Hearing the emperor's words, Lu Yu almost froze in place, with an expression of disbelief.
Xu Shu was obviously much calmer and bowed calmly in response.
No wonder Lu Yu was surprised.
Although Lu Yu had previously served as a governor of a two thousand stone rank, the governor was different from the governor. Only large counties such as Weijun, Chenliu, Yingchuan, Nanyang, and Henei were similar to the governor.
According to Lu Yu's age and qualifications, it would take a long time for him to become a provincial governor. But now that he was appointed as a minister by the emperor, it was like taking a shortcut.
The Shizhong during the Taihe period and the Shizhong during the Han Dynasty and the Huangchu period of the Wei Dynasty are completely different things!
Take the Western Expedition for example. In addition to Wang Su, who was in mourning, Yang Fu and Chen Jiao were both appointed governors of a state. Yang Fu was later recalled to Luoyang by the emperor and became Guanglu Xun, one of the Nine Ministers.
Not to mention Liu Ye and Huang Quan before.
The court and the public had long discussed that in the future, only the Minister of the Court could be appointed as the Governor of a state. Although Lu Yu was upright, why didn't he want to be a high-ranking official?
Scholars should also pursue achievements!
Xu Shu had been the Chief Censor, and he knew that official positions and duties were determined by the emperor's likes and dislikes. He did not have much psychological fluctuations when he was transferred from the Nine Ministers to the Palace Attendant.
After Cao Rui chatted with Xu Shu for a while, he looked at Lu Yu with a smile and said, "Why, Mr. Lu, don't you want to respond?"
Lu Yu suddenly realized and replied, "I am willing to serve as the Minister of the Court and accompany Your Majesty. I have been a little tired and lack energy in revising the law recently, and I was a little dazed when I heard about the important task. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
Cao Rui said: "If you are tired, take a few days off. Don't work so hard. I see that there are dark circles around your eyes."
"Revising the law is not something that can be done overnight. Mr. Lu has become the Minister of the Interior, and he will also help me keep an eye on the revision of the law."
"And Xu Qing." Cao Rui looked at Xu Shu and said, "You should also keep an eye on all matters related to military farming. The system is starting to improve, so we must not abandon it!"
Xu Shu replied: "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I have everything in mind for the military farming in the world."
Sima Yi smiled and said, "Your Majesty has a keen eye for talent and has selected two good ministers from the court. Minister Xu is proficient in general affairs, and Minister Lu is clear and wise in judgment. They are both outstanding talents in the Great Wei."
Cao Rui nodded: "That's right, I have long known the talents of Xu Qing and Lu Qing. There should be four ministers, but now there are only three, one more is missing."
"Why don't you all guess? If anyone guesses it right, I will give you a prize."
The emperor was smiling, and it was clear that he was in a good mood today. Everyone present also started guessing along with the emperor.
Xin Pi guessed Zhao Yan, Sima Yi guessed Pei Qian, Dong Zhao guessed Wang Ling, and Xu Shu guessed Cui Lin.
Wei Zhen bluntly said he didn't want to guess, while Lu Yu guessed it was Wang Chang.
Cao Rui smiled and clapped his hands: "After listening to your words, I am really happy. Not because of the fun of the game, but because I feel that the Great Wei is full of talents and I have so many talented people to choose from."
Cao Rui pointed at Sima Yi and said: "Sikong knows my mind best. I intend to recall Pei Qian back to Luoyang."
"How did Sikong guess it?"
Sima Yi spread his hands and said, "I have only seen that the Shizhong has been sent out to be the governor frequently. Now that the Shizhong position is vacant, the governor may be appointed to fill it."
"As for the various states at present, He Qia of Yongzhou, Chen Jiao of Qinzhou, Sima Fu of Liangzhou, Liu Ye of Youzhou, Huang Quan of Yuzhou, Sun Zi of Yanzhou, and Jiang Ji of Yangzhou were all released by the court in the past two years."
