The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 148 Gratitude
"His Majesty!"

"The person has arrived and has just entered Zhaoyang Palace!"

Mr. Xu walked in hurriedly and said in a low voice.

Cao Mao's eyes lit up.

It's finally here.

Chen Qian.

These days, Cao Mao has been studying the life stories of his great-grandfather, Sima Yi, Sima Shi and others.

Cao Mao now wants to become a powerful official and undermine the current general, so naturally he has to emulate these powerful officials in the past and learn sufficient experience and lessons from their deeds.

In Cao Mao's plan to become a powerful official, Chen Qian was an indispensable link.

He did not want to meet Chen Qian through Wang Xiang.

He has to be the point where all the lines add up.

Chen Qian was also very ambitious, but he didn't care much about his clan and only cared about his personal position. Cao Mao liked such a sharp knife very much.

He had instructed the eunuchs in the palace long ago to keep an eye on Chen Qian and inform him in time if he entered the palace to pay a visit to the empress dowager.

Now all the eunuchs in the palace are headed by Cao Mao.

Today is not what it used to be.

If Zhong Hui wanted to replace the eunuchs around him, it would be useless unless he replaced all the eunuchs in the palace.

Cao Mao had become completely familiar with them, even the guards and soldiers.

He was finally able to conspire with his subordinates and finally take the initiative to do some big things.

Today, he was going to block Chen Qian.

Cao Mao looked at Mr. Xu standing beside him and asked loudly, "What do you mean you don't know? Can such a major event as the empress's appointment be neglected like this? There's still no news!"

"Someone is coming!"

"I want to go to Zhaoyang Palace!!"

Mr. Xu reacted quickly. He lowered his head and said quickly, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I really didn't know."

Cao Mao snorted coldly, stood up and left, and everyone followed him.

Sima Hui looked helplessly at Sima Che standing beside him.

"Your Majesty is truly never at peace. How come there are so many things going on?"

Sima Che laughed, "You can't wait any longer, you're so anxious to support the Queen. The general is using a beauty trap!"

Sima recalled the appearance of the queen. She was skinny and seriously ill. She didn't look like a beauty at all.

Cao Mao hurried towards Zhaoyang Palace, complaining about something in a low voice all the way.

At this moment, inside Zhaoyang Palace.

Empress Dowager Guo was looking at Chen Qian in front of her.

She was originally a timid and sensitive person with no ambition. She was even scolded in person by members of her own clan several times, but she did not dare to refute.

Because she was very insecure, she didn't dare to leave her clan.

However, the appearance of Cao Mao gradually changed this situation. The joining of Wang Xiang made up for the uneasiness after the departure of the clan, and the empress dowager's character changed greatly.

That day, Zhong Hui's attack forced the Queen Mother to retreat again, revealing her true colors.

Despite this, those who have tasted power will not give up so easily even if they are frightened once.

Regarding Zhong Hui's behavior, the Queen Mother believed that it was because her strength was not strong enough and she had not contacted enough ministers.

Chen Qian was another important minister, and Empress Dowager Guo looked at him with joy in her eyes.

She started asking some questions.

Chen Qian was helpless.

He knew in his heart that the Queen Mother was not the one in charge, the power was in Wang Xiang's hands. He came to see the Queen Mother today just to reassure this nominal faction leader.

Let her feel at ease so that I can continue to do things in her name.

That's it.

Chen Qian never had any confidence in the Queen Mother, and sure enough, the Queen Mother did not disappoint him. All the questions she asked were useless and mediocre!
Chen Qian patiently continued to answer.

At this moment, Mr. Guo suddenly rushed in and reported: "Queen Dowager, His Majesty has arrived!"

Chen Qian frowned and immediately stood up and prepared to leave.

Empress Dowager Guo said helplessly: "Alas, it is hard for this child. Let him in."

Before Chen Qian could resign, the emperor rushed into the Zhaoyang Palace.

"Meet the Mother!!"

Cao Mao bowed and then looked at Chen Qian who was standing beside him. "Greetings, Lord Chen!"

Chen Qian was stunned and quickly returned the greeting.

The next moment, Cao Mao walked to his side, took his hand enthusiastically, and looked at Queen Dowager Guo.

"Congratulations, mother! With such a wise and capable person to assist you, there's no need to worry about not accomplishing great things."

Empress Dowager Guo laughed.

Cao Mao respectfully pulled Chen Qian back to sit, "The princes have long praised you, saying that your talent is no less than that of the current general!"

"But I think what the teacher said is wrong!"

"You are clearly a great Sima, how can you be so unworthy?"

"I don't deserve it." Cao Mao sat beside him, holding his hand tightly and not letting go.

"Mother, when I heard that Mr. Chen had arrived, I ran all the way here, not daring to slack off. I admire Mr. Chen the most. Mother, you don't know this, right?"

