Luoyang Spring

Fives,

The days of youth pass quickly.A few years later, Sima Zhao began to fight with his father's army. Although he did not hold an important position, he gradually gained battlefield experience.Ruan Ji left Luoyang and returned to Chenliu to take care of his aging mother.

On the day Ruan Ji left, someone from the family said that his mother was ill.Sima Zhao was away with the army at that time, and Ruan Ji was worried about his mother's health, so he forgot to write a letter to say goodbye to him in a hurry.

A few years later, the emperor Cao Rui died.The young emperor Cao Fang, who was only eight years old, succeeded to the throne. Sima Yi and Cao Shuang were both important ministers of Tuogu.

At that time, it was widely circulated among the people that Sima Zhao, the son of the great general, Diannong of Luoyang, was a thrifty, harsh, and respected official.The reputation carried by the Sima clan is loyalty and love for the people-at least at that time.

In the past, classmates and friends got married, started businesses and dispersed, and even the group of people who stayed in Luoyang gradually became acquaintances.Ruan Ji studied literature and literature in his hometown all year round, and his reputation gradually spread to the capital.When Sima Zhao communicated with his colleagues, he occasionally heard people praising Ruan Ji, a celebrity from Chenliu. He recalled the days when the two were good friends, and he couldn't help but lament how time flies.

In fact, Sima Zhao doesn't often miss the past, he is used to focusing on the present.It's just that he can always remember a lot of trivial things, and it's easier to think of them when he sees old people.Therefore, when he conquered Shu as Xia Houxuan's deputy general, he suddenly remembered the inscription on the stone tablet.

General Xia Houxuan, general Ruan Ji, Sima Zhao who joined the army... In the early days, he and himself were both moving towards their ideals, but what happened to Sizong?

So he asked when walking side by side with Xia Houxuan, do you still remember Sizong?

Now Xia Houxuan is already the general of Zhengxi outside the town, with a steady brow, most of the impetuousness and arrogance of the past have faded away.Standing on his horse, he was surprised why Sima Zhao suddenly mentioned his old friend, but he just nodded without looking sideways.

At that time, Sima Zhao's father was no longer a general - in order to seize Sima Yi's military power, Cao Shuang was respected as Tai Tuo by his superiors and took over the position of general himself.And Xia Houxuan is Cao Shuang's cousin, and was brought up by Cao Shuang all the way.

Sima Zhao and Xia Houxuan were walking together, and they couldn't help feeling uncomfortable.But after all, there was a sense of intimacy between the two families, and he still cared about the affection in the beginning.

It wasn't until Cao Shuang was killed by Sima Yi's mutiny that Sima Zhao saw Ruan Ji again in Luoyang.

Ruan Ji was enlisted to be his father's aide, and after his father died of illness, he continued to be his brother's aide.In fact, Sima Zhao was the one who proposed to recruit Ruan Ji at first——Sima Zhao thought it was a good decision when his heir was well-known, he had Ji Shizhi, and his father was also employing people.

The reunion of old friends was originally a joy, but time has passed, and it is difficult for the two of them to regain their previous feelings.

In fact, Sima Zhao was still friendly to Ruan Ji—although he vaguely sensed that the other party was not sincere, and always had a cautious and perfunctory attitude.He could understand it, probably because his father involved too many famous people when he suppressed Cao Shuang's followers, and Ruan Ji also felt that he was under a dangerous wall.

Sima Zhao has fought many battles, big and small.War is mind-numbing—numbing to blood, numb to tears, numb to human feelings, numb to life.He had very little emotional fluctuations until something happened to Xia Houxuan.

In the middle of the court, there was news that Xia Houxuan wanted to kill Sima Shi and seize the position of general.When Master Sima heard about it, he was charged with treason and executed in the city.

On the day of his execution, Dongcheng Center was besieged.Sima Zhao originally thought that he had passed the age of being sentimental, but when he saw his brother's cold face and Taichu's decisive expression, he couldn't help crying.

Under the power struggle, any emotion is very small.

Sima Zhaozheng was glad that no one noticed him, but suddenly he found that he was next to him, only half a person's width away.

The man did not flick his tears easily - he quickly turned around and wiped his eyes, not sure if Sizong had seen it.

"Xia Houxuan, General."

A very soft voice came from beside his ear - Sima Zhao turned his head slightly in shock, only to see Ruan Ji looking at the execution platform sadly.

Sima Zhao was about to ask him what he meant, but Ruan Ji gave him a deep look, and left without saying a word, leaving only a lonely and vicissitudes of his back.

