered for a moment, and finally nodded, "However, you must remember a motto of the sages: "A scholar must be prudent in his conduct, so that he will not be blamed in the future." I have heard a little about the matter of farming the land and reassuring the people, but it is not as simple as you imagined in your mind. You must pay more attention to it in the future Be careful, don't take it lightly."

Although it is still early winter at this time, the weather is already very cold.The cold wind was blowing, and the leaves of the trees in the field outside the city were almost all gone. The sun hanging high in the sky was gray and gray, without any heat.On the wall of Nancheng, Hanoi County, the table-sized Tuntian Anmin notice was blown by the cold wind, as if it would break at any time. Behind a desk in the city gate, sitting Sima Yi in a plain cotton robe.Holding the bamboo slips of "Historical Records" in one hand, he looked slowly, but raised his eyes from time to time to look at the avenue outside the city gate, to see if there were any refugees who had sought refuge from all directions.Since it was enacted by the county order to recruit refugees and reclaim wasteland, it shouldn't just sit in the yamen hall with a brazier, warm and comfortable, waiting for others to come to the door - on this point, Sima Yi still disdains Yu and his colleague Du He in the Shanghai Planning Department and other lazy and hard-working people are in the same boat.

Behind him, six or seven yamen servants were crouching at the base of the city gate, squatting or leaning on them, dozing off with spears in their arms—two or three saliva were dripping from the corners of their mouths. down.Only Niu Jin, Sima Yi's personal attendant, held the handle of a knife at his waist behind his armchair, his whole body stood as straight as an iron spear, and his face showed no signs of fatigue. About two hours later, the wind became colder and colder, and the sky became darker and darker.Finally, Niu Jin couldn't help reminding Sima Yi softly: "My lord, it's the time of the first year of the united states... Let's pack up for now and come back at Chenshi tomorrow?"

But Sima Yi didn't answer, his eyes slowly moved away from the letter, and he glanced at Niu Jin's face: "Thank you for your kindness! Are you worried that Yi is a little tired? - Wait and see! Are you I don’t know, as long as I have this booklet to read, Yi will not feel tired no matter how long she endures or drinks the northwest wind.” Niu Jin knew that Sima Yi was stubborn, so he could only laugh when he heard what he said. While speaking, Sima Yi suddenly saw a group of figures like small black dots slowly moving over from the loess road in the sky—— "My lord, you are finally here..." Niu Jin whispered in surprise.

"Don't be too happy." Sima Yi's heart was beating wildly with excitement, but his face remained calm, "I'm afraid the residents of the city came back from the countryside to chase their relatives." The group of black spots gradually approached, and there was the faint sound of the wheels of the cart.Niu Jin has practiced martial arts since he was a child, and his eyesight is superhuman. Now he can see clearly: This is clearly a group of refugees who came from afar! They were all ragged, yellow and thin, as if they hadn't had a full meal for more than half a month.Grass clippings and dirt stained the ends of the hair—it was, of course, the mark of camping out in the fields.The only two or three calf carts were full of gray-haired old people and hungry children crying and screaming.

