Chapter 1030 Changes in the Palace (1)
Getting no response from Sun and Liu, Cao Rui turned his attention to Lian Zhao again.
Lian Zhao, who always knew Cao Rui’s thoughts best, glanced at Sun and Liu, and then whispered:
“Your Majesty, the affairs in Xuchang City have not yet been settled, and many people have not even settled down yet. It may be difficult to find Cao Changshi for a while.”
“Since Your Majesty is ill, it would be better to rest as much as possible. Why don’t you wait for Cao Chang to come to the palace and meet him again…”
Cao Rui’s eyes had a complicated expression, and he was silent for a while, but finally said:
“Then let Cao Zhaobo come in.”
Cao Shuang, who was guarding the door, had wiped the sweat from his forehead for an unknown number of times.
Although it has entered winter, he is still sweating constantly.
He kept trying to take deep breaths to stabilize his emotions, but it was in vain.
Cao Shuang, who was in a daze, didn't hear Lian Zhao's call at all. It wasn't until he felt someone approaching that he suddenly woke up.
“General Cao, your Majesty invites you.”
“Oh, oh, okay...what? Your Majesty?”
After Cao Shuang reacted, his expression changed.
“General Cao, please.”
When things came to a close, Cao Shuang felt his throat was dry. He swallowed with some difficulty, and then started to move his legs.
I don't know if he was numb or his legs were softened. This stepped, his body shook and almost fell.
As a member of the Cao family, and a former general and former chief minister, he has been able to enter and leave the palace freely since he was a child, and he has a good relationship with Cao Rui.
Chao Shuang has had smooth sailing since he was a child, and he has never seen any big storms.
Although Sun Liuer had told him early on, everything had been prepared for him.
But when he actually got involved in such a big event, he still couldn't help but feel a little scared.
As Lian Zhao entered the bedroom, Cao Shuang said tremblingly:
“I’m pleased to see you, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live long and be happy forever!”
Hearing Cao Shuang’s congratulations, Cao Rui’s eyes were a little sarcastic and he murmured to himself:
"Long live Qianqiu, long live Qianqiu...hehe..."
Not to mention a thousand years, even a hundred years is enough!
Seeing Cao Rui's appearance, Sun Zi was afraid of having a long night and having too many dreams, so Yue Li reminded him: "Your Majesty!"
Cao Rui sighed, moved his eyes, and looked at Cao Shuang:
“Uncle Zhao, can you take on a big responsibility?”
Cao Rui's voice was not loud and hoarse, but to Cao Shuang's ears, it was like thunder piercing his ears, as heavy as a thousand junctures.
The words that had been planned long ago were completely forgotten due to the excessive tension at this time.
Cao Shuang felt that his mind was at a loss, and he opened his mouth:
…
I waited for a long time, but I couldn't say the second word.
Liu Da, who was standing next to him, was anxious. He looked at Cao Shuang's fat body and cursed in his heart that this man was really like a dolphin dog.
The critical moment turned out to be like a pile of mud.
However, it was precisely Cao Shuang's weak temper that was why he was favored by Sun and Liu.
Liu Fang knew that in this case, there could be no delay at all, otherwise, Cao Rui, who had finally been persuaded, might change his mind again.
He kicked Cao Shuang secretly and whispered:
“Hurry up and say that you are willing to die to serve the country!”
Cao Shuang was reminded by Liu Fang and subconsciously shouted:
“I am willing to die to serve the country!”
Cao Rui didn't know if he saw the little moves between Liu Fang and Cao Shuang. He looked at Cao Shuang and became silent again.
Liu Fang and Sun Zi knew that Cao Shuang was weak-tempered, and Cao Rui naturally knew it too.
If he is given great power, Cao Shuang may not be able to fight against the extremely ruthless Sima Yi in the future.
“Your Majesty?”
"Da Sima is an auxiliary minister left to me by the late emperor. Now he is leading the army to resist the enemy. It would be rude not to say anything about such important national affairs. What should I do?"
Sun Zi and Liu Fang looked at each other.
