Wei Ni

Xiahou Xian's request to have an audience with the emperor was quickly granted.

Or perhaps Emperor Cao Rui was also waiting for him to request entry into the palace.

There is no other reason than this.

Even emperors are mortals with emotions and desires.

Most ordinary people, if they have a premonition that they will soon die, will become very vulnerable psychologically and emotionally. They especially crave the company of relatives and friends, hoping to draw warmth from old friendships so that they can step into eternal darkness more calmly.

Xiahou Xian took advantage of this point, and during his previous attempts to see His Majesty, he explained his dereliction of duty by saying, "Your Majesty is seriously ill, and I have no heart for anything else. I would rather resign as Governor of Henan than be in Your Majesty's presence and ease my grief."

The emperor, Cao Rui, was deeply moved by the emotional appeal that was tailored to Xiahou Xian's needs. He then instructed his attendants to allow Xiahou Xian to enter the palace without reporting back.

The journey was smooth, and Xiahou Xian arrived at Jiafu Palace.

As usual, he paid his respects and greeted the emperor. After rising, he chatted with Prince Cao Yu of Yan, who had been serving the emperor at his sickbed, to relieve Cao Rui's boredom and fatigue. Then, he suddenly knelt down again and said, "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion to make. Although it is untimely, it is like a fishbone stuck in my throat. I beg Your Majesty's permission."

"Ok?"

Emperor Cao Rui, who was leaning back on the couch and looking very listless, raised his eyelids slightly upon hearing this and squeezed out the words intermittently, "If you have something to say, please speak freely."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Xiahou Xian, who had knelt upright with his head held high, slowly said, “The most important matters of state are sacrifice and war. Your Majesty is currently unwell and unable to perform the year-end sacrifice at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Therefore, Your Majesty should appoint the Minister of the Imperial Clan or allow a prince such as the Prince of Yan to lead the Prince of Qi and the Prince of Qin to pay their respects. It is not appropriate to send the General of the Central Army instead.”

A stone stirred up a thousand waves.

As soon as Xiahou Xian finished speaking, everyone in the Jiafu Hall, including the emperor and his ministers, trembled with fear.

Prince Yan, Cao Yu, and Cao Shuang, who was on duty, looked terrified and incredulous. Liu Fang, the Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and Sun Zi, the Grand Secretary, who were handling general affairs on the side, were unaware that their pens had slipped from their hands. The old eunuch who had been quietly resting with his head down and eyes closed in the corner of the hall suddenly raised his head like a startled lion.

The emperor himself reacted the most strongly.

"very!?"

Accompanied by a high-pitched note, Cao Rui, who was leaning against the couch, opened his eyes wide and sat up abruptly. The sudden excitement made him gasp for breath, and he coughed violently again. He struggled to suppress his shortness of breath, managing to squeeze out words through the coughing, "Cough! Yunjin cough... said Xiahou Zhiquan... cough cough! He visited the ancestral temple? Cough cough."

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Commander of the Central Guard paid homage at the Imperial Ancestral Temple this morning."

After Xiahou Xian answered respectfully, a look of fear and doubt appeared on his face, and he asked with great expression, "Your Majesty was unaware of this matter?"

"vertical"

Cao Rui immediately cursed loudly, but before he could utter the word "zi," he fell backward due to his anger.

Fortunately, Prince Cao Yu of Yan, who had been keeping an eye on him, was quick-witted and reached out to support him, preventing his head from hitting the edge of the bed.

"Your Majesty, please do not be angry."

Prince Cao Yu of Yan, sitting to the side, gently patted his back, helping him catch his breath while advising, "The Imperial Physician has instructed that Your Majesty should rest and regulate your breathing."

But Emperor Cao Rui at this time was not going to listen to any of this.

After his chest heaved violently for a while, he finally coughed up the thick phlegm stuck in his throat and shouted sharply, "Exorcise! Exorcise!!"

Bixie is the messenger of the palace.

