Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

After the meeting, Jiang Wei hurriedly returned, riding at full speed. The forty-mile journey was over in no time, and he arrived back at his headquarters north of Chengdu before evening to communicate with the Shu court in Chengdu about surrendering.

The next day, just as dawn broke, a soft call came from outside Cao Rui's central command tent.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

Cao Rui slowly woke up and, upon hearing Du Yu's voice, opened his eyes and said slowly, "Come in and serve me."

"Yes," Du Yu replied softly, then entered the tent with the other three Gentlemen-at-Arms.

In the army, Cao Rui did not bring eunuchs or maids with him. Most of the trivial matters around him were handled by four mounted attendants, a habit that had lasted for many years. Just like this morning, Du Yu woke him up and brought him water, Wei Guan tidied his robes and armor, Yang Hu handed over the breakfast, and Zhong Hui organized and reported on the major and minor events in the camp last night in chronological order.

Of course, the duties of these four people would often change, but what they did was the same as the duties of the Attendant-in-Ordinary, which was first established by Emperor Wu of Han during the Former Han Dynasty. Serving the emperor was a highly sought-after position, and the Attendant-in-Ordinary and Gentleman-in-Attendance positions among the inner court officials became increasingly popular during the Taihe era.

Everything in the world has a trend.

After Cao Rui finished washing up and eating his breakfast, he casually asked the few attendants serving him, "Do you know what a court attendant did in the old days?"

Du Yu tentatively asked, "I have heard that the Attendant-in-Ordinary was originally a close minister who served the emperor, and his duties were comparable to those of us."

Cao Rui said, "In the Han Dynasty, the Attendant-in-Ordinary was in charge of the emperor's carriage and clothing, down to personal items like tiger cubs. But today, the Attendant-in-Ordinary is a cabinet minister. What does this signify?"

Du Yu cupped his hands in greeting: "This shows that those close to the emperor are gradually gaining power."

Cao Rui smiled and nodded: "You are quite intelligent. The late emperor established the foundation of the Great Wei Dynasty, and I succeeded to the throne. During the Taihe era, I gradually expanded the territory and consolidated the national system. Today, the system is quite stable."

"In the past, the position of Minister was a minor official who managed documents and bamboo slips for the emperor. Later, he gradually gained power in the outer court and replaced the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers. This was the trend of the inner court officials gradually becoming like those in the outer court."

"During the Han Dynasty, the commanderies were established with the position of Inspector General, which was later called a province. The Inspector General inspected and managed the governor of the province. This system was also established during the Taihe era, granting the Inspector General the power to govern the province. In recent years, the Jiangnan Regional Administration and the Xishu Regional Administration have been established, which are located above the provinces in the newly expanded territories... This is a trend of the inspection officials gradually becoming localized. The reason why the Han Dynasty established the Governor of the Province and I abolished the Governor of the Province is the same. In my opinion, the Jiangnan Regional Administration can be abolished in five years, and the Xishu Regional Administration can be abolished in ten years."

Du Yu listened quietly to the emperor's words. Wei Guan, Yang Hu, and Zhong Hui, who were also young and intelligent, heard that the emperor's words today were unusual, so they all stopped what they were doing and stood up to listen.

Cao Rui laughed and said, "The national system is always like this, with the inner court and outer court, the central government and local governments, constantly changing. Today I am about to set off for Chengdu to accept the surrender of Shu. You are all intelligent people, so tell me how to ensure long-term stability and prosperity after the unification of Wei, and how to properly pass the country on to future generations?"

"This..." Du Yu was momentarily stunned by the question. Seeing the emperor's serious expression, he knew that this was not a simple answer that could be given. The common sense he knew, His Majesty must also know.

"Your Majesty, I am unaware," Du Yu replied truthfully. "The affairs of the state are beyond the comprehension of a lowly person like myself."

Cao Rui was not surprised. He then looked at the other three people in the tent, casually pointed to one of them, and asked, "Where are the three of you?"

Wei Guan cupped his hands and said, "Your subject does not know."

