Chapter Summaries

Cao Mao recruited Imperial Guards through Jiao Bo and Li Zhao, then learned that Palace Commandant Yin Damu might be a loyal ally. He resolved to win Yin Damu over and lead the growing group against the Sima Family.

• Cao Mao judged the Guo Family cowardly and greedy, and decided he no longer needed their help to contact potential allies.
• Jiao Bo told Cao Mao that Li Zhao and more than ten Imperial Guards had agreed to serve him.
• Cao Mao privately praised Li Zhao and urged him to recruit more trusted people inside the palace.
• Li Zhao recommended Palace Commandant Yin Damu, and Cao Mao recalled Yin Damu's guilt over Cao Shuang's downfall and recognized the value of his eight hundred Armored Guards.
• Cao Mao assured Li Zhao that he trusted Yin Damu and urged him to tell the commandant the truth carefully, since the Sima Family had spies throughout the palace.
• Cao Mao reflected on Wang Jing's loyalty and resolved to lead the men gathering around him against those who had betrayed Wei.

Li Zhao recruited Yin Damu to support Cao Mao after explaining that the emperor wanted to gather loyal men and wait for the right moment. With Yin Damu joining his hidden network, Cao Mao realized he was no longer entirely powerless, but chose to keep building his strength before confronting the Sima Family.

• Li Zhao told Yin Damu that Jia Chong had ordered the guards to monitor Cao Mao and report his words and actions.
• Li Zhao explained that Cao Mao wanted him to contact loyal men, not launch an immediate attack against the Sima Family.
• Yin Damu admitted his guilt over betraying the Cao Family, then pledged to serve Cao Mao and warned that Sima Shi's health was failing.
• Li Zhao reported Yin Damu's allegiance to Jiao Bo, who relayed the news to Cao Mao.
• Cao Mao considered whether his growing network could help him kill Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, but decided to remain cautious and build his strength.

Jia Chong asked Sima Zhao to let him rest after his son’s death and his exhausting work supervising Cao Mao, but Sima Zhao persuaded him to stay and then confronted Wang Su about resigning. Cao Mao was turned away from the Empress Dowager’s hall by Eunuch Guo and found Wang Su waiting for him at the Western Hall.

• Jia Chong asked Sima Zhao for a few days of rest, explaining that his son had died and he could no longer manage his duties.
• Sima Zhao pleaded with Jia Chong to remain at his side, and Jia Chong agreed to continue working for him.
• Sima Zhao visited Wang Su, accepted his request to leave his post, then insisted that Wang Su personally handle an important matter.
• Eunuch Guo refused to let Cao Mao enter Zhaoyang Hall, and Cao Mao left without arguing despite Jiao Bo and Li Sheng’s anger.
• Cao Mao arrived at the Western Hall and saw Wang Su standing there.

Wang Su became Cao Mao’s teacher and was astonished by the emperor’s exceptional scholarship. As Cao Mao’s lessons kept him confined, he used Li Sheng to refuse the Empress Dowager’s summons, prompting Guo Li to prepare to intervene.

• Sima Zhao forced Wang Su to teach Cao Mao, and Cao Mao eagerly welcomed him as his teacher.
• Wang Su taught Cao Mao Supreme Mystery and was stunned when the young emperor quickly understood and challenged his explanations.
• Wang Su continued teaching Cao Mao for several days and brought him additional books after recognizing his talent.
• When Eunuch Guo summoned Cao Mao for the Empress Dowager, Cao Mao told Li Sheng to refuse unless the Grand General or Jia Chong approved.
• Li Sheng invoked orders from the Grand General and Jia Chong to block Eunuch Guo, who angrily reported the refusal to the Empress Dowager.
• Guo Li condemned Wang Su’s appointment and declared that he would go to Taiji Hall himself to bring Cao Mao to the Empress Dowager.