After the emperor fell ill, Chen Liu took over the position, becoming the person who had previously transferred the position of Director of the Imperial Academy to the Ming Dynasty and succeeded him in managing the Imperial Academy at Beiman Mountain Manor.

"Your Majesty, Bixie has just been sent to visit the prince."

The old eunuch in the corner of Jiafu Hall strode over, bowed, and replied, "Let this old servant go. This old servant knows what to do."

"Alright. Wang Yi, go immediately!"

"only."

After the old eunuch departed with a healthier demeanor than his age, the palace fell into a stagnant silence.

Even the howling north wind outside the palace wisely fell silent.

Emperor Cao Rui had already lay back on his couch, his eyes staring blankly at the palace beams, seemingly lost in thought.

Prince Cao Yu of Yan rose and stood before the couch with his hands at his sides, his expression somewhat complicated; not far away, Cao Shuang hung his head expressionlessly, while Liu Fang and Sun Zi exchanged a glance behind them, which was as still as a lake.

As for Xiahou Xian, who triggered all of this, he is still kneeling on the ground.

The emperor forgot to tell him to get up.

But he didn't care at all, because the burning hope in his heart was enough to ignore the chill that kept creeping up from the ground.

Wang Yi, a veteran eunuch who had been in charge of the secret administration office since the reign of Emperor Wen of Cao Pi, was highly efficient.

Just half an hour later, he brought back the memorial from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices concerning Xiahou Hui's visit to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Xiahou Hui himself, and the burial objects he had buried in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

"Your subject, Xiahou Hui, the Commander of the Central Army, pays his respects to Your Majesty." Upon entering the hall, Xiahou Hui knelt and bowed beside Xiahou Xian, paying his respects to Emperor Cao Rui.

Emperor Cao Rui, who was already reclining against the edge of the couch, ignored him and didn't even lift his eyelids. He simply listened with his eyes closed as the old eunuch whispered a report on the details of the investigation at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and relayed the report from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

A moment later, the old eunuch explained the matter clearly.

The emperor, who was listening attentively, was so pained and disappointed that his face was almost contorted in pain.

Therefore, after considering it for a moment, the old eunuch asked softly, "Your Majesty, shall I be allowed to ask the question?"

Cao Rui did not open his eyes or speak, but simply sighed softly.

But that was enough for the old eunuch to understand, so he turned around, straightened up, stared at Xiahou Hui who was kneeling on the ground, and called out in a slightly sharp and hoarse voice, "General of the Central Guard, Xiahou Hui, Your Majesty has a question."

"only."

Xiahou Hui, who was kneeling properly, immediately responded loudly, "Your subject Hui respectfully awaits your reply."

"Did you go to pay your respects at the Imperial Ancestral Temple at Chenshi (7-9 AM) today?"

"Reply to Your Majesty, I will be kind to you."

"Our ancestors have laws, and the imperial court has regulations. Do you know the crime of making a private visit?"

"Return to your majesty, I will inform you."

"If you know this, why do it?"

This time, Xiahou Hui did not answer, but silently bowed his head and touched the ground with his forehead.

The old eunuch, who had been waiting for a long time without receiving a reply, squinted and turned his head slightly to look. Seeing that the emperor still did not make any move, he thought for a moment, then took out a small storage container from behind him and held it up.

"Zhonghujun Hui, look up and see clearly. The official on duty at the Imperial Ancestral Temple says, 'This is the item you hid in front of the temple. Is that true?'"

"Your Majesty, it was your subject Hui who did it."

"Why is that?! What's inside?!"

Xiahou Hui touched the ground with his forehead again, so the old eunuch squinted and looked back.

The difference was that Emperor Cao Rui also slightly opened his eyes at this moment and nodded to meet his gaze.

The storage container, still damp with snow and mud, was small, and the old eunuch pried it open with little effort. Inside was only a thin, small piece of silk, densely covered with tiny characters.

