"My worthy nephew... my condolences."
Lu Yu stepped forward and helped Sima Zhao up, his face full of sorrow.
"We are all deeply grieved by the Grand General's passing. Did he leave any final words before he died?"
Sima Zhao shook his head. "No."
Lu Yu let out another long sigh.
"The realm will never forget the Grand General's achievements. I will certainly petition the imperial court for a posthumous title befitting his character and merits..."
Sima Zhao was in no mood to listen to any more of Lu Yu's nonsense. He said, "With my elder brother dead of illness, I no longer have the heart to govern the realm. I intend to resign my offices and titles and devote myself to mourning him."
At Sima Zhao's words, Lu Yu trembled all over and stared at him in disbelief.
Lu Yu had assumed that after Sima Shi died, the more aggressive Sima Zhao would take his place and begin fighting him head-on.
He had already prepared his defenses, yet Sima Zhao actually wanted to withdraw now?
Lu Yu could scarcely believe it. He asked, "Do you truly mean that?"
"Do you think me unfilial, Duke Lu?!"
"When my father passed away, I was occupied with great affairs and could not observe mourning. Now my elder brother's son is still young, not yet old enough to observe mourning. I should mourn my father and brother..."
"Excellent!"
Lu Yu patted Sima Zhao's shoulder. "The General Who Conquers the West is truly filial! Your devotion is deeply moving!"
Anyone could see the wild joy in Lu Yu's heart at that moment.
His rival was dead, and his next rival had withdrawn.
In court struggles, once someone left the heart of power, returning was exceedingly difficult. Unless Sima Zhao could accomplish what his father