Recaps

Cao Mao resisted the Sima Family’s plan to make him emperor while building support among the Guo Family, officials, and the people. He made his enthronement conditional on clearing Xiahou Xuan and Li Feng, leaving the court’s response uncertain as opposition to Sima Shi spread.

• Cao Mao forced Shu Wan to reopen Zhang Sheng’s case against Shu Qu and secured justice for the old man’s family.
• After Wang Su delivered the empress dowager’s decree naming Cao Mao emperor, Cao Mao repeatedly refused the throne and told his retainers he expected the Sima Family to control him.
• Cao Mao rejected Yang Zong’s advice to submit to Sima Shi and asked Guo Ze to teach him how to punish traitors and protect the realm.
• Cao Mao sent Liu Lu with a letter and gold to Mouqiu Dian while encouraging Guo Ze and the Guo Family to support his succession plans.
• Cao Mao persuaded Guo Jian to delay agreeing to the enthronement, while Empress Dowager Guo and Wang Xiang promoted Cao Mao’s adoption as the late emperor’s heir.
• Cao Mao won Sima Yan’s goodwill and agreed to go to Luoyang, but Wang Su remained wary of him.
• When Wang Su brought the empress dowager’s decree again, Cao Mao demanded the restoration of Xiahou Xuan’s and Li Feng’s reputations and the release of their enslaved kin before he would accept the throne.
• Yang Zong urged Guo Jian to alert his allies and spread news of the controversy so Sima Shi could not punish every involved clan.

Cao Mao survived Sima Shi’s attempts to control him and reached Luoyang, where he was enthroned and began building support among officials and palace attendants. As he maneuvered against the Sima family, Sima Shi remained in Yuan City and prepared for the rebellion led by Guanqiu Jian.

• Sima Shi forced Guo De to confess to misleading Cao Mao, while Sima Yue begged for her husband’s life, and Guo De later died by poison after the Empress Dowager rejected efforts to clear Xiahou Xuan’s name.
• Cao Mao tried to rally support for clearing Xiahou Xuan and Li Feng, survived a staged assassination attempt, and won Cheng Ji’s favor before Guo De’s death and Sima Shi’s threats forced him to seek allies.
• Cao Mao secretly sent Guanqiu Jian a letter through Sima Yan, but Sima Shi confronted him and decided to enthrone him in order to summon Guanqiu Jian to Luoyang.
• Jia Chong escorted Cao Mao to Luoyang, where Cao Mao cultivated Jia and the ministers before meeting Empress Dowager Guo and being crowned emperor under the era name Zhengyuan.
• Cao Mao granted titles and honors to the Sima family and other officials, then began cultivating the Guo family and palace attendants while Jia Chong and Sima Zhao watched his growing influence.
• Cao Mao drew Sima Yan and Sima Wang close, while Jia Chong warned Sima Zhao that the emperor was gaining support among scholars, eunuchs, and guards.
• Zhuge Dan met with Sima Shi and Deng Ai and pledged to help defeat the rebels, while Sima Shi approved Deng Ai’s plans and suffered a severe coughing fit as more letters arrived from Luoyang.

Cao Mao built a covert network of allies while maneuvering Sima Shi’s faction against itself. After Sima Shi’s men exposed and executed Jia Chong, Cao Mao found the palace under tighter control and urged Sima Yan to gather supporters for succession.

• Cao Mao secretly sent Jiao Bo to warn Mouqiu Dian that Zhuge Dan had joined Sima Shi, and Mouqiu Dian spread the rumor through Luoyang.
• Cao Mao cultivated Jia Chong’s trust while recruiting Jiao Bo, Li Zhao, and Yin Damu to build a loyal network inside the palace.
• Sima Shi ordered Zhuge Jing back to Luoyang after rumors about Zhuge Dan spread, while Cao Mao’s allies expanded and Ruan Ji’s poem stirred political unease.
• Sima Shi investigated the leak, and Jiao Bo exposed Jia Chong’s surveillance of the emperor and Zhou Sheng’s execution.
• Sima Shi suspected Cao Mao had orchestrated the unrest, approved Zhong Hui’s plan to investigate him, and prepared Sima Zhao to govern if his eye operation failed.
• Zhong Hui freed Jia Chong, forced him to accuse Gao Rou, then brought him before Cao Mao and ordered his execution.
• Cao Mao found that Sima Shi’s loyalists had replaced palace guards and attendants, then warned Sima Yan that Zhong Hui was dangerous and urged him to build support for succession.

While Sima Shi lay unconscious, Cao Mao sought allies inside the palace and tried to exploit divisions among the Sima Family as rebellion gathered beyond Luoyang. Wang Yuan seized control of the Heyin uprising, and Sima Xun arrived at the palace as Cao Mao feared for his safety.

• Sima Zhao promised court ministers reforms to noble ranks while Sima Shi ordered an urgent operation and told Sima Zhao and Zhong Hui not to blame him if it failed.
• Guo Ze executed the young men who had murdered merchants, then recruited the county commandant to resist the Sima Family and rally support for an attack on Luoyang.
• Zhong Hui brought Mouqiu Dian to Sima Zhao, who tried to win his family’s support with an office, gifts, and a marriage alliance, while Liu Lu sought out local Wanderers.
• Cao Mao tested Sima Xun and Sima Wang with a lavish banquet, then learned Cheng Ji had been ordered to help cause his death if Sima Shi died, and Cheng Cui warned Cheng Ji not to harm the emperor.
• After Sima Shi briefly awoke and fell unconscious again, Sima Zhao secretly shifted responsibilities and gave the Guo Family control of palace troops, while Cao Mao suspected the report of Sima Shi’s decline was a trap.
• Cao Mao cultivated Cheng Ji, Sima Yan, the palace eunuchs, and his tutor Wang Xiang, while Zhong Hui maneuvered against Wang Su and urged Sima Zhao to summon Guanqiu Jian.
• Guanqiu Jian delayed his uprising preparations after Cao Mao’s actions, but Guo Ze launched a rebellion in Heyin and Wang Yuan took command, seized the County Office, and directed his followers to plunder local magnates.
• Sima Zhao sent Yin Damu and Sima Ban to suppress the Heyin revolt, while Sima Xun brought armored guards to Taiji Hall and Cao Mao learned that rebels had risen outside Luoyang.