Chapter 256 Filial Piety
This place is a forest, and it is quiet all around. Sometimes there is a cold wind blowing over the graves, accompanied by strange insects, cold and weird, very scary.
Cao Qian got off the car, looked around carefully and asked: "Is everything ready?"
"Yes." The confidant replied.
"Move faster." Cao Qian raised his feet and walked towards the grave without fear.
The confidant lifted the stiff Grand Tutor Cao from the car, entered the grave and put it into the coffin that had been prepared long ago.
The few people waiting here immediately closed the coffin lid and carried the coffin to bury it.
Grand Tutor Cao had been ill for many years, and his tomb had been repaired long ago.
This is the ancestral tomb of the Cao family. Cao Qian stood in front of the tomb and witnessed Grand Tutor Cao being buried.
"Sir." The confidant brought a basket of incense, candles and paper money.
Cao Qian took it and knelt down to light it.
After burning the paper money and inserting the candles, Cao Qian kowtowed several times with a guilty look on his face.
The glorious Grand Tutor Cao died, but he was not buried properly by relatives and friends, but was buried in such a shameful way.
"Sir, it's getting late." The confidant reminded in a low voice.
Cao Qian stood up and said sternly: "Guard day and night, and don't let anyone get close."
"Yes." The confidant responded.
After a last look, Cao Qian put on a black robe, got on the carriage, and left quickly.
In more than an hour, it would be dawn, and he had to hurry back to Cao's house, change into
court clothes and go to court. At the hour of Mao, when the sky was hazy and not yet bright, Yu Zheng got up as usual, changed into court clothes, washed up, and went to court.
"Master, there is movement in the Cao family."
Zhufeng reported in a low voice. Upon hearing this, Yu Zheng hurried to the study.
The secret guards waiting in the room saluted immediately when they saw Yu Zheng.
"Speak." Yu Zheng's expression was solemn.
The secret guard reported what he saw at night truthfully.
Yu Zheng was shocked when he heard it, and his dark eyebrows were tightly knitted: "Is Grand Tutor Cao dead?"
The secret guard said: "I was far away and didn't see the person clearly, but Lord Cao knelt down and burned paper money and kowtowed."
In this case, the person buried must be Grand Tutor Cao.
But when Grand Tutor Cao died, the Cao family did not hold a funeral ceremony, and buried him quietly without telling anyone. What exactly did they want to do?
"Master." Zhuiyun called.
Yu Zheng knew that it was time to go to court.
Before leaving, he ordered: "Continue to keep an eye on Cao Qian."
"Yes." The secret guard took the order.
On the carriage to the court, Yu Zheng thought all the way and roughly guessed Cao Qian's intention.
Cao Qian deliberately held a big birthday banquet to let Grand Tutor Cao show up, and concealed the news of his death and buried him quietly. He wanted the world to think that Grand Tutor Cao was still alive, so as to maintain the stability of the Cao family's power.
Cao Qian's move was vicious enough.
When he arrived at the court, Yu Zheng observed Cao Qian calmly and saw that he had a heavy expression and dark circles under his eyes, obviously he had not slept all night. He
was really filial.
After the court was dismissed, Cao Qian did not leave the palace immediately, but went to the Queen's Yongning Palace.
The Queen was dressed in plain clothes and had been waiting for a long time. When she saw him coming, she hurriedly got up and ordered people to close the palace door.
"Father, he..." As soon as the Queen opened her mouth, her voice was choked with sobs and tears flowed uncontrollably.
Cao Qian nodded to her: "I have buried my father, and things went smoothly."
The queen wiped her tears and choked up and said: "You have worked hard."
Since returning to the palace on the night of the birthday banquet, the queen has been quietly mourning in Yongning Palace.
But all she can do is kneel in the direction of Cao's mansion until midnight every night, and she dare not burn even a piece of paper or a stick of incense, for fear of arousing suspicion.
Such filial piety is really shameful.
There was a moment of silence in the palace, and Cao Qian said solemnly: "The opportunity is hard to come by, we must seize it well."
