Qi Ning was silent for a moment, and finally said: "Old Marquis, if an epidemic really happens and everything goes as I said, but the court is not prepared, more people will definitely be infected. This epidemic The poison is very rare and very powerful. At least no one has been able to detoxify it yet. Mr. Marquis, if you think this is alarmist, if one more person is infected, it may mean one more life."
Sima Lan put his hands on the stove to warm them. Hearing Qi Ning's words, he raised his eyes slightly and asked, "I will send someone to investigate the matter first. If it is indeed what you said, I will naturally make arrangements. But I Da Chu can no longer withstand too many storms, and building the capital city of Ye is even less able to withstand the storms."
"Okay, since the old Marquis said this, I have nothing to say." Qining knew that he had said everything he should say. If Sima Lan really paid attention to this matter, he would never be able to talk nonsense to him here and give up. He said, "I'll take my leave now!" He turned around and left.
Sima Lan stared at Qining's back with sharp eyes, but did not stop Qining from leaving.
Qi Ning had just walked away when a man walked in from the outside. He was forty years old, stout, with a Chinese character face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he looked quite heroic.
"Dad, is what he said true or false?" The middle-aged man sat down on a chair nearby, "Virus infection? Hehe, I have never heard of such a thing."
"Do you think it's true or not?" Sima Lan leaned back in the chair, wrapped his rather thin body in a black robe, his eyes were deep and thoughtful.
The middle-aged man said: "Alarmist!" He snorted coldly: "In my opinion, it's just that this kid just inherited the title and wanted to make great achievements. After Qi Jing's death, the flag of Jinyihou is no longer as majestic as it used to be. This kid I'm afraid he wanted to regain his former prestige. I didn't know where I got the messy news, so I hurried to find dad."
"Oh?" Sima Lan remained calm and calm.
"He wants to use dad to mobilize troops. He is really naive." A contemptuous smile appeared on the middle-aged man's face: "I heard that this kid was captured and stimulated, and then he became enlightened. This can be regarded as The Qi family has accumulated some virtues. Hehe, but he is still not smart enough. How can dad easily mobilize his troops just because he is chasing rumors?"
Sima Lan stared into the middle-aged man's eyes and said in a low voice, "But I thought that what he said was not just speculation, but that it was true."
The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment, his lips moved, but he could not speak.
"Just because you haven't heard it doesn't mean it doesn't exist." Sima Lan's low voice was slightly hoarse: "When you listen to a person, you don't look at his mouth, but at his eyes. You can tell the truth and lies in the eyes. .”
The middle-aged man frowned and said, "Dad, are you saying that an epidemic is really going to break out in the capital? If that's the case, why are you...?"
"Are you asking why I didn't prepare to deal with it immediately?" Sima Lan glanced at the middle-aged man and said calmly: "Chang Shen, dad named you Chang Shen, do you know the meaning?"
The middle-aged man said: "Dad has asked me countless times. My son naturally knows that always being careful and always being careful means that my son must be cautious no matter when and where he is."
"I have asked you countless times, just because I know you will not keep it in mind." Sima Lan sneered, "I am already over sixty years old, and my life is seventy years old. In a few years, I will be seventy years old. Can I still be there? If you live until then, it depends on God’s will.”
The middle-aged man was naturally Sima Changshen, the prince of Zhongyi Hou. His eyes twitched slightly and he hurriedly said: "Dad, you... why are you suddenly saying this?"
"I just want you to know that after I die, you will be responsible for the Sima family." Sima Lan said slowly: "What I need is an heir who can make the Sima family prosperous."
Sima Changshen opened his mouth slightly, but did not dare to speak.
"What Qi Ning said is probably not false." Sima Lan said slowly: "He said that the epidemic will break out soon. I believe it will really appear soon."
"In that case, why didn't you make preparations earlier?" Sima Lan asked: "If it is true as Qining said, I'm afraid...!"
"Have you prepared early?" Sima Lan sneered, "Are you saying that I should mobilize troops and horses overnight, blockade the streets and alleys, and then wait for the outbreak of the virus?"
"Qi Ning is right about what he said." Sima Changshen said: "Before the antidote is found, being infected by the virus is equivalent to losing your life. If preparations are not made early, the infected people will be all over the streets. Lane, attack other people like wild beasts, and more people will die. We can minimize the damage by making preparations in advance."
"I ask you, since it is poisoning, there must be a real culprit behind the poisoning. Such a powerful epidemic poison cannot be produced by ordinary people." Sima Lan looked gloomy: "Do you know who is behind the poisoning?"
Sima Changshen was startled, of course he couldn't know.
"The other party's purpose must be to spread the epidemic in the capital. Do you think that the other party is deliberately trying to make some civilians infected with the epidemic and die?" Sima Lan leaned in his chair, shook his head and said, "This is absolutely impossible. He must have a deeper and more sinister purpose...!"
"Dad, what do you think...the other party's purpose is?"
