There is a small mountain in Dong'e County, Yanzhou East County, located on the north bank of the river.
It is shaped like a lying turtle, extending from north to south, and is called Yushan.
Across the river are mountains with towering green peaks, and Yushan is like a natural screen.
The golden embankment stretches across the river bank, like a yellow dragon lying quietly. Beyond the Yushan Mountain, there is a vast expanse of fertile fields and a flat river.
There is a big river in the south of Yushan and a small clear water in the east. The two phases are lingering and form a belt.
Cao Zhi's last wish was to be buried here after his death.
Although he was unsuccessful in his lifetime, he was always under the supervision of the supervisors.
Even in the last year of his life, Cao Zhi's palace had only about sixty people.
But after his death, Cao Rui sent a large number of servants to build his cemetery, set up a cave near the mountain, and sealed the soil as a tomb, covering an area of more than a thousand acres.
At the same time, he also ordered the governor of Yanzhou to send 200 people to repair the cemetery every year.
Cao Zhi's two sons, Cao Miao and Cao Zhi, built a thatched cottage at the foot of Yushan Mountain and observed mourning for three years.
On this day, Princess Chen suddenly came to Yushan.
Cao Miao and Cao Zhida were surprised and quickly stepped forward to salute:
"Why didn't you let me know in advance when my mother was here?"
Although both of them were concubines and not the daughter of Princess Chen, Cao Zhi had asked them to treat their legitimate mothers as their biological mothers before his death, and they did not dare to disobey them.
Princess Chen helped the two of them up and said sadly:
"After King Chen left, I missed him day and night, especially these few days. I often saw King Chen in my dreams at night, so I came to worship him."
Princess Chen asked the governor of Yanzhou to escort her soldiers to wait at the foot of the mountain. She led her two sons to climb the mountain, and the old man from Prince Chen's mansion followed behind with sacrifices.
When they reached the mountain, the three of them cried bitterly in front of the tomb.
The old people from Prince Chen's Mansion who followed behind all shed tears.
One person in particular touched his forehead to the ground and couldn't help himself.
When Cao Miao and Cao Zhi saw this, they couldn't help but sigh in their hearts. It turned out that there were such loyal servants in the house.
Princess Chen also seemed a little surprised. She wiped the tears from her eyes and said warmly:
"Cao San, I know that King Chen regarded you as his confidant before his death. Please come forward."
With that said, she asked the rest of the servants to retreat.
Cao Miao and Cao Zhizheng were a little surprised by Princess Chen's behavior.
Princess Chen's face had returned to calmness. She took out a letter from her sleeve, handed it to Cao Zhi, and said:
"Prince Chen actually secretly sent Cao San to Liangzhou twice before he died. This is the memorial text that Feng Langjun asked Cao San to bring back to Prince Chen. You two can take a look."
Cao Zhi was appointed as the successor by Cao Zhi, and he quickly stretched out his hands to take it.
After opening the letter, I found that the so-called memorial text was actually a poem.
The poem is titled "Crying Cao Zijian":
I have so many talents, but I have never opened my arms in my whole life.
Where are the birds and the fallen flowers? The bamboos are dead and the tung trees are withered and the phoenixes are not coming.
A good horse has no owner, and the heart of an old friend is mourning.
Jiuquan Mo sighs, separated by three lights, and sends Wenxing into the night stage.
The first sentence of the poem is the beginning of Ming Zongyi, praising his talent with great praise, which is indeed Feng Langjun's consistent writing style.
It's just a "falsehood", coupled with the following sentence "I have never opened my arms in my life", it turns from praise to sigh.
Cao Zhi remembered the last period of his life, when Feng Langjun sent a gift, but it was unexpectedly intercepted by the assistant literary defense officer.
The dignified princes and kings were bullied like this by evil officials. This is much more miserable than "having never opened arms in life"!
He couldn't help but burst into tears again.
After seeing this, Cao Miao also burst into tears.
However, Princess Chen had already read this letter and comforted her:
"Although King Chen and Langjun Feng have never met, they are better than old friends for many years. King Chen received a poem from Feng Langjun before his death, and they drank together all night long."
"Now if he finds out that Feng Langjun specially composed poems for him, I'm afraid he will be ecstatic underground. This is a blessing, how can he behave like a daughter?"
When Cao Miao and Cao Zhi heard this, they stopped crying:
"My mother is right."
Princess Chen signaled Cao San with her eyes.
Cao San then said:
"Two young masters, the villain has been ordered by King Chen to go see Feng Langjun. In addition to giving the villain this letter, Feng Langjun also asked the villain to bring a few words."
Cao Miao and Cao Zhi looked at each other, and then they understood why their mother would reject others.
"Speaking."
"Feng Langjun said that since he is a close friend of King Chen, the two young masters are his nephews. If one day, the two young masters find it difficult to gain a foothold in the Wei Kingdom, they can come and seek refuge with him."
After hearing what Cao San said, Cao Miao shouted "Ah" on the spot, and then quickly covered her mouth to cover up her gaffe.
At the same time, he turned his head and looked at the servants in the distance in horror, as if he was afraid that someone would hear the news.
