Fine, fine, fine. So this is how you want to play?
At that moment, Cao Mao wanted nothing more than to grind the man before him to dust and scatter his ashes.
He truly wanted to show him what it meant when "the Son of Heaven rages, blood flows within five paces."
Sima Shi's words were steeped in menace. He wanted to frighten him!
He used Liu Lu, Yang Zong, Guo Ze, and even all the people of Yuan City as hostages.
When Sima Shi mentioned Shu Wan, he was not discussing a candidate for county magistrate with Cao Mao. He was reminding him that everyone he had protected could, at any moment, be slaughtered because of him-or left wishing they were dead!
Cao Mao's heart suddenly grew calm.
He was no longer afraid.
Instead of bestowing a cup of poisoned wine upon him, Sima Shi had begun threatening him. That meant Sima Shi did not want to kill him just yet.
He had spoken of an old acquaintance at Mouqiu Dian's residence without saying who it was, and he had not brought Liu Lu's head with him. That meant he had not captured Liu Lu.
And his mention of Mouqiu Dian naturally meant that Guanqiu Jian had submitted a memorial to Sima Shi.
From the look of things, his plan had succeeded.
Consider it from Sima Shi's perspective.
He surely knew that deposing one emperor and installing another would provoke discontent among the regional military commanders and might incite them to rebel.
Nor did he know how many people would stand with him if war broke out now.
Because Cao Mao had contacted Guanqiu Jian in advance, Guanqiu Jian had submitted a memorial speaking up for Cao Mao and endorsing him.
Killing Cao Mao was easy. He was merely an insignificant member of the Imperial Clan.
But if that insignificant clansman had won the military commanders' recognition as a suitable successor to the throne, killing him then would amount to deliberately forcing them into rebellion.
Without sufficient confidence that he could eliminate the disobedient commanders, Sima Shi would not rush to kill Cao Mao.
Sima Zhao thought Cao Mao was far too good at stirring up trouble. He feared him and wanted him executed.
But in Sima Shi's eyes, what did Cao Mao amount to?
A capering clown he could crush at will. Sima Shi was confident he could keep him from stirring so much as a ripple.
Sima Shi did not regard Cao Mao as a threat at all. Deep down, he had never thought much of him.
With that understood, Cao Mao knew how to deal with the Grand General before him.
Sweat covered Cao Mao's forehead, and his hands trembled even more violently.
Having seen through the other man's intimidation, Cao Mao should have summoned his courage, confronted him, and refused to be cowed.
But rather than oppose Sima Shi that way, he might as well step into his trap.
You're telling me all this to make me afraid? To frighten me?
Fine. Then I'll be afraid!
At that moment, Cao Mao seemed to be holding back tremendous rage, yet dared not vent it. His chest heaved and his face flushed crimson. He played the part of a man who dared to feel anger but not voice it to perfection-even Sima Shi could not see through him.
This was not because Cao Mao's acting was so good. He was simply being himself. Daring to feel anger but not voice it-was that not his truest state?
He had merely shed his disguise and revealed his true face.
Seeing Cao Mao like this, Sima Shi put away his cold expression and wore a smile he considered gentle, unaware that it made him all the more terrifying.
"Your Majesty... you are still young. There is much you do not yet understand about right and wrong."
"Governing the realm has never been easy. With wise ministers at court governing on your behalf, you should be able to sleep soundly without a care."
"Luoyang is unlike this place. The imperial palace is lavish, with towers a hundred zhang high and exquisite delicacies. Simply enjoy yourself at ease. We, your ministers, will take care of everything else."
Cao Mao hesitated for a long time before saying timidly, "As for Lord Yang, you may deal with him as you see fit. But Lord Guo is something of a teacher to me..."
"Hahaha, rest assured, Your Majesty. I am by no means a narrow-minded man. Please return and make your preparations. You will be leaving for Luoyang in a few days."
After offering a few reassuring words, Sima Shi sent Cao Mao out of the residence.
Head bowed, Cao Mao had barely stepped outside when he saw Jia Chong, who took his hand affectionately with a broad smile.
"Your Majesty, the Grand General cherishes you deeply. Do not believe the provocations of petty men. Please go back and rest. Do not worry-I will attend to everything!"
"With so many worthy men assisting you, Your Majesty will surely accomplish great things in the future and fulfill the realm's high hopes!"
Cao Mao nodded gratefully and left.
Jia Chong turned and entered the inner room.
"Grand General, we should kill him after all."
"I have already tested them. No one inside or outside the residence is willing to betray him or provide information that would harm him."
"If this fellow lives, he will remain a grave threat."
