Chapter 4: The Imperial Court Assembly
Luoyang North Palace, Chongde Hall side chamber.
Cao Rui pulled up his collar and turned around in front of a huge bronze mirror. The black and red court robes exuded an exceptional aura, and the golden embroidered dragon patterns were extremely majestic.
“How do I look in these clothes?”
Xin Shizhong, who was standing not far away, praised with a smile, “Your Majesty is heroic and mighty.”
“Hahaha.” Cao Rui chuckled a few times, “Come, bring the Mianliu over.”
The ceremonial crown with twelve strings of beads was not light, and it took quite a while to put it on his head.
“What is on the agenda for today’s court assembly?”
Xin Pi picked up a scroll of bamboo slips from the table and introduced Cao Rui to the arrangements for the Grand Court Assembly.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, today is Your Majesty’s first court assembly after ascending the throne. Your subject has drafted three agendas, awaiting Your Majesty’s instructions.”
“Speak.” Cao Rui did not nod; the Mianliu on his head was too heavy.
“Agenda item one: Your Majesty and the officials will determine the posthumous title and temple name for Emperor Cao Pi, as well as honoring the Empress Dowager as Grand Empress Dowager, and honoring Emperor Cao Pi’s Empress as Empress Dowager.”
“Agenda item two: Grace flows from above; Your Majesty will confer rewards upon meritorious officials and bestow titles upon the imperial clan.”
These two agendas were merely formalities, and Cao Rui remained silent. Xin Pi looked up at Cao Rui, then continued his statement.
“Agenda item three: Emperor Cao Pi selected four ministers to assist in governance before his death, and all four assisting ministers were conferred general titles. However, the responsibilities of the four assisting ministers were unclear before, and Your Majesty still needs to delineate their responsibilities.”
Cao Rui and Xin Pi exchanged glances. This third agenda item was the most crucial part of this court assembly.
Wei had many talented individuals. After Cao Pi ascended the throne, he regularly appointed four Attendants: two strategists, Dong Zhao and Liu Ye, and two admonishing officials, Xin Pi and Su Ze.
Dong Zhao was promoted to Grand Master of Ceremonies, and Su Ze had already passed away. Of the regularly appointed Attendants, only Liu Ye and Xin Pi remained.
Although Liu Ye was a man of wisdom and strategy, his moral standards were quite flexible. Xin Pi was not known for his wisdom, but he was a man of noble character, upright and resolute, an admonishing official who dared to correct the emperor.
Yesterday, Liu Ye was on duty; today, Xin Pi was on duty.
Cao Rui looked at Xin Pi with a slightly serious expression: “Attendant, what do you have to say?”
Xin Pi stood respectfully to the side, hands clasped. Nearing sixty years old, Xin Pi had served three emperors of Wei. Facing matters of national importance, Xin Pi’s attitude was always serious and earnest.
“Your Majesty, with the national rebellion unsettled, we should use military force externally, not internally.”
“Yong and Liang, Jing and Xiang, Xu and Yang are three critical border defense areas. Two should be led by imperial kinsmen, and one should be governed by civil officials over military ones.”
“The remaining person should assist Your Majesty in governing the court.”
“Your subject believes that this should also be the original intention of Emperor Cao Pi in selecting these four assisting ministers.”
Cao Rui was silent for a moment. Emperor Cao Pi’s choice of these four assisting ministers was well-intentioned, and discerning Emperor Cao Pi’s meaning was not too difficult.
But what was truly commendable was Xin Pi’s loyal and upright heart, directly advising the emperor without any concealment.
Cao Rui said, “When I was in the Eastern Palace, I often heard of Xin Shizhong’s uprightness, integrity, and fearless admonishment. Today, I have witnessed it with my own eyes.”
Xin Pi bowed deeply to Cao Rui, saying nothing else.
...
The court assembly began, with Cao Rui seated majestically in the hall. Civil and military officials lined both sides of the hall, and accompanied by the Grand Herald’s announcement, they bowed in grand ceremony to the new Emperor of Great Wei.
The echoes reverberated repeatedly in the vast hall. Cao Rui sat on the dragon throne, feeling an intense sense of pride at possessing the world.
A great man should be like this, enjoying all the pleasures of the world!
But when Cao Rui thought of Liu Shan of Shu-Han and Sun Quan of Eastern Wu, his mood was not so pleasant.
Looking at the officials through the twelve strings of the Mianliu, the figures were not very clear. He saw one person step forward, holding a white ivory tablet, and bowing to Cao Rui.
Chen Qun walked to the center of the hall: “Your Majesty, your subject Lu Shangshu Shi Chen Qun has a matter to report.”
