The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 285 Need a Great General
When Cao Mao left the military camp, the sky began to darken.

But Cao Mao was in a good mood.

In the future, he would have to come to this camp more often and get close to the soldiers. Cao Mao didn't care much about the ministers and nobles. As long as the army was still in his hands, these people could not cause any unrest.

Xiahou Xian was somewhat puzzled by Cao Mao's visit. He advised Cao Mao to focus more on classics and talented people, as that was the way a sage king should govern the world.

This is not to say that Xiahou Xian was unfaithful to Cao Mao. It was just because of Xiahou Xian's own background and experience that he could not understand the emperor's behavior of being close to the soldiers.

When Cao Mao returned to Taiji Hall, it was already completely dark.

Cheng Ji walked up quickly and didn't say much about Cao Mao going out without him.

Ever since he was hit with a wooden stick by Wen Yang, Cheng Ji's character has suddenly become much more restrained.

Even when Cao Mao praised him, he felt a little embarrassed.

Actually, this is not a bad thing.

Seeing the emperor coming, Cheng Ji and others said goodbye and left.

The huge West Hall was empty. Cao Mao sat alone on the bed, silent.

The East Hall Banquet will be held tomorrow.

This Dongtang Banquet will definitely be more lively than any previous one.

After all, he is now the emperor with real power, and all the ministers in the court are greedily eyeing the vacant positions, salivating. Even if it is just to test his attitude, they will definitely send people over.

Cao Mao had always wanted to use the Dongtang Banquet as an important place to change the current trend of thought.

Previously, he had launched a campaign of persuasion and remonstration, which was the first step towards change, allowing scholars to speak freely.

But at that time, Cao Mao spoke as a puppet king, but this time, he could let the scholars speak as a powerful emperor, and the impact would be completely different.

This banquet must make some breakthroughs.

Although I am a little tired, fortunately everything is moving in the right direction.

I don't have to be as tired as when I first arrived in Luoyang.

Just as Cao Mao was lost in thought, a voice suddenly came from outside.

"His Majesty!"

Cao Mao was stunned. He recognized the voice. It was Mr. Guo who served under the Queen Mother.

"Is that Mr. Guo? Come in!"

Cao Mao said loudly.

Soon, two eunuchs came here with Mr. Guo.

Mr. Guo bowed respectfully to Cao Mao.

Cao Mao did not ask the purpose of his visit, but instead gave him a seat and let him sit down and talk.

Mr. Guo sat aside anxiously, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"Mr. Guo, do you have anything to tell me?"

Mr. Guo gritted his teeth and said seriously, "Your Majesty, these days, the Queen Mother has called me into the house several times to inquire about the situation of the Guo family."

"She told me not to alarm His Majesty and to secretly inquire about the situation of those people."

Cao Mao was a little stunned.

"When did this happen?"

"It was after you came to see the Queen Mother yesterday."

Cao Mao was stunned. When he went to visit the empress dowager yesterday, the empress dowager smiled happily, held his hands, and gently told him: You must arrange the succession of Emperor Liezu as soon as possible so that she can be treated as her son with justification.

And after she left, she asked the people around her to secretly inquire about the Guo family's news?

Seeing the silent emperor, Mr. Guo hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, it's not that I'm disloyal. It's just that those people from the Guo family have always been in cahoots with Sima Shi and have even scolded the Queen Mother. If Your Majesty hadn't come here, I'm afraid the Queen Mother would have been despised by them."

"I simply don't want them to continue to deceive the Queen Mother, so I came to inform Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will forgive my crime."

Cao Mao quickly put on a smile and helped Mr. Guo who was in front of him up.

"How can you say that? You're doing this to prevent the Queen Mother from being deceived by villains. You can't call it an act of disloyalty."

No king likes an informer, even if the informer's behavior is beneficial to him.

Mr. Guo was very clear about this, so when he came to find Cao Mao, he was a little hesitant. But when he thought of those inhumane bastards in the Guo family, and then thought about the emperor who was decisive and quickly conquered the temple, he decided to report it directly.

Cao Mao said calmly, "Since mother wants to know their situation, then just do as you are told."

"I already know about this matter. If there is anything else in the future, you can come and report it at any time."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!!"

Mr. Guo hurriedly thanked her. He was also afraid that if he really followed the Queen Mother's orders and did not inform the Emperor in advance, he would die at the hands of the Emperor.

This emperor even dared to execute the entire clan of the three highest officials, so he is not someone to be trifled with.

Cao Mao smiled and sent Mr. Guo off. After he left, the smile on Cao Mao's face suddenly disappeared, and his eyes were a little lonely. He knew what the Queen Mother wanted to do. It seemed that his dominance had made the Queen Mother lose her sense of security in recent days, and she wanted to find someone to "guard against" him as a backup.

He believed that he had done his best for the Queen Mother, but he didn't know why the Queen Mother still wanted to be on guard against him.