He actually wanted to say something, but since he thought himself no more intelligent than Du Yu, and Du Yu answered that he didn't know, he should also say that he didn't know.

Yang Hu cupped his hands and replied, "I believe that both favor and power should come from the emperor, so as not to let great power fall into the hands of outsiders, so as to avoid the chaos of scholars, eunuchs and relatives of the empress vying for power that occurred during the Han Dynasty. Only in this way can we achieve our goal."

Cao Rui shook his head: "What if a clever but foolish ruler emerges? What if he insists on going against the tide and acting recklessly, like Emperor Huan of the Later Han Dynasty, who knew everything but the country gradually declined under his rule? This is unacceptable."

Yang Hu then asked, "If the country were to perfect its laws and regulations, ensure strict and honest governance from top to bottom, and make every official loyal to the ruler, would that be feasible?"

Cao Rui shook his head again: "Everyone has their own selfish desires, the emperor has his own selfish desires, and the ministers have their own selfish desires. Everyone is making plans for themselves. What do laws and regulations mean in the face of imperial power and the powerful?"

Of the four cavalrymen, Yang Hu was the most idealistic. Upon hearing Cao Rui's words, his eyes dimmed: "I am foolish. Is there no way to achieve lasting peace and stability?"

“Yes, but not what you’re talking about, nor what the ministers of this world know.” Cao Rui pointed to Zhong Hui, who hadn’t spoken at the end, and asked, “What’s your opinion?”

Zhong Hui said, “All the emperors of the Han Dynasty were descendants of Emperor Gaozu of Han. Emperor Gaozu’s wisdom and talent seemed to be bestowed by heaven, yet there were also descendants like Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling. I believe there is no solution to this matter; only the protection of Heaven can help.”

Cao Rui stood up with a smile, spread his arms, and gestured for Wei Guan to drape an outer robe over him. He then slowly said, "It's not that there's no solution, it's just that the solution is not something that ordinary people in the world can think of."

"Centralization or decentralization, governance by civil officials or by powerful nobles, enfeoffment or prefectures, appointment or dismissal of members of the imperial clan, appointment of scholars or appointment of meritorious officials, emphasis on civil or military affairs—these are not the most crucial issues. Even the use of eunuchs and the extent to which science and political science have developed are irrelevant to this question."

Du Yu frowned slightly. What is science? What is political science? Why are His Majesty's words so incomprehensible?
Cao Rui sighed softly: "I have been thinking about this problem for more than ten years, and only today, when I came to the outskirts of Chengdu, have I finally figured it out."

Du Yu unconsciously looked up at the emperor, curious about what the emperor would say. Wei Guan, Zhong Hui, and the others did the same.

"Please give your instructions, Your Majesty," Du Yu said softly.

"The state of a nation is inseparable from the personal qualities of its ruler, the emperor." Cao Rui looked at the group and said calmly, "The solution I came up with is quite simple. In short, it is the elitism of royal education."

"After conquering Shu and returning to Luoyang, I will personally educate the princes. They must be wiser and more insightful than the rest of the world. Governing the country solely through Confucian classics and Legalism is ineffective; one must view the world from a perspective beyond this era to act with composure. I have too many things to do; I could never finish them in my lifetime. Perhaps it will take six generations of Qin's illustrious rule or several wise rulers of the Former Han Dynasty to accomplish this. Of course, the number and lifespan of the princes are also important factors. I should take a few more concubines when I return..."

"Zhong Hui, how are the preparations going in Chengdu?"

Zhong Hui bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the three ministers of Shu, Jiang Wan, Du Qiong, and Lai Min, arrived in Guangdu at the end of Chou hour (1-3 AM) with the imperial seal and surrender document of the Shu ruler. They are waiting outside the tent. Would Your Majesty like to see them?"

Cao Rui shook his head slightly: "If I don't see you, it's just a matter of surrendering. What's the use of seeing you or not seeing you?"

"Issue the decree that the Left and Right Armies of the Imperial Guard will accompany me south to Chengdu in two quarters of an hour."

