Chapter 19 People are like beautiful jade Inside the Taiwei Mansion. The 76-year-old Grand Commandant Zhong Yao was lying on the couch with his eyes closed. There were several knocks on the door, and before Zhong Yao could answer, a young man hurriedly opened the door and came in. Zhong Yao turned around and saw that the person coming was his son Zhong Yu. Zhong Yao asked in doubt: "Yu'er, you are not on duty in the palace at this time, why did you come back home?" Zhong Yu bowed quickly and said, "Father, His Majesty has come to visit you and sent me in to inform you." Zhong Yao's slightly cloudy eyes suddenly showed a glimmer of light, and then he said: "Yu'er, quickly ask someone to carry me to the front hall." Zhong Yu did not dare to neglect it and quickly ordered the two servants waiting outside the door to come in. The two of them carried a specially made sedan chair and sent Zhong Yao to the front hall. Similar to the Han Dynasty, the top officials of the Wei State were called the Three Dukes, namely the Grand Commandant, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and the Minister of Works. At this time, the three ministers of Wei were all old and virtuous. Zhong Yao, the second Grand Commandant of Wei, was praised by Cao Cao as a figure like Xiao He. Zhong Yao was demoted to a commoner because of Wei Feng's rebellion in Yecheng.
However, because Zhong Yao had a good personal relationship with Cao Pi, after the first Grand Marshal Jia Xu passed away, Zhong Yao was promoted from the position of Tingwei to Grand Marshal. Situ Hua Xin, in his early years, sat at the same table with the famous scholar Guan Ning. Seeing the gold on the ground, Hua Xin picked it up, then saw Guan Ning's expression and threw the gold away. During the process of Cao Pi replacing the Han Dynasty with the Wei Dynasty, Hua Xin was responsible for leading troops into the palace to search for Empress Fu. Empress Fu was hiding in the cracks of the wall, and it was Hua Xin who pulled Empress Fu out personally. Wang Lang, the Minister of Works, served as the governor of Kuaiji in Jiangdong when he was young. When Sun Ce swept across Jiangdong, Wang Lang led his army to repel Sun Ce's troops many times. At this time, Wang Lang had not yet been promoted to Situ. Not to mention Jia Xu, who was the first Grand Commandant. Jia Xu, also known as Jia Wenhe, was known throughout the world as the "poisonous scholar". Jia Xu, Zhong Yao, Hua Xin and Wang Lang, these four former or current Three Dukes of Wei State can truly be described as 'old and virtuous', or 'the court is full of upright people'. Cao Rui sat at the head of the hall, bored and dazed, when Zhong Yao was finally carried over by a servant. Zhong Yao apologized repeatedly: "Your Majesty came to my house in person, and I was not able to greet you from afar. I am guilty. My son Zhong Yu also failed to inform me." Cao Rui said: "The Grand Tutor is the teacher of all officials and is as important as the heart of the country. I have just ascended the throne and need to consult the Grand Tutor on how to handle major state affairs." Zhong Yao shook his head and said, "I am old and incompetent, and I cannot bear the heavy trust your majesty has placed in me." Cao Rui smiled and said, "The Grand Commandant is unwilling to teach me?" Zhong Yao bowed his hands slowly and said, "How dare I? Your Majesty is a man of great talent, judgment, calmness and experience. How can I interfere?" Cao Rui said: "Taiwei, please don't be modest. I came here today mainly to check on your health." At this time, Cao Rui, looking at the very old Zhong Yao sitting beside him, could not understand how such an old man could have given birth to his youngest son Zhong Hui last year. Could it be that there really is a true secret of the art of sex? Facing this old man who was older than his grandfather Cao Cao, Cao Rui was of course too embarrassed to ask. Cao Rui asked, "Is the Taiwei's leg disease still serious?" Zhong Yao said, "My legs have not been in good condition for three or four years. Whenever it rains, they hurt more. Thanks to your majesty, they are getting better this summer." Cao Rui nodded: "As long as the general is getting better, I won't worry anymore."
