The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 72 Jia Chong, you have done all kinds of bad things!
"So it's you, you bastard!"

Wang Su was furious.

"I was wondering why you were always around the Emperor, eating and living with him when we first came to Luoyang. When he ascended the throne, His Majesty even asked about your whereabouts. I told him how he could do such a thing after losing Yang and Guo. Now I understand. You were the one who taught him how to ascend the throne!"

"You bastard, you've done this so deliberately! Are you just trying to frame me?!"

"I will never forgive you!!"

Wang Su was so angry that his teeth were itching. He stepped forward to challenge Jia Chong, but the soldiers quickly stood in front of him.

Jia Chong's face was pale, and his eyes were full of despair as he looked at Sima Shi.

"General! General! It was you who asked me to accompany His Majesty! It was your order!"

"I didn't teach! I didn't leak the secret!"

"Why would I do this?! This won't do me any good!!"

Sima Shi ignored Jia Chong and instead looked at Cao Mao standing beside him.

"What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Cao Mao's face was pale at this moment, sweat kept dripping down his forehead, and he said nothing.

Zhong Hui walked up to Cao Mao again and took his hand, "Your Majesty, please tell me the truth. I am here to protect you."

Cao Mao then looked at Jia Chong. "On the way to Luoyang, I asked the general why he didn't go back with me. Jia Chong told me that the general wanted to meet Zhuge Dan in Liang State, and also said..."

"say what?"

"He also told me to keep this in mind. He also told me that when I ascend the throne I can confer titles upon my ministers."

"They said that Gao Situ could make the decision for me."

Jia Chong's eyes widened, his face flushed red. He stared at Cao Mao intently and cursed, "Cao Mao! Why are you trying to harm me?! Why are you trying to harm me?! How could I possibly do that?!"

Seeing that Jia Chong was almost crazy, Sima Shi once again used his eyes to make him shut up.

Sima Shi sneered and said, "Your Majesty, are you sure you are on your way back?"

Cao Mao nodded, "That's right."

"But, at that time, I had not yet decided where to meet Zhuge Dan."

Sima Shi's eyes suddenly became sharp.

Cao Mao's heart trembled, and he began to think rapidly. Sima Shi's trip to Yuancheng was definitely not a spur-of-the-moment decision. When Guanqiu Jian's letter arrived in Luoyang, he had already considered winning over Zhuge Dan. Given his cautious nature, would he decide on a meeting place after arriving in Yuancheng?

He is deceiving himself!
Cao Mao was terrified, but he still said firmly, "But I didn't lie. It's true. I never lied. It was on the way back, when we passed Yinping County."

Sima Shi then stood up and walked out the door without paying any attention to Cao Mao.

When Jia Chong saw that he was about to leave, he quickly crawled forward and hugged his legs.

"General! I am wronged!"

"I am wronged! It's all wronged!"

"You trusted me. How could I possibly do such a thing? Cao Mao framed me! He framed me!"

A cowardly villain like Jia Chong was completely panicked when he encountered this situation.

Sima Shi didn't say anything, and didn't even look at him again. The soldiers stepped forward, pulled him away, and dragged him aside.

Sima Shi left the place in a hurry, and the soldiers escorted Jia Chong away. Jia Chong was still struggling and shouting for help.

Zhong Hui stayed here.

After everyone left, Zhong Hui looked at the emperor who was still in shock.

"Your Majesty, you see, this is how it is. There are always villains who want to take advantage of Your Majesty. Your Majesty is too trusting, and this is the result."

"The General is very disappointed in you."

"I never leaked the secret!!"

Cao Mao felt particularly aggrieved. He shouted, "I just overheard this incident! Is this considered a fault?!"

"Yes, of course."

"There are some things you cannot see, some things you cannot hear, and some things you cannot say. Otherwise, it would be a mistake and not in accordance with etiquette and law."

"Your Majesty, this matter has just begun. Anyone involved in this matter will not have a good ending. Your Majesty, no matter how much I say, it will be useless. How about this, tomorrow, I will teach you how to distinguish right from wrong."

Zhong Hui also left.

Cao Mao's expression did not change, but he kept thinking about Zhong Hui's words in his mind.

This fellow is indeed very capable. Even now, he has not yet reached his peak, but he is already Sima Shi's right-hand man. However, his arrogance as a member of a top family will sooner or later cost him his life!

