Luoyang, the Northern Palace.
After returning to the study from the Empress Guo's palace, I had to handle some state affairs. The sky was already getting dark.
Cao Rui asked: "How about the preparations at Chongwen Observatory? Don't let things go wrong."
Sun Zi bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, this afternoon, Professor Gao Tang sent someone to report that everything is ready, just awaiting Your Majesty's arrival tomorrow."
Cao Rui stood up from behind the desk, stretched, and yawned slightly.
"Sun Zhongshu, go back first. I also have to go to rest in the back palace." Cao Rui said with a touch of fatigue: "Since my return from the southern expedition to Luoyang, Mao ping convinced me, and my empress also convinced me not to stay up so late."
Sun Zi smiled and said, "State affairs are indeed important, but Your Majesty's health is also of the utmost importance."
Cao Rui nodded slightly and turned to ask as he was about to walk out the door, "Are you acquainted with Wu Zhi, Sun Zhongshu?"
Sun Zi bowed and said, "I have also heard a bit about Wu Zhi's situation."
"Even hearing about it is good," Cao Rui asked. "If you were to evaluate Wu Zhi, do you think he would have any grievances about being recalled to Luoyang by me? I heard he arrived this morning, and I didn't have a chance to see him yet."
Sun Zi said cautiously, "Wu Zhi is a friend of the late emperor..."
"I know that," Cao Rui interrupted Sun Zi's words. "He is a friend of the late emperor, and I also rewarded him with a position equivalent to that of the nine ministers - Gufu Dong. I did this to honor his friendship with the late emperor."
"Sun Zhongshu, speak without reservation."
Sun Zi answered, "Although Wu Zhi had served the late emperor well, he has always relied on his favor and looked down on other officials without considering them."
Cao Rui nodded, signaling Sun Zi to continue. Cao Rui was well aware of Wu Zhi's arrogant personality. At a banquet in Luoyang several years ago, Wu Zhi had engaged in a heated argument with Cao Zhen on the spot, and nothing had happened afterward.
Sun Zi continued, "The current Grand Secretary Cui Lin was accused by Wu Zhi and demoted from the position of Prefect of Youzhou because he did not flatter Wu Zhi, and was then lowered to the post of Prefect of Hejian."
"Surely there must be some truth to that," Cao Rui furrowed his brow.
Sun Zi looked up at the emperor, then bowed and remained silent.
Cao Rui already understood in his heart.
It was the indulgence attitude of Emperor Cao Pi towards Wu Zhi that allowed him to act arrogantly and domineering.
However, Cao Rui had no intention of digging up old accounts about Huang Chufang. Seizing Wu Zhi's position as the military governor of Hebei and relocating him to Chongwen Observatory in Luoyang, Cao Rui believed that Wu Zhi himself would wake up to some realization.
Let's see what happens next.
Cao Rui said, "Tomorrow, Liu Zhongshu will stay in the palace, and Sun Zhongshu will also accompany me."
Sun Zi said, "I will obey your command."
...
As the night falls, the palace still glows with light.
Cao Rui was half-leaning on a reclining chair in his bedroom, holding a scroll of Taiping Jing and reading it.
In recent days, reading the Taiping Jing and learning about the Yellow Turban Rebellion of years past have become a form of entertainment for Cao Rui.
Among the four officials in the Western and Eastern Pavilions, Dong Zhao is the eldest.
At that time, Cao Rui asked Dong Zhao if all the millions of Yellow Turban followers truly believed in Zhang Jiao's teachings.
Dong Zhao expressed opposition to this.
Dong Zhao said, "Among the Yellow Turban army, there were only a few Taiping Daoists. The rest were mainly local strongmen, bandits, and refugees. These people could not even recognize the characters, let alone understand Zhang Jiao's teachings."
In reality, they were using the name of "Yellow Heaven" to confuse and deceive the common people, offering some "medicine water" to the sick and a bowl of thin porridge to the hungry. However, even these "thin benefits" were far more benevolent than those offered by the official government at that time. This was also an important reason why the Yellow Turban Rebellion could succeed.
Cao Rui just smiled then, indicating that he more or less understood.
In essence, the government didn't consider the common people as humans. Zhang Jiao gave the refugees at least one meal. If Tian Gong General provides you with food, why not worship Yellow Heaven as ordered by Tian Gong General?
Cao Rui flipped through the Taiping Jing, and couldn't help but snort a laugh.
Curiously, the Taiping Jing was actually advocating for the Han Dynasty!
The book says that people should serve emperors and slaves should serve their masters. Natural disasters and misfortunes are primarily the responsibility of officials rather than the emperor.
Thankfully, the Yellow Turban rebels were mostly illiterate.
If they were literate, they might even question the Grand Sage of Goodness for not following the teachings. This is truly ironic.
Seeing the emperor leaning on the lounge chair, the palace maid, following the usual custom, brought a basin of warm water to wash the emperor's feet.
Cao Rui looked at the palace maid serving him who was washing his feet and noticed that it was Zhao Yuanyuan, one of the two sisters. He slowly said, "Tonight, you and Zhao Jie will be waiting outside the bedroom?"
Zhao Yuanyuan, who was serving him by washing his feet, bowed slightly and replied softly, "Your Majesty, tonight it is my sister and me who will be serving."
Cao Rui's mind brought back the scene from this afternoon in the palace of Empress Dowager Guo, and he said to Zhao Yuanyuan, "You two may go back. Tonight, let Guo Yao and Da Hu come."
"Nobility knows." Zhao Yuanyuan looked at the hot water in the chair next to the bed and couldn't help but ask, "Should we first serve you to soak your feet before serving you a foot bath?"
