Cao Xiu is severely ill?
Commander Cao Xiu is gravely ill?
Upon hearing such news, Cao Rui was temporarily unsure of what he was hearing.
Cao Rui grasped the clothing of Bi Jin tightly with his right hand: "Explain it to me clearly, what exactly happened?"
Bi Jin replied with a slightly tremulous voice: "After Your Majesty returned to the rear palace, Commander of the Secretariat Wang You returned, bringing along an envoy from Shouchun and a man named Cao Qi who was waiting outside the palace."
"Commander of the Secretariat Wang You saw Man Jian. Man Jian, together with Dong Gong, summoned eunuchs to find Your Majesty. The eunuch who came to find the old servant..."
Cao Rui shook off Bi Jin and roared angrily: "I did not ask you these! How much do you know about Commander Cao Xiu's situation?"
Bi Jin grew even more flustered: "The old servant doesn't know. The eunuch who came to deliver the message said that both the West Pavilion and the East Pavilion are waiting for Your Majesty."
Since both the West Pavilion and the East Pavilion are waiting for Your Majesty, this matter must be of the utmost importance.
Cao Rui didn't hesitate for a moment and directly lifted his leg to walk out: "I know, I will go to the study now."
Sun Lubaan behind him saw that Cao Rui was in a hurry to leave, and asked immediately, "Your Majesty, the wind outside is strong, you should put on your overcoat to avoid catching a cold."
Cao Rui had already walked a few steps and turned his head without looking back, waved his hand, and mounted his horse outside the palace and rode towards the study immediately.
The autumn wind blew across the cheeks, already with a chill. The galloping hooves of the white horse echoed in the walls of the palace path.
Who doesn't recognize the emperor's white horse? The palace attendants and eunuchs walking by on the roadside all stepped aside and paid their respects.
Closer and closer to the study, Cao Rui was calmed down by the chilly wind.
Now the important military commander of Wei's external area, west is General Cao Zhen, east is Commander Cao Xiu.
In the first year of the Taihe era, Emperor Cao Rui led the central army and launched a large-scale campaign to conquer Huaiyang.
Half was to establish his authority after ascending the throne, and half was to prevent the original historical defeat at Shi Ping.
Cao Rui vaguely remembered that in the original history, Cao Xiu died of illness after the defeat at Shi Ping in the second year of Taihe.
Now it's the end of September in the third year of Taihe, already more than a year late. Could it still be unavoidable?
Cao Rui rode the white horse and directly passed through the gate of the courtyard, entering the study in front of it.
As expected, Dong Zhao, Man Meng, Sima Yi, Wei Zhen and the Commander of the Secretariat right monitor Wang Chang were all standing in front of the study with serious faces and whispering something.
Cao Rui looked at them for a moment while holding the reins, and couldn't help but smirk self-deprecatingly in his heart.
Why should only Zhao Yun of Shu be allowed to die, while only Lv Fan and He Qi of Wu be allowed to die, but not oneself's important officials?
There is no such reason in the world.
I must get to the bottom of this!
Seeing the emperor's arrival, the five ministers all bowed their hands in respect.
Cao Rui flips off his horse, walks in front of the crowd and says without any hesitation: "Follow the emperor inside! Wang Wen Shu, tell me in detail about this matter!"
The ministers followed behind the emperor, and Wang Chang said as he walked, "Your Majesty, according to Cao Qi, the military aide of Commander Cao Xiu, eight days ago, Commander Cao Xiu was hunting on the Ba Gong Mountain outside Shouchun."
"As he returned to Shouchun in the late afternoon, Commander Cao Xiu's warhorse suddenly lost its front foot and Cao Xiu fell off the horse unexpectedly, hitting his head on the hard stone on the ground."
"The people sent Commander Cao Xiu back to the city of Shouchun, but he remained unconscious. The next day, his condition did not improve and he gasped for breath like a dying person."
"The officials of Commander Cao Xiu's mansion and the Governor of Yangzhou, Jiang Zi Tong, discussed together and sent the military aide, Cao Qi, to report to Luoyang urgently. It reached Luoyang on the seventh night."
