Outside Yong'an City, Wu Jun camp, late at night.
The cool wind of the autumn night became more and more intense, and the autumn rain gradually began to fall outside Yong'an City. The camp, which was originally full of fighting spirit, looked at the eight large ships locked on the river, and everyone inside and outside the camp fell into deathly silence.
After all, it was Ma Zhong who spoke first: "General Governor, today is the tenth day of General Chiang's attack on the city. If it is delayed until winter, our army will not have the winter clothing and food, and sooner or later we will freeze to death here."
Quan Cong sat limply on the chair, put his hand on his forehead, and just sighed and said: "Why don't I know this? But now we can't advance or retreat. Unless we lead the entire army to cross the Wuling Mountains, there may be a glimmer of hope. You Want to climb the mountain?”
Ma Zhong was silent for a moment. Indeed, the only Wuling Mountain Range left for Wu Jun on the map now. Of course, if he could cross it, Quan Cong would not sigh here, because there is a section of the Wuling Mountain Range that is the most famous tourist attraction. This is Zhangjiajie now.
"What do you think of the craftsmen in the city?" Quan Cong still had his eyes closed.
Ma Zhong just shook his head and said: "Captain, I don't think the credibility of this detailed work is high, but..."
"But what?" Quan Cong suddenly opened his eyes and asked.
"But the craftsman said he wanted to meet the governor alone. The governor will make his own decision." Ma Zhong cupped his hands and said.
Quan Cong's eyes suddenly glowed and he asked: "Who is it? Why can't you trust it?"
Ma Zhong gestured to Quan Cong, and Quan Cong understood and immediately asked him to step back. Ma Zhong immediately approached Quan Cong's ear and whispered in his ear: "Li Yan."
After hearing this, Quan Cong was dumbfounded. His eyes were as big as copper bells. He was speechless for a long time. He immediately got up and walked back and forth in the tent. The candlelight in the tent followed Quan Cong's pacing back and forth rhythmically. Shaking.
"Is what General Ma said true?" Quan Cong couldn't help but ask.
Ma Zhongyan said: "I would never dare to deceive the governor, but whether this person is trustworthy is indeed open to question."
Quan Cong suddenly raised his hand to stop Ma Zhong and said: "If this is really Li Yan, why didn't he surrender the city when our army arrived? With his prestige in Yong'an, why did he have to wait until Li Xian arrived?"
"The governor did not know that Li Xian was in charge of agriculture and mulberry in Yong'an and Jiangzhou, and his military power was well controlled. Even if he wanted to dedicate the city, he would not have a chance. Moreover, Li Yan was more selfish. With his power in Xichuan In terms of prestige, I think he probably wants to be the second Liu Bei." Ma Zhongyan said.
Quan Cong frowned, hearing Ma Zhong's words, he said bluntly: "If Li Yan wants to use our Wu soldiers to enter Xichuan, and then use his prestige to become the king of Hanzhong, it is really a clever plan to kill two birds with one stone. However, as long as Yong'an is defeated and our army enters Xichuan, how can he, Li Yan, be the one to make the decision? Quickly tell Xi Zuo in the city that tonight, he must find a chance to go out of the city to meet him. This governor wants to meet him in person! "
Ma Zhong listened to Quan Cong's analysis, and he couldn't say any more. He cupped his hands and said, "Follow the orders of the Commander-in-Chief!"
That night, Ma Zhong shot a long arrow with a secret message from the bottom of the city wall and nailed it directly to the pillar of the city tower. The sergeant quickly took it and passed it to Li Yan who was sitting in the tower.
Li Yan opened the secret letter and frowned. After reading it, he immediately clapped the secret letter together. His hands began to tremble uncontrollably. He swallowed hard and called to his left and right: "Invite General Zhao here quickly!"
"yes!"
...
In Jianye Posthouse, late at night.
Sun Chong knelt down on the ground pretending to be panicked, and hurriedly said: "The common people didn't know that Your Majesty was coming, and they missed you from afar. I hope Your Majesty will forgive you!"
