Ya She

Chapter 30 Jade Belt Hook

Luoyang, 190 AD.

Nine-year-old Liu Xie stood on tiptoe in front of the wooden door that was blocked by wooden strips, looking expressionlessly at the chaotic scene outside through a fist-sized gap.

The once magnificent palace has become a living hell, all because Prime Minister Dong Zhuo insisted on moving the capital to Chang'an.

Liu Xie didn't understand why Prime Minister Dong wanted him to abandon the place where he had grown up, but he remembered the bloodthirsty madness in the man's eyes, the scholars lying at his feet who had tried to stop him, and the blood dripping from the long sword in his hand.

Although he was only nine years old, he knew that Dong Zhuo might not necessarily need him. Just like his elder brother who was poisoned to death in front of him half a year ago, if he disobeyed, Prime Minister Dong could kill him without blinking an eye and then choose an obedient member of the imperial clan to be the emperor.

Those who obey me will prosper, those who oppose me will perish.

Although no one had ever said these words to Liu Xie, he had somehow grasped the meaning and became increasingly silent and compliant.

He just wanted to survive.

Liu Xie silently watched the thick smoke rising in the distance. Judging by the direction, he knew it must be the main hall of the Southern Palace, Deyang Hall. The hall was vast enough to hold ten thousand people, surrounded by ponds, with jade steps and vermilion beams. He remembered how he loved to sneak there as a child to admire the intricately carved fairy figures on the golden pillars. Deyang Hall was tall and majestic; according to the eunuchs, it could be seen from Yanshi City, more than forty li away from Luoyang, where it and the Vermilion Bird Gate seemed to reach the sky. At the time, he had thought the eunuchs were just trying to curry favor with him, but now he couldn't help but fantasize. Whether the claims were true or false, what would Yuan Shao, Sun Jian, and others stationed near Luoyang, harboring ulterior motives and eager to denounce Dong Zhuo, feel when they saw this plume of smoke rising from the burning palace?

Liu Xie was imprisoned in the Nanyuan Garden outside Luoyang City, his father Emperor Ling of Han's favorite amusement park, the largest and most luxurious of all, surpassing even the nearby Xianyang Garden, Xianming Garden, and Lingkun Garden. Liu Xie looked at the moss-covered steps he had once loved; now they were stained with blood. Red liquid spread across the green moss, gradually obscuring its original color, until finally, trampled into a nauseating grayish-black.

The nude swimming pools in the courtyards and pavilions are surrounded by canals. In the canals where boats once glided on the clear water, what floated and sank were no longer the beautiful women who laughed and talked during the long nights of drinking and feasting, but the corpses with their eyes wide open in death. The gruesome scene made it very difficult for Liu Xie to look away.

I can't help but feel a chill run down my spine if I were to become one of those people in that scene someday.

No, he just wanted to live.

He knew the situation was dire; even as the emperor, he was no different from a dog in that man's eyes, arbitrarily locked in this palace. Even the guards were busy looting the palace's jewels and valuables, and no one remembered him. Gazing at the blood-red sunset, Liu Xie vaguely remembered that almost a day had passed without anyone bringing him anything to eat.

"Your Majesty..." The eunuch serving beside him, hearing the shouts of battle outside, trembled as he tried to persuade his young master to stop watching, but stopped speaking after a glance from Liu Xie.

Yes, they had been imprisoned here for several days. The soldiers didn't treat Liu Xie as an emperor at all; they didn't give them food and demanded gold and silver in exchange for it. Now, they had almost everything they owned had been taken. Seeing there was nothing left to gain, the soldiers sealed the palace doors with wooden planks, confident they couldn't escape, and went off to burn, kill, and loot. The young eunuch knew he didn't have the courage to look outside, but someone needed to keep watch; perhaps someone would remember them…

Liu Xie turned his gaze back. He didn't want to see those scenes, but he had to force himself to look and remember them. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to resist or fight against something.

The feeling of hunger was extremely unpleasant. Liu Xie touched his flat stomach with his small hand, and the rumbling sound could no longer be heard. He didn't know whether Dong Zhuo had thrown him here because he was genuinely afraid that he would be abducted, or if he wanted to use a legitimate excuse to get rid of him.

As he took a deep breath and stood on tiptoe to look outside again, he suddenly saw a person standing outside the palace gate. The person was wearing a wide-sleeved, tight-fitting robe with a black straight hem that elegantly draped to the feet. From Liu Xie's angle, he couldn't see the person's face at all. It was rather strange, though; in such a chaotic era of war, to see someone whose clothes were spotless was truly a rare sight.

Liu Xie didn't have time to think about all that. The place where he was imprisoned was remote and rarely visited. Now that he had finally seen a living person, he immediately shouted, "Sir! Sir!"

The person did not leave, but also remained silent.

Liu Xie licked his dry, chapped lips. He was starving. Seeing that the other party did not speak, he hurriedly called out, "Sir, is there any food? I have something to exchange for it..." He was too embarrassed to call himself "I" because his title of emperor was a joke.

