After Xuchu showed them around the army camp, the few men went to the main hall of the Wude Army Camp.
"Who are you talking about? Chen Qun?" Cao Rui asked in surprise.
Xuchu's eyes slightly widened, and he looked at Cao Rui with a confused expression, clearly not understanding why the emperor was so surprised.
Xuchu said, "It is Chen Qun. Since the fifth year of Huangchu, the General-in-Chief of the Central Army Chen Qun has been in charge of the central army affairs. Does the emperor not know?"
In the general hall of the Wuwei Army Camp, there was now an eerie silence.
The weather in the afternoon of summer changes very quickly. Suddenly, a fierce wind arose outside the hall, and the dark clouds compressed downward, with the wind blowing and making the central army standard flutter loudly.
Cao Rui, sitting in the middle, slightly narrowed his eyes and looked up at the sky outside the door, as if he was thinking about something. Xuchu, standing beside him, looked at the emperor and then at Huang Quan and Zhong Yù standing opposite him, not understanding the current situation.
Faced with the silent emperor, Xuchu's poor emotional intelligence left him puzzled. It was clear that just a moment ago, he had kneeling to welcome the emperor, led him on a tour of the camp, and reviewed the soldiers—everything had gone smoothly, with everyone in good spirits.
How did the emperor suddenly become silent?
The lieutenant generals and staff officers on the stage were even more clueless. Seeing that their General Xuchu first spoke with the emperor, and then they fell into silence, they thought that these high-ranking officials were thinking about some major military and national affairs.
Huang Quan had now realized that something was amiss and looked directly into Xuchu's eyes, saying, "General Xu, it might be best to have the lieutenant generals and staff officers return to their quarters."
Xuchu realized what was happening and quickly ordered the lieutenant generals and staff officers on the stage to return to their quarters. Now, the main hall was left with only Cao Rui, Xuchu, Huang Quan, and Zhong Yù.
Zhong Yù, although intelligent, was still young and had not reached the age to understand such things.
Cao Rui noticed Huang Quan's action and sighed silently in his heart.
The reason Cao Rui sighed was because he wondered why no one among the numerous ministers, including his trusted officials like the Chamberlains, the Secretaries of State, and the Secretaries of the Treasury, had mentioned it to him.
Cao Rui looked at Huang Quan and said, "General, do you know what the emperor is worrying about?"
Huang Quan had clearly seen the world. In his early years, he served as a county official in the Bashu Commandery during the Eastern Han dynasty, which allowed him to understand common things and people's sentiments. Later, as the private secretary to the Governor of Yizhou Liu Zhang, he was responsible for handling all matters great and small in Western Sichuan.
Let alone later, he moved between the Shu and Wei states, serving first under Liu Bei and then under Cao Pi, making him an experienced political veteran.
What could the emperor be worried about? What would cause such a power-driven figure as the emperor to feel anxious must be power, and not just any ordinary power.
The answer is already very clear: it is the military authority of the central army.
But Huang Quan understood that this was not the best time to mention it.
Huang Quan bowed and said, "I understand what Your Majesty is worried about, and I advise that here, at this place, we should carefully consider this matter."
Cao Rui understood that what Huang Quan said was very true. The life of the emperor depends on the Central Army, and such a sensitive matter as military authority should not be discussed in the Wuwei Army Camp Hall.
Cao Rui then got up to leave, and Xuchu, beside him, was even more confused. He quickly moved forward and asked.
"Your Majesty, have I said anything wrong? Why are you leaving?"
For Xuchu, a loyal and straightforward commander, the complex sensitivity of power is something he cannot comprehend.
In Xuchu's worldview, Xuchu is a loyal minister of Wei, and Chen Qun, the General-in-Chief of the Central Army, is also a loyal minister of Wei. As the late emperor ordered him to listen to Chen Qun, and Chen Qun listens to the emperor, what's wrong with that?
Cao Rui combed through the troubled thoughts, striving to pull a face of utmost sincerity.