"The only ones who didn't make any moves were Wang Ling from Qingzhou, Lü Qian from Xuzhou, Pei Qian from Jingzhou, Lü Zhao from Jizhou, and Liang Xi from Bingzhou."
"Among the five, only Pei Qian is the most virtuous. Therefore, I guessed Pei Qian."
Cao Rui nodded, and then glanced at everyone: "Why do I always use Sikong as my think tank? Because Sikong is full of wisdom and is the best in the court!"
Sima Yi smiled awkwardly: "I was just guessing in my mind, and it happened to be right. It is not my ability."
Cao Rui picked up a white jade paperweight on the table and handed it to Sima Yi. After Sima Yi took it, he thanked him for the reward very naturally.
The movements are smooth and flowing like water.
Cao Rui smiled and said, "Sikong is capable, why are you so modest? After Pei Qian returns to Luoyang, let Guanqiu Xing take up the post in Jingzhou."
"Guanqiu Xing?" Sima Yi asked, "Can this man also be a governor?"
Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi and asked, "What do you think of this man, Sikong? Is he lacking in talent or moral integrity?"
Sima Yi shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, that is not what I meant. Guanqiu Xing was originally a chief architect and has not served in a prefecture for many years. His son Guanqiu Jian has just been appointed as the commander of the army."
"Father and son both have important tasks, I'm afraid it's not a good idea to set this precedent."
Dong Zhao was slightly unhappy after hearing this, and interrupted, "They are all loyal ministers, so it should be fine. Besides, it is also a good story for the father and son to be two thousand officials in the same court."
Sima Yi laughed and said, "Mr. Dong is right. I made a mistake and forgot that Mr. Dong and his son were both officials of the rank of 2,000 stone."
Dong Zhao was not a kind person. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Sima Yi, raised the corner of his mouth, and said provocatively: "Father and son are both 2,000 dan, but this is only 4,000 dan. How can brothers be so prominent with 12,000 dan?"
"One of the Three Dukes and one of the Provincial Governor, bringing honor to the family!"
Sima Yi's eyes turned cold for a moment, but thinking that he could not lose his manners in front of the emperor again, he immediately lowered his hands, turned around and did not look at Dong Zhao again.
Cao Rui rarely saw this scene, and at this time he also smiled and said: "It is not necessary to avoid relatives when selecting talents, let alone officials. If you two say this, won't it be embarrassing for Sima Zihua?"
"I remember that Sima Zhi's wife is the niece of Lord Dong and the cousin of Sikong. So, you two are related!"
The emperor gave him a way out. Sima Yi, who was younger than Dong Zhao, tactfully bowed to Dong Zhao and said, "I made a mistake. Please forgive me, Lord Dong." Dong Zhao changed his expression just as quickly. He smiled and said, "I made a mistake. I hope you will forgive me, Lord Dong."
In fact, Sima Yi's words just now really did not mean to tease Dong Zhao at all. It was Dong Zhao himself who was too sensitive and made associations. He also felt a little dissatisfied with Dong Zhao.
Dong Zhao was also thinking about the same question. Did he lose his composure a little after the emperor pointed out his and Man Chong's hometowns in the East Pavilion?
Fortunately, the two of them only exchanged a few words before the emperor persuaded them to separate.
Dong Zhao thought himself to be the emperor's confidant, and as he grew older he became less cautious and no longer concealed his thoughts when speaking.
Sima Yi also thought that he was the emperor's think tank. Chen Qun's post as the Minister of the Secretariat was removed, and he was promoted to one of the Three Dukes, and then he participated in two expeditions and was given more than a thousand households, which made him very proud.
not to mention……
With the wisdom of Sima Yi and Dong Zhao, they tacitly felt that it would be better to have a quarrel in front of His Majesty.
……
It is enough to assign the general matters to the ministers and let them do it.
In the afternoon, Cao Rui returned to the harem.
