The next day, which was the 27th day of the first lunar month, Guan Cheng, the commander of the Licaoqu Canal, returned to Guantao. After hearing about this, he went straight to his son and questioned him.
Guan Cheng patted his chest in anger and said, "Gong Ming, I've always known that you are good at divination, but do you know how treacherous people are?"
"You have been murdered in public in the clinic. If Hu Di had bad intentions and everyone around him is his, you would be dead by now!"
Guan Lu smiled nonchalantly and said, "Father, you know I am good at fortune-telling. So, before I exposed this man's crime, did I tell fortunes for myself?"
Guan Cheng became even more angry and stretched out his hand as if to hit him.
Guan Lu dodged and said with a nonchalant smile: "Father, I have no bones on my forehead, no essence in my eyes, no bridge in my nose, no roots in my feet, no three armors on my back, and no three Rens in my abdomen. I will live to be forty-eight years old. This is the destiny."
"How could I be in trouble because of a Hudi?"
Guan Cheng opened his mouth to curse, but Guan Lu stopped him with his hand: "Not only can I predict that Hu Di will kill someone, I can also predict that my father will have a great future!"
Guan Cheng said unhappily, "I'm talking about you, but you're talking about my future?"
Guan Lu said: "Father will be summoned by the emperor!"
The bamboo slips in Guan Cheng's other hand fell to the ground. Not caring about the bamboo slips hitting his feet, Guan Cheng's lips trembled slightly as he said, "Gong Ming, did you figure this out?"
Guan Lu shook his head: "No, no. Father, I learned a method of observing the wind last year, and I saw it."
"You can see it? You can see the wind? Don't try to fool me!"
Guan Cheng felt that his son had tricked him and flew into a rage. He was about to pick up the bamboo slips and throw them at his son, but Guan Lu quickly grabbed his arm.
"Wind is the command of heaven and earth, the command of yin and yang, the indicator of good and bad fortune, and the manifestation of the teachings of the gods. Last night, I observed the wind angle and found that the Buzhou wind was coming from the northwest. Using the five tones to infer the wind, I knew that the northeast would mobilize a large army."
"Father is in charge of the Licao Canal. If the imperial court raises troops, how can they not take care of the logistics? This is the time for father to make contributions."
Guan Cheng seemed to be thinking about something, and patted his son's arm a few times: "In the first year of Taihe, the imperial court attacked Wu, and in the second year, it attacked Shu, and now it is the Gongsun family that occupies Liaodong."
"If it is true as you said, the imperial court is going to attack the Gongsun clan?"
As an official with a rank of 1,000 stones, Guan Cheng knew a lot of information that ordinary people could not access.
Guan Lu smiled and said, "Father, just focus on your work, and your future will come to you."
Just as the two were talking in low voices in the captain's office, a minor official outside the door walked in hurriedly.
"Captain, there is an urgent message from the court."
Guan Cheng opened his eyes wide, looked at the clerk who reported the news, then looked at his own son, and said in reply: "Quick, show it to me!"
After receiving the letter, Guan Cheng glanced at it for a few seconds, then looked at Guan Lu: "Tomorrow, the Minister of Works, Mr. Fu, will come to Guantao to inspect the Licao Canal!"
……
On February 3, Cao Rui led 30,000 troops to the southern suburbs of Yecheng.
Yecheng was one of the five capitals of the Wei Dynasty. It was the capital of the Wei Kingdom when Emperor Wu Cao Cao established the Wei Kingdom.
Now the land of Yecheng was granted by the emperor as the fiefdom of the eldest son Cao Qi, and its status became different from that of Chang'an, Xuchang and Qiao County.
Having received the emperor's order in advance prohibiting a distant reception, Jizhou Governor Lu Zhao, Weijun Prefect Zheng Hun, Zhonglang Zhen Xiang and others came out to greet him.
Lü Zhao and Zheng Hun had received documents from the Secretariat several days ago, informing them that the Wei Dynasty was going to invade Liaodong and visit Yecheng.
Therefore, in the past few days, Lu, Zheng and all the officials in Yecheng, big and small, have been busy renovating the palaces and towers, cleaning the city, and preparing to welcome the emperor.
Cao Rui rode slowly towards them on his horse, and seeing the three people prostrating themselves on the ground, he said calmly, "Gentlemen, please stand up."
The person on the far left cupped his hands and was about to speak, but Cao Rui interrupted him with a smile: "I have seen the portraits of Governor Lu and Governor Zheng. They are both court officials. How could I not recognize them?"
After that, Cao Rui looked at Zhen Xiang and said, "And my cousin Zhen Boming, of course I remember you."
Zhen Xiang's eyes were slightly red. He bowed deeply and said in a tearful voice, "Your Majesty, I, Zhen Xiang, pay my respects to you! Zhen was humiliated for many years before, and things did not get better until Your Majesty inherited the throne."
"I am so lucky to see the emperor today! Now that your majesty has come to Yecheng, the Zhen family will have a backbone."
Cao Rui sighed softly, "I didn't allow you to come to the court before because it was for your own good. What harm or loss can it bring to the Zhen family whether I am in Yecheng or not?"
After saying that, Cao Rui turned his head and waved his hand: "Zhongshu!"
