The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 111: So I'm so ambitious? (Thanks, Leader)

Empress Dowager Guo was somewhat dazed by these remarks.

She wanted to scold this rebellious son who dared to alienate her from many relatives, but Cao Mao's words were truly for her own consideration.

She had lived for more than forty years, but this was the first time someone separated her from the family and mentioned her own interests.

Queen Mother Guo hesitated and said, "I am an old woman. Apart from my clan, what else can I consider for my own benefit? Don't let Guo Jian and the others hear you say this."

"Oh! So what if I heard it?!"

"Mother! If anyone dares to harm you, I will kill them with my sword!!"

Cao Mao spoke very angrily.

"Your interests are not the interests of the Guo family! His interests can only be granted by you!"

"If the Guo family dares to put their own interests above yours, I will kill them!"

Empress Dowager Guo was frightened by Cao Mao's violent appearance, as if she had just met this young man for the first time.

"I just want to live my life to the fullest. I don't want anything. You don't have to do the same."

"Mother, isn't it in your best interest to live a good life?"

"In your position, it's not easy to live a peaceful life. Will the general allow it? Will the local military leaders agree? Will the ministers in the court agree?"

"They will constantly stir up trouble, working for their own interests, and won't let you have any peace. For example, in the past year, you wanted to live a peaceful and honest life, but have you achieved your wish? The dethronement and the death of your uncle, aren't these things all harming your interests?"

"What are the thoughts of these uncles of mine? Do they want you to live in peace? No, they want promotion, more land, more money, and greater power. Will this allow you to live an honest life?!"

Cao Mao's questions left Empress Dowager Guo confused.

"Mother, in my opinion, your idea is the most difficult to achieve. You sit at the highest position in the center of power. If you want to live a peaceful life, you must suppress the ministers in the temple, achieve a balance between the generals and the generals outside, make everyone in the palace obey your orders, and make the clans dare not disobey you. You even have to destroy Wu and Shu, unify the world, and eliminate all unrest. Only then can you live a peaceful life!!"

"If this is what you want, then I am willing to help you to accomplish this!!"

Empress Dowager Guo's face turned pale.

I'm so ambitious!
"not like this!"

"I don't want to get rid of anyone, I just think I don't want to cause any trouble!"

Cao Mao nodded and said in deep agreement, "Yes!"

"If you don't cause trouble, trouble will cause you. Therefore, if you don't want to cause trouble, you have to get rid of all the troublemakers!"

Empress Dowager Guo was speechless and sat beside Cao Mao in a daze, not saying anything for a long time.

Cao Mao then consoled her, saying, "Don't worry, mother. This isn't as difficult as you think."

"Besides, there are many people who want to assist you, including me and our relatives."

"Now Sima Zhao wants to attack you. We can no longer give in or tolerate this. We must gather our clansmen and start fighting back!"

"The Sima family is powerful, but not invincible. They have many enemies. We must let them know that only by cooperating with my mother can they maintain their power!"

Cao Mao continued, "Mother, please do not underestimate yourself. No one in the world dares to disregard your imperial edict. If you order my uncle to take command of the Central Army, Sima Zhao will come and beg you to rescind it!"

"But."

Queen Mother Guo shook her head and said, "Let's first ask everyone in the clan what they think."

"Alright! Mother, my teacher, Wang Xiang, often tells me about you and teaches me to be filial to you. I plan to contact him privately to see if I can rally the officials to your side. You're usually too kind, and even Sima Zhao dares to look down on you! I'll make sure he knows the price of looking down on me, Mother!!"

Empress Dowager Guo said helplessly, "It's easier said than done. Jian has already contacted them, but none of the ministers in the court are willing to help. They are all afraid of the general."

Cao Mao laughed, "Mother, they just don't want to help the Guo family."

"It's not that I'm unwilling to help you."

"You've always listened to your clansmen and put their interests first, so naturally they didn't dare get close to you. However, that won't happen in the future. I, your son, will advise you and contact the ministers. Do we still need to be afraid of the Sima family?!"

Empress Dowager Guo was silent for a long time before she sent someone to find Guo Jian, Guo Li and others.

Cao Mao did not try to persuade her any further and just sat beside the empress dowager, showing no intention of leaving.

Soon, Guo Zhi, Guo Jian and Guo Li appeared in Zhaoyang Palace.

When they saw the emperor sitting next to the empress dowager, they all looked a little surprised. Guo Li and Guo Zhi looked at each other with some displeasure in their eyes.

The three of them sat beside the Queen Mother and only paid their respects to her.