Cao Rui didn't speak either, just looked into Zhao Yuanyuan's eyes.
"Servant will go right away," Zhao Yuanyuan bowed slightly, then picked up the hot water basin she had just brought, and stepped out with small steps.
As Cao Rui was still reading the book, the two girls - Guo Yao and Sun Luoban - hurried over.
Cao Rui heard the sound, slightly raised his eyes, and looked over.
Sun Luoban came in with a new basin of hot water, and Guo Yao followed behind, looking somewhat constrained.
Seeing the emperor looking over here, Sun Luoban whispered to Guo Yao, "Go and massage the emperor from behind."
"Yes." Guo Yao also replied softly.
Sun Luoban placed the basin of hot water next to the lounge chair, knelt down on the ground, and skillfully removed the emperor's shoes and socks.
Cao Rui saw this and slowly closed the Taiping Jing, then handed it to Guo Yao behind him with his right hand. He then pointed to the direction of the desk.
Guo Yao then understood the hint, placed the book on the desk, and returned to sit behind the emperor, gently massaging his shoulders.
Cao Rui leaned back in the lounge chair with his eyes closed and asked, "Which one of you two burned incense today?"
Sun Luoban explained in a low voice, "It was me, Your Majesty. I burn the incense today since I'm not on duty tonight. So I lightly burned it for a moment."
Cao Rui nodded slightly, looking down at Sun Luoban who was massaging his feet with a superior attitude: "How long has Da Hu been with you, Your Majesty?"
Sun Luoban looked up at the emperor and said, somewhat nervously, "Your servant started to serve Your Majesty in February, and it's almost two months now."
"Your Majesty, I remember you said that you also studied in the Eastern region," Cao Rui asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty. My sister and I studied together for a few years. We have read some of the Five Classics, but not deeply." Sun Luoban replied.
"Do you know about Yu Ji, who wrote the Taiping Jing?" Cao Rui asked casually, "He should have been a man from several decades ago. I think I remember that Yu Ji was killed by your uncle, Sun Ce, right?"
While massaging the emperor's feet with her hands, Sun Luoban continued, "Your servant knows about Yu Ji. There are many strange stories about Yu Ji that have been passed down."
"What strange stories?" Cao Rui asked out of curiosity, while his gaze also fell on Da Hu's curvy waist and her figure, which was well balanced between slender and full.
Sun Luoban replied, "I've heard that after Yu Ji was executed by my uncle, he came back to life again!"
"Your Majesty, there are people in the Eastern Region who are even more powerful than Yu Ji now!" Sun Luoban looked up at Cao Rui, but saw the smiling face of the emperor.
Sun Luoban was no longer a young girl, and she understood the smile.
Pressing her lips together slightly, a blush spreading across her cheeks, Sun Luoban struggled to say, "Your servant... Your servant was referring to a Taoist named Ge Xuan."
Cao Rui chuckled lightly, closed his eyes and enjoyed the massage from both women in front and behind him, then asked, "Ge Xuan? I've never heard of this person. Da Hu, try to tell me about him?"
Sun Luoban's voice tone began to rise slightly, and her tone became finer as she spoke, "Your Majesty. It is said that Ge Xuan was a disciple of Zuo Ci. The father of Your Majesty once asked Ge Xuan to make it rain, and heavy rain poured down immediately. He then asked if there were any fish in the water, and Ge Xuan suddenly appeared with hundreds of fish in the pond."
Cao Rui shook his head in his heart, thinking, This is no different from Zuo Ci's transformation of fish. Indeed, he is Zuo Ci's disciple.
Sun Luoban continued, "And even more, my father asked Ge Xuan to pray for a near-death Lv Ziming to extend his life."
"What, to extend his life?" Cao Rui opened his eyes, sat up and looked at Sun Luoban, "Lv Ziming? Is that referring to Lv Meng?"
"Yes," Sun Luoban said with a pair of lively eyes, looking at the emperor, "I was still young at the time, but this is something I heard from a servant close to my father that was told in all earnest."
"At that time, it was probably in An'guan, in the Southern Circuit. After Lv Meng became seriously ill, Taoist Ge Xuan was summoned and held a seven-night ceremony under the stars. Thanks to this, Lv Meng lived for another seven days."
Cao Rui frowned and said, "Is this true or false? How many people know about it?"
Sun Luoban gently shook her head, "I suppose not many. I heard about it from a close servant as well."
Cao Rui nodded, recalling the mention of Luo Yuanping, among other officials, and Zhou Qun and Zhang Yu in Shu.
Afterward, if he heard of any such extraordinary person, he would immediately summon them to Luoyang and personally test their abilities.
Whether these people are truly extraordinary or just tricksters who are deceiving others, remains to be seen.
A few moments later, Cao Rui returned to reality and looked down at Sun Luoban by his feet, "Stop for a moment. After tidying up, come to my side. Your Majesty has something to say to you."
"Yes," Sun Luoban replied softly. She then picked up a clean piece of hemp cloth to dry the emperor's feet, stood up, bent down, and lifted the water basin in front of the emperor before slowly walking out.
Looking at Sun Luoban's retreating figure, Cao Rui asked in a low voice, "Is that Guo Yao? When did she enter the palace?"
"Your Majesty, last month when I returned to Luoyang, I brought you to serve by my side. Have you any complaints?"
Guo Yao was startled and her voice trembled slightly as she said, "Your servant has no complaints. Serving the emperor is the servant's blessing."
"Your servant entered the palace at the end of the year of Huang Chu the First."
Cao Rui waved his hand, indicating that Guo Yao should come closer to him. (Chapter ended)
