Chapter Summaries

Sima Zhao met with the ailing Sima Shi and learned that the rebellion in Heyin might trigger uprisings across Great Wei, prompting orders to prepare for unrest and summon Guanqiu Jian to Luoyang. Meanwhile, Yin Damu rode toward Heyin, worrying that he could not openly help the rebels.

• Sima Zhao ordered the ministers to suppress the Heyin rebels, while Du Yu warned that mass arrests could lead officials to kill innocents for military merit and clashed with Xun Xu.
• Sima Zhao found Sima Shi waiting in his study, and Sima Shi praised him for not rushing to destroy the Guo Family.
• Sima Shi explained that he had planned to provoke Guanqiu Jian into rebellion, but his worsening illness made it urgent to eliminate him.
• Zhong Hui warned Sima Zhao that the rebellion could spread because Great Wei was rife with popular discontent, and Sima Shi ordered preparations against unrest across the regions.
• Sima Zhao agreed to summon Guanqiu Jian to Luoyang as Minister over the Masses, while Yin Damu hurried toward Heyin and wondered how to aid the rebels without exposing himself.

Wang Yuan fled Heyin County by boat with Guo Ze and his trusted aides, planning to gather mountain outlaws and build a force in Wangwu Mountain. Meanwhile, Yin Damu and Sima Ban argued over who would lead the campaign against the rebels, leaving Yin Damu hoping to help Guo Ze escape while Sima Ban rode ahead to attack.

• Wang Yuan left Heyin County by boat with Guo Ze and urged his aides to regroup in Wangwu Mountain, where he intended to recruit outlaws and refugees.
• Guo Ze watched Heyin burn and blamed himself for the deaths and destruction caused by the uprising.
• Yin Damu proposed riding ahead to Heyin with three hundred cavalry while the army rested, but Sima Ban insisted on leading the advance himself.
• Yin Damu hoped to spare the rebels or let their leaders escape, while Sima Ban prepared to claim military merit by attacking them.
• Yin Damu's Hu cavalry resented Sima Ban for taking the chance to loot and kill the rebels.

Sima Ban’s cavalry slaughtered fleeing civilians and claimed military merit, while Yin Damu pursued Wang Yuan toward Wangwu Mountain. Sima Zhao learned of the fabricated victory reports, executed a scout, and then heard Fu Gu announce that something terrible had happened.

• Sima Ban’s knights massacred fleeing commoners near Heyin County and boasted of their supposed victories over rebels.
• A precinct chief in Ping County rebelled, and Yin Damu reached Heyin County to find it burning and filled with civilian corpses.
• Sima Ban sent Yin Damu toward Wangwu Mountain with only five hundred cavalry to pursue Wang Yuan and search for Guo Ze.
• A scout reported that Sima Ban had supposedly taken Heyin County with thirty horsemen and killed over four thousand rebels, so Sima Zhao ordered the scout beheaded.
• Sima Zhao sent the scout’s head to Sima Ban as mock military merit and considered the reports of massacres and unrest across Henan Commandery.
• Fu Gu hurried into Sima Zhao’s presence and warned him that something terrible had happened.

Fu Gu warned Sima Shi and Sima Zhao that Lu Yu’s proposal to make family background the chief basis for office would let great clans monopolize government and endanger Great Wei. Despite Sima Zhao’s doubts, Sima Shi ordered a crackdown on abuses and rebellions while preparing political moves involving the emperor and Guanqiu Jian.

• Fu Gu brought Sima Zhao Lu Yu’s proposal to recruit officials from highly ranked families, and Sima Zhao rushed to show it to Sima Shi.
• Sima Shi recognized that the proposal would shut out talented men from humble families and threaten Great Wei, while Fu Gu explained why he had rejected its appeal to clan privilege.
• Sima Shi questioned whether Sima Zhao could govern after his death, then ordered Fu Gu to investigate abuses in Henan and instructed Sima Zhao to send Du Yu to suppress the Ping County rebellion.
• Sima Shi ordered Xun Xu to request the restoration of the Central Regular Attendant post and directed that Guanqiu Jian be summoned to serve as Minister over the Masses.
• Sima Zhao questioned the orders and raised another matter concerning Zhong Hui.

