Chapter 642: There is still Cao Xiu and the situation changes dramatically
A group of Wei ministers waiting in the outer hall included ministers who had stayed with Cao Pi for many years, as well as clan members who had fought on the battlefield during Cao Cao's era.
It can be said that these people are the most powerful group of people in Luoyang City at the moment, and they are also the group of people who are most closely involved in Cao Wei's interests.
Because of the above reasons, as long as Cao Wei's ship does not sink completely, their loyalty to Cao Wei will remain.
It was precisely because of this that Cao Pi urgently summoned them into the palace today.
After arriving outside the palace, Cao Xiu and Chen Qun lined up on both sides. They lined up with their own people at both ends, waiting for Cao Pi's latest edict.
Although in order to avoid suspicion, there was no communication between Cao Xiu and Chen Qun on the surface, but inadvertently, their eyes still looked at each other many times.
And both of them could see the look of surprise in each other's eyes.
I was shocked and doubtful because of what Cao Pi said just now, and even more shocked and doubtful about Cao Wei's future.
A group of Wei officials led by Cao Xiu and Chen Qun did not wait too long. About half an hour later, they saw Cao Rui slowly walking out of Cao Pi's bedroom, holding the imperial seal in his hand.
When Cao Rui's figure appeared, everyone's eyes in the outer hall were fixed on Cao Rui.
They found that although Cao Rui's eyes were red, the tears on his face had disappeared.
Could it be that His Majesty's health has improved?
Such speculations can't help but appear in the minds of most people, but Cao Xiu and Chen Qun knew clearly that there was no chance of Cao Pi's health getting better.
Sure enough, when Cao Rui came to the throne where Cao Pi could only sit in the past, he hoarsely announced a message to everyone below:
"Your Majesty, you have passed away!"
When he said this, Cao Rui held back his tears from flowing out again.
And when Cao Rui's words fell into the ears of everyone below, bursts of howling cries suddenly sounded in the hall.
Even Cao Xiu and Chen Qun, who had expected this, could not restrain their inner grief and knelt down directly in front of Cao Rui.
Of course, the reason why all the ministers of Cao Wei and Wei were so sad was not entirely because of Cao Pi's death.
Especially because of their pessimistic view of Cao Wei's future.
Although Cao Pi has rarely been victorious in foreign wars since he became emperor, now that Cao Wei's national power is declining, Cao Pi has an unshirkable responsibility.
But after all, Cao Pi had been in power for many years, and he was the nominal founder of Cao Wei. This weight cannot be ignored in a short time.
Looking at the crying ministers below, Cao Rui, who was much younger than them, seemed calmer than them.
What's the use of crying?
The Wei Dynasty is currently in a precarious situation, and what it needs is a way to save the day!
"Have you forgotten what the late emperor said to you before he left?
Are you going to prepare to surrender to Mi Yang after the late emperor leaves?"
Cao Rui's two shouts of inquiry were clearly heard by the ministers below.
After hearing these two questions, some Wei Chen gradually stopped crying.
What Cao Rui said is right. Now is not the time to cry bitterly, otherwise it would be no different from opening the door to a thief.
Cao Xiu and Chen Qun were the first to react. When they saw Cao Rui holding the jade seal, and what the talented Cao Pi said to them, they no longer hesitated at this moment.
Cao Xiu and Chen Qun stepped forward together and bowed three times and kowtowed nine times to Cao Rui above.
This is the highest etiquette that only an emperor can enjoy.
After the ceremony, Cao Xiu and Chen Qun said in unison:
"My lord, see your majesty!"
These words from Cao Xiu and Chen Qun express their willingness to follow Cao Pi's orders and regard Cao Rui as the new emperor!
And when Cao Xiu and Chen Qun expressed their firm support for Cao Rui, Wei Chen behind them would naturally not be reluctant.
So not long after, all the Wei ministers in the palace bowed to Cao Rui and called "Your Majesty."
Looking at the surrender gestures of the ministers, Cao Rui was not at all happy in his heart.
He knew that even though he could succeed as emperor now, his throne was not stable.
After arousing the ministers with a "Ping Shen", Cao Rui selectively informed the ministers of Cao Pi's instructions before his death.
The most important of those instructions were not to announce the funeral secretly and to move the capital as soon as possible.
After learning that what Cao Rui said was Cao Pi's last order, and these two points were conducive to stabilizing the current situation, none of the ministers expressed any objection.
Seeing that all the ministers had no objections, Cao Rui immediately assigned tasks to the ministers present one by one.
Listening to the edicts issued from Cao Rui's mouth, all the ministers admired Cao Rui.
Cao Pi had just passed away, and Cao Rui must have been in great grief. In addition, the current situation was quite critical for the Wei Dynasty.
But even with these two influences, Cao Rui's arrangement still seemed orderly and calm.
The ministers asked themselves that such a performance might not be possible for themselves.
But Cao Rui can.
Cao Rui's performance made all the ministers admire him in their hearts, and also stabilized the emotions of the ministers to a great extent.
I don't know how long it took, but Cao Rui finally completed his arrangements one by one.
After finishing all this, Cao Rui already felt tired.
In order to have better energy to deal with future challenges, Cao Rui left Cao Xiu alone and asked other ministers to retreat first.
