The place where the emperor resides is called the temporary residence. Even at night, there is a fairly large bureaucratic group that can operate to ensure that all government orders are implemented smoothly.
The candlelight in the main hall of the prefect's mansion was as bright as day.
While the emperor was making assignments and discussing the details of the imperial edict with the Minister of the Central Secretariat Liu Fang and two cabinet ministers, Xin Pi sat alone behind the desk in silence, like a bystander.
Indeed, after he informed the emperor about the matters in Guanzhong and Luoyang, he had fulfilled the duty of a subject.
After Liu Fang left with the imperial edict stamped with the emperor's seal, Xin Pi stood up and said, "Your Majesty, there are many matters concerning the transportation of grain and fodder in the rear. I would like to return to Quanzhou on horseback early tomorrow morning."
Cao Rui sighed softly, stood up and walked slowly to the three-foot distance in front of Xin Pi's seat, looked into Xin Pi's eyes and said, "Minister Xin, you have worked hard on this trip, and I am very grateful. No matter how many things there are in the rear, it won't cost you half a day or a day."
"Tomorrow morning, I will hold a remote sacrifice for Master Zhong here. After the sacrifice, Xin Qing and Zhong Yu will go south together."
Xin Pi bowed and responded without saying much.
Since the Huangchu and Taihe years, the political activities of the Wei Dynasty have been highly centered around the emperor himself.
As the fundamental core of all politics, discussions about the emperor were an unavoidable topic in private conversations among the nobles in the Luoyang court.
In addition, the emperor had publicly announced that no one would be punished for their words, and there was no longer a bad record of the censors spying on officials as there was during the Jian'an period, so this kind of discussion became the norm.
Who, when having a private feast, does not bow towards the North Palace and call the emperor a holy king? Or talk about the prosperity of the country?
According to the general evaluation in Luozhong, the pattern of interaction between the emperor and his subjects can be divided into several distinct categories.
People like Cao Zhen and Chen Qun were top choices in terms of qualifications and abilities. They were given high positions and generous salaries and were entrusted with the important task of guarding a region.
For example, Liu Ye, Chen Jiao, Huang Quan and others served the emperor and gained his trust, and were later sent to serve in prefectures and counties, responsible for the governance of a state.
In addition to these two categories, there is another type of people who have always been by your Majesty's side, are more favored by you, and are like your most trusted confidants. They are people like Sima Yi, Dong Zhao, and Xin Pi.
That’s right, the public opinion in Luozhong at that time compared Xin Pi and Sima Yi.
For this kind of minister, staying by the emperor's side for a long time is already a proof of the emperor's will. Xin Pi's two stints in charge of the army's logistics further prove this point.
Xin Pi galloped 400 miles in three days just for the emperor's words of gratitude. Now that he had heard the emperor's approval, how could he pursue anything else?
……
For Cao Rui, the two emergencies were just minor disturbances in the process of governing the country.
For Zhong Yu and Zhong Zhishu, the sons of the late Grand Tutor Zhong Yao, the death of their elderly father was a major blow to their lives.
When he was summoned by the emperor himself last night, Zhong Yu had already cried. He remained silent all night and did not sleep. The next day, he wore mourning clothes with dark circles under his eyes, stood beside Zhong Yao's spirit tablet with his hands folded and his head bowed, waiting for the ceremony to be completed.
After seeing the emperor in plain clothes and leading all the ministers to bow in salute, Zhong Yu couldn't stop crying.
In the quiet mourning hall, Zhong Yu's crying gradually changed from sobbing at the beginning to howling, which became more and more deafening and sad in the small hall.
The ministers standing behind Cao Rui sighed and wept continuously, whether out of genuine remembrance of Zhong Yao or just for show.
Cao Rui sighed and said, "Uncle Zhi, come closer to me."
Zhong Yu, who was only eighteen years old, raised his head and stopped crying. With red and swollen eyes, he walked to the emperor in a daze.
