"Uncle Shao, Yingchuan Yu Liang is very polite." The young man bowed.
Shao Xun returned the gift.
He was slightly surprised. Over the years, only two scholars, Mi Huang and Pei Dun, had saluted him. The man who called himself Yu Liang should be the third one.
For whatever reason, he knew it. Sometimes I have to lament that people need to show their value. Without value, they are nothing. If you have value, you can get ahead, or at least improve your situation.
Of course, everyone is different.
Some people only need to demonstrate a modicum of worth to achieve high status.
Some people need great value and the right time to make such a small step forward.
This is the power of family status.
this is the truth.
"Uncle, can you do me a favor?" Yu Liang asked bluntly.
Shao Xun stared at him, nodded, and said: "Please come with me."
After saying that, he took Yu Liang to the pavilion under the west wall.
Chen Yougen watched from a distance, and consciously ran to the pavilion with a heavy sword to stand guard to prevent other people from disturbing him.
"Have we met before?" There was nothing in the pavilion. Shao Xun handed a futon to Yu Liang and asked him to sit down.
"I met last year." Yu Liang smiled and said, "I was chopping firewood at the time, and the governor probably didn't pay attention."
Shao Xun smiled and nodded, it must have been the time when he was guarding Yu Zhi, so he added: "Unexpectedly, you are the queen of a famous family."
Yu Liang smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying: "It's just a job to live under someone else's roof, let alone a noble family."
After saying that, he did not hide it and explained a little for Shao Xun.
The Yingchuan Yu family did not originate from a famous family.
During the Later Han Dynasty, our ancestor Yu Cheng worked as a doorman in the county government. The famous scholar Guo Tai admired him very much and "picked him up when he saw him and persuaded him to visit the Academy". Later, Yu Cheng became famous for his Confucianism, but he refused to conquer the country and did not become an official.
Yu Cheng had two sons.
The long name was Yu Yi, and he was the Taipu Qing in the Wei Dynasty. Later, he declined, and "the subsequent branches are not obvious."
The next time he was called Yu Dun, he was the Taizhong doctor in the Wei Dynasty.
Yu Dun had four sons. Because the family majored in Confucianism, his official career was bumpy. Only the eldest son Yu Jun and the second son Yu Chun became officials. The former was Dr. Taichang and specialized in lecturing Confucian classics to the emperor. The latter offended the powerful Jia Chong. , was dismissed from office.
The situation of Yu Dun's grandchildren is similar, because "the times attach great importance to Lao Zhuang and Zhuang Zhuang and neglect the classics", so they can't get up or down.
Yu Jun's branch is relatively better. The eldest son Yu Min serves as the Zhongzheng of Yingchuan County, and the third son Yu Zhuo serves as the official official.
The other branches are much worse. Yu Liang's father, Yu Chen, only served as a minor official in the court and had little reputation.
Last time when Shao Xun escorted Yu Zhi, he saw that the house of Yu Chen's family in the city was expropriated and destroyed by Sima Jiong, and the whole family "lived" in the countryside. This was a true reflection of their family's status.
Although people at that time did not have a strict classification of family status, there were already terms such as "gentlemen", "small surnames" and "hansu".
The gentry clan is also called the "gentry clan" and has huge influence. Yu Jun, who is descended from Yu Jun's branch, can be called "gentry clan" because they are quite prestigious at least in Yingchuan County.
But the Yu family is big and has many members, but other branches cannot do that.
People of this lineage, such as Yu Duntun's eldest brother Yu Yi, can already be called "poor" in the eyes of scholars, although they still have plenty of food and clothing.
Yu Chen, Yu Liang and his son can borrow the name of the Yu family in Yingchuan to the outside world, but the reality is that one knows whether he is warm or not.
Of course, the above is Yu Liang's statement, and Shao Xun doesn't quite believe it.
Even if they come from different branches, as long as they are not too far apart, it won't be too bad.
For example, Yu Gun (Uncle Yu Liang), who fled into the mountains last year, was just a "virgin scholar" who had never been an official in his life, but his wife was born in the Xun family.
Besides, is Yu Liang’s mother, Guanqiu, from a poor family background?
Because of the imminent war, their family had recently moved from the outskirts of Luoyang to the south of the city. They were living in a villa belonging to the clan member Yu Zhi, so they were called "Jian Ren Xia".
It sounds pitiful, but Shao Xun feels that since their family has a nursing home and a military department, it won't be too bad no matter what. It's just that there is nothing in Luoyang. If you return to your hometown of Yingchuan, the overall strength of the general strong will probably not be as good as theirs.
If they get the opportunity to serve as officials, it will be even more serious, because they can take advantage of the family's hometown name, the Yingchuan Yu family, and be rated as the fourth-rank family by the county Zhongzheng.
"Why did Mr. Yu come to see me?" Shao Xun asked patiently after listening to the introduction.
