After Xia Houxuan sent Xun Can and Cao Fu away, they realized that this strategy was not necessarily foolproof, and thought that since they had already waded through the muddy water, they would just go through it all.
After looking at the sandalwood copper stove and thinking for a while, he called Gu Ting. After whispering a few words, Gu Ting personally rushed to Cao Zhen's Dongxiang Hou Mansion.
Emperor Cao Pi was seriously ill and had to leave the court for several days. However, his three ministers, nine ministers, and hundreds of civil and military officials were not idle. Except for Chen Qun, Sima Yi and other important ministers of the central government who were discussing politics in Lantai, Shangshu, they came early in the morning. , before daybreak, a group of ministers, headed by the censor Zhongcheng Bao Xun, knelt in a crowd outside the palace gate.
The ministers came to plead for mercy, but the emperor's anger was not gone and his illness was not cured, so naturally it was ineffective.
Especially Bao Xun, the censor Zhongcheng. In the early years of the emperor, before he was enthroned as the great treasure, he offended the brother of Empress Guo, and also offended His Majesty the Emperor. In addition, the censor Zhongcheng often impeached and advised, which made Cao Pi resent Bao Xun. People were so disgusted that Cao Pi became more and more angry. Naturally, he couldn't listen to anyone's words.
Xun Can, who regarded Cao Hong as the father-in-law of Mount Tai, and Cao Fu, Cao Hong's eldest son, received Xia Houxuan's advice and came early in the morning to see the Empress Dowager.
Everyone knows that Cao Hong followed Emperor Taizu Wu to conquer all directions, and had already achieved great military exploits. In addition, in the first year of Chuping in the former Han Dynasty, decades ago, in early spring and February, Taizu and the eighteen princes gathered to attack Dong Zhuo. , the fight forced Dong Zhuo to move his capital to the west, but the princes were cowering at the moment. They all had their own agendas and only thought about how to carve up the states and counties, and they were not willing to waste troops, time and effort to chase the North.
Seeing that the great fighting opportunity was about to pass away, if Dong Zhuo was allowed to occupy the stronghold of Weihan and the fertile wilderness in Guanzhong, the world would not be able to stabilize until it was unknown. At that time, Taizu was full of blood and angered the princes for their selfishness, so he led all the troops in a rage. Horses - Five thousand troops and horses from his headquarters went to pursue Dong Zhuo, but they were defeated by Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong in a battle. Taizu lost his horse in the chaos and had to escape on foot. Seeing the pursuers approaching, The situation was critical and in desperation, Cao Hong handed the reins of his war horse to Taizu.
When Taizu was about to refuse, Cao Hongyi said sternly:
"The world can be without floods, but it cannot be without a king!"
In this way, Taizu finally escaped from danger with the help of Cao Hong's "white swan" divine horse, and only then did he have today's Huahua Kingdom.
Over the years, even though Cao Hong was greedy and greedy, Taizu would not pursue him because he was grateful for his great contribution. Queen Mother Bian naturally did not forget Cao Hong's great kindness and contribution to her husband, wife and descendants.
In fact, even if Xun Can and Cao Fu did not come to see Empress Dowager Bian, how could Empress Dowager Bian stand by and watch? It was just that she had no good plan for a while.
Xun Can and Cao Fu were sitting upright in the Yongshou Palace, while Queen Mother Bian frowned and thought hard. After a long while, she seemed to have finally thought of some countermeasures, and her brows relaxed slightly:
"You two should go back and relax. The Ai family has a countermeasure."
Empress Dowager Bian always kept her word. After hearing these words, the two of them felt relieved. After bowing and saying goodbye, they left the palace under the guidance of the waiters.
It turned out that Queen Mother Bian was thinking hard and suddenly thought of her daughter-in-law, Queen Guo, who had recently been crowned queen. This child had always been scheming, and the emperor had always been willing to adopt her suggestions as early as when he was in the East Palace. So this time Guo If he is willing to persuade the emperor later, Cao Hong may not be rescued.
Empress Dowager Bian had already decided on her plan, so she sent word to her confidant to tell her to bring a message to the empress:
"Cao Hong dies today, and tomorrow Aijia will order the emperor to depose the queen!"
Empress Dowager Bian, who had a good idea, relaxed her eyebrows and yawned. She had not slept well for several days, and now she just wanted to have a good rest for half a day.
——————————
Just when the whole of Luoyang thought that Cao Hong was certain to die, the emperor suddenly issued an edict: depriving Cao Hong of his title of Marquis of Duyang, his rank of General of the Hussars, and the land he occupied, and demoted him to a commoner. All his family wealth was transferred to the government.
Internal money.
Cao Hong finally got his life back. However, his original prominent position, a lot of military power, and his wealth were all gone now.
In the Heming Pavilion in the east hall of the Marquis Mansion in Changling Township, sandalwood scented trees and the sound of pianos were playing. Cao Xi, Xun Can and Yu Huan were drinking tea and conversing with the owner of the room, Xia Houxuan.
Cao Xi asked in confusion: "Cousin, why did your Majesty suddenly figure it out again?"
Xia Houxuan sipped his tea and smiled, and said calmly: "Maybe your majesty just suddenly figured it out."
What people don't know is that before Cao Pi figured it out, Dongxiang Hou Cao Zhen, Empress Guo, Empress Dowager Bian and others had been begging and persuading for many days, and then the emperor suddenly "figured it out".
For some reason, the mystery in Cao Xi's mind was finally solved, but he didn't feel relaxed and comfortable at all. Maybe it was because he had encountered too many things during this period and his mind was tired.
