Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Chapter 73 Husband and wife turn against each other
A few days later, Xiahou Mao, who was also the General of Anxi and the Commander-in-Chief of Guanzhong Military Affairs, arrived in Luoyang.

Since he was recalled to Luoyang as a "suspect", the emperor's edict did not say to whom Xiahou Mao would be temporarily entrusted with his duties. Xiahou Mao tactfully did not ask any further questions, but set off directly on the second day after receiving the edict.

There is a sense of determination.

For Xiahou Dun, who had a distinguished family background and was an important official, family disgrace could not be made public. At most, he would be dismissed from his post and sent home! Would he be beheaded? I heard that Sima Fu, who even refuted the emperor's will, could be transferred to the position of Palace Attendant. Is Xiahou Dun's son less dignified than Sima Fu?
Xiahou Mao was a bit cowardly. When his wife Princess Qinghe reported him, Xiahou Mao just thought that he was unlucky.

Chang'an was the old capital of the Western Han Dynasty, and its status was extremely important for the four hundred years of the Western Han Dynasty. On the official road from Chang'an to Luoyang, people would naturally stop at post houses to rest every day.

Although Xiahou Mao and Princess Qinghe traveled in the same carriage all the way, they hardly spoke to each other during those days on the road, and they did not stay in the same inn every day.

In modern terms, the relationship between the two was already in the category of "marital breakdown". Princess Qinghe hated her husband because he had many concubines, but Xiahou Mao was unwilling to break up with her for the sake of face.

The carriage slowly entered Luoyang City. Xiahou Mao looked at Princess Qinghe and asked, "Should we go back home first?"

Xiahou Mao naturally had a mansion in Luoyang City. Although he had not been in Luoyang for nearly seven years, there were still people responsible for managing and cleaning it. All the furnishings in the mansion were still the same as when Xiahou Mao had not left Luoyang.

Princess Qinghe rolled her eyes at Xiahou Mao coldly: "Why are you going back to your mansion? You have several women in your mansion in Luoyang, why are you in such a hurry?"

Xiahou Mao sighed and shook his head, and had to order the carriage to go directly to the Supreme Court.

The Tingwei was a department in the imperial court that was specifically responsible for judicial affairs. Even revising laws, managing prisons, and reviewing cases across the country were the responsibilities of the Tingwei Office.

The Chief Justice of Wei at that time was Gao Rou, who was well versed in legal principles.

In the court, Gao Rou listened to Princess Qinghe's accusations against her husband with a genial face. Gao Rou even drove out the clerk in charge of recording and wrote it down herself.

Gao Rou said, "Princess, I have already recorded your accusations against General Anxi. Do you have anything else to add?"

Princess Qinghe said angrily, "I have said everything I need to say. I have nothing to add."

Gao Rou looked at Xiahou Mao again: "General Anxi, the princess has accused you of something, do you want to defend yourself?"

"I plead guilty. I plead guilty." Xiahou Mao shook his head helplessly, then looked at Princess Qinghe again: "Are you satisfied, Princess?"

Princess Qinghe ignored her husband and asked the court judge Gao Rou: "Lord Gao, what is the punishment for this matter according to the law?"

Gao Rou replied, "The Princess' accusation that General Anxi slandered Your Majesty is the first time since Your Majesty ascended the throne. This case can be serious or minor. If it angers Your Majesty, the highest punishment could be execution."

Princess Qinghe was shocked when she heard Gao Rou's words. As a woman, Princess Qinghe originally thought that Xiahou Mao would at most be dismissed from his post and return to Luoyang. Staying at the feet of the emperor, Xiahou Mao would naturally stay away from the concubines he kept in Chang'an.

She had no intention of killing Xiahou Meng at all!
Princess Qinghe's lips trembled as she spoke, "Lord Gao... is this matter so serious? Can I not report it? Lord Gao, can you please show some mercy?"

Gao Rou said solemnly: "The national law is strict, how can it be allowed to be partial? You two are both royal family members, how can you not know the truth?"

"I have written down everything that needs to be recorded and will report it to His Majesty. Princess, General, please go back."

Seeing his wife crying with her hands covering her mouth, Xiahou Mao hurriedly pulled Princess Qinghe out of the court. When it comes to the ability to command troops and fight, Xiahou Mao is just an average person. As early as when Cao Pi used him to guard Chang'an, he had clearly told Xiahou Mao that the reason he was used was to let him watch over the garrison and the generals in Chang'an.

As for leading the army to fight, there was no need for Xiahou Mao to do it. In the second year of Huangchu, when the Qiang rebelled, Cao Zhen went to Yongliang and led Zhang He, Guo Huai, and Yang Qiu to fight.

And what about Xiahou Mao at that time? He was still in Chang'an City.

Xiahou Mao knew that his ability was average, and that he was able to get the position of governor of Guanzhong because of his good relationship with the previous emperor. But Xiahou Mao also knew that a person can be mediocre, but he must be knowledgeable.

Xiahou Mao had been in Chang'an for many years, but he had always paid close attention to the government. Xiahou Mao naturally knew that the court and the court officials no longer cared much about reporting defamation, and sometimes even punished the informers or reporters.

But why should I tell my wife about this? If she wants to vent her anger, let her do it. A new emperor appoints new ministers. I have no personal relationship with His Majesty, so it's time to return to Luoyang.

At this time, Gao Rou in the Supreme Court was writing a letter to the emperor to report the matter.

Gao Rou recorded every detail of what the two said in the document, and also recorded his own conversation with the two word for word.

At the end of the article, Gao Rou also wrote down her own opinion. Gao Rou believed that Princess Qinghe reported her husband for slander, but she could not say the specific words that Xiahou Mi used to slander His Majesty.

Considering Xiahou Mi's frank confession of guilt, and the fact that both of them were royal relatives, Gao Rou judged that the two had a family dispute and suggested that the emperor should reprimand them.

On the afternoon of the same day, Cao Rui received a report from Chief Justice Gao Rou in his study.

The person who presented the confidential document today was the Minister of the Central Secretariat Liu Fang.

Cao Rui was reading Gao Rou's report while sighing, "The court judge is indeed very clear-headed. How could Xiahou Mao have the guts to slander me?"

"One is my aunt, and the other is my uncle and a high-ranking official who guards a place. How can I punish them?"

Cao Rui looked at Liu Fang and said, "What do you think of Princess Qinghe? I don't know her very well."

Liu Fang said slowly: "This is your Majesty's family affair, I dare not speak rashly. However, the school has reported that Princess Qinghe seems to be dissatisfied with her marriage in recent years and has many complaints."

Cao Rui understood that there was an old grudge between the two, but it just broke out recently. Cao Rui did not investigate further, but instead paid attention to Gao Rou, the court judge.

Cao Rui asked, "How long has Gao Rou been in the position of the Minister of Justice?"

Liu Fang thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, Gao Rou was appointed as the Minister of Justice in the fourth year of Huangchu, which should be more than three years."

Cao Rui said, "It's been more than three years? I remember the last Chief Justice was General Zhong, right?"

Liu Fang nodded: "It is the Grand Commandant Zhong. Before Gao Rou was promoted to the position of the Supreme Court Justice, he was the Imperial Censor in charge of hearing suspicious cases."

Cao Rui thought for a moment and said, "I see that Gao Rou handles things properly. Has Gao Rou ever handled any difficult cases before?"

(End of this chapter)