Chapter 161 Sima Zhao's Intentions (Part 2)

Feeling bored, I went for a stroll in the street. Passing by a restaurant, I heard someone reciting poetry in the distance. Although I am not a well-read person, I could still recite it fluently.

Following the sound of poetry recitation, I found myself drawn to the restaurant. A group of young men sat at a table, engaged in lively conversation, drinking and composing poems, thoroughly enjoying themselves. My gaze couldn't help but fall on the young man sitting by the window. He wore a magnificent brocade robe, his black hair was styled high, and his eyes sparkled with charm. His fair skin had a slight rosy glow, as if he were wearing makeup.

What feast?

He was drinking, looking somewhat frustrated and unsuccessful.

I thought about it and decided not to go up and say hello.

I didn't get home until evening.

As soon as I stepped out of the restaurant, I bumped into a solid embrace. I looked up and saw it was Sima Zhao.

"You're going to abandon me and run away again?" His breathing was a little disordered, and a few strands of black hair fell down his forehead. He looked lost like a child who had gone astray.

He said "again".

Does he know who I am?

He knew who I was, but he didn't reveal it, probably just to have a legitimate reason to keep me here.

I shook my head and smiled, "No, I was just wandering around."

In the fifth year of the Taihe era, Wang Yuanji married Sima Zhao.

The hall was bustling with noise. After the grand ceremony, I sat in the joyous new house, feeling slightly dazed.

Historically, Wang Yuanji was supposed to marry Sima Zhao, but... why me?

Just then, Sima Zhao pushed open the door and entered the room. He was dressed in a brand-new, wide-sleeved robe, with exquisite features and an outstanding appearance.

He slowly walked to the bedside, sat down beside me, and looked at me. His face was a little red, and I could smell a faint scent of alcohol on him.

He slowly approached and gently kissed my cheek, his soft lips filled with tenderness and affection.

He reached out and picked me up, letting me sit on his lap like a precious jewel.

"I'm so happy, I'm so happy..." he whispered, leaning against my neck, "I'm really so happy..."

He raised his hand and slowly pulled off my belt. His kiss landed on my lips, filled with endless tenderness, and he kissed me gently again and again...

I never imagined that one day I would become Lady Sima.

In 234 AD, Emperor Xian died at the age of 54. Emperor Ming of Wei held a funeral for him, and on the day of Renshen in the eighth month, he was buried in Chanling.

The emperor, who had been a puppet his entire life, was finally free...

In the same year, Zhuge Liang led his army on a northern expedition, confronting Sima Yi at Wuzhang Plains. In August, Zhuge Liang succumbed to illness due to overwork and died at Wuzhang Plains, after which the Shu army withdrew.

On that triumphant return, Sima Zhao brought me a feather fan.

That was Kongming's fan, which I gave to him. Several strange black stones were inlaid on the fan surface.

I've been away from this time and space for so long, yet this fan remains perfectly intact, which must be because of these few strange black stones.

To repay Liu Bei's three visits to his home, and for the sake of that orphan of an imperial family, that gentle and kind man overdrawn his life and exhausted his energy.

That feather fan once stirred up a storm of wind and frost, but that gentle and refined man quietly took his final bow.

All that remains is the lament, "He died before his mission was accomplished, leaving heroes to weep with sorrow."

I suddenly remembered the day I met him on my way to Yizhou.

He looked at me with a slight smile and said, "Even if I don't know the way, it's impossible for me to have gotten lost all the way from Xiangyang to here."

That time, he came specifically to see me...

But I pretended to be stupid.

How could that wise man not understand?

He smiled and said to me, "Don't be afraid. I'm just here to see you. Maybe we'll never see each other again."

...such a gentle voice.

And so... unexpectedly, that meeting was indeed the last.

At that time, he said, "This parting may be the last time we meet."

He said, "I will remember you."

I remember telling him then, "If we meet again, please remember me; if we never meet again, then forget me..."

I can't bear that emotional debt; I don't want that refined man to become a second half-immortal.

He agreed then, but now, seeing this feather fan before me... I suddenly felt a pang of pain in my heart...

The pain grew stronger and stronger... to the point of being unbearable.

The image of that tall figure standing against the wind, watching my back as I left, involuntarily surfaced in my mind.

That man had clear, insightful eyes that seemed to see through the ways of the world, and his eyes often held a gentle compassion...

He said that if emotions could be controlled, they would not be called emotions...

In 236 AD, I gave birth to a son, whom I named Anshi.

Its jet-black eyes and rosy cheeks remind me of a steamed bun.

