The King of Wei is eternal—
On the battlements of the majestic Xudu City, the sonorous bell chimes continued.
Cao Ang, Cao Pi, and Cao Zhi were all clad in heavy mourning. Their eyes were red and swollen, their countenances gaunt.
But no sooner had they exited the mourning hall than they were each pulled aside by servants.
Among them, Cao Pi was taken away by Wu Zhi.
Cao Pi deliberately feigned surprise, while Wu Zhi made a mysterious "shush" gesture. He led Cao Pi into seclusion behind the hall.
Cao Pi, shedding his appearance of swollen, red eyes, immediately inquired.
"How fares Hua Tuo?"
"He has been imprisoned in the Dali Temple. The Minister of the Dali Temple has subjected him to severe torture. His flesh and blood are mangled. The news is reliable. It seems… the promises made by the King of Wei before his demise could not help him escape this calamity!" Wu Zhi reported truthfully.
Cao Pi mused for a moment…
With his deep and calculating mind, he would not overlook any detail; these would all influence his judgment.
"Has the main hall been secured?"
Cao Pi continued to ask…
Wu Zhi nodded. "The King of Wei's hall is now completely surrounded by our men, with no one allowed to enter or exit."
Cao Pi nodded again.
In the current climate, the King of Wei's hall was not of paramount importance, but behind the plaque within lay a final decree from his father…
This decree stipulated the choice of the heir apparent…
Now, the plaque behind a small King of Wei hall was stirring the hearts of the entire Wei empire, deciding the future of the entire Wei empire!
"Go to the King of Wei's hall…" Cao Pi immediately commanded…
Preparing to head in the direction of the King of Wei's hall.
Wu Zhi quickly stopped him, "My Lord, you must not…"
"Why?"
"My Lord intends to view that decree?"
"My father's decree, is there anything I cannot see?" Cao Pi's tone was resolute.
"You cannot see it, you absolutely must not see it!" Wu Zhi's tone was solemn. "Currently, Gongzi Chong is in Yongliang, Gongzi Ziwen is in Youzhou. Although Gongzi Ziyou and Gongzi Zijian are in Xudu, they hold no military power. Only you, my Lord, are in Xuchu City and possess troops here. This is heaven's aid for you to obtain the great position! However, no one can imitate the King of Wei's handwriting. If you were to view the King of Wei's final decree at this time? That would not be succession, but rebellion."
Wu Zhi's words became increasingly meticulous.
"My Lord, though the King of Wei has fallen and Lu Ziyu has gone to meet Wang Yue's appointment… still… Gongzi Chong is unharmed. If the decree is revealed, will the Dragon Soaring Camp in Yongliang… perhaps support Cao Chong? These… My Lord must consider them!"
This…
Cao Pi's expression turned cold. In truth, his heart was already pounding in his throat.
This had already reached a critical juncture…
"The decree is placed behind the plaque in the King of Wei's hall? If I do not look, will Commander Xun, Eunuch Zhong, Minister Chen? Will they not look? Will the entire clan of Qiao and Pei, their uncles and elder relatives, not force their way in? Uncle Miaocai is still here… His Swift Camp is stationed in Luoyang. If he insists on forcing entry, can our men stop them?"
As he spoke, Cao Pi was already trembling slightly. He was afraid! How much he yearned for power, and at the moment of reaching power, how much fear and trepidation he felt.
Hoo…
On the contrary, Wu Zhi let out a long sigh. His eyes flickered a few times before he spoke.
"Therefore… the pressing matter is… to burn down the King of Wei's palace!"
"What!"
"Only by burning down the King of Wei's palace will the King of Wei's decree be like a clay ox entering the sea, leaving no trace… At that time…" Wu Zhi's eyes flashed with a cold gleam, "At that time, whoever the King of Wei designated as heir apparent will be of no consequence! Whoever is in Xudu City, whoever can control Sili, whoever holds the military power, that person is the heir apparent, the future ruler of Great Wei!"