A few days later, he heard some new lines of Ruan Ji's poems from people in the palace——

Wandering in the empty hall, I don't know what to do.

Wish to see the pawn happy, but not sad to part.

……

It's all in the past, so why worry about it—Sima Zhao was comforting himself in his heart when he suddenly heard the axle creak and stop turning.He raised the veil of the car at hand and looked out, and a small soldier cupped his hands forward: "General, further ahead is the scene of fire."

Sima Zhao nodded and got out of the car surrounded by people, only to see them in an empty wasteland.Despite the distance from the fire, he could still feel the rushing heat.The choking soot could be smelled in the air, and many people covered their mouths and noses with their sleeves.

In addition to the officers and soldiers who came together, there were many people living nearby.The middle-aged men were all helping to put out the fire, and there were mostly women, children, old and weak in front of them.Everyone had mournful expressions on their faces, and they were discussing something in whispers.Some items were scattered scattered on the ground, obviously these people rolled up valuables at home to avoid the fire.

Sima Zhao walked up to several residents to inquire about the situation of the fire. Seeing that the visitor looked like an official with extraordinary equipment, the residents threw themselves on the ground in fear and fear, not daring to get up.Sima Zhao signaled that he didn't mean to be held accountable, and they raised their heads one after another.It turned out that everyone didn't know where the fire started, but they saw thick smoke in the forest, and some people rushed to tell that there was a fire in the forest, so they fled here with their families and belongings.

"The firefighting troops from the city have arrived, and if there is no accident, the fire will be under control within a few hours," Sima Zhaowei caressed, "You don't have to worry. When you return to the palace, the lonely general will play the role of the emperor, and the rent in this area will be halved." Fu. The imperial court will give grain to families who lose their property or affect their harvest due to the fire.”

The people were overjoyed when they heard this, and they all bowed to the ground to thank them again and again, with gratitude in their eyes.Sima Zhao looked at them, a flash of astonishment flashed in his eyes - back then, Cao Mao said that everyone in the world knew Sima Zhao's heart, but Sima Zhao never knew what others thought of him.

Cao Mao... He frowned again when Cao Mao was mentioned.On that day, someone from the palace suddenly reported that the emperor rushed to the general's mansion with a hundred servants and wanted to confront Sima Zhao.The incident happened suddenly, and Sima Zhao hurriedly arranged several groups of troops to stop the emperor, but unexpectedly, it turned into a tragedy of killing the emperor.

The Wei family was in poor condition, and Sima's meritorious service was outstanding, and all the officials could see it.Cao Mao has great ambitions and cannot bear to be humiliated, which has always been a worry in Sima Zhao's heart.Sima Zhao had envisioned many endings, such as abdicating in peace, coercing abdication... but he never thought that what he would face in the end would be the charge of killing the king.

After taking over the business of his father and brother for many years, he forced himself to cultivate a calm and calm mind.He rushed all the way from the General's Mansion to the South Tower of the Imperial Palace. He had already figured out a countermeasure and prepared Qi Qiran to act out the pain of bereavement; but when he saw his uncle Sima Fu crying bitterly on the emperor's blood-stained robe , Suddenly the mind went blank.

How will the people of the world see themselves?

Jia Chong knelt on the ground and begged him to punish him. He suppressed his anger and waved his hands to make him stand up.

If Jia Chong hadn't been in the front, the situation would have been more difficult to end that day.Jia Chong can't be killed—looking at the palace, there is only one person he can trust completely from ability to loyalty.

However, someone must take responsibility for the regicide, not Jia Chong, let alone himself.After thinking about it again and again, he chose Cheng Ji who personally stabbed the emperor to death.

The matter has not reached the point of no return, the imperial palace belongs to Sima's family, so there is no need for him to worry.The next day he coerced Queen Mother Guo to write about the emperor's crimes, and shifted the greatest responsibility to the emperor himself.

After years of fighting, what is a mere emperor compared to those who died in the army?Sima Zhao told himself this repeatedly.

It was that time that he thoroughly understood the qualities that a powerful minister should have - cruel, decisive, calm, and not afraid of violating his conscience.

But he didn't have a sense of accomplishment, he just felt endlessly exhausted.

As he grew older, he yearned for a more comfortable life.But with the mission of the family, and stepping on the divided Central Plains, he knew that he had no time to rest.

There is only one thing that worries him—what do people in the world think of Sima Zhao?