There was still no movement outside. Liu Xie slumped his shoulders dejectedly. In this chaotic world, food was more precious than gold and jewels. How could the other party possibly agree so easily? Liu Xie reached into his robes, wanting to touch the small bundle he always carried with him, but ultimately found nothing. He felt somewhat lost. The Imperial Seal and the Jade Disc of He Shi Bi should have been inside, solemnly entrusted to him by his dying brother. He had always carefully hidden it close to his body, even managing to deceive Prime Minister Dong by feigning ignorance. But just yesterday, those soldiers had stolen it, and it was gone forever.

Such powerful and savage force, those swords stained with blood... Liu Xie was a little confused. Shouldn't the soldiers be protecting him?

What is the Son of Heaven? Liu Xie vaguely remembered that the Grand Tutor had shown him a chapter in "The Spring and Autumn Annals of Lüshi Chunqiu: The Nobleman" that said, "The world does not belong to one person, but to all the world."

Liu Xie pursed his lips and stopped speaking. The question of who truly owned the world was now less important than the problem of his stomach, but he had nothing left to exchange.

Just then, he suddenly smelled an enticing aroma. Turning his head, Liu Xie was astonished to see a beautiful hand reaching in through the crack in the palace door, and what stunned him was a steamed bun in that hand.

Fearing the other party might change their mind, Liu Xie disregarded royal decorum and whether the steamed bun was poisoned. He snatched it and stuffed it into his mouth, wolfing it down. A young eunuch serving him came up and handed him a cup of water. Although they were trapped in the palace without food, they had at least some water.

The man in black not only gave them a steamed bun, but also kept bringing in more food through the crack in the wooden door, including steamed buns and some cured meat. Liu Xie and the few eunuchs ate a few, and their stomachs were no longer hungry. Liu Xie stared at the remaining steamed buns and cured meat, and said somewhat reluctantly, "I'm full. Would you like some more, sir?"

A sigh came from outside the door, and a pleasant voice said gently, "No need, you can keep it."

Liu Xie was overjoyed, as this food was enough to last them for a few more days. He then realized something and said respectfully, somewhat embarrassed, "I will remember your kindness in providing me with this meal. May I ask your name?"

Although Liu Xie was only nine years old, he had already seen much of the world. He remembered how Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, had been kind enough to receive a meal from a woman who had given him a meal, and later repaid her with a thousand taels of gold. Liu Xie felt that even if he couldn't repay her today, he must do so someday. Judging from the voice, the person was a young man, not very old. Liu Xie searched his memory and determined that he had never heard this person's voice before.

"It's alright, you've suffered." He didn't know what he said that pleased the other person, but the handsome hand reached in again, affectionately patting his head.

Liu Xie had been living in fear these past few days, and this was the first time he had felt the care of an elder. After all, he was still just a child under ten years old. When he felt the warmth coming from above, he immediately burst into tears, his face covered in silent tears.

The hand gently patted his head twice in comfort, then handed him a very familiar-looking brocade pouch. Liu Xie stared in disbelief as he took it, opening the pouch through tear-filled eyes. Inside was his lost Imperial Seal, the He Shi Bi. He frantically wiped away his tears, examining it in astonishment. This was his He Shi Bi? Something seemed off. The jade didn't seem as lustrous as before.

Liu Xie suppressed his doubts. What did it matter if it was true or false? The He Shi Bi was useless to him and would soon be snatched away by others.

Seeing that he remained silent, the man outside the door sighed deeply again and said, "Fine, I'll give you one more thing." He then passed something through the crack in the door, but this time it was empty.

Liu Xie took it from the man's hand and discovered that it was actually a jade belt hook.

A belt hook, used by nobles, scholars, and warriors in ancient times, was also known as a "rhinoceros hook." The material, shape, size, and decoration of a belt hook could be considered a reflection of a person's status. Liu Xie's original jade belt hook had long been stolen; he now only had a simple knot tied around his waist with his belt, looking utterly disheveled. Holding the jade belt hook in his hands, Liu Xie noticed it was shaped like a dragon, its head and tail both curved into hooks. The carving was simple yet elegant, and the white jade bore a few streaks of purplish-red blood stains, a striking and somewhat captivating sight. Looking at these stains, Liu Xie thought this jade belt hook was probably quite old.

"The first owner of this jade belt hook is said to be Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, who later became King Wen of Zhou."

The man's voice drifted softly from outside the door. The distant shouts of battle had become indistinct, and Liu Xie's entire attention was focused on the jade belt hook in his hand.

"Child, what is it that you desire most?" the man asked calmly.

Without a second thought, Liu Xie answered directly, "Live."

"Legend has it that this jade belt hook can ignite a person's greatest ambition." The man sighed softly and said slowly, "Live well..."

Liu Xie was stunned for a moment. When he came to his senses, he found that the man in black was no longer outside the door. Instead, a large number of soldiers had arrived and were prying open the sealed palace door.

