Chapter 144 Sima Zhao Recognizes His Father (Part 2)

"Who hit my son!" Madam Du demanded angrily.

"Get out," I said, standing up.

"You!" Madam Du trembled with anger.

"Get out." I frowned, my already bad mood getting even worse.

"You shameless woman, you injured my son and you still dare to act so self-righteously!" Madam Du cursed.

"Why would I hit your son instead of someone else?" I grinned, my smile somewhat roguish.

"you!"

"No need to thank me for disciplining your son. I just want to teach him the principle that all beings are equal and not to act recklessly just because he has a powerful father."

"Mom, what are you arguing about?" It was Baozi's voice.

I turned around and saw that Baozi and Zhou Buyi had arrived at some point and were standing at the door.

"All beings are equal?" Madam Du sneered. "You injured the Prime Minister's child for some bastard who appeared out of nowhere. I demand that the Prime Minister give me justice!"

“Mrs. Du…” Before I could even speak, Baozi suddenly stepped forward and tugged at her sleeve.

Madam Du lowered her head, about to speak, when suddenly her eyes widened in horror as she stared at Baozi.

There was a fluffy little thing peeking out from inside Baozi's sleeve.

I chuckled to myself; that was Baozi's pet, Zhizhi.

"You...you..." Madam Du trembled as she raised her slender hand, pointing at the steamed bun, so frightened that she was incoherent.

"You mean this?" Baozi took the fluffy little thing out of his sleeve, held it in his palm, and handed it to Madam Du. "Come on... Squeak, greet Madam Du... pay your respects to Madam Du..." Baozi drawled out his words, smiling like an angel.

"Ah! A mouse..." Madam Du finally broke down, screaming as she pushed the steamed bun to the ground.

"Ah..." Baozi yelled and fell to the ground with a thud.

My heart ached, and I rushed forward to pull him away.

Baozi, however, remained on the ground, refusing to get up, rubbing his eyes until they were red, "Waaah... Daddy... Waaah..."

Mrs. Du was dumbfounded.

"Waaah... Mom, she hit me... How could she bear to hit me... I'm so cute... I'm so cute... Waaah..." Baozi nestled in my arms, her eyes brimming with tears as she accused me.

I secretly pinched his little bottom to warn him not to overact.

"I didn't hit you, you clearly fell down on your own!" Madam Du stomped her foot angrily.

"Mom said that if you do something wrong, you should admit it. It's shameless to shirk responsibility," Baozi said seriously, blinking her teary eyes.

Madam Du's face turned green.

Baozi got up from the ground, dusted off his clothes, and walked up to Madam Du. "But Mother also said that we should be forgiving when we can, and that we should put ourselves in others' shoes and reflect on our own mistakes. It was Chong'er's fault. He knew Madam Du was afraid of Zhizhi, yet he still let Zhizhi come out to greet her." Baozi looked up at Madam Du and said, "Father also said that those who achieve great things must have a broad mind and a tolerant attitude." Baozi walked slowly to Cao Lin with his hands behind his back, looking at Cao Cao, who was a head taller than him. "Brother, do you agree?"

Cao Lin, who had been so arrogant in front of Zhao'er, now had a droopy face, looking like a wilted eggplant.

Madam Du's face flushed red and then turned pale.

In the Prime Minister's residence, who wouldn't want their son to be favored by Cao Cao? That little fox Baozi just happened to hit Lady Du's weak spot. How could Cao Cao possibly treat such a weak person with favor?

What a lovely little fox!

Baozi turned around, grinned at me, and showed off his arrogant little white teeth.

"What happened?" Cao Cao's voice suddenly rang out.

Cao Cao stood at the door, followed by Lady Du's maid.

Madam Du was speechless at this moment.

"What happened to Lin'er's head?" Cao Cao asked, looking at the red swelling on Cao Lin's forehead.

Madam Du opened her mouth, then looked at Baozi. It seemed she originally intended to accuse me, but unexpectedly, that little fox Baozi appeared out of nowhere, and for a moment she seemed to be in the wrong.

“Father, my elder brother and uncle were injured while playing. Madam Du heard that my uncle was already injured, so she came to visit him,” Baozi said with a smile as he walked to Cao Cao’s side.

"Is that so?" Cao Cao looked at Lady Du.

Madam Du nodded hurriedly in agreement and left with Cao Lin, looking rather disgruntled.

After Madam Du left, the room fell silent again. Cao Cao turned to look at Baozi, raising his eyebrows slightly. Baozi felt a little guilty under his gaze and chuckled twice.

“Young master, we should go to school now,” Zhou Buyi said calmly from the side.

