In the headquarters of the Grand Marshal.
The seventy-six-year-old Grand Marshal Zhong Yao was lying on his bed, closing his eyes to calm his mind. The door was gently knocked several times, and before Zhong Yao could open his mouth to respond, a young boy hurriedly opened the door and came in.
Zhong Yao turned his head and saw that the person who had come in was indeed his son Zhong Yucun.
Zhong Yao inquired, "Yucun, why are you not on duty at the palace at this time? How did you come back home?"
Zhong Yucun quickly bowed, "Father, the emperor has come to the mansion to visit you. He sent me in to inform you."
Zhong Yao's slightly hazy eyes suddenly revealed a glimmer of light, and he said quickly, "Yucun, hurry and have someone carry me to the front hall."
Zhong Yucun dared not be lax and quickly instructed the two servant boys waiting outside to come in. One after another, they lifted a specially made stretcher and carried Zhong Yao into the front hall.
The Wei Kingdom, similar to the Han Dynasty, had the highest-ranking officials called the "Three Ministers," who were the Grand Marshal, the Chancellor of State, and the Minister of Works.
At this time, the three ministers of Wei were all elderly and respected.
Grand Marshal Zhong Yao, the second Grand Marshal of Wei, had been praised by Cao Cao as a figure similar to Xiao He. Once he was exiled and deprived of his status for being implicated in the rebellion of Wei Mien in Yanzheng.
However, due to Zhong Yao's close personal relationship with Cao Pi, after the death of the first Grand Marshal Jia Xu, Zhong Yao was appointed from the position of Chief Judge to become the Grand Marshal.
The Minister of State Huaxin was a prominent figure during his early years. He once sat next to the renowned statesman Guan Ning. When he saw a piece of gold on the ground, he picked it up and looked at Guan Ning's face, then threw the gold back on the ground.
During Cao Pi's process of replacing the Han Dynasty with Wei, Huaxin was responsible for leading troops into the palace to search for Empress Fu. Empress Fu was hidden in the crevices of a wall, and it was Huaxin who personally pulled her out.
Minister of Works Wang Lang, in his youth, served as the Governor of Yuyang in the Eastern Yangtze. During the time when Sun Ce swept through the Eastern Yangtze, Wang Lang had led his troops to repel Sun Ce's forces multiple times.
At this time, Wang Lang had not yet been promoted to become the Minister of State.
Needless to say, Jia Xu, the first Grand Marshal, was more renowned. Jia Xu was also known as Jia Wenhe, and he was widely regarded as the "Poison Scholar" for his cunning strategies.
Jia Xu, Zhong Yao, Huaxin, and Wang Lang, these four former or current ministers of state in Wei, truly deserve to be called "elderly with virtue" or "a gathering of the just."
Cao Rui sat at the head of the hall, idly staring and lost in thought. At last, Zhong Yao was carried in by the servant boys.
Zhong Yao repeatedly apologized, "Your Majesty's presence at my mansion is an honor, but I have not been able to go to the front hall to greet you myself. It is my fault that my son Zhong Yucun also failed to inform me."
Cao Rui said, "As the Grand Tutor and the senior mentor to all officials, you are as important to the state as its heart. Now that I have ascended the throne, how to handle the country's major policies is something I need to consult with you, Grand Tutor."
Zhong Yao shook his head and said, "I am now old and feeble, unable to bear the heavy responsibility entrusted by Your Majesty."
Cao Rui smiled and said, "Grand Marshal is unwilling to teach me?"
Zhong Yao leisurely raised his hands in a bow and said, "How dare I, Your Majesty possesses great natural talent, firm judgment, and deep understanding. How could I dare to interject?"
Cao Rui said, "Grand Marshal, do not be modest. I came here today mainly to check on your health."
At this time, Cao Rui, looking at the elderly Zhong Yao sitting by the side, couldn't understand how such an old man could have given birth to his young son Zhong Hui last year.
Could it really be that there is a true transmission of the art of sexual cultivation? Facing this elder who is older than his grandfather, Cao Cao, Cao Rui felt embarrassed to ask.
Cao Rui said, "Grand Marshal, is your leg still troubling you?"
Zhong Yao said, "My two legs have not been well since three or four years ago. Whenever it rains, they hurt more. Thanks to Your Majesty's blessing, the weather has been better this summer."
Cao Rui nodded, "As long as Grand Marshal's condition improves, there is nothing for me to worry about."
"I have recently sorted through the remains of the late Emperor and found an item that has a great connection with Grand Marshal."
