Chapter 32 Phoenix Perching on the Green Wutong Tree (Part 1) This time, don't let the news leak out while you're drinking...
Springtime at the Sikong Mansion was not so pleasant.
Cao Cao's face was even more somber than the continuous rain.
"Impeachment! Another impeachment! Lu Hong, what a fine member of the Lu family of Nanyang!"
Cao Cao suppressed his anger, but couldn't control his bristling beard.
“Fengxiao, take a look at this ‘cousin Lu Ping.’ What kind of person is he, accepting huge bribes from Jingzhou, using the power of the Imperial Academy to frame innocent people and seize their property?”
Cao Cao threw down several more bamboo slips, "They also include the 'household registration certificate' from Nanyang Prefecture, the 'gift list and account book' from Jingzhou merchants, and the 'blood and tears accusations' from the aggrieved parties? Each and every one of these things is described in great detail!"
Furthermore, it is said that his arrogance and greed corrupted the order and discipline, causing the school administration to follow suit and becoming a great scourge to Xuchang!
Cao Cao was so angry that he laughed out loud. This Lu Hong was a refugee that Guo Jia had personally brought from his old residence in Yangdi. He himself had once inspected him on the way to Zhang Xiu's mission.
Forget about clans and cousins; even the ancestral hall in the family has probably been razed to the ground by war. Who knows where this inexplicable evidence came from?
This was clearly a premeditated scheme targeting the School Affairs Office and Guo Jia. The other side not only accurately investigated Lu Hong's background, but also fabricated a complete "chain of evidence" that was so convincing that it was hard to believe.
Moreover, the people who made the reports were of various kinds and were not easily identifiable factions or cliques, which forced Cao Cao to temporarily suspend the operation of the Office of the Imperial Censor.
“If I forcefully suppress this, it will not only confirm my reputation as ‘protecting henchmen,’ but also arouse Wenruo’s suspicion… Fengxiao, you understand this.”
Xun Yu was already in a difficult position, caught between the emperor and Cao Cao. Guo Jia naturally understood this, and as a scholar from Yingchuan, he couldn't let Xun Yu be put in a difficult position.
"My lord, I will personally investigate this matter and will surely get to the bottom of it, giving you a satisfactory explanation!"
"Besides these sources... I also want to see who is manipulating all of this behind the scenes! And how these chains of evidence were created one by one!"
The Office of School Affairs was the culmination of Guo Jia's many years of hard work and a crucial element of Cao Cao's trust in him, so he dared not slacken his efforts.
A sharp, icy glint appeared in his eyes: "Jia obeys!"
The sudden shutdown of the school administration was like a boulder thrown into an abyss, stirring up countless undercurrents.
Lu Hong and others were also confined to the residence.
Fortunately, Guo Jia has not only been in charge of the Imperial Academy over the years. The "net" he promised to weave for Cao Cao has now taken shape in various places.
He used these contacts to thoroughly investigate the authenticity of the information provided in the impeachment proceedings, including the location of "Lu Ping," the merchant's name, and the locations involved in the accusations.
At the same time, he also realized that the source of this manipulation must be within Xuchang City, and the people he needed to pay the most attention to were the "loyal ministers" surrounding the emperor.
After all, the establishment of the School Affairs Office was specifically aimed at them.
At this very moment, Liu Bei was riding high on his success.
Liu Bei himself was granted an audience with the emperor for his merits and was appointed General of the Left, with a gold seal and purple ribbon, ranking second only to the highest minister, and was showered with honors.
Adding to the joyous occasion, his mansion hosted Zhang Fei's wedding ceremony.
This event was orchestrated by Cao Cao, who attached great importance to it. He personally led Liu Bei to officiate the wedding, which was a grand and solemn affair with a large gathering of dignitaries.
As Cao Cao's confidant, Guo Jia was naturally among those attending the ceremony.
This was supposed to be a joyous occasion for both host and guests, but it also became a golden opportunity for Guo Jia to gain insight into the situation.
He astutely noticed that several officials involved in impeaching Lu Hong were deliberately seated on the periphery, away from the main guest area, with their seats separated.
They acted as if they were strangers when they met, remaining silent and completely unlike the private relationship that Guo Jia knew they should have.
But when Xiahou Juan appeared in the middle of the banquet wearing a dark red and black embroidered robe with a curved hem, the cloud and auspicious beast patterns on the robe shone brightly against the solemn background, attracting Guo Jia's unwavering gaze.
"Fengxiao, Fengxiao?" Xun Yu called out to him twice, seeing him so engrossed in the sight.
"Hmph, frivolous." Chen Qun sneered disdainfully from the back seat. "I thought he was so affectionate with Madam Deng, but I didn't expect him to scrutinize other people's brides so closely."