"Your Majesty, I am late in coming to your rescue, and I have caused you to suffer humiliation." Among the soldiers kneeling outside the palace gates, Liu Xie recognized several familiar faces. They were all scions of powerful Han families, forced to submit to Dong Zhuo's tyranny, but loyal to him at heart, as long as their bottom line was not crossed. For example, they could only guarantee his safety and not openly oppose Dong Zhuo, after all, they had powerful imperial families behind them.

Liu Xie gripped the jade belt hook in his right hand tightly. Perhaps because he had finally had a good meal these past few days, his mind was unusually clear. He chose the one that looked most familiar, walked to the man's side, and handed him the He Shi Bi jade in his left hand. The man took it with both hands, opened it, and was shocked. He looked up at Liu Xie, bewildered.

Liu Xie was not tall, but the other person was kneeling beside him, so he could just reach the other person's ear. He lowered his voice and said, word by word, "Throw this thing to those so-called loyal ministers outside. You can choose one: Yuan Shao, Sun Jian, or Han Fu."

The man looked at him blankly, still not understanding why.

Liu Xie pressed down on his shoulder, pursed his lips, and said, "Two peaches kill three warriors..."

Back then, Yanzi was able to kill three warriors with just two peaches. Now, if he uses the He Shi Bi jade, whose authenticity no one but himself knows, can't he still use someone else to do his dirty work?

"Live well..." Liu Xie gripped the jade belt hook tightly in his hand.

199 AD.

"boom"

Cao Pi had just stepped outside the study when he heard a loud crash from inside, like something hitting the ground. He hesitated, his hand pausing as he was about to push the door open, realizing that his father had been in a bad mood lately.

After his elder brother, who was ten years his senior, died unexpectedly in the Battle of Wancheng two years ago, his father's mood had been vaguely agitated. In addition, a series of unexpected events recently, including the incident of the imperial edict in the belt a few days ago, brought his father's anger to its highest point.

That brat Liu Xie actually dared to pull this stunt? He secretly plotted to kill his father with an imperial edict hidden in his robe?
Cao Pi coldly curled the corners of his mouth. Although he was only twelve years old this year, he was born in a chaotic world and his elder brother died suddenly. He had to force himself to start thinking like an adult.

Although everyone says that his father held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, that's because they were all jealous. It didn't matter who Liu Xie was in; before it was Dong Zhuo, now it was Cao Cao. Moreover, Cao Pi believed that Liu Xie was now in their hands, well-fed, clothed, and respected. In the chaotic late Eastern Han Dynasty, when warlords were vying for power, the fact that they had kept this tempting deer alive and not killed him was already an act of extraordinary mercy.

It seems that it has been fed too well; the deer has already forgotten who was raising it.

Cao Pi smiled dismissively, straightened his robes, knocked lightly on the door, and waited for his father to respond before respectfully pushing the door open and entering.

After bowing in greeting, Cao Pi looked around and found that the study was not as messy as he had imagined. There was only a jade paperweight with a corner chipped off, lying pitifully on the floor.

Cao Pi felt a pang of heartache because he remembered that this jade paperweight with a unicorn design was his elder brother's favorite piece, but he dared not take away his father's beloved possession, so he could only play with it a few times when the opportunity arose.

"Pi'er, do you know what has happened these past few days?" A rather authoritative voice came from behind. Cao Pi looked up and saw that what was spread out on the desk was the edict written by Liu Xie with his belt. It was unclear which eunuch had written it in blood, but the blood had already stained it a deep red, giving it a rather tragic feel.

"I have heard that among the great human relationships, the relationship between father and son comes first; among the distinctions of rank, the relationship between ruler and subject is of utmost importance. Recently, a powerful minister has been treacherous, coming from a distant family, and has unjustly obtained the position of advisor, which is truly a crime of deception..."

Cao Pi silently repeated to himself, his eyelids twitching violently when he saw the words "Cao the traitor," and he quickly bit his tongue to force himself to read on. A belt, so narrow and long, couldn't possibly hold many words. This edict on the belt contained at most a hundred or so characters, which Cao Pi read quickly.

He organized his thoughts, then coldly snorted, "That General of Chariots and Cavalry, Dong Cheng, deserved to die." The person to whom the imperial edict was sent was Dong Cheng, the current emperor's brother-in-law. Dong Cheng's daughter was Liu Xie's most beloved concubine, Consort Dong. After the edict was exposed, Cao Cao, in a fit of rage, slaughtered Dong Cheng's entire family. Still enraged, he stormed into the palace with his sword and killed Consort Dong, who was five months pregnant, in front of Liu Xie.

"Oh? Then what about Consort Dong..." Cao Cao narrowed his eyes, intentionally guiding Cao Pi to think for himself and beginning to groom him as his successor. Originally, his eldest son, Cao Ang, was exceptionally talented, skilled in both literature and martial arts, intelligent and quick-witted, and more than ten years older than Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, Cao Zhi, and other sons, thus avoiding worries about the succession. But now, because of Cao Ang's tragic death, he was bound to cultivate a new successor.