Cao Rui's face was gloomy: "So, the latest news was seven days ago? How is Commander Cao Xiu now? Luoyang can't even learn about it?"
Wang Chang nodded silently.
Cao Rui said, "Where is the messenger, Cao Qi? Have him brought in at once! I want to ask him myself!"
Zhong Yu was given the order and quickly ran outside. A moment later, Cao Qi was brought in.
Cao Rui looked straight into Cao Qi's eyes and asked, "I ask you. You left Shouchun at dawn seven days ago, right? What was Commander Cao Xiu's condition at that time?"
Cao Qi knelt on the ground and repeatedly bowed three times before lowering his head and choking up, saying, "Your Majesty, at that time, Commander Cao Xiu's face was pale and gasping for breath. It was just a moment!"
"I fear that Commander Cao Xiu is in danger of dying soon!"
Dong Zhao took a glance at the emperor, who had his brows knitted tightly, and stepped forward with his senior ministerial status, bowing as he said, "Your Majesty, Commander Cao Xiu is now unconscious in Shouchun. The southeastern armies have no leader for the time being. A decision should be made quickly."
Cao Rui didn't pay attention to Dong Zhao and continued to ask Cao Qi, "Lift your head! Tell me, who sent you to Luoyang?"
Cao Qi lifted his head, wiped away the tears on his cheeks and said, "Your Majesty, the serious illness of Commander Cao Xiu was a secret in Shouchun. Only the officials of Commander Cao Xiu's mansion who were still in the city, Cao Zen East and Governor Jiang of Yangzhou knew about it."
"It was Cao Zen East who sent me here in secret."
Cao Tai, the Generalissimo of the Eastern Command?
Cao Rui nodded: "Qi-shu, take the messenger to wait in the West Pavilion."
"Also, summon the four chancellors, and invite the Grand Marshal and the Grand Tutor as well!"
"Go quickly!"
Zhong Yu, after receiving the imperial order and bowing, led Cao Qi out.
Cao Rui turned to look at Dong Zhao and said, "Dong Gong, what did you want to say just now?"
Dong Zhao spoke with confidence: "Your Majesty, if the Commander of the Secretariat is seriously ill, state affairs cannot be put on hold by any person. Strategies should be formulated quickly!"
Dong Zhao and Commander Cao Xiu served together in the same palace, so without him, others could take his place. As a bystander, he could say this.
Sitting behind the desk, Cao Rui listened to Dong Zhao's words, but his mind was a bit dazed. A wave of sadness surged up in his heart.
"Man is not a vegetable. Who can be emotionless?"
According to Cao Qi's account, when he left Shouchun, Cao Xiu was already gasping for breath. This is just a subtle way of saying 'the end is near'!
Seven days have passed; has Commander Cao Xiu already passed away?
Scenes of interacting with Cao Xiu in Luoyang and Shouchun flashed before his mind.
Cao Rui always placed the state affairs first. Commander Cao Xiu played a crucial role in Cao Rui's strategy.
It's not that Commander Cao Xiu was particularly wise or strategic. When Cao Xiu was present, Cao Rui only needed to use his prestige and experience to stabilize the southeastern region.
While it wasn't necessarily relying on Cao Xiu to truly defeat Wu and kill Sun Quan, the position of the Grand Marshal of Wei in Shouchun and the leader of the Cao family's military generals was crucial. Having him there and not having him there was like night and day.
Let alone the past Luo Shui oath……
Cao Rui truly thought that if he were to pacify Wu in the future, someone like Cao Xiu could be granted a marquisate. How could such an accident have occurred?
The emperor sat behind the desk, with his thoughts in a turmoil, and the officials were also serious, silent.
Since the emperor said to wait for the arrival of the four chancellors and three Grand Secretaries, let's wait for them to arrive before discussing it.
The first to arrive were the two chancellors, Xin Pi and Lu Yu.
At this moment, Cao Rui sighed deeply and muttered to himself, "The Eastern Wu has yet to be pacified while the Grand Marshal is seriously ill. What shall we do?"