"Your Majesty, the country is in a critical moment now. If we recall Da Sima, who can stop the Shu captives? Why don't we order him to guard Luoyang and resist the Shu captives?"
“At that time, as long as I give Da Sima the title of auxiliary government, I think Da Sima will know that the overall situation is the most important thing and will not worry too much.”
“Really?” Cao Rui twitched the corner of his mouth, not sure if he wanted to sneer or something.
He hoped that Sima Yi would be more careful.
A minister who is willing to fight for power in the court is at least much better than a minister who is willing to support the army and respect himself.
It’s just... Even if I issue an edict to let Sima Yi come to Xuchang now, Sima Yi won’t come, right?
Not to mention that I may not dare to issue such an edict now.
Cao Rui sighed inwardly.
Sun and Liu’s suggestions can indeed be regarded as mature advice for the country.
The entire Imperial Guard was wiped out, and the throne, which had always been unstable, would probably become even more precarious in the future.
Given the current situation in the Wei Dynasty, there is probably no better way except to temporarily appease Sima Yi and let him lead the army to guard Luoyang to prevent the Shu captives from continuing to advance eastward.
If an edict is issued to force him to come to Xuchang, if he disobeys the order, it will be a disgrace to the emperor.
What I fear most is that if he comes with a large army, who can stop him?
The matter of Dong Zhuo leading his army to Beijing is still before our eyes.
How could Cao Rui commit such a stupid thing again?
He did not hesitate to lose face and retreated to Xuchang when the war was unfavorable, which was closer to Jingzhou and Yangzhou than Luoyang.
In case something happens, the armies from these two places can come to support faster.
“Will Sima Yi really stay in Luoyang with peace of mind?”
“Your Majesty, Da Sima is already a very popular minister. If he surrenders to the captives, will the Shu captives be able to give him more than the great Wei?”
"What's more, the Shu captives exploited aristocratic families, and there are many rumors of people destroying their families. The Sima family is a big family in Hanoi. If they surrender to the captives, who knows if they can maintain their prosperity today?"
In short, Sima Yi not only has no benefit from surrendering to the captives, but may also have disadvantages, so why did he surrender to the captives?
Not only will he not surrender, but in order to maintain his current status, he will work hard to resist the prisoners.
"Your Majesty, in urgent times, extraordinary things must be done. The Sima clan comes from Hanoi. Now the Shu soldiers are approaching the east of the river, and there is only one pass between them and Hanoi."
"If Sima Yi retreats again, he will give up the foundation of his family, so I think he will definitely defend Luoyang."
Sun and Liu finally convinced Cao Rui with one sentence each.
Cao Rui looked at Cao Shuang again, who had remained silent:
"Cao Zhaobo, since you said you are willing to die to serve the country, then I will make you a general to assist the future young emperor. Do you dare to take on such a big responsibility?"
Cao Shuang finally heard Cao Rui's words and immediately fell to the ground in ecstasy:
“I wish that my liver and brain would be wiped out and I would die!”
The sweat on his face finally dripped to the ground due to excessive exertion.
Cao Rui nodded invisibly, closed his eyes, and lay down on the couch, his face looking extremely tired:
“I’m tired, you go down first.”
Sun and Liu saw that the important matter had been decided, so they went out together with Cao Shuang as promised.
Coming out of the bedroom, Cao Shuang bowed to Sun and Liu and saluted:
“If it weren’t for the two secretaries of state, would Shuang’an be where he is today? When His Majesty truly delivers the edict to the world, Shuang’an will definitely come to express his gratitude in person.”
Sun Zi and Liu Fang looked at each other, both stroking their beards and smiling.
"The general's words are serious. We are just Zhongshu, how can we be treated like this by the general?"
"You deserve it. The two Zhongshu are the elders who followed Emperor Wu. They are not as good as the younger ones. In the future, we will have to rely on the two elders for matters in the court."
"General, you're welcome. We are both old, but we just have more experience. How can we say that we rely on you?"
“It’s very true, in the future, the government will still have to rely on the general to support the overall situation. If the general asks anything, we will tell you everything.”