"Kill the chicken to scare the monkey, cut the weeds and eliminate the roots, good." Cao Pi commented briefly, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration as he looked at his father. "As for His Majesty's feelings, I'm afraid they won't be able to calm down for a while. If only I had an older sister."

A glint of power flashed in Cao Cao's tiger-like eyes, as if he were deep in thought.

Cao Pi lowered his head, silent, secretly regretting his slip of the tongue caused by momentary smugness. Although he had no older sister, he did have a younger sister. Could his father be planning to send her to the palace when she was older? This was… Cao Pi glanced furtively and saw his father tapping the character for “thief” on the imperial edict, and a chill ran down his spine. He knew his father was always unpredictable, but no one would simply laugh off being called a thief to their face.

Cao Pi, always quick-witted, noticed the simple-looking jade belt hook that had been confiscated along with the imperial edict and immediately said, "Zhuangzi said, 'He who steals a hook is punished, but he who steals a state becomes a prince. Benevolence and righteousness reside in the gates of princes.'"

Cao Cao was taken aback, then clapped his hands and laughed: "He who steals a hook is punished, he who steals a country becomes a lord! Excellent! Excellent!"

Cao Pi knew that this statement had hit the nail on the head, and he was very pleased. His young face couldn't hide his emotions, and the corners of his mouth curved up happily.

Cao Cao grew increasingly fond of his second son, and casually pointed to the jade belt hook on the table, saying, "Here you go, so you won't steal it from me again!"

Cao Pi was taken aback, then overjoyed, realizing that although it was just a small item, it held profound meaning in connection with what they had just said. He respectfully accepted the jade belt hook with both hands and solemnly nodded, saying, "Yes."

As the cool jade belt hook came into his hand, Cao Pi carefully tucked his trembling fist, still trembling with excitement, into his sleeve. A sudden, indescribable confidence welled up within him, as if he possessed a grand goal and ambition. When he looked again at the broken jade unicorn paperweight at his feet, he felt no more regret.

At that moment, he actually thought, "Thank goodness my older brother is gone..."

204 AD, Ye City.

Zhen Mi looked at herself in the bronze mirror and tried to tidy up her disheveled hair, intending to do so properly, but seeing her haggard face in the mirror, she still couldn't muster any energy.

Cao Cao's troops had completely surrounded the Yuan family's residence. Although he had ordered that no one from the Yuan family be treated with any disrespect, Zhen Mi knew very well what fate awaited her.

Although Cao Cao and his father-in-law Yuan Shao had a good relationship in their early years, they had become mortal enemies due to the years of warring states vying for power. Their so-called family members were no different from livestock that could be slaughtered at will.

Since her husband Yuan Xi and younger brother Yuan Shang fled Ye City more than a month ago, she had been heartbroken. In chaotic times, a woman is like a rootless duckweed, drifting with the tide and unable to control her own destiny.

She didn't hate her husband, Yuan Xi. A man who could abandon even his own mother—how could she expect him to care for his wife? Zhen Mi smiled bitterly, rationally knowing that Yuan Xi's decision was the best choice. The women of the family would be safe in Ye City. Cao Cao had always treated women well, but he would never tolerate Yuan Shao's sons living. Therefore, Yuan Xi and his brother had to flee, and in chaotic times, even men had a hard time surviving, let alone taking her with them.

I suppose we will never meet again in this lifetime.

Zhen Mi stared blankly at her reflection in the bronze mirror, not even noticing someone enter the room, until the latter stroked her hair, at which point she met his gaze in the mirror with a complicated expression.

"Silly child, stop thinking about it." Madam Liu picked up the gold comb from the dressing table and gently combed Zhen Mi's long hair. She knew what her daughter-in-law was thinking, but she couldn't let her continue. A woman's support is her husband, and her husband Yuan Shao was already dead, and her sons were on the run. So, Madam Liu's only support now was this daughter-in-law in front of her.

There are two Qiao sisters in Jiangnan, and Zhen Mi is beautiful in Hebei.

This widely circulated saying is not an exaggeration. Lady Li had never met Da Qiao or Xiao Qiao, yet even spending every day with Zhen Mi, she couldn't help but be captivated by her beauty, unable to look away. Especially since Zhen Mi was in the prime of her life, her face now haggard, her complexion even paler, her features ethereal and delicate like a watercolor painting, her expression both disheveled and indescribably fragile, evoking pity and a strong desire to protect her, a longing to hold her tightly in one's arms and shield her from any further harm.

Madam Liu had intended for Zhen Mi to dress up nicely, but now she found her current embarrassing state even more shocking, making it difficult for her to decide.

A woman depends on a man for life, just as a vine clings to a tree and when the tree falls, what's wrong with clinging to another tree? If Madam Liu hadn't been self-aware enough to know that she was old and her beauty had faded, she probably wouldn't have hesitated to take matters into her own hands.

After all, survival is the ultimate goal. In Madam Liu's view, paying a price for survival is a matter of course.

The only obstacle now is Zhen Mi's feelings for Yuan Xi.