Hua Yingxiong once said that he would let Baozi and I continue our mother-son relationship, so I believe with utmost sincerity that he is Baozi.

On the day of Dinghai in the first month of 239 AD, Emperor Cao Rui of Wei died in Jiafu Palace in Luoyang. Cao Fang, who was only eight years old, succeeded to the throne, with General Cao Shuang and Grand Commandant Sima Yi assisting in governing the country.

In 249 AD, Cao Fang left Luoyang to pay homage to Emperor Ming of Wei, accompanied by General Cao Shuang. Sima Yi petitioned Empress Dowager Yongning to depose General Cao Shuang and appoint Sima Shi as the Central Protector of the Army, ordering him to garrison the Sima Gate and control the capital. Cao Shuang was convicted and his entire clan was exterminated. On the same day, his confidants He Yan, Deng Yang, and Ding Mi were also beheaded, their entire families executed.

At this point, all power in Cao Wei fell into the hands of Sima Yi.

Sima Yi died in 251 AD.

The following year, Sima Shi was appointed Grand General, and the Sima clan continued to control the Wei court.

In September of 254 AD, Sima Shi petitioned the Empress Dowager to depose Cao Fang and install Cao Mao, the Duke of Gaogui, as emperor.

In 255 AD, Sima Shi died, and Sima Zhao succeeded him as Grand General, thus monopolizing state power.

At this time, Cao Wei was already under the control of the Sima family.

In 260 AD, Sima Zhao killed Cao Mao and installed Cao Huan as emperor.

That day, Sima Zhao got drunk.

He hugged me and said, "Sister, I've avenged you... I'll trample the Cao Wei empire under my feet!"

This is the first time in all these years that he has called me "sister".

I gently embraced Zhao'er, who was over fifty years old, and coaxed him. In my arms, he slept soundly for the first time, like a child.

He murmured, "Sister...don't leave Zhao'er..."

I replied, "Yes, I won't leave."

In 263 AD, Sima Zhao dispatched Zhong Hui, Deng Ai, and Zhuge Xu to lead three armies to conquer Shu Han in the south, and the Shu ruler Liu Shan surrendered.

In August of 265 AD, Sima Zhao died.

Before he died, he smiled and said, "I've worried my whole life, afraid that my sister would leave me first... Now, let me be selfish this once and go first... Having my sister by my side for a lifetime is enough... It's just that I've suffered for my sister..."

I gently stroked his face and smiled.

"If there is an afterlife, Zhao'er will never bother you again, sister... Has Zhao'er ever been in your heart, sister?" He looked at me with expectation in his eyes.

“Of course, more than half. In this time and space, the first person to take me in was Zhao’er…” I nodded and smiled. “And the one who will always be by my side is also Zhao’er…”

"If there is a next life, sister must be happy..." He slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep forever in my arms.

In the next life?

I looked up, tears welling in my eyes.

Whether it's Cao Cao or Zi Mo... I'm afraid we're destined to miss each other...

After Sima Zhao's death, An Shi succeeded to the title of Prince of Jin. In December of the same year, he forced Emperor Yuan of Wei to abdicate and ascended the throne as emperor, establishing the Jin dynasty.

My son Anshi became the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan!

Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, honored me as Empress Dowager Wenming and moved into Chonghua Palace.

And so, I finally believe in the law of cause and effect. Back then, Cao Cao held Liu Xie hostage as a puppet emperor, and Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to abdicate and declared himself emperor. And now, Sima Zhao has held Cao Huan hostage as a puppet emperor, and Sima Yan is repeating the scene of abdication…

One day in 268 AD, I lay quietly on my bed, with palace maids and servants attending to me on both sides.

Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, stood at the edge of the bed, holding my hand, "Mother..."

Looking at the young emperor before me, with his jet-black hair and bright, clear features, I couldn't help but think that if Baozi could grow up to be this big... he would surely be just as handsome and dashing.

On a midsummer night when I was ten, a blind old woman at the orphanage touched my hand and said, "Child, you are destined to be an empress." At that time, I lay beside her legs, laughing so hard I was shaking.

It turns out, it was destiny...

"Mother!" Sima Yan cried out.

I gently stroked his hand and slowly closed my eyes.

In 268 AD, Empress Dowager Wenming passed away at the age of 52 and was buried with Sima Zhao in Chongyang Mausoleum.

In 279 AD, Sima Yan divided his army into six routes, with 200,000 troops advancing by land and water, sweeping across the north of the Yangtze River with overwhelming force.

In 280 AD, Sun Hao surrendered, and the Wu Kingdom was destroyed.

Thus, the three kingdoms were unified under the Jin dynasty, and the world was brought together as one.