Chapter 8: Passing Is Not My Limit

The official title of "Acting Assistant," or rather, a position that could barely even be called an official post—a mere concurrent duty—possessed a power of intimidation far beyond what Shi Shouxin had imagined.

After identifying himself outside the main camp, the Colonel of Agriculture, Xie Zuan, came out to greet him in person. Upon meeting, he bowed respectfully to Shi Shouxin and said, "Master Shi, please, step into the tent for a chat. I have already prepared the grain ledgers and have been awaiting your arrival for some time!"

Xie Zuan laughed heartily, projecting an air of absolute confidence. He appeared to be in his forties, vigorous and robust, yet unlike the coarse and boorish types typically found among military men; he carried himself with a scholarly elegance.

"After you!"

Shi Shouxin wore a smile as he followed Xie Zuan into the camp. From the moment they met, the atmosphere between them was remarkably harmonious.

Although called a "Tuntian" (military agricultural) zone, this place was, in reality, a full-fledged military encampment. It was equipped with wooden barricades and caltrops, and arrow towers stood in dense, overlapping rows, with watchtowers positioned behind them at regular intervals.

The scale of the entire camp was astonishing, divided into six distinct zones connected by camp gates and guarded by checkpoints where one had to provide a password to enter or leave.

In the Three Kingdoms period, war was the central theme of life; everything existed to serve it. From the layout of the camp, Shi Shouxin could tell that the military preparations of Cao Wei were solid. Even with the Sima family usurping power, they had not relaxed in this regard.

Upon entering the commander’s tent, they found over a dozen minor officials busy moving piles of bamboo slips, many hunched over desks, tallying figures in a frenzy.

"Acting Assistant Shi, please take a look. Here is the general ledger. Over there are the itemized records of grain silo expenditures and revenues for these years, currently still being verified. Once you have examined the ledgers, we shall proceed to the grain silos to verify the actual quantities."

Xie Zuan spoke with great humility. Clearly, he had been well-prepared.

Xie Zuan was a fellow townsman of Sima Yi, parachuted into Hedong to serve as an official. He was not exactly of one mind with the local Hedong clans. Before Shi Shouxin arrived, Sima Zhao had already sent word to Xie Zuan, warning him that someone would be coming to inspect the grain reserves and advising him to act accordingly.

The remark seemed innocuous on the surface, but it carried deep implications.

Sima Zhao’s goal was to conquer Shu, not to embarrass a fellow townsman. Since he had delivered the warning, if Xie Zuan had been trafficking in military grain, he was expected to use the time difference to replenish the silos and satisfy the inspection.

Sima Zhao could only help him to that extent. If something were truly unearthed, he would have to handle it according to the law. Otherwise, if the invasion of Shu failed due to a lack of grain, he would have no choice but to take Xie Zuan’s head to appease the public.

Of course, if Xie Zuan had not committed any crimes and the ledgers were in order, the reminder would simply serve as an expression of Sima Zhao’s protection toward his fellow townsman.

"Hmm, the Colonel has prepared things quite thoroughly. Let us begin the inspection then." Shi Shouxin nodded slightly.

*Huh? I was just being polite; you’re actually going to check?*

Xie Zuan’s expression stiffened, followed by a bitter smile. He had assumed this was just a formality, never imagining the central government actually intended to investigate, or that this greenhorn was determined to follow protocol to the letter.

Xie Zuan pulled Shi Shouxin aside and whispered, "Master, let us step aside to speak."

Shi Shouxin understood and led him to his own quarters. Xie Zuan carefully brought over a wooden chest and opened it, revealing dozens of IOUs.

"These were borrowed over the years by the great clans of Hedong. They claimed it was to provide disaster relief to the local people, and each time, I felt compelled to agree. As for whether they actually provided relief, I have no way of verifying; I only hoped that Hedong would remain stable."

Noticing Shi Shouxin’s face remained as stern as water, Xie Zuan added, "There is a shortfall of about one million hu—an entire year’s worth of agricultural production."

"Does the Great General know of this?" Shi Shouxin asked.

For a Colonel of Agriculture to lend military grain to powerful Hedong families was no small matter!

"Perhaps he knows, but it was not I who reported it," Xie Zuan replied, shaking his head.

Hearing this, Shi Shouxin looked at Xie Zuan with a mocking, half-smile. "There are some women of loose morals whose belts are looser than willow fluff, allowing any man to pull them down for a taste of their charms. Master Xie, is your belt loose or tight?"

*Just admit you’re a harlot! You lent grain whenever the Hedong families asked; how are you not a public common carrier?*

Seeing Shi Shouxin’s biting sarcasm, Xie Zuan knew he was in the wrong and did not retort.

After a long silence, Xie Zuan sighed heavily. "The three rebellions in Huainan were of massive scale. The Great General’s mansion’s power was precarious. Not only did the officials in Luoyang see it, but the great clans of Hedong saw it too. In such a situation, if I had refused to lend grain to them, and they had risen in response to the likes of Guanqiu Jian or Zhuge Dan, or even directly seized the military grain, how was I to respond?"