"I recently sorted out the relics of the late emperor and found one item that has a great connection with the Grand Commandant." Zhong Yao asked, "What is your Majesty talking about?" Cao Rui signaled to Zhong Yu: "Bring that box over here." Zhong Yu held a box in his hands. Cao Rui smiled and asked Zhong Yao: "General, do you feel familiar with this box?" Zhong Yao shook his head slightly: "Your Majesty, I am really old and I really can't remember it." Cao Rui opened the box, took out a jade ring with a warm color, and handed it to Zhong Yao. Zhong Yao raised his hand tremblingly, took the jade ring, looked at it over and over for a moment, and showed a look of realization. "This jade ring belonged to the late emperor. I have already remembered it." Cao Rui smiled and said, "It is the thing of the late emperor. I heard that the former general gave this jade ring to the late emperor. Thinking of the general's meritorious service, I have come here for this trip." Zhong Yao stroked his long beard and said, "I think about it. This happened in the 20th year of Jian'an, so 11 years have passed." "In the past, I was in Chang'an raising military supplies for Emperor Wu, and the late emperor was in Mengjin supervising the transportation. The late emperor loved beautiful jade, and when he heard that I had this jade ring, he sent Xun Zhongmao to ask me about it." "I know that the late emperor had a noble character. If this jade ring was in the hands of the late emperor, the beautiful jade and the late emperor's virtue would complement each other perfectly. Therefore, I gave this jade ring to the late emperor." Cao Rui smiled and said, "The late emperor must have loved this jade very much. I found it on the highest shelf in the late emperor's room." "Just like the merits of General Zhong, who is the best among all the ministers of the country." There was no special expression on Zhong Yao's old face. The emperor did not come to Zhong Yao's house for no reason. The emperor's visit to Zhong Yao's house this time was definitely not just to show Zhong Yao the jade. Zhong Yao said slowly: "I will never forget the kindness of the late emperor. I and the Zhong family will do our utmost to be loyal to the Wei Dynasty." Zhong Yao held it up with both hands and handed the jade ring to Cao Rui. Cao Rui looked at the jade ring and said, "Although the jade is beautiful, it is not as good as the noble character of the Grand Tutor! Zhong Yu, come here." Zhong Yu, who was standing beside his father, walked over. Usually in the palace, Zhong Yu, as a minister of imperial guards, would stand behind Cao Rui. Today in the Zhong residence, the emperor was a guest, so Zhong Yu stood beside his elderly father. Cao Rui carefully placed the jade ring into the box and handed the box to Zhong Yu: "The commander gave this treasure to the late emperor. As the late emperor's son, I will give this jade to you today." "Zhong Yu, you must work hard to be a wise minister like the Grand Commandant!" Zhong Yu looked at Cao Rui's hand in surprise. The young man had never expected that the emperor would come to visit his father and take out such a historic item and give it to him. Zhong Yao's old voice came from behind Zhong Yu: "Yu'er, why don't you thank me?" Zhong Yu quickly knelt on his knees, raised his hands and took the box containing the jade ring, and spoke hesitantly: "Your Majesty, I am overwhelmed by your reward. I am overwhelmed by your honor." The shrewd Zhong Yao understood that Cao Rui's visit to his house was definitely not just to reminisce about the past or give him gifts. His father, Cao Pi, once competed with Cao Zhi for the throne and tried every means to win the support of Cao Wei's ministers. At that time, Cao Cao was far away in Hanzhong, and Cao Pi actually asked Cao Zhi to take a message to Zhong Yao, saying that Cao Pi heard that Zhong Yao had a beautiful jade and hoped to appreciate it. Is it the jade that is wanted? Of course not, what is wanted is Zhong Yao's support. If Zhong Yao sent someone to give the jade to Cao Pi in front of Cao Zhi, it would mean that Zhong Yao supported Cao Pi but not Cao Zhi. If he did not give it to Cao Pi, it would offend Cao Pi and who knows what kind of trouble would happen in the future.
Zhong Yao, who didn't want to take sides so early, was forced to take sides with Cao Pi because of a piece of jade. It’s just a piece of jade. The Zhong family in Yingchuan can afford it. But when Zhong Yao sent an envoy with a fast horse to deliver the jade, he never imagined that eleven years later, the jade would be given by Cao Pi's son to his own son. Cao Rui, ah Cao Rui, what on earth do you want to do? There is still one chapter before twelve o'clock~~~~~~ (End of this chapter)
