A bamboo pole and a dog's tail

"The county magistrate called in reinforcements! They say he's going to arrest you!"

"What?!"

Cao Mao's eyes widened.

That damned county magistrate-did he have the guts?

Before Cao Mao could react, Guo Ze had entered the hall. He looked around at everyone in bewilderment. "What happened?"

The warrior hurriedly explained, "Lots of people saw it. They say the magistrate went out of the city to welcome an army, all cavalry. The whole city is under lockdown, and soldiers have been posted along the road. No one else is allowed on the road from the city gate to our residence!"

Guo Ze was still at a loss. "Why would the magistrate do such a thing?"

Cao Mao pressed his lips together.

It seemed there was no hiding it after all.

He rose and walked over to Guo Ze, sincerity written all over his face. "Lord Guo, there's something you don't know. I had a little dispute with the magistrate earlier."

"What? Why? What sort of dispute?"

"Don't worry. It wasn't anything serious."

Cao Mao tried to reassure him.

Liu Lu, the wandering swordsman who had brought the news, grinned and shouted from beside them, "That's right! Nothing serious. Lord Cao led us out this morning to snatch Shu Qu's wife!"

Guo Ze's vision went black, and he staggered.

Liu Lu hurried to steady him, but Guo Ze shoved him away. He looked gravely at Cao Mao.

"Duke of the Village..."

"On ordinary days, you refused to heed my counsel and did things that violated ritual and law. It pained me, but I thought you could mend your ways."

"But this time, you actually abducted a woman, committing rape and pillage. This is something I absolutely cannot accept."

"I failed to counsel and teach you properly. All of this is my fault."

As Guo Ze spoke, he slowly rested his hand on the sword hilt at his waist, his gaze turning resolute.

Cao Mao seized his hand, his expression utterly solemn.

"Lord Guo, please hear me out first. If you still believe me guilty after I've explained the whole affair, I am willing to take my own life alongside you."

Guo Ze froze. Frowning, Cao Mao asked calmly, "Do you remember the family who put us up when we visited Pan'an Hamlet?"

The faces of that family of four swiftly surfaced in Guo Ze's mind.

The kindly old man, the simple, honest farmer, the gentle, virtuous wife, and the shy child.

"I remember."

"The woman who brought us water was raped by Shu Qu. Then she killed herself... The farmer who insisted on getting us some wild game so we could eat meat was falsely accused of offering up his wife. His reputation ruined, he drowned himself."

"Of that family, only the old man and the child remain."

"Today, I led men to seize Shu Qu's wife, who had helped that tyrant perpetrate his crimes, and forced the magistrate to punish them and clear the farmer's name."

"Tell me, was I wrong?!"

Guo Ze stared straight at Cao Mao, his expression somewhat dazed. The faces of that family appeared in his mind again, and he could not help clenching his fists.

"Not wrong! Of course you weren't wrong! Except you let that magistrate go! You should have killed him too!"

Another voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

Cao Mao looked over. It was Lord Yang, who had moved into the hall at some point. He still sat with his legs sprawled out, his back against the wall and a wine flask in his hand, shouting drunkenly.

Guo Ze ignored him and said solemnly, "The fault lies with the Shu family. Rest assured, Duke of the Village. I will go and reason with them myself."

"If the Shu family dares turn black into white, I will submit a memorial directly to the Three Offices!"

"So you do know you can submit a memorial directly to the Three Offices..."

"What did you say, Duke of the Village?"

"Oh, nothing..."

Guo Ze turned to Liu Lu beside him and asked, "Tell me, how many men came? How many horsemen? What did their procession look like?"

"They were too far away, and I didn't dare look closely. I only saw the man at the front sitting in a carriage, holding a bamboo pole with a dog's tail hanging from it..."

"A dog's tail?"

"Yes, a dog's tail hanging from the top of a bamboo pole. The man was waving it hard, too..."

Guo Ze's vision went black again.

"That's called the Son of Heaven's Processional Standard... not a bamboo pole and a dog's tail!"

Liu Lu blanched. "We only snatched one woman! Surely that couldn't have alarmed the Son of Heaven?"

"They've brought out the Son of Heaven's Processional Standard. Are they going to abolish the fief?! That shouldn't be... How could it be? Are you sure it was a dog... Are you sure there was a Yak Tail hanging from the bamboo staff?"

Watching those around him pace in frantic circles, Cao Mao arrived at a startling conjecture.

Could it be... that Emperor Cao Fang had been deposed for plotting rebellion?

Leaving aside whether they needed the Son of Heaven's Processional Standard to deal with a mere duke like me, even if they did bring it out, how could it reach Yuan City in a single day?

Could it be... that I'm about to ascend the throne?

At the thought, Cao Mao felt cold all over, his hair standing on end.

Of course Cao Mao knew who he was.

The renowned last true man of Cao Wei in history.

The first emperor in Chinese history to be murdered in the street: Cao Mao, the Young Emperor of Wei.