"When Marquis Zhen was serving as Minister of the Chancellery, the Attendant Liu Ye, who was deeply favored by Emperor Liezu, often spoke ill of Marquis Zhen. Marquis Zhen was very worried and asked his two sons for advice."

"Mr. Chen was still very young at the time, but he said to Marquis Zhen: 'Your Majesty is a wise ruler, and you are a loyal minister. Even if Your Majesty believes the rumors, he will not make things difficult for you, so don't worry.'"

"Later, it turned out just as Mr. Chen said!"

Cao Mao smiled and said, "Mr. Chen possesses the wisdom of the Marquis of Liu, which is beyond the reach of my teacher. While he is still here, mother must quickly inquire more about important matters of the imperial court!"

Empress Dowager Guo said proudly: "I have already asked!"

Watching the interaction between mother and son, Chen Qian was particularly surprised.

Chen Qian knew the empress dowager's character and had long known that the emperor was the dominant one between the two. However, he did not expect that the empress dowager was completely led by the emperor.

The emperor's words just now revealed a lot of information.

He already knew about it when he just arrived at Zhaoyang Palace. Did he have his own spies in the palace?

He brags about himself, does he know what he is thinking?
Judging from his intentions, he wants to compete with Wang Xiang for the dominance of the faction? Does Wang Xiang know about this?

Of course, Cao Mao had no idea how much his words had touched Chen Qian.

At this moment, he was still praising Chen Qian and the Queen Mother.

It's like with this person around, there's nothing to worry about.

Empress Dowager Guo laughed even louder.

In the end, it was naturally Cao Mao who sent Chen Qian out.

Cao Mao still held his hand and whispered, "Mr. Chen, I have something I would like to ask for your help."

"Your Majesty, please give me your instructions."

"There's a brave and powerful official in Yanzhou named Ma Long. I've heard he's a man of great loyalty and righteousness, and he's incredibly talented. It's a real waste of his talent to keep him in Yanzhou. I wonder if you could promote him?"

Wu Meng is engaged in? ? Ma Long? ?
Chen Qian was completely bewildered. He had never heard of this person before. Which clan did they come from? The Fufeng Ma clan?

Although Chen Qian didn't understand it, he still didn't refuse. This was not a difficult task for him. He nodded, as if he had agreed.

Cao Mao said directly: "Thank you, Mr. Chen!"

"With Lord Chen in the court, I have nothing to worry about. Once the important matters are settled, I will definitely appoint you as the head of the court!!"

Chen Qian and Wang Xiang were different, so Cao Mao's methods of winning them over were also different.

Cao Mao's straightforward words were indeed recognized by Chen Qian.

Chen Qian is not the kind of person who likes fame. He is a very realistic person. There is no need to hide anything in front of him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Chen Qian also replied in the same way.

The two parted at the palace gate. Cao Mao did not follow him, but just watched him go away.

Chen Qian can be used as long as the price he has is higher.

At this moment, Chen Qian was extremely satisfied with the emperor's performance, and he had more confidence in the major things to do next.

If the emperor knew about his somewhat radical ideas, perhaps he would fully support them?

After seeing him off, Cao Mao turned around and walked into Zhaoyang Palace again.

"Mother."

"He left already."

Cao Mao sat next to the empress dowager.

"With Prince Wang and Mr. Chen here, my son and I finally don't have to worry anymore."

"Mother!"

Cao Mao said seriously, "Although they are wise ministers, they are foreign ministers after all. How can we compete with the Sima family with only the help of foreign ministers?"

Empress Dowager Guo was puzzled. She asked, "So what do you mean?"

"I think we should make use of our own people. We should pardon those who can be pardoned and promote those who can be promoted. Only our own people are the most reliable."

Empress Dowager Guo frowned again. "The Guo family has already defected to the Sima family. How can we still reuse them?"

"Mother, you are not from the Guo family."

"When I say our own people, I mean the people of the Cao family."

"what??"

Cao Mao said calmly, "Since Emperor Wen, the court has been suppressing the clans in various places and weakening their power, which eventually led to the current situation."

"Mother, next, we should gradually remove the restrictions on the royal family and strengthen their power so that we can achieve greater things!"

Empress Dowager Guo fell silent immediately. She understood what Cao Mao meant. Cao Mao wanted to release the clan forces.

Although Empress Dowager Guo experienced the period of Cao Shuang, she had no ill will towards the royal family.

However, she didn't know what role these royal family members could play.

Since the rise of the Sima family, these clan members have been extremely weak and completely useless. They even took the initiative to stand on the side of the Sima family, which is simply disgusting!
Even if they are willing to help me, do they still have the power to fight back?
This is no small matter. Is it worth it for me to take action for these useless forces?

"Mother, when the Sima family moved me to Hebei, far away from my fiefdom, do you know what I felt?"

Empress Dowager Guo was stunned and shook her head.

Cao Mao replied, "I was overjoyed at the time, thinking I had finally escaped from suffering, and I felt incredibly grateful to Sima Shi."

(End of this chapter)