Yu Liang didn't expect Shao Xun's question to be so direct. He was stunned for a while and said with a wry smile: "Then let's be honest. I wonder if the governor can release my family's Buqu? I just chased and killed the fleeing enemy. I am the master of Mi Mansion and Shao Dubo. Inspired by righteousness, he led his servants and more than thirty people from his tribe to fight. As a result, they were recruited into the army by Chief Mi Zhuang and governed by military law, but they could not return home."
So that’s what happened! Shao Xun felt a little funny.
It is impossible to let people go, not even in this life. The servants of wealthy families are generally strong and strong, and the troops they brought over were also carefully selected. At least they were in good physical condition. How could they be let go? Don’t you want to know when?
"Why don't Yu Jun find the master of Mi Building?" Shao Xun asked curiously.
"As long as the governor gives permission, the owner of the building will have no objection." Yu Liang said.
Shao Xun couldn't help but look at this person again.
With fair skin and delicate features, he would still be considered a young person in future generations. However, his temperament was much more serious than the empty little fresh meat. At this time, his brows were slightly furrowed and his lips were tightly pursed. Following his eyes, you could still find a few traces of helplessness and hope - he seemed to be very aware of his current situation.
He is a smart man who can bend and stretch.
"To be honest, it's impossible to let people go." Shao Xun said, "What if you let your servant boy go and the others come here too? Should they all be let go? I just heard the owner of the building mention it, because With all the water buckets in use, the governor issued a military order to recruit servants from wealthy families to pound rice for military needs. Now that the matter has come to this, what else do you want to do?"
"Is there such an order?" Yu Liang was surprised and his face darkened.
He knew that it was impossible for people to go back.
Now that Luoyang is in such chaos, the warriors are much bolder and are not as easy to manipulate as before. If you offend them, quietly kill your whole family in the chaos, and then pass it on to Zhang Fang, what can you do?
Power and family background are of great use only when order is stable. Once there is chaos, many things will be greatly compromised. Will Shao Xun in front of him murder people? No one can guarantee it.
"Don't waste your efforts." Shao Xun stood up and said, "If you believe me, you can invite familiar family members to evacuate to Piyong with some servants. This is a big place, and there are not two families living there. You will have to wait for a place to live. If you bring more young men, I can still make the decision and arrange the best accommodation for you, even if I give you my place to live, how about that?"
"Is the situation really so critical?" Yu Liang also stood up and asked in a low voice.
"The two kings of Chengdu and Hejian combined an army of 300,000 men and came with great momentum. Is it so easy to let go?" Shao Xun asked: "If the governor fights to the death, Luoyang will definitely be destroyed. Don't take any chances. As the saying goes. Everyone is gathering firewood and the flames are high. I actually don’t have many soldiers here. If Zhang Fang sends a large army, they won’t be able to resist for long. But if there are a thousand people up and down, relying on the high wall to guard, they can still support it. Having said this, Yu You can make your own decision."
"I've been taught a lesson." Yu Liang bowed, stood up and left.
****
"Ah..." The screams echoed through the night sky.
Huang Biao took a dagger, thrust it hard into the captive's thigh, pulled it hard, and said with a ferocious smile: "I heard that you have developed many ways to eat it in Hongnong. You especially like to dig out women's breasts. They say this meat is the best." Tender. Although you don’t even have a ounce of meat on your chest, believe it or not, if I dig out your heart and liver, it will be even more tender."
The prisoner's face was pale and his lips were trembling. He wanted to speak but couldn't.
"Trash!" Huang Biao pulled out the dagger and quickly cut off two of the prisoner's fingers, followed by several more heart-rending screams.
"I'll give you another chance, think about it before you say anything!" Huang Biao said angrily.
Shao Xun glanced at it and then lost interest. He took the wooden bowl handed over by Wang Queer and drank the broth in large gulps.
"Uncle." Wu Qian walked out of the shadows and whispered: "I just asked, the name of the thief you killed this afternoon is Li Yi."
"The unknown person..." Shao Xun said.
At the end of the day, it's just a military academy in charge of one or two buildings, or even a building owner, so it doesn't have much value.
"Captain Huang also learned through torture that Zhang Fang suffered a defeat in the north of the city, losing more than 3,000 troops." Wu Qian added.
"Who lost?"
"Zhonglang Gou Xi led the Su Guards to defeat them."
"Where does this person come from?"
"Listening to what Mi Duhu said, Gou Xi was born in the Gou family in Hanoi. He once joined the army for the shogunate of King Sima Jiong of Qi. After Sima Jiong was executed, he joined the shogunate of the king of Changsha and served as a lieutenant."
"The Gou family in Hanoi, is there such a family?" Shao Xun asked.
Wu Qian frowned and thought for a moment, then finally shook his head and said, "It seems I haven't heard much about it."
Shao Xun understood that most of the Gou clan in Hanoi were no longer nobles. This Gou Xi is just an ordinary person, another Zhang Fang!
This made him a little excited. In troubled times, there are still opportunities for ordinary people, although so far he has only seen two examples: Zhang Fang and Gou Xi.