Lady Liu tried to persuade Zhen Mi with her eloquent words, but the latter simply couldn't accept the thought of having to serve Cao Cao, who was about the same age as her father-in-law Yuan Shao. Lady Liu suddenly put down the golden comb in her hand and stopped trying to persuade her. The room fell silent, and the shouts, screams, and cries of burning, killing, looting, and arson from the city outside could be faintly heard, making Zhen Mi's face even paler.

She instantly realized that if she hadn't married into the Yuan family, and if she hadn't been well protected until now, she would probably have ended up like those other women outside, with her family destroyed and her body left unburied.

Zhen Mi quietly placed her hand on her lower abdomen. Death wasn't so scary, but she vaguely felt that her body seemed slightly different from before. However, Yuan Xi had only been gone for a month, and she couldn't be sure if she was pregnant with his child.

Lady Liu, however, did not notice Zhen Mi's subtle movements. She leaned close to Zhen Mi's ear and whispered, "I heard that the one leading the troops is Cao Cao's second son, Cao Pi..."

The rest of the words were left unsaid, but she believed Zhen Mi would understand. Compared to the middle-aged Cao Cao, Lady Liu believed Zhen Mi would definitely choose the eighteen-year-old Cao Pi. Moreover, the latter had no family and was currently Cao Cao's most favored successor, truly a figure akin to the Cao family's crown prince.

Zhen Mi pressed her lower abdomen and slowly nodded at her reflection in the bronze mirror. Seeing that Madam Liu was eager to help her with her makeup, she shook her head to stop her, saying, "This is fine." Subconsciously, she didn't want to wear heavy makeup. This wasn't her wedding day; the only time she would ever dress up in her finest attire in this life had already been given to her husband.

Madam Liu misunderstood her meaning, secretly praising Zhen Mi for being captivating whether lightly or heavily made up. She instructed her guards to invite Cao Pi to the residence for a chat; as Yuan Shao's widow, she could afford to give him that much face. She led Zhen Mi to the main hall to wait, and soon after, a handsome young man in armor strode confidently through the dilapidated doorway. Madam Liu patted Zhen Mi, who was kneeling in her lap, indicating that she didn't need to be too afraid.

Zhen Mi didn't dare to raise her head. She just stared at the long sword in Cao Pi's hand, which was still dripping with blood, wondering if her husband hadn't left, would the sword also be stained with his blood?

Zhen Mi didn't hear a word Liu and Cao Pi said. She was like a puppet, her face held up by Liu, and she stared indifferently at the shocked and adoring look on Cao Pi's face.

Ah... she had seen that expression far too many times. Almost every man who saw her would make that expression, not even her husband.

Zhen Mi thought numbly, yet felt utterly devoid of interest in life. Was this really the life she wanted?
Cao Pi seemed to be frantically searching for something on his person. Zhen Mi guessed that he must be looking for a token that could represent his identity. With Ye City in chaos, he was unable to leave, so he could only leave a token with her. If anyone wanted to harm her, they would surely let it go out of respect for him.

Zhen Mi lowered her eyes. Besides the blood-dripping sword, the only other thing this young man had was the tiger tally, right? Could he possibly give her the tiger tally?
Lost in thought, a dragon-shaped jade belt hook appeared before her. When she realized how intimately close it was to her skin, a flush of anger rose to her cheeks. Although she had resigned herself to her fate, such a blatant suggestion...it was truly...truly...

Cao Pi truly meant no harm, and he had no other valuables on him. To be honest, he understood Lady Liu's subtext. No one in Ye City would dare to take her from him, but the only person he needed to be wary of was his father, Cao Cao. Therefore, to avoid such a situation, he thought of this jade belt hook, something his father had given him many years ago. He figured that if his father saw it, he would understand his meaning.

Cao Pi saw that Zhen Mi's ear tips were bright red, and he was even more itchy to lift her face to take a closer look, but there were other people present. Cao Pi coughed lightly, forcefully placed the jade belt hook into Zhen Mi's hand, then instructed the guards not to disturb them, before reluctantly leaving. Ye City still needed to be suppressed for a few more days, and Cao Pi could not slack off even if he wanted to.

Zhen Mi held the jade belt hook, which still carried the other person's burning body heat, and suddenly a desire arose within her. She wanted to live, and not only to live, but also to give birth to Yuan Xi's child legitimately.

She wanted to make this man, who treated her like a plaything, regret it deeply.

Luoyang, 221 AD.

Sima Yi stood quietly to one side of the study, his hands tucked into his sleeves, eyes downcast and seemingly lost in thought. He didn't know why Cao Pi had summoned him here. Last year, Cao Pi had just usurped the throne from the Han dynasty, and the Wei dynasty was in dire need of rebuilding. As the Right Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he was still very busy and had no time to waste.

Since Cao Pi remained silent, Sima Yi began to mentally analyze the various matters in order to gauge the emperor's intentions. The abdication ceremony, in which Wei replaced Han, was a great success, with tens of thousands of guests, including the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, marquises and nobles, military generals, and the Xiongnu Chanyu who came to pay homage. Sima Yi still vividly remembered the sorrowful and helpless look on Liu Xie's face when he was forced to kneel on the ground and hand over the Imperial Seal and the vast land to Cao Pi.

