Not so easy!

Guo Jian left in silence.

He was taking his men out of Yuan City.

Meanwhile, Sima Yan was still complaining to Cao Mao. "This man isn't worth befriending. My father always says those Guos are insatiably greedy."

Sima Yan glanced at Guo Ze, then told Cao Mao, "Even with the people around you, you must be careful, lest they do you harm!"

Guo Ze's expression turned ugly.

Cao Mao stared at Sima Yan in astonishment.

What a brilliant ploy to sow discord!

If only your uncle were like you!

Truly Sima Zhong's biological father-your sacred intellect remained just as pristine.

Unfortunately, powerful ministers were plentiful, but men like Sima Yan were not. The opponent he had to face was still someone like Sima Shi.

The news Guo Jian had brought was explosive.

Now it was Cao Mao's turn to be stunned. Guo Jian had accused him of killing Guo De.

Guo De was Sima Shi's son-in-law. Who in the Imperial Court besides Sima Shi would dare kill him?

Why had Sima Shi killed him?

Wasn't he afraid of falling out with the Guo Family completely?

Guo Jian had only told me today, so this must have happened days ago. How had Sima Shi dealt with the aftermath all this time?

Cao Mao abruptly came to his senses. Wasn't this the very information gap I had exploited before?

Sima Shi had thrown the exact same trick right back at me. Was it my turn to start guessing at the situation now?

By my great-grandfather's fucking mother, this bastard was nearly dead from illness, yet he still struck this hard?

After offering a few more words of advice and ordering Cheng Ji to protect Cao Mao, Sima Yan finally left.

Cao Mao took Guo Ze back into the inner room.

"Lord Guo, my eldest maternal uncle has been killed."

Guo Ze fell silent for a moment. "The Empress Dowager hasn't written to me again."

"I'm worried Sima Shi has placed the Empress Dowager under his control as well."

Cao Mao said sorrowfully:

"Alas, my eldest uncle died because of me."

Guo Ze hastily shook his head and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, all men must die. My elder brother died for a great cause, to clear Lord Xiahou's name. His death had purpose. This is certainly nothing to grieve over."

"I used to think my brother was timid and dared not uphold the state. Now I see that I fall far short of him!"

Guo Ze lifted his head and sighed.

Cao Mao offered no comment on that.

If the man had possessed the resolve to die for the Imperial Court, he would not have waited until now. He would have set off on that final journey with Xiahou Xuan and the others long ago.

While the two were speculating about the situation at the Imperial Court and patiently awaiting news, an old acquaintance returned to the residence.

Indeed, Yang Zong was back.

When he appeared at the residence's entrance, his clothes disheveled and his manner wild and unrestrained, even Cheng Ji jumped. The man truly appeared and vanished like a ghost.

Cheng Ji detested people like him, but he did not make things difficult and let him inside.

At the sight of Yang Zong, Guo Ze's eyes filled with anger.

He sneered, "The danger hasn't passed yet. Why have you come back already?"

Yang Zong ignored the foolish lad and walked straight to his familiar patch of shade. Leaning against the tree, he sat on the ground with his legs splayed out.

"I merely went out for a walk to dissipate the medicine."

Yang Zong looked toward Cao Mao, who stood in the doorway, and raised his head. "I ran into a few friends along the way and learned a little about the situation at the Imperial Court. Ah, I could really use some wine."

His expression was rather smug, as though he were saying, Come on, ask me!

Cao Mao nodded calmly.

"The wine is in the storeroom."

With that, he turned and went inside.

Yang Zong was left alone, staring after Cao Mao, utterly flummoxed in the wind.

Guo Ze followed Cao Mao inside.

"My lord, Lord Yang seems to have something to tell you. Although he left us earlier, we badly need to know what's happening at the Imperial Court... Why not hear him out?"

Cao Mao shook his head. "It isn't because he left. I simply don't want to grow too close to him."

Cao Mao had long since prepared himself for defeat and death, and Yang Zong was his fallback if he failed. If Cao Mao died, Yang Zong could still advise Sima Zhao in time. Though Sima Zhao was not his brother's equal, he could listen to advice. Perhaps Yang Zong really could prevent the great catastrophe to come.

If Yang Zong became too close to him now, Sima Zhao might not entrust him with important duties in the future.

As for the situation at the Imperial Court, what difference would knowing make?

In his current predicament, he could do nothing at all.

Without dwelling on it, Cao Mao waved a hand, entered the study, picked up a book, and began to read.

Guo Ze looked at him, hesitated, then left the inner room.

