Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 7 Making Things Difficult for Cao Mengde

Yong'an Palace
Liu Bian spent the entire morning dealing with memorials. He really felt that some local governors had nothing better to do.

A memorial was sent all the way here, and guess what the content was?
"Is your Majesty all right?"

"Your Majesty, the Holy Emperor, today I saw the auspicious Qilin appear..."

Anyway, they either asked about Liu Hong's physical condition for no reason, or claimed to have seen auspicious signs, and then flattered Liu Hong.

Is this his mother also a saintly emperor?

Although many of these were landmines laid by our ancestors, and Liu Hong did try to save everything, how could he be considered a saint and emperor today?

To be honest, he used to think that when the emperor reviewed memorials, he would report on where there were disasters, where there were wars, and where there were good harvests. He was just listening to the ministers who were sent to other places talk about the good and bad things that happened in various places. But what the hell are you trying to do by asking for your well-being here for no reason?
When he just opened the first memorial, Liu Bian was wondering whether "greeting" was similar to asking "Have you eaten?" when meeting someone, and then getting down to business. It turned out that they actually dared to write a long piece of nonsense of several hundred words in classical Chinese to express their admiration for the emperor's wisdom and hope that the emperor would take care of his health!
Moreover, these were memorials from the county governors who were sent to other places. They did not know what kind of shocking changes had taken place in Luoyang. In other words, they were not here to inquire about the emperor's recent situation, but were just making memorials on a daily basis.

A bunch of dogs entering the thing!

"Your Highness, you sent someone to summon Counselor Cao Cao to the palace yesterday. He has been waiting outside Yong'an Palace for an hour."

Liu Bian was slightly stunned. He had almost forgotten that after he took over the power of the Northern Army yesterday, he had sent someone to inform Cao Cao to enter the palace today. As a result, Cao Cao was made to wait outside the palace for an hour. He then glared at Gao Wang.

Gao Wang said innocently, "I dare not disturb Your Highness while he is reviewing memorials."

Needless to say, Gao Wang must have done it on purpose.

Cao Cao's origins were not clearly explained by later generations.

Archaeologists once excavated the tomb of Cao Cao's elders, extracted the DNA of their skeletons and compared it with the DNA of the skeleton in the tomb of Cao Shen's direct grandson. They unexpectedly concluded that they were direct descendants. However, many historical books recorded Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, as a child adopted by the Cao family from the Xiahou family, but the controversy has become an eternal mystery.

But whether Cao Cao was adopted within the Cao family or by the Xiahou family, this does not hinder the fact that Cao Cao's nominal grandfather Cao Teng was a eunuch. Therefore, Cao Cao was not recognized by his peers when he was young.

In his youth, Cao Cao, in order to integrate into the circle of scholars, also raised the banner of denouncing eunuchs. When he was the Northern Inspector of Luoyang, he used a five-colored stick to enforce the law and directly beat to death Jian Shuo's uncle who violated the ban on traveling at night.

Originally, such behavior would definitely be recognized by the scholars, but Cao Cao forgot that he treated not only the eunuchs but also the gentry equally.

The idea that the emperor is guilty of the same crime as the common people has always been a beautiful and unrealistic fantasy of the people. Even the scholar-officials are not guilty of the same crime as the common people. How dare you, Cao Cao, deal with the scholars who broke the law in this way?
That is, his father Cao Song was the Minister of Agriculture, one of the Nine Ministers, holding the purse strings; his father-in-law Ding Gong was the Grand Master of Ceremonies, equivalent to a two thousand stone official.

Therefore, no matter how resentful the eunuch group or the aristocratic group were, they had to give some face to Cao Cao's two fathers. They could only promote him in public but demote him in private and send him to be the magistrate of Dunqiu. Later, he was still dismissed from office because he was implicated by his cousin-in-law, the powerful Marquis Song Qi.

Although he was reinstated as a counselor with the help of Cao Song and Ding Gong, Cao Cao at that time could be said to be a despised person. Even his own father disliked his antics. Only Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Zhang Miao and others could continue to associate with him, but that kind of association... rather than being an interaction between friends, it was more like treating him as a younger brother, a condescending friendship.

