Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Chapter 2 Emperor Wen's Companions
Luoyang, Shangshutai.

Since the Han Dynasty, the Secretariat has been the center of the empire's administration. The person in charge of the Secretariat is called the Shangshu Ling, a top-ranking official.

When Xun Yu was helping Cao Cao govern the world, he was the Minister of the Chancellery.

At this time, Shangshu Ling Chen Jiao was sitting at the bottom of the hall. Sitting at the top were the two assistant ministers Sima Yi and Chen Qun.

Chen Jiao tapped the table impatiently with his fingers: "Mr. Zhongda, we will see His Majesty at the court tomorrow, why do we need to ask him about Liu Ye today?"

Sima Yi smiled and said, "Please be patient, Shangshu Ling. I have sent someone to invite him. He will be here in a moment."

Chen Qun sat aside in silence. Shang Shu Pushe Wang Si and Li Bu Shang Shu Wei Zhen looked at each other and did not respond.

The sound of footsteps came closer and closer. Everyone looked outside and saw that the person coming was the Minister Liu Ye.

Sima Yi stood up first and walked towards the door. The others also stood up one after another.

Sima Yi smiled and said, "Lord Zi Yang, we have been waiting for you in the Shangshutai for half a day."

Liu Ye smiled bitterly and bowed: "Mr. Zhongda, you can just call me by my name. Liu Ye is not worthy of the title of 'Mr.'. Why are you all waiting for Liu Ye in the Shangshutai?"

Sima Yi said: "Zi Yang, I heard that you were summoned by His Majesty alone. We are very envious."

Compared to Sima Yi's polite words, Chen Qun, who was always calm, raised the question directly.

"Zi Yang, may I ask who your Majesty is?"

This question is very direct and sharp.

Today Cao Rui summoned Liu Ye into the palace. On the one hand, it was because Liu Ye was the Shizhong, and it was Liu Ye's job to assist and guide all matters and provide advice on responses.

On the other hand, Liu Ye had been with Cao Cao and Cao Pi for a long time, and knew more about Cao Rui's grandfather and father.

The ministers of the Secretariat, whether Sima Yi or Chen Qun, had countless government affairs to do every day.

Although his position was higher, his contact with Cao Pi was much less frequent than that of officials like the Shizhong who served the emperor.

Even Liu Ye was not familiar with Cao Rui, let alone Sima Yi and Chen Qun.

Liu Ye was alert. There were always undercurrents in the court, especially since the new emperor was enthroned.

If Liu Ye leaked the content of his conversation with the emperor, it would definitely cause trouble.

If he didn't say a word, he would obviously offend several senior officials in the Shangshutai. If he said anything, he would have to think carefully.

Seeing that Liu Ye was still silent, Sima Yi turned around and spoke to the Minister of Personnel Wei Zhen behind him.

"Gong Zhen, when His Majesty was in the East Palace, you discussed classics with His Majesty many times. You are the most familiar with His Majesty among the foreign ministers."

"We asked you about His Majesty's condition before, but you refused to say a word. Zi Yang has also talked to His Majesty today. Do you want to talk about it too?"

Wei Zhen looked at Sima Yi expressionlessly, and his already serious face became even more expressionless. The Shangshutai had six departments, each managed by six Shangshu, and Wei Zhen was the Shangshu of the Ministry of Personnel at this time.

"Mr. Zhongda, the late emperor once asked me the same question."

"At that time, I told the late emperor that Marquis Pingyuan was wise and virtuous, and I didn't say anything more. Today, Lord Zhongda asked Wei Zhen again, and Wei Zhen still said these four words, Your Majesty is wise and virtuous."

Chen Qun stroked his long beard and said, "Your Majesty is naturally wise and virtuous." Then he looked straight at Liu Ye.

Liu Ye is so smart that he can understand the situation clearly at this moment.

There were five people here: Regents Sima Yi and Chen Qun, Shangshu Ling Chen Jiao, Shangshu Pushe Wang Si and Minister of Personnel Wei Zhen.

Chen Jiao and Wang Si were there to make up the numbers; there were two more ministers present when discussing His Majesty, and it was in the lobby of the Secretariat, so it was considered official business and not a private discussion of the emperor.

Wei Zhen had taught Cao Rui classics in the Eastern Palace several years ago, and was almost like Cao Rui's half-teacher. With Wei Zhen here, he could be considered to be frank with the emperor.

The key figures are Sima Yi and Chen Qun.

Everyone gathered in the Secretariat and waited for Liu Ye for two hours. It was obvious that the two regent ministers, Sima Yi and Chen Qun, wanted to know more about Cao Rui before the court meeting tomorrow.