It is said that Cao Pi even prepared a posthumous title for Liu Xie, which was "Xian" (献), meaning Emperor Xian of Han, which was truly fitting.

Sima Yi's lips curled into a subtle smile. In truth, Cao Pi's usurpation of the Han throne wasn't a particularly clever move. Sima Yi could almost foresee that this act of abdication would become a political game, constantly imitated and surpassed, gradually becoming a fixed pattern. As long as the ruler was weak and the ministers strong, the drama of abdication would continue to unfold, and this seed of disaster was sown by Cao Pi himself.

Sima Yi's heart pounded uncontrollably. He knew that if Cao Cao had ascended the throne before his death, this outcome would never have occurred. After all, the Cao family's empire was built by Cao Cao himself, much like Qin Shi Huang, who unified the six kingdoms, and Emperor Gaozu of Han, who triumphed in the Chu-Han Contention—all were proven by force. Unfortunately, Cao Cao had always upheld the proper etiquette between ruler and subject, never imagining that his son, Cao Pi, would tear away the last veil of pretense even a year after his death.

Such a fragile dynasty, it truly evokes a desire to destroy it with one's own hands...

Sima Yi's hands, tucked into his sleeves, trembled slightly. Unlike others, he could turn his head at a much wider angle and see what was behind him. In physiognomy, this is called the "wolf's gaze," a sign of great ambition.

Cao Cao believed in physiognomy and never gave him an important position throughout his life. However, he managed to cultivate a good relationship with Cao Pi and became the latter's closest advisor, which is also the fastest miracle of promotion in the Cao Wei Dynasty.

This wasn't surprising, really. Sima Yi prided himself on being learned and knowledgeable, no less than the legendary Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick, and Cao Pi relied on him greatly. In a flash, Sima Yi had already replayed all the recent events in the court in his mind. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cao Pi playing with an antique-looking jade belt hook, and suddenly it dawned on him.

This jade belt hook seems to be a relic of Empress Zhen.

Although the circumstances surrounding Empress Zhen's execution by Cao Pi were suspicious, no close advisors dared to question it. After all, Empress Guo was now in charge of the harem and was currently favored, while Empress Zhen, who had remained in Ye City, was largely unknown. Rumors circulated that she was extremely beautiful, but even if she was, having not served Cao Pi for so many years, their relationship was likely very strained.

Moreover, Sima Yi had heard that after Empress Zhen was given death by imperial decree, her face was covered with her hair and her mouth stuffed with chaff, so that she would have no face to see anyone even in death, and would not even have the chance to complain to the King of Hell. Sima Yi suspected that Cao Pi's ruthlessness was not due to infighting within the harem, but rather to some other hidden reason.

Could it be, as rumored in the palace, that Cao Zhi and Empress Zhen had a forbidden affair, a relationship between uncle and sister-in-law?

This is not surprising. Empress Zhen was given death, which was the end of the matter. Cao Zhi had already lost his chance to win the succession and could not cause much trouble. It was not worth Cao Pi's troubles.

Could it be that he regrets ordering Empress Zhen's death? Is that why he's reminiscing about her by holding her belongings like this?
Sima Yi immediately dismissed this suspicion. If he missed Empress Zhen, why would he have summoned him? Continuing to ponder the various clues, Sima Yi suddenly shuddered, recalling Cao Pi's attitude towards Cao Rui over the past few days…

Cao Rui was the son of Empress Zhen, Cao Pi's eldest son, several years older than his other sons, and the undisputed heir to the Cao Wei dynasty. However, Cao Pi never named him crown prince. After Empress Zhen was given a death sentence, Cao Rui's situation became increasingly precarious. Sima Yi initially thought that even if Empress Zhen was unfaithful, it wouldn't shake Cao Rui's position, but then he suddenly remembered that Cao Rui was born the same year Cao Pi took Empress Zhen as his wife. Empress Zhen was originally Yuan Shao's daughter-in-law... Could this be...?

"Zhongda is indeed perceptive." Although Cao Pi had been stroking the jade belt hook in his hand, he did not overlook the actions of the other person in the study. When he felt Sima Yi's breathing become slightly heavier, he knew that the latter must have guessed the inside story. It was no wonder that he did not speak out. Suspecting that his son was not his own was a very difficult thing to say.

Cao Pi didn't actually blame Zhen Mi for being pregnant with another man's child. His father, Cao Cao, had a penchant for other men's wives and even adopted other men's sons, which somewhat influenced Cao Pi's views. Cao Cao's favoritism towards one of his adopted sons, He Yan, made Cao Pi envious, and he often publicly mocked He Yan as a "fake son" when he was young. However, He Yan was an exception. Cao Pi got along well with his other two adopted brothers, Qin Lang and Cao Zhen. Therefore, if Zhen Mi had made things clear to him from the beginning, Cao Pi would have treated Cao Rui the same as his own son, but he would never have raised him as his heir.

