Just as Cao Rui was discussing with the four cabinet ministers, the Palace Attendant and the Minister of the Imperial Guards, who were on duty today, walked in quietly from outside.
According to what the emperor had said to the four of them before, any officials from the six ministries, nine ministers, generals and above who requested an audience with the emperor must be notified immediately.
The four people from the West Pavilion and the East Pavilion behaved properly, and even when they heard footsteps behind them, they did not even glance aside.
He Chu bowed and said, "Your Majesty, General Xu Chu of the Wuwei Army is waiting outside the palace. Please see Your Majesty."
Xu Chu?
Man Chong frowned slightly.
The army was going to set out in a few days. Shouldn't Xu Chu be in the Wuwei Army, busy with the expedition? How did he get into the palace?
According to the system established in the first year of Taihe, all officials below the Three Dukes of the imperial court, including the six ministers, nine ministers, provincial governors, and generals and above, could request to see the emperor directly, and so could the marquises.
This shows that the channels of communication are free and unimpeded, and that the ruler and his subjects trust each other and have no suspicion.
Cao Rui nodded to He Chuan and said, "Okay, go and call General Xu in."
He Chu took the order and left.
Seeing the four people in the study staring at him, Cao Rui smiled and said, "I don't know what Xu Chu wants to talk to me about. But it happens that you are all here, so let's listen to what Xu Chu has to say."
After a moment, Xu Chu walked out and slowly entered the study room, bowed and saluted, the depth of his bend was extremely standard.
Cao Rui nodded: "General Xu, what do you want to talk to me about today?"
Xu Chu was silent for a few moments, then he clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, it is almost the end of the year, and the Privy Council has ordered the Wuwei Army to set out in a few days."
"Of course I am willing to continue to lead the troops and continue to serve Your Majesty and the Great Wei. But since the beginning of winter, my energy has gradually declined. The shoulder and arm that were injured on the battlefield in the early years are particularly painful this year."
As he spoke, Xu Chu sighed and said, "Your Majesty, I am old and sick, and I can no longer bear the imperial command. If I keep this to myself and do not report it to Your Majesty, if I really collapse on the march one day, it will cause trouble for the imperial court."
Cao Rui shook his head slightly, pointed to the seat beside Man Chong and said, "General Xu, please take a seat first and talk to me slowly."
Although Xu Chu came to resign, his words were still as clear as before: "I obey your order."
After Xu Chu sat down, Cao Rui asked softly, "General Xu, did you come up with the idea of resigning today on your own, or did someone teach you to do so?"
Xu Chu was stunned for a moment, then he said truthfully: "Your Majesty, I have been struggling to make up my mind since I received your order at the beginning of this month. As the date of the expedition is approaching, I went to the Privy Council yesterday and talked to Wang Youjian about this matter."
Wang Youjian, Wang Chang and Wang Wenshu?
Cao Rui looked at Xu Chu and motioned for him to continue.
Xu Chu glanced at the ministers and continued, "After listening to my words, the King's Right Monitor suggested that I resign myself so as not to delay the important military and national affairs of the Wei Dynasty."
Cao Rui shook his head slightly: "Is this what Wang Chang said? I don't believe he would be so indifferent."
Xu Chu smiled awkwardly, "It was indeed Wang Youjian who asked me to resign, but his original words were to let me know when to advance and when to retreat, and to understand fortune and misfortune. I have served the Wei family for more than 30 years, so I should not cause trouble at the end and leave a bad result. Retiring now will allow me to spend my old age in peace."
Cao Rui laughed in silence: "Wang Chang is really so straightforward."
"General Xu, since you are going to resign and retire, who can take over the Wuwei Army? Please recommend one to me."
Xu Chu shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, since I am going to retire, there is absolutely no reason for me to be in charge of things anymore. The Wuwei Army has been with me for a long time, and I know it clearly in my heart."
"It is not my place to interfere in who the court wants to employ. I am sorry that I cannot answer your Majesty's question."
