The manor was just a small interlude.
Shao Xun quickly returned to the city, ready to continue training his troops.
But not long after, he, along with Mi Huang, He Lun, and Wang Bing, received orders to leave the city hastily to attend an important meeting.
Present at the meeting were military officials like Cao Fu, Dai Yuan, Liu Qia, and Wang Cheng, among others.
Wang Cheng was a newcomer, but his high-ranking background allowed him to participate in such meetings.
The four members of the Wang family, though not of the highest status, were naturally included in the meeting, even if only as observers.
Aside from the old faces of Sima Yue's faction, Pan Tao and Yu Ai also appeared.
Sitting beside them were Gou Xi, Shangguan Si, Chen Zhen, Cheng Fu, and Man Fen.
Gou Xi, Chen Zhen, and Cheng Fu were former imperial guards who had betrayed Sima Yi and were still leading troops in the army.
After Sima Yi was captured in the palace, Wang Cheng, Diao Xie, and Shangguan Si were released.
Wang Cheng joined the military council as a mid-level official, while Shangguan Si aligned himself with Sima Yue and continued to serve as a general in the imperial guards.
It was clear that Sima Yue, who was reorganizing the imperial guards, dared not recklessly place his own people in key positions—He Lun and Wang Bing had yet to be assigned, let alone Shao Xun, who ranked even lower.
It was also evident that Sima Yue was far from "controlling" the imperial guards; at best, he was in a phase of "deep influence."
Man Fen was the grandson of Man Chong, a high-ranking official from the Cao Wei era.
He had served as a provincial governor and was now the Inspector of the Capital Region, one of the important court officials Sima Yue had managed to win over.
Those who could attend this meeting were mostly highly trusted individuals.
The meeting was held in a rather unique location—a mountain outside the city.
Everyone enjoyed tea and the scenery, making it a pleasant gathering.
"This doesn't feel like a military meeting; it's more like a social gathering," Shao Xun muttered under his breath, sitting behind Mi Huang.
Mi Huang glanced around and noticed that Sima Yue was chatting and laughing with Cao Fu, paying no attention to them.
He chuckled softly and said, "Young master, this is the elegance of the scholar-officials. Think about it—if it were up to you, the meeting would be filled with armored soldiers, weapons on display, and everyone sitting stiffly with serious expressions. When tired, they'd eat dry rations on the spot and continue discussing. Would that be better?"
"Is it better to be so unrestrained?" Shao Xun asked, glancing at Cao Fu, who was sitting next to Sima Yue.
In truth, he wanted to say, "Wouldn't it be better to be more professional?"
It was April, and the weather was warming up.
Cao Fu, in his seventies and somewhat overweight, had his chest exposed, leaning casually against a rock, laughing heartily.
His sagging belly and layers of fat made him look like a laughing Buddha, which was quite a sight.
Yet, Sima Yue seemed unfazed, as if this was completely normal.
Was this the free-spirited nature of the scholar-officials of the Wei and Jin dynasties?
Shao Xun, who had just entered the "upper echelons" of society, was quite shocked.
Honestly, he missed the days when Sima Yue held meetings in his study—at least everyone was more serious back then.
"You haven't seen true unrestraint yet," Mi Huang said with a mysterious smile.
"Get closer to General Cao. He's old and likes to mentor the younger generation. He has many concubines and can't take care of them all. Maybe he'll even offer them to you. Most of the people here have been to General Cao's residence. After the meeting, walk with him and chat more. He admires you."
Shao Xun smiled.
Cao Fu admired him, a not-so-handsome soldier, likely because of his fighting skills.
This "living fossil" who had survived from the era of Cao Hong was indeed different.
Even Liu Yuan couldn't match his breadth of experience.
"The world is in chaos, and old friends are dwindling. Sometimes, I think of finding a secluded spot in these mountains, building a house, and living out my days in peace, away from worldly affairs," Cao Fu said, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.
