Sima Fu sat in the Scattered Horse's guard room, watching the empty desk and was in a daze.
There were a few dents on the wooden desk, and how many bundles of bamboo slips were placed on the shelf opposite, Sima Fu could point them out accurately without looking.
Sima Fu has been transferred to the Scattered Horse Province for three days.
These three days seemed like the most idle in Sima Fu's forty-plus years of life.
Three days ago, Emperor Cao Rui personally visited the Secretariat. The Prime Minister Chen Jiao knelt at the door and welcomed the emperor, advising him against personally inspecting official documents.
Emperor Cao Rui happily accepted Chen Jiao's counsel and publicly praised Chen Jiao and Sima Fu as rare loyal ministers of the Great Wei.
Although the emperor didn't enter the Secretariat, he quickly departed for the palace. However, before leaving for the second time, he again praised Chen Jiao and Sima Fu and expressed his intention to consult these two ministers on state affairs.
Under the envious glances of the officials at the Secretariat, Chen Jiao slowly watched the emperor's carriage depart into the distance.
Chen Jiao couldn't understand.
Are the descendants of Cao so easy to talk to? The procedure was like a play, seeming somewhat false, and the praise from the emperor left Chen Jiao in a daze.
In the morning, Emperor Cao Rui personally visited the Secretariat, but Chen Jiao stopped him at the door and advised him to leave.
In the afternoon, an imperial decree was issued throughout the various prefectures and countries to publicize Chen Jiao's and Sima Fu's virtuous deeds. Meanwhile, Sima Fu was appointed as a Chief Secretary, remaining at the emperor's side to provide consultation.
By evening, among the Taixue in Luoyang and the young scholars, the evaluation "Chen Ji bi, who dared to speak straightly and Sima Fu, who was resolute as a newly broken bone" had spread. In a single day, both men became famous throughout Luoyang.
Chen Jiao and Sima Fu finally obtained the "name" they desired.
So, what was the cost?
Sima Fu, who had been sitting idle in the palace for three days, still hadn't figured it out.
In Cao Wei, the official posts of Chief Secretary and Secretary, had always been a stepping stone for the scions of aristocratic families to advance their careers or a stage post for the emperor to closely observe his ministers.
Therefore, Sima Fu, who had been granted the position of Chief Secretary, naturally thought he had fulfilled his wish. However, during the three days that Sima Fu was at the Scattered Horse Province, Emperor Cao Rui did not summon him even once.
As the sun began to set in the west, Sima Fu, who was about to return home for the day, unexpectedly ran into Chen Jiao, who was also preparing to leave.
Sima Fu said with a smile: "Brother Ji Bi, today why are you also in the palace? Is the emperor calling for you?"
Chen Jiao slightly shook his head: "The emperor sent someone to the Secretariat this morning to summon me into the palace, saying there might be state affairs to consult with me."
Sima Fu continued: "So it's like that? What did the emperor consult you about?"
Chen Jiao shook his head again.
Sima Fu said rather impatiently, "What kind of secret matter is it that even I can't be told?"
Chen Jiao slowly said: "Uncle Da, it's not that I don't want to tell you, but the emperor summoned me into the palace all day and I even didn't get to see the emperor himself."
Sima Fu snorted in disbelief: "Such a ridiculous situation..."
Before Sima Fu's sentence was finished, his expression suddenly froze in an instant. Just a few moments later, the corner of his mouth, which had been raised, quickly drooped into a wry smile.
Now it's Chen Jiao who is curious.
Chen Jiao asked: "Uncle Da, what happened?"
Sima Fu opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. After a while, he stammered: "I too have not been summoned by the emperor for three days, and have been just sitting idle in the Scattered Horse Province..."
The two stood at the palace gate, looking at each other with a bitter smile.
Chen Jiao and Sima Fu were not foolish people. At this moment, how could they not understand that they had been set up by the emperor!
The emperor likes what kind of ministers? Definitely not Chen Jiao and Sima Fu, who not only cause trouble but also dare to confront.
On the contrary, Liu Ye, who is both intelligent and able to understand the emperor's thoughts and give effective advice, is what the emperor really likes.