Guo Jia snapped out of his reverie upon hearing the sound, glanced at Chen Qun, and, too lazy to argue, simply smiled calmly, tilted his head back, and drank the wine in his cup to the last drop.
He shook his head and sighed softly, his thoughts drifting back to his wedding four years ago.
At that time, the Deng family had just lost a member of the family. After many twists and turns, the two finally found Deng Zhao and followed him back to the Deng clan in Jiyang, Xinye.
Guo Jia had already received Xun Yu's recommendation and was about to head north to Xu County. To settle the two of them, Deng Zhao hastily arranged their marriage within the clan.
According to custom, marriage is not permitted during the period of mourning. However, with the northward journey imminent and Deng Zhao also intending to go south, coupled with the fact that Guo Jia and Deng Jie had been deeply in love for two years, they could not disregard many formalities in the midst of the chaos.
Therefore, both of them wore plain white robes to pay their respects, as a way of expressing their grief for their deceased loved ones.
But now, looking back, that wedding ultimately lacked the solemnity and joy of this one. A deep-seated regret was stirred up again by the magnificent wedding attire before me.
Guo Jia poured himself another cup and drank it all in one gulp.
After the wedding banquet, Guo Jia pulled Cao Cao aside and told him what he had seen, and then advised him: "I have observed that Your Majesty's headache is becoming more and more severe; I have also heard that Prince Chong's illness has not improved recently, and my wife is also at a loss."
Jia believed that in these turbulent times, it would be better to recruit Hua Tuo and, following the example of the previous dynasty, establish a medical bureau in Xuchang to benefit the military and civilians, for the sake of Your Excellency and Your Highness.
Jia could take this opportunity to appoint his wife as the vanguard officer of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, carrying the documents of the Medical Bureau, to enter the residences of various officials in a legitimate manner, both to conduct a general survey of diseases and to promote epidemic prevention, and to establish a record for the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
Secondly...it could also be used to probe their inner quarters. The inner quarters are not within the reach of men.
Cao Cao had always trusted Guo Jia's meticulous planning, so he immediately clapped his hands in approval and returned to his residence to arrange the conscription.
The following day, the Sikong Mansion issued a recruitment order, which was sent to Qiao County by express courier.
Deng Jie was at home worrying about Cao Chong's illness, and was grinding medicinal herbs.
Guo Jia brought the news back to her. Deng Jie was stunned at first, then jumped up with a "Oh my!" and her face immediately lit up with a smile. She jumped into Guo Jia's arms and said, "That's great! Master is coming. There will definitely be a solution to Young Master's illness!"
Seeing her happy, Guo Jia felt warm inside. He hugged her and spun her around. “Hua Shi is getting old and his schedule needs to be stable. I have arranged for people to meet him.”
However, there is an important matter that requires your assistance right now.
Seeing his unusual politeness, Deng Jie asked seriously, "What is it? Just give your orders, Chief Priest!"
Guo Jia chuckled lightly, then said seriously, "When Hua Shi enters the government office to manage the medical affairs, he must first establish a medical record system... mainly for the families of various officials, for Hua Shi to refer to."
Guo Jia handed her the prepared token for the Medical Bureau, saying, "Madam, you may use this token to visit the residences of various officials under the guise of establishing the Medical Bureau, conducting disease surveys, and publicizing epidemic prevention measures, especially..."
He took the opportunity to hand over a piece of paper, saying, "These people... are related to the suspension of the school administration, so we need to pay close attention to them."
Deng Jie took the document and immediately understood its contents. She was overjoyed that Guo Jia had finally entrusted her with such an important matter. A sense of responsibility welled up within her, and she vowed, "Don't worry, my husband, I will definitely record it 'carefully'!"
Guo Jia knew that the two had a tacit understanding over the years, and that Deng Jie must understand his meaning, so he was relieved.
But before Deng Jie left, he reluctantly pulled her into his arms and looked at her for a while.
"W-what's wrong?" Deng Jie felt embarrassed by his gaze. Seeing that he didn't seem to want to let go, she tiptoed and gave him a light kiss, then patted his shoulder and ran away.
"…………"
Guo Jia recalled her natural beauty and delicate eyebrows, and touched his own lips.
Watching the whirlwind Deng Jie leave, Guo Jia suppressed his tenderness and his face returned to its usual cold and stern expression.
He returned to his study, picked up a brush, and wrote down the names of the people on the bamboo slips he had just given Deng Jie on the silk scroll: Dong Cheng, Zhong Ji, Wu Zilan, Wang Zifu, Wu Shuo...
These people were both scholars and warriors, and most of them were those who welcomed the emperor... no, to them they were those who saw the emperor off, thus becoming meritorious officials.
