Are we going to detain these two people right away?
Lu Zhao asked anxiously, "Prince, what happened? Why are these two people detained?"
Wang Lang glanced at Lu Zhao coldly: "Zi Zhan, are you really that curious? Do you want to know why?"
After being asked this question by Wang Lang, Lu Zhao immediately came to his senses.
Although he was called the Governor of Jizhou, he had jurisdiction over everything that happened in Jizhou.
However, the School Affairs Office has always belonged to the Secretariat and was headed by Liu Fang and Sun Zi, who were close to the Emperor in Luoyang. The work was not subject to the supervision of the Inspector.
After all, whether Wang Situ detained the two school officials for investigation or even killed them was a matter between Wang Situ and the two grand secretaries.
After organizing his thoughts, Lu Zhao sighed and said, "Your Excellency is right. I will not ask any more questions. However, if Your Excellency needs my assistance, please feel free to let me know."
Zheng Cheng, who was sitting next to him, was a loyal and honest man. After the Minister of Justice and the Provincial Governor said so, Zheng Cheng also expressed his support for Minister Wang's actions.
But after a moment, Zheng Cheng interrupted and asked, "Excuse me, Situ, do you need someone from the county to help? I see that there doesn't seem to be anyone in Situ's entourage who can investigate the prison warden."
Wang Lang said bluntly: "Duke Wen, have you forgotten that I served as Dali for five years?"
"It's just two school matters. What can I do if I interrogate them myself?"
Zheng Cheng nodded quickly and said yes.
……
At the same time, outside Luoyang city.
Outside the east gate, Liu Shao looked at the towering walls of Luoyang City with great emotion.
Just two months ago, Liu Shao, while serving as the prefect of Chenliu, received the emperor who was on a tour in Chenliu City.
Although he was a typical scholar, Liu Shao never regarded being an official or governing a region as his life goal.
If we want to evaluate Liu Shao more accurately, we will say that Liu Shao would prefer to be a senior staff member in charge of articles and classics.
Therefore, at the court meeting in early April, when Taiwei Hua Xin suggested that Liu Shao be responsible for revising the laws, the emperor agreed without hesitation and ordered Liu Shao to return to Luoyang.
As it was getting late, Liu Shao hesitated for a moment after entering the city.
If I were to enter the palace to ask for an audience now, it would be too late now and I probably wouldn't be able to see His Majesty.
Why not go to General Hua’s house?
A moment later, outside the Taiwei Mansion.
Liu Shao said politely to the doorman, "I am Liu Shao, the governor of Chenliu, and I have come to see Lord Hua. Thank you for your report."
The concierge bowed and said, "Please wait a moment."
After a while, a young man in his twenties walked out from the side door with a smile.
"Brother Kong Cai, oh, it's really you." Hua Xin's son Hua Biao hurriedly came forward.
"Weirong, we haven't seen each other for two years." Liu Shao greeted Huabiao with a smile.
Huabiao smiled and said, "I just heard from my father a few days ago that the court summoned Brother Kong Cai back from Chenliu. How come he came back so soon?"
Liu Shao replied: "If it were an ordinary matter, I would probably be two days late. But I heard that the court wants to revise the laws and simplify the Han laws, so I have to come quickly."
Huabiao enthusiastically pulled Liu Shao and made a gesture of invitation with his right hand: "Brother Kong Cai, please come into the mansion quickly. My father is waiting for you in the hall."
Liu Shao nodded: "The first thing I will do after returning to Luoyang is to come and pay my respects to Lord Hua."
Taiwei Mansion, in the hall.
Hua Xin was sitting at the top. When he saw his son leading Liu Shao over, he slowly stood up to greet them.
Upon seeing this, Liu Shao immediately bowed and said, "Student greets Master Hua."
The close relationships among the group of scholars have always been complex and intricate.
There is the blood inheritance of the same clan, the grace of seniors helping and promoting the younger generations, and the grace of teaching like Hua Xin and Liu Shao.
Hua Xin walked forward with a smile and looked at Liu Shao's face carefully: "I haven't seen Kong Cai for two years. It seems that Chenliu County has a lot of trivial matters. You are only forty years old, and you have a few white hairs."
"It's okay, it's okay. Please take a seat, General." Liu Shao said with a smile.
Hua Xin nodded and was helped into the seat by Liu Shao. Liu Shao also sat down at a seat nearby.
Hua Xin asked directly: "Kong Cai, I heard that when His Majesty was on his southern tour, he stayed in Chenliu for several days and talked with you for half a day?"
Liu Shao replied, "That's right. Your Majesty has been talking with me for half a day, and the topic is basically about my time as a cavalry officer in Luoyang and the compilation of Huang Lan."
"Huang Lan..." Hua Xin thought for a moment and then said, "I remember that it was you, Wang Xiang, and Huan Fan who compiled Huang Lan under the order of the late emperor, right?"
"That's right." Liu Shao said, "Your Majesty discussed with the students very carefully at that time how the compilation was organized."
Hua Xin asked curiously, "Your Majesty has also seen it?"
Liu Shao smiled and said, "Your Majesty told the students at that time that you had read the entire catalog and roughly knew what books were in Huang Lan. If you need to find something, you can just search for it."
Hua Xin nodded and said, "More than eight million words! This is the only way."
Liu Shao said: "Didn't Master Fang Cai ask his students how their hair turned white?"