Cao Rui sighed, "Every time an old minister resigns, I really can't bear it."
"Ever since the time when ministers were old and sick, Emperor Wu and the previous emperor have never been stingy with official titles and rewards. General Xu is the Tiger Marquis of Wei. Today you are resigning and recuperating. I will grant you an additional fief of 100 households."
"Your eldest son Xu Yi is thirty-two this year. He has been in the Central Army for ten years, but he has only achieved the rank of Sima of a thousand stones. I will now promote him to the rank of Lieutenant of a two thousand stones."
Xu Chu stood up from his seat and bowed in thanks. His gray hair was clearly visible in his crown, and his voice was filled with an indescribable tremor and emotion: "Your Majesty, I am truly grateful for your grace. Since I cannot serve Your Majesty, I will continue to serve Your Majesty in the Central Army."
"I really do..."
Xu Chu was a great general. Although he was old, Cao Rui still didn't want to see him in such a state: "General Xu, thank me later. I haven't finished yet."
Xu Chu looked up at the emperor.
Cao Rui said, "General Xu and I are from the same county. Would you like to retire in Luoyang or return to Qiao County? Just choose a place and I will buy you a house and land!"
Xu Chu said with emotion: "I have followed Emperor Wu in his campaigns for more than 20 years. How can I return to Qiao County? My relatives are all in Yecheng. Most of the clan members who followed me to join Emperor Taizu are also buried in Yecheng."
"If Your Majesty has mercy on me, I hope Your Majesty will allow me to live out my life in Yecheng."
Cao Rui nodded, not seeming surprised: "Yecheng?"
"General Xu, rest assured. I will send someone to arrange it. The banquet before the end of the month will be held in a few days. After I go to Xuchang, you can go to Yecheng at the same time."
"Although General Xu has resigned, the name of Wuwei has accompanied you for most of your life, so you should keep the title of general. If there is any problem in Yecheng, you can always write to me."
"Do you know?"
Xu Chu nodded, and there seemed to be some unfinished sadness in his words, but he still pulled himself together, said goodbye and left.
Looking at Xu Chu's slightly desolate figure walking out, Cao Rui said with emotion: "Time is the most unforgiving. My lords, every time we meet at this time of separation, what do you think?"
Man Chong was the first to speak up: "Your Majesty, there is no need to be sad. Reunion and separation are the normal course of the world."
"In my opinion, a man who lives in the world without shame to his king and himself is enough to comfort himself in his life."
Cao Rui looked at Man Chong and said, "I just hope you have no regrets." Man Chong stroked his beard and nodded, "I just hope you have no regrets!"
Cao Rui looked outside the study door again; it was closed and Xu Chu was no longer visible.
Xu Chu resigned and left. Even though he was over sixty years old, he still wanted to return to Yecheng to live out the rest of his life in peace.
As Xu Chu said, most of his former clansmen were buried in Yecheng. It was the passing of these individual lives that built the foundation of the Wei Dynasty...
Sima Yi looked at the emperor who was distracted behind the table and coughed lightly, "Your Majesty, since Xu Chu's resignation has been approved, it is time to decide on his successor to lead the Wuwei Camp. The day for the Wuwei Camp to set out is approaching."
Cao Rui came back to his senses and said: "Let Qian Zhao lead it."
Seeing that the emperor had already made up his mind, Sima Yi cupped his hands and said, "The emperor is the shepherd of his ministers, and the ministers are the shepherds of the people. It is in accordance with the laws of nature that each gets what he deserves."
"As the year draws to a close, Your Majesty should not let these trivial matters distract you."
Cao Rui raised his eyes and looked at Sima Yi: "Sikong is so open-minded!"
Sima Yi laughed and said, "It's not that I'm open-minded, but I have too many things to do. Why should I think about the old people and old things?"
