Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

It can be said that Cao Rui spent more than half of his imperial career outside the capital. He also frequently returned to the capital after years of military campaigns.

The grand scale and spectacular scene of Cao Rui's return to the capital at the end of the ninth year of the Taihe era surprised even Cao Rui.
Officials of all ranks in Luoyang came out of the city to welcome the emperor fifty li away. The roadsides were lined with people from Sili who brought food and drink. When the procession crossed the Luo River pontoon bridge and arrived outside Luoyang, the students of the Imperial Academy, led by Gao Tanglong, presented the emperor with poems praising his virtues. The students of the Martial Arts Academy also rehearsed military formation music and dance and performed it outside Luoyang, which was met with great applause. This reminded Cao Rui of the Qin King's Battle Formation Music, which would not appear for hundreds of years to come.

Even though the rhythm, style, and instruments are different, the generous and surging spirit contained in the music, and the iron-blooded passion of the black-armored warriors dancing in the battle formation, are perhaps not much different from the Qin King's Battle Music.

They all returned victorious, and were rewarded and celebrated. How magnificent!

We received the decree from the emperor, and together we marched to punish the rebellious minister. We sang songs of victory, and together we celebrated the peace and prosperity of the people. The imperial spirit spread throughout the land, and the virtuous waters flowed clear for a thousand years. No longer needing military uniforms, today we announce our victory.

Cao Rui looked at Wei Dan, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who was standing beside him, and said with a smile, "I have often heard that the Grand Master of Ceremonies' calligraphy is unparalleled in the world, but I did not expect that he would do such a good job in welcoming me as well. What is the name of this piece?"

"This piece is called 'Rejuvenation'." Wei Dan smiled and cupped his hands: "Your Majesty flatters me. In my humble opinion, calligraphy, music, and dance are all interconnected, and all express their essence through their forms."

"The Song of Rebirth?" Cao Rui raised an eyebrow and asked, "I remember that during the reign of Emperor Guangwu of Han, when I was the crown prince under Emperor Ming of Han, musicians composed four songs to praise my journey: 'The Sun Shines Again,' 'The Moon Revolves Again,' 'The Stars Shine Again,' and 'The Sea Is Moist Again.' What does Minister Wei mean by this 'Rebirth'?"

Wei Dan replied, “Your Majesty’s brilliance is comparable to the sun, therefore my dance music does not need the word ‘sun’, so it is named ‘Rejuvenation’.”

"Hahahaha." Cao Rui laughed and pointed at Wei Dan: "Minister Wei is exceptionally talented, and his words are equally remarkable."

Seeing the emperor's hearty laughter, Wei Dan then cupped his hands and carefully said, "Your Majesty, Prince Dong is recuperating in Luoyang and cannot take up his fief. He told me that he would wait until Your Majesty enters the city and the ceremony is over before explaining the matter to Your Majesty..."

"What are you talking about?" Cao Rui frowned.

Wei Dan replied, "Prince Dong is not only having difficulty walking, but his mental state is also deteriorating, to the point that he is almost unable to attend to matters. I apologize for the boldness of the imperial physician, but he said that Prince Dong's health is only a matter of ten days..."

"Boyue!" Cao Rui turned around and shouted, "Lead the troops, I'm going to Lord Dong's residence!"

"As you command," Jiang Wei replied, bowing respectfully.

Of the three who were enfeoffed as kings this year, Cao Zhen, the King of Hejian, and Lu Xun, the King of Chencang, were both military generals with their own military ranks. Cao Rui had agreed with them that their official positions would be revoked after they were enfeoffed as kings, which was also to set an example within the army and prevent it from setting a bad precedent. However, Cao Rui had no interest in issuing an edict to immediately strip Dong Zhao, the King of Xinye, the Privy Councilor, and the Grand Commandant, who was thousands of miles away.

There is really no need for this.

Previously, high-ranking officials in the court addressed Dong Zhao as "Lord Dong," following the emperor's form of address. Only lower-ranking officials, who were further removed from the core decision-making circle or held lower positions, respectfully addressed Dong Zhao as "Grand Commandant." Previously, he was called "Lord Dong," but now he is called "King Dong."

After returning to the capital, the court finally had time to seriously review the matters of etiquette. How to address princes and how to treat these dukes within the court system all needed to be carefully considered. Previously, the officials of the Ministry of Rites in the temporary capital, down to Minister Xu Xuan, had been seconded to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of War to help with other affairs, and had no time to attend to these matters.

Dong Zhaoling's decision to inform the emperor of Wei Dan's illness at this time was clearly because he did not want to spoil the good mood of the officials in Luoyang welcoming the emperor and celebrating his victorious return.

Compared to these pointless and useless matters, Cao Rui was much more eager to visit Dong Zhao.

Dong Zhao's family was small; his only son, Dong Zhou, had been granted the position of Prefect of Runan because of Dong Zhao's merits. In Luoyang, only his two grandsons, Dong Ping and Dong Zhang, served him at his bedside. Dong Ping and Dong Zhang were both around twenty years old. When they saw a group of armored soldiers rushing in and escorting the emperor inside, they were momentarily speechless.

"Where is King Dong?" Jiang Wei asked from the front.

"Your Majesty, this humble subject pays his respects." Dong Ping knelt and kowtowed nervously before the emperor. "My ancestor is in the west courtyard. I was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and failed to greet you properly; this is truly my fault..."

"I have no time for idle chatter with you." Cao Rui immediately interrupted Dong Ping's rambling: "You are Dong Ping, the eldest grandson of Lord Dong, right? Lead the way quickly, I need to see Lord Dong."

