"Me? Yu Zhou?" Jiang Ji pointed at himself and laughed, "Your Majesty, weren't you thinking of not letting the governor lead the troops anymore? I still want some military achievements to benefit my descendants. Please don't harm me."
Sima Yi faintly shook his head and said, "After becoming the Inspector of the Palace Guards, things are different from before. Even giving you a whole province would be considered harmful to you."
Jiang Ji said, "I just want to establish military achievements. I have no other intentions."
"I haven't heard Your Majesty mention the position of the Governor of Yuzhou," said Sima Yi, stroking his beard. "It seems Your Majesty is preparing to select someone from the court to take on the post."
"If it's someone from the court being selected, it will be even harder to guess," said Jiang Ji, sighing. "I have been the Inspector of the Palace Guards for over two months. Although I have the authority to appoint military officials, I haven't had a chance to fulfill my duties. Instead, I have been used as a strategist."
Sima Yi said, "Is being a strategist not good enough? Based on Your Majesty's style of governance, a strategist is unlikely to be left without rewards."
Jiang Ji shifted his position and leaned against the mat, "In the presence of Marquis Sima, what are our own rewards worth? Just as Lord Cao Huo's reward must be at the top for all the generals, your rewards, Zhongda, must also be at the forefront for all the civil officials."
Sima Yi nodded gently but did not speak.
After a while, Jiang Ji said, "Zhongda, have you heard? Today Cao Tai will send Sun Quan's daughter to the Emperor's residence in Shouchun."
Sima Yi said, "What happened? Today I have a lot of official business to attend to, and I haven't had time to pay attention to such matters."
"It's about the time in the afternoon," Jiang Ji explained. "I heard that Cao Tai captured this girl during the surprise attack on Wuyuan Pass, and she is Sun Quan's eldest daughter, Sun Luban."
"How did the Emperor handle it? Did he accept this girl?" Sima Yi raised his eyebrows and asked.
"That's not the case," Jiang Ji said. "It's just that he has her as a maid."
Sima Yi nodded, "The Emperor previously deposed the Ni concubine. Now there is only one palace lady named Mao in the harem. It's time to add some more. However, the Sun family girl is still a rebellious daughter. Even if she is brought into the palace, she should not be given a high position."
"You can't meddle in that, can you?" Jiang Ji smiled. "Once she enters the palace, every move is part of royal privacy. Whether she becomes a consort or a concubine, or even just a palace maid, it's all the Emperor's own business."
Sima Yi looked at Jiang Ji and said, "If it doesn't concern you, then it doesn't concern you. However, Your Majesty should indeed expand his harem. Neither Cao Xiu nor Cao Zhen have seen this. As a trusted advisor appointed by the late Emperor, I have the responsibility to manage the affairs and it is also time for me to suggest Your Majesty to expand his harem."
Jiang Ji asked, "When do you plan to say it? The Emperor will go on a tour tomorrow, and we will all take a boat back north. We won't be on the same route."
Sima Yi said, "Since the Emperor has not yet decided when to return to Luoyang, I will make my suggestion to him early tomorrow morning."
Jiang Ji said, "Do you have a candidate? Previously, the late Emperor requested Ni concubine and Mao concubine from your Henan County. They are both in your possession."
Sima Yi shook his head: "I am just proposing this matter, how could I act as a matchmaker? I do not have such a big face."
"However..." Sima Yi said, "I do have someone in mind for Ziyuan. Zitong, what do you think of the daughter of the Xiahou family, known as Xiahou Hui? She is now sixteen years old."
Jiang Ji looked at Sima Yi and said, "You must be thinking of Cao Zhen and Xiahou Xuan. Xiahou Xuan's mother is actually Cao Zhen's sister, and he is outstanding in Luoyang. Moreover, he is favored by the Emperor now."
Sima Yi stood up and flicked the wicks in several of the lampstands on the table. The light in the room also brightened slightly.
"What of it?" Sima Yi said. "Isn't it right to choose a good marriage alliance for one's son? I also heard that before setting off from Luoyang, Xiahou Xuan took his sister to see the Stone Canonics of the Great Academy, and Ziyuan had met and spoken with this girl."
"Ha ha ha," Jiang Ji laughed loudly, "It seems your son is even more cunning than you are."
Sima Yi also laughed, "It should be like that."
Jiang Ji nodded, "Having one outstanding person in a generation is enough. Your younger brother Shuda is far inferior to you. It seems that among your descendants, Ziyuan will have to be counted on in the future."
Sima Yi said, "Who else should I count on? As for Ziyuan, he still lacks experience. After two years of study in the school, arrange for him to take up a position as an official."
"We should still see what opportunities the Emperor is willing to give to the students of the academy," said Jiang Ji. "However, we are returning tomorrow. Xiahou Xuan is the eldest brother of Xiahou Hui. It might be better to call Xiahou Xuan over and ask him first."
Sima Yi nodded, "That's not bad. I guess after asking Xiahou Xuan, he will still have to ask his uncle, Cao Zhen."
"……"
The next morning, a large-scale water and land convoy was about to depart from Shouchun. The Emperor led a cavalry of five thousand for a tour, while the remaining central army was ready to return to Luoyang by water."
Sima Yi and the other court officials were also to return to Luoyang.
As the officials were preparing to bid farewell to the emperor along the land route, Sima Yi stepped forward from the crowd and walked to the front of the Emperor.
Sima Yi raised his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have heard that the imperial offspring is also a matter of great importance for the state. As I am about to return to court, I wish to present this matter to the emperor. Your Majesty can now fill the harem and expand the imperial lineage. Please consider this matter."
