As the feast was drawing to a close, Cao Rui stood up and walked to the hall, standing in front of Mao Ping's table: "Please follow me back to the palace after a while."
In the eyes of various women, either envious or desiring, Mao Yan slowly stood up and performed a polite bow, softly answering: "I understand, my lady."
Cao Rui nodded, then walked over to the table in front of Sun Shuyi: "Come with me, too!"
Sun Luban initially agreed out of instinct, but then suddenly realized something was amiss, nearly whispering in surprise. Her cheeks blushed almost visibly, as if the color could be seen with the naked eye.
It's quite absurd! There's never been anything like this in the palace before. How could it make sense to summon two concubines to the bedroom at the same time?
The emperor had already started walking towards the hall. Sun Lu Ban was both embarrassed and surprised. She glanced at Mao Yan, raising her eyes slightly.
She merely cast a fleeting glance at Sun Luban with the corner of her eye, her gaze carrying a hint of warning and advice, which instantly brought Sun Luban to her senses.
I must be overthinking things.
Today, the emperor has bestowed two princes with the title of king. It is certain that he will discuss matters related to bestowing titles, and how could it involve anything else?
Although I was thinking this in my mind, my chest was still beating rapidly.
In the palace at night, Cao Rui leaned back in a reclining chair, with Mao Yan to his left and Sun Lu Ban to his right. Both sat on smaller, softer chairs beside him.
The candlelight flickered within the chamber, but the emperor showed no inclination to discuss romantic matters with the two women. Instead, he began to chat about reading.
Cao Rui gently held Mao Yan's left hand and Sun Lu Ban's right hand, saying softly, "Last year, I gave each of you a copy of the Shuofan written by the Secretary of the Imperial Bureau. Have you both read it?"
Mao Yan replied with slight surprise, "Your Majesty, why are you asking about this today? It was a year ago, and since there is no event in the palace, I have read it several times."
Cao Rui nodded slightly and turned to Sun Lu Ban: "Da Hu, what about you?"
Sun Lu Ban was quite surprised when the emperor asked about this, and she had not finished reading it or dared to lie face to face, so she lowered her head and softly explained, "Your Majesty, Yan Er just turned one and a half years old, and I spent more time taking care of him, so I haven't had much time to read."
Cao Rui did not scold her, but he sighed softly and said, "Da Hu, if you are content to stay by the emperor's side as a concubine, it doesn't matter whether you read history or not."
"But now you are the mother of the Prince of Chang Le, how can you not study the old tales and not know about good and bad luck? I once folded a corner of a page in the book for you, didn't you notice that?"
Sun Lu Ban lowered her head even further and apologized softly, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for my mistake."
Cao Rui said, "It's not about being right or wrong. Go back and read it a few times carefully. You also studied in Jiangdong early on, so read it yourself carefully."
"Yes, I understand."
"Yaner, what about you?" Cao Rui turned to the left and looked at Mao Ping.
Mao Yan looked at the emperor with a silent gaze and replied softly, "The page that His Majesty folded, I can almost recite it by heart."
"Your Majesty, may I read it to Da Hu?"
At this time, Cao Rui was nearly half-drunk and didn't refuse: "Alright, you can tell it to Da Hu!"
Mao Yan nodded, and then looked at Sun Lu Ban and said, "Da Hu, the page that His Majesty folded for us is about the biography of Empress Lü."
Sun Lu Ban seemed to recall something and replied in a low voice, "Is it about Empress Lü during the Han Dynasty's Gao Emperor?"
Mao Yan nodded, "Yes, that's right. Besides Empress Lü, there were other concubines for Gao Emperor in the Han Dynasty, such as Qī Huān and Báo Yī."
"The life and rule of Empress Lü, who held power through her family ties, illustrate a cautionary tale of the consequences that followed her death and the downfall of her entire clan."
"Qī Huān was favored for her singing and dancing, but she was unable to save herself. Her limbs were amputated and she was confined in a pig sty, known as a human pig."
Sun Lu Ban had studied the scriptures and knew some history, but she had never heard of the stories of Empress Lü and Qī Huān. As she listened, a hint of fear crept into her eyes.
Mao Yan did not stop and continued, "Báo Yī was not favored, but she gave birth to a good son, who would later become Emperor Huan of Han. She was able to live out her life as the mother of an emperor."
"Your Majesty, may I ask if what I said is correct?"
Cao Rui nodded and gently patted the backs of the two women's hands.
Cao Rui said, "I once heard a saying that if every word a person speaks is free from taboo, they must surely know all the places where they can offend others."
"If you two were like most women in the world, spending your lives taking care of your husband and raising children, you wouldn't have to pay attention to so many things."
"But both of you have been educated, and you are by my side, giving me heirs. There are some things I have to say."
As he spoke, Cao Rui chuckled and said, "First of all, I didn't mean to scare you."
Sun Lu Ban took both of her hands and wrapped them around Cao Rui's right hand, speaking softly, "I understand, Your Majesty, please speak."
Mao Yan noticed Sun Lu Ban's gesture and followed suit by placing Cao Rui's left hand on her thigh, stilling it, and gently waving her fingers in a circular motion.
Cao Rui ignored the small actions of the two women and continued, "You are close to the emperor, and close to his power. However, being close to power does not mean that you also possess power."
"This is why the former emperor was wise to banish politics from the harem and issue edicts against interference. I agree with the former emperor's intentions; this is for your own good and also a way to protect you."