Xie Zuan had been the Colonel of Agriculture for over a decade and understood the local situation deeply. As for whether the Hedong clans were testing him or truly lacked grain at the time, their true intentions could no longer be known.

"Very well. I will transcribe these IOUs into a ledger and take them with me to submit to the central government. As for your situation, Master Xie, I will put in a good word with the Sili Xiaowei (Colonel Director of Retainers) when I return. Whether the Sili Xiaowei or the Great General will listen, I cannot guarantee."

Shi Shouxin nodded, not intending to make things difficult for Xie Zuan. He understood the man’s predicament; to stabilize the Hedong clans and prevent them from actively supporting the Huainan rebellions, Xie Zuan could not afford to escalate the conflict.

It was a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. However, these issues were beyond Shi Shouxin’s power to resolve; reporting them truthfully was all he could do.

The Sima family’s rise to power was illegitimate, leading to a series of sequelae that could not be solved; they could only muddle through day by day. Once things were laid out in the open, Xie Zuan showered Shi Shouxin with thanks, declaring that he could inspect the accounts however he pleased, as his conscience was clear.

With Xie Zuan’s active cooperation, the inventory of the grain silos was completed in two or three days. The result was exactly as Xie Zuan had described; the shortfall matched the IOUs. The remaining discrepancies were within the margins of loss permitted by the court—after all, even the mice in the silos had to eat.

When water is too clear, there are no fish; it was impossible to have everything perfectly match. In other words, Xie Zuan was still a diligent and competent official. He simply could not withstand the relentless pressure from the Hedong clans.

In an era where officials dared not speak of loyalty, the encroachment of clans upon government power was an inevitable phenomenon.

After leaving the agricultural office, Shi Shouxin felt a heavy heart. Although he had never expected much from the Sima family, he had not realized that even before they had unified the empire, the country already showed signs of impending collapse.

To gain support, the Sima clan was forced to share power with local clans. Now that they were openly borrowing without repaying, one could hardly imagine what the future held.

Arriving outside the city of Anyi again, Shi Shouxin stood for a long time, weighing the pros and cons. He did not rush into the city, nor did he leave.

"Master, why don't we deliver that summons? Once it's delivered, we can return to Luoyang. The Young Mistress is still waiting for you at home," his attendant, Xigou, reminded him, seeing him hesitate at the gate.

"Let’s go. Enter the city." Shi Shouxin had made up his mind. He beckoned to Xigou.

He realized he could not leave just like this. This task, as it stood, was only "enough to report back," not "well done."

As a subordinate, one must constantly gauge the different needs of immediate superiors, department managers, and the CEO. Only then can one weigh the pros and cons and focus energy in the right places, rather than indulging in wishful thinking.

Regarding the audit, Sima Zhao’s requirement was simple: ensure there was enough grain for the invasion of Shu, and on that basis, the more the better. As for the hidden agendas of the clans, Sima Zhao was well aware of them, or perhaps he was simply powerless to stop them.

He wanted loyalty. As long as the powerful families stood on the side of the Sima clan, a little excess in local matters was of no consequence.

In other words, for Sima Zhao, the lower limit of Shi Shouxin's task was low, but the upper limit was invisible! This was why Shi Bao dared to entrust such a task to a nobody like him.

To Sima Zhao, Xie Zuan’s situation—lending out so much grain—was a forced choice in unstable times and was excusable. As long as the reserves were sufficient to support the invasion, Sima Zhao would turn a blind eye.

But Shi Bao’s intentions certainly went further, for he was the Sili Xiaowei. He had to know the state of the accounts. He had to know how deep the waters were in Hedong. What if something happened there, just as it had in Huainan? His expectations for Shi Shouxin were certainly not just to gloss over the matter.

"A simple task" was not so simple after all. After long deliberation, Shi Shouxin had made his decision.

***

In the backyard of the Hedong Commandery Governor’s office, Governor Wang Jun and his wife, Lady Xu, were playing chess. Wang Jun was from Hongnong, born into a family that had served as two-thousand-dan officials for generations; Lady Xu was the daughter of the prominent three-dynasty minister Xu Miao. This couple could be considered both wealthy and noble.

Wang Jun was over fifty. He had started his career early and achieved fame early. However, as the saying goes, one succeeds because of Xiao He and fails because of Xiao He; he had climbed quickly due to his father-in-law, and later been dragged down by him.

His father-in-law, Xu Miao, was a veteran minister of Cao Wei, deeply feared by Sima Yi. Consequently, Wang Jun’s career path was delayed by the "black swan" event of the Sima family replacing the Cao. To this day, he could only serve as a local official. He owed his current position as Governor of Hedong to the grace of Cao Mao.

