Three Kingdoms: Cao Rui Uses Performance Reviews to Work Sima Yi to Death

Cao Rui awakens in the body of the Wei emperor and inherits the mess Cao Pi left behind. The four regents all have their own agendas, while the old fox Sima Yi waits to see what move he'll make. At court, Cao Rui throws out the rulebook: all four ministers will work together at the Shangshu Bureau, and major decisions will be settled by vote. Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu are delighted: now they can meddle in government affairs. Sima Yi is delighted too: now he can meddle in military affairs. Cao Rui snickers to himself: A vote? I never said the minority had to go along with the majority.

Sima Yi tries to use the opportunity to seize power, so Cao Rui pulls out performance reviews: submit a report every quarter, with military provisions and training results all quantified and scored. Sima Yi writes thirty thousand words, and Cao Rui replies with a single line: "You've worked hard, Zhongda. Keep trying." Years later, Sima Yi realizes that government affairs have left him unable to be in two places at once, while Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu are chained to the border by their KPIs. When he finally wants to rebel, he can't even find anyone to contact.

Cao Rui munches on grapes in the imperial garden and smiles at Liu Ye. "My method is called trapping people with bureaucracy. It's much more fun than killing him." Liu Ye feels a chill run down his back. This emperor is even more devious than Cao Cao.

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.