"Your humble servant obeys the decree." Dong Ping bowed and cautiously reached out his hand to walk westward. Jiang Wei led the armored soldiers ahead, quickly clearing the way, while Cao Rui followed closely behind.

Cao Rui only spoke after they reached the outside of Dong Zhao's bedroom:

“Boyue will come in with me, while the others wait outside.”

Having said that, Jiang Wei gently knocked on the door, whispered a few words, opened the door and glanced inside, then invited the emperor to enter first, before following him in himself. Dong Ping, seeing this, wanted to go in as well, but was firmly held back by a guard. "Lord Dong," Cao Rui said softly, taking Dong Zhao's right hand in his three quick steps to his bedside, "Lord Dong, I have returned from Wuhan. I have come to see you."

Dong Zhao was not in good condition at the moment. His once sharp eyes had become somewhat cloudy, and his face had lost its luster, making him appear weak. Upon seeing the emperor arrive, he slowly turned his neck to the right, showing some excitement.

Dong Zhao was nearing eighty years old. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural course of life. Now that he had been granted a princely title and his life was complete, there was nothing to regret. For Cao Rui, however, there were still many things he had to say to Dong Zhao, which made the conversation seem a bit rushed.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for not being able to greet you from afar," Dong Zhao said in a low voice, his voice tinged with exhaustion, so that it could only be heard clearly if one got close: "I congratulate Your Majesty on your great victory. Now that Wu is pacified, only Shu remains... The great cause of a thousand years is in Your Majesty's grasp."

“Lord Dong, there’s no need to say that.” Cao Rui looked at Dong Zhao’s face with concern and said in a deep voice, “I came here immediately after hearing about Lord Dong’s condition from Grand Master of Ceremonies Wei Dan.”

Dong Zhao forced a smile: "Your Majesty need not worry. I should not die today, and I should have three to five more days to live."

Cao Rui said, "Seeing Lord Dong in such a state, I cannot bear it. Lord Dong, I have not had time to prepare since I returned to Luoyang. Tonight, shall I have someone announce the imperial decree and hold a ceremony at Lord Dong's home to make up for the conferment of the title of king?"

Dong Zhao shook his head very slightly: "I'm almost buried in the ground, what need do I have for these?"

Cao Rui then asked, "Does Lord Dong have any other requests? Or any unfulfilled wishes?"

Dong Zhao paused for a few moments, then slowly said, “My son Dong Zhou is the governor of Runan. I beg Your Majesty to summon him back. He will inherit my title after my death. He will have to leave this governorship sooner or later anyway, so I don’t care if he returns a few days earlier. My son is dull-witted and not capable of accomplishing anything. I beg Your Majesty to be more lenient with him in the future.”

Cao Rui nodded and said, "I will never punish him."

Dong Zhao coughed twice: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace. Furthermore, of my two grandsons, my eldest grandson Dong Ping is more talented, while my second grandson Dong Zhang is less talented than Dong Ping. I humbly request Your Majesty to allow Dong Zhang to inherit the title and family property in the future, and to grant Dong Ping the opportunity to serve as an official!"

Cao Rui then nodded and replied, "Don't worry, Lord Dong, I will grant your request. If you go on a long journey and observe mourning, I will appoint Dong Ping as a Gentleman Attendant by my side. Dong Ping can reach the rank of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain) before he turns forty."

Dong Zhao nodded slowly: "If that's the case, then I have no regrets."

"Your Majesty has come to see me today, and I also have a few things to say to Your Majesty."

Cao Rui said earnestly, "Lord Dong, please speak. I have come here today to hear your teachings."

Dong Zhao said softly, "I have been thinking for nearly a year about how Your Majesty and the Great Wei should last for thousands of generations after the destruction of Wu and Shu. After much thought, I have only four things to say to Your Majesty."

Cao Rui fell silent and looked at Dong Zhao with a serious expression.

Dong Zhao said with effort, "The most important thing is that Your Majesty should assign military power to different people. When Your Majesty met the last emperor of Han in Shanyang, this man spoke of the ingenuity of the Han system for commanding troops. Your Majesty should consider this. In short, do not let one or two people command troops. The more military power is dispersed, the better it is for the emperor."

Cao Rui nodded: "I have listened."

Dong Zhao continued, "Secondly, there is the issue of imperial succession. The decline of the Later Han Dynasty was mostly due to the young age of the emperors, who were controlled by outsiders, leading to the usurpation of power by eunuchs and imperial relatives. I earnestly request Your Majesty to take good care of your health, have many children, and ensure that all future generations practice martial arts and health preservation. Most imperial affairs are ruined by short lifespans! Even a dullard like myself could live to eighty and still be granted the title of king. I urge Your Majesty to consider this carefully!"

"Once the princes come of age, Your Majesty should select the most talented among them as the crown prince, so as to show that the succession of the throne will continue!"

Cao Rui looked at Dong Zhao, who seemed to be struggling from talking too much, and nodded in response, "Lord Dong, please speak slowly, I have heard everything."

Dong Zhao nodded slightly, and then said, "The third matter is something I urge Your Majesty to remember: the Xiahou and Cao families are not necessarily more reliable than others! Your Majesty's conferment of titles and honors upon them is an excellent move. The more you trust and reward officials from outside the Cao family, the more they will be able to support the Cao clan."

"The world cannot be firmly held by one family or one clan. I will now speak frankly: the Cao and Xiahou families are mostly foolish and dull-witted, far inferior to the heroes of the world!"

Cao Rui nodded again: "I understand. What about the fourth matter?"

Dong Zhao earnestly said, "Never place excessive trust in any particular minister, lest the ministers conspire against Your Majesty!" (End of Chapter)