Naturally, Sima Yi saw this scene as clearly as Niu Jin did.He put down the letter, straightened his clothes, stood up with a cough, and shouted to the yamen servants who were just dozing off at the base of the city gate: "Wake up quickly! There is official business to be done!" Hearing Sima Yi's loud shout, the sleepy yamen servants muttered, pushed and stood up one after another. Before they could stand up neatly, Sima Yi and Niu Jin had already greeted the large group of refugees from other places. As he gradually approached them, Sima Yi raised his voice and shouted from a distance: "My elders, this seat is Shangji, Hanoi County. Where did you come from? Where are you going?" Hearing his sudden shout, the large group of refugees from other places were stunned: I saw this young official dancing there, but they didn't know what he was going to do. When Sima Yi and Niu Jin saw them, they were both dazed, and they were patiently about to start preaching the policy of garrisoning the land and calming the people promulgated by the current imperial court—at this moment, a familiar voice suddenly sounded from among the group of refugees: "Brother Sima! Mr. Niu Jin! Is it really you?" The voice was full of inexplicable surprise and intimacy, which made Sima Yi's heart tremble, and he hurriedly followed the reputation - a young farmer in tattered clothes jumped out from the crowd and stood in front of them. Liu Yin, a classmate of Longgu Ziyuan Academy! "Liu...Liu Yin?" Sima Yi and Niu Jinqiqi exclaimed, "You...you..." "Brother Sima, Niu Jinjun... It's hard to say, hard to say!" Liu Yin stared straight at the two of them, two tears immediately flowed down his ashen cheeks! "It's okay! It's okay! It's fine if you come to our Hanoi County!" Sima Yi knew that this was not the time to reminisce about the old days, so he suppressed the excitement in his heart, "Our Hanoi County is resettling refugees from all over the country in Daxing, and you are here. Everything will be fine for you!" While talking, he walked up to hold Liu Yin's hands tightly, stared for a moment, then suddenly lowered his voice and said, "From now on, don't call me 'Brother Sima' in front of outsiders. The pseudonym is 'Ma Yi'." Liu Yin seemed to understand, but nodded to him with tears in his eyes, still deeply saddened. On the other side, Niu Jin, who was full of joy, reached out and touched his head. After holding back for a while, he didn't say anything, but turned around and shouted to the yamen servants who were procrastinating at the foot of the city gate: "Wu Er, Zhu Ba! You The two hurriedly went to the refugee shelter in Beicheng, told Guanye Du to prepare a lot of rice porridge, and said that Mr. Ma has recruited more than two hundred Yuzhou refugees, and he will accompany everyone to come over for dinner later." After having dinner with Liu Yin and more than 80 households of Yuzhou refugees in the refugee shelter, Sima Yi asked Niu Jin to invite Liu Yin to go out with this former classmate and brother to relax and catch up.As soon as he walked to the door of the shed, Du Chuan's nephew, Du He, a subordinate official of the Shanghai Planning Department, came over, glanced evasively at Liu Yin and Niu Jin, and whispered to Sima Yi: "Master Ma, Du please Take a step to speak." Sima Yi pondered for a while, greeted Niu and Liu, and followed Du He to the corner: "What's the matter?" Du He looked around and lowered his voice: "Master Ma, you This time, more than 80 households of refugees were recruited, which can be regarded as a great achievement for Hanoi County. The villain’s uncle, Du Juncheng, is also very happy! ——He held a banquet at Sihai Tower, and specially invited you to come over Syria." "This... It is Yi's job to recruit refugees and resettle them in the fields." Sima Yi hesitated a little, "I really appreciate Du Juncheng's kindness—Yi just had dinner with Liu Yin and the others in the shed." "Those dinners made of green vegetables and brown rice would not even be eaten by pigs. How can they suit your taste, Mr. Ma? My uncle had someone prepare two delicious dishes of roasted black lamb and steamed suckling pig in the Four Seas Building. I heard it was made by a famous chef from the capital, and it tastes extremely delicious!" Du He smiled obsequiously, and held Sima Yi's sleeve and refused to let go, "Master Ma, let me go and accompany my uncle and the old man. .” Sima Yi glanced at Niu Jin and Liu Yin who were waiting at the door, sighed in embarrassment, shook his head lightly, and said helplessly: "Mr. Du doesn't know, the eighty-year-old from Yuzhou tonight Yu household refugees seem to have stayed overnight in our Hanoi County. But are they really willing to stay in our Hanoi County and settle down in the farmland with peace of mind... This, Yi has not yet found the truth! So, tonight is Yi I want to go out and have a talk with the leader among them—the young man, and persuade them to stay and settle down in Tuntian. This matter really cannot be delayed! Go back and tell Du Juncheng—just say today Wan Yi really can't come to Sihai Building because of this matter. After the things here are fully implemented, Yi must pay for the banquet by herself, and happily invite Du Juncheng to taste the roasted black lamb and steamed milk together How about the delicacy of pigs?" "Oh... so it's because of this!" Du He listened, and naturally understood that persuading the Yuzhou refugees to stay and live in the farmland is the top priority, so he didn't force it anymore, so he let go and cupped his fists at Sima Yi, saying, "Since that's the case, Lord Rauma will have to worry more! Uncle, Du will go and explain it to you now." Sima Yi smiled and nodded, watched him go away, then turned back to Liu Yin and Niu Jin.But Niu Jin looked at him with a smile that was not a smile, and joked: "Mr. Sima even gave up such delicacies as roast black lamb and steamed suckling pig, but he came to accompany Brother Liu Yin to reminisce