Du Xian was well aware that the matter had already been inquired into by the emperor and it was impossible to deal with it lightly. Yuan Kan should have given up such an idea while in the imperial prison.
After giving Yuan Kan a glance, Du Yu slightly shook his head with a minor gesture, then turned around and walked away.
But at this moment, Du Xian raised his right hand a few inches, with the cuff of his sleeve facing towards Yuan Kan's direction, and gently made a '8' gesture with his hand.
Gao He and Du Xian left one after the other, and the jailers holding torches followed, leaving the imperial prison in an extreme silence. Only the dim light from the oil lamps in the corridor shone faintly.
Guandu, Yuan Kan, and Xu Yun just took a wrong turn, but they have nothing to do with the character 'stupid'.
The three men exchanged a glance at each other, and at this moment, they were all thinking about the meaning of Du Xian's hand gesture just now.
After a moment, it was Xu Yun who softly exclaimed in shock, "Discussion of the Eight Cases! Du Wu Bo must have meant the Discussion of the Eight Cases!"
Guandu and Yuan Kan both turned to look at him.
Guandu asked first: "Discussion of the Eight Cases? Is it the Eight Cases proposed by Liu Shao and Liu Kongcai when the code was modified previously?"
Xu Yun nodded: "Exactly! Among us three, according to the rules of the Eight Cases, Yuan Gong, father of Yuan Kan, had once served as the Grand Judge and was a national hero! Only Yuan Kan can be exempted from death!"
After Xu Yun finished speaking, before the other two could react, he immediately knelt down in respect to Yuan Kan and said earnestly: "Yuan Kan, please save me! I have already been admitted to the imperial prison. Otherwise, I will die!"
Yuan Kan remained silent, but Guandu spoke up from the side: "This is about the Eight Cases of Recommendation, which are recommendation for kinship, recommendation for old acquaintances, recommendation for the wise, recommendation for the capable, recommendation for merit, recommendation for rank and title, recommendation for diligence and perseverance in service, and recommendation for honored guests. If we look at it seriously, Yuan Kan can indeed be said to fit into one of these 'recommendations', which is 'recommendation for merit'."
After speaking, Guandu smiled self-mockingly and turned around to lie down on the straw in the cell, closing his eyes and curling up on one side.
Xu Yun was a selected imperial official, which could be considered as Yuan Kan's deputy. Therefore, he still had the possibility of passing the responsibility to Yuan Kan.
And Guandu and Yuan Kan, who were in the post-incumbent and pre-incumbent relationship, could not escape any responsibility under any circumstances!
Yuan Kan remained silent for a long time, then sighed deeply: "Shizong, you are both a friend and my subordinate to me. If the 'Discussion of the Eight Cases' could be implemented, how could I not wish to take the blame upon myself and save you?"
"However, whether the 'Discussion of the Eight Cases' can be implemented is something that I cannot control."
Xu Yun spoke with a sincere expression: "For the moment, this is the only option we have. It's during the critical time of modifying the code, and if we mention this matter to the Palace Justice, they will definitely consider it!"
Yuan Kan silently nodded, though he was willing to take the blame for Xu Yun, he also turned away like Guandu, never to look at Xu Yun again.
Early the next morning after breakfast, Cao Wei summoned Sima Yi, Wei Zhen, Xin Bi, and Chen Jiao and prepared to set off for Chongwen Pavilion in the southern suburbs of Luoyang.
On this occasion, Cao Wei did not bring any ceremonial guards, only escorted by tiger guards and rode there with his subjects.
To go to the Chongwen Pavilion, one must pass through the long street in front of the Taixue (Imperial Academy).
From the street to the end, there were dozens of inscribed slabs of stone from the Tai Xue (Imperial Academy) standing by the walls. Almost every stone was in front of some students who were diligently copying them.
Cao Wei smiled at Sima Yi: "How literary! Next month will be the time for selecting Tai Xue officials. Can you help me think about how to select them?"
Sima Yi thought for a moment and asked, "Is Your Majesty asking how I should evaluate the Tai Xue officials?"
Cao Wei nodded gently.