Cao Mao persuaded Empress Dowager Guo and Guo Jian that Wang Su and Jia Chong were oppressing him, then secured Guo Jian’s promise to send a guard. The guard proved to be Man Changwu, grandson of Man Chong, whom Cao Mao eagerly welcomed and rewarded.

• Guo Li brought Cao Mao to Zhaoyang Hall, where Guo Jian scolded him for refusing the Empress Dowager’s summons.
• Cao Mao blamed Wang Su and Jia Chong for keeping him under control and pretended he had given up resisting.
• Empress Dowager Guo and Guo Jian urged Cao Mao to continue, and Guo Jian promised to assign him a guard.
• The next day, Man Changwu arrived with four soldiers to patrol around the Western Hall.
• Cao Mao learned Man Changwu was Man Chong’s grandson, then warmly welcomed and generously rewarded him.

The celebrated scholars discussed Cao Mao’s poem “Sparrows in an Empty City,” whose imagery had angered powerful ministers and the General Who Conquers the South. As Ruan Ji went home with Lü An, he called himself and his companions owls whose cries grated on the ears.

• At a gathering in Luoyang, Ji Kang drunkenly argued that those called sparrows were really phoenixes being pecked at by self-proclaimed crows and kites.
• Liu Ling recited lines from “Sparrows in an Empty City,” prompting the scholars to recognize its bleak portrait of their place in the world.
• Wang Rong warned Ruan Ji that the poem had angered ministers and the General Who Conquers the South, and said the General Who Conquers the West had banned phoenixes from poetry.
• The scholars set aside political discussion and spent the rest of the gathering drinking and appraising poetry and celebrated figures.
• As Lü An walked Ruan Ji home, Ruan Ji described the emperor as crafty and a great ruler born in the wrong age.
• Ruan Ji said they were owls whose cries grated on the ears, and laughed when Lü An asked why he had spread the sparrow’s voice through Luoyang.

Sima Zhao sought Lu Yu’s help in stopping ministers from neglecting government work, but offended him by offering rewards, then sent Du Yu to order Pei Xiu to arrest scholars who had attacked Zhuge Dan’s residence. Pei Xiu abruptly feigned a powder-induced frenzy and fled, leaving Du Yu realizing he was evading the order.

• Sima Zhao asked Lu Yu to persuade the ministers to resume their duties, but Lu Yu stormed out after Sima Zhao proposed enfeoffing him and promoting his son.
• Du Yu told Sima Zhao that the offer had insulted Lu Yu, and advised him to send an apology without asking him to intervene again.
• Du Yu reported that scholars had forced their way into Zhuge Dan’s residence while searching for Zhuge Jing, worsening rumors that Zhuge Dan planned to compromise.
• Sima Zhao ordered Du Yu to have Pei Xiu arrest the scholars and investigate who was directing them.
• Pei Xiu suddenly stripped off his clothes and ran out laughing, and Du Yu concluded he was pretending to be overcome by powder to avoid making the arrests.

Cao Mao continued maneuvering amid Luoyang’s unrest while Sima Shi unexpectedly arrived at the palace to investigate the leaks and question Jia Chong’s associates. Zhong Hui hinted that the investigation could expose anyone who had concealed information, leaving Cao Mao under pressure to hide what he knew.

• Wang Su taught Cao Mao, who claimed Guo Jian had warned him to avoid Wang Su, and Wang Su insulted the Guo Family.
• Cao Mao told Guo Jian he planned to invite Sima Wang to banquets, then reported that Wang Su had called him a bird, prompting Guo Jian to curse.
• Sima Shi arrived at the palace with Jia Chong, and Cao Mao greeted him warmly before Zhong Hui escorted the emperor to the East Hall.
• Cao Mao suspected Sima Shi had come to investigate the leak about Zhuge Dan’s movements and believed Jia Chong was the chief suspect.
• Zhong Hui told Cao Mao that Sima Shi would question people connected to Luoyang’s disturbances and warned him against concealing anything.