Cao Mao had been placed under complete house arrest.
Two armored guards stood at the door.
He could not leave the room.
And he could no longer see Guo Ze, Yang Zong, or even Sima Yan.
Sima Shi had not even left him a book. Alone in the empty inner chamber, Cao Mao gazed toward the door.
Cao Mao feared neither solitude nor having his authority stripped away by Sima Shi.
As long as Sima Shi refused to allow it, he could not have any followers. Sima Shi would never let Yang Zong, Guo Ze, and the others continue serving him.
Cao Mao had foreseen this long ago.
He was simply very worried about Guo Ze's safety.
He feared Guo Ze would barge in and berate Sima Shi, publicly hurling abuse at the Sima Clan.
He also feared Guo Ze would be unable to endure the humiliation and draw his sword to cut his own throat.
The room felt oppressive, as though not a breath of air could penetrate it.
The armored guards at the door were probably Sima Shi's diehard loyalists. Whatever Cao Mao said, they ignored him.
In that deathlike silence, Cao Mao began thinking about what lay ahead.
Would I be treated like this in Luoyang too?
Just then, the door slowly opened.
Cao Mao paused, then looked toward the doorway.
What greeted him was Jia Chong's hypocritical smile. Jia Chong walked into the room, chuckling. "Your Majesty! Your trusted confidant has come to see you!"
He stepped aside.
The man standing behind him was none other than Guo Ze.
Guo Ze looked much more haggard, his clothes disheveled.
Cao Mao's eyes lit up, and he sprang to his feet.
Jia Chong took Guo Ze by the hand and tugged him into the room. The armored guards promptly shut the door.
Guo Ze shook off Jia Chong's hand, straightened his clothes and headwear, and bowed deeply before Cao Mao.
"Guo Ze pays his respects to my lord!"
"Zishou, rise. Quickly, rise..."
Cao Mao was smiling when he suddenly caught sight of Guo Ze's back.
Blood had seeped through his clothes, revealing streak after streak of bloody welts.
In that instant, Cao Mao's smile froze. His heart trembled, and he slowly turned toward Jia Chong.
Jia Chong wore an utterly innocent expression, as though nothing had happened.
"Zishou... rise."
Cao Mao helped Guo Ze up. Sovereign and subject looked at each other, but both fell silent.
Jia Chong urged him helplessly, "Lord Guo, you've been thinking of His Majesty all day, saying you wanted to see him. Now that you're here, why won't you speak?"
Guo Ze shot him a disdainful glance, then said to Cao Mao, "My lord, this man is a shameless villain! He actually wanted us to testify against you. Does he truly think everyone under heaven is a scoundrel like him?!"
Jia Chong's face darkened. Murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but he restrained himself.
The Grand General wanted to control Cao Mao through those closest to him, using them much like hostages, so Jia Chong could not easily lay a hand on them.
When he first arrived at the residence, he had tried to turn Cao Mao's followers against him and gather material that could be used against Cao Mao later.
He had rounded up all the servants and old soldiers who had fled from Cao Mao's service, employing both threats and persuasion.
Yet none of them would say a word. Whatever he tried, they refused to betray Cao Mao.
Guo Ze had even spat in his face and called him a beast.
Had Guo Ze not still been useful, Jia Chong would have killed him long ago.
After Jia Chong had him flogged for dereliction of duty, Guo Ze kept demanding to see Cao Mao, even threatening suicide. Jia Chong also wanted to tighten the leash on Cao Mao, so he brought Guo Ze here.
Cao Mao's eyes widened.
"Zishou! You must not speak like that!"
There was no fear in Guo Ze's eyes. He turned back to Cao Mao and asked earnestly, "Your Majesty, are you accepting the ministers' proposal this time and going to Luoyang to become emperor?"
"That is indeed the case."
"That is for the best. My lord possesses great talent and grand vision. With worthy men at court to assist you, you will surely usher in an age of prosperity unmatched in history."
Hearing this blessing, Cao Mao instinctively felt uneasy.
Guo Ze was upright and unyielding. He would not tolerate humiliation, much less allow himself to become a tool others could use to threaten Cao Mao.
If Sima Shi and the others truly intended to use him against Cao Mao, Guo Ze had surely already prepared to take his own life. This visit was his farewell.
Cao Mao pressed his lips together, then said without betraying his feelings, "The learning and ability I possess today are also thanks to your guidance."
"You are still young. Entering the Imperial Court too early may not be a good thing."
"Therefore, I intend to recommend you to the Grand General and ask him to entrust you with important duties. That way, I can go to Luoyang with peace of mind."