Sima Shi entrusted Fu Gu with guiding Sima Zhao if he died, then prepared to lead the campaign against Guanqiu Jian himself. In the palace, Cao Mao learned that the Heyin uprising had grown violent and decided to go to Zhaoyang Hall to approach the Guo Family.

• Sima Zhao told Sima Shi that Zhong Hui had grown unusually close to the emperor, and Sima Shi promised to speak with Zhong Hui.
• Sima Shi asked Fu Gu to assist Sima Zhao and steer him away from extreme decisions if Sima Shi died.
• Zhong Hui reported that he had sent letters to secure support or neutrality, while Sima Shi insisted on leading the campaign against Guanqiu Jian.
• Cao Mao heard from the eunuchs that Heyin had rebelled, gathered over ten thousand people, and attacked powerful local clans.
• Cao Mao decided to contact the Guo Family and announced that he was going to Zhaoyang Hall.

Cao Mao forced Eunuch Guo to announce him to the Empress Dowager, hoping to secure influence over the palace guards as the Guo Family faced danger after Guo Ze's rebellion. The Empress Dowager agreed to see him, while the Guo Family hid from its allies and blamed Cao Mao for its predicament.

• Cao Mao insisted on meeting the Empress Dowager despite Eunuch Guo's refusal, reasoning that her support could help him command the palace guards.
• Cao Mao warned Eunuch Guo that refusing to announce him could lead to serious consequences, and Eunuch Guo relented.
• Cao Mao entered Zhaoyang Hall and paid his respects to the displeased Empress Dowager.
• The Empress Dowager and Guo Jian had rejected Sima Zhao's assurances about Guo Ze and feared the Sima Family would punish their clan.
• The Guo Family's allies avoided them, and the family blamed Cao Mao because they were afraid to blame Sima Zhao.

Cao Mao warned Empress Dowager Guo that Sima Zhao intended to destroy the Guo Family by combining charges of rebellion and regicide, and urged her to rely on her own judgment rather than her relatives. Empress Dowager Guo grew frightened and asked Cao Mao what they should do, leaving him to stress that their interests were uniquely aligned.

• Cao Mao questioned Empress Dowager Guo about why Sima Zhao had not used Guo Ze's capture to attack the Guo Family.
• Cao Mao argued that Sima Zhao was waiting for a chance to eliminate Empress Dowager Guo and the Guo Family with charges of rebellion and regicide.
• Empress Dowager Guo panicked and asked Cao Mao what they should do.
• Cao Mao rejected her relatives' claim that Sima Zhao merely wanted to bring the Guo Family into his fold.
• Cao Mao told Empress Dowager Guo that her relatives could survive losing power, but he depended on her and should be the one truly aligned with her.

Cao Mao urged Empress Dowager Guo to assert her authority against Sima Zhao, arguing that her clan could not protect itself by submitting. When Guo Li resisted, Cao Mao persuaded Empress Dowager Guo that the Sima family’s actions threatened her personally, leaving her to confront the choice between resistance and obedience.

• Cao Mao told Empress Dowager Guo that achieving the quiet life she wanted required her to control the court, balance the military, and eliminate sources of unrest.
• Empress Dowager Guo agreed to summon Guo Jian, Guo Li, and Guo Zhi, while Cao Mao proposed rallying Wang Xiang and the ministers to her cause.
• Cao Mao explained the danger posed by Sima Zhao, but Guo Li accused him of driving a wedge between the Guo family and the Grand General and ordered him back to the Western Hall.
• Cao Mao defied Guo Li’s command, and Empress Dowager Guo stopped their quarrel before acknowledging that Sima Shi’s decisions suggested a threat.
• Guo Li argued that the family should submit to survive, but Cao Mao warned that without Empress Dowager Guo’s support the Sima family would have no reason to spare them.

