In this incident, Liu Bei undoubtedly became one of the biggest winners.
His reputation, position, and power increased, and he finally began to no longer be an errand boy or scribe, but began to come into contact with the real process of handling national government affairs, and legitimately participated in it.
As for Yuan Shao, the other biggest beneficiary of this incident, the improvement of Liu Bei's status had all the benefits and no harm. He happily held a banquet to celebrate Liu Bei's promotion. He frequently toasted at the banquet, praised Liu Bei, and praised Liu Bei, as if he had become a successful person. The number one Han Dynasty Liu Bei showed signs of blowing.
As for Yuan Shu, who refused to participate in this matter, he is now in a state of incompetent rage.
Although Yuan Shao did not publicly execute Yuan Shu because of his family's reputation, Xu You understood Yuan Shao's psychology very well and mentioned this matter many times at banquets.
Then Yuan Shao pretended to be generous and reprimanded Xu You, explaining that [Brother Xie] might not have participated because he was feeling unwell, and everyone must not blame him.
So Yuan Shao gained another reputation as "virtuous brother".
This made Yuan Shu very angry. He threw and smashed people in the house and beat them. He beat anyone who was unhappy, as if he had been fed gunpowder.
So for the time being, no one dared to approach Yuan Shu.
Of course, what Yuan Shu encountered had nothing to do with Liu Bei.
In the next period of time, Liu Bei frequently visited the residences of many high-ranking noble families in Luoyang City. Through Yuan Shao's introduction, he met many people and became familiar with many families. .
While interacting with these families, Liu Bei also got to know Cao Cao's family through Cao Cao's relationship. He became one of the few scholars to officially visit the Cao family and was warmly welcomed by the Cao family.
Cao Cao's father, the great minister Cao Song, personally came out to receive Liu Bei, expressed his kindness to him, and hoped that Liu Bei could get closer to Cao Cao more and not get angry with him.
and……
If there was anything Cao Cao could do to help Liu Bei, he would lend a helping hand. Isn't it natural for friends to help each other?
Of course, it's very natural.
This lasted until June, during the hot summer, when Liu Bei's father-in-law Han Rong arrived in Luoyang as Yilang.
On that day, Liu Bei took Han Ning and some family members out of the city for several miles to greet Han Rong and Mrs. Han, and the family was finally reunited.
Han Rong not only brought many specialties and drinks from his hometown, but also straw sandals, straw mats and clothes sewn for him by Liu Bei's mother, as well as letters written by Jian Yong introducing the situation at home. .
Liu Bei expressed his gratitude for this and had a good drink with Han Rong.
After three rounds of drinking, Mrs. Han and Han Ning reunited after a long absence. There were endless whispers between mother and daughter.
Liu Bei and Han Rong went to the yard to enjoy the cool air and chat.
"Xuande, this time I escaped from danger and was a blessing in disguise. It's all thanks to you. Without you, I would have had no choice but to go home and be idle."
Han Rong patted Liu Bei on the shoulder and thanked him.
Liu Bei smiled.
"As my father-in-law said, we are a family. If we don't help each other, how can we still stand by and watch?"
"That's what I say, but not everyone has the courage to stand up when facing eunuchs."
Han Rong smiled and said: "I heard from the imperial envoy that you are now a well-known celebrity in Luoyang, and you even fought against two eunuchs alone, leaving the two eunuchs helpless against you. It was like pulling a tooth from a tiger's mouth to complete this feat.
The court envoy seemed to admire you very much, and his words were full of praise. He even said that you are the pride of scholars. Xuande, I was not wrong. No one can easily control you today. , you are no longer what you used to be. "
Liu Bei picked up the fruit on the fruit plate and took a bite.
"I must have lived up to your expectations, right?"
"certainly."
Han Rong also picked up a pear and took a bite.
"What you have done is something I would never dare to imagine even if I have been in office for many years. Xuande, I know where my upper limit is, but I can't see your upper limit yet."
My upper limit?
Liu Bei ate the pear in his hand and thought for a moment.
"You don't know, and I don't know either. The only thing I know is that after entering this circle and stepping into this level, I have no way out. Every step after that must be taken carefully and with determination. I can only move up step by step. Climb, there is no other way.”
"yes."
Han Rong sighed and whispered: "Once you enter the officialdom, it is difficult to find a way out, and the ordinary way out is unlikely to be satisfactory. Otherwise, why would I be so happy to get a Yilang? After all, , I also long for the high position of Sangong and Jiuqing."
Sangong and Jiuqing?
This is indeed the ideal and pursuit of the scholars of the Han Dynasty.
However, I am not a simple Han Dynasty scholar.
Liu Bei took a hard bite of the pear in his hand.
"Do you have any further plans next?"
Seeing that Liu Bei was silent, Han Rong took the initiative to ask him about his next goal.
Liu Bei thought for a while.
"For now, let's aim for promotion within the Shangshutai. The importance of the Taige in the Han Dynasty can still be demonstrated. In the future, I will definitely pursue the positions of Shizhong and Shangshu, and strive to gain a firm foothold in the Luoyang court. You can be promoted and reach high positions within the Luoyang court."
"A very practical idea. The power of the Han Dynasty is in the central government as Shangshutai and in the local areas as counties. Although the official rank is not high, the power is real."
Han Rong whispered: "In the Han Dynasty, high positions do not matter as much as power. As long as you can hold a position of real power before the age of forty, it will not be difficult to serve as a high-ranking official in the future. It is more likely to be directly appointed as a minister and become a real prime minister. "
The real prime minister?
Liu Bei knew that this position may still be a very important position for the current Han Dynasty, but in the future, in troubled times, serving as a prime minister may be meaningless in ending the troubled times, and no warlord has come faster.
He wanted to hug Liu Hong's thigh because he wanted to take an unimagined path before the world was in chaos. This actually had nothing to do with whether he became prime minister.
This year is already the fifth year of Guanghe. In a few months, the Yellow Turban Uprising will begin.
The Yellow Turban Uprising marked the end of the "harmonious and unified" situation of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
After that, even if Liu Hong still maintained his rule over the Eastern Han Dynasty, his dominance and the deterrent power of the Eastern Han Central Committee were greatly reduced.
The Yellow Turban Uprising not only dealt a heavy blow to the power of local powerful people and some gentry bureaucrats, but also hit the power of the county governors and magistrates that Liu Hong and the eunuch group had finally installed in the local areas. It can be said that a wave of influence was exerted on the Central Committee of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Caused almost irreversible damage.
From then on, rebellions occurred one after another in the world, including rebellions by powerful powerful men, rebellions by officials, and rebellions by foreign tribes. The last few years of Liu Hong's life were also troubled times for the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Aren't troubled times a good opportunity to gain status through military exploits?
In peacetime, one needs to obtain merit and promotion through political performance, and the speed is relatively slow.
In war-torn times, you can gain merit and promotion through military merit very quickly, and it is not impossible to become a prince or a general.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was no separation of civil and military affairs. Being a general and becoming a prime minister was the pinnacle of people's pursuit of ministers. A general with the status of a scholar would be called a Confucian general and become an existence that everyone envied.
Therefore, for Liu Bei, before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he could seek promotion in the court through political actions. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he would use the foundation he had laid earlier to engage in military affairs, join the army, and gain more through military achievements. big benefits.
So, Prime Minister?
forget it.
Next, it’s time to prepare for your future.
