The elite did not migrate south

Isn’t Chapter 305 enough?
"Then let's proceed as I say, Lord Lu. I've already discussed the specific expenses with you. Please follow Lord Cui to his mansion to discuss the details."

Cao Mao waved his hand and handed the matter over to Lu Qin.

This is also an acknowledgement and trust of Lu Qin's counterattack just now.

Lu Qin hurriedly saluted and then followed Cui Zan away.

As soon as Cui Zan left, Chen Qian walked into the hall, but Cao Mao stood up with a wry smile.

"Mr. Chen, you've arrived at the perfect time. Come, follow me to the West Hall. I'll treat you to a good meal!"

Cao Mao enthusiastically took Chen Qian's hand and led him towards the West Hall. Chen Qian quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I have already eaten."

"I haven't eaten yet!"

Cao Mao shook his head and complained, "The candidates for these three offices must be arranged first, otherwise I will have to do everything myself, which is unbearable."

Chen Qian was a little uncomfortable.

Chen Qian is generally a relatively introverted person. After he passed his youthful and frivolous age, he has never behaved too closely with others.

But Cao Mao's attitude at this moment was as if he treated him as a good friend, and he even complained to him actively.

If he were a minister, Chen Qian should kneel down and admit his guilt now.

As a minister, he actually made the emperor tired. What a dereliction of duty!
However, Cao Mao did not seem to give him any chance to apologize and quickly started talking about food again.

"When I was in Yuancheng, I made the recipe myself. It was very famous throughout Hebei. Even now, they still call those meals Xianggong rice!"

"What a pity! I haven't eaten here once since I got here."

"To be honest, I really can't get used to the food in this palace."

The two of them sat down in the West Hall. Chen Qian looked at the emperor who was talking in front of him and listened very carefully.

Soon someone brought food for the two of them, and Cao Mao directly asked Chen Qian to start eating.

"I went out early this morning and just came back now. What's going on?"

Cao Mao shook his head and suddenly asked, "By the way, what do you want to report?"

Chen Qian hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, please finish your meal first."

Cao Mao did not continue to ask, and hurriedly finished his meal before looking at Chen Qian in front of him, "Let's not go to the East Hall, let's talk here."

Chen Qian then informed Cao Mao of his review of the Sili Xiaowei Department, and mentioned the matter of the twenty-year-old man and the non-existent official.

Cao Mao's face suddenly turned dark.

"No wonder you didn't say anything just now. Indeed, after hearing all this, I really can't eat."

Cao Mao asked, "Has the situation gotten this bad? In one department, there are only twenty people working? Eighty people are wasting their time?"

Chen Qian said seriously, "Your Majesty, this is just the situation within the imperial court. I'm afraid the situation in the local areas will be even worse."

Cao Mao immediately understood, no wonder.

No wonder the administrative efficiency of the Western Jin Dynasty was so shockingly low, and no wonder the performance of local officials was so shocking. Is this the world of the aristocratic families?

These insects are really insects!

Seeing the emperor suddenly fall silent, Chen Qian took the initiative to say, "Your Majesty, this is a good opportunity. The ministers have always opposed our appointment and even tried to replace me by false accusations."

"These are all evidences. I have already arrested those people."

"The news hasn't leaked out yet. Your Majesty can convene a court meeting and bring this matter to the attention of the ministers. If the ministers don't want to make a big fuss, they won't dare to cause trouble again."

Cao Mao finally reacted. He shook his head and said seriously, "Mr. Chen, your idea is very good, but you underestimated the shamelessness of these people."

"We can't hold a court meeting now, and we should even avoid them gathering together."

"Many of my appointments, dismissals, and rewards these days have already stung the ministers. They will soon imitate me and attack during court meetings. I am fully aware of this."

"They won't care about these facts at all. They might even become new evidence of your crime and frame you."

Chen Qian frowned, "What does Your Majesty mean?"

"See some blood, let them calm down for a while."

"After a while, the situation in the court will be different, and I will have enough energy to deal with these people."

Chen Qian stood up and saluted, "Yes!!"

Cao Mao watched Chen Qian leave, then looked at Zhang Hua not far away.

Zhang Hua walked up to Cao Mao and whispered, "Lord Zhong has already set out. Prince Wang and General Wen are with him. Captain Ma is supporting him."

Cao Mao handed the task of capturing Sima Zhao over to Zhong Hui.

This is why Zhong Hui suddenly disappeared recently. He was busy making great achievements.

Capturing General Wei alive was a feat that Zhong Hui was unwilling to give up.

Many deployments were also properly arranged, and Cao Mao himself had to be prepared. After all, if he wanted to subdue the Hebei army, someone of sufficient weight must show up, and that was himself.

Although he had made preparations and believed in Zhong Hui's ability, Cao Mao was still a little nervous.