Cao Rui calmly took off the dragon-patterned jade pendant hanging around his waist, looked down at the luster flowing on the jade pendant, and stuffed it into Zhong Yu's hand.
"Your Majesty, this is...?" Zhong Yu was puzzled for a moment and asked softly.
Cao Rui sighed, "I still remember that when I first ascended the throne, I went to visit Master Zhong in person. Master Zhong had given the late emperor a jade, and I gave it to you at that time. Four years have passed in a flash, and things have changed. I thought about Master Zhong last night, and I was even more sad."
"Uncle Zhi," Cao Rui put his right hand on Zhong Yu's shoulder, "Grand Tutor Zhong was old and virtuous. He passed away at the age of 80 and lived a long life. There is no need to grieve overmuch."
"Jade is a gentleman's instrument. The last time I gave you the jade, it was to return it to its original owner. Today I give you the jade again, hoping that you can become a gentleman like jade."
"You have been with me for four years, and now it is difficult for me to return to Luoyang." Cao Rui looked at Zhong Yu and said, "Today I will make a decision for you here. I will grant you the title of Marquis of Dingling, the title of Grand Tutor Zhong, and a fief of 1,800 households. Is that okay?"
When Cao Rui was giving Zhong Yu an earnest instruction, the ministers behind him were all staring at the two of them.
This is a rare sight.
Zhong Yu had been by the emperor's side for four years, and everyone just compared him to an ordinary imperial guard. However, they never knew that he was so valued by His Majesty that he was treated like one of his own sons or nephews.
Sending Zhong Yu as an envoy back to Luoyang is the same treatment as the previous minister Wang Su. Your Majesty always valued Wang Su's teachings over Zheng Xuan's in Luoyang, and everyone in the world knows it.
The gift of jade and the appointment of the successor to the title were both acts of grace that broke the convention. Before that, the emperor also granted Zhong Yu's mother a house in Luozhong.
Does the emperor care so much about Zhong and Zhong Yu?
Zhong Yu cried even harder, wiping his tears while kneeling on the ground and kowtowed: "I thank your majesty for the gift, and also thank your majesty for your grace to my Zhong family. I have an unreasonable request, and I hope your majesty will grant it."
Cao Rui nodded: "Tell me."
Zhong Yu knelt down and pleaded, "My late father passed away at the age of 80, leaving only me and my younger brother. My younger brother lost his father at a young age, so I beg Your Majesty to have mercy on me and give some of my late father's fief to my younger brother."
Zhong Hui? Cao Rui was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Sima Yi and others behind him: "Is there any precedent for this?"
Sima Yi bowed and replied, "There is indeed a precedent for this. During the Huangchu period, when the late emperor conferred the title of Marquis on Zhong Taifu, he also gave his fief to Zhong Taifu's brother Zhong Yan."
Cao Rui nodded: "Since this is the family tradition, I will also make this a good thing. Uncle Zhi, how much are you willing to share?"
Zhong Yu bowed and said, "I beg Your Majesty to divide it equally."
Cao Rui stared at Zhong Yu's face for a few moments and said, "Uncle Zhi, you know that sometimes it is not a good thing to be young and in a high position and to be rewarded without any merit."
"I will confer Zhong Hui the title of Marquis and grant him a fief of 100 households. As the eldest son and elder brother, you must take good care of him and do not let your younger brother go astray."
Although Zhong Yu did not understand the emperor's intention, he knew that his younger brother had also been granted a title, and he could comfort his father's spirit after returning to Luoyang, so he accepted it without further ado.
Sima Yi looked at Zhong Yu's crying face and sighed in his heart.
What he lamented was not that the emperor was nostalgic or that the emperor was so good to Zhong Yu, but that he was amazed and didn't know why the emperor was so fond of Zhong.
Cao Rui's own thoughts were not complicated.