"As you command." Zhong Hui bowed and accepted the order, then jogged out to deliver the message.

Only after personally informing General Cao Tai of the Left Guard and General Xiahou Xian of the Right Guard of this important matter did Zhong Hui finally stop, panting. As soon as he stopped, Zhong Hui couldn't help but recall the words the emperor had spoken in the tent earlier.

Although he was intelligent, he only vaguely understood what he was hearing.

However, he was clear about one thing: he, as a Gentleman Attendant, would surely be of great use in the future! With such outstanding figures as Jiang Wei, Du Shu, and Xiahou Xuan before him, how could he, with his noble lineage, be any different? At noon, the Left and Right Armies of the Imperial Guards finally arrived outside Chengdu.

From a distance of about a mile, Cao Rui could already see the outline of the Chengdu city wall and the quiet crowd gathered at the city gate. Chengdu had been taken over by Jiang Wei's troops this morning, and the battlements of the city wall were adorned with the black and red ivory flags that were the hallmark of the Great Wei Dynasty. On the gate tower of the north city gate, a large flag, more than ten feet in size, fluttered in the wind.

All the officials, high and low, in the city of Shu had knelt and waited with Liu Shan outside the north gate, while the people of the city remained in their residences and were not allowed to leave without a valid reason. The atmosphere in the north of Chengdu was solemn and dignified, with only the sounds of the wind, the rustling of flags, the chirping of birds, and the neighing of horses.

The army halted fifty paces away from the surrendered officials of Shu.

Surrounded by over a hundred elite cavalrymen, Cao Rui rode forward and saw Liu Shan kneeling on the ground, bound by his own body, and the black coffin placed behind him.

Jiang Wei stepped forward and took the reins of Cao Rui's imperial horse, while his military advisor, Shangguan Qi, knelt beside the horse, acting as a stool.

Cao Rui handed the riding whip to Jiang Wei, dismounted, took two steps forward, and walked to Liu Shan.

"So you are Liu Shan? Raise your head. I have been corresponding with you for a long time, but I have never seen your face."

“The culprit is Liu Shan.” Liu Shan raised his head, still not daring to meet Cao Rui’s gaze, and replied in a low voice: “The imperial seal and the letter of surrender have been handed over to Your Majesty by Jiang Gongyan, and the household registers of the country have been sealed by General Jiang. None of the official records have been damaged.”

"This sinner, along with the officials and ministers of this small country, kneels here to welcome Your Majesty. Whether you live or die, whether you are granted a gift or given instruction, is entirely up to Your Majesty's holy decision."

After saying this, Liu Shan kowtowed again.

"Look up," Cao Rui said. "Liu Shan, I have a few questions to ask you."

Liu Shan raised his head: "I will obey Your Majesty's decree."

"Firstly," Cao Rui said, "when you were the ruler of Shu, although your governance was enlightened, you exhausted the people's resources and caused separatist rebellions, resulting in the inability to unify the country. The people suffered for many years, both internally and externally, and countless lives were lost, with many dying or abandoning their homes. This is upholding petty virtues while deviating from the greater good! As the ruler of Shu, although you are somewhat better than the likes of Gongsun Shu and Kui Xiao, you are not much different. Today, I am leading a large army to Chengdu to question you. Do you admit your guilt?"

"The sinner confesses," Liu Shan replied in a trembling voice, taking a deep breath.

Cao Rui continued, "Secondly, you and your son were originally from the Liu family of Zhuojun, yet you presumptuously claimed kinship with the main lineage of the Han dynasty. While the Han dynasty was still in existence, you declared yourselves official positions and even proclaimed yourselves Kings of Hanzhong. Later, while Emperor Xian of Han was still alive, you held a funeral for him and privately posthumously honored him as Emperor Xiaomin. Afterward, you fabricated prophecies and auspicious omens to mislead the officials and people of Shu into submitting to you and your son as emperors. Your disloyal and disobedient intentions have long been exposed throughout the land!"