Sima Yi observed Cao Pi's grim and uncertain expression, pondered for a moment, and then grasped the crux of the problem. If Cao Pi was certain that Cao Rui was not his child, then what was there to hesitate about? He could simply transfer him out of the capital and leave his fate to chance. The difficulty lay in the fact that no one knew whether the child was Cao Pi's son or not. Premature births were common, and even Empress Zhen, who had been given death, probably couldn't be certain of the child's parentage.

Sima Yi recalled Cao Rui's appearance. The child had delicate features and must have looked very much like Empress Zhen. You couldn't tell anything from his appearance.

This is indeed a tricky matter. If Cao Pi had another son of similar age, he would rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free, and let that other son inherit the throne. But now, apart from Cao Rui, all his other sons are very young, and it is still unknown whether they will be able to grow up.

Therefore, the key to this matter is to prove whether Cao Rui was Cao Pi's biological son. Conversely, what if it is proven that Yuan Xi was not Cao Rui's biological father?
Sima Yi remained silent for a long time before saying, "Your Majesty, we can perform a bone-drop test to determine kinship."

The term "blood-dripping for kinship recognition" was once very popular. In "Biographies of Worthies of Kuaiji" written by Xie Cheng, the younger brother of Lady Xie of Sun Quan, there is a record of a case in which the younger brother's blood was dripped onto the bones of his elder brother to identify the remains of his elder brother.

The practice of "blood dripping to identify kinship" involves dripping the blood of a living person onto the bones of a dead person and observing whether it seeps in. If it seeps in, it indicates a blood relationship such as parents, children, or siblings; if it doesn't, it indicates no blood relation. Yuan Xi and his brother Yuan Shang were killed in Liaodong more than ten years ago, and their burial place is not difficult to find.

Cao Pi had already adopted this method. Upon hearing this, he sighed inwardly and said, "Don't mention this method. Yuan Xi, his brother, and several attendants were buried together, and it's already impossible to tell them apart." Cao Pi spoke vaguely, not wanting to tell his most trusted confidant that he had actually dripped Cao Rui's blood over the bones of those people, and it all seeped in.

This is ridiculous! Could it be that all these people are Cao Rui's fathers? Are they all related? He later conducted several more experiments, thoroughly verifying that Xie Cheng's claims were utter nonsense. Unfortunately, he couldn't expose his family's secrets, otherwise he would have certainly refuted that Physician Xie.

Sima Yi had initially thought that mentioning the disordered remains of the skeletal remains wouldn't be a problem, as long as one person's obstinacy could be infiltrated, the parent-child relationship could be determined. However, seeing Cao Pi's gloomy expression, he knew that this method had already been tried and had certainly not yielded a definitive answer.

As a subject, one must share the emperor's burdens. Sima Yi quickly analyzed the pros and cons and knew that today's events were just Cao Pi venting his frustrations. He did not want Cao Pi to cause trouble, and besides, the princes were still young, while Cao Pi was in his prime, so there was no rush to choose a crown prince.

Sima Yi's words were perfectly watertight, and Cao Pi's expression softened considerably. He was merely exchanging pleasantries with Sima Yi, intending to observe the situation for a few more years. As Sima Yi spoke, his gaze involuntarily fell upon the jade belt hook that Cao Pi was playing with in his hand. The simple and elegant jade belt hook, with its soft and delicate texture, shimmered with an irresistible brilliance in the flickering candlelight.

Those who steal the hook will be punished, and those who steal the country will be martyred.

Sima Yi, well-versed in classical literature, quickly recalled these two lines: Even malicious intentions, when magnified to an infinite degree, can become righteous, and justice is always written by the victors. This explains the two different outcomes: "He who steals a hook is punished, he who steals a state becomes a prince."

Before tonight, Sima Yi, though occasionally harboring rebellious thoughts, knew the time was not ripe and suppressed them. But tonight, he heard a royal secret that greatly intrigued him. An unstable succession—such an easy place to manipulate things.

Sima Yi could easily imagine that if Cao Pi's young sons all died young, leaving only Cao Rui, then no matter how much Cao Pi suspected the child's lineage, he couldn't publicly explain the reason and would be forced to pass the throne to Cao Rui. This would likely be a difficult situation for Cao Pi; to avoid confusing the Cao family bloodline, he would probably instruct his trusted confidants before his death not to allow Cao Rui to have an heir, ultimately forcing Cao Rui to adopt a son from one of his brothers to inherit the throne…

Sima Yi lowered his eyes, carefully concealing the light in them.

2012 AD.

"Sima Yi was truly ruthless... Several of Cao Pi's youngest sons died prematurely without explanation, and none of Cao Rui's sons grew up. In the end, just as he had planned, Cao Fang, who was adopted from the imperial clan, inherited the throne."