Zhong Yao had made contributions, and his son should inherit his title. As for Zhong Yu himself, it was the emperor's normal practice to favor old ministers and promote his confidants. The emperor's job was to delegate power and reward, so why couldn't he favor his confidants?
……
Cao Rui originally wanted to set out from Tuyin City immediately, but because of Zhong Yao's incident, he stopped for three days to observe courtesy.
However, they were not idle during these three days. The ministers in the imperial court further familiarized themselves with and took stock of the military strength, and coordinated the marching and command plans with the generals.
Man Chong even came up with the unique idea of swearing an oath of allegiance in the north of Tuyin City. Cao Rui had nothing to do, so naturally he did not refuse.
Tuyin City is the seat of Youbeiping County. Since the early Han Dynasty, Youbeiping has been a key place for the Central Plains dynasty to fight against the Hu people outside the Great Wall. General Li Guang once stationed here.
Man Chong went out of the city to look for it himself and found a rammed earth platform from an unknown dynasty still left in the wilderness three miles north of the city. Man Chong immediately ordered people to repair it and use it as the oath-taking place.
After returning to the city, he inquired carefully and found out that this rammed earth platform was the place where Emperor Wu Cao Cao offered sacrifices to the heaven when he conquered Wuhuan. Man Chong reported this to the emperor, and Cao Rui did not hesitate and nodded in agreement.
April 21st, early morning.
When the sky was about to brighten, the Yanshan Mountains in the north were like a giant dragon entrenched in the long night. The remaining mountain ranges suddenly converged to the north of Tuyin City, and the rugged rocks pierced the sky like broken spears.
The rammed earth platform in the north of the city broke out of the ground like the spine of a giant beast. Soldiers from various units below the platform gradually gathered from all around Tuyin City and formed huge square formations at the location agreed upon yesterday.
The sounds of wind, gongs and drums, and shouts filled the open space south of the platform.
Cao Rui arrived at the stage early and stood alone in the not-so-cold north wind. He watched the busy army formation in the early sunlight and listened to the flags on the stage fluttering in the north wind.
After a long time, at a lower level on the platform, Man Chong bowed and asked, "Your Majesty, all the troops have been assembled. Can we begin the oath-taking ceremony?"
"Accurate." Cao Rui uttered a word softly.
Cao Rui did not need to have outstanding military power, as he had the mighty Wei army to lead the way.
Cao Rui did not need to shout loudly, as the sounds of drums and horns echoed throughout the fields, and every soldier could hear them.
At the westernmost part of the stage were Liu Ye's 3,000 central army light cavalry and 5,000 Wuhuan light cavalry.
To the east of Liu Ye was the 5,000 heavy cavalry led by Guanqiu Jian from the Central Commander Camp.
Further east, there was a huge army composed of Xianbei light cavalry, Xiongnu light cavalry, and infantry from various tribes.
The easternmost point is Wen Qin's Yulin Left Army, which is also Cao Rui's greatest reliance for this expedition.
In the 12th year of Jian'an, when Cao Cao went out of Lulong Pass to attack the Wuhuan in Liucheng, he set out from Tuyin to the north. The bronze tripod that Cao Cao used when he led his troops to offer sacrifices to heaven was also found in the city by Man Chong.
As the green smoke from the cauldron continued to rise into the air, the north wind gradually turned into a west wind, carrying the curling green smoke towards the eastward direction of Liaodong.
This is already a bit of an anomaly.
The oath-taking ceremony begins with offering sacrifice to heaven, followed by the reading of the marching manifesto.
"Your Majesty," the attendant Xu Shu walked to the second step of the platform with a roll of bright yellow silk in his hands with a serious expression and gently handed it to the emperor.
Cao Rui reached out to take it, glanced eastward in the direction of Liaodong, and then handed it back to Xu Shu.
This manifesto was written by Cao Rui himself, and it was being read out by the attendant Xu Shu. (End of this chapter)