"I can't see it yet." Although Sima Lan was over sixty years old, his eyes were still shining: "But at this time, we can't mess up our position, and we must be cautious." He sneered: "Who dares Guarantee, Qining came here tonight not to put on a show in front of me?"
"A show?" Sima Changshen said in astonishment: "Dad, you mean...?"
"I have never underestimated the Jinyi Qi family." Sima Changshen said: "Even if he is a little baby, he is still a Jinyihou after all. I must be careful every step." He glanced at Sima Changshen and said: "You have What he said is true. After Qi Jing's death, Jin Yihou seemed to have lost his glory. Qin Ning inherited Jin Yihou, so he naturally did not want to see the family fall into decline. Not only him, but also those who were involved with Jin Yihou did not want to Seeing the decline of Jin Yihou."
Sima Changshen obviously didn't understand yet, and there was a trace of confusion in his eyes.
"Qining came here to ask me to mobilize troops. Why did he come to me at this time?" Sima Lan's eyes were filled with tears. "In the middle of the night, after the palace was closed, there was such a big event that needed to mobilize troops to deal with it. It seemed natural that he came to see me. , but it is precisely this matter of course that makes people suspicious."
Sima Changshen seemed to understand a little better and said: "Dad, you mean that he deliberately waited until the middle of the night to find you? Yes, since he knew the news, why didn't he report it to the emperor yesterday? But he delayed it until the middle of the night to find dad."
"Since I am the Minister of Tuogu and assist in the affairs of the government, when the situation is critical, I can indeed mobilize the Tiger God Camp and even the Black Blade Camp into the capital." Sima Lan stroked his beard gently: "But this power is a double-sided blade. If you are not careful, you may cut yourself."
Sima Changshen often followed Zhongyi Hou. Although he was not as scheming as Zhongyi Hou, he was not stupid. He quickly figured out the key and asked in a low voice: "Dad, could it be that King Huainan is behind this?" The shadow of an old dog?”
"I didn't say that, but I have to be on guard." Sima Lan sneered and said, "Don't forget that Xiao Zhang put on a good show of crying during Qi Jing's funeral."
Sima Changshen said in shock: "Dad, is it possible that Qining is colluding with that old dog?"
"I said, you have to guard against everything." Sima Lan said: "Xiao Zhang is cunning and cunning, so you should be more careful with him. If Qining comes tonight, and there is Xiao Zhang's shadow behind him, it must be a conspiracy. "Sneered and said: "The previous deployment of troops was just to keep the emperor on the throne, but this time if I mobilize troops easily before the epidemic breaks out, do you think Xiao Zhang will miss this opportunity?"
Sima Changshen's expression also became cold and stern: "That old dog will definitely ask people to impeach Dad, saying that you mobilize troops at will and unscrupulously, and even ask people to accuse Dad of treason."
Sima Lan said: "It's good that you know this." She clasped her hands together and put them on her chest, "Of course I'm not afraid of them participating in the impeachment, but I don't want to cause this trouble. Everyone in the court knows that when the emperor ascends the throne, our Sima family has made great contributions. Wei, now is the time when our Sima family has unlimited glory, but it is at this time that our Sima family must keep a low profile and be cautious, and we must not let others catch us easily."
"I see." Sima Changshen understood: "Dad, are you worried that if you mobilize troops at this time, people will think that our Sima family is arrogant and mobilizes the imperial troops without any scruples?"
Sima Lan showed a deep smile: "I have to whisper when I walk now, how can I mobilize the troops? Regardless of whether Qi Ning is acting or not, how can I cause trouble for the Sima family because of his few words."
"But... if what Qi Ning said is true, we have no preparations to mobilize troops. Once the epidemic breaks out, wouldn't many more people die?" Sima Changshen said: "Dad, you have the right to enter the palace at any time. Do you want to stay overnight? Go into the palace to see the emperor, and with the emperor’s imperial edict, and then prepare the troops, no one will dare to say anything.”
Sima Lan frowned and said: "I just complimented you, why are you so confused? Meeting the emperor at any time and mobilizing troops and horses are not the rights of ordinary ministers. Since I don't mobilize troops, of course I can't enter the palace overnight. These rights belong to me. The blade in your hand must not be used lightly unless it is absolutely necessary." He leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on the stove, and said slowly: "The outbreak of the epidemic is nothing more than the death of a few more people. There are hundreds of thousands of people in the capital. , thousands or eight hundred people died, it is not a big deal, and there is nothing to worry about. When the epidemic really breaks out, I will ask for orders to mobilize the troops, and everything will be still in time. "
Sima Changshen hesitated for a moment and finally said: "What dad said is true, let's just wait!"
"Remember, you are not a gentleman if you are petty, and you are not a husband if you are not poisonous." Sima Lan stared at Sima Changshen's eyes and said word by word: "Never let anything mess up your position. Those who achieve great things never know how to be a wife. Human kindness!”