Sima Yi sighed beside him, "The Grand Marshal is indeed the pillar of the state. How can southeast Wei do without him?"
Everyone had taken their seats, but only Xin Pi and Lu Yu, who had just arrived, were still standing.
Xin Pi heard Sima Yi's words, and in a moment, he stood straight and shouted loudly in the center of the study, "What kind of words are these?"
Sima Yi was taken aback, looked up at Xin Pi and looked at him with a look of perplexity, temporarily forgetting to speak.
I was just trying to comfort the emperor and say a few words in agreement. Why are you criticizing me now??
Everyone's gaze in the study was attracted by Xin Pi.
Xin Pi saw the emperor looking at him, bowed and said, "In the early years of Huangchu, Cao Zixiao and Zhang Wenyuan died in succession. How were their prestige and power compared to that of the Grand Marshal?"
"Just one general, the country can continue to thrive with capable officials to take over. What is there to worry about?"
"Your Majesty, do not lower your morale and show weakness to others!"
Cao Rui's gaze softened towards Xin Pi, and he said softly, "I understand the intention of Xin Zhong. Let's sit down first."
"I was just feeling melancholic, thinking about all the times I spent with Commander Cao and feeling a bit sad. I don't know who can succeed him as the Grand Marshal."
Xin Pi, upon hearing the emperor's words, realized that his intention had been understood by the emperor, and sat down in his own seat without saying anything more.
Sima Yi, of course, understood Xin Pi's good intentions.
But being suddenly used as a comparison by Xin Pi and showing some arrogance in front of the emperor, made him feel a bit resentful. As for Xin Pi's words, the atmosphere at the moment wasn't suitable for refuting, so he couldn't help feeling resentful inside.
The study was silent.
Dong Zhao turned his eyes slightly and asked softly, "May Your Majesty forgive my impertinence, but why do we need a military supervisor?"
In today's study, shocking words came one after another.
"Why does Yangzhou need a military supervisor?"
Cao Rui repeated the question softly but still didn't understand Dong Zhao's meaning.
If someone else said this to Cao Rui, he would only think that the person had gone crazy. But if Dong Zhao said it, there must be a hidden meaning.
Military supervisor…
Cao Rui had a guess in his mind and asked in a tone that followed the previous conversation, "Since Commander Cao is seriously ill, I must choose a successor in case of emergency, right?"
Dong Zhao said: "The military supervisors in three places - Jingzhou, Yongliang, and Yangzhou - were established by the late Emperor in Year 3 of Huangchu."
"Before that, only when the late emperor first became King of Wei, he appointed Cao Ren to command the military affairs of Jing, Yang and Yizhou. And Zhang Bing was appointed to command the military affairs of Qing state. Only these two."
Cao Rui listened to Dong Zhao's words, deep in thought.
In just a few sentences, Dong Zhao has made his point clear.
The position of military supervisor over one state, or even multiple states, has only existed for less than ten years. It was established by the late Emperor Cao Pi in the early years of Huangchu.
Should the position of military supervisor exist? Is it necessary? Is it possible not to have this position at all?
Suddenly, Cao Rui realized that his thoughts seemed to be trapped in a certain pattern.
Yongliang should have a military supervisor, letting Cao Zhen sit in Chenping. Jingzhou should also have a military supervisor, letting Zhao Yan go to supervise the military affairs of Jingzhou.
Now that Cao Xiu has had an incident, does Yangzhou absolutely need to appoint another military supervisor?
Are all existing systems reasonable?
Cao Rui asked: "Dong Zhao's suggestion is that Yangzhou can do without a military supervisor?"
The ministers in the study were also deep in thought.
It can be said that Dong Zhao's thinking is indeed unique and can discover angles that ordinary ministers might not think of.
Dong Zhao replied: "I am not making a final decision, whether Yangzhou has a military supervisor or not is not up to me."
"But I still want to ask Your Majesty, why does Yangzhou need a military supervisor, or Jingzhou, or Yongliang?"
"Your Majesty, wasn't Wu Zhi's military supervisor in Hebei dismissed in the first year of Taihe?" (This chapter ends)
