[ Lightscreen]
[If we consider the timeline alone, something already feels wrong.
Hu Weiyong supposedly persuaded Li Shanchang in the eighth month, yet Hu Weiyong's head fell the following year in the first month. The interval is far too short.
In the case concerning Wang Guangyang and the death of his concubine, which was later discovered to involve a confiscated woman, some researchers have also examined the matter and concluded that Hu Weiyong was implicated by that affair and had already been imprisoned in the ninth month. In other words, the period in which he and Li Shanchang could have collaborated in rebellion would have been only one month, making the timeline even tighter.
Furthermore, the Lin Xian case already mentioned that Lin Xian left Ningbo in the ninth year of Hongwu to prepare a fallback arrangement. The timing simply does not match.
Moreover, given Li Shanchang's position, the promise of making him merely Prince of Huaixi would hardly be sufficient to persuade him. From the timeline to the motive, everything reveals an air of inconsistency.
Aside from this, another piece of evidence later cited for Li Shanchang's treason was the Feng Ji case, or rather the "communication with the barbarians" case that formed a branch of the Hu Weiyong affair.
The general outline of this case is fairly simple. Hu Weiyong supposedly sent a man named Feng Ji to the Northern Yuan with a letter seeking joint rebellion against the Ming. However, Hu Weiyong died too quickly. Later, after the Battle of Buir Lake, Lan Yu captured Feng Ji, but Li Shanchang concealed him. When this matter was later exposed, it triggered yet another major upheaval within the bureaucracy.
The reason it is called merely an outline is that sources such as the History of Ming, the Veritable Records, the Record Exposing the Traitorous Faction, the Critical Examination of National History, and the Biographies of the Founding Ministers all present different versions of the details.
For example, regarding Feng Ji's origins, some say he was from Henan, others from Changzhou. As for his identity, some claim he was a prisoner-soldier from the capital, while others say he was actually a subject of the Northern Yuan.
When it comes to how he became associated with Hu Weiyong and was sent north with the letter, the differences are even greater. Each book tells a different story, with no two accounts the same.
For this reason, most scholars also believe the credibility of the Hu Weiyong "communication with the barbarians" case is rather low. By extension, Li Shanchang, who was implicated by association, likely had little to do with it.
Another reason why the claims that Hu Weiyong colluded with foreign powers and Japanese pirates are viewed with skepticism lies in the phenomenon sometimes jokingly called the "Hu Weiyong Grand Universe" in the late Hongwu period.
The Veritable Records state that in the thirtieth year of Hongwu, officials of the Ministry of Rites claimed Hu Weiyong had conspired with Sanfoqi. Sanfoqi refers to Srivijaya, a powerful kingdom that at its height dominated much of what is now the Malay Archipelago.
Records from the fifth year of the Yongle reign state that Hu Weiyong secretly communicated with Bu Chongji'er, a state in the Western Regions that maintained trade relations with the Ming.
Later still, someone recorded that in the seventeenth year of Hongwu, the Hongwu Emperor even investigated the matter of a Goryeo envoy who had allegedly communicated privately with Hu Weiyong.
Looking back at these claims, it would appear that Hu Weiyong had colluded with every corner surrounding the Ming realm, making him perhaps the greatest diplomatic figure of the early Ming.
One can only say it is a pity that Hu Weiyong never went west to borrow elite troops from the Ottoman Empire. Otherwise, who knows how the Age of Exploration might have unfolded.
Of course, this is only a joke. But from the sheer number of conflicting or dubious records, the claim that Li Shanchang was a co-conspirator in Hu Weiyong's rebellion is indeed difficult to believe.
As for the cause of Li Shanchang's death, the explanation most commonly accepted today can be summarized in one sentence.
Sima Yi bears full responsibility.
However, beyond this explanation, to say that Li Shanchang truly rebelled would likely be unjust. Yet to claim he was entirely innocent and died purely as a victim of injustice would not necessarily be accurate either.]
Inside Huagai Hall, Li Shanchang's emotions rose and fell dramatically.
As he listened to the later generations point out, step by step, the flaws within historical records and use them to infer that he had not participated in rebellion, he almost felt as though he had survived a calamity.
Because of this relief, when the later commentator joked about Hu Weiyong secretly communicating with various foreign states, he even managed to laugh along.
As for the phrase "Sima Yi bears full responsibility," Li Shanchang almost instantly understood the implication behind it.
