Chapter 8: Meeting but Not Seeing
"You're insane!"
Cao Rui, both shocked and enraged, stepped forward, covered Consort Yu's mouth, and pressed her to the ground.
"Guards!" Cao Rui shouted outwards.
Two guards jogged in, their eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the Emperor pinning Consort Yu to the ground.
Just as Cao Rui was about to order the guards to drag Consort Yu away, he saw his Imperial Grandmother, Bian, clutch her chest and fall backward, fuming.
Cao Rui quickly released Consort Yu and rushed to Bian's side to check on the elderly woman.
Seizing the opportunity, Consort Yu became even more audacious: "You Cao family, descendants of eunuchs, are only fit to make a lowly woman your Empress. I wasn't wrong!"
Although the Cao family was indeed descended from eunuchs, ever since Cao Cao raised his army in Chenliu, no one had dared to say such a thing directly to a member of the Cao family. Consort Yu was the first.
Cao Rui supported Bian's body and looked coldly at Consort Yu. Although Cao Rui was furious to the extreme at this moment, he understood that the angrier he was, the calmer he needed to be.
Because anger diminishes one's wisdom.
Cao Rui's gaze moved from Consort Yu to the two guards.
"Send Consort Yu to the Cold Palace. I will never see her again in life or death!"
With that, Cao Rui quickly attended to the aged Bian. The two guards, one on each side, dragged Consort Yu out of the hall. As she passed the threshold, Consort Yu even dropped a shoe.
Bian was only momentarily agitated, her blood rushing to her head. After resting for a while, she was fine. When this elderly woman shed the halo of the Grand Empress Dowager, she was merely an old woman who had lost her husband and son, and whose grandson's wife was unfilial.
Cao Rui walked out of the Grand Empress Dowager's palace, his expression also somewhat melancholic.
Consort Yu, a twenty-year-old woman from a prominent Henan clan, after the Cao family had held power for thirty years and he had been Emperor for six, still spoke ill of the Cao family because she had not been made Empress.
How many people in the world were still dissatisfied with the Cao family? Cao Rui didn't even need to think; it was certainly an extremely large number, and thinking further would only upset him.
Cao Rui didn't want to dwell on these thoughts. In the original timeline, during Cao Rui's thirteen years in power, Wei always maintained its national power suppression over Eastern Wu and Shu-Han.
Fighting two at once, it could be maintained with support from both sides, and the pressure was not very great.
The failure of Cao Wei was clearly more accidental. The original Cao Rui failed in entrusting his heir, choosing the ambitious but incompetent Cao Shuang and the cunning Sima Yi, which gave the Sima family a chance to usurp Wei.
Now, Cao Rui had made up his mind not to give Sima Yi any opportunity. Regardless, Sima Yi was considered a top talent for governing the world in the current Wei.
Let Sima Yi work himself to death in the Imperial Secretariat in this life.
Cao Rui understood that as long as he grasped the key personnel appointments, even if he did nothing, Cao Wei could continue to survive.
It wouldn't hinder Cao Rui's enjoyment. If he worked a little harder, the speed of unification would be even faster.
Thinking of this, Cao Rui felt he was worrying too much. At this moment, the cool breeze of the summer night blew, and Cao Rui stared blankly at the starry sky in the courtyard.
Bi Jin walked up to Cao Rui: "Your Majesty, you once told this old servant that you felt most relaxed when you were with Consort Mao."
"Consort Mao?" Cao Rui pondered for a moment and realized it was true.
Before Cao Rui ascended the throne, his princely mansion had one consort and one concubine. Consort Yu had already been sent to the Cold Palace, so now, only Consort Mao remained in Cao Rui's imperial harem.
"Lead the way, let's go see Consort Mao in her palace."
"As you command."
...
"How does Your Majesty have time to seek me out?" Consort Mao asked playfully.
Unlike Consort Yu's shrewd calculations, Cao Rui's first impression of Consort Mao was purity, a purity untainted by any self-interest.
There was also a shy timidity, whether it was her nature or because she was embarrassed to see her Emperor husband.
Consort Mao, whose given name was Mao Yan, entered Cao Rui's residence at the same time as Consort Yu.
Unlike Consort Yu, Consort Mao was always unassuming and innocent.
Seeing Consort Mao's appearance, Cao Rui's originally gloomy mood now brightened somewhat.
Cao Rui smiled and said, "What, can I not come to see you if I have nothing to do?"
Consort Mao giggled, "Your Majesty has become Emperor, and you're very busy. How could you have time to seek me out?"
The two walked in Consort Mao's courtyard when Cao Rui suddenly saw a swing in the corner of the yard.
"Was this swing originally in the palace?"
Consort Mao replied, "Of course not. I had the palace servants build it here a few days ago. You used to love sitting on the swing with me, don't you remember?"
"Of course I remember." Cao Rui recalled his memories and said.
Cao Rui and Consort Mao sat on opposite sides of the swing.
Consort Mao blinked, "Does Your Majesty still have time to study literature now that you're Emperor?"
Cao Rui replied with a smile, "Of course I do. These past few days, I've been organizing the writings of Emperor Wu and Emperor Wen, preparing to compile them into a book using zuo bo paper, and select some to be carved into stone."
Consort Mao chimed in, "You always told me before that you preferred Emperor Wen's writings over Emperor Wu's. Emperor Wu's writings are grand and magnificent, but Emperor Wen's focus on the details, making them more delicate."
Cao Rui became interested: "Indeed. Which of Emperor Wen's writings can you recall?"
Consort Mao slightly raised her pretty face, looked at Cao Rui, and softly recited: "Arranging golden mats, sitting in a jade hall, no dust rises, the weather is cool and clear."
Cao Rui continued: "Playing the zither of Huan, dancing with Zhao courtesans, beautiful women singing long songs, their voices harmonizing with the notes, moving the heart and ears, stirring the soul."
Cao Rui said, "I remember, I think I taught you this yuefu poem specifically."
Consort Mao said, "Yes, I remember it was around this time, at the Marquis of Pingyuan's residence."
"At that time, Great General Cao Zhen had just pacified Liang Province, and the late Emperor sent you several bunches of grapes from Liang Province."
"Your Majesty was very happy then. We were both on the swing, and you recited this 'Song of Mount Song on the Great Wall' to me."
A sense of reality struck Cao Rui's heart. He had been in this era for almost ten days, and this was the first time he had experienced such a feeling.
Cao Rui was also very familiar with this yuefu poem, to the point of being able to recite it. He did not respond to Consort Mao's words but continued to recite.
"Drinking cassia wine, eating sliced carp and bream, promising to be happy with a beautiful woman. First, offering a jade cup. Let me propose a toast."
As Cao Rui recited, he gazed into Consort Mao's eyes.
Consort Mao, at this moment, had also lost her timid demeanor. The two looked at each other, and the light from the courtyard lamps and the stars in the night sky seemed to converge in their eyes.
Cao Rui slowly read the next line: "Today's joy must not be forgotten."
Consort Mao softly said: "Joy without end."
As the two swung, Cao Rui no longer wanted to leave. Looking at the person beside him, he playfully asked, "Am I a good person or a bad person?"
Consort Mao smiled with curved brows and said, "If Your Majesty stays here tonight, then you are a good person."
Cao Rui nodded: "In that case, I won't leave tonight."
Cao Rui then stood up, scooped Consort Mao into his arms, and walked step by step into the bedchamber. Their playful laughter gradually faded with their footsteps.
Actually, there was one last line in the yuefu poem they had just recited, which both of them tacitly left unsaid:
"Joy is always too slow. Years and months pass, like flying. Why torment myself and make my heart sad."