Chapter 24: Share your worries The sun was setting, and after the Hu people's performance, it was almost time for dinner. The light in the hall gradually dimmed, and the eunuchs carefully lit the candles in the hall. The palace maids came in one after another and placed plates of exquisite dishes on everyone's tables. Tonight's menu was also specially designed. Cao Rui personally selected twelve of his favorite imperial dishes and instructed the imperial eunuchs to prepare enough osmanthus wine, so that he and everyone would not leave until they were drunk. The candlelight made the hall as bright as day, and a musician was already playing soothing music. The first palace banquet after Cao Rui ascended the throne was about to begin. But Cao Rui was not so happy in his heart. In other words, Cao Rui was waiting for some result. In fact, it was quite unusual that the Secretariat sent Sima Fu's letter of remonstration in the afternoon. Normally, after the emperor issued an order, the Imperial Secretariat Supervisor Liu Fang or the Imperial Secretariat Minister Sun Zi would draft the edict and then send it to the Secretariat for execution. The normal process is very smooth.
But Sima Fu's advice today, regardless of what he said in his advice, actually has two doubts. The first doubt is that the emperor's edict sent to the Shangshu Tai is usually signed by the Shangshu on duty and then sent to the Shangshu Ling for confirmation before execution. Even if Sima Fu was the Shangshu on duty and could see the emperor's edict, did Sima Fu hand it over to the ministers? If he had handed it over, Cao Xiu, Cao Zhen, Chen Qun, and Sima Yi would have seen it. Who was stopping him? It was obviously not Cao Xiu or Cao Zhen, because among the officials appointed in the imperial decree were their sons. Were Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen reduced to mere figures, sidelined or deceived in the Secretariat? If he hadn't, how could Sima Fu have the courage to advise him? As Sima Yi's younger brother, was it Sima Yi who ordered him to do so, or was it Sima Fu who acted on his own to gain fame? These were the questions in Cao Rui's mind, and they were also things he would definitely ask someone to find out after the banquet. The eunuch called the Zhongshujian Liu Fang again, and Liu Fang took back the documents from the door again. This time it was not just one letter, but two. Liu Fang had a blank expression on his face on the way back. I don't know if he had something on his mind or he had completely given up. Liu Fang walked up to Cao Rui and saluted: "Your Majesty, this is another letter of remonstrance from Sima Fu, and the other volume is a reply to Minister Liu." Liu Ye was an excellent writer. Just now, while he was watching the acrobatics at the banquet, he had finished writing a letter to Sima Fu in a short moment. Just one hour later, he received a reply. Cao Rui waved his hand and threw the two bamboo slips to the ground before even looking at them. Cao Rui said angrily: "Sima Fu is so bold! Who is instructing him to reject my orders again and again?" It was rare for the Secretariat to reject the emperor's edict. Most of the time, the edict would be left in the Secretariat without being executed, while the emperor would be advised at the same time. The act of admonishing is essentially delaying the execution of the emperor's will, which is another form of rejection. Facing the furious emperor, Liu Fang was very embarrassed. He could not leave or not leave. He could only silently pick up the two bamboo scrolls on the ground and slowly put them on the corner of the table. Cao Rui glanced at the two documents and said, "Liu Shizhong, didn't you write a letter to Sima Shuda? Come and read his reply." Liu Ye walked over slowly, unfolded the bamboo slips with both hands and began to read, his expression gradually becoming solemn. Liu Ye didn't dare to show his anger in front of the emperor. Cao Rui said, "Minister, please read it out."
Liu Ye looked embarrassed. To be honest, Sima Fu cursed Liu Ye in the letter, and the curse was quite dirty. Liu Ye did not want to embarrass himself in front of everyone. But the emperor had been rejected twice today. Liu Ye did not want to offend the emperor again, so he rejected the emperor's intention again. Liu Ye read: "Liu Ye is flattering and disloyal, Your Majesty, A Shun, is biased and believes in one-sided words. In the past, Liangqiu Ju flattered Chuantai, and Ye was referring to this. Please ask the officials to discuss the crime and clear the imperial temple." Sima Fu's curses were really filthy. It was the first time Cao Rui had seen someone who could curse so hard. Sima Fu wrote to Liu Ye, saying that Liu Ye was a flatterer. He believed the emperor's words and Liu Ye licked the emperor's lip service in order to win his favor. This is probably what he meant. Sima Fu's last words were that Liu Ye should be put in prison. After reading this article that insulted him, Liu Ye was confused for a moment. Sima Fu, Sima Fu, when did I, Liu Ye, become such a grudge against you? When Cao Rui saw Liu Ye being scolded so badly, he knew in his heart that it was because Liu Ye was speaking for him. Although Liu Ye was extremely intelligent, he was always good at guessing the emperor's thoughts. Liu Ye was scolded because he wrote a letter to support the emperor in refuting Sima Fu. Now Sima Fu scolded Liu Ye back, which was equivalent to scolding Cao Rui. Cao Rui temporarily held back: "Read this volume again." Liu Ye picked up Sima Fu's second letter of advice to the emperor. His face was a little stiff, but he still read it aloud. Liu Ye read, "I have heard that the Five Emperors and the Three Kings all clearly established the teachings and ruled the world with filial piety. Your Majesty is benevolent, wise, and compassionate, just like the ancient heroes. I hope to follow the footsteps of the previous generations and make them a model for all generations to follow. How can you allow your close relatives to be dull and indulge in feasts and entertainments in the midst of ignorance? I risk my life to report this to you, and I hope Your Majesty will examine it." Everyone in the hall was in an uproar. "Is Sima Fu crazy?" "Who ordered Sima Fu to be so rebellious?" "Sima Fu, the villain, should be beheaded!" Sima Fu's second letter of advice was even more harsh. Sima Fu asked, why did the emperor employ stupid people around him and indulge in feasting and pleasure during the period of mourning? This is too much spray. Since the matter concerned the emperor, and there were spies in Luoyang city, no one dared to speak to the emperor. But today, during the remonstrance, Sima Fu said that Cao Rui appointed relatives and friends to hold a banquet during the period of mourning. He appointed people indiscriminately and was unfilial! No wonder Sima Fu's advice made Cao Rui so angry. The emperor's edict to the Secretariat was rejected twice in the form of remonstrance. Does the Shangshutai still obey the emperor's orders? What are the assistant ministers doing? Sima Fu was so arrogant and rebellious. Did he have a backer? Was there anyone instructing him? The most crucial question is, in the Wei Kingdom, does the words of Emperor Cao Rui, who has been on the throne for two months, still count? These questions all came to Cao Rui at once. The angrier Cao Rui was at this moment, the faster his thoughts worked, and a strange sense of calmness filled Cao Rui's mind. Cao Rui has been traveling here for two months and has begun to slowly adapt to this era. The imperial power is not granted by heaven, and the ministers are not absolutely respectful. It has only been a few years since Cao Pi replaced the Han Dynasty with the Wei Dynasty? How much respect can the ministers have for the imperial power? The emperor needs to test his subjects, and the subjects also need to test the emperor.
Sima Fu's advice, on the surface, was a frank statement, but in reality it was a challenge to the emperor's authority and a warning to Cao Rui. The struggle between ministers and imperial power is eternal. Cao Rui just didn't expect that this struggle would come so soon. Please read it~Thank you (End of this chapter)
