Wei Zhen took a half step forward, bowed first and said, "Your Majesty, the Minister of the Left, Wei Zhen, respectfully welcomes your Majesty back to the capital!"
Cao Rui sat on the horse, looked down at Wei Zhen for a few moments, then dismounted, walked forward and helped Wei Zhen up personally.
"With Master Wei in Luoyang, I have nothing to worry about! I have said this before, and I will say it again today!"
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." Wei Zhen said.
Wei Zhen looked up and exchanged glances with Cao Rui, and they both nodded slightly.
it is more than words.
Cao Rui let go of the hand he had held when he helped Wei Zhen up, and went forward to greet Zhong Yao and Hua Xin.
Zhong Yao was one year older. Compared with last year, not only were his legs and feet worse, but his speech was also starting to become more slurred.
Cao Rui sighed, "Taifu is not in good health, so why bother to come out to greet me? Wouldn't it be the same if you waited until I entered Luoyang City before coming to see me?"
Zhong Yao forced a smile on his face and said incoherently: "Your Majesty has won a great victory and recaptured Hanzhong. I want to congratulate Your Majesty!"
As he was speaking, Zhong Yao was about to bow.
Cao Rui pressed down Zhong Yao's hand, leaned close to Zhong Yao and whispered, "I have taken back Hanzhong. How do you compare to Emperor Wu?"
Zhong Yao was stunned for a moment, then realized that the emperor was joking with him, so he smiled and responded: "It's the same lineage, it's the same lineage!"
Cao Rui patted the back of Zhong Yao's hand several times, his fingertips touching Zhong Yao's dry skin, and said, "I am far inferior to Emperor Wu!"
"Next time I send troops, I will ask Zhong Yu to come with me and lead the troops in the central army to follow me!"
Zhong Yao first thought that his son had a promising future, but then he suddenly realized why the emperor was going to send troops again.
Hua Xin coughed lightly and said softly, "Your Majesty, we have something to report to Your Majesty."
Your Excellency?
Cao Rui was quick to notice Hua Xin's choice of words and looked at Zhong Yao, Hua Xin and Wei Zhen. The three of them had the same expression on their faces, as if they had already discussed it.
Cao Rui seemed to be thinking about something, and asked, "What do you have to tell me? It seems that you have already discussed it?"
Hua Xin bowed and replied: "Your Majesty shoulders the heavy responsibility of the country. When you learned that Longyou was in danger, you personally led six divisions to attack the rebels. You are truly a wise and holy ruler."
"But dangers in war arise from small details, and there are always unexpected events in the journey of war."
Hua Xin said sincerely, "Your Majesty is the ruler of the world. You cannot stay in the army for a long time and engage in constant killing. The Holy Emperor lives in Luoyang and sends famous ministers and generals to guard the world and fight in all directions. This is the right way for a monarch."
"I, as the Grand Commandant, am risking my life to give advice to Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will always remember the dangers of war. Wu and Shu are attacking your small country, and Your Majesty can just send a general to deal with it. Why do you have to inconvenience yourself and go to the front of the army?"
"I hope your majesty will give me your approval!"
After saying this, Hua Xin, who was already over seventy years old, bowed, which surprised Cao Rui.
Wei Zhen also bowed, and Zhong Yao, whose legs were unable to move, also bowed in greeting.
Cao Rui was silent for a few moments and did not answer.
Sima Yi was standing a few feet behind, watching the emperor and Zhong Yao, Hua Xin and Wei Zhen whispering something.
But Sima Yi didn't show any intention of coming forward.
If it was a private matter, she would never tell the emperor in such a public place. If it was an ordinary matter, she would know it sooner or later.
Be patient.
Sima Yi kept his composure, and Cao Rui also kept his composure.
Cao Rui's excitement when he first saw the three people had gradually faded away. He said calmly, "Get up! Lord Hua is so brave. Are you not allowing me to lead the army myself?"
Hua Xin straightened up, looked at the emperor in astonishment, and quickly explained: "I just think that the war is dangerous, and your Majesty has contracted a serious disease in the army. I am considering your safety, and there is no other intention!"
Cao Rui looked at Hua Xin and suddenly laughed: "I was just joking with the Grand Commandant! Don't I know your good intentions?"
"Rest assured, my lords. Unless it is an extremely urgent military situation, I will definitely not lead the troops myself in the future."
"The Grand Marshal and the Grand General are both famous generals of the country. They are enough to deal with Wu and Shu. I don't need to lead the troops myself in the future!"
Hua Xin was quite surprised by the emperor's behavior. Could it be that after being in the army for so long, he became so blunt in his speech?
Cao Rui disagreed.
Secular moral standards such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness are not applicable to an emperor.
If there was an emperor who really became a Confucian scholar, it would only be a matter of time before he was taken advantage of.
If he really listened to Hua Xin's words and promised not to lead troops to war again, what would be the difference between that and the loss of military power?
Cao Rui could only guarantee that Wei Zhen had good intentions. The other two were experienced and cunning old ministers, and Cao Rui really couldn't figure them out.
Even though Hua Xin had good intentions, Cao Rui still wanted to scare him and give him a small warning.
You, General Hua, are not a gentleman to begin with. You were the one who dared to break into the Han Emperor's palace and drag Empress Fu out with your own hands. So please don't talk about the holy emperor ruling the country in front of me. It won't work.