Sun Quan waved his hand slightly and said slowly: "Mr. Sun, there is no need to be polite. Come on down. You have come thousands of miles to see me, and I came to see you in person late at night. If it spreads, it will be a good story about the monarch and his ministers."
When Sun Quan saw Sun Chong getting up, he did not intend to stop. Instead, he continued to speak: "Mr. Sun, I am very interested in what you said during the day about the method of selecting talents through the imperial examination. I wonder if you, sir, can shed some light on it for me?"
Sun Chong quickly cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty has an order, how dare I disobey it." Immediately, he took down three volumes of bamboo slips from the bookshelf behind him and handed them to Sun Quan one by one.
"Your Majesty, please take a look. This first volume is the method of selecting talents for the imperial examination that I have drawn up for your Majesty. I would like to ask your Majesty to take a look at it."
Sun Quan didn't say anything. Instead, he just raised his hand and motioned Sun Chong to sit down. He couldn't wait to open the first volume of the outline of the method of selecting talents through the imperial examination and started reading it immediately.
Sun Chongyan said: "In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zuo Xiong changed the imperial examination system to the imperial examination system. Later, after the Nine-Rank Officials Act was passed, all official positions in the court were recommended by Zhongzheng officials. Your Majesty, just imagine, even if your Majesty's generation has no A powerful family appears to be in sole control of power, but what about future generations? If this system is not changed, there will inevitably be a day when power falls to others and Tai'a reverses it. The reason why the Eastern Han Dynasty exists in name only is rooted in this."
Sun Quan frowned slightly, while reading the contents of the letter and listening to Sun Chong's words, he quickly said: "Mr. Sun, continue."
Sun Chong cupped his hands and said: "Yes! Your Majesty, since the founding of the country, the Han Dynasty has had the exclusive power of relatives. What's more, the two emperors Huan Ling did not hesitate to support the eunuchs in order to check and balance them. In the end, they would inevitably die. Have you ever thought about it? However, in today's troubled times, if this system continues to be followed, it will only fall into an endless cycle. At that time, even if His Majesty unifies the country, the government will be controlled by Zhang Gu, Lu Bu and other aristocratic families, and these families are like Tai'a Jian. If you want to hold on to the power, the barbs on the handle will penetrate deep into the flesh and blood, and it will not be possible to pull them out overnight."
Sun Quan closed the first volume of bamboo slips, his facial muscles began to twitch unconsciously, and he murmured at the corner of his mouth: "Imperial examination, imperial examination...Mr. Sun, continue."
Sun Chong slowly handed over the second volume of slips and said: "Your Majesty, these are troubled times, and the highest power in the troubled times is military power! Royal power without military power is like a tiger without its claws. The reason why Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao were able to The reason for holding the emperor to command the princes is because they have military power. In the past, the Zhou Dynasty said that the whole world is not the king's land, and the land beside the land is not the king's ministers. However, the system of enfeoffment was implemented, which led to the rise of the princes. It was because of this military power. In fact, the way to death is to follow the imperial examination. This second volume is the strategy of using civility to control military affairs for Your Majesty after the imperial examination! Soldiers are also weapons, and saints have no choice but to use them. Only saints can firmly control the military power. Only in this way can Tai Ah be prevented from being overthrown by the likes of Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao."
Sun Quan then read the second volume, and after hearing what Sun Chong said, he motioned to Sun Chong to take the third volume. Sun Chong also accepted the order, and then handed over the third volume.
"Three provinces and six departments?" Sun Quan's eyes were full of curiosity, and he couldn't wait to open it.
