EBE Chapter 443 The Root Cause of Cao Wei's Demise! The Years Cao Cao Lost!
Chapter 443 The Root Cause of Cao Wei's Demise! The Years Cao Cao Lost!
Clearing his mind of all distracting thoughts, Zhong Yao said to Zhong Yu:
"I plan to send you to study under Su Ziyi."
“Xun Wenruo, Xun Gongda, Xi Zhicai and the like were all capable ministers and officials, as well as honest and kind people.”
"Guo Fengxiao, Jia Wenhe, Cheng Zhongde and others are cunning, but they have flaws in their own character."
"Only Su Ziyi, seemingly unambitious, actually always stands with the lord, leading and formulating the various rules of my Cao camp."
“Go to Su Ziyi’s side. Even if you only learn 30% of his skills, that will be enough for you.”
"Furthermore, if I were to lose in the future, I can ask Su Ziyi to protect you so that you won't be implicated."
"Father……"
Even if Zhong Yu was stupid, he could still tell that Zhong Yao's words had a hidden meaning.
Zhong Yao smiled slightly:
"Xun Wenruo betrayed us."
"Now, all he knows is to remain stagnant in the Minister's office."
"But I am different."
"What I represent is a power powerful enough to overthrow the entire Cao camp!"
Zhong Yu broke out in a cold sweat.
(Warning: High-energy content ahead!!!)
Zhong Yao is not just Zhong Yao alone, but an entire interest group.
Now, he represents a newly reorganized and even stronger Yuzhou clan, a clan even more powerful than during Yuan Wei's time!
According to historical fiction, many people know the name Zhong Yao because he was Zhong Hui's father.
I don't know much about him personally.
Or perhaps they only know that he is a skilled calligrapher and has a long tenure in Cao Cao's camp.
In fact, the Yuzhou aristocratic families represented by Zhong Yao were directly responsible for Cao Cao "losing ten years" in history!
After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao, who had unified the north, gave people the impression that he was "old" and "unable to fight anymore".
Some people believe that Sun Quan and Liu Bei had already gained significant influence.
The natural barriers of Shu and the Yangtze River formed a strategic alliance, leading to a situation where Cao Cao could no longer conquer Shu.
In reality, these are just external factors.
The internal factors need to be examined from within Cao Cao's camp.
Xun Yu's death was an important signal.
That marked the first peak of the accumulated internal conflicts within Cao Cao's camp!
Xun Yu's death, as if taking a painkiller, alleviated the conflict.
The second sign was Cao Cao's pacification of Hanzhong, when he "gained Longyou but coveted Shu" and stood on Dingjun Mountain in Hanzhong, gazing at the land of Shu with deep sorrow.
Did Cao Cao not want to eliminate Liu Bei in one fell swoop?
Of course I do!
But he couldn't do it.
The powerful families demanded more power, but Cao Cao refused.
The powerful clans retaliated against Cao Cao by engaging in various acts of inaction, rebellions, and strikes.
Want to wage war? You'll need supplies, right?
Without supplies, let's see how you fight!
Governing a local area requires talented people, right?
Come on, most of the people who can read and write are from our family. If we don't give them to you, what are you going to do about it!
Even a powerful figure like Cao Cao could not have been unaware of the fundamental reasons for the downfall of the Han Dynasty.
Furthermore, the examples of the elder brother Yuan Shao and the celestial being devouring its master are right before our eyes.
Cao Cao learned from his mistakes and always only appointed military generals from the imperial clan, such as Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, Xiahou Yuan, and Cao Hong.
In addition, trusted military officers from outside the imperial family, such as Yu Jin, Yue Jin, and Li Dian, were put in command of troops.
But this is only a temporary measure.
When the power of the Cao family clan weakens and a crisis erupts, it will be the time when the power of Cao Wei falls into the wrong hands!
Why are the powerful families of Yuzhou so strong?
Because the Yuzhou aristocratic families are like a greedy bloodsucker, a super behemoth!
It dates back to the end of the Han Dynasty.
The former leader of the Yuzhou aristocratic families was Yuan Kui, who was the fourth uncle of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu.
After Yuan Kui was killed by Dong Zhuo, the powerful families of Yu Province split up, with some supporting Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and Cao Cao respectively.
Those who supported Yuan Shao included Xun Chen, Guo Tu, and Xin Ping.
Those who supported Yuan Shu included Yang Hong, Yan Xiang, and Chen Yu.