"Moreover, the crime of burning down the King of Wei's palace, my Lord can also frame Ziyou and Zijian! They, brothers, rebelled, usurped power… You, my Lord, eliminate traitors and are a meritorious official, a person who saved the day!"
Gulp…
Hearing this, Cao Pi gasped in disbelief…
"This… this…"
Burning down the King of Wei's palace and framing Ziyou and Zijian… Once this is done, it would truly be a case of burning the bridges behind oneself.
Wu Zhi's tone intensified.
"My Lord, one step forward is to be the ruler of the world, one step back is an abyss from which there is no return. Not only must the King of Wei's palace be burned, but the families of all the dukes and officials must be controlled. Currently, my Lord's opponents are not just Cao Chong… the distant Gongzi Ziwen in Youzhou, the in-Xudu Gongzi Ziyou and Gongzi Zijian are also serious threats. Back then, Xiang Yu broke the bridges behind him, and only then did the Qin Pass belong to Chu! Now, my Lord breaks the bridges behind himself, and Great Wei shall be yours, Zi Huan's!"
Wu Zhi's gaze was as cold as ice, emanating a chill that made one feel as if this coldness had been soaked in ice for a thousand years!
Silence…
A long period of silence.
Seeing that Cao Pi remained silent, Wu Zhi continued, "Zi Huan, oh Zi Huan, others may not understand you, but I know… you… you have always been ambitious. Your ambition is concealed by your benevolent exterior. Will you… will you allow this ambition to remain buried forever?"
"The state cannot be without a ruler for a single day. The King of Wei has fallen, and the army's morale in Great Wei will inevitably be unstable. If my Lord does not uphold the heavens of Great Wei, then the Great Wei state will be completely ruined!"
"Now, no matter how ruthless my Lord is, it is… it is all for Great Wei, for the majestic Wei Empire!"
Hearing this, Cao Pi was stunned. He looked at Wu Zhi with shocked and helpless grief.
Instead, he murmured thoughtfully.
"No, wait a moment longer!"
"There is still no news… no news from the Marquis of Nanshan!"
"If I am truly to take that step of slaughter, I must ensure that the Marquis of Nanshan has died by Wang Yue's sword! If he does not die, my heart will not be at peace!"
— I…
Wu Zhi noticed that Cao Pi had changed his self-appellation to "Gu" (I, for an emperor).
With just this one word, he felt… it was settled!
Cao Pi had already decided to do it…
His current hesitation was merely due to his apprehension of Lu Yu.
"The women in the Marquis of Nanshan's mansion…" Cao Pi suddenly thought of something.
"People have been sent to keep a secret watch…" Wu Zhi immediately replied. "Without news of that Lu Yu, our men will not engage with them!"
Speaking of which…
Wu Zhi's eyes narrowed slightly. "It has been three days. The urgent dispatches should have been sent back by now! That Lu Yu, is he alive or dead? There should be a conclusion by now!"
As these words escaped his lips…
Cao Pi closed his eyes and raised his head to face the sky in the dawn light.
— Everything is ready, only lacking the east wind!
…
…
In a side chamber of the Shangshu Tai.
Xun Yu and Jia Xu sat there. Xun Yu poured a cup of tea for Jia Xu, but Jia Xu squinted, appearing as if his eyes were on his nose and his nose on his heart, remaining silent.
Xun Yu spoke first, "Now that the King of Wei has fallen and the palace is in chaos, Scholar Wenhe still has the leisure to come to my Shangshu Tai? Shouldn't you go to the King of Wei's palace first!"
"Heh heh…" Jia Xu chuckled, "Didn't Commander Xun also not go?"
"The Shangshu Tai is busy with daily affairs. I also wish to go, but I must extricate myself first," Xun Yu lamented deliberately.
Jia Xu stroked his beard, putting on an air of seeing through everything.