Liu Bian also took a fancy to Cao Cao, who had been taught a lesson by reality.

As for Gao Wang's deliberate attempt to make things difficult for Cao Cao, he also understood.

From Gao Wang's perspective, you, Cao Mengde, are a traitor. You should be one of the eunuchs, but not only do you not help your own people, you also use their lives as a gift to please the scholars.

"I'll fine you three months' salary." Liu Bian pointed at Gao Wang, then stood up and walked towards the main hall. "Go and summon Cao Mengde into the palace. Also, have the kitchen send an extra lunch, a grand feast. I'll have lunch with Cao Mengde."

As for Gao Wang, Liu Bian chose to give him a light punishment and a stern warning. Waiting for an hour was actually normal. Cao Cao was not a high-ranking official, but just a small counselor.

However, officials awaiting an audience would usually wait in a side hall, with tea and food provided. However, Gao Wang deliberately misled Cao Cao by not bringing him along. Cao Cao, fearing Gao Wang might do something more, did not feel comfortable going alone. Therefore, Gao Wang's actions were within the rules and were not considered excessive.

As for the lunch he gave me, he only remembered it at the last minute.

Since Liu Bian came here, he has been eating three or even four meals a day in order to stay healthy, but even so, he still feels his stomach is empty. Others who usually eat two meals a day would probably faint from hunger standing under the scorching sun.

Since he was already here, I couldn't just watch him eat, so I just gave Cao Cao a lunch.

Since he had been given lunch, he might as well show all the etiquette. After all... he also intended to make things difficult for Cao Mengde.

"I accept the punishment and thank Your Highness for your grace." Gao Wang bowed down.

Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all grace from the emperor. For these servants, Liu Bian's punishment is also a gift. Even if he is given three feet of white silk, he has to thank him.

After leaving the palace, Gao Wang looked at Cao Cao, who was already sweating profusely under the scorching sun, and coldly conveyed Liu Bian's oral instructions.

"According to the Crown Prince's order, I summon Counselor Cao Cao to the audience."

A smile finally appeared on his dark face, and Cao Cao patted his thigh.

He stood there for a whole hour. Fortunately, Cao Cao was a chivalrous man and had practiced martial arts since childhood, otherwise he might not have been able to stand for such a long hour.

Even so, his legs went weak when he took a step. At this moment, a thin arm supported him, preventing Cao Cao from making a fool of himself in front of the palace gate.

"Cao Aman, I don't like you. You're Cao Teng's grandson, yet you associate with scholars." Gao Wang supported Cao Cao and whispered beside him, a voice barely audible between the two of them. "But the Crown Prince said you have the talent to bring peace to the world. For the Crown Prince's sake, I won't attack you again, nor will I let the other eunuchs do the same."

"Standing for an hour was my fault for not informing the Crown Prince, but it also earned you the opportunity to have lunch with him, so make the most of it."

Cao Cao looked at Gao Wang in surprise, with a puzzled expression. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Gao Wang loosen his arm and waved his hand with disgust.

"Look at the stench of sweat all over your body! Isn't it going to bother His Highness?" Gao Wang pointed to the young eunuch standing beside him and said, "Go take Cao Yilang to bathe, and then send someone to get a set of clean clothes from Cao Da Si Nong's residence."

The Mansion of the Grand Minister of Agriculture was very close to the imperial palace. It took only a quarter of an hour for the minor official to set out and come back with clean clothes. Cao Cao's bath was just a quick rinse and some incense to remove the smell. As soon as he got the clean clothes, he changed immediately and went into the palace to meet the emperor.

Before entering the palace gate, Cao Cao rubbed his hands nervously, smoothed out the wrinkles on his official uniform, took a deep breath to suppress his inner excitement and joy, and followed Gao Wang into the palace gate with a solemn face.

"Your servant, Cao Cao, pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Cao Cao saw the figure in red sitting on the imperial couch and bowed down.

"Get up."

Liu Bian gave Cao Cao a fake support and gestured for him to take a seat.

Cao Cao straightened up and couldn't help but look at the prince on the imperial couch, only to find that the prince was also looking at him at this moment.

(End of this chapter)