At that moment, an entire speech of grievances had already formed within his mind. He had drafted promises to resign from office, return home, close his gates to visitors, and peacefully pass his remaining years in retirement.
He even rapidly reviewed in his mind the lives of figures such as Zhangsun Wuji and Zhao Pu. He had even thought of imitating the emperor by writing words upon the light screen to exchange thoughts with Zhangsun Wuji regarding their shared grievances, in order to win the emperor's trust.
After all, with this light screen present, Zhangsun Wuji should surely know what had happened after his death. The only uncertainty was whether he still accompanied Emperor Taizong of Tang.
Yet these thoughts, whether serious or wandering, were quickly shattered by the sudden turn of the light screen's words.
Hope had just been given, only to be crushed again. Such a sensation was almost maddening. It made him want to leap to his feet and shout in anger, demanding to know what was meant by the claim that he had "not necessarily died unjustly."
But when he remembered the matters Hu Weiyong had once discussed inside his own residence while still alive, he fell silent.
Rebellion was certainly intolerable to the emperor. But were those other matters truly tolerable?
Would the iron certificate of immunity truly be effective?
The phrase "the final interpretation belongs to the organizer" came back to mind. At that moment he understood its meaning with unprecedented clarity.
Whether death could be avoided did not depend upon the crime, nor upon the promises written upon the iron certificate, nor upon the accusations recorded on the iron board.
It depended solely upon the emperor's words.
"Does Shanchang have any further details to confess?"
Zhu Yuanzhang's expression was calm. There was neither harsh anger nor emotional persuasion. It was merely a simple question, as ordinary as asking what someone had eaten for breakfast.
Yet Li Shanchang did not dare treat the question as ordinary.
He struggled and hesitated for a moment. Finally he glanced up at the light screen before speaking.
"I was aware that my younger brother had formed secret ties with Hu Weiyong. At the time I did not report this to Your Majesty. That was my failure as a minister."
Li Wenzhong heard this clearly.
Compared with the morning, Li Shanchang's voice now sounded far weaker, yet it also carried a faint sense of calm acceptance.
Zhu Yuanzhang offered no comment. After a moment of silence he simply nodded and waved his hand, saying nothing more.
…
In Ye City, Liu Xie could not help feeling somewhat curious.
"Imperial Uncle, where is Sima Yi now?"
Liu Bei touched his nose somewhat awkwardly.
"After I captured him, he expressed his willingness to serve under my command."
"Later, the son of the Sima clan accompanied General Wu Yi in pacifying Nanzhong, establishing Yunnan Commandery and bringing the southwestern tribes under control. His achievements there may be considered meritorious."
"Because of his administrative talent and his familiarity with the affairs of Yunnan, he was appointed Commandery Administrator to govern and civilize that region."
Liu Xie nodded in approval.
"General Wu Yi expanded the territory of the Han. His achievements are truly great."
"As for Sima Yi, he traveled far to Nanzhong to guard the frontier and spread the teachings of the sages. This too may be regarded as an honorable story for the Sima clan."
With these words the matter was officially settled. Clearly, until Yunnan Commandery showed results under his governance, Sima Yi would find it difficult to return.
Meanwhile, at the end of the first month of the year, while the ruler and ministers here conversed pleasantly beside a warm brazier,
far away, Sima Yi's face had been tanned red by the sun.
He shaded his eyes with one hand while listening to a tribal chieftain excitedly explain that the distant settlement ahead belonged to the tribe that had attacked the commandery governor and plundered supplies.
The famous scholar from Henei lifted the hem of his robe, which had nearly been torn into strips, revealing the animal-hide leggings bound around his thighs.
Drawing his sword, whose jade ornaments had long since been replaced by animal fangs, he shouted:
"Those without the Way are thieves. Today we strike them down by the Mandate of Heaven!"
The tribal chieftain stared blankly, clearly understanding none of it.
Sima Yi sighed, tapped the shield of a Han guard beside him with his sword, pointed ahead, and said simply:
"Kill."
As the tribesmen howled and charged toward the fortress, Sima Yi felt a surge of heroic ambition rising in his heart.
Once Yunnan is fully pacified, could I not rely upon this merit to stand beside Imperial Uncle Liu?
And if Liu Bei one day advances into the Central Plains and defeats Chancellor Cao, would not I, Sima Yi of Henei, surely become one of his pillars?
Able to expand the frontier, offer strategy, and plan the stabilization of the realm, why should my name not be recorded in history?