Cao Rui wanted to practice swordsmanship or archery, but was dissuaded by the imperial physician Zhang Chun, who told him that recuperation should last for a hundred days and that he should not overwork himself.
Cao Rui also followed suit and ordered the carriage to go to the palace of Empress Dowager Bian.
There is something I still need to discuss with her.
"Greetings, Empress Dowager." Cao Rui bowed to Bian with a kind face.
"Rui'er, how come you have time to come to my place today?" Bian stood up and greeted her with a smile.
As a typical lonely old woman, Bian was quite happy to see Cao Rui.
Unlike his son, his grandson never talked back. Moreover, he freed Zhi'er from his confinement, and Bian was extremely satisfied with Cao Rui.
Cao Rui found a chair and sat down. After waving away the palace attendants, he asked:
"I have something to discuss with the Empress Dowager."
Bian was a little surprised: "I am already very old, how can I give any advice to Rui'er?"
Cao Rui shook his head and said, "I wonder if the Empress Dowager remembers Yu? She has been in the cold palace for two years, and her family has repeatedly asked Concubine Mao to plead for her."
"Yu has spoken ill of me, my grandmother, and the Great Wei. I do not want to reconcile with her. She has been imprisoned for two years because of her words. Now that there is an amnesty, it is time to release her."
"If we release her from the cold palace, we don't know what to do with her. We can't let her go back to her home in Hanoi, right?"
Bian was silent for a while, then sighed and asked, "Does Rui'er want to kill her?"
Cao Rui shook his head and said, "I don't want to do this. The harem is my and my grandmother's home. How can I kill someone in my home?"
Bian looked up and glanced at Cao Rui with a hint of admiration: "A monarch must have achievements and a kind heart. When Emperor Wu was alive, he was always gentle and considerate to the people in the harem. And when Emperor Wu was fighting outside for decades, the harem never caused him any trouble."
"Rui'er is right. There is absolutely no reason to kill someone at home. In this case, we should banish Yu to the Yecheng Palace and give her a side hall to live in."
Cao Rui nodded and said, "Let's follow the advice of the Empress Dowager and let Yu live in Yecheng."
Bian nodded kindly, but was startled when she saw that Cao Rui did not show any joy.
At this time, Bian thought that Cao Rui thought of the incident with Empress Wen Zhao Zhen, and that was why he said he did not want to kill anyone in the harem.
At this moment, Cao Rui remembered the assignment of Yecheng school affairs because of Bian's mention of Yecheng. Since the Western Expedition, Yang Fu and Chen Jiao resigned, and the school affairs were all handed over to Xin Pi.
It is also time to redistribute the power of school affairs into three parts.
All I can say is that the two of them are not on the same channel at this time.
As a grandmother, Bian wisely did not ask about any military or national affairs, but only asked about Cao Rui's physical condition.
After getting the answer that it was not a big deal, Mrs. Bian was satisfied.
After leaving this place, Cao Rui went to Queen Mother Guo to check in and say hello, and then went to the palace where Sun Luban lived.
That’s right, at a time when there were not many concubines in Cao Rui’s harem, Sun Luban, as a pregnant concubine, could also get a smaller palace on her own.
It is better to become famous early, and the same applies to becoming a concubine.
With the example of Concubine Mao, Cao Rui also knew how to comfort a pregnant woman. When the two of them were having dinner together, Cao Rui brought the topic back to Lu Xun.
Sun Luban put down the ivory chopsticks in her hand and asked, "So, Lu Xun has done a great service to Your Majesty this time?"
Cao Rui nodded: "Lu Xun led the Qiang cavalry to fight in a roundabout way and attacked the rear of the Shu army from the side. I can fight faster in Chiting."
As the daughter of Sun Quan, and having studied with Sun Deng, Sun Luban was a rare woman with military and political insights.
Cao Rui didn't need Sun Luban's help, and of course he wouldn't listen to her advice. For an emperor who was alone, it was enough to have someone close to him to talk about these things. (End of this chapter)