"The Great Wei received the abdication from the Han, which was legal and clear and beyond question. The Cao family received the abdication from the Liu family, treated them as guests, and enfeoffed them in Shanyang Kingdom of Henan Commandery, allowing them to follow the Han calendar and perform imperial rites within their fiefdom."

"Furthermore, I have visited Shanyang several times and have become friends with Liu Bohe. I have received no shortage of fiefs, titles, or rewards. Legally, morally, and emotionally, I must uphold justice for the Han Dynasty."

"Liu Shan, do you know your crime?"

Liu Shan trembled even more, knowing full well that Cao Rui's words were all correct. As the 'Emperor of Han,' he was well aware of the legal weaknesses in his own imperial lineage. Back then, after Emperor Guangwu ascended the throne, he included himself in the genealogy of the Former Han dynasty, honoring Emperor Xuan as his grandfather and Emperor Yuan as his father, thus perfecting the legal basis.

What Liu Bei did back then was precisely the collateral branch encroaching on the main branch's property. Even in ordinary scholar-official and powerful families, they would not allow the collateral branch to make such a claim, as they were completely in the wrong.

The victor is king, the loser is villain; what can he say? He can't very well say, "If I had won, you would be Wang Mang by now," can he?
"I am guilty." Liu Shan kowtowed again.

Among the Shu officials behind Liu Shan, many suppressed sobs and choked cries could be heard. The fall of a kingdom is the most difficult thing in the world; the victor's questions are simply for the taking.
Cao Rui looked around and then at the officials and generals following behind him, and said, "Thirdly, when you were in power in Shu, you called yourself the Emperor of Han and referred to your country as the Han Kingdom, which is utterly absurd. Today I question you, you should not have called yourselves Han, and in the future, history will only refer to your former country as the Shu Kingdom."

Do you admit to this or not?

"I confess, Your Majesty is wise; I am guilty." Liu Shan kowtowed once more, "I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Cao Rui nodded: "No need to kowtow anymore. I have finished questioning you about these three matters."

"Since you have called yourself a sinner before me and relinquished your imperial title in your surrender document to apologize and submit to me, it would be as if I had lost the benevolence and magnanimity of the Holy Dynasty if I did not acknowledge you. Before I came to Chengdu, the court officials discussed how to deal with you, but I did not express my opinion at that time."

"I'm asking you today, what can you do for the Great Wei?"

Liu Shan suddenly raised his head, his gaze momentarily blank with bewilderment.

What...? What can I do for the Great Wei?

Liu Shan was taken aback: "I am a sinner...I am a sinner who does not know."

“If you don’t know, I’m about to assign you a task.” Cao Rui coughed lightly. “In view of the crimes you committed before, I will not grant you a title of nobility in the Great Wei, but I will also not execute or exile you, so as to demonstrate the virtue of the Great Wei.”

"You are stripped of your imperial title and demoted to a commoner. After you return to Luoyang with me, you will be appointed as a scholar of the Chongwen Academy, with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), and your entire household will be placed in the Shanyang Kingdom of Henan Commandery, under the care of Liu Kang, the Duke of Shanyang."

"And you," Cao Rui said calmly, "since you know how to write, then stay in Shanyang and record for me everything you and your father have done in Yizhou, including the officials, the big and small matters. Consider this a job I'm giving you!"

"Your subject... Your subject obeys the decree." Liu Shan choked up, tears streaming down his face.

Cao Rui said calmly, "You are not a traitor to the Cao family, unlike the Sun family. Since your country has already fallen, I will not let your family fall as well. I have a question for you: Where is Zhuge Liang's coffin now? Has he been buried?"

Liu Shan shook his head: "The Prime Minister's coffin has not yet been buried; it is still lying in state in the city."

Cao Rui sighed, "In that case, let's move the spirit back to its homeland, Langya!"

"My lords," Cao Rui turned around, looked at the group of ministers standing respectfully behind him, spread his arms, and said loudly, "Follow me into the city!"

"We obey Your Majesty's decree!" The crowd bowed down in unison, and tens of thousands of soldiers behind them also knelt down at the same time, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

A tremendous uproar ensued. (End of Chapter)