"Your Majesty, Yongzhou Governor He Qia sent a message yesterday, saying that King Bo of the Great Yuezhi in the Western Regions has sent an envoy to pay tribute. According to the time, he should have passed Tongguan by now, and will probably reach Luoyang before the end of the year."
Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi with a hint of surprise: "Dayuezhi? Is that the Dayuezhi that Emperor Wu of Han sent Zhang Qian to look for when he opened up the Western Regions?"
“Is this country still there?”
Sima Yi said: "This is a peaceful statement. I don't know the specific details."
Cao Rui nodded: "I will personally visit this ancient country in the Western Regions when the time comes."
"As you wish." Sima Yi replied with a bow.
……
The affairs of the previous dynasty were being arranged in full swing. The Privy Council and the Secretariat went to Xuchang together. The nine ministers who did not go could not help but sigh about being marginalized.
The same is true for the harem.
Concubine Mao and Concubine Sun stayed in Luoyang to raise their respective princes who were granted the title of king, and were unable to accompany Your Majesty to Xuchang.
In early December, another lady named Su, who came from a prominent family in Jingzhao, became pregnant. She became the third person to be pregnant after the two daughters of Mao and Sun.
There were constant celebrations in the palace, but there was also a lot of jealousy and hidden hatred behind the scenes.
When the emperor wanted to choose five people to go to Xuchang, the harem was inevitably arguing over which ones to choose, but what was the point of arguing? It was all in vain.
Cao Rui just randomly selected five people according to his memory, and Guo Yao and Guo Jieyu were naturally among them.
Guo Yao was favored, and this was known to everyone in the harem. She was the highest-ranking of the five ladies, and was chosen by the emperor to be in charge of the affairs of the harem.
Traditionally, trivial matters in the harem were handled by Queen Mother Guo, and Cao Rui was just a hands-off manager and did not personally intervene.
In other words, Empress Dowager Guo, as the elder, governed all the concubines equally, and the women only differed in rank. Mao Yan and Sun Luban, who had sons, did not have any power at all.
When the Emperor moves, he cannot take the Empress Dowager with him.
As the first concubine in the harem to gain some power, Guo Yao, after much persuasion, was asked by the emperor to seek the empress dowager's advice.
Guo Yao understood the emperor's intention and went to pay a visit to Empress Dowager Guo in her palace.
After entering and paying respects, Empress Dowager Guo very kindly took Guo Yao's hand and led her to sit at the table.
Empress Dowager Guo's real name was Guo Qi, with the courtesy name Queen. She was often known as Queen Guo. She was born in the first year of Zhongping, three years older than the late Emperor Cao Pi.
She was called the Queen Mother, but she was only 45 years old. She had enjoyed wealth and honor for half her life, and if she were seen by later generations, she would still be a beautiful woman with graceful demeanor.
But after becoming the empress dowager, Queen Guo could only live in the deep palace every day. She had nothing to do every day and could only use her full of wisdom to think about arranging the concubines in the harem.
Guo Yao's arrival brought a bit of fun to her peaceful life.
The empress dowager, who was usually very strict in front of the women, was actually so kind today as to hold her hand, which really made Guo Yao confused.
"Empress Dowager, I come to see you today to follow your Majesty's wishes. Please teach me how to manage everyone."
Then Guo Yao repeated everything the emperor had arranged.
Queen Mother Guo said with a smile: "Rui'er is really interesting. He actually asked you to come and find me."
"How can you manage them? You are only a concubine today. How can you be higher than the four of them? How can you manage them?"
Guo Yao was puzzled: "I am stupid and can't understand the Queen Mother's deep meaning."
Queen Mother Guo smiled and said, "You and I have the same surname, so I will give you some more advice today. Rui'er must be testing you..."
It was rare for Empress Dowager Guo to have someone accompany her, so she told her many of her experiences in Xuchang in the past, and also taught her many ways of doing things that could be used in the harem.
When Guo Yao left the Queen Mother's Palace and returned, she was still a little confused.
Is the water in the harem so deep? (End of this chapter)