To be precise, Sun and Liu now call Cao Shuang the general, which is extremely polite.
Because there is a process for worshiping a general.
The general of the worshipers asked for a hundred officials, and the emperor, Guang Luxun and others sent by the emperor to read the book in public, and then Shang Shulang paid the royal history by the seal of the seal.
The imperial censor will then grant him a seal, seal, and ribbon, and finally give him gifts such as ritual vessels. This is when he is officially appointed as a general.
But in the eyes of the three of them, since His Majesty has already agreed, it is already a certainty. It doesn’t make much difference whether he calls early or later.
And now in the palace, would anyone dare to chew the ears of three people?
Just when Sun Liu and Cao Shuang thought they were successful, in the emperor's bedroom behind them, Cao Rui, who was already too tired to speak, suddenly opened his eyes.
“Your Majesty?”
Lian Zhao, who had been standing by the couch, immediately came over.
"You should go immediately to announce that Cao Changshi has entered the palace. Remember, you are not allowed to let anyone know."
)
At this time, Cao Yu, who had just come out of the palace, turned a corner along the wall of the imperial city and met a person head-on.
“King Yan!”
When Cao Yu saw Cao Zhao, he was startled at first, and then a look of understanding appeared on his face:
“Chang Si has been staying here?”
“Exactly.”
Cao Yu looked around, then lowered his voice:
“Why doesn’t Chang Si enter the palace?”
Cao Zhao had a sad look on his face and said slightly irritably:
"Since arriving in Xuchang, I have not been able to have the same convenience as in Luoyang. I can enter and leave the palace at will. In addition, His Majesty has been ill, and the ministers are not allowed to enter the palace without issuing an imperial edict."
"In the past few days, I have repeatedly submitted petitions to enter the palace to see His Majesty, but Your Majesty has never issued an edict, and I have no choice."
After hearing this, Cao Yu moved his lips, but he didn't know how to tell Cao Zhao.
Cao Zhao didn't notice Cao Yu's look, he just asked slightly anxiously:
“King Yan, how is your Majesty’s health?”
"this…"
Cao Yu hesitated for a moment and stopped talking.
“King Yan, I know that your Majesty’s physical condition is a palace secret and cannot be inquired about at will, but...”
Cao Zhao lightly hit his left palm with his right fist several times and stamped his feet at the same time, showing his inner anxiety:
"I haven't seen your Majesty for a long time, and I'm worried about your majesty's health."
Seeing that Cao Yu still refused to explain, Cao Zhao knew his difficulty and did not continue to press. He just changed the topic:
"King Yan, when your Majesty was in Luoyang, you had the intention of appointing an auxiliary minister. Your Majesty once revealed to me that he wanted to make King Yan a general and the head of the auxiliary ministers."
When Cao Zhao said this, he glanced at Cao Yu.
Cao Yu’s expression did not change much. He sighed:
“I came to the palace today just for this matter.”
"Oh?" Cao Zhao suddenly became happy when he heard this, "Your Majesty has made up his mind?"
The gloom in my heart for many days suddenly seemed like the sun was shining through the clouds.
As long as King Yan becomes a general, what will he have to worry about in the future?
Cao Yu nodded:
"Your Majesty wanted to make me a general, but I refused."
Cao Zhaocai's face that had just turned happy suddenly froze.
His eyes widened suddenly, his mouth opened and closed, but he couldn't spit out a word.
After a while, he forced a smile and said:
“King Yan, this joke is not funny at all.”
Cao Yu shook his head:
“I’m not kidding, I’m serious.”
How can it be reasonable for an uncle to assist a grandnephew who is less than eight years old?
At that time, the world will only laugh at him for being greedy for power and ignorant of the truth.
Besides, Cao Yu saw with his own eyes how Cao Pi and Cao Zhi fought to the death for the position of the heir apparent.
Cao Zhi's tragic situation after his failure in the fight for the throne was even more a warning to him.
Given the current situation in the Wei Dynasty, the dispute between the court and the court is probably more dangerous than the dispute between the prince and his son.
He didn’t even have a standing position back then, so why now would he have to walk into a cement pit that he was destined to be unable to climb out of?