Cao Mao was unquestionably capable. People often called him an Emperor Wen of Han who had not been given enough time.

He had displayed extraordinary intelligence as a child and enjoyed an excellent reputation.

At his accession, a single speech had left the assembled ministers dumbstruck.

After ascending the throne, he had constantly courted the finest minds of every faction. At fourteen, he could even debate the most outstanding Confucian scholars of his age.

He had discussed whether Shaokang or Liu Bang was greater, hoping to build momentum through public opinion and curb the Sima Family.

He had repeatedly matched wits and courage with the two brothers of the Sima Family, catching Sima Zhao completely off guard at fifteen.

Unfortunately, what he faced was a terrifying, inescapable death trap.

In the end, the young emperor, realizing he could no longer turn back the heavens, had led his personal guards in one final charge against Sima Zhao.

He had been murdered in the street.

Given the abilities Cao Mao had displayed, what he might have achieved in a peaceful, prosperous age was beyond imagining.

The difficulty of Cao Mao's situation had been unprecedented.

The Sima Family had thoroughly absorbed the lessons of Cao Cao, Cao Pi, and the others, then turned that entire apparatus perfectly against the Cao family.

Military and political power lay entirely in the Sima Family's hands, while Cao Fang had all but swept away the last court ministers loyal to Great Wei in one fell swoop.

And Sima Shi was an utterly terrifying enemy.

That was precisely why Cao Mao's thoughts were tangled like a skein of hemp at this moment.

Even with the two of us merged into one, knowing what would happen and bolstered by a thousand years of experience and perspective, what could I accomplish in a predicament like this?

Become a puppet emperor, stifled and humiliated at every turn, only to be forced to abdicate-or murdered?

Guo Ze and the retainers were still talking, but Cao Mao could barely make out their words.

He sat down beside Lord Yang in a daze, his hands trembling faintly.

"Don't be afraid, Duke of the Village."

"Perhaps it's good news?"

Lord Yang spoke drunkenly.

"Perhaps."

Just then, Liu Lu had already devised a plan for Guo Ze. "Have Lord Cao climb the wall and escape over the back! I'm about the same height as him. Have Lord Cao give me his clothes, and I'll disguise myself as him!"

"Then I'll lead the brothers up onto the wall and have them shoot arrows to hold off the horsemen."

"Once Lord Cao is gone, we'll set a fire. As long as I die beyond recognition, they'll think Lord Cao is dead!"

Liu Lu grinned and proudly slapped his chest, immensely pleased with his scheme.

Guo Ze laughed in exasperation. Ignoring the reckless fool, he looked directly at Cao Mao.

"Lord Cao, let me go and ask what's happening."

Cao Mao shook his head. "There's no need."

Liu Lu was delighted. Sure enough, Lord Cao preferred my plan!

"Can that magistrate fly? We only stormed his office this morning. How could he have summoned the Son of Heaven's Processional Standard from the capital already?"

"They aren't necessarily here to arrest me. Perhaps they're changing my title."

"Liu Lu, take the brothers and leave first."

"Lord Cao! We may never have studied, but we too were born and raised by parents!"

Liu Lu's face flushed scarlet, as though he had been insulted.

"Nowhere under heaven is there any justification for accepting your kindness, then running away when you fall on hard times!"

"When we had nowhere left to turn, you took us in without despising our lowly origins. Now that you're in trouble, we ought to repay you with our lives!"

"Besides, all this past year you've fought injustice and stood up for others. In our hearts, you're the greatest chivalrous hero under heaven!"

"To die alongside you would be our good fortune!"

The other unruly scoundrels had also gathered beside Liu Lu, shouting their agreement.

But Cao Mao shook his head. "If you stay here, you'll only get me into trouble."

"Rest easy. They definitely aren't here to arrest me, but they really mustn't see you here. Otherwise, it may work against me."

Liu Lu smiled. "That's easy. We'll hide our weapons and stay inside the residence, pretending to be servants. If they try to harm you, we can still step in to help..."

Cao Mao did not refuse again.

Guo Ze looked thoughtfully at Cao Mao, who continued, "If they really have come to call me to account, just tell them truthfully what I did. Don't let yourselves be implicated along with me."

Guo Ze shook his head.

"You've changed so much over this past year that I could almost no longer recognize you. But only today did I realize that you are still yourself."

"Only the Noble Rural Duke would act so rashly over a matter like this."

"Your heart burns hot with youthful spirit, and you're willing to draw your sword for people you've met only by chance."

"Those you've helped are willing to live and die with you."

"Am I, a man who has studied, incapable of dying for you? If they demand punishment, I am willing to bear it in your place."

Cao Mao smiled and said nothing.

He looked toward the main gate.

At some point, the dark clouds outside had dispersed. Sunlight once again shone upon the ground, leaving scattered patches of light.

Cao Mao sat in the shadows of the hall, gazing at the light in the distance.