Cao Rui faced this kind of scene for the first time, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.
“Lord Chen, please speak.” Cao Rui’s words were not overly condescending.
Chen Qun said, “Your Majesty, Emperor Cao Pi has passed away. According to ritual, a posthumous title and temple name should be conferred upon Emperor Cao Pi.”
Cao Rui asked, “Does the Imperial Secretariat have a public consensus?”
Chen Qun replied, “Your subject, along with General of the Central Army Cao Zhen, General Who Conquers the East Cao Xiu, and Grand General Who Pacifies the Army Sima Yi, discussed Emperor Cao Pi’s posthumous title and temple name yesterday, and we have reached a consensus.”
“Emperor Cao Pi was a man of profound wisdom and extensive knowledge, and can be posthumously titled Emperor Wen. Emperor Cao Pi established the foundation of Great Wei and pacified the Central Plains, and his temple name can be Gaozu.”
Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu, and Sima Yi also stepped forward together from the left and right, saying in unison, “Your subjects second the motion.”
Cao Rui replied, “Emperor Wen and Gaozu, both posthumous title and temple name are excellent. Approved.”
Chen Qun paused, then continued, “Emperor Cao Pi has passed away. Please, Your Majesty, honor Emperor Cao Pi’s Empress Dowager as Grand Empress Dowager, and honor Emperor Cao Pi’s Empress as Empress Dowager.”
Cao Rui sat on the dragon throne, the twelve strings of the Mianliu obscuring his face, preventing the officials below from seeing his expression.
In fact, Cao Rui was at this moment looking at the faces of these four assisting ministers, observing their facial expressions.
Chen Qun, seeing Cao Rui sitting silently on the dragon throne, was slightly surprised, thinking Cao Rui had not heard clearly, and was about to raise his voice to repeat it.
But Sima Yi lightly coughed beside him. Chen Qun frowned, not looking at Sima Yi. Instead, Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu’s gazes were drawn over.
Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu were both fierce generals, dominating on the battlefield, and knew little about the petty tricks in the court. But Chen Qun’s heart froze; a bad situation had arisen.
Yesterday, in the Imperial Secretariat, Chen Qun had subtly communicated with Sima Yi. At the court assembly, Chen Qun, as Lu Shangshu Shi, should report to His Majesty about Emperor Cao Pi, Emperor Cao Pi’s Empress Dowager, and Emperor Cao Pi’s Empress.
The problem was, Emperor Cao Pi’s Empress Guo was not Cao Rui’s birth mother, and in fact, Cao Rui’s birth mother Zhen was killed by Empress Guo’s slander!
This led to three possibilities.
Firstly, Cao Rui did not mention his birth mother Zhen, and everything was fine.
Secondly, Cao Rui actively mentioned posthumously honoring his birth mother, which was also easy to handle; the grass on her grave had already grown several times, so just give her any posthumous title.
Thirdly, and this was the worst-case scenario, Cao Rui would not agree to Empress Guo being named Empress Dowager, but instead would want to name his birth mother Zhen as Empress Dowager.
One must know that Emperor Cao Pi had not even been buried yet, and these former officials of Emperor Cao Pi had received considerable rewards from him. Could they not even ensure that Emperor Cao Pi’s Empress be named Empress Dowager?
At this moment, Emperor Cao Rui’s silence represented Cao Rui’s choice, either the second or third, which could no longer be simply glossed over.
Sima Yi’s slight cough instantly enlightened Chen Qun.
Chen Qun immediately continued, “Your subjects have discussed, and our dynasty places great importance on filial piety. Your Majesty can simultaneously posthumously confer a title upon your birth mother.”
In fact, the periods of silence by Cao Rui and Chen Qun were very short, only about five seconds. The officials certainly had no time to react, but between the parties involved—Cao Rui, Chen Qun, and Sima Yi—two rounds of probing had already occurred.
Cao Rui said, “Prepare for the conferment of titles for my grandmother and my legal mother as per custom. As for the posthumous conferment of a title for my birth mother, are the four assisting ministers prepared?”
Only then did Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu understand that Cao Rui wanted to posthumously honor his birth mother Zhen.
Chen Qun responded, “Your subjects dare not discuss this privately. We await Your Majesty’s instructions.”
Cao Rui looked at the four assisting ministers standing in the center of the hall and chuckled softly from the dragon throne.
You think I want to posthumously honor my birth mother? I don’t care about Zhen at all.
I am Cao Rui, and I am not Cao Rui.
Whether you are willing to accommodate my wishes, whether you are willing to make concessions for the emperor, and whether you are secretly colluding. That is what I care about.
This is my first time writing a book. New author seeking attention and collection. Thank you, esteemed readers~