Of course, as the Sima family gradually eliminated their political opponents, they were no longer as wary of veteran officials who had not clearly taken the side of the Cao clan. Thus, Wang Jun was now in a position where he could potentially climb a bit higher, yet his prospects were clearly not bright.

"My husband has great ambition. The world is changing, and there will surely be an opportunity for you to realize your aspirations," Lady Xu said, watching Wang Jun, who was still pouting like a child at over fifty, and couldn't help but comfort him.

"Who can say? Sigh!" Wang Jun sighed deeply, filled with the frustration of unfulfilled ambition and half a life squandered.

At that moment, his second son, Wang Ju, crept in, whispering in his father’s ear for a long time with a worried expression. After hearing his son’s account, Wang Jun’s heart sank.

"Trouble has arrived. Rest for now, my lady; I must go receive the imperial envoy," Wang Jun sighed at his wife and followed Wang Ju to the study.

Shortly after, the imperial envoy was brought in—none other than Shi Shouxin.

"Governor Wang, I am Shi Shouxin, courtesy name Ganzhang, an Acting Assistant under the Sili Xiaowei. I have come from Luoyang on official business." Shi Shouxin introduced himself concisely, without mentioning his specific purpose.

Wang Jun glanced at his son, Wang Ju, standing to the side and waved his hand slightly. The latter exited the study without a word, closing the door and standing guard outside.

"I wonder what brings the envoy to see me? The Sili Xiaowei... I don't seem to have any dealings with him." Wang Jun asked calmly, though his heart was in turmoil.

*Trouble from the Sili Xiaowei’s office—anyone could guess that was nothing good!*

"I have a copy of a government file here. Would Governor Wang be interested in seeing it? If not, I shall show it to the Great General once I return to Luoyang." Shi Shouxin appeared very steady, serious, and not aggressive. He stood as straight as a pine, neither humble nor overbearing.

Wang Jun gestured for him to proceed. Shi Shouxin pulled a scroll from his sleeve, spread it out on the table, and then watched Wang Jun quietly, saying nothing more.

The scroll listed: *Hedong Pei Clan, borrowed so-and-so many hu of military grain from the Tuntian silo, followed by the marks "One," "Three." Hedong Liu Clan, so-and-so many hu of military grain, followed by the marks "One," "Two."*

It was a collection of copied IOUs, but the "One, Two, Three" markings were puzzling.

"Governor Wang, I would like to ask you: are these grain borrowings true?" Shi Shouxin asked, looking at him.

"Uh, I have heard rumors of these things. They are indeed true, but I have never had concrete proof. The borrowings are certain, but I have not verified the amounts myself." Wang Jun explained, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

"Governor Wang, are you not curious? The 'One, Two, Three' after each entry are notations I made after verifying them at the silos. Are you not curious what they mean?" Shi Shouxin asked with a smile, though the look in his eyes was cold.

"What do they mean?" Wang Jun asked.

"One represents borrowing during the first Huainan rebellion; two represents the second; three represents the third. Now that I’ve said this, Governor Wang, do you not understand? Are you truly confused, or are you pretending to be?" Shi Shouxin tapped the table with his index finger. Even as a "small" Acting Assistant, his power was not something Wang Jun could ignore.

Wang Jun couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He knew his trouble had come.

During the Huainan rebellions, the clans of Hedong had borrowed military grain from the Colonel of Agriculture. What did they intend? Was it to cooperate with the rebels, or to rebel themselves? They surely didn't borrow that grain to eat it themselves—did they expect to eat tens of thousands of hu in one go?

Was it perhaps to stab the Sima family in the back while they were campaigning in Huainan?

Perhaps it was, perhaps not. So, it was better to let Sima Zhao see it and judge for himself, wouldn't you say?

And as the Governor of Hedong, with such a massive hidden danger in his commandery, was it due to incompetence and dereliction of duty, or because he was in cahoots with the local clans?

Many things could not withstand scrutiny and detailed investigation!

"If the envoy intends to deal with me, you may simply arrest me; there is no need for such elaborate measures. Since you are willing to discuss this in private, there must be a proper way to resolve it. Pray, speak your mind." Wang Jun said in a low voice, no longer wishing to beat around the bush.

Shi Shouxin nodded. "Governor Wang is a sensible man. Let me be blunt: the Great General intends to invade Shu; this is known to all. Therefore, he is very concerned about whether the great clans of Hedong are loyal to him or not. Governor Wang, are you loyal? If you are, how do you intend to prove it to the Great General? If this document is delivered to the Great General’s mansion, I fear your time as Governor of Hedong will have come to an end."

Shi Shouxin pressed him, shattering the last shred of wishful thinking in the man’s heart.

The Sima family had risen to power through betrayal, so they were exceptionally sensitive to whether others were loyal to them! Words were useless; Sima Yi himself had once pointed to the Luo River as a pledge! To prove "loyalty," one needed concrete action.

"I beg the envoy to show me the way! I am certainly sincere!" Wang Jun was sweating profusely, nearly ready to kneel before Shi Shouxin.