The queen nodded with red eyes: "You do it."
"The prince..." Cao Qian hesitated a little.
"Don't tell him." The queen was very firm.
She knew her son's temper very well.
"After the success, it doesn't matter what he does. But before the success, he must not be informed, otherwise his father's efforts will be in vain."
Cao Qian knew how serious the matter was, and he did not dare to take any risks.
The sun rose in the morning, and the long-awaited sunshine shone on the earth.
Shangjing was still bustling and prosperous, and it would not change because of anyone or anything.
Yu Zheng returned home to have breakfast with Jiang Shu, and took a carriage to Zhou Mansion.
After listening to Yu Zheng's words, Zhou Taifu sighed: "Grand Tutor Cao was really cruel to himself."
"He has been plotting all his life, and he still can't rest even after his death."
"It seems that Cao Qian is going to make a big move." Zhou Boxu looked solemn.
Yu Zheng nodded: "We have to hurry up, and let Xie Qian'an find out the situation in Cao's mansion."
Zhou Boxu agreed.
Grand Tutor Cao died, but no news was revealed. Cao Qian must have a backup plan. Only
by knowing yourself and the enemy can you win every battle.
After Yu Zheng left, Zhou Boxu sent a letter to Xie Qian'an, asking him to meet him at the tavern they had decided on.
This tavern was Xie Qian's business, and it was safe for them to meet here.
Xie Qian'an was shocked to learn that Grand Tutor Cao had died and been buried.
"Those who accomplish great things do not care about trivial matters, and Grand Tutor Cao is worthy of it." Even his own death could be used for calculation, which was cruel and vicious. Although I don't agree, I have some admiration for him.
Zhou Boxu was not here to listen to his exaggeration. He frowned and said, "The prince wants you to find out the situation in Cao's mansion."
Xie Qi'an nodded, and the two exchanged information.
On the first day of March, a major event happened in the court.
Yuezhou was hit by an earthquake, causing heavy casualties.
Such a major natural disaster, the court could not sit idly by.
This matter concerns the hearts of the people. A group of court officials argued for a long time. Cao Qian's party fought hard and finally won the right to provide disaster relief.
If you want Yu Cheng to ascend the throne in a short time, you must create a lot of momentum and make him popular.
The earthquake in Yuezhou was really God's help.
Cao Qian was in a good mood and asked Yu Cheng to go to Cao's house to discuss disaster relief with them.
Yu Cheng didn't know Cao Qian's plan. He really just tried his best to discuss for the sake of the people in the disaster area.
After discussing the business, Yu Cheng asked Cao Qian: "How is my grandfather these days?"
Hearing this, Cao Qian's eyes narrowed and sighed: "It's still the same, sometimes good and sometimes bad."
Yu Cheng stood up: "I'll go see him."
Cao Qian couldn't find a reason to stop him, so he had to follow.
The courtyard of Grand Tutor Cao was still strictly guarded. Yu Cheng stepped into the courtyard and the servants bowed respectfully.
The people in the house heard the noise and hurriedly lay down and pretended to be sick.
"Grandfather." Yu Cheng walked into the room and went to the bed.
The old man on the bed opened his eyes with difficulty, and his cloudy eyes brightened when he saw Yu Cheng.
Yu Cheng sat down beside the bed and asked about the recent situation.
But he said a few words in a row, and the old man on the bed just looked at him without saying anything.
Yu Cheng couldn't help but feel strange.
Cao Qian said in time: "Father has caught a cold in recent days, and his throat is hoarse and he can't speak."
As if to confirm his words, the old man on the bed opened his mouth and said something.
The voice was hoarse and unclear, and Yu Cheng didn't hear it clearly, but it also dispelled his doubts.
After sitting for a while and talking to Cao Qian for a few words, Yu Cheng got up and left.
As soon as he left, Cao Qian and the old man on the bed breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the old man Cao Qian had found looked like Master Cao, he could pass for it, but his voice was completely different and he would be exposed as soon as he opened his mouth.