"Your Majesty? What is this?"
"Haha, Lord Wang, you have come a long way. Naturally, you ought to see your family first. Though I have missed you, there is no hurry for me to intrude. Spend a few days with your family before coming to see me."
Cao Mao had driven the carriage straight to the Grand General's Residence and had Wang Su alight there.
Looking at Cao Mao's smiling face, Wang Su could not shake his unease.
Wang Kai was about to say something, but Cao Mao simply left.
Wang Kai said indignantly, "How could His Majesty treat you so rudely?"
Wang Su gave his youngest son a long look. There is urgent business to attend to now. Once I have finished, I will show you what rudeness means.
Wang Su entered the Grand General's Residence with his son. Sima Yan and Sima You soon came out to welcome them; neither had expected their maternal grandfather to arrive so suddenly. His eyes reddening, Sima Yan took his grandfather's hand and was particularly affectionate toward Wang Su. Sima You, however, stood a short distance away with his head lowered, looking very respectful but showing little closeness to Wang Su and the others.
By the standards of scholars, Sima You's conduct was clearly better. After all, everything he did accorded with the rites, and he did not "rely on affection to behave without restraint" before his elders.
From a family's perspective, however, both Wang Su and Wang Kai preferred Sima Yan. They could not exactly be said to dislike Sima You, but they were not as close to him as they were to Sima Yan.
Sima Yan could be considered a man who placed considerable value on personal affection. He often shielded his relatives. Many people cited his unfair treatment of