Liu Fang, the Minister of the Central Secretariat, rode forward and bowed while sitting on his horse: "What do you want, Your Majesty?"
Cao Rui said calmly: "Liu Zhongshu, after entering the city, draft an imperial edict and appoint Zhonglang Zhen Xiang as the captain of Yueqi, and let him accompany the army today!" When Si Tu Wang Lang entered Yecheng as an envoy of the emperor to inquire about the school affairs, Zhen Xiang met with Wang Lang to discuss the matter. Three years have passed, and Zhen Xiang is now 36 years old.
Being promoted to the rank of Yueqi Xiaoli at the age of 36 was not considered a rapid promotion, but during the Taihe era, the current emperor did not appoint relatives by marriage as officials.
I think this is the first one!
Now that this precedent has been set, will external relatives be used again?
Liu Fang's thoughts changed tactfully, but he kept agreeing: "I obey your order!"
Zhen Xiang was already 36 years old. After experiencing the ups and downs of the Zhen family, his mind had already matured. How could he refuse the emperor's offer of an official position?
Zhen Xiang immediately bowed down and said, "Your Majesty, I, Zhen Xiang, thank you for your grace!"
Cao Rui nodded: "Please stand up, everyone."
"Come here, bring a royal horse." Cao Rui gave the order and looked at Zhen Xiang: "Cousin, get on the horse and ride with me!"
"Today, I want the entire city of Ye to know that you have been promoted to an official position, on a par with the Emperor of Wei!"
Zhen Xiang raised his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes, then stood up and said, "I thank you!"
……
Yecheng was the capital of the Wei Kingdom for several years, and many nobles, aristocrats, and wealthy families gathered there. In addition, Hebei was the first to be stabilized during the turbulent times, so Yecheng had been stable for more than 20 years.
In the first year of Huangchu, Emperor Wen Cao Pi ordered many people to move to Luoyang, but many people did not move. As Luoyang's military and political functions occupied an important position, in terms of the prosperity of the city, Luoyang was not as good as Yecheng.
Zhen Xiang entered the city with the emperor and was ranked before all the other officials. Such glory spread throughout Yecheng in just half a day.
Cao Rui made Zhen Xiang so prominent not on a whim, but because he intended to promote capable people from his mother's family.
Empress Wen Zhaozhen was no longer around, and the emperor was the biggest supporter of the imperial relatives. Whether it was appointment or dismissal, it could all be decided by the emperor's words.
This is how Zhen Xiang was chosen.
The emperor and his entourage entered from the Zhongyang Gate, the south gate of Yecheng, but did not enter the temporary palace. Instead, they walked west from the Zhiche Gate towards the Bronze Sparrow Tower.
The emperor could live in the Yecheng Palace or in the Bronze Sparrow Tower.
Cao Rui asked with a sideways look: "How much do you know about Tongque Tower? Have you ever been to Tongque Tower?"
Zhen Xiang bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, in the 15th year of Jian'an, Emperor Wu built three towers in Yecheng: Bronze Sparrow, Golden Phoenix, and Jade Dragon. The Bronze Sparrow Tower is the largest, with 101 palaces on it."
"I have been to Tongque Tower several times. The last time I went there was in the 23rd year of Jian'an when I accompanied Empress Wen Zhao. I have never been there since then."
Cao Rui sighed and said, "Ever since the reign title was changed to Huangchu, Emperor Wen has not been to Yecheng again, right?"
Zhen Xiang didn't say anything, but nodded silently.
As Cao Rui walked, he looked at Zhen Xiang and said, "If you think about it carefully, I haven't called you cousin for many years."
Zhen Xiang responded with a somewhat panicked look on his face: "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and I am your subject. How can I forget the etiquette just because we are relatives?"
"Your Majesty, please call me by my first name from now on, and don't address me like this anymore."
Cao Rui took a close look at Zhen Xiang and nodded imperceptibly.
Cao Rui said, "Zhen Qing, you have been in Yecheng for a long time without being appointed to an official position. Do you know why I have given you the position of Yueqi Xiaowei today?"
Zhen Xiang pursed his lips, shook his head and replied: "Your Majesty, I am stupid and don't know your Majesty's intention. Please guide me."
Cao Rui said: "Well, I have time today to explain it to you clearly."
"The last commander of the Yueqi in Wei was the current commander of the Central Army, Guanqiu Jian. When I was in the East Palace, Guanqiu Jian was my minister of literature."
"In Luoyang, Liaodong, and Guanxi, I valued Guanqiu Jian's conduct and behavior, so I placed him in such an important position as the commander of the Central Army."
"You are my relative, so I will give you a position of 2,000 dan. I hope you will follow the example of Guanqiu Jian, cultivate your virtue and talent, work hard for the country in your official position, and avoid arrogance and impatience."
Zhen Xiang knew that the emperor was speaking from the heart, and he bowed and said, "I understand, and I will certainly live up to your majesty's expectations."
Cao Rui nodded slightly: "The Bronze Sparrow Tower is in front of us, but I remembered someone. I hope you can become a minister like him."
Zhen Xiang asked, "May I ask who your majesty is talking about?"
Cao Rui asked: "Do you know Wang Xiu and Wang Shuzhi?" (End of this chapter)