"Gou Xi has greatly humiliated Zhang Fang, which is not a bad thing for us." Shao Xun added.
Wu Qian nodded, but hesitated to speak.
"If you have anything to say, just say it." Shao Xun glanced at him and said.
"Uncle, you will kill the enemy today to build up your prestige, but don't do it again in the future." Wu Qian said in a low voice.
"Why do you say that?"
"I just want to ask my uncle, what do you want now?"
Shao Xun was startled, and after a long time he said: "Official position."
"Does the governor know how the imperial court selects officials?"
Shao Xun nodded.
This is actually what he has been most concerned about in the past year, and he has done some research on it.
In the Western Zhou Dynasty, it can be simply summarized as the "secular official system". Under the feudal system, blood was respected and officials were appointed from generation to generation.
By the Warring States Period and the Qin Dynasty, progress had been made, and there were various channels such as recommendation, military merit, visiting ministers, and official promotion.
By the Han Dynasty and the Western Jin Dynasty, the main paths to official advancement were through examination and recruitment. For ordinary people, it is actually not as friendly as the Warring States and Qin Dynasties. Classes have been solidified, and it has reversed the course of history, which is outrageous.
In essence, it was still too complicated during the Warring States Period. The competition between countries was too fierce, so you had to use the talents you caught. Even if you are a robber and a thief, if you are lucky and manage it for several generations, a new rich might be born.
The Western Jin Dynasty was a standard aristocracy and a world based on blood. Although this situation has begun to gradually collapse, the inertia will be difficult to disappear for a while.
Shao Xun thought to himself that if he wanted to develop within the system, the only way out was to become a "official".
Yes, at this time, middle and high-level officials had the right to elect and appoint officials, and the officials they appointed were "subordinate officials" with the characteristics of personal dependence.
Zhang Fang, who came from a humble background, was actually a subordinate of Sima Yong, the king of Hejian.
Liu Qian, the left Sima of the Sima Yue shogunate, also had no family background. He was an ordinary person and he was also an official.
But there are too few such people, and without the help of family background, the road is too bumpy.
Of course, you can also develop outside the system.
Such as various Wubao commanders, refugee commanders, Hu Renqu commanders, etc. They are local powerful factions. If the imperial court loses control of certain places, it may issue a piece of paper appointing you as a certain official, which is regarded as opening up the map.
This kind was generally more common in the north during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. After Yiguan moved south, the north fell. The Jin court did not mind being more generous to the Wubao commanders, the refugee commanders, and the Hu Renqu commanders who were interested in the imperial court.
If these refugee commanders don't have a clear head and go to the south, they are seeking death. Those who are lucky can just be cannon fodder, such as officers of the Beifu Army and so on.
But then again, if the refugee commander stays in the north, he may not be able to survive. This is difficult to judge.
If you are more ruthless, you can directly form a peasant uprising army. This is to set up a new stove. Of course, you can do without the imperial court.
Even if they take refuge with the Hu people, they are still relatively generous. Just like Huang Pizi asking for a title, he will give it to the official if he has territory and troops. It can be said that he responds to every request and is not particular at all.
Shao Xun felt that he could try to walk on the road of "belonging to official" for the time being.
For a subordinate official to reach Zhang Fang's level, he was already very impressive. He suspected that Sima Yong would not be able to touch him now.
Zhang Fang burned, looted, ate human flesh, toyed with ministers and ladies, and massacred wealthy families. Wasn't this weakening the reputation and influence of his main company, Ma Yong?
But can Sima Yong still control him now? It's hard to say.
If you want to hunt down Zhang Fang, you must first disband his 70,000 soldiers, and then take advantage of Zhang Fang's unpreparedness and attack in secret.
As a subordinate official, Zhang Fang was worthy enough to let his lord vote against rats.
Although Zhang Fang's cruelty cannot be learned, there are some things he can learn from.
At least, the lord can't just arrest you and kill you with just one order.
To put it bluntly, you need to have a basic base that only takes orders from you, so that you have the leverage to bargain, and even let the lord decide that suppressing you is not worth it, is too dangerous, and will make things worse.
A group of brutal warriors united around Zhang Fang is his base, but what about mine?
"Don't worry, I have my own opinion." Shao Xun patted Wu Qian's shoulder and said, "In this age of great strife, there are still opportunities."
"It's good that the governor knows what's going on." Wu Qian nodded and then added, "But it's too dangerous to lead the army first."
Shao Xun smiled bitterly: "If you don't work hard, you won't be able to seize the opportunity."
Wu Qian was silent.
"You do have some ideas." Shao Xun said: "There are so many people coming from the East China Sea. Most of them are confused. They don't know what to do or what they want. They just live one day at a time. Can you remind me? Thank you, really."
"The Superintendent has great ambitions, I have seen it a long time ago." Wu Qian smiled and said: "I have said what needs to be said, Superintendent must be careful in everything. My ability is limited, so I can only do my best to take good care of those children."
"If this matter can be handled well, it will be a great achievement." Shao Xun said: "They are the foundation to break the situation."