Cao Rui grasped Xuchu's hand with both hands and said, "General Xu, you have served the Hongwu and Wenrong emperors for many years, protecting them with your sword and armor, without complaint. You are truly a loyal minister of the country. Now that you protect me, I haven't had a chance to reward you enough."
Cao Rui turned to Huang Quan and said, "Chamberlain, is it true that General Xu has been promoted to the title of Pinghou now? Considering General Xu's contributions to protecting my father and grandfather, I believe he should be awarded the title of Xianghou."
Huang Quan laughed and said, "Indeed, General Xu has been loyal to the Wei family for thirty years, and such an award is well-deserved."
Since there is a reward, Xuchu no longer cared about his chaotic thoughts and quickly knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, the late emperor granted me the title of Pinghou. I felt that in my lifetime, I had no regrets and could console my ancestors. Now that Your Majesty has given me another title, even if my blood and brain were to be splattered, it would be difficult to repay Your Majesty's kindness."
Cao Rui smilingly helped Xuchu up, saying, "I only hope you will follow my orders and protect my safety."
Xuchu knocked on his own chest: "Your Majesty, do not worry. I have been loyal to the Cao family for thirty years, and as long as I, Xu Chu, have a breath in me, no one will be able to harm Your Majesty even a bit."
Cao Rui nodded and gently patted Xuchu's shoulder.
As Cao Rui was on his way back to the palace, the sky had become even more gloomy. Compared to when he came, now Cao Rui was returning with Xu Chu leading a squad of soldiers in front of him, and banners were raised on both sides of the road.
Cao Rui listened to the distant thunder in the sky, the sound of the wind moving the flags, and the dull sound of the horses' hooves on the ground as he turned to Huang Quan beside him and asked.
Cao Rui said, "Is there anything like this in Shu?"
Huang Quan replied, "I have never heard of anything like this. In Shu Han, Zhuge Liang holds the military power, but the palace guards are led by Xiang Chong, and the city garrison is led by Li Yan. Zhuge Liang has not meddled in any of it."
Cao Rui sighed lightly and said, "Is it because everyone is keeping it from me?"
Huang Quan thought for a moment and said, "The minister believes that the subjects may feel that it is taken for granted."
In this world, what is feared most is a matter taken for granted.
If we compare Cao Wei to a company, then this company has two major shareholders who have been supporting it from its inception and both of them are currently holding important positions.
The first shareholder is Qiao Pei, a martial artist. Emperor Wu Cao Cao, since his uprising from Chenliu, has been supported by the Cao and Xiahoubai families, who are the core of the Cao clan, as his staunch backers.
People like Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Cao Xiu, Xiahou Shang, and Cao Zhen, among others, were close relatives and intimate confidants who were highly esteemed in their time. They were instrumental in military achievements and had rendered effective service.
In addition to the various Cao and Xiahou families, Wei Zi, Dian Wei, Le Jin, Xu Chu, and Ren Jun were all from Qiao Pei. These able military commanders were the greatest help to Cao Cao in conquering the land.
But just having guns is not enough; it's also necessary to have pens.
The second shareholder, the people of Yingchuan who held the pens, became even more important after Cao Cao established his regime.
The most outstanding representative of the Yingchuan literati is Xun You. Xun You was born into the Tung family, and after joining Cao's army, he attracted many talents from Yingchuan, including Zhong You, Xun You, Chen Qun, Du Xie, Xizhi Cai, and Guo Jia. He was known as Cao Cao's Zhang Liang.
Take a look at these Yingchuan literati, Zhong You was the Prime Minister, and Chen Qun was the head of the literary officials as the Recorder of the Secretariat.
These appointments were uncontroversial; no one would have anything to say about them.
Qiao Pei is martial, and Yingchuan is literary. This has become a settled rule in Wei.
People would only be surprised if the leader of the literary officials was not from Yingchuan.
But now you tell me that Chen Qun controls the entire imperial guards?
A leader of the Yingchuan literati controlling the imperial guards' power in Wei, and the ministers are still accustomed to it?
This is truly terrifying!