Do you want to go back as long as you live?
Most importantly, Cao Yu did not have the confidence to deal with old foxes such as Sima Yi, Liu Fang, and Sun Zi in the court.
These people not only hold real power, but they are also old men who have followed Emperor Wu in his early years. How can they be simple people?
It was just because I had a good relationship with the emperor when he was not a nobleman in his early years. After the emperor ascended the throne, he missed his old friendship and specially summoned me to the court in the past few years.
How many foundations can there be?
This is just for the court.
Not to mention foreign enemies, no matter who is the general, they cannot avoid the serious problem of Shu captives.
To put it mildly, the Shu captives captured Guanzhong and Hedong, and the emperor was forced to march eastward. The Wei Dynasty is now in a mess.
Whoever thinks he can take care of anyone should become a general. Cao Yu knew that he did not have the ability. If he took office by force, he might only cause chaos to the country.
From this aspect, Cao Yu is indeed as self-aware as Sun and Liu said.
How could Cao Zhao know such complicated thoughts of Cao Yu?
He was so anxious that his eyes began to turn red, like a wounded beast trapped in a small cage:
"How can you…"
Perhaps he felt that his tone was too harsh, so he lowered his voice, approached Cao Yu, and said eagerly:
"How could your Highness refuse? This...this..."
Cao Yu smiled:
“I know that my talents are not enough, so for such an important task, I’d better let Your Majesty choose another talented person.”
Before leaving, Cao Yu finally said something useful for the sake of their friendship:
“His Majesty will most likely choose the candidate for the general in these two days. If you want to make some suggestions, you’d better find a way to enter the palace to meet His Majesty as soon as possible.”
Having said that, he left in a hurry without staying any longer.
Cao Zhao looked at Cao Yu's leaving figure and knew that King Yan was no longer trustworthy.
While he was depressed, he had to regain his energy immediately:
“No, I must find a way to see His Majesty.”
He was thinking about it, and just when he turned the corner of the city wall, he suddenly froze.
It turned out that the two of them had just stopped to talk and had been delayed for a long time. At this time, Sun, Liu and Cao happened to leave the palace gate.
Cao Zhao subconsciously stepped back.
What he didn't see was that Sun, Liu and Cao were about to leave, and Lian Zhao, the minister who had been staying by Cao Rui's side, was trotting out of the palace.
“Where does Shangshu Lang want to go?”
Cao Shuang was in a good mood and couldn't help but look around. When he saw Lian Zhao with his sharp eyes, he couldn't help but smile and say hello.
Lian Zhao’s reaction was a little strange.
He shrank back a little, as if he had done something wrong.
Cao Shuang has not discovered Lian Zhao's abnormality, but Sun and Liu have become better with age.
Lian Zhao should be standing beside His Majesty at this time, waiting for orders. Why did he leave the palace in a hurry?
Maybe...
“Where does Shangshu Lang want to go?”
Sun Zi walked forward slowly, with a smile on his face, as if chatting, and asked Cao Shuang's words again.
“No…no, I just want to take a walk in the palace.”
Lian Zhao shook his head repeatedly.
Liu Fang suddenly became suspicious when he saw Lian Zhao's appearance:
"Oh? Really? It just so happens that we also want to relax, why not come together?"
“Hehe…this…”
Lian Zhao took a step back, and Sun and Liu took a step forward.
Lian Zhao had no choice but to retreat and finally confided:
“Your Majesty, I would like to announce that Cao Changshi has entered the palace.”
"What?!"
Cao Shuang, who had been unable to see the situation clearly, heard this and immediately shouted out loud.
This caused Sun and Liu to look at him dissatisfied.
Cao Shuang knew he had made a mistake, so he quickly lowered his voice and looked at Sun and Liu anxiously:
“Two of you, Zhongshu, this... what should we do?”
Although Sun Zi and Liu Fang were slightly surprised, there was no big surprise on their faces.
The two of them have worked together for a long time. They already knew each other's feelings when their eyes met, and they said in unison: "Let's go!"
(End of this chapter)