Beneath Mention

The autumn wind sighed bleakly, and withered leaves danced upon it.

Armored guards filled the entire residence. Tall, imposing soldiers stood watch at every entrance and hall doorway.

In the front hall alone, more than two hundred armored guards stood in ranks on either side.

Sima Shi stood between them.

His gaze was like a sharp blade stabbing into Cao Mao, as though he meant to pierce him through.

Cao Mao had never felt such crushing pressure. An indescribable unease filled his heart, and his entire body stiffened.

Why was Sima Shi here?

Wasn't he supposed to be recuperating?

Cao Mao was not the only one afraid. Sima Yan was even more terrified.

He looked like a girl caught by her parents on a secret rendezvous, lowering his head and furtively putting some distance between himself and Cao Mao.

Cao Mao forced himself to calm down and offered Sima Shi a deep formal bow.

"Greetings, Grand General!"

Sima Shi withdrew that terrifying gaze and looked around the residence.

"You have a rather fine residence here."

"Thank you for your praise, Grand General!"

"This residence was bestowed upon me by you, Grand General. Everything I have today is thanks to your generosity."

Sima Shi glanced at Sima Yan again. "What are you doing here?"

"Uncle... I... I..."

Sima Yan trembled, unable to get the words out.

A trace of disappointment flashed through Sima Shi's eyes. He turned and walked into the inner room.

Cao Mao remained bowed, not daring to move.

Sima Yan, however, looked around and hurried over to a middle-aged scholar. The man had an unremarkable face and an average build; standing beside Sima Shi, he was barely noticeable.

A bright smile rested on his face, making him look like a kindly elder.

"Lord Jia, why has my uncle come here?"

At Sima Yan's words, Cao Mao drew another sharp breath.

Here was another heavyweight.

A man surnamed Jia whom Sima Yan addressed as lord, and who could remain at Sima Shi's side, could only be Jia Chong.

Jia Chong was the son of Jia Kui, an able minister of Great Wei, and came from the Pingyang Jia Clan. He was different from Zhong Hui. Zhong Hui was close to Sima Shi, Sima Zhao, and the others; after all, they all came from powerful clans, making him half subordinate, half friend. This man, however, was Sima Shi's most loyal running dog.

Whenever Sima Shi went on campaign, he left Jia Chong to hold Luoyang.

He served as Military Advisor to the Grand General, and under Sima Zhao, he became the Grand General's Secretary and personally orchestrated the regicide.

It was precisely because Sima Zhao protected him that he suffered no punishment after committing such a deed.

As for those ministers of Jin, whatever their abilities, their personal morals were decidedly mediocre. And this Lord Jia was the most mediocre of the lot: he murdered his sovereign and betrayed his country, flattered and fawned with a base nature, formed factions for private gain, and framed the loyal and virtuous. He and his daughter Jia Nanfeng were known together as the "two outstanding talents of early Jin."

Yet the Jia Chong before him looked so kindly and gentle that there was not the slightest sign of the ruthlessness needed to murder a sovereign.

At the sight of Sima Yan, his expression grew gentler still.

"Anshi, your uncle has naturally come here to welcome His Majesty."

Sima Yan paused. Looking at Cao Mao, who was still kneeling in obeisance, he could not bear it and asked, "Then why isn't His Majesty allowed to rise?"

"I know what sort of man His Majesty is. His Majesty is loyal and virtuous. Most of what happened before was merely a misunderstanding..."

Jia Chong looked toward Cao Mao, as though only just noticing him kneeling there, and hurried forward to help him up himself.

"Please rise, Your Majesty. Please rise."

Had Cao Mao not known his deeds, even he might have thought this was a truly good man.

Jia Chong declared loudly, "The Grand General suffers from an eye ailment and was recuperating in Luoyang. In accordance with ritual, he appointed Lord Wang, a renowned scholar of the realm, as Grand Minister of Ceremonies and sent him to welcome Your Majesty, intending to pay his respects once Your Majesty arrived in Luoyang."

"But he never expected this arrangement to cause Your Majesty such displeasure. The Grand General was filled with fear and trepidation. He abandoned his recuperation and hurried to Yuan City to welcome Your Majesty personally and escort you to your enthronement!"

"The Grand General arrived late. Please forgive his offense, Your Majesty!"

Cao Mao was instantly at a loss for words.

You fucking bastard.

So I'm the one bullying the Grand General here?

Cao Mao hurriedly said, "How could I dare trouble the Grand General to welcome me personally?"

"I am an ordinary man of little talent, truly unfit to inherit this great undertaking. I have heard that the Prince of Pengcheng is most wise, and his reputation is acknowledged throughout the realm. I am still young..."

