Since the Cao Wei dynasty built Luoyang, the Taiji Hall had always been the main hall, the place where the emperor held court meetings and grand ceremonies.
The palace was radiant, the courtyards magnificent.
East and west intertwined, north and south stood tall.
As the saying goes, without seeing the grandeur of the imperial residence, how could one know the majesty of the Son of Heaven? The place where the emperor resided was grand, imposing, and splendid.
Those who arrived here for the first time couldn't help but be awed by the majestic sight before them, feeling a sense of inadequacy.
Except for Shao Xun.
He had seen too many magnificent buildings.
The palaces of ancient times were nothing special in the eyes of modern people.
He even felt that the palace was too low, with poor lighting, making it uncomfortable.
There were too many pillars in the hall, greatly dividing the space.
Arranging decorations had to consider the position of the pillars, which was very troublesome.
In fact, the main hall where the emperor held court was not as large as one might imagine.
A modern auditorium could easily surpass it, not to mention large indoor stadiums, which would be a crushing comparison in ancient times.
"What, are you stunned?" Shao Xun asked Chen Yougen, Huang Biao, Li Zhong, and Yang Bao.
"Such thick pillars, if used for cooking, they could last a long time, right? The central army wouldn't need to send people out to gather firewood," Chen Yougen exclaimed, his mouth wide open.
Shao Xun chuckled.
Chen Yougen's words were like saying, "This face is so beautiful, if I punch it, would it cry for a long time?" His train of thought always seemed a bit off.
"Commander, the emperor's residence is indeed magnificent. The palace maids and servants are like celestial beings," Huang Biao also sighed.
Li Zhong and Yang Bao were even more captivated, seemingly imagining themselves as court officials who could attend court in the Taiji Hall from time to time.
Shao Xun quietly observed everyone's expressions, including the soldiers he had brought along.
The ten archers, though they had a somewhat reckless air, were still a bit uneasy.
The thirty armored soldiers were carefully selected youths.
Though they were very nervous, they all looked at their "Master Shao," waiting for orders.
Among the three groups of children and youths, the youngest was nine, and the oldest was nineteen.
These thirty were selected by Shao Xun, all over seventeen, from different squads.
He had personally trained them for a year and a half, teaching them martial and literary skills, spending a lot of effort.
Now was the time to test the results.
It wasn't just about their combat skills.
In fact, after a year and a half of rigorous training, these youths' skills were passable.
They could handle spears and shields decently, and though they weren't proficient in archery, they were at least competent.
Shao Xun valued their obedience more—how well they followed his commands after long-term, mixed training.
This kind of obedience wasn't always obvious, though Shao Xun had always been confident.
It was best to test it in special situations to be sure, and this was a good opportunity.
"Now, assign the tasks," Shao Xun raised his voice and said.
Everyone tensed up, holding their breath and listening intently.
The sky was overcast, covered with thick leaden clouds.
The north wind blew fiercely, howling as if singing a dirge for someone.
Sima Yi, clad in armor, rode a magnificent warhorse, his brows furrowed with an unshakable gloom.
He now regretted it.
Several months ago, someone had suggested that he lead the emperor on a campaign, conscripting all males over thirteen in Luoyang, forming an army of over a hundred thousand to fight the rebels to the death.
He had hesitated then.
A decisive battle in the open field, with no room for retreat—win or lose, there was no third outcome.
Wasn't that too risky?
The debate in his council had been intense.
Some argued that the Luoyang central army was brave and skilled in battle.
Even with fewer troops, selecting a few capable units to lead the charge could break the enemy.
Others believed that the Ji Province troops were not weak.
If they dug in and Zhang Fang returned, a two-pronged attack could lead to a crushing defeat, with no chance to return to Luoyang.
In the end, the second opinion prevailed, and he decided to focus on defense while contacting regional lords, hoping to rally them under the emperor's name to eliminate the rebels Sima Yong and Sima Ying—essentially, buying time.
After months of war, he truly regretted it.
The Luoyang central army's combat strength was indeed formidable, with a high chance of defeating the enemy in open battle.
Especially before the war broke out, Zhang Fang and Lu Ji were confident and aggressive, likely willing to fight in the open...
Alas, it was too late now.
Zhang Fang had dug in to the west, refusing to engage, stubbornly holding his ground.
Qian Xiu in the east, despite repeated setbacks, had not collapsed and still firmly controlled the key routes out of Luoyang.
On the northern Mang Mountain (Mount Mang), there were also enemy outposts.
South of the Luo River, Xianbei cavalry roamed freely, plundering everywhere, even capturing scholars, craftsmen, and doctors, sending them to unknown destinations.
Luoyang was tightly besieged!
If that wasn't bad enough, the food shortage was truly deadly.
At most, by March, the last reserves in the granary would be exhausted.
And that was with reduced rations.
If they ate normally, they would run out next month.
Difficult! Difficult! Difficult!