"Your Majesty, these three strategies are a step-by-step approach. You must not rush for quick success. If you should be slow, be slow, and be slow, be slow. Today's Jiangdong gentry is deeply entangled and deeply rooted in Jiangdong. Your Majesty is thinking that the former Prime Minister Zhang Zhao would have been in Jiangdong if he did not rely on himself. I dare to confront His Majesty because of my high prestige, and I don't even care about His Majesty's prestige in the two unprecedented decisive battles of Chibi and Yiling. The system of three provinces and six ministries proposed by me is to allow every official to check and balance each other. Let one of them become dominant and thereby disobey the Holy Will.”
After reading it, Sun Quan suddenly clapped the third volume together and said, "Could it be that God has gifted me with extraordinary talents? But do you know that if you want to reform this system, the road ahead will be dangerous. Can you withstand it?"
"The iron rope across the river can only allow one person to pass. Sun Chong is willing to break the iron rope across the river for Your Majesty! I will not give up even if I die!" Sun Chong knelt down and kowtowed.
"Do you know that any one of the four major families of Zhang, Gu, and Lubu could kill you, yet you are still willing to go?" Sun Quan asked.
Sun Chong continued to kowtow and said: "There is no reason to cherish one's life when doing great things! Even if Sun Chong fails, there will be Ma Chong and Wang Chong behind him. If one Sun Chong falls, there will be thousands of Sun Chong who will stand up. ! This Jiangdong is His Majesty’s Jiangdong, not the Jiangdong of his four major families, Zhang, Gu, Lubu!”
"Okay! Have courage!" Sun Quan said, "In this case! Tomorrow's autumn hunting, you will follow me, and I will let the world's scholars see what my Jiangdong, no, my world is like. !”
"I accept the decree!"
The next day, Qiu hunting ground.
Sun Chong stood beside Sun Quan's hunting car, with guards on his left and right behind him. Many clansmen and powerful officials were behind the guard, which made them jealous.
"Doctor Bu, isn't this Sun Chong who was beaten up by your Majesty last time? Why is he by His Majesty's side?" Yu Fan stepped forward and teased Bu Zhi.
Unexpectedly, Buzhi spat: "Bah! Such villains, suddenly favored, are so arrogant and arrogant that they will surely suffer disaster in the future!"
Yu Fan fell to the ground and got a mouthful of saliva. He didn't know whether Bu Zhi was scolding him or Sun Chong with his words, so he had no choice but to beat his horse and leave.
"Congratulations to Your Majesty on getting a deer!"
"Long live long live long live!" All the soldiers shouted in unison, and of course the doctors had to shout too.
But they saw Sun Quan standing on the hunting cart and said loudly: "All the officials and soldiers, you have worked hard today! I will share this deer meat with you!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" all the generals shouted.
"Today, you have eaten the venison I rewarded you with. Tomorrow, you will go to the Central Plains to shoot deer for me!"
"The general will die for Your Majesty!"
"And I, the officials of Jiangdong! If you have eaten venison today, I will be here to carve a stone as an inscription. No matter in the future, whether I conquer Jiangdong or unify the rivers and mountains, I will rule the world together with the scholars and officials of the world! If you violate this oath, I shall throw myself into the sea and die!"
Sun Chong quickly stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, this oath is too poisonous and should not be taken lightly!"
Sun Quan shook his head and said: "This is a promise between me and the scholar-bureaucrats in the world. If it is not a crime of treason, rebellion, etc., I will never kill the scholar-bureaucrats!"
The scholar-bureaucrats behind the guard fell silent for an instant, but countless students gathered outside the Qiu hunting ground. Naturally, Sun Quan had arranged this outside the hunting ground in advance, and the position of the hunting car ensured that his voice could be heard outside the hunting ground.
"I have made a decree today! Kill a deer as a sacrifice. Three days after the autumn hunt every year, the imperial examination will be opened! No matter where you come from, as long as you have achieved academic success, you can participate! Change the name of the year to Longxing! The imperial examination system will be established later by the minister Sun Your Excellency sends it to all officials."
Before he finished speaking, he heard cheers outside the Autumn Hunting Ground, and the entire Jianye City exploded at this moment, and a deer-killing dragon was born...