"I share the same thought," Sima Yue laughed.
"But given the current situation, as a descendant of the imperial family, I have no choice but to take on this heavy burden. Once everything is settled and the court is purified, I can finally retire and enjoy my remaining years."
"Your Excellency is a man of elegance," Cao Fu said with a smile.
"But your retreat shouldn't be too humble."
"I have no grand demands," Sima Yue waved his hand.
"A garden with red woods, a pond with clear water, a few beauties from Wu, and a handful from Zhao, playing the zither and reciting poetry—that would be enough to live out my days in peace."
Cao Fu patted his trembling belly and frowned.
"But the beauties from Zhao are in Hebei..."
Sima Yue shook his head and laughed.
"Can anyone here solve His Excellency's problem?" Cao Fu asked, looking around.
"Your Excellency's wish is not difficult to fulfill," Wang Dao was about to speak, but Wang Cheng beat him to it.
The newly arrived mid-level official from the prestigious Taiyuan Wang family put down his teacup and listened quietly to the sound of flowing water and birdsong.
Wang Dao opened his mouth to speak again, but Wang Cheng, as if anticipating him, continued, "Since March, Sima Ying has been appointing his own people, indulging in extravagance, and imposing heavy taxes, losing the support of many."
Wang Dao's rhythm was disrupted, and he felt a surge of frustration.
Wang Cheng went on, "During the recent battle in Luoyang, which lasted half a year, Sima Ying lost at least seventy thousand soldiers, with tens of thousands more either dying from their wounds or deserting. He then sent Shi Chao with forty thousand troops to guard Luoyang. How many soldiers does Hebei have left? Moreover, Sima Ying's actions have angered the scholar-officials in Hebei. Who will provide troops or supplies now? Your Excellency need not worry. Just advance your troops."
Admittedly, Wang Cheng was showing off a bit, but his words hit the mark and were quite insightful.
The descendants of the Sima family, for some reason, could maintain a good image when they were not in power.
But once they took control, they often made a mess of things and lost the people's support.
Perhaps their true nature was to cause chaos, and everything before was just an act.
The only one who maintained a consistent image was Emperor Sima Zhong, who remained as clueless as ever.
After finishing his speech, Wang Cheng flicked his sleeve, walked over to Sima Yue, poured himself a cup of tea, and said with a smile, "I offered a strategy and earned myself a cup of good tea. How wonderful."
Sima Yue laughed and clapped his hands.
Wang Dao, having calmed down, smiled brightly and praised, "That was truly insightful."
But inwardly, he was annoyed that his words had been preempted.
By now, it was clear to everyone that Sima Ying was becoming arrogant.
He had always been that way, but after his superficial victories, the constant flattery from his subordinates had clouded his judgment.
He no longer knew what year it was.
After offending the scholar-officials in Hebei, the consequences would soon become apparent.
Who would provide him with troops? Who would supply him with food and funds? Who would offer him strategies? Without the support of the Hebei scholar-officials, how could he succeed?
Thinking this, Wang Dao couldn't help but glance at Shao Xun.
He admitted that he hadn't been entirely satisfied with this man's attitude before.
Scholar-officials could be unrestrained in front of him, and it wouldn't matter much.
But a lowly soldier who remained composed and unyielding was hard for him to understand.
Back then, he hadn't paid much attention.
But as time went on, this soldier had gained a background, achieved numerous feats, and risen through the ranks with the support of Sima Yue's faction.
Now, it was said that the entire lower army listened to him, and Wang Bing's authority had been completely stripped away.
This had left Wang Dao feeling quite frustrated for a while.
But it was just frustration.
The troops Shao Xun commanded needed food, rewards, and training—all of which required significant resources.
Who provided these resources? On the surface, it was the court, but in reality, it was the great families who pulled resources from their estates and sent them to Luoyang.
Shao Xun was like a rootless weed.
It was best not to let him take root; let him keep floating in Luoyang.