Cao Mao lost his mother when he was born and his father when he was young. He lived alone in both lives.

Cao Mao smiled and shook his head.

"Guo family... well, it can be used."

Cao Mao stood up and found three documents from somewhere. He knelt in front of the desk, picked up the pen in his hand and wrote down three names.

After doing all this, Cao Mao put away the document in front of him and put it back in its original place.

Now you can use it with confidence.

Cao Mao was not the only one who was busy all night. Several important officials gathered in the residence of Grand Herald Lu Zhi to discuss important matters.

"Wang Su's sudden arrival requires our vigilance."

"I heard that Your Majesty went to greet him personally, and then went to Wang Xiang's residence. Could it be that he wants to reinstate Wang Su as the Minister of Rites?"

The Imperial Household Tao Qiu asked.

"No, if he becomes the Minister of Rites, who will become one of the Three Dukes? Who else can match his reputation nowadays?"

The one who spoke was Xin Chang.

Xin Chang said seriously, "Your Majesty is a wise ruler with great ambitions. Wang Su has the merit of supporting you and enjoys a high reputation. He is also a capable minister. He must be here to serve as one of the Three Dukes. Otherwise, Your Majesty would not have come to greet him in person."

Hearing Xin Chang's words, Guo Zhang, who was sitting across from him, quickly said, "Your Majesty, how could you employ such a man? He was once involved with Gao Rou and even participated in the dethronement and enthronement!"

"How many mistakes did he make while helping the general? Will Your Majesty still let him serve as one of the Three Dukes?"

Lu Zhi listened to their discussion calmly, his face very calm.

Although the discussion took place in his house, it seemed to have nothing to do with him.

At this moment, the Minister of the Imperial Household Zhou Pei spoke up, "It's mainly because Your Majesty has been a little too indulgent towards the Sima family."

"Although Duke Xuanwen has made great contributions, the general still has many faults. People like Wang Su should not be given important positions."

Just as Cao Mao had thought, Wang Su's sudden arrival caused some confusion among the ministers in the court. They naturally did not want Wang Su to return. With Wang Su's identity and status, no one in the temple except Zheng Chong dared to suppress him. He had almost secured the position of one of the Three Dukes.

There are only so many positions, and we don’t even have enough to share among ourselves. You’ve already retired, so why are you still trying to snatch them from us?

The important officials were quite dissatisfied with this. Xin Chang said at this moment: "I think Your Majesty attaches great importance to the Sima family, mainly because of the Queen."

Guo Zhang snorted coldly, "Where could the Great Wei have a queen? Your Majesty hasn't even adopted a daughter, let alone heard of a ceremony to confer a queen. The general forcibly sent his own daughter into the palace without informing the court, nor performing any sacrifices or ceremonies. This is unethical."

"Now that the general is gone, his daughter should be allowed to leave the palace and return to the general's mansion."

The other ministers looked at each other, not daring to speak easily.

Guo Zhang said again: "Your Majesty is now in power. Starting a family has always been a prerequisite for ruling the country. Your Majesty should have a successor by his side."

"I have a Jewish daughter, only slightly older than Your Majesty, and unmarried."

Hearing this, Xin Chang immediately interrupted him, "Mr. Guo, this matter is not yet your turn to make the decision."

The ministers looked at him with strange eyes. Did you say all this just to make your own family member the queen?

Guo Zhang said unconvincedly, "What do you all think?"

"Queen Mother."

Lu Zhi finally spoke. He looked at Guo Zhang dimly and said, "You can discuss the concubines with the Queen Mother, but you can't discuss the Empress. Establishing a Queen is something that Your Majesty should do. As ministers, we cannot get involved."

Guo Zhang narrowed his eyes. Guo Zhang was from the Guo family of Taiyuan. They were descendants of General Guo Ting of the Western Han Dynasty.

The Xiping Guo family, where Empress Dowager Guo was from, was a branch of their family. Although they had not been in contact for many years, they were naturally much closer than these ministers.

If the empress dowager could be persuaded to marry her to the emperor, it would be of great help in maintaining the clan.

After Guo Huai's death, there was some unrest within the family, and the rapid growth momentum came to a halt.

When Sima Zhao left the court, new interest groups had emerged, and they began to exclude the original groups and were unwilling to let them come back to divide the profits.

The discussion among the ministers ended in failure to reach any conclusion and they all left.

Xin Chang did not leave in a hurry. He waited until everyone else had left before he looked at Lu Zhi.

"Duke Lu, do you think I am talented enough to be one of the Three Dukes?"

Lu Zhi was stunned and looked at Xin Chang in front of him in astonishment.

Why do you have such an illusion?
Xin Chang looked at the surprise in the other person's eyes and knew the answer. He smiled bitterly.

"Duke Lu, I heard some ministers say they want to appoint Prince Cao Yu of Yan as the Grand General."

"Have they lost their minds?"

(End of this chapter)