After all, this matter is of great importance. If it succeeds, it means that he has defeated the most powerful enemy in the country, and the complete conquest of the Sima family is just around the corner.

The Sima family's many inheritances were also beckoning to him. After pacifying this internal threat, he could turn around and compete with Jiang Wei.

If we can deal with these two people, all the ministers will be quite obedient for a long time, as long as they are still afraid of death.

If the Sima family needs to change the dynasty, it depends on the mood of the big families. However, if Cao Mao holds real power, it is hard to say. I dare not say that he can kill the heads of the big families for no reason, but he will not be easily bullied by the ministers.

Just as Cao Mao was about to continue plotting this matter with Zhang Hua, an unexpected guest came to his West Hall.

Empress Dowager Guo put on her luxurious clothes again and, accompanied by six palace maids, came to the Taiji Hall leisurely.

When they saw the person coming, many soldiers were a little afraid and did not dare to stop her, but Man Changwu still stood in front of her.

Entering the Taiji Hall requires the emperor's decree, even for the empress dowager.

Empress Dowager Guo had an ugly expression on her face, but she didn't say much to Man Changwu. Man Changwu was very tall and looked difficult to deal with.

When Cao Mao learned that the Queen Mother was coming, he naturally hurried out to greet her.

"Mother!!"

"Why are you here?"

Cao Mao appeared in front of Empress Dowager Guo with a smile. When she saw her son, her eyes suddenly turned red and she almost cried.

Cao Mao was horrified and rushed forward to comfort her, "Mother, what happened? Why are you crying?"

"Come, let's go into the West Hall and talk."

Cao Mao helped the Queen Mother into the West Hall. The Queen Mother looked around and said in surprise, "So this is what your West Hall looks like."

Cao Mao was speechless. This was the first time his mother had come to the West Hall since he entered the palace.

Cao Mao helped the empress dowager sit on the upper seat, and he sat beside her.

Empress Dowager Guo immediately said, "My son, those three people from the Guo family are extremely disrespectful to me!"

Cao Mao was stunned. "The Guo family? Three people? What is mother talking about?"

"Guo Li, Guo Zhi and others."

Cao Mao was a little suspicious. He stroked his chin and said, "Mother, please don't be fooled. Those three people have been dismissed from their official positions and are all in the mansion. How could they be disrespectful to you? Is there someone instigating this?"

Empress Dowager Guo was speechless. She looked at her son and said awkwardly, "I invited them to Zhaoyang Palace, but they showed disrespect to my face."

Cao Mao was very surprised, "Why did mother summon them to Zhaoyang Palace?"

"I wanted to give them a chance to mend their ways, but I didn't expect them to do this to me."

"My son, you must never forgive them!"

Cao Mao nodded. "Alright, I will never forgive them. I will have the Imperial Court arrest them. However, mother, did they say anything disrespectful? This needs to be reported to the Imperial Court."

Empress Dowager Guo was speechless again and stammered.

"I remember that it was disrespectful, but I forget what I said."

Cao Mao was a little embarrassed. "Mother, even I can't arrest people at will. The Chief Justice won't accept it."

Empress Dowager Guo continued, "And those three ministers, they were also disrespectful to me. I summoned them, but they refused."

"Why did Mother summon them?"

Empress Dowager Guo was unable to cope with it again.

Looking at her son's sincere face, Empress Dowager Guo just felt aggrieved. Her eyes turned red again and she couldn't help shedding tears.

"I have made great contributions to the country, how dare they disrespect me?"

Cao Mao sighed deeply.

He looked at Empress Dowager Guo seriously and said, "Mother, I told you before that in the entire court, you and I are the only ones who share the same ideals."

"Look at those documents. Governing the empire is no easy task, especially now. The ministers are all very busy, and I am even busier. Even so, I still come to see you every day."

"I completely treat you as my mother, but you have been very cold to me these days."

"You summoned the Guo family and the Shangshu just to stay away from me, right?"

"Mother, since you think so, I can only accept it."

Cao Mao shook his head and slowly stood up. "There's probably no place for me, Cao Mao, in Luoyang. I'll return to Yuancheng and become my noble Duke. Mother can choose another virtuous man to be the emperor."

"Let mother take care of all the important affairs of the world."

"You must take care of yourself. Also, Sima Zhao has already stationed over 100,000 troops in Hebei, and they are watching covetously. Jiang Wei has also attacked Yongliang and captured several cities. Mother, don't take these things lightly."

Hearing Cao Mao's words, Empress Dowager Guo trembled all over. She quickly grabbed Cao Mao's hand and said sternly, "Can you even give up the throne? How can you be worthy of the ancestors who founded the foundation of this dynasty?"

Cao Mao looked at her, "Mother, haven't I done enough?!"

At this moment, Empress Dowager Guo didn't even dare to be angry.

She looked at her son in front of her and was speechless for a long time.

(End of this chapter)