The place where the emperor stays is called the "acting palace." Even at night, there is a rather large group of officials who can operate, ensuring that all governmental orders are passed without error.
The candlelight in the main hall of the magistrate's office shines as bright as midday.
When the emperor assigned tasks, discussed the details of the edict with Liu Fang, the Secretary-General, and the two Imperial Secretaries, Xin Zhi sat silently alone at a table as if he were an onlooker.
Indeed, after informing the emperor about the two matters of Guanzhong and Luoyang, he had already fulfilled his duty as a subject.
After Liu handed over the edict covering the emperor's seal, Xin Ji stood up and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, there are many matters concerning the transportation of supplies in the rear. Please allow me to return to Quanzhou on horseback at dawn tomorrow."
Cao Rui sighed lightly and slowly walked to within three zhang of Xin Zhi's seat, looking into his eyes and saying, "Xin Zhongshu has gone through a lot on this trip, and I greatly appreciate it. There's no hurry in the back - it can wait a half day or so."
"Tomorrow morning, I will arrange a remote sacrifice for Marquis Zhong in this place. After the ceremony, you, Xin Qing, should travel south with Zhong Yu."
Xin Ji gave a long bow in response and did not say anything else.
Since the Yellow Initial and Taiping years, the political activities of the Great Wei were highly centered around the emperor himself.
As the fundamental core of all politics, private conversations among court officials and noble families in Luoyang inevitably included discussions about the emperor.
Moreover, the emperor had publicly announced that he would not punish a subject for what they said, and the Secretariat had stopped spying on officials as ruthlessly as during the period of Yu Han. This discussion became more and more common.
Who doesn't bow and greet the Holy Emperor to the north palace's direction during private banquets? Who doesn't speak about the country's prosperity and strength?
In the general assessment in Luoyang, the mode of interaction between the emperor and his ministers can be divided into several distinctly different categories.
People like Cao Zhen and Chen Qun, with outstanding credentials and abilities, are given high salaries and important positions as governors or commanders.
People like Liu Ye, Chen Jiao, Huang Quan, and so on, serve the emperor and gain his trust. Afterwards, they are appointed to be governors or local officials in charge of governing a state's affairs.
Beyond these two categories, there is another group who reside at the side of the emperor, win his special favor, and are like his close advisors and trusted confidants—this refers to people like Sima Yi, Dong Zhao, and Xin Zhi.
That's right. At this time in Luoyang, people compare Xin Ji to Sima Yi.
For such ministers, long residence at the emperor's side is proof of favor. Xin Zhi's two times commanding the logistics of the army further proves this.
Xin Zhi raced four hundred miles in three days just for the 'gratitude' the emperor spoke of. Now that he has personally heard the emperor's recognition, why would he seek anything else?
...
For Cao Rui, the two sudden events were merely ripples in the process of governing and managing the state.
For Zhong Yu, the son of the late Grand Professor Zhong Yao, the passing of his elderly father was an even greater blow to his life.
Last night, when the emperor summoned him personally, Zhong Yu had already cried once. He remained silent all night, with black eyes and circles under his eyes. The second day, he wore mourning clothes and stood with his hands tied, bowing low by the side of Zhong Yao's grave, waiting for the ceremony to be completed.
When he saw the emperor in plain clothes, leading the crowd of ministers and officials in a bow, Zhong Yu's tears poured out uncontrollably.
In the quiet mortuary, Zhong Yu's sobs gradually turned to wails, which echoed and became increasingly poignant in the relatively small hall.
The officials standing behind Cao Rui did not know whether they were expressing their true feelings of mourning for Zhong Yao, or just following the trend. They couldn't help but emit continuous sighs and sobs at this time.
Cao Rui sighed deeply: "Young nephew, come closer to me."
At the age of eighteen, Zhong Yu raised his head to stop his crying, his eyes red and puffy as he wandered blindly to the emperor's side.
