Advancing Together

When the ministers first saw Cao Mao, they could not reconcile the modest young man before them with the Noble Rural Duke who had thrown the realm into turmoil before even ascending the throne.

But now, they finally saw him clearly.

He really was no easy customer.

After Cao Mao finished speaking, the entire front hall fell deathly silent.

Sima Zhao stood among the ministers, his eyes fixed on Cao Mao. In his mind, he had probably strangled him countless times already.

Sima Yan could not help grinning. "Father, am I going to be made a duke?"

"Shut up!"

Sima Fu was the first to break the deadlock. "Your Majesty! You absolutely must not!"

"In the past, Duke Xuanwen received an imperial grant of a dukedom for his great achievements. Such favor was already more than our family could bear. What virtue or talent do we possess that could possibly merit such rewards from Your Majesty?"

"I have heard that since ancient times, those who govern a country must be clear in their rewards and punishments. Failure to do so marks the beginning of calamity."

"If we receive such rewards today, before we have rendered any great service, how will Your Majesty reward us when we truly do accomplish something?"

"Please rescind your decree, Your Majesty!"

Sima Fu spoke at the top of his voice.

This time, he was genuinely frightened. This decree could truly cost them their lives.

Even if he had gone mad, he would not dare accept it.

After speaking, he looked at the ministers behind him. They studied his expression and Sima Zhao's, not daring to act.

The looks in the ministers' eyes were rather complicated now.

Why had His Majesty suddenly decided to confer titles on the Sima Family?

Had he really just said he wanted to make the Grand General a king?

They had heard that the General Who Conquers the West had met His Majesty yesterday. Could it be...

Had the general instructed him to do this?

Surely not. Wouldn't that be putting himself over the fire to roast?

Still, did His Majesty really intend to reward meritorious officials with such great fanfare?

Everyone had their own thoughts. This time, they actually did not join Sima Fu in trying to persuade the emperor.

After all, everyone wanted to advance. If the Sima Family advanced, they could advance alongside them. That was hardly a bad thing.

Only those few senior ministers wore grim expressions.

Ultimately, those who had not received enough of the cake wanted to abandon the old way of dividing it and claim a larger slice.

Those who had already received plenty, however, did not want the distribution changed, lest their own shares shrink.

The ministers all had different thoughts.

Sima Fu, however, continued his earnest pleas.

Cao Mao looked at the ministers and called, "Where is Lord Jia?"

The ministers exchanged glances.

Sima Fu asked, "Does Your Majesty mean Jia Gonglü?"

"Indeed! Where is he?"

"Your Majesty, he serves in the Grand General's office and has not come..."

Jia Chong was the Grand General's private retainer, not one of Cao Mao's ministers. Unless the Grand General instructed him to attend, he had no right to appear here.

Cao Mao sighed. "If Lord Jia were here, he would surely be able to persuade you."

"I sincerely wish to confer titles upon the Sima Family and the many meritorious officials present. Why do you refuse to agree?"

"This is not how a wise sovereign governs the realm. Please reconsider, Your Majesty!"

"Do all of you think the same?"

Cao Mao looked at the ministers before him.

They all fell silent. In the end, Gao Rou stepped forward of his own accord. "Your Majesty, I believe this is indeed inadvisable!"

Cao Mao seemed persuaded by his words. He pressed his lips together, looked helplessly at Sima Fu, and continued, "Very well. Then I shall grant you the Yellow Axe, permit you to enter court without hastening your steps, submit memorials without announcing your name, and ascend the hall wearing your sword and shoes!"

Sima Fu still wanted to refuse, but faced with Cao Mao's resolute gaze, he finally compromised, helplessly.

Cao Mao turned to the ministers again. "As for the ministers' contributions to my enthronement, you shall draw up their rewards. The Minister over the Masses rendered the greatest service and may receive an increase in his noble rank."

Sima Fu accepted the command.

Gao Rou remained unmoved.

For his contributions to this deposition and enthronement alone, the Sima Family owed him compensation. There was no need whatsoever for Cao Mao to instruct them.

The ceremony ended hastily, and many of the arrangements originally planned were abandoned. Wang Su was truly afraid that something else would go wrong.

This almost absurd ceremony ended amid silence.

Cao Mao was escorted to the Western Hall.

The ministers dispersed.

Sima Fu wore a troubled expression. He had already experienced just how difficult this new emperor could be.

The boy simply refused to play by the usual rules.

He had actually tried to confer noble titles on the entire Sima Clan during his enthronement ceremony.

They would have to be mad to dare accept such rewards.

Seeing the strange looks from the ministers around him, Sima Fu felt his head ache.

"Congratulations, Uncle."

At some point, Sima Zhao had appeared beside Sima Fu and spoken with a bow.

Sima Fu stopped and turned to look at him.

"Does Zishang believe this benefits our clan?"

Seeing the severity on his uncle's face, Sima Zhao quickly put away his smile. "Please do not be angry, Uncle. I have heard that flesh flies cannot harm people, so they trouble them with their buzzing instead."

"This flesh fly's efforts are useless. Still, that is just as well. I fear no one will dare get close to it again."

