Sima Yi's dismissal after false rebellion rumors is a Shu stratagem that turns Cao Rui's suspicion of his own commander into a temporary political victory for Kong Ming. Ma Su proposes circulating fabricated accusations that Sima Yi plans to rebel; Cao Rui investigates and, despite Sima Yi's denial and show of deference, removes him from office and takes his army away. The dismissal clears an obstacle to Shu's planned northern offensive, but it is built on misinformation rather than a genuine uprising.

Background and Strategic Purpose

After Cao Pi dies, Cao Rui succeeds him as ruler of Wei. Kong Ming is not troubled by the accession itself, but becomes concerned about Sima Yi's increasing military power. He wants to attack Wei before its forces can grow stronger, especially the forces under Sima Yi's command. Ma Su counsels against an immediate expedition because Shu's men remain exhausted from the southern campaign; he offers instead a plan that might cause Cao Rui to neutralize Sima Yi himself.

Ma Su's proposal exploits a vulnerability within the Wei court: Cao Rui's lack of confidence in Sima Yi. The scheme is to circulate rumors in major cities and post fabricated proclamations in Sima Yi's name, making it appear that he is calling for rebellion. The falsehood is designed not to convince Sima Yi's own troops to revolt, but to make the ruler treat the commander as a threat. In this respect, the stratagem attacks the relationship between ruler and general rather than a battlefield position.

The Fabricated Proclamation

The plot is put into action, and a false proclamation appears on the main gate at Yecheng. It claims that Cao Pi had originally intended Cao Zhi to succeed him, that Cao Rui was chosen instead despite lacking virtue, and that Sima Yi must overthrow the current ruler to fulfill Cao Cao's supposed wishes and the will of Heaven and the people. The proclamation thus combines a disputed succession story with an appeal to political legitimacy, giving the accusation a plausible public rationale within the narrative.

The text does not establish that Sima Yi authored or endorsed any part of the proclamation: its authorship is part of the fabrication. At court, the document produces anxiety and renewed argument about the commander. Hua Xin recalls Cao Pi's warning that Sima Yi had the appearance of a dangerous schemer who could bring disaster if allowed power. Others advise immediate action, while some suspect the accusation is a Shu or Wu operation intended to destabilize Wei. The court's disagreement shows that the proclamation works by amplifying existing mistrust, not by supplying proof of an actual conspiracy.

The Imperial Inspection and Dismissal

The court settles on an inspection at Anyi, where Sima Yi will formally receive Cao Rui. Cao Zhen advises watching his conduct and arresting him if he appears rebellious. Cao Rui travels with a force of one hundred thousand soldiers, making the inspection a coercive test as well as an imperial visit.

Sima Yi arrives with thousands of infantry and cavalry, intending to honor and impress the emperor. Cao Rui instead demands to know why he is in rebellion. Appalled by the charge, Sima Yi swears that the accusation must come from Shu or Wu and orders his troops to withdraw as a gesture of goodwill. He bows deeply before the imperial carriage, but the display does not restore the emperor's trust. On Hua Xin's advice, Cao Rui strips Sima Yi of his position, orders him back to his ancestral village, and transfers his army to Hua Xin. The dismissal is therefore the direct political consequence of the false rumor: Sima Yi's command is taken from him without the narrative establishing that he had rebelled.

Consequences for the Northern Campaign

When news reaches Shu, Kong Ming is delighted. He had feared invading while Sima Yi retained an army; with the commander removed, he persuades the second ruler of Shu to authorize war. Kong Ming presents a formal petition urging the ruler to continue his father's ambition of reunifying the empire. The ruler worries that Kong Ming may be overextending himself so soon after the arduous southern campaign, and astrological warnings are also raised, but Kong Ming argues that the time to act has come.

The plot's immediate military value is thus indirect: it does not itself defeat a Wei army, but temporarily weakens Wei's command structure and changes Kong Ming's assessment of the risks of invasion. The subsequent campaign does not become effortless. Sima Yi later returns to command Wei troops, and at Jieting his forces confront Ma Su's inexperienced defense; Ma Su disregards Wang Ping's advice, loses the position, and the Shu army suffers a serious setback. The later reversal underscores the limited duration of the stratagem's advantage: removing Sima Yi briefly creates an opening, but does not guarantee success in the field.

Narrative Significance

The episode makes political intelligence and military strategy inseparable. Ma Su's plan succeeds because it converts a ruler's suspicion into an order that changes who controls Wei's army; Sima Yi's respectful conduct cannot overcome a court already primed to read him as dangerous. The proclamation's appeal to succession and Heaven's will also shows how claims about legitimacy can serve as instruments of political manipulation, rather than reliable evidence of a claimant's intentions.

The episode belongs to the novel's larger pattern of victories achieved through deception, but its result is temporary and costly in its implications. Kong Ming gains the chance to campaign, while the later defeat at Jieting reveals the danger of treating an opponent's temporary removal as a substitute for sound battlefield judgment. The story presents stratagem as capable of changing the balance of power, yet dependent on what commanders do with the opportunity it creates.