Whenever Cao Mao had no cards left to play, he played the card of the Prince of Pengcheng's wisdom.

That left Jia Chong with no choice but to stop. Helplessly, he said, "Your Majesty must not belittle yourself. How could the Prince of Pengcheng's wisdom compare to yours?"

Jia Chong's words put Cao Mao considerably more at ease.

Sima Shi had not come to kill him.

If he wanted him dead, there was no need to come in person.

It seemed Guanqiu Jian had made some progress after all.

But it was hardly likely that he had come merely to welcome him either. Was Cao Mao worth such an effort?

Besides, he had brought Jia Chong along. Clearly, he had something else in mind.

Welcoming him was only a pretext. He had another purpose.

Jia Chong gave Cao Mao no chance to keep thinking. Taking his hand, he said warmly, "Come with me to see the Grand General."

Cao Mao was led into the inner room, but Jia Chong did not follow him inside. He stood at the entrance and closed the door.

Only Sima Shi and Cao Mao remained in the room.

Sima Shi sat kneeling before the desk, ignoring Cao Mao as he read the document in his hands.

Cao Mao carefully sat down beside Sima Shi and began studying his most formidable opponent.

As a noble son of one of the foremost aristocratic families, Sima Shi was actually quite good-looking. Seen in profile, he was still handsome, but the growth over his left eye ruined that beauty.

Then there was his current physical condition.

His eye ailment had tormented him for years, and it had now grown even worse. It had left him painfully thin; in his loose robes, he looked like a skeleton draped in cloth.

Cao Mao could clearly feel Sima Shi's disregard for him.

This was not an affectation. Sima Shi truly paid him no mind.

Perhaps, in his eyes, Cao Mao was beneath mention, someone he could crush between his fingers at any moment. There was no need to give him a second thought, and he hardly qualified as an opponent.

Cao Mao regarded him as his most formidable enemy, his lifelong nemesis. Yet this nemesis had never even looked him squarely in the eye.

Cao Mao felt neither disappointment nor anger. Instead, he was somewhat relieved.

Being ignored is good. Better still if he forgets I even exist and leaves me free to act.

Sima Shi set down the memorial in his hands and looked coldly at Cao Mao.

"Your Majesty, why do you keep refusing to go to Luoyang? Have you forgotten your old acquaintance there?"

"My old acquaintance in Luoyang?"

"The old acquaintance in Mouqiu Dian's residence. It has been quite some time since he last saw Your Majesty, hasn't it?"

Cao Mao's hand trembled slightly.

"Hm? You must be mistaken, Grand General. I have never been to Luoyang and have no old acquaintances there. As for the man surnamed Guanqiu you mentioned, the only one I know is General Guanqiu Jian of Huainan."

Sima Shi continued staring at him.

"Your Majesty is indeed benevolent, loves the people, and knows how to recruit worthy men. Very good."

"Back then, Yang Zong committed a grave offense. My father pardoned him and told me that this man possessed strategic intelligence and could be entrusted with important duties. But he was unwilling to serve me, so I had no choice but to demote him to a local post, thinking that once I died, he could then serve my family."

"Of late, he has spent his days drinking and taking medicinal powders, muddling through life in a stupor. I thought he could no longer be of any use. I never imagined Your Majesty could bring such a corpse back to life and put him to work, persuading Guo Jian and notifying the great clans in every region beforehand, using the opportunity to pressure us and keep Your Majesty safe."

"Impressive."

Cao Mao smiled. "Grand General, Yang Zong has the welfare of the realm at heart. He is a truly worthy man. You could certainly entrust him with important duties rather than let him waste his days in a local post."

"And what of Guo Ze?"

"Guo Ze was a man I promoted. I sent him to a local post and entrusted him with important responsibilities, but he failed to fulfill his mission."

"He misled his sovereign and secretly helped his elder brother exploit public office for private gain, ultimately implicating his own brother. For crimes such as these, does Your Majesty believe he deserves execution?"

This succession of attacks left Cao Mao deeply unsettled.

When Sima Shi mentioned Guo Ze, Cao Mao almost failed to suppress the anger in his heart.

"Your Majesty enjoys quite a good reputation in Yuan City. The local county magistrate, Shu Wan, has neglected his duties. His position will require careful consideration as well. His appointment to govern the area was a temporary measure. By rights, as a local man, he should not hold office in his own locality."

"Still, sometimes exceptions must be made. Loyal and virtuous men are hard to find. I hear the Yuancheng Shu Clan has many worthy talents. The choice of county magistrate must also be arranged properly."

"You see, Your Majesty, governing a country is just this tedious and difficult."

"Fortunately, you have me. Otherwise, wouldn't the realm of Great Wei perish in your hands?"