"Oh dear, if we're late, the master will be furious again!" Baozi said fearfully, and hurriedly bid farewell to Cao Cao, then slipped away with Zhou Buyi.

"Did you hurt Lin'er on the head?" Cao Cao looked at me with amusement as he saw Baozi sneak away without any loyalty. He knew perfectly well what was going on in his mind.

“It’s me,” Zhao’er said, looking up.

"Oh?" Cao Cao raised an eyebrow.

“I’m disciplining your son for you.” I glared at Zhao’er and pulled him down to sit.

Zhao'er had no choice but to sit down obediently.

“Your Majesty is certainly in the right,” Cao Cao said, looking at me.

"Zhao'er is seriously injured, and your precious son is kicking her while she's down. Shouldn't he be taught a lesson?" I said confidently.

"Yes, it's time to teach them a lesson."

To my surprise, Cao Cao actually nodded.

"The fight is over, and I think Lin'er's forehead injury will take a while to heal. Have you calmed down yet?" Cao Cao asked again.

"It really feels much better," I said with a mischievous grin.

After instructing Zhao'er to rest well, I left Zhao'er's room with Cao Cao. I had some questions for Cao Cao.

"Madam wishes to ask where Zhao'er's injuries came from?" Standing by the corridor, before I could even speak, Cao Cao preemptively asked.

Recalling the shocking wounds I had just seen on Zhao'er's body, I couldn't help but frown. "Hmm."

"On the battlefield, swords and arrows have no eyes," Cao Cao said calmly.

"But he's still just a child."

"What do you think the battlefield is like?" Cao Cao looked at me, his eyes devoid of any warmth. "Going to the battlefield was his own choice."

“But…” I lowered my eyes, knowing full well that Cao Cao was right, but I still couldn’t accept it.

“I was also surprised, but Zhao’er is a good helper,” Cao Cao suddenly said, his tone carrying a hint of admiration. “In several battles, he has killed more than 300 people. During the Battle of Cangting, he even cut off the head of a Yuan army general.”

I slowly widened my eyes and gasped.

Such an obedient Zhao'er... actually...

I returned to Tongmeng Pavilion in a daze, still unable to come back to my senses.

After dinner, Baozi and Zhou Buyi went to bed, but I was still sitting there in a daze.

"Madam Pei, it's getting late," Rouge said, stepping forward to adjust the dim candlelight.

"You go to sleep first, I'm not sleepy."

Rouge sat down opposite me, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Madam, the young master..."

"Huh? What?" I looked up at her.

"When I left the manor yesterday, I heard from Liu Zi in the military camp that the young master..."

"how?"

"Liu Zi said he had never seen anyone fight like the young master, who was so reckless in battle that he didn't care about his own life," Yan Zhi paused, then continued, "Like last time at Cangting, and that battle against Yuan's army in the desert, the young master rode deep into the enemy camp. If that arrow had missed by even a fraction... I'm afraid the young master wouldn't have made it back..."

I nodded. "Okay, you go to sleep. I'll sit for a while longer."

I sat for a long time, until the candlelight dimmed, before I stood up to lie down and go to sleep. As soon as I stood up, I noticed a figure outside the door.

He went up and opened the door, only to find Zhao'er sitting on the steps by the door.

Hearing the door open, Zhao'er turned around, saw it was me, and hurriedly stood up somewhat flustered.

"Come in, it's cold outside."

Zhao'er lowered her head and walked into the house.

I looked left and right, and the boy in front of me with his head down didn't look like someone who had been through a bloody battle at all.

"Does your wound still hurt?" Seeing that he was standing with his head down, I sighed inwardly and asked.

“It doesn’t hurt at all,” Zhao’er said quickly, looking up. Seeing my disbelief, she added softly, “Really.”

"Zhao'er, do you remember what you said?" I suddenly asked in a serious tone.

"What?" Zhao'er asked, blinking.

"You said you were mine."

Zhao'er blushed slightly and nodded, "Mm."

“Since you’re mine, you should protect yourself for me,” I said, frowning.

Zhao'er stared at me blankly. In the candlelight, her still childish features appeared even more beautiful. "I thought... Sister didn't want Zhao'er anymore."

I raised my hand and gave him a flick on the forehead. "What nonsense are you thinking!" Then I thought of that day in Yizhou, and Zhao'er's figure standing outside the door as she left.

"I'm afraid I'll become a burden to my sister, I'm afraid she'll find me in the way..." Zhao'er said softly, then took another step forward and tugged at my sleeve, "Zhao'er will definitely become a great person, Zhao'er will definitely be able to protect my sister!"

I was a little stunned. He risked his life to fight on the front lines just for this?

