The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 266: Fighting against the Rebellious Officials

Outside Zhaoyang Palace, there was dead silence.

Everyone knelt outside the palace, looking at the young emperor standing on the chariot in fear.

The emperor raised the sword in his hand and scolded angrily.

In the sunlight, his body seemed to be surrounded by a halo, which was particularly dazzling.

Gao Rou looked at the familiar armor and listened to the angry questioning.

At this moment, Gao Rou finally understood.

When the sword was pointed at him, he realized that his opponent was not General Wei, but the young emperor in front of him.

Gao Rou didn't know how Cao Mao did all this.

He came here alone, without any help.

Inside and outside the palace, everywhere in the world, they are all our people.

But why is it that the person being pointed at by the sword is himself?

Cui Zan's face turned pale and he shook his head, "Impossible, impossible."

"Could it be that Sima Zhao wants to wipe us out in one fell swoop?! Is he planning to use the Emperor to kill us?"

But this time, no minister came to agree with him.

As long as Sima Zhao was not crazy, he would not do such a thing. There was no need for Sima Zhao to take such a risk. If all this was his plan, then he had already done it perfectly. Why bother with this?
There is only one explanation.

Everything was done by the emperor in front of him.

When the ministers were preparing to attack the emperor, he began to want to fight back.

He controlled the central army, deceived Sima Gan, and after taking down the Secretariat, he subdued Sima Gan and defeated the two major forces in Luoyang.

Xin Chang was stunned, watching this drastic change, he still hasn't reacted.

Isn’t the emperor General Wei’s sword?
Could it be that General Wei is the emperor's sword?

Thinking of how he had foolishly persuaded the emperor to abandon evil and join the good, and also thinking of the emperor's earnest words, Xin Chang suddenly collapsed to the ground, his legs weak.

Cao Mao ignored the other ministers and just stared at Gao Rou in the distance.

When Cao Mao first came to the imperial court, he had tried many times to win over the world-famous Si Tu Gong to serve him.

When in Yuancheng, Guo Ze often mentioned this man's name, saying that he was Zhou Bo of the Wei Dynasty and the greatest contributor to the elimination of Cao Shuang.

Cao Mao also once fantasized whether this veteran minister who had served three dynasties and was a famous official with integrity could help him once again to overthrow the powerful officials in the temple.

Unfortunately, Gao Rou's uprightness can only be seen when there is a lack of distribution of benefits.

Cao Shuang was unwilling to use him, so he was a brave and upright man. When Sima Shi deposed and enthroned the emperor, he personally sent the deposed emperor to his fiefdom. When Sima Zhao killed the emperor, he was busy accepting the title.

Gao Rou recognized the armor on Cao Mao.

"I'm letting you take charge of a county. You're young, and you're looked down upon by the officials around you. There are also many corrupt officials in this area. I hope you'll govern impartially, without favoritism. Don't let me down!"

Cao Mao's body gradually overlapped with a figure in Gao Rou's heart.

At that moment, Gao Rou burst into tears.

He slowly lowered his head towards Cao Mao, knelt on the ground, and burst into tears.

"I plead guilty! I plead guilty!!"

Looking at Gao Rou, who was kneeling on the ground and crying bitterly, Cao Mao continued, "Now there is the traitor Gao Rou, who has ordered his two sons to murder me. The faults they have committed are unforgivable! Immediately dismiss him from his post! Strip him of his title! And execute his entire clan!"

All the ministers were suddenly horrified and looked at Shangshu Ling Zheng Chong.

This punishment is a bit too harsh. Previously, there was a Sima Shi who would execute three generations of people at will. We finally got rid of him, and now another one comes!
They hoped Zheng Chong would speak up.

But Zheng Chong turned a blind eye to the gazes of his ministers.

Why don't you beg for mercy?

I can't even protect myself now. As the head of the Secretariat, I am the mastermind!
You pushed me up there by force, and now you want me to beg for mercy?
Sima Fu pursed his lips and wanted to speak several times, but did not dare to.

Cao Mao pronounced the verdict on Gao Rou and slowly looked at Sima Fu, the loyal minister of the Wei Dynasty.

Sima Fu trembled all over.

It is obvious that Sima Fu's three clans cannot be killed, otherwise he will not be able to inherit Sima Shi's legacy. These three clans are too wide, and even Yang Hu and Du Yu have to be killed together.

"Master Taifu, do you plead guilty?"

Sima Fu quickly lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, I plead guilty!"

"Grand Tutor Sima Fu participated in the rebellion and should have had his entire clan executed. However, in consideration of Duke Xuanwen's contributions, his clan's crimes have been pardoned and he will be sentenced to having his head shaved and exiled to Liaodong!"

The punishment of shaving Sima Fu's hair was to shave it off. For a famous scholar, this was worse than chopping off his genitals and was a great humiliation to the scholar. At Sima Fu's age, he might not be able to survive more than a year if he went to Liaodong.

This was obviously a direct sentence of death for him, but it did not take his life directly, but made him die in an extremely humiliating way.

Sima Fu's eyes suddenly became moist.

This is better than abandoning the market! !

The reputation he had cultivated for decades and the persona he had built with great difficulty completely collapsed at this moment, but he did not dare to refute it.

The emperor was extremely tolerant in allowing only him to die.