After Guo Li rejected Cao Mao’s warnings and left Zhaoyang Hall, Cao Mao urged Empress Dowager Guo to replace her unhelpful clansmen and learned from Guo Jian that they had ties to Sima Zhao. Cao Mao then used the Empress Dowager’s distress to open a path toward gathering capable ministers, while Wang Xiang considered how the situation might advance his own plans with Lu Yu.

• Guo Li refused to heed Cao Mao’s warning about the Sima Family and left Zhaoyang Hall with the other Guo clansmen.
• Cao Mao told Empress Dowager Guo that her clansmen were exploiting her authority and urged her to consider two more capable palace guards.
• Guo Jian warned Cao Mao that Guo Li and his brother had met privately with Sima Zhao and might report Cao Mao’s words to him.
• Cao Mao reassured Guo Jian by reminiscing about Yuan City delicacies, then went to the East Hall to continue his lessons with Wang Xiang.
• Cao Mao told Wang Xiang that Empress Dowager Guo felt isolated by her clansmen, and Wang Xiang saw a chance to advance his plans with Lu Yu.

Cao Mao used a discussion with Wang Xiang to learn that Lu Yu was leading a court effort to support the Ministry of Personnel and recruit ministers, creating pressure for the Sima Family. Wang Xiang and Lu Yu agreed on the plan but cautioned one another against openly challenging the Grand General.

• Cao Mao asked Wang Xiang about recruiting worthy ministers, and learned that Lu Yu had already taken the lead on the matter.
• Cao Mao judged that Wang Xiang was aligning himself with Lu Yu while avoiding the risks of acting alone.
• Wang Xiang visited Lu Yu, who reported that most court ministers and three of the four named Secretariat officials supported the Ministry of Personnel.
• Wang Xiang told Lu Yu that Cao Mao hoped to use the Empress Dowager's name to recruit ministers and wear down the Sima Family.
• Lu Yu warned Wang Xiang not to become too entangled with Cao Mao's schemes, and Wang Xiang assured him he would not openly challenge the Grand General.

At court, Xun Xu claimed that the emperor wanted to restore the Central Regular Attendant office, provoking a furious campaign against eunuchs. Lu Yu recognized Sima Shi’s maneuver to derail plans for reform, while Wang Xiang left the court disillusioned with the factions around him and resolved to pursue power himself.

• The ministers discussed turmoil in the Wu Kingdom and agreed to adjust Cao Wei’s strategy against it.
• Xun Xu announced that the emperor wanted to restore the Central Regular Attendant office, and Gao Rou led the ministers in denouncing eunuchs and demanding a joint memorial.
• Gao Rou blamed Wang Xiang for failing to guide the emperor, and Wang Xiang publicly accepted responsibility.
• Lu Yu told Wang Xiang that Sima Shi had used the controversy to delay reform and warn him, while leaving the emperor exposed to a damaged reputation.
• After Lu Yu left, Wang Xiang questioned who had revealed his reform proposal and decided he would rather become a powerful man who shared out the spoils than keep serving other factions.

Gao Rou and the ministers confronted Cao Mao over a supposed plan to abolish the Attendant Cavalry and establish Central Regular Attendants, but Cao Mao admitted it and let them publicly remonstrate with him. After protecting the palace eunuchs and using the incident to justify expanding the Attendant Cavalry, Cao Mao welcomed Sima Yan and asked if he wanted to make a name for himself.

• Gao Rou brought Xun Xu and a group of ministers to the Western Hall to accuse Cao Mao of planning to establish Central Regular Attendants.
• Cao Mao admitted the accusation, accepted Gao Rou's rebukes, and pleaded with him to spare the palace eunuchs.
• The ministers finished their remonstrances and left, pleased that their names would be recorded in the history books.
• Cao Mao explained to Sima Hui that he had admitted the charge to protect the eunuchs and create grounds to recruit more Attendant Cavalry.
• Sima Yan arrived with news that people were condemning Cao Mao as an emperor like Huan and Ling, but Cao Mao laughed and asked whether he wanted to make a name for himself.