Cao Zhi was able to keep his composure better than Cao Miao, and his expression only changed slightly.
He stared at Cao San for a while, then suddenly turned around:
"What do you think, mother?"
Princess Chen shook her head:
"I am just a woman, what knowledge can I have? When King Chen asked you to inherit the title, he knew that you are the one who protects the family. Now that you are the head of the family, it is up to you to make the decision."
Cao Zhi lowered his eyes and said softly:
"Feng Langjun and your Excellency are friends of Boya's childhood. Since he said so, if the boy can meet him, what's the harm in calling him uncle?"
"But your Excellency is a clan member of Wei, while Feng Langjun is a subject of Shu. As far as the public is concerned, the boy and him are enemies."
"Not to mention that the child has been named King Chen by His Majesty. He is also the elder brother and has the title of Duke of Gaoyang Township. If he really wants to join Feng Langjun, should he be made a king? Should he be made a duke?"
Cao Zhi is a threat to the throne, but Cao Zhi's son is not a threat to the throne.
Therefore, since Cao Zhi's death, not to mention Cao Zhi and Cao Miao, even Princess Chen, who is still in Prince Chen's Mansion, has had a much better life.
It's just that she has suffered so many grievances and sufferings over the years. It is definitely impossible to say that she really doesn't have any resentment in her heart.
Not to mention that she really couldn't believe Cao Pi, Cao Rui and his son from the bottom of her heart.
But seeing her sigh:
"Having said that, the fate of King Chen is still before our eyes. The ancients said: A cunning rabbit has three burrows, so it can only avoid its dead ears. Now you can only sleep in one burrow, can you sleep peacefully?"
Which aristocratic family in the world is not betting long?
It’s always a good idea to be more prepared.
Cao Zhi smiled bitterly and said:
"Mom, our surname is Cao, which is different from others. If we vote for the Shu people, we will be embarrassed in front of the world."
"Not to mention what the world will say about us when the time comes, I'm afraid even your reputation will be dragged down and we will become the unfaithful and unfilial descendants of the Cao family."
"No matter how much Feng Langjun regards us as nephews, since he is a minister of Shu, he may not have other thoughts in his heart..."
After hearing Cao Zhi talk about Cao Zhi, Princess Chen finally had some scruples.
She was silent for a long time, then finally nodded and said somewhat happily:
"It is indeed reasonable for King Chen to ask you to inherit the title."
She was a woman who only thought about the past and felt that it was always right to find a way out, but she didn't think so deeply.
After the mother and son finished talking, Cao Zhi saluted Cao San and said:
"Feng Langjun's words, please keep them deep in your heart and don't reveal even a single word. Our lives are all in your hands!"
Cao San did not dare to accept the gift and cried:
"King Chen treats the villain like a confidant. The villain's life has been entrusted to King Chen a long time ago. If not for King Chen's instructions during his lifetime, the villain would have followed King Chen long ago."
"Now that the villain has completed what King Chen ordered before his death, he no longer has any worries, so how can he be nostalgic for him in this world anymore?"
Cao San also gave a grand ceremony to Princess Chen, Cao Zhi and Cao Miao:
"The villain went underground and told King Chen about the current situation of the princess and the young master. I think King Chen will be happy."
After finishing speaking, I saw Cao San shouting to the tombstone:
"Prince Chen, Cao San is here to accompany you."
Then he took out the dagger he had prepared long ago from his arms and stabbed it into his chest without hesitation.
It happened so suddenly that Princess Chen screamed in fright.
Cao Zhi quickly called the servants in the distance over and asked them to help Princess Chen go down.
After cleaning up everything on the mountain and comforting Princess Chen, the group went down the mountain.
After the soldiers sent by the Yanzhou Governor's Office escorted Princess Chen away, Cao Miao quietly asked Cao Zhi:
"Silang, you used to have complaints about the imperial court. Why did you say that in front of your mother?"
Cao Zhi no longer had the calmness he had just now, and his expression had become gloomy.
"Brother, we are here. Even if someone is watching us, as long as we are careful, no one can eavesdrop."
"But my mother is different from us. Although there are no supervisors in the palace now, who knows who is behind the scenes?"
Thinking of Amu Ping's behavior when she was on the mountain, she thought that the people in her house might not be safe.
After hearing these words, Cao Miao breathed a sigh of relief:
"I see, I still said... Haha, I was overthinking it."
Cao Zhi smiled bitterly and said:
"Your Majesty has only passed away half a year ago, how could I forget so easily everything that happened to you during your lifetime?"
Having said this, he felt more and more miserable in his heart, "Actually, the second time your Excellency sent Cao San to Liangzhou, his original intention was to find a way out for us. How could I not know that?"
On the surface, Cao San seemed to be following the master, but in fact he was willing to commit suicide in order to keep this secret.
Cao Zhi planned to go to the court and bury Cao San under Yushan to accompany his father.
Father's painstaking efforts and Cao San's sacrifice were all for the two brothers. Cao Zhifei was so hard-hearted, how could he not be touched?