After taking it out, the old eunuch glanced at the emperor again to get his approval, and then read it aloud.

"In the second year of Jingchu, on the twelfth month, the day of Xinmao."

"Your subject, Zhihou, the sixth son of Xiahou Yuan, the Commander of the Central Protectorate Army and General Who Conquers the West, respectfully submits this memorial to Emperor Wu and Emperor Wen."

"Our Wei dynasty has reigned for nineteen years. Since the Emperor's ascension to the throne, we have already defeated the Xianbei in the north, recovered the Hetao region, destroyed the Gongsun clan of Liaodong, and conquered Goguryeo and the Yemaek tribes, establishing Pingzhou and demonstrating our might in the east. We will soon defeat the Three Hans. Although the rebellious Shu and Wu are still disobedient and may launch invasions, they are like cornered beasts fighting back. Our Wei dynasty's great achievement of conquering the world is not far off! But alas, after December, the Emperor fell ill and his condition worsened. The Emperor is in his prime, and his sons are all under ten years old. This is truly a heavy burden for our Wei dynasty. Alas! Your subject, Hui, is twenty-nine years old and in great strength. I am ready to sacrifice myself! I wish to use my death to avert the Emperor's calamity. I only pray that the spirits of Emperor Wu and Emperor Wen will grant my wish and protect the Emperor's longevity, so that our Wei dynasty may last for ten thousand generations."

He couldn't continue reading.

Because at this moment, Emperor Cao Rui had already opened his eyes and was sitting up straight with the help of Prince Yan, Cao Yu. He reached out and pulled the thin silk in his hand, looking at it with a face full of surprise and doubt.

As he watched, his hands began to tremble and his eyes turned red.

After looking at it several times, he finally put down the small piece of silk and said in a hoarse voice, "Zhiquan, come closer."

"only."

Following instructions, Xiahou Hui rose and stepped forward, taking the spot vacated by the old eunuch.

Before he could say anything, Emperor Cao Rui kicked him and unleashed a torrent of curses: "You brat! Lifespan is ordained by Heaven, why do you seek it by sacrificing yourself? You are not yet thirty, it is time for you to think of serving the country. If I am not long-lived, you should wholeheartedly assist the new emperor and do your utmost to protect my Wei dynasty! Why do you so lightly die!"

"Your Majesty, I am grateful. I am grateful."

Though caught off guard, the Emperor was already exhausted, and Xiahou Hui wasn't so badly knocked down. Just as he was about to speak in defense, he saw the Emperor's concern and tears in his eyes. His heart ached, and he choked with emotion, unable to utter a word he had prepared. Instead, recalling the Emperor's previous favors, he couldn't help but prostrate himself again, bursting into tears. "Your Majesty, as I prayed, we are now facing external threats from Shu and Wu, and internally, the princes are all young. Thinking of the hardships Emperor Wu endured to establish his dynasty and the difficulties Emperor Wen faced to establish his rule, I humbly believe that our Wei dynasty can do without me, but not without Your Majesty!"

"You little rascal!"

He cursed again, and Emperor Cao Rui, choking back tears, raised his head and closed his eyes, letting the tears that had been welling up in his eyes flow freely.

For a moment, the emperor and his ministers in the Jiafu Hall were all in tears.

The old eunuch in front turned around, his shoulders trembling slightly; Prince Cao Yu of Yan, sitting on the couch, had red eyes and was wiping his face haphazardly with his sleeve while taking out a silk cloth to wipe away the emperor's tears; Liu Fang, Sun Zi, and Cao Shuang in the distance turned their faces away and covered their faces with their hands.

Even Xiahou Xian was moved to tears.

But he wasn't moved; rather, he felt lost and fearful.

He could vaguely sense the chill from the ground growing stronger and more intense, its invasion becoming increasingly fierce, causing him to shiver uncontrollably and his lips and teeth to tremble uncontrollably. (End of Chapter)