Empress Dowager Guo glanced at Cao Mao beside her. Cao Mao immediately stood up and told the three people in front of him about the crisis they were facing.

The three people reacted differently.

Guo Jian was frightened, Guo Zhi hesitated, and Guo Li was angry.

Guo Li said displeasedly, "Your Majesty, why do you want to alienate my family from the general? Without us, how could Your Majesty become the common ruler of the world?" "As Your Majesty said, if the general knew about it, it would certainly be disadvantageous."

"Your Majesty, please return to the West Hall!"

Cao Mao chuckled, "Estrangement?"

"General Xuande, so you think you have a very good relationship with General Zhengxi? So General Zhengxi doesn't care whether Mr. Guo participates in the rebellion?"

"No matter what you say, my family will never do anything that is detrimental to the general!"

Guo Li said righteously, "The general has helped the country and made great contributions to the country. Your Majesty, why would you let such a meritorious official feel disheartened?!"

"I hope Your Majesty will turn back from your mistakes and not make the same mistake again. I will pretend I know nothing about what happened today. If it happens again, I will definitely report it to the General!"

Cao Mao shook his head. "Why bother with so much trouble? Why don't you just arrest me and bring me to the general now?"

"Or just kill me and save the general from future troubles."

"you!"

Guo Li stood up angrily and said arrogantly: "I have made up my mind!"

Cao Mao also stood up immediately, looking even angrier than Guo Li, "You don't call the shots in this household!!"

"My mother hasn't even spoken yet, what are you making a decision here?!"

Guo Li was shocked and angry. This brat actually dared to contradict him. He shouted, "Someone! Send His Majesty back!"

Cao Mao shouted, "Who dares?"

"It's not General Xuande's turn to issue orders in this Zhaoyang Palace!"

Guo Li's face flushed red, and he was shaking with anger. He looked at Empress Dowager Guo and said, "Empress Dowager, look at this brat."

Empress Dowager Guo's face was a little tangled. She looked at Cao Mao, then at Guo Li, and said helplessly: "Don't argue. We are all family."

Cao Mao quickly put away his angry look.

"As ordered."

Guo Li glared at Cao Mao with gritted teeth, cursing non-stop: "We were the ones who pushed you into this position, and now you dare to bite me back? If it weren't for us, would you even be worthy of living in this palace? You're just the son of a vassal prince, how dare you..."

"enough!"

Empress Dowager Guo's face changed and she shouted loudly.

Guo Li widened his eyes and looked at his always amiable niece.

Empress Dowager Guo sighed, put away the dissatisfaction on her face, and said softly, "What Uncle Yanshi said is not without reason."

"We know exactly what kind of person Sima Shi is. Zishou's actions were enough to make us bow our heads, but he didn't put pressure on us. Instead, he took the initiative to give us the position in the palace. Moreover, Sima Wang and others are anxious to leave, and Sima Xun has even submitted several petitions, asking to leave the palace. Doesn't this explain the problem?"

"They obviously knew what Sima Shi was planning. What could he possibly be thinking of asking us to guard the palace at this time?"

After listening to Empress Dowager Guo's words, Guo Jian and Guo Zhi were both a little shaken.

Guo Li still maintained his own opinion, "Queen Dowager, how could I not know these things?"

"But what can we do even if we know?"

"We all know what kind of people the Sima brothers are. Facing them, we have no chance of winning and can only bow our heads. We are different from them. As long as we choose to surrender and obey, perhaps our family can still survive."

The smile on Empress Dowager Guo's face slowly disappeared.

Is there still a way for the family to survive?
what about me?
Cao Mao suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"General Xuande, hahahaha, are you trying to survive by being obedient?"

"If we're talking about hatred, I think the Sima family hates me more than they hate General Xuande. But why didn't they attack me? Was it because I was submissive? No, it was because there was Guanqiu Jian outside, so they didn't dare to act rashly."

"Now you want to obey, voluntarily give up your power and your roots to please the general."

"If there was no Queen Mother, why would the General keep you here?"

"I think General Xuande really overestimates himself."

"In Sima Shi's eyes, I am not important, General Xuande is not important, and my uncle is not important either. The only important thing is the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother is the most important."

"Without the Queen Mother's support, it would only take a dozen soldiers to kill the entire Guo family."

"He's armed with a sharp blade, and when he encounters a money wolf, instead of trying to intimidate him with the blade, he throws it on the ground, hoping the wolf will let him go. Is there anything more ridiculous than this?"

ps: Thanks to the leader of I am an Internet Beggar for the reward.

(End of this chapter)