After this mental pep talk, Wang Dao felt much better.
Seizing the moment after Wang Cheng finished speaking and before anyone else could chime in, he said, "Your Excellency, I believe Sima Ying can muster at most seventy to eighty thousand troops. If we advance steadily toward Ye City, gathering forces along the way, we can amass over a hundred thousand troops and secure a sure victory."
Fighting Sima Ying with double the troops—sounded good, right? Sima Ying had won the battle in Luoyang because he had more soldiers.
But now that he had angered the scholar-officials in Hebei, his support would dwindle, and his resources would be insufficient.
This battle could replicate the strategy Sima Ying had used in Luoyang—simply outlasting him.
Hearing this, Sima Yue, who usually maintained a humble and steady demeanor, couldn't help but get excited.
He turned to Cao Fu and said with a smile, "Young Master Wang is not only skilled in poetry but also in military strategy. With Mao Hong assisting in military affairs, our great cause is assured."
Cao Fu smiled faintly.
Wang Dao's abilities were indeed impressive among the scholar-officials.
What did scholar-officials need most? Not military strategy—that was for the soldiers.
Nor governance—the world didn't need them to govern.
What they needed was the ability to understand people, analyze situations, and rally other families to strengthen their own influence.
If they could do that, they could stabilize the nation and leave their mark in history.
Cao Fu had been observing Wang Dao for a long time.
Today, Wang Dao hadn't shown his usual insight, but that didn't affect Cao Fu's opinion of him.
Among the Wang family, Wang Dao was undoubtedly the best—though Wang Yan might disagree, as he valued Wang Cheng too highly.
"The 'Tribute of Yu' mentions, 'From Taihang and Hengshan to Jieshi, into the sea.' Some say the peaks of Taihang compete in beauty, with lush vegetation and clouds rising at sunrise, creating a magnificent sight," Sima Yue said, his spirits lifted as if he wanted to express his feelings.
"Once we capture Ye City and bring Sima Ying to justice, bringing peace to the land, I will host an elegant gathering on Taihang Mountain. You must all compose poems, and if there are any masterpieces, I will play the zither in harmony."
"We certainly won't spoil Your Excellency's mood."
"The scenery is unique, the mountains and rivers are different. I will accompany Your Excellency to see the beauty of Taihang."
"By the time the autumn air is crisp, we will have taken Ye City. Such a fine time and beautiful scenery are perfect for a feast, playing the zither, and reciting poetry. I would love to attend such a gathering."
"Wonderful! Magnificent! Such a gathering is truly something to look forward to."
Someone even began reciting poetry on the spot.
No alcohol or drugs were involved, but the mood was high.
Someone opened their robe, revealing a chest covered in black hair, and rhythmically slapped their thigh while chanting loudly.
Shao Xun exchanged awkward glances with a few other soldiers.
Why were they even here? After listening for so long, they only understood one thing: Sima Yue was determined to march north and attack Ye City.
No one had any objections to this.
It was clear to everyone that the conflict between the Prince of Donghai and the Prince of Chengdu would eventually escalate.
Marching north was fine.
It was said that Sima Yue had been actively contacting regional lords, building significant momentum.
Barring any surprises, the chances of victory were high.
The question was, how would they fight? No one had mentioned that yet, leaving everyone confused.
Shao Xun drank several cups of tea in a row.
Just as he was about to burst from holding it in, Sima Yue slowly stood up and scanned the crowd.
The surrounding noise immediately died down.
"Today's meeting is just to inform you," Sima Yue said, pacing a few steps to the edge of a cliff, looking down at the clear stream and lush vegetation in the valley.
"From late spring to midsummer, I want to see a capable army. Then, we will clean up Luoyang and swear an oath to march north. My decision is final and will not change."
"Yes, Your Excellency," everyone responded in unison.
Today, their thoughts were unified—a necessary step before the war.
(End of Chapter)