Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

As personnel and job changes were announced one after another, the meeting in the study finally came to an end.

Before the meeting, there were four cabinet ministers and four ministers among the eight people.

After the meeting, the original four cabinet ministers were all replaced and the Shizhong filled in to form the second cabinet during the Taihe period.

The overall tone of the meeting was dull and depressing. There were not many smiles on everyone's faces when they walked out of the study. The former and new cabinet ministers didn't even say a word. After going out, they walked to the left and right respectively, as if they were walking towards two different futures.

Dong Zhao walked in last. After he entered the cabinet's duty room, he said softly, "Everyone, since we have completed our mission, His Majesty has given us three days. It is not for us to stay here. Let's finish the urgent matters first, and leave the rest to the new cabinet."

"Yes, I have been in the cabinet for several years, and now I have to leave. I am not used to it." Cao Zhen said with a little emotion: "Mr. Dong knows everything about my affairs. I will not tease you. I will trouble you to hand over the responsibilities to me. Your Majesty has given me these powers, but I don't have enough officials and clerks now. I need to recruit more people. I am busy."

"You are so good, Cao Zidan, you don't even know how to be considerate of me." Dong Zhao scolded with a smile.

Cao Zhen curled his lips and said, "Mr. Dong, please stop talking about being old. It's really inappropriate. You still have to run the Privy Council, and you have a lot to do."

"Zhongda, Ji Bi." Cao Zhen turned his head and looked at Sima Yi and Chen Jiao. "It's not appropriate for me to squeeze into the Privy Council with Lord Dong. Besides, there is no room in the Privy Council. I will go find an office first. You guys can take your time."

"General, please take care." Chen Jiao bowed.

Sima Yi also responded: "If you need someone to recruit, General, you can tell me at any time. I will go to the Ministry of Personnel to make a list for you, which will be convenient for selection."

"Okay." Cao Zhen smiled, bowed as a sign of farewell, then turned around and left without stopping.

The reason why Cao Zhen found an excuse to escape was that on the one hand, Dong Zhao could indeed help him with things, and on the other hand, he did not want to face the awkward situation between Sima Yi and Chen Jiao. The two of them had a falling out, and it was unknown how they would quarrel later.

My surname is Cao, and I am a general. Dong Zhao is right, there is no need to get entangled with any ministers.

The three people who remained in the cabinet quietly sorted out the documents on their desks. Dong Zhao did not speak, and neither Sima nor Chen spoke first.

Sima Yi finally sighed and turned to look at Chen Jiao: "Ji Bi, what the ministers did really has nothing to do with me, and what happened today was really not what I wanted. I hope Ji Bi can understand."

Chen Jiao sneered and did not respond to Sima Yi. He packed up his belongings, put them into a cloth bag, and carried it in his hand. When he walked to the door, he bowed to Dong Zhao:

"Mr. Dong, I'll take my leave now. I'll go find an office like the general did. The Censorate doesn't have an office in Shouchun, so I think it'll take some time to prepare. If there's a need to hand over to the new cabinet, Mr. Dong can just ask someone to call me."

Dong Zhao knew that he couldn't keep him, so he said, "Okay, Ji Bi, go ahead."

"Okay, farewell."

Sima Yi opened his mouth to say something to Chen Jiao, but before he could do so, Chen Jiao had already walked out the door.

Sima Yi sighed softly, showing his regret for not wanting to see such an outcome, but deep down he hated it. If His Majesty had not appointed Chen Jiao as the Chief Censor in charge of monitoring and impeaching all officials, why would he need to be so humble to him to appease him?

His hatred intensified, but his expression became calmer.

Dong Zhao, Chen Jiao...even Your Majesty, all these people are blocking your way!

Chen Jiao just left, but turned back, pointed at Sima Yi's face, and left again.

Sima Yi clenched his cheeks and remained silent.

On the other side, after the attendants left, Cao Rui called Pei Qian back.

"What has Pei Qing done these days?" Cao Rui leaned on the recliner, closed his eyes, and asked slowly.

Pei Qian stood ten feet away from Cao Rui, bowed and said softly: "The Minister of Works asked me yesterday about your Majesty's attitude towards Chen Jibi, and I said a few words. Judging from the situation today, it seems that the Minister of Works misunderstood my meaning."

Cao Rui opened his eyes: "So, you just added fuel to the fire and tested Sikong?" Pei Qian smiled awkwardly: "Yes."

Cao Rui said: "Anyway, the peak of this incident has passed, but the aftermath is still there. The four of you have become new cabinet ministers, but I have to tell you straight, it is impossible to make decisions like Dong, Cao, Sima, and Chen. Otherwise, my cabinet changes will lose their meaning, and it will be a repeat of the first cabinet."

