My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

To put it bluntly, relying solely on the Nine-Rank System is no longer enough to get the heroes of Guanzhong to risk their lives for you.

Why?

Between life and power, life is naturally the most important.

The bloody examples of scholars from Henan and Youji are right before our eyes.

The military system and the equal-field system implemented by Liu Bei were detrimental to our gentry and powerful families, and seriously encroached upon our privileges.

Your Nine-Rank System delegates the power of selecting officials to us, the gentry.

But it's no use. The key is that you can't beat Liu Bei, and you can't stop the Chu army's sharp and unparalleled attacks.

Henan and Hebei fell one after another. Countless powerful clans and gentry in the two rivers lost everything, even their underwear, in order to protect the Cao Wei dynasty.

Although surrendering to Liu Bei meant losing privileges and having to return the land he had seized, at least he could save his life.

Although we lost the power to select officials, at least our gentry family was cultured and could continue to serve as officials through the imperial examination system.

Why would I side with Cao Wei instead of Liu Bei?
Waiting for Guanzhong and Longxi to fall to the Chu army, just like Henan and Hebei, we, the powerful families of Guanzhong and Longxi, will follow in the footsteps of the gentry of the two rivers, and be destroyed and our families wiped out for your Cao Wei.

The powerful families of Guanzhong are not fools; they can naturally distinguish between advantages and disadvantages.

In this situation, if Cao Cao wanted to win the full support of the Guanzhong gentry, the Nine-Rank System alone would not be enough; he would have to offer them more benefits.

The most tangible benefit was, of course, official rank and title.

Therefore, you, Cao Cao, must declare yourself emperor.

Only when you become emperor can the official ranks and titles of us Guanlong gentry rise accordingly.

You've already appointed me one of the Nine Ministers; now you're making me one of the Three Dukes.

I was originally a Pavilion Marquis, but you've promoted me to County Marquis.

I was originally a county marquis, but maybe you could just make me a duke.

Only under the lure of such great profits can the Guanzhong gentry be persuaded to contribute money and effort to protect the Cao Wei regime for high-ranking positions and generous rewards, so that we can work together to resist the Chu state.

Sima Yi's implied meaning was roughly this.

"Father, Zhongda and the other ministers are right. If you do not ascend the throne and become emperor, I fear you will discourage the ministers and the heroes of Yong and Liang."

Cao Pi understood Sima Yi's implication and quickly stepped forward to offer his own earnest advice.

Cao Cao fell silent.

The complaints, blame, and anger on his face gradually disappeared like the receding tide.

"The Emperor, the Emperor..."

Cao Cao tapped his fingertips on the table, muttering to himself, a barely perceptible glint of longing flashing in his eyes.

To be honest, they had already reached the point of declaring themselves kings. All those excuses about restoring the Han dynasty and eliminating traitors were just lies to deceive the common people.

You can't fool yourself, no matter who else you're lying to.

To say that he himself had no interest in the throne, in the supreme position of the emperor, would be utter self-deception and hypocrisy.

Since he coveted that position, had the motive to take it, and had Sima Yi and his ministers working hard to pave the way for him, what reason did he have not to go with the flow?
For both the country and himself, he had no choice but to ascend to the throne as emperor!
After pondering for a long time, the last trace of worry in Cao Cao's eyes disappeared, and he looked up at the sky and sighed.

"I understand the reasoning you have given, but I am ultimately of meager virtue and fear that my virtue is not worthy of my position."

"Let's adjourn the court assembly here for now. Everyone should calm down and stop pressuring me."

After a sigh of grievance and helplessness, Cao Cao got up, leaning on his cane, and walked into the rear hall, leaving all the civil and military officials standing in the main hall.

Everyone was slightly confused.

At first glance, Cao Cao's words seemed like a reconciliation, but upon closer inspection, they also sounded like a refusal.

So did he agree or not?
"Zhongda, what exactly does Father mean by this?"

Cao Pi turned to Sima Yi with a blank expression. Sima Yi looked in the direction Cao Cao had left, his eyes also filled with confusion, and he was unable to answer for a moment.

The ministers exchanged glances, and speculations began to circulate.

"Wenhe, what do you think?"

Cao Pi had no choice but to turn his gaze to Jia Xu.

Jia Xu coughed a few times and stroked his white beard lightly, saying:
"I believe that Your Majesty is a man of great martial prowess and strategic vision, and naturally understands that ascending to the throne is the inevitable trend, and in fact you are already willing to become emperor."

"However, Your Majesty is still nominally the King of Wei, appointed by the Han Emperor. If Your Majesty agrees to our request, it would seem that Your Majesty has long coveted the throne."

"Therefore, I believe that Your Majesty is implying that we should ask you three more times before Your Majesty will agree to ascend the throne."

Cao Pi and the others suddenly realized what was going on.

Cao Pi's lips curled up slightly.

He's his own father, so he's going to have to be both.

To put it bluntly, it's about saving face.

Cao Cao wanted the world to know that his change of dynasty was out of necessity, forced by his ministers and at the request of the people.

Having understood this point, Cao Pi then turned his gaze to his ministers:
"Wenhe's words make sense. Such a momentous matter as ascending to the throne cannot be treated lightly or carelessly."

"From this day forward, let us do everything in our power to help our father ascend the throne and become emperor."

"Let's set up the ladder and lay the steps so that Father can rightfully and comfortably ascend the throne!"

The ministers gladly accepted the order.

Thus, a massive campaign to build momentum began in the three prefectures of Yong, Liang, and Bing.

First, Xiahou Dun submitted a memorial claiming that auspicious clouds had appeared in the sky above Jinyang, with a blue dragon circling above them.

Then, the Liangzhou authorities submitted another memorial, stating that a Vermilion Bird had flown out from Longshan and was heading east towards Chang'an.

Then, nursery rhymes began to circulate in Chang'an, such as "Liu Han is dead, Cao Wei should rise..."

The Wei ministers, led by Sima Yi, Jia Xu, and Zhang He, immediately launched a second round of memorials.

People claimed that auspicious omens appeared in various parts of Wei, indicating that Cao Cao was destined by Heaven and should follow the will of Heaven to ascend the throne and become emperor.

Faced with the court officials' second memorial, Cao Cao naturally rejected it again.

So the third petition was submitted soon afterward.

This time, not only the officials of the Wei court, but also the governors and prefects of the three prefectures, and the generals of various regions, all submitted memorials urging him to ascend the throne.

A flood of petitions urging the emperor to ascend the throne were sent to Chang'an from all directions.

In the end, Cao Pi even led hundreds of civil and military officials to kneel outside the palace and petition Cao Cao to ascend the throne as emperor.

The ministers declared that if Cao Cao did not ascend the throne and declare himself emperor, they would remain kneeling indefinitely.

Inside the palace.

Cao Cao stood alone in front of the wall, leaning on his cane, staring at the huge map hanging there, speechless for a long time.

"Your Majesty, the Second Prince and the ministers have been kneeling outside the palace for two hours. Several of the ministers, who are of advanced age, have already fainted from kneeling."

"This can't go on. Your Majesty, why don't you go out and meet with them, and at least give them an answer?"

Xu Chu's voice rang out from behind.

Cao Cao turned around, looked at the commander of his personal guard who had followed him for more than a decade, and suddenly asked:
"Zhongkang, do you think I should grant the request of my ministers and ascend to the throne?"

Xu Chu was stunned. (End of Chapter)