Cao Rui was about to get onto the carriage, but was stopped by Sima Yi's words.
Cao Rui smiled and looked at Sima Yi, "Marquis Sima, are you afraid that the emperor will marry Sun Quan's daughter?"
"How dare I?" Sima Yi gently shook his head. "I am also considering the best for the emperor."
Under the gaze of the ministers, Cao Rui did not want to discuss the matter too extensively and said, "I understand. Marquis Sima can inform the Empress Dowager after returning to Luoyang, and she can consider it before deciding."
Sima Yi bowed and gave a respectful nod, "Your servant will comply."
Before long, the emperor's procession, fully adorned with ceremonial trappings, set off to the north. With the emperor on his way, the remaining central military units also began their journey.
Cao Rui had wanted to rest a bit more in the carriage, but even the carriage that had been repeatedly improved still tossed him around so much by the end of the morning that it felt as though his bones were about to be dislodged.
Riding a horse is still better.
The four Zhongshis had no choice but to ride horses to follow the emperor. The two Sanxi riders, Jiang Wei and Xiahou Xuan, were the same.
After riding for an hour, when they stopped to rest, Xiahou Xuan spurred his horse closer, as if he wanted to say something.
Xiahou Xuan swung down from his horse and bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to request Your Majesty's approval."
"What's the matter that you need to come to me for?" Cao Rui looked at Xiahou Xuan's slightly perplexed expression.
Xiahou Xuan composed himself and said, "Your Majesty, last night Marquis Sima called me to his residence. He mentioned that his eldest son, Sima Yi's son, has not yet been married, and that my sister Xiahou Hui also has no betrothal."
"Does Marquis Sima want your daughter?" Cao Rui asked with a smile.
Xiahou Xuan nodded, "Marquis Sima also asked me to think about it first and ask my mother when I return to Luoyang."
Cao Rui said, "Why ask your mother? Marquis Sima is asking you to consult General Cao Zhen. You are one of the intelligent people in Luoyang City. How can you not see through this?"
Xiahou Xuan may be as intelligent as he is, but he is still just an 18-year-old boy. According to common etiquette, a boy like Xiahou Xuan would normally ask his brother's opinion on the marriage of his sister, given that his father has passed away and that Xiahou Hui has no prior engagement. But since Xiahou Xuan himself lacks experience, how can he possibly know what to do?
Xiahou Xuan's face turned slightly red: "After Marquis Sima told me about this matter last night, I really didn't think to consult General Cao. I had some spare time today and came to ask the emperor."
Cao Rui nodded. Xiahou Xuan is indeed a member of the Cao clan, and asking the emperor for advice really doesn't pick any fault with him.
However... Cao Rui seems to remember that in the original historical record, Sima Yi's son Sima Shiyuan has been married several times, and Xiahou Hui's fate is not good.
But this is just a private matter between the ministers, which has no impact on the emperor or the state. Should the emperor interfere in such personal matters? Should he really intervene in someone's destiny?
Seeing the emperor silent for a moment, Xiahou Xuan seemed to become a bit anxious as well.
After a moment, Cao Rui sighed softly and said, "Well, I think this matter should be consulted with your mother and General Cao Zhen first. Once we return to Luoyang, after they give you the result, come and tell me then."
Xiahou Xuan bowed and left on his own. However, Cao Rui's thoughts did not stop.
Cao Rui has always had a mixed attitude of using and being cautious towards Sima Yi. As for Sima Shiyuan, the young man, since he has not entered public service yet, there is no possibility of his ever doing so. And whether Xiahou Hui should marry Sima Shiyuan...
Let them choose for themselves!
The return journey is not as leisurely as the coming journey. The convoy travels at a speed of only fifty li per day, far slower than the eighty li per day on the way here.
It took a full seven or eight days for the emperor's tour party to reach Qiao County.
Although the Cao family had become the imperial family, not all members of the Cao family had moved to Yin or Luoyang. There were still some of their clan relatives living in Qiao County. Since the emperor had returned to his hometown, there were naturally nightly banquets with relatives and kinsmen every evening.
"Have you ever seen the Yellow Dragon?" Cao Rui, slightly tipsy during the banquet, heard a local strange story.
However, this strange story has become increasingly like omens and prophecies over time with the rise of the Cao family and the passage of time.
"How could I ever lie to the emperor?" An elderly gentleman, Gao Ping, stared with wide eyes and spoke enthusiastically to the emperor. According to seniority, Gao Ping was also a cousin of Cao Cao's.
"If I'm not mistaken, it was during my youth, in the fifth year of Xi ping," said Gao Ping, standing up at the banquet, his arms spread wide as he gestured excitedly. "There was such a big yellow dragon flying in the sky during a rainstorm, weaving through the clouds. Half of Qiao County's people saw it."
This is a bit absurd. However, since I have traveled to this era myself, it seems that seeing a yellow dragon flying in the sky is within acceptable range.
Cao Rui looked at Liu Ye, and as the 'brain' of the emperor, Liu Ye also bowed and responded: "Your Majesty, this matter has spread widely throughout Wei."
"People say that at the time, the Grand Chancellor Qiao Xuan once asked the Grand Astronomer about this matter, and the Grand Astronomer said that a king would rise after the descendants of Qiao in Qiao Prefecture, and it would be within fifty years. Before the change of era to Huangchu Year one, a yellow dragon appeared again in Qiao Prefecture."
"When the previous emperor changed the era to Huangchu, he also used some of the 'Yellow Dragon's yellow' symbolism. As for the remaining theories, they are related to the earthly element replacing the fiery element of the Han Dynasty in Wei."
(End of this chapter)