Thinking of this, Liu Ye already knew how to deal with it. After thinking for a moment, Liu Ye spoke slowly, word by word.

"Your Majesty is not as talented as Emperor Xiaowen of the Han Dynasty."

Liu Ye then bowed to several people repeatedly.

"Having said this, Liu Ye will take his leave first." After saying this, Liu Ye turned around and walked out of the lobby quickly.

Liu Ye's footsteps gradually faded away. Having received the response they wanted, everyone did not stop him. Liu Ye's words can be divided into two parts.

"The parallels between Emperor Xiaowen of the Han Dynasty and Cao Rui are similar to Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty."

"The talent is slightly inferior to that of Emperor Wen of Han."

Emperor Wen of Han was a vassal king. After the Lü Rebellion, he was ushered into the throne by military generals in Chang'an. He also initiated the reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing. He was recognized as a sage emperor for 400 years during the Han Dynasty. To say that Cao Rui was slightly inferior to Emperor Wen of Han is not really a derogatory statement.

But...Liu Ye said that Cao Rui was similar to Emperor Wen of Han. In what aspects were they similar?
They looked at each other for a moment, and seeing that none of them wanted to talk, Sima Yi took the lead in breaking the silence.

"Everyone has heard what Liu Ziyang said. It's getting late, please go home."

At this time, Liu Ye, who had just walked out of the door of the Shangshu Tai, began to sneer.

Cao Rui summoned Liu Ye and talked about alchemists, ghosts and gods for an afternoon. He also asked in detail about the details of the art of sex.

How is this any different from Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty summoning the famous minister Jia Yi and asking him about ghosts and gods in the middle of the night? It's even worse!
This is what Liu Ye meant when he said that Cao Rui was like Emperor Wen of Han, but slightly worse than Emperor Wen of Han.

I wonder what Sima Yi and Chen Qun would think about this.

Thinking of this, Liu Ye snorted coldly on the road.

Let them guess!

……

On the other hand, His Majesty Cao Rui, the Emperor of Wei, was living an uncomfortable life.

After enjoying a sumptuous lunch, he chatted with the attendant Liu Ye for the whole afternoon, and had an equally sumptuous dinner. He was contented and prepared to go to the bedroom.

The night enveloped the entire Luoyang city, and the starry sky without light pollution allowed one to see the entire Milky Way.

Cao Rui sat in a sedan chair carried by four eunuchs, which swayed forward.

The eunuch Bi Jin bent over beside the sedan chair and whispered, "Your Majesty, we have arrived at the bedroom. Concubine Yu is waiting inside."

"Princess Yu?"

After being busy for several days, Cao Rui suddenly realized that he already had a harem, which made things a bit difficult.

Four years ago, when Cao Rui was 19 years old, he married Yu, who came from a prominent family in Henei, as his concubine.

Cao Rui is now twenty-three years old, and Yu has just turned twenty, which is the prime of her life.

Yu was sitting at the dressing table, admiring her appearance in the mirror. When she heard the voice outside the palace, she raised her hand to signal the palace maid to open the door.

Cao Rui walked into the bedroom, opening his arms as he walked. Two palace maids took Cao Rui's outer robe from behind, walked out quietly and closed the door.

At this time, there were only Cao Rui and Concubine Yu in the bedroom.

Cao Rui walked behind Concubine Yu and saw Concubine Yu reflected in the bronze mirror, and also saw himself.

This was also the first time Cao Rui looked at his own appearance carefully.

Cao Rui's grandfather, Cao Cao, was not tall but had a heroic appearance. In other words, he was not handsome but had an outstanding temperament.

Cao Cao married Bian, who was a singer. Bian was a first-rate beauty, so his son Cao Pi was naturally handsome and more heroic than an ordinary person.

Not to mention Cao Rui's biological mother, Zhen, whose appearance can be compared to the Goddess of Luo River and can be described as peerless beauty.

The beautiful genes of Bian and Zhen made Cao Rui's appearance exceptionally handsome.

At this time, Yu slowly stood up from her seat and bowed to Cao Rui.

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty."

Before she stood up, Yu raised her head and looked at Cao Rui with her curved almond-shaped eyes.

Cao Rui didn't know what to do for a moment.

When Cao Rui was stunned, Yu thought that Cao Rui was staring at her appearance, so she stared into Cao Rui's eyes with a smug look on her face and spoke softly.

"Your Majesty, when will you make me queen?"

(End of this chapter)