Sima Shi ignored him, and Jia Chong continued, "Just now, he abandoned Yang Zong and asked to spare Guo Ze's life. That fellow was undoubtedly putting on an act. The man he truly wants to protect is Yang Zong, not Guo Ze!"
"Of course, he might also have said it deliberately, wanting us to think that way so he could protect Guo Ze."
"Or perhaps he knew I would see through him, so he deliberately said it to lead me to the wrong conclusion and protect Yang Zong..."
Watching Jia Chong spiral through layer upon layer of speculation, Sima Shi shook his head again.
"None of that matters."
Jia Chong continued, "Whatever the case, Grand General, you would be better off killing him. Guanqiu Jian will rebel sooner or later anyway. Whether Cao Mao dies or not, he will rebel. We might as well eliminate this menace..."
"How can you say something so appalling?" Sima Shi asked calmly.
"Guanqiu Jian is a worthy minister renowned throughout the realm, and His Majesty is an enlightened ruler such as one scarcely encounters in a thousand years."
"How could we kill such an enlightened ruler?"
"We must have him return to Luoyang and succeed to the throne. We must also have him inherit the line of the Emperor of the Filial and Enlightened Ancestor and become his successor."
"What?? Not killing him is one thing, but you want to help establish his legitimacy too???"
Jia Chong could not understand Sima Shi's thinking at all.
"Tell me," Sima Shi asked curiously, "if Guanqiu Jian, a loyal minister renowned throughout the realm, encountered such a wise emperor, would he obey his commands?"
"Ah... Grand General, you mean?"
"If His Majesty greatly favored this important minister and ordered him to enter the Imperial Court as one of the Three Excellencies, do you think this most loyal minister would come to Luoyang?"
Jia Chong burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Would he dare not come? This is the emperor he endorsed! He said with his own mouth that he would assist the reigning Son of Heaven. If the reigning Son of Heaven issued a command, how would he dare disobey?"
"But would he dare come? If he came, could he ever leave? Once he left Huainan and his military authority fell into someone else's hands, what would he amount to?"
At that moment, Jia Chong's eyes burned with fervor and admiration as he looked at Sima Shi.
"As expected of the Grand General!"
"This Cao Mao truly is a treasure. The greater his reputation and the more legitimate his accession, the more useful he becomes in our hands!"
"An enlightened ruler! An enlightened ruler! We must not kill him! Absolutely not!"
Seeing that Jia Chong understood, Sima Shi continued, "I care nothing for this brat, but he is cunning and could leave us endless trouble. Now that we can use those close to him as leverage, there is no need to worry about anything else."
"However, Gonglü, if one day I become gravely ill, you need not wait for my command. You may kill Cao Mao outright."
"Yes, sir!!!"
Jia Chong immediately accepted the order. Sima Shi then tapped the memorial before him.
"Zhuge Dan has raised several thousand death-sworn retainers... and is actively courting the local scholars."
"If he joins forces with Guanqiu Jian, the consequences will be severe."
"As for the General of Chariots and Cavalry, although he is very close to my family, he still harbors some resentment over the matter of his first wife. Besides, his high position and great authority are not good for me either."
"If we cannot deal with these two men, we cannot rashly move against Guanqiu Jian."
"The General of Chariots and Cavalry is gravely ill. I hear he is rarely lucid now and can barely eat. Having Xuanbo succeed him would be feasible."
"But this Zhuge Dan..."
Jia Chong frowned, inwardly furious that these treacherous villains had thrown the Imperial Court into turmoil. He said quietly, "I hear Zhuge Dan is on extremely poor terms with Wen Qin, the General of the Vanguard. The two are bitter enemies, yet Guanqiu Jian is very partial to Wen Qin and shields him..."
"Perhaps we could exploit that and drive a wedge between the two."
Sima Shi still said nothing, though he probably already had an idea of his own.
"I will remain here. Tomorrow, take the emperor to Luoyang under my banner."
"Have him ascend the throne as soon as possible. Make him the rightful emperor in both name and fact."
Concern filled Jia Chong's face. "Grand General, why not have Anshi escort him? I could remain by your side. Your health..."
Sima Shi's eye ailment was growing increasingly severe. Recently, the pain had become unbearable. Through sheer force of will, he endured it without a sound, but the physicians were not optimistic. They believed his condition could brook no further delay: he had to go under the knife.
And in an age when even a common cold could kill, the risks of surgically removing a tumor... were simply too great.
To settle affairs within the realm, Sima Shi had kept putting it off. Now he had made the weary journey to Yuan City as well.
At the thought of all this, Jia Chong's eyes filled with fury.
These treacherous villains!!
They deserved ten thousand deaths!!!
Before you continue