Of course, before the ministers left, Cao Rui reiterated one sentence:
"The death of the late emperor must not be revealed even in the slightest.
Anyone who violates this will be punished by the Yi tribe."
Harsh punishment can shock people's hearts to the greatest extent.
Cao Rui's words without any emotion made the ministers feel refreshed before leaving.
After all the other ministers left the palace, Cao Rui waved to Cao Xiu to come forward.
When Cao Xiu arrived, Cao Rui could no longer suppress the sorrow in his heart in front of this clan elder, and his tears continued to flow down again.
Seeing Cao Rui's face bursting into tears, Cao Xiu felt unbearable in his heart.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will definitely defend the Wei State to the death."
After saying these words, Cao Xiu personally helped Cao Rui to the throne.
"Your Majesty's throne will be safe when you have your ministers around."
As he spoke, Cao Xiu shed tears.
Cao Xiu's two tearful assurances relieved Cao Rui's worries a lot.
Although the clan's generals have been declining in recent years, fortunately Cao Xiu is still around.
And Cao Rui didn't keep Cao Xiu just to listen to Cao Xiu's promise.
Cao Rui took out the tiger talisman from his arms and handed it to Cao Xiu, held his hand and said:
"Whether the capital move can go smoothly or not depends entirely on my uncle's hands!"
Hearing Cao Rui's trust in him, Cao Xiu solemnly bowed and accepted the tiger talisman given by Cao Rui.
After giving the tiger talisman to Cao Xiu, Cao Rui asked Cao Xiu again:
"What's Sun Quan's attitude lately?"
Cao Xiu was originally responsible for guarding Shouchun as the general who conquered the east.
However, Cao Rui had previously sent Hua Xin as an envoy to Huainan, hoping to form an alliance with Sun Quan. In order to make the alliance smooth, Cao Rui issued an edict asking Cao Xiu to return to Beijing to report on his duties.
This was Cao Rui's active kindness to Sun Quan.
Of course, this does not mean that Cao Rui completely gave up the defense in Huainan. After Cao Xiu left, Xiahou Shang replaced Cao Xiu and became the general of the Eastern Campaign.
After Cao Xiu returned to Luoyang, considering Cao Xiu's understanding of Jiangdong, Cao Rui asked Cao Xiu to secretly manage the alliance with Sun Quan.
When Cao Rui asked about this matter, Cao Xiu reported all the news he had recently received to Cao Rui.
After Cao Xiu's report, Cao Rui learned what Sun Quan's current attitude was. In short, it could be summed up in four words - ambiguous.
No matter what Hua Xin said, no matter what kindness he showed, Sun Quan never gave Hua Xin an accurate answer.
Cao Rui understood that Sun Quan was waiting for a price to sell.
But Cao Rui also knew that Sun Quan would soon give a reply.
Cao Rui grabbed Cao Xiu's hand and said urgently:
"My uncle immediately wrote a letter and sent it to Hua Xin, informing him of the fall of Chang'an.
In the letter, my uncle must exaggerate the strength of the bandit army and show Mi Yang's ambition.
And asked Hua Xin to tell Sun Quan everything in detail."
After hearing what Cao Rui said, a look of understanding appeared on Cao Xiu's face.
He naturally knew why Cao Rui took the initiative to show Wei's scars in front of Sun Quan.
Because Cao Rui wants Sun Quan to know that if he continues to wait and see, what Wei gets today will be what he gets in the future.
Only by tying the lives and deaths of the two together can Sun Quan finally make that determination.
"Your Majesty, don't worry, I will take care of it immediately."
After saying this, Cao Xiu turned around and walked out of the palace.
After Cao Xiu left, Cao Rui sat lonely on the cold throne.
He looked at the empty hall, and a sense of unknown surprise about the future emerged in his heart.
But when he thought of the blood feud between Wei and Han, and then of Cao Cao, who died because of Mi Yang, the anger that emerged in Cao Rui's heart replaced his surprise.
Thief!
Since you have single-handedly brought the Nihan to their current heights, then be prepared to make the whole world your enemy!
It's not cold at high places.
...
In the evening, a cavalry messenger sent by Cao Xiu drove out of Luoyang City and then quickly headed towards Huainan.
Taking advantage of the good transportation conditions in the Central Plains, the messenger arrived at Shouchun City in a short time under the stars and night.
When Hua Xin in Shouchun City learned that a messenger had arrived from Luoyang, his first reaction was that the messenger was coming to see him.
Sure enough, Hua Xin met the messenger not long after, led by Xia Houshang.
As soon as the messenger saw Hua Xin, he took out the secret letter written by Cao Xiu from his arms and handed it to Hua Xin.
Hua Xin didn't waste any time and quickly opened the letter in his hand and read it.
But just halfway through watching it, the look on Hua Xin's face changed drastically.
Chang'an was captured by the Han army, and Taiwei Jia Xu was frightened to death?
Both of these pieces of information are shocking.
But now these two messages appeared in Hua Xin's eyes together.
How can Hua Xin stay calm?
Xia Houshang on the side saw Hua Xin's expression changed drastically, and he anxiously asked what happened.
And after hearing the answer from Hua Xin's trembling mouth, Xia Houshang's performance was not much better.
Xia Houshang looked to the west with shocked eyes, and at the same time, an idea slowly emerged in his mind:
The general trend of the world is about to undergo great changes!