Needless to say, those who supported Cao Cao included Xun Yu and most of the talents he recruited.
However, as time went on, Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao were eventually eliminated.
Some of the powerful families in Yuzhou that had previously supported them have declined, while others have changed heads of the family.
Of course, only a minority have declined.
Even if they truly decline, other aristocratic families within Yuzhou will take their place.
In most cases, it's just a change of head of the family, or a candidate for head of the family.
For example, if Yuan Shao had won, Xun Chen would have been the next head of the Xun family!
Don't underestimate him just because he is the third son of the current head of the family, Xun Kun, and the third brother of Xun Yu.
But aristocratic families and feudal lords are different.
When a family elects a head of household, the first consideration is whether he or she is a direct descendant.
For example, Pang Tong, because he was not a direct descendant of the Pang family, no matter how capable he was, was eliminated directly.
Unless all the direct descendants die, it won't be his turn.
Therefore, the next head of the Pang family is Pang Shanmin, not Pang Tong.
Once it's confirmed that the candidate is a close associate, then their abilities are assessed.
For example, Yuan Wei was only the fourth son of the previous generation of the Yuan family, but he stood out and became the head of the family.
However, after losing Yuan Kui and Yuan Ji, the elder brother of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, the Yuan family chose to personally enter the fray to fight for supremacy.
The position of leader of the aristocratic families in Yuzhou was left vacant.
Whoever can assist the feudal lords in unifying the north will be the next leader of the Yuzhou aristocratic families!
The truth is, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu were defeated, and Cao Cao unified the north.
When the time for dividends arrived, Xun Yu became the new leader of the aristocratic families of Yuzhou.
This is the original historical route.
However, Xun Yu himself had a long-standing comradeship with Cao Cao, and unlike Ju Shou, he was not the kind of person who would force his lord to submit.
However, being in the eye of the storm, the Yuzhou aristocratic family wanted him to become the next Ju Shou, or even stronger than the Ju Shou of the past!
Weary of the situation, when Cao Cao insisted on making Ye City his base and promoted him to Duke of Wei, he chose to alleviate the conflict between Cao Cao and the powerful families of Yu Province through his death.
This may be the truth behind Xun Yu's death. (This is just speculation and may not be correct.)
Compared to unilateral extreme options such as loyalty to the Han or loyalty to aristocratic families.
Xun Yu was also a living, breathing human being.
He is complex and contradictory.
He could have lived, but he did.
The strongest evidence that Cao Cao did not want Xun Yu to die is that immediately after Xun Yu's death, Cao Cao appointed Xun You to succeed Xun Yu as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.
As everyone knows, Liu Xie was a puppet.
Cao Cao was the "true emperor".
In the absence of Su Yu, whoever is the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat is the "true Prime Minister".
Unfortunately, Xun You was not Xun Yu. He acted for two years, but still died from overwork.
Zhong Yao successfully ascended to power, becoming the new leader of the Yuzhou aristocratic families in 214, and held the position until his death in 230.
Of course, before he obtained this position, Zhong Yao's influence within the Yuzhou aristocratic families had already surpassed that of Xun Yu.
Compared to Xun Yu, he was more cold-blooded and more terrifying.
This is why, decades later, Zhong Hui dared to lead more than 100,000 soldiers from Guanzhong to rebel in Shu.
Let me reintroduce Zhong Yao's titles:
A 74-year-old kidney warrior;
The mastermind behind Xun Yu's death;
The leader of a prominent family in Yuzhou for seventeen years;
He was the most respected senior figure to Sima Yi, Chen Qun, and others who had governed Guanzhong for decades!
As Zhong Yao's son, how could Zhong Hui not have ambitions to contend for the throne?
Their background is certainly qualified.
Moreover, due to Zhong Yu's mediocre abilities, Zhong Hui had already taken over all of Zhong Yao's political legacy.
They certainly have the ability.
This is why Sima Zhao and Sima Shi promoted Zhong Hui so swiftly.
Not promoting him won't do!
Just like Ju Shou, he did nothing, but people automatically paved the way for him, and someone made him the governor of Ji Province at the age of eighteen!
Unfortunately, Zhong Hui misjudged people's hearts and the current situation.
Just like Zhong Yao and the aristocratic families of Yuzhou at this moment.
Ahead of them lies a person who never existed before—this is the biggest variable!
……
PS: In order to further develop and advance the plot, the author of this chapter has spent too much brainpower organizing the language, involving a lot of fictional subversion and is quite complex.
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