The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 20 Justified

"What on earth are you planning to do?"

"It was you who wanted to make Duke Gaogui the emperor."

"Now you are stalling here again, why is that?"

Sima Zhao loved to use the method of asking questions even though he knew the answer, to play with people's hearts. But this time, he swore that he really didn't understand what the Guo family wanted to do.

Wang Su sent someone to deliver the letter again.

The letter clearly stated that the Guo family did not care about the enthronement at all. After Guo Jian arrived in Yuancheng, he took Cao Mao around all day, eating, drinking and having fun.

I tried to visit him several times, but was always turned away. When I asked him, I found out that he was out playing.

He could not meet Guo Jian and Cao Mao at all, and was unable to complete the general's instructions, so he requested to return to Luoyang.

After receiving the letter, Sima Zhao felt overwhelmed.

My eldest brother has not been in good health recently and his eye disease has become more and more serious, so he entrusted the important matter to me and let me take charge of it.

As a result, I made a complete mess of just the welcoming process.

During these days, he kept receiving letters from Yuancheng.

The contents of these letters puzzled him greatly.

Especially regarding Cao Mao, every time a letter came, their evaluation of Cao Mao was always different.

Sometimes he is called a dandy, sometimes a villain, sometimes a sincere gentleman, sometimes a refined scholar.
Are there really such complicated people?
You guys are teaming up to play a trick on me, right?

Guo De was sitting in front of Sima Zhao. When he heard Sima Zhao's question, he was extremely angry, but he did not dare to show his anger.

His younger brother Guo Jian also sent a letter.

The letter praised Cao Mao highly, but also mentioned Wang Su's problem.

He mentioned that Wang Su had the idea of interfering in his family's status and humiliated the Guo family in public. Cao Mao went to visit Wang Su several times, but Wang Su refused to see him!
These are Guo Jian’s original words.

When Guo De heard Sima Zhao's words, he was naturally sad and angry.

Wang Su refused to see anyone and wanted to turn the tables?
Or do you, the Sima family, simply want to hinder us in this way?

The alliance between these aristocratic families is not as solid as they think.

Besides, the Sima family has a good reputation.

It's known to everyone.

Their family is famous for keeping their promises. If they say they will guarantee you a life of wealth and glory, then they will definitely kill your entire clan.

Although his younger brother is not a good person, between the Sima family and his younger brother, Guo De still believes in his younger brother.

It seems that the Sima family is determined to seize power in the palace, and Wang Su is their accomplice. That's right, after all, if Sima Zhao comes to power, their family will be the legitimate in-laws.

Guo De stood up respectfully and said in a panic, "General, there must be some misunderstanding."

"I just want to know what the misunderstanding is and what you want. Just tell me straight away. We are a family, so don't let outsiders instigate you."

Sima Zhao couldn't understand why the other party was so cautious towards him?
Why can't you have a little more trust?

Guo De explained, "General, you don't know. My family once offended the prince. It's not that my brother doesn't want to see the prince, it's that the prince doesn't want to see my brother!"

Sima Zhao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly came to his senses.

Yes, how could I forget, if my family came to power, then Wang Su would be...
Could it be that Wang Su was interfering? Trying to skip some necessary steps and get straight to the final step?

That’s not right. He is not such an anxious person.
Seeing Sima Zhao stunned, Guo De said again, "I will never let personal matters interfere with state affairs. Please rest assured, General. I have already written to that useless brother, asking him to apologize to the prince and meet with him to bring His Majesty back to the court as soon as possible."

Sima Zhao nodded, and his expression became a little strange.

"Okay, okay, then you go back first."

Guo De bowed again and then hurriedly left the general's mansion.

Sima Zhao did not call any more counselors. He pondered for a long time before saying to the servant beside him, "Go and call Yan over to me!"

Soon, Sima Yan with disheveled hair appeared in front of Sima Zhao again.

Sima Yan's hair was so long that even when he tied it up into a crown, it would still fall to the ground.

Sima Yan was very afraid of his father and stood before him, trembling.

