"General Xuande? How did it come to this?!"
"Get up! Please, get up!"
Cao Mao spoke hurriedly, reaching out to help them up.
The two men kneeling at the hall entrance were, of course, Guo Li and Guo Zhi.
They knelt uneasily before the doors. Guo Li's hair had turned gray, and his whole body had grown thinner. Guo Zhi was hardly any better, his beard unkempt and his eyes dull and lifeless.
Looking at them now, where was that arrogant swagger they had worn as Sima Shi's honored guests, freely passing judgment on the realm and berating the Empress Dowager?
At the sight of the emperor, Guo Li's eyes reddened, and tears actually spilled down his face.
"Your Majesty!!"
"Please save our Guo Family!!"
Cao Mao's expression changed in shock. "What happened? Has something terrible happened to your family?"
Guo Li merely wept without speaking. Guo Zhi murmured, "Within three days, four members of our clan were dismissed and arrested. Even my elder brother was dismissed along with them..."
Naturally, a great family consisted of more than just those few men. Beyond its core members, it also had relatives and associates, such as collateral branches, daughters married into other families, disciples, former subordinates, and so forth. These formed an enormous family network. Apart from the important figures holding court, there were usually younger clan members serving as county magistrates or county commandants, which counted as lower-ranking officials.
From what Guo Zhi said, their family had come under attack. The officials they had previously installed were being dismissed and arrested, and General Xuande was no longer General Xuande.
Cao Mao was somewhat surprised. That made no sense.
At a time like this, everyone was busy with their own affairs. Who had so little to do that they would attack these