Chapter 118 Sima Zhongda who was able to 'endure' those years!
Later, after Cao Pi succeeded to the throne, Sima Yi's life became less aggrieved and much better than when Cao Cao was there. After all, Cao Pi needed Sima Yi more than Cao Cao and trusted him more.
In his official career, his official position has been promoted higher, and he can be regarded as a veteran of two dynasties. However, the fate of the Sima family is still controlled by others, but it was Cao Cao before.
Now it's just Cao Pi. If he wants to truly control himself and the fate of the Sima family in his own hands, and not control his life and death in the hands of others, Sima Yi still has a long way to go!
In November of the first year of the Huangchu reign of Emperor Wen of Wei (220), Cao Pi ascended the throne and was known as Emperor Wen of Wei in history. After Cao Pi ascended the throne, he appointed Sima Yi as Shangshu, and soon became the governor of the army, censor Zhongcheng, and was granted the title of Marquis of Anguo Township.
In the second year of Huangchu (221), he was removed from the post of governor and promoted to Shizhong, the right servant of Shangshu.
In the fifth year of Huangchu (224), Cao Pi attacked Wu and watched the troops along the river. Sima Yi was ordered to guard Xuchang, and changed the title of Sima Yi to the title of Xiangxiang Marquis.
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Sima Yi refused, and Cao Pi said: "I deal with national affairs day and night, without a moment's rest. Now I am not conferring you an honor, but asking you to share my worries."
In the sixth year of Huangchu (225), Cao Pi once again launched a large fleet to attack Wu, and ordered Sima Yi to stay in Xudu to pacify the people internally and provide military supplies to the army externally.
Before leaving, Cao Pi issued an edict to Sima Yi: "I am deeply worried about logistics and internal matters, so I entrust these important matters to you.
Although Cao Shen has many military exploits in history, Xiao He's support in the rear is more important. Now you stay in the rear so that I don't have to worry about going west. Is this feasible?"
Afterwards, Cao Pi returned to Kyoto from Guangling (now Guangling District, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province), and issued an edict to Sima Yi: "I am sending troops to the east to send troops to Sun Quan, and you should be in charge of Luoyang in Kyoto. While I am in Luoyang, you should be in charge of Sun Quan's campaign in the east.
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So he ordered Sima Yi to stay in Xuchang. It can be seen that at that time, he had won the trust and respect of Cao Pi. However, Cao Pi was in good health and was only thirty-nine years old. He only lived to the end of his thirties.
He will only enter his forties next year, and Cao Pi also thinks that he can live for at least another ten or twenty years. It is more than enough to firmly control Sima Yi's double-edged sword.
Maybe Cao Pi could survive Sima Yi to death, but unfortunately things didn't work out as he wished. Cao Pi, who was in good health the year before and went on the expedition himself, saw his health deteriorate sharply the next year and had to go ahead.
In May of the seventh year of Huangchu (226), Cao Pi fell seriously ill. On his deathbed, he ordered Sima Yi, General Cao Zhen of the Chinese Army, Chen Qun, the General of the Zhenjun, and Cao Xiu, the General of the Eastern Expedition, to serve as auxiliary ministers.
Cao Pi said to Prince Cao Rui: "The three important ministers here must not doubt them."
It can be seen that Cao Pi, who was dying, was already worried about whether his son Cao Rui could control Sima Yi. Cao Rui ascended the throne and changed the title of Sima Yi to Wuyang Marquis.
After Sun Quan learned that Emperor Wen of Wei had passed away, he sent troops to attack Wei in August.
He ordered Zhuge Jin and Zhang Ba to attack Xiangyang in two groups, and personally led the army to attack Jiangxia County (governing Shiyang County, southwest of Huangpi in present-day Wuhan).
Sima Yi repelled Sun Quan, defeated Zhuge Jin, and beheaded Zhang Ba, beheading more than a thousand people. In December, Sima Yi was promoted to General of Hussars.
In June of the first year of Taihe (227), Emperor Wei Ming, Cao Rui, ordered Sima Yi to garrison Wancheng and supervise the military forces in Jing and Henan provinces.
When Shu general Meng Da surrendered to Wei, Wei treated him very well. Sima Yi thought that his words and deeds were very clever and could not be trusted.
But Cao Rui refused to listen and appointed Meng Da as the prefect of Xincheng (now Fang County, Hubei Province).
After Cao Pi's death, Meng Da fell out of favor, and Shu Prime Minister Zhuge Liang secretly communicated with him, plotting to rebel against Wei.