Sima Fu bowed slowly and deeply in Cao Mao's direction, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The ministers were getting restless. Two of the three powerful men who had previously held great power in the court were gone in an instant.

Cao Mao finally looked at his teacher, Wang Xiang.

Cao Mao was still very grateful to his teacher. After all, this teacher had played a huge role in tripping up the Sima family. If it weren't for him, Cao Mao would never have been able to cause such chaos in the court. But it was also because of him that Cao Mao was forced to launch a counterattack early.

Wang Xiang was Cao Mao's teacher, but Cao Mao had no pressure in killing him. So what if he was his teacher? I am the emperor!

Guess which one is in front?

Wang Xiang knelt down before Cao Mao without waiting for him to ask any questions.

"This old minister pleads guilty! Your Majesty, please punish me!"

Wang Xiang knew very well that the situation was hopeless at this moment. At least in this palace, the ministers were like lambs to be slaughtered. Someone who could do such a thing did not care whether the noble families in the world would rebel or not. He simply chose to bow his head. As long as it did not affect his own clan, he would accept it.

Cao Mao was also very clear about his thoughts. His teacher was somewhat similar to Sima Shi. They only had their own clans in their minds and were not so afraid of death.

Cao Mao asked seriously, "The Minister of Rites is in charge of rituals and laws. How could he do such a disregard for them?"

Wang Xiang immediately burst into tears, and his expression was more genuine than that of the previous two people.

"I, your Majesty, have failed to live up to your high expectations. Please punish me!"

Cao Mao shook his head. "The Minister of Rites is my teacher. I am unwilling to resort to violence and remove him from office and title!"

Um? ?

At this moment, everyone was a little surprised.

The first two punishments were so severe, but for Wang Xiang, the wooden board was just lifted high and then dropped gently?
What does it mean?
Wang Xiang was also surprised, but he reacted quickly and hurriedly thanked the emperor, crying even more guiltily.

Zhong Hui frowned, then suddenly remembered something and laughed again.

Zhong Yu was standing in front of his brother at this moment, with a stern face and no words.

Finally, we arrived in Zhengchong.

Zheng Chong took a deep breath and kowtowed to Cao Mao, "I plead guilty. Your Majesty, please punish me."

As the mastermind, Zheng Chong believed that he had no relationship with the emperor. This time, even if his entire family was not executed, he would probably be sentenced to the severe punishment of shaving his head.

At my age, do I still have to endure such humiliation?
Zheng Chong's eyes were full of despair.

Cao Mao shook his head. "Lord Sikong, I know you were coerced by the traitors. I, too, was coerced by them and couldn't even look after myself. How could I possibly hold those coerced to account?"

"I forgive your sins. Please stand up."

Zheng Chong's eyes widened. He had thought of many possible outcomes, but he had never expected this to happen.

I am the mastermind, can I just pardon me like that?

Shouldn't we severely intimidate the ministers?
The ministers were also somewhat confused by this punishment, but for some reason, they suddenly felt relieved.

If even Duke Zheng could be pardoned, then we, the innocent people who were dragged into this, shouldn't suffer any punishment, right?

Zheng Chong trembled as he bowed deeply to Cao Mao, "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Among these people, his words were probably the most sincere.

Cao Mao did not touch Zheng Chong because he had his own considerations. Zheng Chong could be of great use in the future and, like Wang Xiang, would have surplus value.

Zheng Chong's attainments in classics will play a huge role in the future.

With just these few words, the situation in the Wei court had changed dramatically.

The three powerful figures who were once influential were all wiped out, and the only remaining minister, Zheng Chong, was still an old man who was indifferent to the world.

The ministers looked at the emperor anxiously, as they didn't know what their fate would be.

Cao Mao looked at his ministers.

"I have already pronounced a verdict on the mastermind of the Shangshutai, and the other accomplices will have to be examined by the Imperial Censor and other officials."

"Now that the Three Dukes are leaderless and the general has passed away, I wish to rule the country myself."

Cao Mao first looked at Zheng Chong, "Prince Sikong, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty is wise and can rule the country!"

Zheng Chong quickly agreed. Cao Mao looked at Wang Xiang and asked, "Teacher, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty should rule the country!"

"Prince Yan, you are my elder, what do you think?"

Cao Yu replied without hesitation: "Your Majesty should rule the country!"

Cao Mao finally looked at the ministers, "What do you think?!"

"Your Majesty, I beg you to take charge of the government!"

Wang Jing spoke first, and after him, all the ministers kowtowed and requested Cao Mao to take power.

Cao Mao laughed, then got off the chariot and walked into the Zhaoyang Palace.

Soon, he came out with the Queen Mother.

Empress Dowager Guo looked excitedly at the crowd of ministers outside, her eyes full of excitement, so much so that she almost cried.

Cao Mao said gently, "Mother, I have dealt with the rebels. Now the Secretariat is leaderless, the general has died of illness, and all the ministers are asking me to take charge of the government. What do you think?"

Queen Mother Guo watched the scene unfold before her, reaching out and taking his hand. "My son may be young, but he's incredibly intelligent and extremely filial to me. If you don't take charge of the government, who will be able to govern the Great Wei?"

She looked at the ministers, "Propagate my decree! From now on, my son will rule the country, and all the ministers must assist him with all their might! Do not disobey or be disloyal!!"

"only!!!"

(End of this chapter)