Sima Fu frowned and said sternly, "I do not understand what you are saying."

"Uncle, there is no one else here..."

Without waiting for Sima Zhao to say any more, Sima Fu turned and left.

Sima Zhao watched helplessly as he walked away. Only once his uncle was far off did he turn to Du Yu behind him.

"Yuan Kai, what do you think His Majesty is trying to do?"

"His Majesty's actions were quite absurd, yet they concealed a deadly threat."

"Some ministers will now believe this was done at your instruction, and they all hope to advance in rank alongside you. Next, they will submit memorials about this matter, asking you to accept so that you can all receive rewards together."

"Meanwhile, men such as Minister Gao will be angry. They will think you are acting too hastily and trying to seize their power."

"If you accept, you will face condemnation throughout the realm, and the favorable situation you enjoy will be ruined. If you refuse, you will have to deal with the ministers' memorials and resentment..."

"However, I believe His Majesty employed this method merely to distract you. He probably has some other scheme. This matter is only a screen to conceal his true purpose..."

"A scheme?"

Sima Zhao nearly laughed aloud. "He has already entered the imperial palace. What could he possibly be plotting?"

"Jia Chong personally arranged the people both inside and outside. His every move, even what he says in his sleep at night, is heard perfectly clearly. A scheme? Very well, let us see exactly what this wise sovereign is plotting!"

Looking at Sima Zhao's mocking face, Du Yu found himself unable to speak.

He had been promoted by the Sima Family and was their protégé and former subordinate, so naturally he was loyal to them. Yet dealing with the Imperial Clan and plotting to seize the state were truly not things he wished to do.

Du Yu was deeply conflicted. Hearing Sima Zhao's laughter only deepened the bitterness in his heart.

He could expose some of the emperor's intentions for the general, but he truly did not want to offer strategies for dealing with the emperor.

Meanwhile, a palace eunuch found Gao Rou and invited him to see the Empress Dowager.

When Gao Rou arrived at Zhaoyang Hall, Empress Dowager Guo and Guo Jian were already waiting for him.

Even the Empress Dowager could not be too discourteous toward Gao Rou. She had to rise and return his bow.

Guo Jian also hurried to his feet and invited Gao Rou to take a seat of honor.

Gao Rou sat down quite at ease opposite Guo Jian and looked at the Empress Dowager.

"What important matter has prompted the Empress Dowager to summon me?"

Empress Dowager Guo froze. Anger also appeared on Guo Jian's face, but he did not dare vent it.

The Empress Dowager gave a long sigh and said, "His Majesty came to see me today. He told me that you knew certain things. I summoned you to ask about this."

Gao Rou immediately laughed.

"The brat speaks whatever nonsense comes into his head. Why should the Empress Dowager take it to heart?"

Gao Rou was unwilling to continue getting embroiled in these matters with the Guo Family. Out of goodwill toward an ally, he warned her, "From what I have seen these past few days, His Majesty's conduct has been unrestrained, absurd, and foolish. The Empress Dowager must discipline him more strictly."

"At his enthronement today, His Majesty proposed making Sima Fu a duke, then declared that he wished to make Sima Shi and the others kings and dukes."

"He terrified all the ministers."

"I have heard that those who stand amid danger without knowing it are bound to fail sooner or later."

"His Majesty now stands alone. Rather than considering how to live quietly within his station, he repeatedly provokes the Grand General and vainly attempts to challenge him. He truly seems not to know the difference between life and death."

"Empress Dowager, you should cease involving yourself with this boy, or you will surely suffer for it."

"The matter is already over. There is no need to dwell on it. Henceforth, please keep your clansmen under tighter restraint and remain peacefully in Zhaoyang Hall. You will certainly not be mistreated."

Gao Rou made no attempt even to disguise his meaning. His words were exceedingly blunt.

Having finished, he stood. "I still have important matters to attend to. I shall take my leave."

He turned and left.

Guo Jian's expression was extremely ugly.

"Since our elder brother died, this old dog has grown increasingly disrespectful toward our family..."

The Empress Dowager's expression was equally grim.

"If not for me, how could he have..."

Guo Jian gritted his teeth. "Elder Sister, this fellow plainly refuses to tell the truth. Yesterday, all the ministers saw Cao Mao lean over and whisper in his ear, and he looked utterly astonished. Could it be that, seeing our Guo Family lose ground, he has abandoned us completely?"

At that moment, the Empress Dowager also felt helpless.

Ordinarily, Guo De had made the decisions. With him gone, when faced with matters like these, she suddenly had no one to devise a plan for her.

After hesitating for a long time, Empress Dowager Guo seemed to deflate.

"There is nothing we can do now. Perhaps... we should do as the Minister over the Masses said..."

"How can we do that?!"

"If not for us, could this old dog have reached his present position? Could the Sima Family possess the power it has today?"

"Sima Wang took a share of the military authority within the palace, and we let that pass. But that Jia Chong has gone too far! He actually dared to replace the men under my command on his own authority. Can even a dog of a traitor like Jia Chong trample all over us now?!"

"Elder Sister, we absolutely cannot let this matter rest!"