Zhuge Liang was afraid that he would be erratic in his words and deeds, and wanted to urge him to rebel quickly. Knowing that Shen Yi, the prefect of Wei Xing, had a conflict with him, he sent Guo Mo to Shen Yi to pretend to surrender, intending to leak the story.
When Meng Da heard this leak, he was ready to launch an army immediately.
After Shen Yi reported the matter to Sima Yi, Sima Yi was afraid that he would suddenly get into trouble, so he sent him a letter detailing his condolences.
Meng Da was overjoyed, but hesitant.
Sima Yi secretly led his army to attack. When the generals saw Meng Da and Wu Shu handing over, they advised Sima Yi to observe first and then move.
Sima Yi said: "Mengda has no faith. Now is the time when he is hesitant. We should calm him down in time while he is undecided."
Sima Yi personally led his army to attack Mengda day and night, and arrived at the gate of Xincheng in eight days. Of course, that was many years ago.
Now, it's another question whether his body can support eight days of day and night travel. Of course, if it's a big escape like last time, it's another question. If he doesn't run fast, his life will be in danger. It's long gone, even if you can't run, you still have to run forward with all your strength.
Wu and Shu sent reinforcements to rescue Mengda, but they were blocked by Sima Yi's troops at Anqiao, Mulansai and other places in Xicheng.
Previously, Zhuge Liang had warned Mengda to take more precautions. Mengda wrote to Zhuge Liang and said: "Wancheng and Luoyang are 800 miles apart and 1,200 miles away from me. The above table is for the emperor. The round trip will take at least one month. At that time my city was fortified and all my armies were ready.
The terrain where I am stationed is deep and dangerous, Sima Yi will definitely not come in person, and other troops will come, so there will be no danger."
However, Sima Yi killed first and then reported, and his troops arrived at the city in only eight days. Meng Da wrote to Zhuge Liang again, exclaiming: "I want to take action, but Sima Yi's troops came to the city in eight days, how fast!" Shangyong City (southwest of today's Zhushan County, Hubei Province) is surrounded on three sides. Mengda built wooden palisades outside the city to strengthen the city's defenses. Sima Yi sent his troops across the water, destroyed the wooden palisades, and advanced to the city.
In the first month of the second year of Taihe (228), Sima Yi divided his troops into eight groups to attack the city. In only sixteen days, Meng Da's nephew Deng Xian and his general Li Fu surrendered.
The Wei army entered the city, captured Meng Da and sent him to the capital, capturing more than 10,000 people.
Sima Yi returned to the army and remained stationed in Wancheng, rewarding farmers and mulberry trees and prohibiting waste. The officials and people in the south were convinced. At first, Shen Yijiu was in Weixing County, monopolizing power and engraving seals in the name of the emperor without authorization, and granting them privately.
After Meng Da was killed, Shen Yi had doubts. At that time, the governors of various counties saw that Sima Yi had defeated the enemy and congratulated him one after another.
Sima Yi let it go and asked someone to give a hint to Shen Yi. Shen Yi had no choice but to come to congratulate him. Sima Yi took the opportunity to arrest him and sent him to the capital. Sima Yi also moved more than 7,000 Mengda's remaining families to Youzhou.
Soon the Shu generals Yao Jing, Zheng Ta and others came to surrender with more than 7,000 of their subordinates. At that time, the border county was newly attached and the household registration was false. The court wanted to verify it and invited Sima Yi to Beijing to consult his opinion.
Sima Yi believed: "The rebels restrained their subordinates with strict laws, so they were abandoned by their subordinates. They should be treated leniently, and then they will naturally be happy."
Cao Rui asked him again where to start the crusade against the capitals of Wu and Shu. Sima Yi replied: "The state of Wu thinks that our northern soldiers are not used to water warfare, so they dare to disperse in Dongguan.
As long as you attack the enemy, you must strangle the enemy's throat and hit their heart. Xiakou and Dongguan are the heart and throat of the Wu army.
If we attack Wancheng with troops on land, Sun Quan's troops will move eastward and he will send his navy to attack Xiakou and take advantage of its weakness to attack, and we will definitely be able to defeat the Wu army."
Cao Rui was convinced of his views and once again ordered Sima Yi to station troops in Wancheng to prepare for war.
In August, Grand Sima Cao Xiu did not follow the plan and went down to Wancheng to go deep into the enemy territory to meet the Wu general Zhou Li who was pretending to surrender. He was ambushed by Lu Xun in Shiting and was defeated. Cao Xiu died of illness.
Regarding Cao Xiu's death from illness, he watched with cold eyes and did not force himself to come forward, just like he had to endure the death of Cao Pi. Only by enduring more of the Cao Wei clan to death could he have the final say in the Wei Dynasty and be his own master!