Hua Xin looked at Liu Shao with a bit of doubt. Liu Shao took out a booklet made of Zuo Bo paper from his pocket and presented it to Hua Xin with both hands: "Please have a look, Mr. Hua, this is the "Character Records" written by my student, which is used as a basis for evaluating characters."
Character review? Hua Xin was stunned for a moment, then took the booklet.
Hua Xin squinted his eyes and read the book, while Liu Shao was waiting quietly beside him.
Hua Xin sighed softly: "It's okay, it's okay."
"Fortunately, your article 'Character Biography' sets standards for evaluating characters. If you were to make reckless comments like Xu Shao did in the early Han Dynasty, this long article would probably bring you disaster."
Liu Shao smiled and said, "Mr. Hua, you worry too much. I have compiled so many books, and I have already known what can be discussed, what cannot be discussed, and what is taboo."
Hua Xin nodded: "How many gray hairs did you get from writing this "Character Biography"?"
Liu Shao replied, "They are just trivial matters. You don't need to worry about them, Mr. Hua."
Hua Xin said: "With this booklet as a basis, I'm afraid the revision of the law will fall on your shoulders."
"Kong Cai," Hua Xin asked, "Chenliu is a large county. You have done a good job in Chenliu. Are you resentful that the court has summoned you back?"
"What are you talking about, Mr. Hua?" Liu Shao said with a smile, "If I can spend the whole day with books and ignore the complicated and trivial matters in the state, I will be more than happy!"
Hua Xin said: "Do you know how many other people are on the shortlist this time?"
Liu Shao said, "Mr. Hua, please speak."
Hua Xin said slowly: "Your Majesty has not summoned Wang Chang back to Luoyang, and Sima Zhi has been sent to the Eastern Wu, so there are only Huan Fan and Lu Yu."
"Of course I recommended you. Wang Chang, Sima Zhi, Huan Fan, and Lu Yu were all recommended by the Minister of Works."
Liu Shao smiled and said, "Huan Fan's talent and character are not as good as mine. On the contrary, Lu Yu deserves some attention."
"However, if it really doesn't work, it would be fine for the students and Lu Yu to take the lead on this matter together."
Hua Xin paused for a moment and said slowly: "Kong Cai, do you know that Lu Yu is the son of my junior fellow apprentice Lu Zhi?"
Liu Shao nodded: "Student knows."
Hua Xin said, "Since we both studied under Master Chen Qiu, I will not stand in the way of Lu Zhi's young son."
"If His Majesty asks, I can only recommend both of you. Sima Zhongda can recommend four people, so it's okay for me to recommend two people."
Liu Shao said: "This matter is entirely up to Lord Hua. What does it matter if there are one or two people?"
Hua Xin nodded slightly: "Not tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, I will take you to the palace to pay homage to His Majesty."
Liu Shao stood up and bowed, "I thank Mr. Hua."
……
On the same night, Yangzhou, Shouchun City.
Grand Marshal Cao Xiu and Chief Clerk Feng Ping were talking by candlelight at night.
Cao Xiu smiled and said, "The court has issued an edict to summon you to Luoyang as an official of two thousand stones. Bo Ying, you must be at ease in your official duties in Luoyang."
Feng Ping bowed and said, "I am entirely dependent on the Grand Marshal's support. Without the Grand Marshal's recommendation, how could I be qualified to serve as an official in the court?"
Cao Xiu nodded and said, "I have also seen the letters from Sima Yi that Jiang Ji brought with him when he came to Shouchun last month."
"Jiang Ji also told me privately that the Minister of Works would try to transfer Henan Yin Sima Zhi away."
Feng Ping laughed and said, "Wasn't it Sikong who put Sima Zhi in the position of Henan Yin back then? If he was promoted back then, he can be removed now."
Cao Xiu nodded, showing a hint of hesitation: "If His Majesty knew that I had discussed the official position with Sima Yi, would he have some other thoughts?"
Feng Ping said calmly: "Grand Sima is worrying too much. You and Sima Yi are both assistant ministers. It's just a little discussion of positions. What's the big deal?"
"I feel that the general and the minister of responsibilities are always discussing this kind of thing in the palace! How come it doesn't work when it comes to the Grand Marshal?"
"That's true." Cao Xiu nodded. "Bo Ying will leave tomorrow, but there is one thing I can't make up my mind about tonight, so I need Bo Ying to give me some advice."
Feng Ping cupped his hands and said, "No matter where I am, I will always be your subordinate. If the Grand Marshal has anything to ask you, you can always write to me even if I am far away in Luoyang."
Cao Xiu nodded and said, "I came with the imperial edict summoning you yesterday, along with a letter from the general."
"The letter said that His Majesty wants to take 20 women into the harem, five of whom must come from military families. What do you think of this?"
Feng Ping said slowly: "Twenty people? What about the other fifteen?"
Cao Xiu explained: "The nobles, officials, and common people. There are still these three categories."
Feng Ping thought for a moment and then replied, "Grand Marshal, I think this is just a gesture of favor from your Majesty to win over all parties."
"If you want to show favor, the Grand Marshal might as well select some daughters of generals who are close to him from the armies under his command and report them to him first. The higher the rank of the general, the better."
Cao Xiu asked, "Your Majesty, don't you have any taboos?"
"Of course not." Feng Ping shook his head: "Does the Grand Marshal still think that the Wei Dynasty will have relatives from outside the family now? There is no need to worry." (End of this chapter)