Wang Su and the others also left, and the West Hall once again became exceptionally quiet. Today, Sima Shi had come to the palace to vent his dissatisfaction in a manner that was almost diametrically opposed.

So what kind of state does he want me to show?

Think about it quickly, what would Anshi do if he encountered this situation?

Cao Mao suddenly came to his senses. He trembled as he sat back on the upper seat and punched the table in front of him. "This is too much! This is too much!!"

His eyes were red and he was almost crying.

And at this moment, in the general's mansion.

Jia Chong had already been stripped of his outer clothes and was only wearing a white undergarment. He was pressed to the ground like a dead dog.

Sima Shi sat in the upper seat, with Sima Zhao on his left and Zhong Hui on his right.

There were also many other Sima family confidants sitting on both sides, looking at Jia Chong calmly.

Sima Zhao heard what had happened from Zhong Hui at this moment, and he was immediately furious.

"I've long suspected you were hiding something, you bastard, and it's true! How dare you lie to me!"

"Brother! When I asked who leaked the secret, he said it was the prince!!"

Sima Zhao told Sima Shi all that Jia Chong had said that day about his doubts about Wang Su.

Wang Su was also present. When he heard these words, he almost exploded.

No wonder you wouldn't let me resign. I thought you didn't want to let go of a talented person like me. So, you don't want to let go of a suspect like me, right?
And this damned Jia Chong, what hatred or grudge do I have against you that you actually want to kill me by any means?!
Jia Chong's mouth was blocked and he could only moan. Two soldiers pressed him to the ground and he could only look at Sima Zhao in horror.

At this moment, Sima Zhao suddenly remembered something and whispered in Sima Shi's ear, "Brother, if Cao Mao knew about this before he arrived, then I saw him talking to Gao Situ during the coronation ceremony. Gao Situ was very shocked, and no one around heard it."

"Later, Guo secretly met with Situ Gong several times."

Sima Shi pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "It is impossible for Lord Situ to leak the secret."

Sima Zhao didn't say much and sat aside again.

After hearing what he had just said, Sima Zhao felt that even if Gao Rou had not leaked the secret, he must have known about it.

The many confidants sitting around also started talking at this moment.

"No wonder there are so many problems in Luoyang. It turns out it's all because of that bastard Jia Chong!"

"All these things were actually done by Jia Chong!"

"No wonder the emperor loves him so much!"

The confidants started chatting, and it seemed that all the sins were put on Jia Chong, while they themselves were extremely innocent.

Jia Chong had no friends in the court. Over the years, he had been busy flattering Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, and had even lost the basic ethics of a scholar. Even Sima Shi's confidants looked down on him.

The scholars of the Wei and Jin dynasties may not have the same sense of honor as the scholars of the Han Dynasty. They may despise etiquette and laws, and may take medicine and drink alcohol, but they cannot bow and scrape like dogs.

Everyone did not miss the opportunity to kick Jia Chong when he was down, and they fabricated many charges against him.

Sima Zhao sneered and said, "Brother, you have committed multiple crimes and can be executed!"

Jia Chong struggled violently, his face full of fear.

Sima Shi narrowed his eyes and said, "Take him back to the Supreme Court and detain him first."

The soldiers dragged Jia Chong away, but Sima Zhao was puzzled. "Brother, do you still want to let him go?"

Sima Shi looked at everyone and ordered them to go out.

Only Sima Shi, Zhong Hui and Sima Zhao were left in the room.

Sima Shi then said, "I always feel that things are not that simple."

"Jia Chong may be hiding something, but he is not the one behind it."

"He doesn't have the courage."

Zhong Hui asked, "Then who do you think is behind this, General? Gao Rou? Wang Su?"

"Cao Mao."

Zhong Hui laughed and shook his head. "Impossible! Cao Mao is indeed very capable. He wanted to incite Jia Chong to revolt, and the leak of secrets is not unrelated to him. However, he is definitely not the one behind the scenes. No matter how capable he is, he is only a thirteen-year-old child. There is no one around him to rely on, and his every move is monitored. He can't do it!"

Sima Shi looked at him and said, "You are only thirteen years old, why can't you do it?"

“Because I can’t.”

"I couldn't do it when I was his age."

Zhong Hui said confidently.

(End of this chapter)