When Sima Zhao saw his appearance, he felt angry. He had extremely high expectations for this son and always hoped that he could surpass himself and be like his father and brother. However, judging from his current performance, he was not even as good as himself, let alone his father and brother.

"Yan, please go on a long journey for me." "Huh?"

"Father, where should I go?"

"Yancheng."

“Where am I going to do?”

"Support the emperor."

Sima Yan was confused. He asked, "Hasn't Grandpa already passed away? Why should I go?"

"Yan, you must remember that even your grandfather is not of the Sima clan. The only people we can trust are our own blood relatives."

"They each have their own ideas. When you go to Yuancheng this time, you don't have to do anything. Just watch them and let them complete the task of inheriting the throne. Then, return with the emperor. If possible, spend more time with the emperor."

"But Liang and I agreed to be together."

Sima Yan was about to say something when he looked up, but saw his father's fierce eyes. He was so scared that he immediately lowered his head.

"I'll go now!"

In the Chaoyang Hall, Guo De and the Queen Mother sat facing each other.

Guo De no longer hid his anger at this moment.

"Queen Dowager, I think the Sima family really can't wait any longer. Now that the general is seriously ill, Sima Zhao is already impatient!"

"Every time he talked to me, he always talked about the emperor's carriage and ceremonial guards, his eyes full of longing."

"He deliberately sent Wang Su to greet Cao Mao. I think he was unwilling to support Cao Mao and still wanted to use the Prince of Pengcheng to control the palace."

"We have to find a way."

Empress Dowager Guo's face also showed a trace of anger. "Over the years, we have been very close to the Sima family. We have always taken their lead in everything. We even helped them with the dethronement and enthronement of the emperor. And now they treat us like this?"

"Oh, has the Sima family ever talked about friendship?"

"They will definitely do more things, and they might even attack us next."

"My Guo family is not as good as the Sima family, but the Sima family is not all-powerful. Since Emperor Wen, many of our sages have assisted in the government, but the Sima family is the leader. Now that the Sima family is eager to take action against us, what will the other great sages think?"

"I asked my father to go and meet them to gain the support of these great sages. If the Sima family is reckless enough to get rid of us today, then they will be the ones to be eliminated in the future. They will not stand by and watch us being eliminated."

Ever since Cao Pi made compromises and concessions to the aristocratic families, the politics of the aristocratic families began to gradually become stronger, and official positions in the court almost fell into the hands of those big families, leaving no room for anyone else.

The saying that a prime minister must come from the provincial government and a brave general must come from the ranks has become a piece of nonsense nowadays.

They cooperated with each other and opposed each other at the same time. They didn't care who was the emperor or the local untouchables.

They monopolized knowledge, land, and official titles.
Even for Sima Shi, it would not be easy to resolve this matter. After all, his Sima family is the largest aristocratic family today.

All the Sima family could do was to continuously strengthen the strength of their own clan to suppress the other big clans.

This time, Cao Mao took advantage of the information gap and the distrust between the two sides to create suspicion within the Sima family.

This suspicion has always existed, but Cao Mao made it more obvious.

"So what do you want me to do?"

Empress Dowager Guo asked.

"Build momentum for Cao Mao, get all the ministers to recognize the new emperor, expose King Pengcheng's crimes to the public, and make the Sima family give up the idea of supporting King Pengcheng."

"Well, how do we build momentum?"

"I heard from Jian that Cao Mao always addressed Jian as uncle, and regarded Emperor Liezu as his father and you as his mother."

"If Cao Mao wants to be emperor, he must inherit the mantle of Emperor Liezu."

"Why don't you confirm this matter and make him your own son, letting him succeed the ancestor Emperor Xiaoming, responsible for offering sacrifices to the ancestor's temple, and become the legitimate heir?"

"You mean, like Cao Fang?"

"Cao Fang is truly unjust, but Cao Mao is different. He is particularly close to our family. We treat him as our son, and we still have the final say within the palace."

"And he can also become the legitimate heir. How dare the Sima family say they support the King of Pengcheng?"

"good!!!"

(End of this chapter)