Yu Huan, who is already quite knowledgeable and has experienced many dangerous things, has a lot of thoughts in his heart: Everyone in the world thinks that Splendid Luoyang is some kind of blessed land of gods, but only when you are in it can you know, even a young man who is supposed to be riding a horse to chase rabbits
Erlang will also suffer misfortunes like Cao Jian, King of Wuyang in the East, and will be as sad and worried as His Highness Cao Rui, King of Pingyuan. At this time, Cao Lin, the originally domineering King of Hedong, also began to pack his belongings to return to his country.
Already.
In this troubled world, how many people can enjoy the blessing of peace forever?
Xia Houxuan was different from Cao Xi. At this moment, the big stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.
He actually had selfish motives when he asked Xun Can and Cao Fu to go find the Queen Mother Bian. He asked Xun Can to bring more messages to the Queen Mother Bian, and Cui Sanlang and Cui Wenji were spared the serious crime because of this and were sentenced to be exiled to Jingzhou.
Dahonglu Cui Lin was extremely grateful to Xia Houxuan because his beloved son was spared. Not only that, he also promised: From now on, whenever Xia Houxuan has any request, the Cui family members of his own lineage will do their best.
, try our best to help.
Considering this, Xia Houxuan's eyes looking into the distance became much firmer.
Those who have attained the Way will receive many help, while those who have lost the Way will receive little help. Nowadays, there are more and more people who share the same mind and virtue with him, which makes his originally lonely and proud heart suddenly feel endless hope.
The expectations of his father, mother, uncle Cao Zhen, and master Yu Gui for him, the agreement between Yanmen Guanguan and his ambitious general Zhao Zhao, and the emperor's encouragement to him on the Luoyang Palace Palace were all flowing in his heart at this moment.
What few people know is that as a young man, he really wanted to make the Wei Kingdom rich and powerful and dominate the world.
He didn't know when he first had this idea.
Perhaps it was because when he was young, his father was not allowed to reunite with his family in order to guard the war-torn Jingzhou.
Perhaps when I was young, I went to Jingzhou and saw the tragic death of Lu Yan and the death of my master, so I wanted to make the world one family.
Perhaps it was due to the helplessness of seeing the gray-haired old general Yu Jin brought all his hard work into the loess.
At this moment, he just wanted to make the Wei Dynasty strong and end all this troubled times.
Cao Hong, who had been rich and prosperous for half his life and was close to disaster, no longer had any arrogance. After hugging his two sons Cao Fu and Cao Zhen and crying for a while, Cao Hong immediately wrote a letter of confession and repentance to the emperor. :
"Young minister, I can't help but do it. I have done too much due to human ethics, and I have always stolen without responsibility, so I have been robbed. I have no sense of self-discipline and contentment, but I have the quality of a wolf and an insatiable nature. I am always greedy. If I violate the national network, I will be guilty of three thousand crimes." , instead of pardoning, should be punished and punished, abandoning the cities and dynasties, still receiving the grace of heaven, and rebirth of flesh and blood. I look up to the sky, I am ashamed of my spirit, I look down at the palace, I am ashamed and frightened, I cannot cut myself off by pheasant scriptures, I sincerely Paint the Yanque gate and pay homage to the emperor to express his love."
Even so, the soldiers and civilians in Luoyang who didn't know the inside story still had mixed opinions on this matter.
The young men in the army thought that it was really chilling for His Majesty the Emperor to be so mean.
A few days later, under the auspices of Cao Rui, King of Pingyuan, the bones of Cao Jian, King of Dongwuyang, were finally laid to rest.
————
Cao Lin, the king of Hedong, was currently riding with more than a hundred followers, riding horses and bridles slowly, towards his own territory of Hedong Kingdom. The desolation along the way did not seem to make Cao Lin feel frustrated and lonely. At this moment, there was actually a look in his eyes. He is still so gloomy and unpredictable, as if he is plotting some unknown conspiracy. Unlike the old and frail Cao Hong, his setbacks did not make him depressed, but made him more cruel.
He couldn't help but think of the conspiracy and agreement he and Sima Yi had made at the Su family teahouse years ago when Xia Houhui of the Marquis House in Changling Township had just gotten married.
[The past is vague]:
"Young Master must be thinking that I have a close relationship with the Xiahou family and share weal and woe, right?"
Sima Yi held up the tea and smiled, which made Cao Lin suspicious.
"Isn't that true?"
"That's true of the family, but everything in the world is for profit, isn't it?"
Seeing Cao Lin's doubtful face, Sima Yifeng smiled lightly. He continued:
"What I want is to replace the Xiahou family in your majesty's heart. The master of the capital is getting worse every year, and the young master does not want the Xiahou family, which is not good for you, to continue to control a heavy army. Bar."
"Then what do you want, sir?"
"Xiahou still has the trust of the emperor, and his military and political achievements are all not to mention. He seems to have no weaknesses, but in my opinion, he is fragile and vulnerable. However, all of this requires the help of the young master and the young master's mother. OK."
"how do I say this?"
"Love is deep and lifeless. Xiahou Shang's weakness lies in love. The young master only needs to say this to Empress Zhaoyi..."
Thinking about this, Cao Lin smiled proudly.
During this year, General Xia Houshang and the Queen Mother's goddaughter Cao Jue stayed in Jingzhou, while her mother Qiu Zhaoyi kept telling the Queen Mother about Cao Jue's "pain", that is, Xia Houshang preferred his concubine Bihan. , so that the husband and wife were at odds. The Queen Mother lived in seclusion and had not seen her goddaughter for many years. She was so worried and longing that she naturally believed whatever she said.
Cao Lin's heart was full of hostility, and he gritted his teeth and thought: The Xiahou family must pay with blood for the suffering he has suffered!
