Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1466 Face
Cao Pi lay straight, seemingly oblivious to Empress Guo's words. After a long while, he said, "Help me up."

Upon hearing this, Empress Guo had no choice but to carefully help Cao Pi sit up. Cao Pi struggled to pull his clothes over, but failed to put them on several times. In the end, he managed to put them on with the help of Empress Guo.

Cao Pi got up from the bed, holding on to the edge of the bed, and slowly walked to the window in his slippers. It was almost summer and it was already quite hot outside. The stuffy, hot and humid air rushed towards his face, making him frown in disgust.

He said slowly: "The solar terms in Yizhou are really annoying, just like those Yizhou nobles who have ulterior motives."

"Everything here makes me hate it. I often wonder, when Chang'an is lost, is there any need for Wei to exist?"

"Father himself couldn't beat the fierce tiger, why does he think I can?"

Empress Guo said cautiously, "Your Majesty, if we really can't defeat them, shall we surrender?"

"Sima Yi's attitude in the South is unclear. Even if he can attack Shu and Shendu as Your Majesty wishes, I'm afraid it will be too late."

Cao Pi murmured, "Surrender?"

"Is this what you think?"

Queen Guo bit her lip and said, "I will follow the king. I am not afraid of death. I just hope that the king can live out his life in peace."

Cao Pi said: "I am not afraid of death either."

"It has been almost ten years since I ascended the throne, right?"

"My Cao family has gone to great lengths to seize the Han Dynasty, but now we have to kneel down and give up the world. How will the world laugh at us?"

“Even if I’m wrong, I have to keep making the mistake. Otherwise, people will say I can’t afford to lose.”

"Do you think that if we fall down after having stood in this position, the ending will be better?"

Empress Guo seemed to understand something, "Since Your Majesty has made up his mind, I will follow Your Majesty to the end."

Cao Pi raised his head and said, "It won't be long."

"I've been having headaches and palpitations lately, and I'm afraid I won't live long."

"But before that, I need to do something."

The next morning, the big bell in the city rang, and all the sleeping civil and military officials were awakened. They knew that the Emperor of Wei was convening a court meeting, so they quickly got up, put on their court clothes, and hurried to the palace.

When everyone arrived and gathered in the court, they found that Cao Pi had not appeared yet. They had to wait patiently. After more than half an hour, Cao Pi slowly walked out with the help of the palace maids.

When everyone saw Cao Pi’s pale face, light forehead and unsteady steps, they were all shocked and wondered how could His Majesty, at such a young age, have such obvious signs of a short life? What would happen to the State of Wei in the future?
Cao Pi sat down on the throne and said, "My dear ministers, have you heard the news that Hanzhong was lost and General Xiahou was killed?"

After hearing this, all the officials immediately denounced the brutality of the Jin army, saying that Xiahou Shang died for his country and his loyalty was so touching. Xiahou Dun, who was listening nearby, felt more and more upset, wondering how many people from the Cao and Xiahou clans had died in the past few years?
Cao Hong of the previous generation died in battle, Cao Ren was sidelined, and he was not good at leading troops at all. The hope of the next generation, Cao Zhen and Xiahou Shang, are now both dead. Who can support the Cao clan in the future?
Seeing the confusion among the officials, Cao Pi waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about these things now. I want to ask you, what should we do now?"

Everyone was silent for a while, no one dared to speak first. Chen Qun saw Cao Pi looking at him, so he stepped out and said, "Hanzhong has been lost, and they can attack Chengdu from Jinniu Road and Micang Mountain at any time, so the most urgent task is to send troops to stop the Jin army."

Cao Pi asked, "Who do you think should be sent?"

Chen Qun gritted his teeth and said, "It has to be Sima Yi. We should immediately transfer him from Nanzhong to the north to resist the Jin army."

Cao Pi sneered and said, "Who will attack the Nanzhong Passage?"

"If the Jin army advances to the city of Chengdu, do we have to defend Chengdu to the death?"

Chen Qun was speechless for a moment, and everyone started whispering. Cao Pi looked at everyone, and it was Xin Pi who stood up and said, "I think that your majesty asked General Sima to open up the Shu-Shendu Road, which was a good way to retreat, but because Hanzhong was lost in advance, I am afraid it is too late."

"Wei is now weaker than Jin. If we defend Chengdu, we will be worn out by the Jin army sooner or later. It is better to use the whole country's strength and take a big gamble."

Cao Pi asked: "How do we bet?"

Xin Pi said: "Call back General Sima, gather all the troops, and attack the direction of Baidi City with all our strength to fight a decisive battle with Hannan Kingdom."

"As long as we defeat the Jin army on that route, we can enter Jingzhou again. At that time, whether we attack Changsha or enter Jiaozhou, it will be much better than fighting southward from Nanzhong."

Wu Zhi, who was standing by, heard this and shouted, "Xin Pi, your idea is simply a wolf's ambition!"

"Instead of attacking the biggest enemy, Jin, you're wasting your manpower on Hannan. Isn't this just letting Jin reap the benefits?" "What's your intention?"

"I heard that your brother Xin Ping now holds a high position in Jin State. Have you long thought about joining Jin State?"

Xin Pi's face darkened, and he said, "Minister Wu, please be careful with your words and don't spit blood at me."