Although Hua Xin had seen the wind and waves, he had not seen it for many years. He was still a little uncomfortable with being so fierce to the emperor, so he had to explain that he had no ill intentions. Cao Rui also smiled and comforted him. If an outsider looked at this place, he would only sigh at the harmonious scene of a wise emperor and a virtuous minister.
After a few words, Cao Rui turned around, stretched out his hand to call Sikong Sima Yi over, and exchanged greetings with him for a while.
Cao Rui waved to the ministers from the six ministries and nine departments who came to greet him, then he mounted his horse again and headed towards Luoyang with the ceremonial guard.
When they arrived at Guangyang Gate on the west side of Luoyang, Cao Rui turned to Wei Zhen and said, "Master Wei, have you prepared the money and cloth I sent you to reward the soldiers in the central army?"
Wei Zhen cupped his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, it's ready. I have transferred all the money from the two treasuries in Luoyang and Yecheng, and also requisitioned some from Yanzhou and Qingzhou. The rewards were collected five days ago."
"Once the soldiers have returned to the camp, they can be dispatched the next day. There won't be any delay."
"It's easy to fight, but it's not easy to reward." Cao Rui sighed, "I am the emperor of Wei, and Master Wei is a loyal minister of Wei and a marquis. You and I can devote our efforts to the country, but the soldiers fight hard on the battlefield, isn't it just for some money and rewards?"
"I gave you money and goods today, but I don't want to give you money and goods next time."
Wei Zhen listened in silence, just nodded slightly while sitting on his horse, without answering.
Sima Yi, who was standing by, turned to look at the emperor thoughtfully and said, "I am a little curious, what reward would you like to give me next time?"
Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi and said two words calmly: "Fields!"
Sima Yi took a long breath, bowed, and did not say much.
Rewarding soldiers with land is not as simple as just rewarding them with land. There are many political conditions involved.
If you want to give land as a reward, where will it come from?
The soldiers all have land, but who will farm it and who will serve in the army?
Now that land has been distributed to the soldiers, should the military farming system still be implemented?
The two words "fields" alone encompass three major events: the inventory of land, the military service system, and the military system of military farms.
Every matter concerns the foundation of the Wei Dynasty, which is why Sima Yi dared not answer any more questions.
Could it be that... after Your Majesty returns to the army this time, you will change these systems?
Sima Yi secretly guessed in his heart, but did not dare to confirm it. It was because reforming the system was too difficult.
When Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty measured the land, it aroused endless rebellion in the localities. But that was Guangwu, who was known as the Holy Emperor!
In today's Wei Dynasty, how difficult would it be to accomplish all three of these things?
As they were thinking about it, the team had already entered the city.
Not far from the entrance, Wei Zhen smiled and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty has returned to Luoyang today, and is also returning home. Why don't you go back to the palace to rest for a while, and then have a banquet to celebrate in the evening?"
Cao Rui waved his hand and said, "I will not return to the palace yet. Master Wei, please ask someone to send Master Zhong home first, and the ordinary officials with a salary of two thousand stones to return to their posts."
"The six ministries and nine officials should not leave yet."
After saying this, Cao Rui looked at Hua Xin and said, "I have been away from Luoyang for a long time and missed Wang Situ's funeral. Now that I have arrived in Luoyang, I should go to Wang Situ's mansion to pay my respects."
"Would you like the Grand Commandant to go with me?" Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi again and said, "The Minister of Works will also go with me."
The two of them agreed, and Wei Zhen also agreed.
After the emperor's procession entered Luoyang City, they hardly stopped and went straight towards the Situ Mansion.
Since the new Situ had not yet taken office, Wang Su and his family still lived in the Situ Mansion.
In Luoyang City, the Taiwei Mansion, Situ Mansion and Sikong Mansion were three connected courtyards, half residence and half government office.
Whoever becomes Situ moves in. Whoever resigns moves out.
The locations of the Three Dukes’ Mansions in Luoyang City are fixed, but the Three Dukes are not fixed.
Moreover, according to the tradition of the Han Dynasty, the three highest officials were all highly respected ministers of the state. In other words, they were a group of old men in their seventies or eighties.
It was common for the three ministers to die in office.
No one would refuse to become one of the Three Dukes or move into their mansion because of this taboo in the house.
Confucius does not talk about strange things! Besides, since he has become a high-ranking official, he is naturally immune to all evil!
Wang Lang had passed away for more than a month. Before that, Wang Lang and Wang Su had a tacit understanding with Cao Rui. For both public and private reasons, Cao Rui should come to visit him.
What no one expected was that the emperor did not even return to the palace, but came to Situ’s mansion to pay homage to Wang Lang.
Upon learning that the emperor had arrived, Wang Su greeted him at the door in mourning clothes.
Cao Rui walked forward slowly, Wang Su bowed, and was helped up by the emperor himself.
"My Lord, I meet you again after we parted in Mianyang. Please lead the way. I want to go to the tablet of Wang Situ and pay my respects in person."
Hearing the emperor's words, Wang Su immediately stepped back half a step, kowtowed three times to show his gratitude, then quickly got up and led the emperor inside.
When Cao Rui stepped over the threshold of the main gate and walked in side by side with Wang Su, Sima Yi behind him was staring at the two of them silently.
Wang Lang, Wang Su...
It seems that Wang Lang's death did not hinder Wang Su's favor at all. Why does Your Majesty only love the Wang family?
Sima Yi was a little confused. (End of this chapter)
