The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 197 Can the son-in-law inherit the estate?

"Is it Du Yuankai?"

Cao Mao grabbed Du Yu's hand.

Du Yu was stunned for a moment and looked at Sima Zhao beside him.

Sima Zhao was even more so. He asked, "Has Your Majesty also heard of Yuan Kai's name?"

"Hahaha, more than just having heard of it, I've admired this person for a long time!"

"Du Yuankai is a man of both civil and military talents, a prodigy of the world, of noble character, and a role model for scholars throughout the world. I have heard of your reputation a long time ago, but I never expected to meet you today!"

Everyone was shocked by Cao Mao's words.

It is because Cao Mao's evaluation is too high.

Du Yu quickly said, "Your Majesty, your praise is excessive. I am a man of limited talent and conduct, and I truly do not deserve it."

"Yuan Kai, don't be so modest! Aren't you the one who will pacify the world and support the country in the future?"

Du Yu was speechless for a moment and had to lower his head.

The looks of several confidants around him when they looked at Du Yu immediately changed.

Even Sima Yan couldn't help but frown.

Sima Zhao was silent for a moment before he said, "Your Majesty, the general is seriously ill and unable to get up, so he was unable to come to greet you. He is still waiting for you inside the house."

Cao Mao still held Du Yu's hand, not only did he not let go, he even squeezed it hard a few times.

Faced with this great sage who entered the Wenwu Temple at the same time, Cao Mao really wanted him.

Zhang Hua is good at planning, Wei Shu is good at doing things, and this Du Yu can do everything.

He could lead troops in battle, train the army, govern classics, amend laws, formulate calendars, establish military farms and schools, build water conservancy projects, recommend talents, and conduct scientific research and inventions. Yes, he was even a famous mechanic.

He is almost an all-rounder, and he is not a one-track-minded moralist. He knows how to adapt and is excellent in all aspects.

In other words, this person does not have the same obvious character flaws as Zhong Hui.

As for Du Yu's marriage to the Sima family, Cao Mao didn't care. Who isn't a member of the Sima family's marriage?
Nai Gong is the general's son-in-law!
Cao Mao then looked at Sima Zhao and said with a smile, "I can't keep you waiting any longer! Please take me in!"

Then, Cao Mao followed Sima Zhao into the general's mansion. Sima Shi's mansion was actually not luxurious. Although it was large in scale, every courtyard was useful and they tried to save as much as possible and avoid waste.

Cao Mao was accompanied by Sima Zhao and Sima Yan.

With his father here, Sima Yan didn't dare to talk.

Sima Zhao said, "Your Majesty's sudden arrival has truly alarmed us. We are sorry for the inadequacy of our reception. I hope Your Majesty will forgive us."

"How can you say that, Zhongfu? I'm the general's son-in-law. I'm here to meet my family. How can I greet them with the etiquette of welcoming an emperor?"

"There are no outsiders here, so you can just call me Yanshi."

"Don't dare, don't dare."

Sima Zhao was also puzzled at this moment. He didn't understand the emperor's intention. Bringing the empress to visit relatives?

He came to form an alliance with his family? Was it Zhong Hui's plan?

Sima Shi handed all matters over to Zhong Hui. Sima Zhao did not ask any questions and he did not know what had happened between Zhong Hui and the emperor.

He had no choice but to start testing.

"It's not the time for her to visit you yet, and we haven't made any preparations yet."

Cao Mao simply grabbed Sima Zhao's hand and said, "Father, we should visit each other more often. Why should we care about the time of visiting relatives among relatives?"

"Oh, by the way, Zhongfu, although our mansion is large, it has no trees or flowers. Shouldn't we plant some more trees here next spring?"

Sima Zhao was stunned for a long time. You really don't consider yourself an outsider, right?
When the two men walked into the inner room one after the other, Sima Shi was lying on the bed, with his head tilted, looking towards the door.

Cao Mao bowed and said, "Greetings, father-in-law."

Sima Yi stood behind him with a calm expression.

Immediately, two guards came forward, helped Sima Shi to sit up slowly, and propped up his back with a pillow. Only then could Sima Shi look directly at Cao Mao in front of him.

Sima Shi really couldn't get up. Without someone to support him, he couldn't even sit down.

His body was completely broken down and he looked like a paralyzed person.

"Zi Shang, take them out first."

“No need to keep anyone.”

Sima Shi spoke in an exceptionally hoarse and low voice.

Sima Zhao took the order and led everyone out of here.

In the inner room, only Cao Mao and Sima Shi were left. Cao Mao sat in front of Sima Shi and looked at him calmly.

Both of them looked at each other without saying a word.

"Father-in-law, are you feeling better?"

Cao Mao asked.

"Gao Rou and Lu Yu, who do you think is easier to defeat?"

Sima Shi asked.

Cao Mao smiled and said, "As expected of my father-in-law, you only care about the politics of the court, nothing else."

"Didn't you come here this time just to get me to fight them?"

Sima Shi continued, "If you truly wanted to form an alliance with me, you wouldn't have come to my palace with such fanfare. You have plenty of ways to plot your actions with me. You want people outside to think I'm joining forces with you, so they can speed up their attack on me."