"Zhao'er, if you want to protect me, you must protect yourself first. Otherwise, what will happen if your sister is bullied and Zhao'er is not around?" Knowing that he was a blockhead and very stubborn, and that I couldn't reason with him, I simply changed my approach.

Zhao'er nodded emphatically, "Yes."

I chuckled.

A few days later, a guest arrived at the Prime Minister's residence: Sima Yi.

It is said that Yang Jun, the governor of Nanyang, was known for his ability to recognize and appoint capable people. Before Sima Yi turned twenty, he had met Yang Jun and Yang Jun predicted that he was no ordinary person. In the sixth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao sent someone to summon him to serve in his government, but Sima Yi, seeing that the Han Dynasty was declining, pretended to be sick and declined.

Cao Cao was always eager to find talented people, so he would not let such a famous scholar slip by. Therefore, he invited him to his residence again.

Originally, this matter had nothing to do with me, but suddenly a shocking piece of news spread within the Prime Minister's residence, saying that Zhao'er was Sima Yi's biological son who had been lost since childhood!

When Rouge first told me this gossip, I was completely confused. Then, I belatedly realized an amazing coincidence: in history, Sima Yi did indeed have a son named Sima Zhao!

Before I could fully process this news, Cao Cao sent someone to summon me to the front hall.

When the maid leading the way arrived at the front hall, Cao Cao was sitting in the head seat, and to his left sat an old man who looked very ordinary and kind. He would definitely be just an ordinary passerby on the street. Could he be the legendary Sima Yi?

Zhao'er was sitting next to him, and she stood up when she saw me come in.

"Madam, come and greet Mr. Sima," Cao Cao said with a smile.

I glanced at Cao Cao and obediently nodded, "Mr. Sima."

I'm not afraid to embarrass this big fox in public.

"Greetings, Madam," Sima Yi stood up. "You are the elder sister Zi Shang mentioned?"

"Zi Shang?" I was still a little slow to react.

"My son's courtesy name." Sima Yi smiled as he looked at Zhao'er, who was standing to the side.

Zhao'er looked at me without saying a word.

For a moment I was in a daze. Zhao'er wasn't originally called Sima Zhao. He was a little beggar I found in Xuchang, and Mr. Shui Jing changed his name to Sima Zhao. How could he be Sima Yi's son by such a coincidence? And who was Hui Feng of Fengyue Tower, and who was that old beggar?

"I'm grateful for your care, Madam," Sima Yi said with a cupped fist and a smile, appearing very kind.

"You're saying... Zhao'er is your son?" I finally came to my senses and asked in disbelief.

"Yes, the son is indeed my long-lost youngest son." Sima Yi nodded.

"Madam, Mr. Sima and his beloved son have been separated for many years. Now they are finally reunited. You deserve some credit for that," Cao Cao suddenly said with a smile.

I looked at Zhao'er with a puzzled expression.

“My sister treats me very well,” Zhao’er said, looking at Sima Yi.

Sima Yi nodded.

“Sir, we have just reunited with Mr. Sima, we should not be so distant,” Cao Cao said again.

Sima Yi looked at Zhao'er with expectation in his eyes.

Zhao'er lowered her head slightly, opened her mouth, and whispered, "Father."

Sima Yi's face lit up with joy, and his hand holding Zhao'er trembled slightly.

"I am deeply grateful for the Prime Minister's great kindness and will certainly serve him with utmost loyalty."

Cao Cao nodded and smiled.

I looked at Zhao'er, then at Cao Cao, and suddenly I understood.

"Is Sima Yi really your father?" I asked, pulling Zhao'er to a secluded spot.

Zhao'er lowered her head slightly and remained silent.

"Did Cao Cao have you impersonate Sima Yi's son in order to keep Sima Yi around?" I asked again.

“No,” Zhao’er finally looked up. “When Sima Yi entered the mansion, he was very excited to see me and kept saying that I was his long-lost son, so I just went along with it.”

"What makes him think you're his son?" I frowned slightly. How could Sima Yi be a fool?

Zhao'er tilted his head slightly, and I then noticed a birthmark the size of a copper coin on the left side of his neck.

"What a coincidence! How did you get this birthmark?" I asked in surprise.

“It’s not a birthmark, it’s from a burn I got when I was little,” Zhao’er answered truthfully, then looked at me and said, “Sister, one day, Zhao’er will definitely be able to take you away from this Prime Minister’s mansion.”

It was then that I realized Zhao'er's thoughts had become quite deep. His impersonation of Sima Yi's son was not only to help Cao Cao retain this talent, but also to consolidate his own power.