Cao Rui calmly removed the Dragon Scale Jade Badge from his waist, bowing his head to examine the glimmering light on the jade, and handed it to Zhong Yu.
"Your Majesty, what is this?" Zhong Yu, momentarily confused, whispered softly.
Cao Rui sighed, "Remember when you first succeeded to the throne, and I visited Marquis Zhong's residence personally? Marquis Zhong gave a jade to the late Emperor, and I then gave it to you. Four years have passed, and things change, people part ways, and times shift. Last night, as I reflected on the smallest details of Marquis Zhong, my sorrow was unending."
"Young nephew," Cao Rui said, placing his right hand on Zhong Yu's shoulder, "Marquis Zhong was an elderly and virtuous man, reaching the age of eighty and enjoying a long life. There's no need for excessive mourning."
"Jade is a gentleman's utensil. When I gave you the jade last time, it was truly returning to its rightful owner. Today I give you the jade again, hoping that you will become a gentleman as jade."
"You've been by my side for four years, and now I find it difficult to return to Luoyang." Looking at Zhong Yu, Cao Rui said, "Today, I will make the decision here for you. I want to bestow on you the title of Marquis Dingling, as Marquis Zhong had, and a fief of 1,800 households. Is that acceptable?"
As Cao Rui was giving Zhong Yu earnest advice, the officials behind him were all staring at the two of them.
This is a rare sight.
Zhong Yu had been by the emperor's side for four years, and everyone had merely regarded him as an ordinary escort officer, never realizing that he had such high regard from the emperor, treating him almost like a family member.
Being sent back to Luoyang as an envoy as Zhong Yu is the same treatment as Wang Shou, the former Minister of the Imperial Court. The emperor in Luoyang often gives greater importance to Wang Shou's theories than Zheng Xuan's, and this is well known throughout the land.
Both the gifting of jade and the appointment of Zhong Yu's inheritance of the title are unprecedented acts of grace. The emperor had previously granted a separate mansion in Luoyang for Zhong Yu's mother.
Is the emperor really this caring for the Zhong family and for Zhong Yu?
Zhong Yu cried even harder, wiping his tears as he kneeled and bowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, I am grateful for the gift. I am also grateful for the grace and kindness You have shown the Zhong family. However, I have a request that I hope Your Majesty will grant."
Cao Rui nodded, "Speak."
Kneeling, Zhong Yu requested, "My father passed away at the age of eighty, and there are only my brother and I left in the family. My younger brother lost his father at a young age. I humbly beg Your Majesty's mercy and request that some of the lands granted to my father be given to my brother."
Zhong Hui? Cao Rui was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at the officials behind him, including Sima Yi: "Is there a precedent for this?"
Sima Yi bowed and answered: "This is indeed a precedent. During the Yellow Initial era, when the late Emperor granted Marquis Zhong a title, he also divided some of Marquis Zhong's fief to Marquis Zhong's younger brother, Zhong Yanzhi."
Cao Rui nodded: "The family has such good traditions; I will also help make this a beautiful event. Young uncle, how much do you want to divide?"
Zhong Yu kneeled and said: "I humbly request Your Majesty to divide it equally."
Cao Rui stared at Zhong Yu's face for a few moments: "Young nephew, do you know that sometimes being young and holding a high position, or receiving rewards without merits, is not a good thing."
"I will grant Zhong Hui the title of a Marquis, with a fief of a hundred households. As the elder brother, you should take good care of him. Do not let your younger brother go down the wrong path."
Zhong Yu might not fully understand the emperor's intention, but since his younger brother had also been granted a title, he felt that he could console his deceased father when he returned to Luoyang. Therefore, he accepted the title without hesitation.
Sima Yi watched Zhong Yu's tearful expression, and his heart couldn't help but feel moved.
What he was sighing over was not the emperor's loyalty to the past or his favor towards Zhong Yu, but a sense of wonder and not knowing why the emperor had such an affection for the Zhong family.
However, Cao Rui's thoughts were not complicated.
