When Sima Yi played chess with Zhuge Liang back then, he lost every battle. Although he managed to make a move that surpassed Zhuge Liang after Zhuge Liang left, who knows if Zhuge Liang had no moves left.

Moreover, at that time, Sima Yi arrogantly told Zhuge Liang, Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting are mere trifles; it’s the sagely task to pacify and govern the nation, and to see who is superior on the battlefield one day, but the results...

Zhuge Liang is now increasingly fierce, blocking Sun Ce in Jing-Xiang, battling the Huns in the north. No doubt when Zhuge Liang returns to Chang’an this time, he will set a record as the youngest to be ennobled for military achievements in history!

If he returns before the year’s end to worship at the Grand Ancestral Temple, Zhuge Liang will break Huo Qubing’s record of being ennobled for military achievements at seventeen; if he returns after the new year, he will match Huo Qubing’s record.

As for Sima Yi, it’s best not to mention...

In such circumstances, how could Sima Yi bow to Zhuge Liang to be his second-in-command? He would rather die than bow to Zhuge Liang. As Sima Yi put it, his head could only rotate left, right, forward, and backward; it could never bow.

Thus, Sima Yi decisively refused the job his father found for him, intending to stay in Chang’an and witness the complete chaos there.

What is meant by having a beginning and an end is precisely this. Of course, Sima Yi is now forcing himself to be strong; his heart is bleeding. Being the first to step out and establish a country on the empire’s fringe as a bridgehead for future advancements would surely be immortalized in history.

But Sima Yi simply couldn’t bear working for Zhuge Liang; such a thing was absolutely intolerable!

Ah, damn Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi thought there’d inevitably be a fight when he eventually met Zhuge Liang. This damned guy has unwittingly tripped him up so many times!

[Should I turn back? There are peers from the Chen Family and the Sima Family, I should be able to suppress Zhuge Liang. Should I go back...] At this moment, Sima Yi’s heart ached like never before. He wanted to go back but felt it was too humiliating. Ultimately, he resigned himself to staying.

And so, Sima Yi staggered back to Zhong Yao, enduring the pain in his heart. Zhong Yao was wholly absorbed in calligraphy, using the charm of Cai Bojie’s calligraphy to forcibly divert his disappointment with Liu Xie.

Sima Yi, seeing this, knew better than to disturb Zhong Yao. After glancing at some books but, due to his agitation, not absorbing much, he tossed the book aside, feeling a bit aimless, and began to wander in Zhong Yao’s courtyard, which soon felt somewhat dull.

So Sima Yi tidied himself up, took the pass given by Liu Xie, and headed to the palace, planning to visit Liu Xie. Although he thought Liu Xie’s recklessness was excessive, things hadn’t yet reached a point of no return, and Sima Yi intended to do his duty.

Of course, part of the reason was the recent events had indeed made Sima Yi somewhat dispirited. Engaging in things he previously wouldn’t have done was a way to divert attention, even nauseate himself a bit.

At least nauseating oneself was far better than being nauseated by Zhuge Liang from some unknown corner, remotely troubling him; hence Sima Yi went.

As before, holding Cao Cao’s token and Liu Xie’s token, Sima Yi reached Liu Xie’s study unhindered, where Liu Xie was currently inside.

"Your Majesty? I have urgent matters to report," Sima Yi said calmly.

"Sima Zhongda, come in. I haven’t seen you for the past few days," Liu Xie said, sitting steadily in his chair.

"A few days ago, Cao Zixiu imposed excessive surveillance on me, making it impossible for me to come," Sima Yi quickly crafted an excuse, though Liu Xie couldn’t verify this and simply nodded without any doubts about Sima Yi’s reply.

"Your Majesty, could you tell me who suggested incorporating the Southern Huns into the West Garden Headquarters and the Southern Army?" Sima Yi asked courteously, bowing to Liu Xie.

Though Liu Xie thought he had conducted this matter secretly, the aristocratic families and sages of Chang’an were already aware. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

This decision was also the reason for the utter despair felt by Sima Yi, Zhong Yao, Yang Biao, and others. Liu Xie’s inclusion of the Southern Huns into the West Garden Headquarters and Southern Army was truly a misplaced strategy.

Ordinarily, this seemed like a decent move; the Southern Huns had no support, trapped in the Northern Frontier. With the Emperor’s grand purpose, they would fight for him, and the Southern Huns’ sense of grand purpose would eliminate their entrapment in Bingzhou’s north.

Moreover, the Han Dynasty’s main strength is incredibly robust. The Southern Huns wouldn’t have any ambitious thoughts, thus controlling their backlash.

Just as in history, when Liu Xie withdrew from Li Jue’s control, he edicted for the Southern Huns to come to aid. Right Virtuous King Liu Qubi and Left Virtuous King Liu Bao responded to the edict but came largely for commanded plundering, not genuinely to guard the Emperor.

Even in the end, only Right Virtuous King Liu Qubi, satisfied from plundering, actually came to guard Liu Xie. Meanwhile, Left Virtuous King Liu Bao turned back home after plundering most of Sili, utterly disregarding Liu Xie. For them, obeying the command was merely grand purpose; actions depended on whether the sovereign’s power was sufficient.

Currently, Liu Xie desperately needed his own army. Choosing the Southern Huns, who required "grand purpose," their interests almost perfectly aligned.

Ultimately, for Liu Xie, as long as he controlled the realm, the resources promised to the Southern Huns were insignificant, and the Southern Huns were merely subjugated Barbarians. At that point, he could simply order them out of the Central Plains; otherwise, the world would unite to fight them, unlike previous uncontrollable forces like Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, or Cao Cao.