The School Affairs Office was also a thorn in their side, so it was only natural to plan to shut it down. But why now of all times?
Guo Jia couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
However, while contacting his subordinates in various locations and waiting for news, Guo Jia also had a personal matter to attend to.
The obsession with yesterday's wedding dress still lingered in my mind, so today I went to find that old tailor again.
"Master, this time you mustn't let the news slip by while you're drinking."
This is a gift from Jia to make up for Madam's regret; I earnestly hope it will be treated with utmost care.
The old tailor readily agreed, after all, compared to the Ice Silk Feather Robe, wedding attire was nothing special, and he repeatedly assured him.
Since Deng Jie was sent by Guo Jia to travel to various prefectures, the incense shop has received special care.
Guo Jia then "took the opportunity" to visit more places.
"I've heard that Miss Li's culinary skills have improved considerably. Could you perhaps teach me a thing or two?"
Lady Li was greatly alarmed. Why did Guo Jia suddenly want to learn makeup? If it was for the lady's sake, he should have just asked her to come along.
Guo Jia was mysterious and unwilling to say much about his private wedding preparations, only saying that he wanted more intimate moments in the bedroom, but also asking her to keep it a secret.
Although Li found Guo Jia's actions novel, she also knew that the two had a very close relationship, so she shared all her knowledge with him, explaining different eyebrow drawing techniques, as well as the selection and use of face powder and rouge.
Guo Jia studied diligently and was far more talented than Deng Jie in painting. After several rounds of practice, although he had not yet reached a level of proficiency, he had already shown considerable skill.
Finally, Lady Li slipped Guo Jia a few specially made pieces of dark stone and a fine brush, saying, "If you want to surprise the lady, you'd better hide them well, Grand Master!"
Guo Jia was overjoyed to have found such a treasure. He carefully put it away, thanked him repeatedly, and was eager to try it out.
He bid farewell to Li and returned home with light steps, his mind already picturing her charming appearance, whether happy or angry, as he drew eyebrows for Deng Jie.
As soon as he entered the front yard, he saw Deng Jie sitting at his desk, writing furiously. In front of him were thick volumes, and next to him were stacks of bamboo slips of various sizes, which should be medical records brought back from various prefectures.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling her body, and a few strands of hair fell down, making her brows appear slightly tired.
She was sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes writing furiously, clearly engrossed in her work, and didn't even notice Guo Jia entering the room.
Guo Jia's impulsive emotions were dampened by this scene. He quietly went around to the side room, asked Huai Niang for a pot of tea, and brought it to her.
Why let her get distracted by such a small matter?
Guo Jia sighed inwardly, thinking it would be better to wait until he had fully mastered the skills and then present the final surprise to her.
After several days of communication, information also began to arrive from Nanyang. The forged evidence against "Lu Ping" was gradually becoming clearer. Not only was this person fictitious, but it was also necessary to find out whose name these assets were currently registered under.
Guo Jia had no time to practice his skills at the incense shop for several days, so he settled down at the Sikong Mansion.
That day, after finishing his official duties, he was about to leave when he stepped onto the corridor and hesitated whether to detour through the incense shop. Just then, a maid met his gaze.
When the maid saw Guo Jia staring straight at her, she lowered her head shyly, called out "Chancellor" softly, and stopped to wait for him to leave.
Guo Jia walked up to her, reached out and lifted her chin to examine her closely.
Their eyes met, and the maid's face flushed red instantly. She tried to hide, but Guo Jia held her back, saying, "Wait a moment."
He looked at her eyebrows from a distance, then took out a black inkstone and a fine brush from his sleeve and began to draw them on her face.
Guo Jia mentally compared the similarity between her eyebrows and Deng Jie's, and decided to test how well he could draw them without Li's help.
The maid stood there blankly, feeling her legs trembling with nervousness.
She could feel Guo Jia's slightly cool fingertips and focused breath; her cheeks flushed, and her heart fluttered.
"Hmm... I feel like I still need to practice." After finishing his drawing, Guo Jia looked at it with a troubled expression, not even noticing the maid's shifty gaze.
"Filial piety."
Cao Cao's voice came from behind, and the maidservant, startled and embarrassed, took her leave.
"What, you've taken a fancy to a new one? It's rare for Fengxiao to have someone he likes. If you like her, just take her with you." Cao Cao clapped his hands happily.
Guo Jia was greatly surprised and hurriedly explained, "Why do you tease me, my lord! I was merely teaching my wife the art of eyebrow drawing to make up for some regrets..."
As he spoke, he chuckled and leaned close to Cao Cao: "My lord, you must keep this secret for me... I want to give her a surprise."
Cao Cao was initially helpless, but then he felt that this was indeed Guo Jia's style. He was both disappointed and amused, saying, "You should stop causing trouble."
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