Zhong Yao was meritorious, so his son should inherit his title. As for Zhong Yu himself, it was normal for the emperor to have affection for old ministers and promote close confidants. The emperor's main job is to distribute power and bestow rewards. Why can't he show favor to his close confidants?
...
Cao Rui originally wanted to set out from Tǔ Yín City immediately, but he stopped for three days to fulfill the required etiquette due to Zhong Yao's affairs.
However, during these three days, they did not stay idle. The entourage's officials further familiarized themselves with and accounted for the military forces, and also coordinated with the officers regarding the travel and command plans.
Man Chong even came up with a creative suggestion to hold a rallying ceremony in the north of Tǔ Yín City. Since Cao Rui had nothing else to do, he naturally did not refuse.
Tǔ Yín City was the administrative center of the Guanzhong region and had been a key area for the Chinese central government to deploy troops against nomadic tribes since the early Western Han Dynasty. Liangao, the Flying General, used to station here frequently.
Man Chong personally went out of the city to search and found, in the vast wilderness three miles north of the city, there was still a rammed earth platform from an unknown dynasty. Man Chong immediately ordered it to be repaired and used it as the site for the rallying ceremony.
After returning to the city and inquiring more carefully, they found out that this rammed earth platform was actually the site where Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty had performed a sacrifice to the heavens during his campaign against the Ural Khanate. Man Chong reported this to Cao Rui, who did not mind and immediately nodded his approval.
April 21st, early morning.
Just before dawn, the Yan Mountain range in the north resembles a giant dragon coiled in the long night. The mountain ridges abruptly converge north of Tǔ Yín City, with jagged rocks piercing the sky like broken spears.
The rammed earth platform north of the city resembles a giant creature's backbone breaking through the earth. Soldiers from various departments began to gather from different locations around Tǔ Yín City and form large square arrays at the designated location as arranged yesterday.
The sounds of the wind, the clash of metal and drums, and the shouts filled the open ground south of the platform.
However, Cao Rui had already arrived on the platform early, standing alone in the not-so-cold north wind, watching the bustling army array under the faint morning sunlight and listening to the fluttering of flags in the cold wind.
After a long time, in the lower tier of the platform, Man Chong bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, all departments have been assembled. Can we begin the ritual for the rallying ceremony?"
"Alright," Cao Rui spoke, a single word escaping his lips.
Without the need for exceptional military prowess, the great army of the Greater Wei will always be at the service of the emperor.
Cao Rui also does not need to shout loudly, as the golden drums and bugles will resonate through the four directions, making every soldier hear it with their ears.
At the far west end of the platform below, there are Liu Xie's 3,000 central cavalry and 5,000 Wuhuan light cavalry.
To the east of Liu Ye, there are 5,000 heavy cavalry led by Qu Qi Jian's central command.
Further east, there is a massive military formation mixed with various ethnic groups' foot soldiers, including Xianbei light cavalry and Hunnu light cavalry.
At the easternmost point, there is Wen Qin's Left Guards of the Feathered Army, which is Cao Rui's greatest reliance for this expedition.
During the twelfth year of Jian'an, when Cao Cao attacked the Wuhuan tribes at LiuchENG Pass to the north, he set out from Tǔ Yín. The bronze tripod used by Cao Cao for his military rituals when he left the capital was also found by Man Chong's men in the city.
As the smoke in the tripod rose continuously to the sky, the north wind gradually turned into a west wind, blowing the smoke towards the east of Liaodong.
This could be considered a bit of an omen.
The ritual of rallying the army began with a sacrifice to heaven, followed by reading the declaration of war.
"Your Majesty," Zhongshu Xu, with a serious expression, presented a roll of yellow silk to the emperor on the second tier of the platform.
Cao Rui reached out and took it, glanced towards the east towards Liaodong, and then handed it back to Xu She.
This declaration of war was written by Cao Rui himself, and Zhongshu Xu was reading it at the moment.(Chapter complete)