"Grand Commander?" Du Xi reminded him.
"Ah! Enter the city," Sima Yi reacted, pointing with his whip.
General Shangguan Si immediately commanded the honor guard and escort to advance.
Shangguan Si was from Tianshui Shanggui, originally a staff officer in the Cavalry General's office, now a general in the imperial guard.
He had fought a few battles, achieving little, even suffering a minor defeat.
Sima Yi, appreciating his diligence, kept him close.
Behind him were the Cavalry General's office's Sima Diao Xie, Registrar Ji Han, Staff Officer Xun Sui, and Staff Officer Wang Cheng, among others.
Ahead was the palace city, with the Duan Gate directly facing it.
Passing this gate led to the front hall of the Taiji Hall.
By protocol, civil and military officials, as well as foreign envoys, were to dismount or disembark here and proceed on foot.
Yet Sima Yi rode on, surrounded by his entourage, a display of arrogance.
But someone had been even more arrogant.
In the past, Prince Zhao Sima Lun had led five thousand troops through this gate, ascended the Taiji Hall, and usurped the throne.
Sima Yi wasn't that extreme; he maintained appearances well, though he harbored imperial ambitions.
"Grand Commander," Gou Xi, who was patrolling with soldiers, quickly approached and bowed.
Sima Yi nodded slightly.
Gou Xi came from a humble background but was quite capable.
In the recent defense of Luoyang, he had performed well, earning Sima Yi's appreciation.
After disbanding the palace guards, the seven imperial guard units took turns guarding the palace, keeping an eye on the emperor for Sima Yi.
Gou Xi's unit had fought hard and was quite exhausted.
This month, they were resting and guarding the palace.
Sima Yi was very reassured.
Seeing Gou Xi, he couldn't help but encourage him: "General Gou, your achievements are remarkable, making the enemy tremble at the mere mention of your name. I am very pleased. After the New Year, your unit will attack the enemy camp on Mount Mang from the north, aiming to break through one front and relieve the flank threat. I always reward merit. General Gou, with your family's humble origins, wouldn't you want to secure titles for your wife and children, and posthumous honors for your parents?"
Gou Xi, hearing this, was overjoyed and immediately knelt, declaring loudly, "I swear to fight to the death for the Grand Commander."
From Sima Yi's words, he inferred that the Grand Commander might be planning a decisive battle.
The south of the city was blocked by the Luo River, requiring only a small force to defend.
Moreover, the southern outer defenses had never been breached in months, so it was unlikely to be a problem.
The northern enemy outpost had few troops.
If they could be wiped out, the flank threat would be eliminated.
Then, with a general left to defend Luoyang and block Zhang Fang, the Grand Commander could lead elite troops east to quickly defeat the Ji Province troops, possibly achieving victory.
But—alas, I can't turn back now.
Grand Commander, why didn't you make up your mind earlier?
Hearing Gou Xi's pledge of loyalty, Sima Yi laughed heartily, "You will have your chance."
Gou Xi stood up, his face full of gratitude.
Du Xi glanced at him.
Gou Xi claimed to be from the Gou family of Henei, but no such family was among the prominent clans of Henei.
He must have a strong desire to elevate his family's status, hoping to make the Gou family a recognized noble clan in the triennial evaluations.
No wonder he was so driven.
But he was too old, nearing sixty.
Did he still have a chance to achieve great merit? Unlikely.
Thinking about it, it was quite pitiful.
He showed promise before twenty, a prodigy, yet only in his fifties did he get a real chance to lead armies, fight battles, and earn merits.
The Gou family of Henei was destined to miss the noble class.
Sima Yi didn't say much more, dismounted, and walked forward.
The escort and most of the honor guard stayed outside, with only a few staff officers and a dozen attendants following through the Duan Gate.
Gou Xi silently watched Sima Yi's back, his heart churning.
Left Guard General Chen Zhen, Palace General Biao Bao, and Cheng Fu, considering the current situation and fearing punishment if they failed, had joined forces with Prince Donghai Sima Yue to plot the capture of Grand Commander Sima Yi to end the chaos in Luoyang.
And these were just the ones who had stepped forward.
Many others, though not openly involved, tacitly approved of their actions against Sima Yi.
Grand Commander, this time you are doomed, betrayed by all.
Pitiful, lamentable!
Gou Xi looked up at the sky for a while, then squinted at the resting escort and honor guard of Sima Yi not far away.
He had considered killing them but feared alerting Sima Yi, so he refrained.
Yes, Gou Xi wasn't confident he could control all his troops.
He also worried someone might inform Sima Yi, leading to failure.
Better to avoid trouble; he just needed to secure the palace gates.
With that thought, he straightened his armor and focused on his patrol.
There were no court meetings now, and officials weren't on duty.
The palace gates were usually closed.
He needed to ensure all gates were shut, with no one able to escape.
Would today's Taiji Hall become the place where the Grand Commander's blood was spilled?
(End of Chapter)