"No matter how exalted Empress Lü was during her lifetime, she still faced the fate of her entire clan after death. That is the nature of life and fortune."
Both Mao Yan and Sun Lu Ban acknowledged their understanding.
Cao Rui continued, "And as mothers of the imperial princes, you are also members of the royal family and mothers to my sons."
"I trust my officials in the outer court without reservation, and I treat you all in the same way as I do them in the palace. Today, I promise you that if you do not engage in any harmful actions to the great Wei Empire, I will never betray you in this life."
Mao Yan, for some reason, felt a pang of sorrow after hearing Cao Rui's promise. Her nose stung slightly, and she began to sob softly.
Sun Lu Ban thought that Mao Yan was merely acting, but Cao Rui did not think so.
What happened in history will no longer happen.
Cao Rui sighed lightly, lifted his left hand, and gently patted Mao Yan's shoulder: "Don't cry, don't cry. I understand your feelings, and you know me too. This is the heart-to-heart connection."
Mao Yan hummed in agreement, leaning her whole body against Cao Rui's shoulder.
Across from Sun Lu Ban, there was still some dissatisfaction, but she dared not express it.
After delivering the warning, Cao Rui spoke of other matters: "By the way, I haven't told you two about it yet."
"When the new year comes, I will lead the entire central army to Quchaung. Not only the central army, but also the Western and Eastern Wings of the Secretariat, the Imperial Secretariat, and the Ministry of Personnel will go with me to Quchaung."
Mao Yan's tearful, almond-shaped eyes looked at Cao Rui: "Is there going to be another war? Your Majesty just returned from the Guanzhong region last year, and now you are leaving again?"
Sun Lu Ban, however, remained silent.
Bringing the entire central army to Quchaung is a given, and it's easy to guess that it's in preparation for a confrontation with the Eastern Wu.
The husband is going to bully the father again...
She dared not utter a single word, thinking in her mind. After all, the emperor had previously given her a promise, and she could only pray that her father would not lose, and if he did lose, he would better be sensible.
After all, she has already married.
After all, her father's foundation is meant for her brother, and as an outsider, what does it matter to her as a married daughter of the Sun family?
I have already become a member of the Cao family.
Cao Rui showed no intention of hiding anything: "General Marshal has passed away, and the southeastern defense line is long and lacks a clear advantage, which is a great concern of mine."
"I have discussed with the court officials that we want to take control of the Yangzhou area north of the river. If we can do this, we can divide the Yangzhou region into different areas and have a more leisurely and systematic defense along the river."
Mao Yan didn't understand these matters, so she simply asked, "When will Your Majesty return to Luoyang?"
Cao Rui sighed and said, "That's why I have called you here."
"I will move to the Quchaung Palace for residence and will select people from the palace to go with me. However, since you two have sons and have been granted titles as kings, it is for you to stay in Luoyang and be ready for unexpected events."
"Can you understand what I mean?"
Mao Ping bit her lip and was about to generously acknowledge it, but Sun Lu Ban on the other side also began to cry.
"I do not want the emperor to leave. I have left Yan'er in Luoyang. Can't I go with Your Majesty?"
Cao Rui coughed lightly and deliberately frowned: "I haven't said when I'll be back, but it might only be in two or three months."
"Obey, and stay in Luoyang as before, taking good care of the prince. I have already bestowed a title of king on your son, so what is there to worry about?"
Sun Lu Ban reluctantly agreed, even though she didn't want to.
I wonder which concubines the emperor will choose to accompany him to Quchaung.
Guo Yao! The emperor must be taking Guo Yao with him!
Sun Lu Ban's heart slightly felt sour.
Mao Yan sat obediently across from her, feeling quite the same as Sun Lu Ban on the inside.
It's just a matter of whether to say it or not.
...
Three days later, as Emperor Cao Rui was reviewing documents in his study, Du Su slowly entered: "Your Majesty, the former Prefect of Xu State, Lü Qian, has arrived and is waiting outside the study."
"Summon," Cao Rui looked at Du Su: "Also bring the two from the Eastern Hall."
"Obeying the order, I will go and convey the message," Du Su went away, and soon he came back with Lü Qian, Sima Yi, and Wei Zheng.
Lü Qian, nearing seventy years old, walked slowly into the study and directly kowtowed deeply: "Lü Qian pays homage to Your Majesty!"
Cao Rui rose forward and helped Lü Qian up. Seeing his thin and wrinkled face, Cao Rui was moved to tears: "Previously, I thought you were slacking in your duties and handed over all the affairs of Xu State to Wang Xiang. I also failed to notice your true worth, so I summoned you back to Luoyang."
"Yet I did not realize that your health had deteriorated so much."
After Lü Qian stood still, he sighed longingly: "I have indeed been remiss, and please forgive me. Wang Xiang is renowned throughout the land, but I am old and sick, and I need him to assist me in governing the state. That is why I have been lenient with some of my duties."
"But Wang Xiang does indeed have some talent."
Cao Rui said, "Wang Xiang having talent is true, as is his reputation and grandeur. I do not intend to use him anymore."
"After thinking it over, I believe the problem lies with the system of the great Wei."
Wei Zheng and Sima Yi on the side looked over, with some confusion in their eyes. How can it be a system problem again?
Cao Rui said, "When the great Wei was established, there were few regulations for the appointment of officials. Wen Pin served in Jiangxia for decades, Du Ji served in Hedong for more than a decade, and you have served in Qingxi for over twenty years."
"Situations like this require the great Wei to rectify." (This chapter concludes)