"And you." Cao Rui said calmly: "Among my four ministers, you have always been the most active, the most lively, and the most capable of reading my eyes. I know your ability, but these things will not be of use to you in the cabinet in the future. Your name is 'Qian', so it is right for you to concentrate on your work. Don't let me down."

Pei Qian was about to respond when Cao Rui added, "I will not comment on what you did to Sikong today. But this is a once in a lifetime thing. You have always been a gentleman, and I hope you can always be a gentleman."

"I understand!" Pei Qian bowed and said, "Your Majesty trusts me and uses me. I will never let you down!"

"Okay, I heard you." Cao Rui pointed at Pei Qian and said, "Call the other three people for me."

"Yes." Pei Qian stood up and bowed.

After the other three arrived, Cao Rui continued, "Now that the cabinet is being restructured, I will also assign duties to the three of you."

"Pei Qing will mainly help me sort out military supplies, and Xu Qing will mainly sort out military affairs. As for Wang Qing and Lu Qing, you guys should worry about the rest. If there is anything you are unable to do, let Pei Qing and Xu Qing help you."

"I obey your command." The four of them saluted in unison.

Three days passed quickly, and Sima Yi and Dong Zhao completed the handover with Pei, Xu, Wang and Lu, and then said goodbye and left.

Pei Qian carefully stroked the table where Dong Zhao used to sit. The lacquer surface of the table was smooth and moist. This had become his seat. The four of them chatted and laughed in a relaxed manner.

After Dong Zhao and Sima Yi went out, they each got on a carriage heading to the Privy Council and the Secretariat.

After Sima Yi got on the carriage, he was surprised to find his eldest son Sima Shi sitting in the carriage. Sima Yi remained calm and waited until the carriage gradually drove away before he spoke:
"Why is Ziyuan here?"

Sima Shi said, "Father, it is my uncle's turn to be in Taichung today. When my uncle sent a carriage to pick you up, he asked me to come and told me to accompany you so that you wouldn't be sad."

"I'm sad? How could I be sad!" Sima Yi snorted coldly, "It's just a temporary setback, what can it do to me? Besides, the cabinet no longer has the power to make decisions, and the political affairs of the world are still handled by me, the Minister of Works and the Right Minister of Shangshu. Why should I be sad?"

Sima Shi said carefully: "Father did not go home last night. He was on duty in the palace. I had no way to pass on a message to him. Yesterday evening, Huang Pushe called all the ministers of the six ministries together to discuss matters, half scolding and half trying to win people's hearts. As a new official, the ministers did not want to go against him, so Huang Pushe..."

"What's wrong with Huang Quan?" Sima Yi frowned.

Sima Shi said: "Huang Pushe is arrogant. This is what my uncle said. He also said that father should beware of Huang Pushe's struggle for power with father. His Majesty has just appointed him, so father should avoid him for the time being."

"I came here to avoid Huang Quan?" Sima Yi said angrily, "Is this what it means to come from behind and win?"

"Huang Quan is a surrendered minister. He was defeated by Lu Xun and trapped in Jiangbei. He had no other choice but to surrender to the Wei Dynasty. Now he wants to step on me to take the throne!"

"Father, please calm down! His Majesty still respects you." Sima Shi patted his father's back gently and sighed in his heart. His uncle was right. His father was really angry.

"What do you value?" Now there was no one else in the carriage except his closest son. Sima Yi was completely furious: "You don't know, His Majesty has appointed Pei Qian to be in charge of military supplies in the cabinet! Originally, I only wanted to compete with Chen Jiao, but now that Chen Jiao is gone, Pei Qian and Huang Quan have been added!"

Sima Yi seemed to have trouble breathing and started coughing violently, his face also turned red. Sima Shi quickly patted his back and after a long while, he saw that Sima Yi was better and sighed, "Father, can you please stop fighting? I see that you are really working hard."

"Prince, Prince!" Sima Yi turned sideways and tried to look into Sima Shi's eyes. "What does my hard work mean? What does your hard work mean? This is my Sima family's business, not yours! Ziyuan, remember, if you must fight in the future, you must fight to the end, don't waver!"

Sima Shi knew that he had said the wrong thing, so he nodded silently and agreed.

The Sima father and son were talking in low voices in the carriage, but Cao Rui was unaware of what was going on. Instead, he was practicing halberds with several young generals close to him in Shouchun Palace. Cao Zhen was also present. (End of this chapter)