"What kind of place is the King of Wei's palace now? A den of wolves… Hahaha, entering is easy, but it's difficult to get out again… Moreover…"
Jia Xu leaned his head towards Xun Yu…
And whispered in his ear, "Moreover, the King of Wei is not dead. I, this old man, why would I go to the King of Wei's palace to join the fun?"
This…
Xun Yu was startled. He quickly looked around, then stood up and walked to every door and window to ensure there were no eavesdroppers before kneeling back down before Jia Xu, "Wenhe…"
Before he could speak, Jia Xu said first, "The King of Wei is not dead, is that right?"
"Where did Wenhe get this news?" Xun Yu squinted.
His implication was, who told you?
This was crucial, even related to the entire King of Wei's scheme.
"Commander Xun, please rest assured," Jia Xu waved his hand slightly. "No one told me. I guessed it myself. The King of Wei was cautious and suspicious his entire life. Even due to Lu Ziyu's circumstances, he would never do such a thing as 'cleaving the skull with a sharp axe.' Moreover…"
Jia Xu's eyes narrowed further.
"Before the skull-cleaving, the King of Wei had pardoned Hua Tuo, but Hua Tuo was immediately imprisoned in the Dali Temple… This is too deliberate. And as soon as the King of Wei fell, the King of Wei's palace was placed under martial law, and many inexplicable soldiers emerged. This is also deliberate… The entire Xudu City is rife with undercurrents, and it is all for this reason…"
Jia Xu slowly stood up and took a step to the left.
Suddenly, he turned sharply, his expression solemn.
"Therefore, this is just a scheme, a scheme to uproot the hidden dangers of Great Wei from the depths! This is a rehearsal for the 'struggle for the dragon' arranged by the King of Wei in advance. Commander Xun, am I, this old man, analyzing correctly?"
Boom…
To Xun Yu, Jia Xu's words were like a thunderclap.
His gaze deeply fixed on Jia Xu. This old fellow had also concealed himself quite deeply.
"Wenhe's purpose in coming to Shangshu Tai is most likely not to tell me this!"
Xun Yu continued to ask.
"Naturally." Jia Xu took a letter from his embrace. "I, this old man, am originally from Guanzhong, and I have some 'eyes' in Guanzhong. This is a letter my eyes sent to me this morning. Commander Xun might as well take a look."
Xun Yu took the letter and quickly unfolded it.
He hadn't looked, but upon looking, his brows furrowed tightly.
"Ziyu… he…"
He was somewhat surprised, and also somewhat worried, but very quickly… Xun Yu's expression returned to its usual composure and tranquility.
And the contents of this letter…
There was only one line…
— Lu Ziyu went alone to the meeting, and the Hidden Dragon perished in the Hidden Dragon Abyss!
This…
"Ziyu was killed by Wang Yue?" Xun Yu asked.
"What do you think, Commander Xun?" Jia Xu countered…
Xun Yu hesitated for a moment, then said calmly, "I finally understand why Wenhe came to find me at this time!"
Hahaha…
Jia Xu sighed, "Compared to this struggle for the heir apparent, I value Lu Ziyu's favor more. This favor is truly precious!"
"What does Wenhe intend to do?"
"I have no intention of getting involved in the turbulent undercurrents of Xudu City, but if I were to rescue the women of the Marquis of Nanshan's mansion, that would be a great favor to Lu Ziyu!"
"You are worried?" Xun Yu was taken aback.
"Even a cornered dog will jump over a wall!" Jia Xu's eyes narrowed into a slit. It seemed that the one who could best see through this unpredictable situation was none other than him… Old Poison Jia, Great Deceiver Jia!
At this moment…
Jia Xu once again knelt back down. After chatting a great deal, he finally picked up the somewhat cool tea and drank it down in one gulp…
The water temperature for tea… should not be too hot…
Letting it cool for a while… brings a different kind of flavor!
…
…
"I would rather die than disobey my father's final decree."