Zhong Yao asked, "What is it that the emperor refers to?"
Cao Rui gave a sign to Zhong Yucun, "Bring that box over."
Zhong Yucun held the box with both hands and Cao Rui asked Zhong Yao with a smile, "Grand Marshal, when you see this box, do you have a feeling of déjà vu?"
Zhong Yao gently shook his head, "Your Majesty, I am truly old and really cannot remember."
Cao Rui opened the box and handed a smooth, warm-colored jade pendant to Zhong Yao.
Zhong Yao tremblingly raised his hand, took the jade pendant and flipped it over for a moment, revealing an enlightened expression.
"This jade pendant is the late emperor's, I remember now."
Cao Rui smiled and said, "This jade pendant was indeed the late emperor's. I heard that in the past, Grand Marshal Zhong Yao presented this jade pendant to the late emperor as a token of gratitude for his achievements. Therefore, I came here today."
Zhong Yao touched his long beard, "I remember that this happened in the twenty years of Jian'an. It has been eleven years since then."
"In those days, I was in Chang'an arranging for military supplies for Emperor Wu. The late emperor was supervising the transport at Mangjin. The late emperor loved beautiful jade, and upon hearing that I had this jade pendant, he sent Xun Zhongmiao to ask me about it."
"I know that the late emperor had high moral character. The jade pendant would complement the beauty of his virtue, so I presented it to him."
Cao Rui smiled and said, "The late emperor must have loved this jade pendant very much. I found this object placed on the highest shelf in the late emperor's room."
"Just as the achievements of Grand Marshal Zhong are at the forefront of the ministers in the country."
On Zhong Yao's aged face, there was no particularly expressive look. "No matter what, one does not go to the Palace of the Three Treasures without a reason." The emperor's visit to Zhong Yao's mansion today was certainly not just to show him this jade.
Zhong Yao spoke slowly: "The late emperor's kindness is something I will never forget. I and the Zhong family will do our utmost to be loyal to Great Wei."
Zhong Yao lifted the jade pendant with both hands and then handed it back to Cao Rui.
Cao Rui looked at the jade pendant, "Beautiful jade is good, but it cannot compare to the high-minded character of Grand Marshal! Zhong Yucun, come here."
Zhong Yucun, who stood beside his father, stepped forward a few steps. As the Grand Tutor's son and a junior eunuch, Zhong Yucun was usually required to stand behind Cao Rui in the palace. Today, in the Zhong mansion, with the emperor being the guest, Zhong Yucun stood beside his elderly father.
Cao Rui carefully placed this jade pendant into the box and handed it to Zhong Yucun, "As the son of the late emperor, I, as the emperor today, have this jade pendant given to you by your father."
"Zhong Yucun, strive to be an illustrious minister like Grand Marshal Zhong Yao!"
Zhong Yucun looked at Cao Rui's hand in astonishment. He had never expected that the emperor would come to visit his father and take out such an object with a significant history, nor that he would give it to him.
Zhong Yao's old voice came from behind Zhong Yucun, "Yucun, you should thank the emperor."
Zhong Yucun quickly knelt on both knees and held up his hands to accept the box containing the jade pendant. His words were a bit stammered: "The emperor's generous gift overwhelms me with fear, I am deeply humbled."
Zhong Yao, with his deep cunning, understood that Cao Rui's visit to his mansion was not as simple as just having a friendly chat or giving away a gift.
Zhong Yao's father Cao Pi used to compete with his brother Cao She for the throne in the past. He used every possible method to gain support from the officials of Wei.
At that time, Cao Cao was far away in Hancheng. Cao Pi, who was not in power, asked Cao Zhi to give a message to Zhong Yao, saying that he had heard Zhong Yao had a beautiful jade pendant and hoped to have a chance to appreciate it.
It's not the jade that matters; what he wanted was Zhong Yao's support.
If Zhong Yao were to hand the jade to Cao Pi in front of Cao Zhi, it would naturally mean that Zhong Yao supported Cao Pi and not Cao Zhi. If he did not give it to Cao Pi, however, it would offend Cao Pi's face and might cause some trouble in the future.
Zhong Yao, who originally did not want to take sides too early, was forced to stand on Cao Pi's side due to the jade pendant.
It's just a jade pendant; the Zhong family of Yingchuan can afford it.
But when Zhong Yao sent a messenger to deliver this jade, he never expected that eleven years later, it would be given to his own son by the son of Cao Pi.
Cao Rui, what do you want?