The doctor was still cosplaying as a rabbit doll; he'd gotten used to the long ears that drooped down from time to time, though they did obstruct his view a bit. He was currently helping the shopkeeper select some high-grade imperial antiques, which was also a way of listening to the shopkeeper tell stories. "So, this jade belt hook must have ended up in Sima Yi's hands, right?"

The shopkeeper took the jade belt hook out of the brocade box, carefully wiping it with a soft cloth as he replied casually, "Sima Yi really didn't get this jade belt hook." The few streaks of blood on the jade belt hook were as beautiful as real blood, so striking that they were almost shocking.

"Huh? That makes sense, his son is the real deal! Everyone knows what Sima Zhao is up to!" The doctor exclaimed in realization. "It seems this jade belt hook definitely meets the requirements of an imperial antique. Just look at the story you've told, how many emperors has it passed through! Emperor Xian of Han, Emperor Wen of Wei, and after Zhen Mi got the jade belt hook, her son, Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, must have touched it too... Tsk tsk, what a pity, it would have been great if Cao Cao had touched it. He died without ever experiencing being an emperor!"

"Cao Cao once said in his 'Order to Relinquish the County and Clarify His True Intentions,' 'If the country were without me, I wonder how many people would claim to be emperor, and how many would claim to be king.' He said that he had spent his life on the battlefield to prevent others from becoming emperor or king, so how could he possibly become emperor?" The shopkeeper carefully wiped the jade belt hook, put it back in the brocade box, and smiled slightly, saying, "Whether he was a tyrant or a hero is a matter of personal opinion, but the fact that he didn't claim to be emperor under those circumstances shows his attitude quite well."

The doctor nodded in agreement. After all, the other two figures from the same period, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, both later declared themselves emperors. Perhaps Cao Cao, if he had lived longer, would have also succumbed to temptation and declared himself emperor. But history is quite ingenious; it doesn't leave people any room for imagination in its outcome. This is what is meant by "the final verdict is given after death."

However, thinking about the final verdict, the doctor immediately remembered the bone-dropping kinship test mentioned in the story, which was his area of ​​expertise. He immediately got excited and began to ramble on about medical knowledge.

"Cao Rui was lucky. Fortunately, Yuan Xi was buried with several other people, otherwise he would have been in big trouble. I've dealt with a forensic doctor a few times before. He said that after a long period of decomposition, what remains of a human corpse is just skeletal bones. The surface is corroded and brittle, so even water droplets can seep in, let alone blood. As for those blood-drop kinship tests shown on TV now, that's even more absurd. In reality, if you inject the blood of several unrelated people into the same container, they will soon mix together. Blood-drop kinship tests have absolutely no scientific basis."

As the doctor got into his story, he couldn't help but glance at the boss a few times. He hadn't given up on drawing a few vials of blood from the boss for experiments! But when he looked down at his own comical doll-like appearance, he sighed helplessly.

However, the doctor was easygoing. He immediately put his minor frustration behind him and then remembered something, saying, "Oh no, boss, shouldn't you be careful not to touch this jade belt hook? I think you picked it up just now?"

The shopkeeper closed the brocade box and said slowly, "Everyone has ambition. This jade belt hook is just a trigger, stirring up a person's greatest ambition. But if it can be controlled well, it's not surprising. Back then, I replaced the He Shi Bi jade that Liu Xie lost, and I felt guilty, so I gave him this jade belt hook. His ambition at the time was just to live a good life, and although he took a risk once, he ultimately died a peaceful death, which can be considered as getting what he wanted."

The boss slowly recalled, his expression somewhat dazed. He didn't know if what he had done back then was right or wrong. Therefore, one should not readily exploit power for those with ambition, nor should one give sharp weapons to those with foolishness. This saying still holds considerable truth.

"Boss, boss, what are your ambitions?"

The doctor's incessant questioning interrupted the boss's reminiscence. The boss pinched the soft rabbit ears, stuffed him into the luggage, and smiled slightly, saying, "It's getting late, let's head to seal the array eye."

"That's a foul! That's a foul! Even if you don't want to answer a question, you can't do it this way!"

　small theater:

　　Boss, let me gossip a bit more. Why did Cao Pi dislike He Yan so much?
　　Boss: The Book of Jin, in its "Yu Lin" section, records that Yan was exceptionally intelligent in his youth, and Cao Cao favored him like one of his sons...

　　Doctor: Keep reading! He Yan was handsome and fair-skinned, so Emperor Wen of Wei suspected he wore face powder. One summer month, he was given hot soup noodles. After eating them, He Yan sweated profusely, then wiped his face with his red robe, and his complexion became even fairer… Oh my! Cao Pi was really funny. He suspected He Yan's fair skin was due to face powder, so he specially invited him to drink hot soup noodles on a hot day. After He Yan wiped his sweat, his face appeared even whiter. This even gave rise to the idiom "Fu Fen He Lang" (傅粉何郎), truly a handsome man! Cao Pi was clearly jealous that He Yan was even more handsome than him! He even called him "Jia Zi" (假子), well… "Jia Zi" (假子)… could that mean "effeminate man" in ancient times…?

　　boss:……

　　
　
(End of this chapter)