about the old days and talk heart-to-heart. You are a role model among Yuan Xueyuan students who value love and righteousness!" Sima Yi knew that Niu Jin'er was amazingly sensitive, so he could hear the conversation he had with Du He clearly just now.He smiled faintly at Niu Jin, without saying much, he took Liu Yin's hand and walked out the door. On the way, Liu Yin couldn't help showing a look of emotion on his face, and said: "Brother Ma...uh, Brother Sima just now sat at the same table with Liu and others in the shed, and ate brown rice and vegetable soup together without changing his face. Don’t forget the simplicity and cleanliness Master taught back then! That official Du and the other police officers are far worse than you—everyone only took a few bites perfunctorily, and then ran out to eat elsewhere... How can Brother Sima be so easy-going and friendly!" Sima Yi turned his head sideways, squinted at him, and a slight smile appeared on the corner of his lips: "Among my classmates, Liu Yinjun is the one who doesn't like flattery and compliments. Today, your words of praise make Yi feel uneasy. ..." Liu Yin shook his head lightly, and sighed: "Liu's words are from the bottom of his heart, and there is no exaggeration. If the officials and gentlemen in all states and counties in the world can be as clean and honest as Brother Sima and love the people, we Xiaomin would not have suffered such a misfortune of being homeless and panicked..." After speaking, tears welled up in his eyes. Hearing this, Sima Yi felt pity in his heart, and his nose was sour.He was quiet for a while, then smiled warmly, and comforted him: "Oh! Liu Jun—now that the imperial court has issued a good policy to appease the refugees and to recuperate in the fields, you don't have to be so wandering and tossing and tossing around! Follow this policy Zhi Ling, if you stay in our Hanoi County, each household will be allocated 20 mu of wheat fields and 20 mu of rice fields, and the first year's land tax will be exempted, and in this first year, you can also enjoy The monthly subsidy of four buckets of rice per household from the government!" "Oh? Is there really such a good national policy?" Liu Yin was happy for a while after hearing this, and then he couldn't help asking, "Brother Sima—are you just making up a joke to tease Liu?" "Really. How could I lie to you?" Sima Yi opened his eyes wide and looked at Liu Yin squarely, nodding his head like a drum. "Liu Yin, my son really didn't lie to you about this." Niu Jin, who had been listening quietly with his arms folded, also spoke at this time, "If you stay here to live in peace and settle down in the fields, plant Ten acres of land, planted with hundreds of mulberry trees, there is food to eat, cloth to wear, enough food and clothing, isn’t life getting better day by day?” "That's good!" Liu Yin murmured, looking at the depths of the night sky with haze in his eyes, "I'm afraid you two are fooling us into daydreaming, if it's what you two said , our more than 80 households have burned incense and kowtowed to you two in every household, how can there be anyone who is unwilling to stay?" "Don't believe it, maybe tomorrow Tianyi will take you to divide the fields and harvest the grain!" Sima Yi stretched out his hand and patted Liu Yin's shoulder, hehe said with a smile. "Okay, after I go back tonight, I will persuade everyone to stay here and settle down in the farmland!" Liu Yin replied with a serious face and nodded. "Okay, tell Yi about the situation in Ziyuan Academy in Linglong Valley." Sima Yi saw that the matter of garrisoning the land and reassuring the people has been settled, so he changed the subject and asked with a slight smile, "I miss you very much now." Mr. Guan and fellow students." "Oh...don't mention it, Linglong Valley Ziyuan Academy has been closed long ago." Liu Yin said sadly with a sad face, "Ever since you left the Academy two years ago, Brother Sima, it's been less than four months. , Zhou Xuan, and Hu Zhao also left one after another. Only us, the local students near Linglong Valley, are still there. After more than two months, after the master accumulated grain in the scattered garden, he also left. I took Ke Ling to Liaodong for refuge, and Ziyuan Academy was closed like this." "Master, they went to Liaodong?" Sima Yi heard this, and sighed deeply, "Master is really profound and profound! He regards the disputes in the world like snails fighting each other, and he is graceful and independent. Yi can't do it !" "Later, Li Jue, Guo Si and other remnant soldiers fought with Ma Teng and Han Sui's troops from Xiliang in counties and counties around Linglong Valley. Our village was affected by the flames of war, and we could no longer live in peace, so we had to leave our hometown for refuge. "Liu Yin continued talking, with big tears hanging on the corners of his eyes unknowingly, "We heard that Jizhou is guarded by General Yuan Shao, the most powerful prince, and it seems to be a little more stable than other places in the world, so we are going to I went to Jizhou, I never thought I would meet you here..." "Jizhou is not necessarily so stable..." Sima Yi raised his eyes, stared at the starry sky in the north, and suddenly said with deep emotion, "Didn't Fang Ying live in Yecheng within Jizhou? I sent someone to I went to Yecheng to look for her, but I didn't expect their family to disappear there inexplicably, and I couldn't find it no matter how I searched... Also, in Jizhou, the powerful clans are fighting for the land, which is also a chaotic situation Fantastic! General Yuan seems to be indecisive, and he doesn't have the courage to hold back." Speaking of this, his gaze slowly retracted from the star-studded night sky, cast it quietly on Liu Yin's face, and said leisurely: "Fang Ying has disappeared in Jizhou territory, which has already made Yi extremely distressed! Yi doesn't want you, Jun Liu, to go to Jizhou to repeat her tragedy..."