Fu Gu arrived in Heyin County and punished Sima Ban for falsely claiming merit by slaughtering civilians, while commending Yin Damu for refusing to harm them. With unrest spreading through Henan and Hebei, Fu Gu ordered Yin Damu to restore order and reassure the people.

• Sima Ban accused Yin Damu of failing to capture Wang Yuan and threatened to report him, while he and the other officers prepared a memorial blaming Yin Damu for the rebellion’s failures.
• Fu Gu arrived in Heyin County and heard Sima Ban claim he had killed and captured countless rebels.
• Fu Gu ordered guards to bind Sima Ban and commanded the officers to release arrested civilians, return looted property, and stop abusing the people.
• Fu Gu praised Yin Damu for refusing to slaughter civilians and told him that he was the only commander involved who could be pardoned.
• Fu Gu reported that unrest had spread through Henan and Hebei, then ordered Yin Damu to divide his forces, suppress bandits, discipline officials, and reassure the people.

Liu Lu sought strong crossbows in Luoyang and learned that the new Director of Ruolu, Jiao Bo, might sell damaged ones as scrap. He found Jiao Bo and revealed himself as a buyer.

• Liu Lu listened as merchants discussed Guo Ze’s rebellion and rumors about eunuchs becoming officials, then insisted that eunuchs would not become officials.
• Liu Lu asked local Wanderers where he could obtain strong crossbows, and one told him about the Ruolu Office and its new Director, Jiao Bo.
• Liu Lu realized the Wanderers wanted him to test Jiao Bo and learned how damaged crossbows had been sold under the guise of scrap.
• Liu Lu waited for Jiao Bo to return home, barged into his residence, and reunited with him.
• Liu Lu told Jiao Bo that he had come to buy strong crossbows.

Liu Lu agreed to build support among Luoyang’s Wanderers while Jiao Bo offered to help him. Cao Mao then outlined to Empress Dowager Guo a plan to weaken the Sima family by taking control of the Imperial Secretariat and winning over key ministers.

• Liu Lu asked Jiao Bo for Strong Crossbows so he could kill Sima Zhao, but Jiao Bo warned that Sima Zhao was too heavily guarded.
• Jiao Bo urged Liu Lu to gather Luoyang’s Wanderers into a force of his own and offered to help him.
• Cao Mao told Empress Dowager Guo that the ministers’ criticism could help build their reputations and claimed Wang Xiang had agreed to support them.
• Cao Mao proposed making Wang Xiang Grand Minister of Ceremonies and Wang Jing Inspector of the Capital, then using them to win over ministers and strip the Imperial Secretariat of its power.
• Cao Mao explained how he intended to exploit the rivalries and circumstances of Lu Yu, Fu Gu, and Cui Zan to secure influence over the Imperial Secretariat.

Cao Mao persuaded Empress Dowager Guo to rely on him and Wang Xiang, then recruited Wang Xiang to help reclaim supreme power from the Sima Family. Wang Xiang agreed to make contact with the Empress Dowager and quietly prepare, while they waited for Sima Shi to die.

• Cao Mao told Empress Dowager Guo that he could win the ministers’ loyalty and urged her to keep their plans secret.
• Cao Mao privately reflected that he had mixed truth with fabrication to draw Empress Dowager Guo away from her clan.
• Cao Mao told Wang Xiang that the Empress Dowager wished to appoint him Grand Minister of Ceremonies and urged him to support her.
• Cao Mao admitted that he wanted to reclaim supreme power, and Wang Xiang pledged to help while warning that they must proceed carefully.
• Wang Xiang agreed to meet the Empress Dowager and prepare arrangements, while both men agreed to wait for Sima Shi to die.

Cao Mao coached Sima Yan on building a reputation by submitting a carefully crafted memorial criticizing the emperor, then learned that Sima Zhao planned to use Gao Rou’s office to lure Guanqiu Jian back to court. The chapter left Gao Rou refusing to surrender his position and challenging Sima Zhao’s reasoning.

