In the years before and after Cao Cao's death from illness, the older generation of talent in the State of Wei withered away one after another. Sima Yi, whom Cao Pi trusted and relied on most, was also secretly exterminated along with his family by one of Cao Cao's posthumous schemes. Only Jia Xu remained—a man of high rank but little real power—with whom he could deliberate.
The Son of Heaven often paid visits to the Grand Commandant's residence, stirring jealous court officials into endless gossip. Jia Xu had spent half his life treading carefully and never dared act rashly. From then on, he used old age and "illness" as an excuse to avoid calamity. Whenever Cao Pi insisted on summoning him, Jia Xu had his servants carry him into the hall.
Perhaps it was because he had grown old, or perhaps Jia Xu had feigned illness until it became real. Since last year, his health had taken a sharp turn for the worse. After this year's Qingming Festival, he could no longer leave his bed and gradually became unable to eat much of anything.
Whenever Jia Xu was lucid, he had already begun arranging his affairs after death. Cao Pi had sent imperial physicians to treat him many times, but every diagnosis was exceedingly grim.
Cao Pi found it hard to imagine whom he could seek for counsel after Jia Xu passed away. Yet Heaven did not disappoint the diligent: the "Martial Marquis" he had sought for years had finally appeared.
So the one even more formidable than Sima Yi was actually his own son. Why had he not thought of that back then?
"Xiao Gao, prepare the carriage for the Hall of Joyous—" Cao Pi realized before finishing that it was inappropriate, and immediately changed his words. "Forget