Yang Zong sat beneath the tree. The weather was growing colder, and his whole body trembled faintly, yet he seemed not to care at all. He even deliberately pulled open his collar to face the cold head-on.

"Lord Yang."

Someone suddenly called to him.

Yang Zong raised his head. It was Guo Ze, standing stiffly nearby with a wineskin in his hand.

"I..."

"You..."

Twice Guo Ze opened his mouth, and twice he failed to continue.

He had never begged anyone for anything in his life, nor did he know how to flatter. He stood there cautiously, utterly at a loss for words.

Yang Zong stared at the young man before him.

The two remained silent for a long time.

At last, Yang Zong asked irritably, "Is that wine for me?"

"Yes..."

Guo Ze hurriedly handed him the wine. Yang Zong took several great swallows, then looked at him again.

Guo Ze still said nothing.

Yang Zong sighed deeply and asked again, "You want me to tell you what's happening at the Imperial Court?"

"Yes..."

"Look at you two heartless wretches! Must I beg you to let me tell you?!"

Guo Ze froze, then straightened his clothing and knelt directly before Yang Zong. "Please tell me, Lord Yang."

For a moment, Yang Zong looked dazed.

Looking at this rigid, somewhat foolish young man, he could not help sinking into his memories.

His eyes filled with conflicting emotions and pain.

"Get up. I'm not worthy of receiving your kneeling salute..."

"Sima Shi forced Guo De to kill himself. He fabricated a charge that Guo De had beguiled Lord Cao into clearing his own brother-in-law's name, making him the instigator. He appointed Sima Wang General of the Guard, then used the entire Guo Family to pressure the Empress Dowager into issuing an order forbidding the exoneration."

"The ministers can no longer submit petitions. Go back and tell Lord Cao that Sima Shi is a man who cares nothing for his reputation. Now that he has brought the ministers to heel, his next move will most likely be to kill Lord Cao."

"Whether Lord Cao still wishes to inherit the throne will make no difference."

"The only way to survive now is to write to Sima Zhao and request that the Prince of Pengcheng be enthroned. Sima Zhao values his reputation. Even if only to demonstrate his own magnanimity, he would probably keep Lord Cao alive. He might even grant him a princely title and confine him for the rest of his life."

"Confinement is better than being killed."

There was not the slightest fear on Guo Ze's face. He once again offered Yang Zong a full formal bow.

"Thank you for telling me."

"From now on, think more about yourself. The Guo Family must have abandoned you, and the Imperial Court considers you Lord Cao's trusted confidant. If Lord Cao judges the times and weighs the circumstances, he may yet live. But you, I fear, have no path to survival."

Guo Ze said earnestly, "To die in the sovereign's service is to die a worthy death."

He stood and hurried away.

Yang Zong looked down at the wine in his hand again, then tipped back his head and drank.

Guo Ze hurried to tell Cao Mao the news.

"You went to see Yang Zong?"

"My lord was unwilling to grow close to him, so I had no choice but to ask him myself..."

Cao Mao said, "Do not act on your own initiative again."

"As you command."

The news Guo Ze had brought back could hardly be called good.

Cao Mao had not expected Sima Shi to strike so ruthlessly, leaving him no opening whatsoever.

His proposal to clear Xiahou Xuan's name had served four purposes: first, to show the loyal and upright men throughout the realm where he stood; second, to stir up conflict within the Imperial Court; third, to gain prestige among the scholars; and fourth, to bind himself to the Guo Family, leaving them astride a tiger they could not dismount.

But Sima Shi had simply driven Guo De to his death and pinned everything on him, turning the public cause of clearing a leader of the scholars into the private affair of clearing his own brother-in-law.

He had also used the Empress Dowager to silence the ministers, forcibly planted his own man in the Palace, and carved away the Guo Family's authority.

He had even driven a wedge between Cao Mao and the Guo Family. Judging by Guo Jian's attitude, the man would have liked to devour him alive.

Cao Mao drew a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Guo Ze then relayed the latter part of Yang Zong's advice to Cao Mao as well.

Upon hearing it, Cao Mao narrowed his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"How could I not know what sort of man Sima Shi is? I never imagined I could restrain him through his reputation..."

"But killing me won't be quite so easy."

"This realm of Great Wei is not yet a hall where his voice alone holds sway."

"Lord Guo, I intend to write another letter!"

"To whom will you write, my lord?"

"Sima Zhao, of course. Didn't Lord Yang say so? He told me to write to Sima Zhao and beg for my life. How could I refuse the counsel of such a great sage?"