But in front of outsiders, he had to hide this secret deep inside.
After all, this kind of thing is the biggest taboo.
Cao Miao couldn't help but asked in a low voice:
"You don't believe His Majesty either?"
Cao Zhi shook his head:
"Not only do I not believe in Your Majesty, I also don't believe in Haoyou. In addition, there are two kingdoms of Shu and Wu outside. I am not a kind person."
"Now the Wei Dynasty still seems to be in the middle of the world, but in fact it is already in danger, so it is not a bad thing to make more plans."
In the fifth year of Taihe, the year before last, my father wrote several times, saying:
Those who can make the world pay attention are those who are in power. Therefore, conspiracy can change the master, and intimidation can frighten him. When a powerful right is in power, it is not his relatives. Where the power lies, even if it is sparse, it will be strong; where the power is gone, even if it is close, it will be light.
He also used the example of the Tian family replacing the Qi Dynasty and the three families being divided into the Jin Dynasty, and tried his best to persuade your Majesty to use more clan relatives to prevent right-wingers.
However, His Majesty only responded with excellent writings.
It was precisely because the Wei clan became more and more unimportant and Haoyou became more important that my father was completely disappointed in His Majesty.
The three Xiahou clan were originally relatives of the Cao family, but are now under house arrest in Luoyang.
Bi Gui was also an in-law and was defeated by the barbarians.
If you don’t use clan relatives, you will cancel your in-law ties.
As for the man who oversaw the military affairs in Yangzhou, Man Chong was like that; the man who had the power in Guanzhong was like Sima Yi.
Most of the elite soldiers in the world are controlled by outsiders. This has never been seen since the founding of the Wei Dynasty.
When Cao Miao heard Cao Zhi's words, her face became ugly.
He asked in a somewhat astringent voice:
"Is Shiro so pessimistic about the Wei Dynasty?"
No matter how Emperor Wen and his son treat their own family, as Shiro said on the mountain, they still have the same surname after all.
No one wanted to see the empire that Emperor Wu had worked so hard to build all his life be ruined.
"It's not pessimistic." Cao Zhi shook his head and forced a smile, "Let's take one step at a time and see what happens."
"As long as Guanzhong is not lost, we can live our lives well. If even Da Sima cannot stop the Shu people..."
At this point, Cao Zhi's voice also deepened, "When it comes to that step, we will have to make preparations."
Cao Zhi and Cao Miao's feelings towards Wei were much more complicated than Cao Zhi's.
To say that we hope that the Wei Dynasty can unify the world, that is for sure.
But because of what Cao Pi and his son did to their family, as well as the Wei Dynasty's foreign wars in recent years.
It makes them feel helpless and helpless.
It was after Cao Zhi was completely desperate that before his death, he was worried about the future of Wei and his son, so he found a way out for them.
But what Cao Zhi didn't know was that even if he didn't find a way out for his son, Cao Zhi was also a person who knew current affairs in history.
From the Gaoping Ling Incident to Sima Shi deposed Cao Fang and established Cao Mao, Cao Zhi, like other Cao clan members, regarded himself as a bystander.
After Cao Mao was killed, Sima Yan went to Yecheng to welcome Cao Huan to Luoyang to ascend the throne. Cao Zhi even went to visit Sima Yan at night.
After the two talked for a whole night, Cao Zhi gained Sima Yan's attention.
When Sima Yan usurped the Wei Dynasty, he issued a special edict praising Cao Zhi for "pure moral conduct, high talent and cleanliness, good at antiquities and museums, and he is Wei Zongying".
This shows Cao Zhi's grasp of the current situation.
And because of a certain country bumpkin's illegal crossing, Wei's decline came much earlier than in history.
Other Cao clan members may still not see Wei's hidden worries, but Cao Zhi is the son of Cao Zhi, how could he not know?
Cao Zhi solemnly said to Cao Miao:
"Brother, if one day comes, we two brothers, I will stay in the Kingdom of Wei, and you will join Feng Langjun."
Cao Miao's expression changed drastically and she lost her voice:
"Shiro!"
Cao Zhi pressed Cao Miao's shoulders hard, signaling him not to interrupt what he was saying:
"Since I have inherited the title of king, my lord, I want to leave. How easy is it? You are different."
"You are neither the legitimate son nor your reputation, and the court will not pay too much attention to you. When the time comes, it will be much easier for you to find a way to leave quietly than for me."
Cao Miao said:
"If I leave, what will you do?"
Cao Zhi sighed:
"When that time comes, life and death will be decided by fate. If anything happens to me, I just hope that my brother will be able to adopt a son when the time comes, so that my love will continue."
Having said this, he forced himself to smile again:
"Perhaps by that time, no one will care about us clan members, and I will be safe and sound!"
Cao Miao couldn't help it, hugged Cao Zhi and cried:
"I only hope that Da Sima can guard Guanzhong, and we two brothers can live our own lives behind closed doors!"
Cao Zhi smiled bitterly and sighed.
Even if Da Sima can defend Guanzhong, Da Wei still has internal worries!
I just don’t know whether internal or external troubles will come first in the future...