Sima Yi replied, "Your Majesty, I remember that the earlier Confucian scholars did not undergo testing. In the later Han Shundi years, the Secretary of State Zuo Xiong ordered an examination of Confucian scholars and called it 'Testing literary scholars on their household law and civil servants on their petitions'."
"And the students of the Tai Xue mainly study the classics and do not have the experience of civil officials in the provinces and commanderies. If there is to be an examination, it would be better to test their understanding of classic texts."
However, Cao Wei shook his head and said, "As the classics are taught in the Tai Xue, it is only natural to test their understanding of classic texts. Otherwise, it would be like punishing them without teaching them."
"But it cannot be that only the understanding of classical texts is examined, otherwise if a group of scholars and bookworms are really selected, what would happen?"
Sima Yi thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, why not have an examination of policy papers? It combines classical texts with current affairs and practical matters, which can be considered a win-win situation."
Cao Wei agreed: "What Sima Yi said is very in line with my thoughts! Why not let Sima Yi prepare some questions, and I will choose two or three of them at that time?"
"Anyway, there are more than half a month left. There is no hurry."
Sima Yi bowed and replied, "I will comply with Your Majesty's order. Then I will come up with five questions, and Your Majesty may choose two or three from them?"
Cao Wei smiled and said, "Ten questions are a bit too few. Why not let Sima Yi prepare ten more?"
During their conversation, the imperial entourage had already arrived at the Chongwen Pavilion.
The Tiger Guards had already sent a message to the Chongwen Pavilion, and Cao Zhi was already standing at the gate to welcome them early on.
Seeing Cao Zhi standing at the gate to bow, Cao Wei got off his horse and walked over to Cao Zhi, saying to him, "Uncle, there is no need for such formalities! I haven't been to the Chongwen Pavilion for a long time. Today, I suddenly had the thought of coming to visit you."
"Why is it that only Uncle is here? Where are Gao Tang, Zhi Boyi, and Wu Daoshi?"
Cao Zhi smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, Professor Gao Tang is in the Secretariat of the Palace every day, coming here to the Chongwen Pavilion only occasionally. As for Doctor Wu, he has not been feeling well lately and is mainly doing his work at home."
"How is Doctor Wu's health?" Cao Wei frowned and asked.
Cao Zhi shook his head slightly and sighed: "I have heard him say that he has been feeling weak all over lately and has pain in the chest and abdomen."
"Why didn't this Wu Zhi tell me?" Cao Wei turned to look at Xin Bi: "Xin Minister, after a while, please send a physician to examine Doctor Wu's condition and then go to his mansion on my behalf to pay him a visit."
Xin Bi nodded and accepted the order, but unconsciously began to miss Liu Ye. When Liu Ye was still around, these trivial matters were mostly handled by him.
Cao Zhi followed beside the emperor, and the group of several people walked slowly into the Chongwen Pavilion.
Cao Wei looked around and asked, "Where is He Pingshu? I don't see him here."
Cao Zhi shook his head and said, "I don't know either. Since Professor Gao Tang is not here, Doctor Wu is not here, I have only been focused on translating classical texts and have paid no attention to other matters."
Cao Wei pushed the door open, his face growing even more unsightly: "He Yan is not here. Why are Guo Zhi, Deng Yang, Li Sheng, Ding Mi, and Li Feng all absent?"
"It's already the morning, where have all these people gone? Aren't these five scholars of the Chongwen Pavilion all recommended by He Yan?"
Cao Zhi nodded his hands, still unaware.
Cao Wei glanced at Cao Zhi with slight disdain: "Are you avoiding suspicion or just ignoring the state affairs? Not caring about the affairs is right, but why are you even ignoring your subordinates in the Chongwen Pavilion?"
Cao Wei turned his head to look at Xin Bi, who understood the situation. He then whispered a few words to Dian Man, the Tiger Guards officer in charge of the escort today.
After a moment, a team of ten horsemen galloped out, heading in the direction of He Yan's home in the city.
Cao Wei was not going to wait for He Yan in the Chongwen Pavilion and do nothing. He then asked Cao Zhi, "Uncle, how is your translation of the Poetry going? It's been almost half a year."