In a side hall of the King of Wei's palace, Cao Zhi said with immense pain…
Before him was Ding Yi…
Ding Yi was from Pei County and was the maternal relative of Cao Cao's official wife, Lady Ding. He was currently appointed as the Western Attendant by Cao Cao and had always been close to Cao Zhi… and also held a position in the "Newspaper Agency."
Normally, he was unobtrusive, but at this juncture, he had to step forward.
"I just received news," Ding Yi's expression was extremely tense. "In the Yongliang region, the Marquis of Nanshan went to meet Wang Yue's appointment and died by his sword. Wang Yue also perished… Now, not only is the state of Great Wei headless, but the Dragon Soaring Camp is also headless! My Lord, you are the disciple of the Marquis of Nanshan and you hold the Newspaper Agency. You can guide public opinion at any time… As long as my Lord wishes, you can advance a hundredfold and become the King of Wei!"
Cao Zhi's forehead was covered in sweat, and he repeatedly shook his head, "No, no!"
Ding Yi said with tears, "Has my Lord forgotten your mother? Now… the eldest son, Cao Ang, has voluntarily given up the selection of the heir apparent. Lady Ding admires you, Gongzi Zijian, the most! But the heir apparent chosen by the King of Wei and the Marquis of Nanshan is most likely Cao Chong. Are you willing… to be suppressed by Lady Huan in the future, to be beneath your mother?"
Unlike Wu Zhi's persuasion of Cao Pi, which appealed to "ambition" and "desire"…
Ding Yi appealed to familial affection.
As a member of the Ding family, he naturally had to consider things from Lady Ding's perspective.
At this time, other families might remain indifferent, but the Ding family could not!
Imagine, if Cao Chong became the ruler of Great Wei, then… even if Lady Huan tolerated Lady Ding, how could she tolerate such a "colossus" as the Ding family…
This was already a moment of life and death.
"My Lord, you control the Newspaper Agency. With just one newspaper… you can announce to the world the decree establishing you as the heir apparent. Coupled with the secret mediation of our Ding family, it is not impossible to compete with the other princes! Perhaps the other princes have seized the opportune moment and the geographical advantage, but my Lord has seized the human element, the public opinion!"
"No!" Cao Zhi's tone remained firm. "The Newspaper Agency I control was established by Master Lu. It is precisely because he entrusted this heavy responsibility to me that I… I cannot do this! The King of Wei's palace… behind the plaque, whoever is named as the heir apparent in my father's final decree, that is who it is! I would rather die than disobey my father's final decree. Moreover… my mentor also favors Brother Chong!"
"Can he, Cao Chong, even return?" Ding Yi roared in anger… "I just received news that Xudu City is already filled with Cao Pi's troops. Cao Zhang, upon hearing the news, is likely bringing troops to come. They all have the potential to seize the throne and establish themselves. Cao Chong cannot become the lord of Great Wei!"
Hearing this…
Cao Zhi seemed to suddenly think of something.
"Go to the main hall!"
"Why go to the main hall?" Ding Yi panicked… At this time, going to the main hall was meaningless, because no one would know what happened in the King of Wei's palace, and the newspaper was crucial. The content of the newspaper was the "truth!"
The heir apparent designated in the newspaper was the ruler of Great Wei.
Everyone else… were usurpers!
"I want to personally see that final decree… If my father establishes Brother Chong as the heir apparent, then the newspapers issued by the various prefectures will be that Brother Chong is established as the heir apparent! Brother Chong is the new king of Great Wei!"
Cao Zhi's tone was resolute.
"You…" Ding Yi looked at him with the expression of a dragon sighing over a piece of jade, hating that it could not be turned into steel…
He was so angry that he hung his head and stomped his feet…
Zijian… Zijian, what is wrong with him?
Such great power was right before his eyes, and he… he still wanted to hand it over?
Who would have thought…
Just then, a frantic cry came from outside the door.
— "Fire!"
— "The King of Wei's palace is on fire!"
…
…