"I want to take refuge in the State of Jin. I don't know how many opportunities I had before. Do I have to wait until today?"

"But Minister Wu blocked the city a few days ago and conducted random searches, which even resulted in the death of General Zhu. Don't you think he went too far?"

Wu Zhi had never thought that Xin Pi would dare to expose his shortcomings. Zhu Shao being angered to death was already a concern for him, so Wu Zhi immediately became furious and started cursing at Xin Pi.

There were factional officials on both sides, who immediately joined the verbal fight. For a while, the court was in chaos. Cao Pi watched coldly from his seat. He knew his situation and had lost control of the court. Now, let alone seeking a way out of the impasse, he was afraid that people's hearts were scattered!

He said, "Dong Situ, tell me."

The hall suddenly became quiet. Dong Zhao stood up and said, "I suggest that we submit to the State of Jin."

As soon as these words were spoken, many ministers in the hall began to curse. Cao Pi watched coldly and found that the officials from Yizhou faction cursed the most. In comparison, most of the Cao clan and Yingchuan faction remained silent.

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Cao Pi thought it was really ironic. It was obvious that the officials from Yizhou wanted to surrender the most, but they behaved like this simply because they were afraid of being suspected by him.

The fact that the old men from the Cao family and the Yingchuan faction remained silent did not mean that they agreed with him, but that they had other ideas. Perhaps they were waiting for him to die and then support Cao Zhi to take the throne?

Thinking of this, a hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he said: "The situation in Wei is like this, it is really not suitable to fight with Jin anymore."

"So I am going to send envoys to Hanzhong for peace talks, to discuss using Jiameng Pass as the boundary to preserve the State of Wei."

"Of course, the price to pay is bound to be high, but in order to save lives, it's no big deal for me to bow my head."

Many people lowered their heads, with unconcealable joy on their faces, but they pretended to cry bitterly, saying that they were incompetent, unable to preserve the Wei Dynasty, and sorry to the late emperor.

Cao Pi saw all of this and sneered in his heart. He said, "This trip is a big responsibility. On the one hand, we must be able to dispel the idea of ​​Jin continuing to attack, and on the other hand, we must maintain the dignity of our Great Wei and not betray our Great Wei. Who do you think is the most suitable person?"

Everyone lowered their heads immediately, thinking how could such a request be easily fulfilled? Not to mention maintaining the dignity of the Wei State, the Jin State was about to unify the world, so how could it be so easy to give up using military force?

Cao Pi's next words shocked them greatly, "I think that in terms of status and loyalty, the most qualified one is the Marquis of Anxiang."

"I now issue an edict, ordering the Marquis of Anxiang to be the envoy of the Wei State, to carry the letter of credence to Hanzhong to meet with the general of the Jin army, and to rush to Chang'an to negotiate with the Jin State. Set off today!"

When everyone saw Cao Pi take out the seal and edict, they realized that Cao Pi had already made up his mind and wanted to drive Cao Zhi away directly!

Not to mention that Jin State already had Cao Ang, so the necessity of winning over Cao Zhi was greatly reduced. At this time, Cao Pi sent Cao Zhi away, which was tantamount to exiling him, so that his faction would no longer be able to make any moves in the possible succession!

Seeing the guards carrying the imperial edict to the place where Cao Zhi was imprisoned, the officials who had originally hoped to rely on Cao Zhi were filled with bitterness. This did not give them any chance to respond.
Cao Pi saw the expressions of the crowd and his mocking smile became even wider. "Now we can discuss the issue of sending troops to Hannan."

Everyone was hit hard again. After a long time, His Majesty was really ready to continue fighting and completely destroy the State of Wei!
The court meeting lasted for a whole day. Many elderly officials could not hold on any longer and almost knelt on the ground until the end. They looked at Cao Pi who was eating maltose on the throne and listening to everyone's statements. They had already cursed Cao Pi in their hearts, thinking that Your Majesty might as well starve us to death!

Although Xin Pi was not yet forty years old, he felt extremely tired at the end of the day. When he returned home in the carriage, his legs were shaking. He was helped to the table by the guards and ate two large bowls of rice in a row before he regained his strength.

Waiting at the table at this time were his eldest daughter and second son. They were also waiting for Xin Pi to eat first, and then they picked up their chopsticks and bowls and started eating.

Xin Pi's wife had passed away, but his eldest daughter Xin Xianying had just turned fifteen and had just come of age. Seeing Xin Pi's heavy face, she asked, "Father, did something bad happen in the court?"

Xin Pi knew that although his daughter was young, she was resourceful and had participated in many of his political views and suggestions, so he told her everything that had happened in the court that day.

After Xin Xianying heard this, she frowned slightly and said, "Why would father quarrel with Wu Zhi? He is a vengeful person."

Xin Pi said angrily, "This man is born in poverty and has a twisted mentality. He often takes advantage of your majesty's favor to arbitrarily suppress officials like me who come from aristocratic families. Now he is slandering me, and I was so angry that I couldn't help but quarrel with him."

Xin Xianying said, "Father was still impulsive, but it's better this way. After all, if father had given in at that time, His Majesty would have become suspicious."

Xin Pi asked in confusion: "What is the reason for this?"

(End of this chapter)