"As long as you enter this door, I must fight them to the death, until one of us dies. Is that what you mean?" Cao Mao did not answer.

"This method is not very clever."

"But there's no harm in that."

Sima Shi's eyes were cold, "Even if you didn't come, this fight would still be a fight to the death."

Cao Mao was not surprised. Gao Rou was now focused on the position of general, while Lu Yu was playing nice with the ministers. The person they despised the most was not him, but the father-in-law in front of them.

These people don't take Sima Shi seriously at all.

Do you really think Sima Shi will give in? Can you pull Sima Shi down without paying any price?
Cao Mao knew that Lu Yu believed that Sima Shi was making such a big fuss to build momentum for Sima Fu, hoping to force Lu Yu and others to accept Sima Fu's help in dealing with him.

Sima Shi might really have such an idea, but that was not the whole story. He was really making trouble, and getting the aristocratic families to accept Sima Fu was just something he did out of convenience.

Cao Mao asked, "Then who do you think will be easier to defeat, General?"

"Lu Yu."

"Oh? I thought the general would say Gao Rou."

Sima Shi did not follow Cao Mao's words. He said, "The interests of the ministers are not the same. We can divide and conquer them. But I do not have that much time."

"so."

Cao Mao clearly saw a fierce gleam in Sima Shi's eyes.

"I plan to let Wang Xiang take the position of Shangshu Ling."

The smile on Cao Mao's face slowly froze.

"That's unlikely. Wang Xiang is following Lu Yu's orders. He won't. Even if he does, he's no match for Lu Yu."

"how could be?"

"He has His Majesty, Chen Qian, Zheng Mao, Guanqiu Jian, and my Sima family by his side."

"What is Lu Yu?"

Cao Mao frowned.

He didn't expect that the other party would resort to such an unethical and shady trick.

If Sima Shi really ordered the position of Shangshu Ling to be given to Wang Xiang, what would Wang Xiang do? Would he refuse? Lu Yu was already wary of him. After what he had experienced, would Lu Yu let him go after he took the throne?

Then it’s not Lu Yu vs. Sima Shi, it’s Lu Yu vs. Wang Xiang.

Wang Xiang and Lu Yu fought to the death, but Cao Mao actually didn't care.

But the problem is, he has his own things to do here!
Cao Mao had just arrived at the General's Mansion, and right after that, Sima Shi appointed Wang Xiang as the Minister of the Chancellery. What would the other officials think?

Wang Xiang was Cao Mao’s teacher!
The original contradiction was that the demands of the aristocratic families could not be realized. Sima Shi's actions turned the contradiction into a dispute over the position in the temple. The original contradiction became a contradiction over who would take the lead in realizing the demands.

Cao Mao raised his head and said, "General, your idea is very good, but there is one thing I wonder if you have noticed?"

"Oh? Which point?"

"My uncle, your younger brother."

Cao Mao grinned. "Zhongfu is a rather impatient person. If Wang Xiang, after receiving the order, offered the position of Shangshu Ling to Zhongfu, given Zhongfu's personality, he wouldn't refuse, right?"

"He would probably agree immediately and then start removing the ministers from the Secretariat."

"Then, the noble families joined forces again to continue the crusade against our family."

"What do you think, father-in-law?"

Sima Shi's face was gloomy and he stared at Cao Mao for a long time.

"Let's join forces."

"If we work together, the aristocratic families will not be our opponents."

Cao Mao shook his head and said, "I don't have such thoughts."

Sima Shi was not angry. He continued, "You know what consequences these people's demands will bring. I am already dying and don't have many days left to live. Joining forces will not harm you. We can eliminate these powerful clans together. I probably won't last until that time either. What are you afraid of?"

Cao Mao said sincerely, "I am afraid of the general."

"I can't see through my father-in-law's thoughts, and I don't dare to make an alliance easily. Seeking the skin of a tiger is certainly a sick tiger, but it is also the behavior of an ignorant person."

"You insist on dragging the world down with you to be buried with me. Why?"

Cao Mao said seriously: "For the sake of the world."

"General, if these things happened in the future, fifty years from now, what would be the consequences?"

"Can your descendants deal with these people? Can they solve the problem?"

"The government is filled with idlers, officers and generals who are ignorant of warfare. They are monopolizing land, wealth, and population, and are demanding titles, demanding that each noble possess his own army. By then, how long can you maintain this great cause you cherish?!"

"Your kingdom will fall, and new people will rise, but these people have already become thorns in your side!! Regardless of the change of dynasties, no matter who is in power, even if it is a foreigner, these people will still commit crimes! "

"Their harm will linger for thousands of years! Your family will also be infamous for this!"

"I would rather the dynasty cease to exist than rid the world of this scourge."

Sima Shi looked at Cao Mao quietly, seeing his expression flashing with anger, and did not interrupt him.

"If you were my son, I would definitely hand over the entire business to you."

"As the ancients said, a son-in-law is closer than a son. General, just treat me like your own child and entrust the great cause to me!"

(End of this chapter)