That's right, that was indeed the strategy from Liu Ye, the Middle Secretary.
That morning, after Emperor Cao Rui was "advised" by Chen Jiao at the Secretariat and returned to the Northern Palace, he had already formed a plan to deal with Chen Jiao and Sima Fu.
Sima Fu's actions were so arbitrary, it must be to seek fame and thus advance his position.
From Cao Rui's perspective, you Sima Fu want fame, and I, the emperor, also want fame!
That's simple enough. Just publicly praise you two throughout the empire's prefectures and countries. That way, you gain fame, and I get a reputation for being open to advice. Isn't that wonderful?
But, you gain fame by using me as a backdrop, and there will definitely be a price to pay. Just give you an empty title, and let you retire. Power? From now on, it's none of your concern.
Although Cao Rui had made up his mind in his heart, he still wanted to hear the opinions of his few close ministers. This kind of thing that went with the emperor's will was naturally most suitable for Liu Ye, who was the most skilled.
Liu Ye said, "Your Majesty, Sima Fu is rebellious and impudent. Such a person may gain fame, but I believe he should not be greatly employed. It would be better to grant him a position and then put him aside."
Cao Rui thought that Liu Ye was sensible, and immediately said: "What do you think should be granted to Sima Fu as an empty title?"
Liu Ye quickly replied: "Sima Fu has previously served as a Secretary of the Scattered Horse, so it might be a good idea to appoint him as the Chief Secretary. This would be a promotion. The Scattered Horse is noble but useless, which is exactly the kind of position to place Sima Fu and others like him in. It would also make it convenient for your Majesty to supervise them up close."
As Liu Ye was discussing placing "such people" as Sima Fu in "useless" positions like the Scattered Horse, he forgot that there was a "useless" Zhong Yu standing right behind him at the moment.
The position of a Minister of the Imperial Court has been present since the Han Dynasty, and the Scattered Horse is a new position established by Emperor Cao Pi after he became emperor. Both are close advisors to the emperor and have the authority to offer advice and counsel.
But because most of the Middle Secretaries were national ministers, while the majority of the Scattered Horses were members of the royal family or relatives, the Middle Secretaries often looked down on the Scattered Horses.
When Liu Ye mentioned the "useless" Scattered Horses, the young boy Zhong Yu, who was fourteen years old, gave Liu Ye a look of mild anger.
Clearly, Liu Ye did not take his fourteen-year-old subordinate into account. However, knowing about the divide between the Ministers of the Imperial Court and the Scattered Horses, Emperor Cao Rui keenly observed Zhong Yu's expression from afar.
The struggle and competition, it's really interesting.
After Liu Ye finished speaking, Emperor Cao Rui nodded: "Your words, Minister Liu, are in line with my thoughts. Let's proceed as you have suggested."
Liu Ye nodded in agreement. But before Liu Ye's hand had fully relaxed, Emperor Cao Rui asked again, "What about Chen Jiao? How should he be dealt with?"
"Do we have to deal with Chen Jiao as well…" Liu Ye's mouth moved faster than his brain: "Why not also let Chen Jiao serve as a Secretary of the Scattered Horse?"
Cao Rui looked at Liu Ye after hearing his words: "A distinguished Prime Minister serving as the Chief Secretary of the Scattered Horse seems a bit inappropriate, don't you think?"
"Why not make Chen Jiao serve as a Minister of the Imperial Court, to fill the vacancy and add another to the four Ministers of the Imperial Court."
Adding one more Middle Secretary is adding another person to share the emperor's favor.
Xin Pi and Huang Quan exchanged a glance, both expressing their agreement with the emperor's appointment.
Liu Ye was trapped by his own words and wanted to persuade the emperor to withdraw the appointment, but he ultimately didn't dare to say it, so he had to awkwardly praise it with a stiff face.
And behind Liu Ye, Zhong Yu, who was fourteen years old and had served as a Secretary of the Scattered Horse, saw Liu Ye actually opposing him and his actions, and his mouth was already widely open, just waiting to laugh out loud.