"You are half a teacher to me. With you at the Grand General's side, he will see your virtue and surely understand my character as well. Then he can feel reassured about letting me govern the realm."
"I know you have a fiery temper, but I have always looked to you as an example. If you continue insulting and abusing ministers like this, what will the people under heaven think of me? What will the Grand General think of me?"
"So you must change this impetuous disposition."
"The realm is now divided into three. I intend to succeed the Emperor of the Filial and Enlightened Ancestor, carry on our forefathers' great undertaking, unite all under heaven, and bring peace to the people. To accomplish such a great undertaking, I must rely on worthy men such as Lord Jia and the Grand General. Please put the affairs of the realm first, and do not imitate those supposedly pure and upright scholars who fish for fame and praise."
Cao Mao offered his admonition.
Sovereign and subject had spent many years together and understood each other well.
Though Guo Ze was slow on the uptake, he understood Cao Mao's meaning.
First, the words "the Grand General can feel reassured" told Guo Ze that only while he remained alive at the Grand General's side would the Grand General feel secure about Cao Mao, because Guo Ze was now a hold over him.
Next, "I must rely on the Grand General" told Guo Ze that Cao Mao could not break with the Grand General yet. For now, he could only scrape by. Guo Ze must not openly offend them, or he would implicate Cao Mao.
And the final words, "do not imitate those scholars," told him that for the sake of the realm, he had to temporarily bend himself to serving villains, set aside his reputation and integrity, and do things that violated his own moral convictions.
Conflict showed on Guo Ze's face.
Cao Mao flew into a rage. "In the past, you urged me every day to put the realm first, ascend the throne as soon as possible, and not disappoint the Imperial Court. Why do you hesitate now?"
Guo Ze heaved a long sigh, looked toward Jia Chong, and reluctantly clasped his hands in a bow.
Jia Chong hastily shook his head. "There's no need for such courtesy, Lord Guo. From now on, we will both assist His Majesty and serve as ministers at the same court. We ought to grow closer."
Then he added, sounding somewhat aggrieved, "There is something you do not know, Lord Guo. My earlier actions were not taken on my own initiative. I truly had no choice... I have many difficulties of my own. Alas, had I not pleaded for you, how could you have lived to see His Majesty? Yet you think of me only as a treacherous villain..."
Guo Ze said nothing, but Cao Mao took Jia Chong's hand.
"Lord Guo is an inarticulate man. Please do not hold it against him. No one knows your character better than I do, Lord Jia. Without you, I probably would not even have met the Grand General."
"Lord Jia, Lord Guo is not an evil man, only stubborn and unyielding. I greatly fear he will offend someone else and suffer punishment again. I entrust him to you, and hope you will look after him from now on. I would be endlessly grateful."
Jia Chong's expression changed in alarm. "Your Majesty, please do not speak this way! Since you have commanded it, I will protect Lord Guo even if I must risk my life!"
Guo Ze closed his eyes in anguish.
Cao Mao glanced at him. "Zishou, go back first. I still have something to discuss with Lord Jia!"
Guo Ze bowed deeply to Cao Mao again, then rose and left.
This time, Cao Mao finally saw clearly. Guo Ze's back was covered in wounds, and he limped with every step.
Cao Mao merely glanced at him before turning his attention back to Jia Chong.
"Lord Jia, when will we leave for Luoyang?"
"Please do not be anxious, Your Majesty. The Imperial Court has yet to finish preparing to receive you. Soon-in the next few days, we will be able to leave for Luoyang."
"I have never been to Luoyang and know nothing of its etiquette. What should I do?"
Jia Chong smiled. "Do not worry, Your Majesty. Once you reach Luoyang, someone will naturally come to teach you."
"That could not be better."
Cao Mao breathed a sigh of relief. "That is best. Lord Wang refused to tell me earlier, and I was rather uneasy."
"Lord Wang?"
Jia Chong narrowed his eyes.
Cao Mao said, "Yes. I went to see him several times before, but he refused to meet me... I feel that although his reputation is great, his virtue falls far short of yours."
Cao Mao said no more, but Jia Chong furrowed his brow, his thoughts unreadable.
The two exchanged a few more casual remarks before Jia Chong took his leave.
The moment Jia Chong left, the smile vanished from Cao Mao's face.
Recalling Guo Ze's back, covered in bloody welts, Cao Mao's expression twisted into something ferocious.
Jia Chong!!
Just you wait until we reach Luoyang!!
I will make you repay this tenfold!!!
Before you continue