Sima Zhao, who occupies a high position, never lacks the admiration of others.The flattering subordinates, the emperor who is controlled by others, and the celebrities who are forced to become officials, who dare not praise themselves?Even Ruan Ji, who is known for being upright, is willing to sing praises for him!However, these praises are often against his will, and he can't tell the truth from the truth.

But what do people in the world think of Sima Zhao?

I remember that when he was young, he first served as a Diannong official, and the extravagance of Emperor Ming still remained.Luoyang's original soil was not developed and the arboriculture was out of season, so he personally reformed the administration of officials and cut exorbitant taxes.When he went to Tuntian District to persuade the people to farm and sang, an old man heard that he was the new Diannong Sima Zhao, and gratefully threw down his hoe and bowed.

He has not seen such a sincere look in his eyes for a long time—until the fire broke out in the mountains today, he personally faced these suffering refugees.

I remember the way Ruan Ji looked at him when he was young.

At that time, Sizong seemed to have said that Zishang loves others and is diligent in his profession. He is a rare and precious man today.

He couldn't remember when he and Ruan Ji became estranged.For decades, the situation in Luoyang city has been changing.He knew that Sizong was sensitive, although he never complained, he carefully hid his true self.In the past, Si Zong was not addicted to alcohol, and would persist in going to school even in bad weather-but now he often ignores world affairs because of his drinking.

I feel familiar because of the companionship I used to have, but I feel strange because of his current refusal.

Sima Zhao suddenly realized that after he killed Ji Kang and Lu An, Ruan Ji never took the initiative to speak a word to him, as if he had quietly disappeared from his own world.

The fire is not as serious as it seems.The officers, soldiers and civilians worked together to saw off a forest, and the fire lost its momentum on the fault, and was quickly brought under control.

After receiving the news ahead, Sima Zhao felt relieved, and hurriedly organized everyone to set up a temporary shelter until the fireworks cleared.He inspected the fire source within a radius of five miles, and the work everywhere was progressing in an orderly manner.Remembering that Jia Chong was still under martial law in the city, he left one person in charge in the mountains, ready to go back to the city.

"What's the location here?"

"I'm telling you, General, there is a temple for picking weeds, except for a mile or so to the east, where the mountain people live and do their activities."

"Caiwei Temple?" Sima Zhao raised his eyebrows, "Is the solitary bamboo gentleman Boyi Shuqi paying homage?"

"Exactly."

Sima Zhao couldn't help looking to the east, there seemed to be a strong force pulling his mind.Caiwei Temple... unexpectedly came here again.When I came back last time, it was still decades ago, right?

He glanced at the slightly westward sun—there was more than enough time to enter the city before the sun went down.

"The generals listen to the order - I will wait to go to the Caiwei Temple first, to worship the ancestors and then go down the mountain."

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, not knowing how the general came to be so interested.

"The temple has been unattended for many years, and the general may be swept away..."

"No problem." Sima Zhao interrupted the other party bluntly, turned around and ordered, "Get ready to go!"

He is not dwelling on the past.Just from the moment when the ruts rolled over the mountain road, the memories of youth came along with the warm spring wind—it’s been a long time.

How great it would be to meet the grandmother who led him back then—he will tell her personally that the reckless scholar you helped is the number one general in the dynasty.

No, the Grand General has nothing to be proud of.Let that reckless young man stay in Grandma's heart forever.

He lightly clutched his sleeves and strode towards the east.

The moss-stained door made a dull sound, like an old man panting heavily.Sima Zhao led the crowd into the door, and the feeling of deja vu came over his face.

Boyi and Shuqi were still sitting in the lobby facing the door—when Sima Zhao was with Ruan Ji that year, Sima Zhao didn't pay attention to these two people.When he approached, he saw that the two of them were sitting in an awkward posture.He couldn't tell who was who, looked at them thoughtfully, and suddenly felt that Ruan Ji looked a little like them now.

Was it because you had the ambition to pick weeds that you worshiped piously at the beginning?

While everyone was wandering around, Sima Zhao suddenly thought about something—the room here is spacious enough to accommodate some of the victims.

Thinking of this, he led the crowd to a side room, estimating in his mind how many people the room could accommodate.

I vaguely remember that it was in disarray at that time, but now it seems to have been cleaned up a lot.

He was immersed in thinking, when suddenly his eyes fell on the candlestick facing the door, and his expression sank.

Seeing that the general's expression was wrong, everyone followed his gaze.I saw a black spirit tablet standing in the center of the table, and the words on it were particularly eye-catching——

The spiritual seat of the sage Ji Kangshu Ye.