• Cao Mao explained to Sima Yan how to cultivate a celebrated-scholar persona and offered to rewrite his memorial criticizing the emperor.
• Sima Yan told Cao Mao that rebellions were spreading and that Sima Zhao had described Gao Rou as gravely ill while seeking a replacement for him.
• Sima Zhao visited Gao Rou and asked him to step aside temporarily so the court could use his position to invite Guanqiu Jian back to Luoyang.
• Gao Rou rejected Sima Zhao’s request and suggested using the positions of the Grand Minister of Ceremonies, Grand Commandant, or Grand General instead.
• Sima Zhao angrily challenged Gao Rou after Gao Rou asked why those powerful officials could not make sacrifices for the realm.

Gao Rou resisted Sima Zhao’s pressure and decided to send Gao Guang to Huainan, while warning that the young emperor could become a formidable ally for Guanqiu Jian. Du Yu then proposed inviting Guanqiu Jian to court as Grand Commandant, and Sima Zhao approved the plan.

• Gao Rou rejected Sima Zhao’s demand and proposed sending Gao Guang to serve as Governor of Lujiang in Yangzhou, aligning the family with Guanqiu Jian.
• Gao Rou told Gao Guang that he suspected the emperor concealed exceptional ability and that Guanqiu Jian’s alliance with him made the struggle uncertain.
• Gao Guang agreed to go to Huainan despite the risks, and Gao Rou said Sima Shi could not prevent his appointment.
• Sima Zhao raged over Gao Rou’s defiance, and Du Yu advised him not to pressure the Minister over the Masses further.
• Du Yu proposed appointing the Grand Commandant as Grand Tutor and offering Guanqiu Jian the post of Grand Commandant in exchange for leaving the Huainan Army.
• Sima Zhao accepted Du Yu’s plan, reasoning that Guanqiu Jian would lose real power if he gave up command of the Huainan Army.

Guanqiu Jian met Zhuge Dan in Runan and urged his old friend not to ally with Sima Shi, but Zhuge Dan remained conflicted and let him leave unharmed. On the ride toward Yangzhou, Guanqiu Jian revealed that the meeting might make Sima Shi distrust Zhuge Dan.

• Zhuge Dan waited at a pavilion near Shen County and was surprised when Guanqiu Jian arrived with only Wen Yang.
• Guanqiu Jian and Zhuge Dan exchanged gifts and reminisced over wine before Guanqiu Jian urged Zhuge Dan to avoid siding with Sima Shi.
• Zhuge Dan rejected the idea of harming Guanqiu Jian and let him depart after their banquet.
• An officer suggested attacking Guanqiu Jian, but Zhuge Dan refused, fearing disgrace.
• Wen Yang criticized Zhuge Dan as untrustworthy, and Guanqiu Jian explained that Sima Shi would learn of their meeting and might no longer trust him.

Cao Mao arranged for Sima Yan to stage a dramatic remonstrance so he could gain influence among eminent scholars, while Wang Xiang briefed him on spreading uprisings and prepared to meet Empress Dowager Guo. Wang Xiang won the Empress Dowager’s trust by pledging to support her and the realm, leaving her impressed by his resolve.

• Cao Mao persuaded Sima Yan to stage a snowbound protest against the emperor’s decree, with substitutes taking turns after the first appearance, to build Sima Yan’s reputation.
• Cao Mao explained to Xu Sheng that supporting Sima Yan could help him connect with eminent scholars and secure allies for his attendants.
• Wang Xiang told Cao Mao that rebellion was spreading in Hebei and that Sima Shi planned to send He Zeng there with authority to suppress it.
• Wang Xiang advised Cao Mao to wait for Sima Shi’s death and announced that he would seek an audience with Empress Dowager Guo.
• Wang Xiang met Empress Dowager Guo, pledged to assist her and uphold the realm, and reassured her that he sought no personal office or rank.