Cao Zhi replied, "Your Majesty, if it's only to translate it in a common and straightforward manner, the speed would be fast. However, there are often places that require investigation or careful consideration of words and phrases. There are also comparisons and corrections between different versions, and the time is spent on these."
"There are 160 pieces of 'Feng' and 105 pieces of 'Ya', which have been translated by me and my subordinates. Out of the 40 pieces of 'Song', I have translated 'Hao Tian Yonging Ming' so far."
Cao Wei smiled and nodded: "The Book of Songs, 300 poems, without evil thoughts. I can only memorize a few of them. However, this one is very short, only seven lines, so I still know it."
"'The King Cheng dare not be complacent, from morning to night, establishing and refining the fate,' I am also like King Cheng!"
Cao Zhi smiled and said, "Your Majesty comparing oneself to King Cheng is indeed appropriate."
Cao Wei laughed heartily, and the officials inside the hall, Sima Yi, Wei Zhen, Xin Bi, and Chen Jiao, all nodded and smiled.
This is actually related to a famous anecdote from the Great Wei.
In 219 BC, after the death of Guan Yu, Sun Quan had recommended to Cao Cao that Cao Cao should declare himself emperor and replace the Han dynasty.
Cao Cao showed Sun Quan's letter to all the officials inside and outside, saying, "If the heavens bestow fate upon me, I shall be Zhou Wenwang."
Zhou Wenwang laid the foundation for the state and clipped the wings of the Shang dynasty, while Zhou Wuwang inherited his father's will and rose to replace the Shang with military force. The King Cheng mentioned in the poem "Hao Tian You Cheng Ming" is the son of King Wu Ji Fa, son of Zhou Wuwang.
Cao Cao, Cao Pi, and Cao Wei are similar to Zhou Wenwang, Zhou Wuwang, and Cheng Wang respectively, and are in harmony with the poem.
While Cao Wei was leading four ministers to discuss literature and affairs in the Chongwen Pavilion, the tiger guards sent out were also busy.
Dian Man arrived at He Yan's home and found that Bi Gai, Deng Yang, Li Sheng, Ding Mi, and Li Feng were all also there, looking very tired and sleepy.
He quickly put the several people into a carriage, then called He Yan's family over to ask questions in detail. Following this, he brought all six people over.
By the time this group arrived at the Chongwen Pavilion, the emperor was still discussing the poem "Luming" with Cao Zhi. Cao Zhi was very enthusiastic in telling the emperor about the scenes from years ago when he, along with the late emperor, Wang Can, Chen Lin, and others, drank and composed poetry in Ye.
However, this rare moment of lightheartedness between the uncle and nephew was suddenly plunged into a dead silence when He Yan's group was brought into the hall.
Upon hearing that these people were all found at He Yan's home, Cao Wei's expression also gradually grew cold.
Cao Zhi beside him was also in a state of surprise, thinking that they had been carousing all night.
Sima Yi turned to look at the emperor, and Cao Wei nodded slightly. Sima Yi then stood up to ask on behalf of the emperor.
In this hall, besides the emperor, he Sima Yi holds the highest official position. If he doesn't ask, who else would? Wait for Cao Zhi to step forward?
Sima Yi cleared his throat: "He Yan, why are you and the other five gathered at your home? According to the rules of the court, all offices must conduct roll call by the end of the dawn hour and before the morning dew hour. Why did you not arrive on time?"
Although He Yan looked like he had not slept well, he still bowed to the emperor and Sima Yi in a smile: "Your Majesty, our household banquet was held late. Please forgive us."
Dian Man standing at the door, however, looked like he wanted to speak but hesitated.
The emperor sat in the hall without speaking, but Sima Yi's sharp eyes noticed his hesitation and looked at him: "Dian Jiaowai, what do you want to say?"
Dian Man, wearing armor, thus only bowed and said: "Your Majesty, in He's home, the subordinates of the end found that they took a substance called 'five stone powder' at night. The subordinates have brought a sample of this substance."
Sima Yi stepped forward and took a small piece of powder wrapped in silk from Dian Man's hand, frowned at it for a moment.
Before Sima Yi could speak, Cao Wei, his face darkened, reached out and took the substance from Sima Yi's hand with a flick of his fingers. (This chapter concludes.)
