After the imperial edict regarding the implementation of the imperial examination system and the abolition of the imperial examination system was spread to the states and counties, it naturally caused an uproar. For a time, officials in the thirteen states of the Han Dynasty felt very uneasy.
After abolishing the inspection and examination system, it is equivalent to greatly weakening the power of officials from the county magistrate level up. In the future, it is obviously unrealistic for them to single-handedly drive the entire family.
Everyone is angry, but there is nowhere to vent this anger. After all, the imperial edict was issued by Liu Xie, and the dean of the Taiyuan Academy is Zhong Yao, a wealthy man from the Yingchuan family. The whole thing seems to have nothing to do with Lu Lin's son-in-law. relationship, which made it impossible for them to concentrate their efforts to resist the implementation of this decree.
On the Jiangdong side, the heads of the four major families of the Lu Mansion in Wu County, Wu County gathered together again for this very matter.
"If we want to play like this, then we might as well support Cao Cao. Even supporting Sun Ce is worse than supporting Lu Lin." Zhang Yun was so angry that he slapped the table.
"What does this matter have to do with them?" Zhu Huan asked in a muffled voice, frowning.
"Your Majesty issued this edict after he was taken back to Xuchang. If you say it doesn't matter at all, I'm afraid no one will believe it."
Gu Yong shook his head solemnly, "But so what if there is a relationship. From the beginning to the end, their father-in-law and his son-in-law have done everything right. Even if the world's aristocratic families want to unite to resist this decree, there will be no breakthrough."
Gu Yong and Liu Xie thought about it together. If the person who became the dean was not Zhong Yao but Lin Mo, it could be said that he had threatened the emperor of the aristocratic family in the world. A person with a refugee background had long been dissatisfied with the aristocratic family. The hard days will continue, so it’s better to take action as soon as possible.
The problem is, that's not the case.
The world's aristocratic family is in a state of agitation at the moment, and they can only be restless, without taking any practical action.
"Why didn't you say anything? General Pingnan Zhonglang made you willing to give up your family's future?" Zhang Yun asked, looking at Lu Xun who had been silent.
Lu Xun smiled slightly, shook his head and said: "With the current situation, it is only a matter of time before Lu Lin unifies. At this time, there is no point in discussing whether to continue to submit to the imperial court. Continuing to support Sun Ce is just a desperate struggle.
But I really want to know what is happening in Xuchang City today. "
Gu Yong raised the teacup and slowly blew away the hot air, took a sip and then said in a deep voice: "This move is really powerful. It directly strengthens the power of the imperial court to employ people. It will make countless people admire the capital rather than just a single county. The earth has become a local bully.
Boyan is right, even I want to go to Xuchang City to watch the storm. "
In fact, whether it was the secular official system of the Qin Dynasty or the later imperial examination system, many people did not like to be officials in the capital. The power of a prefect of a county was astonishing. If the mountain is high and the emperor is far away, it is really not appropriate for him to dominate a place. Ordinary Beijing officials can compare.
But now, these few of them, who all have the position of prefect, are actually attracted to Xuchang.
"So, you two have decided to go to Lu Lin?" Zhang Yun asked.
"Times are also lucky. Now that Lu Lin is going to Jingzhou, a water battle is inevitable. Our investment is a timely help, and our contribution is different from others."
Gu Yong was not impatient and analyzed him slowly, "Moreover, there are not many choices left for us. The reward edict brought by Lin Mo this time also deposed Sun Ce's Marquis, calling him a treasonous thief. Is it convenient for us to take action?"
"But what he did was a bit too cruel," Zhu Huan muttered with a frown.
"What are we afraid of? Notoriety will not fall on us. If we want to kill Sun Yi, we can't escape the infamy. Lin Mo's method also allows our four major families to stay out of the matter. They are already very sincere. If they delay it any longer, they will It’s a bit disrespectful.”
Lu Xun's words made Gu Yong nod in support. Regarding the direction of the four major families, Zhu Huan had always been unable to give a shit and would not make any comments.
Zhang Yun looked at the two of them and sighed: "Both of you support it, so if I have anything else to say, let's do it. I'm responsible for taking back all the naval forces along the Yangtze River."
"There are still some die-hard subordinates of Sun Ce inside. I will go there myself and take care of them all." Zhu Huan also expressed his position.
Lu Xun and Gu Yong exchanged glances, and with the latter's acquiescence, he continued: "According to what Lin Sikong said, Xiu Mu and I will go to Jiangxia before Xia, although he did not mention the naval warships in his letter. , but I feel that at this time when the situation is changing, we should be more proactive.”
"What do you want to do?" Zhang Yun shook the tea cup in his hand.
"With the combined efforts of the four families, all naval warships set sail for Jiangxia."
That's more than 10,000 naval forces plus ships and ships. The lineup is quite luxurious, and it can support a faction of princes. The main focus is full of sincerity.
However, Zhu Huan's eyes darkened slightly and he said uneasily: "In the past, our people had a lot of quarrel with Huang Zu. Although it was a grudge between the Sun family and the Huang family, after all, they had fought bloody battles for many years. If we brought so many people there, would it be unreasonable? "It's OK"
"That's why Lin Sikong arranged this event."
Gu Yong tapped his fingers on a letter on the table, "Why do you think he did this? Firstly, it was to resolve the grudge between us and Huang Zu, and secondly, it was to remind us not to let Boyan and Xiu just Mu, go over there and have some practical sincerity."
Hearing this, Zhang Yun suddenly realized, "This Lin Mo is really smart. I didn't think so much about it at the time. I thought it was just to allow us to change our ways with confidence. It turns out there is such a deep meaning behind it."
Lu Xun chuckled lightly, "If you're not smart, how can you change the world if you're not smart?"
"Then we take the initiative to contact Huang Zu?" Zhu Huan asked.
"No need."
Gu Yong waved his hand and refused, "Lin Sikong has already made arrangements for these things. We just need to do it according to his wishes. For other things, please don't make your own decisions."
When everyone agreed, Lu Xun stood up and said, "Okay everyone, time is running out, so go home quickly and make preparations. Our four major families want to be evergreen, and this is the last chance."
The other three people stood up after hearing this, said goodbye and left one after another.
The abolition of the imperial examination system and the implementation of the imperial examination swept the thirteen states of the Han Dynasty. Jingzhou was not only among them, but the storm was even stronger than other states and counties.
Some people are glad that Cao Cao still has the strength to compete with Lu Lin. This gives the officials of the aristocratic family a chance to implement the inspection system. After all, Cao Cao will not listen to Liu Xie's arrangements.
There are also people who want to leave Cao Cao and return to Xuchang, because they have become the biggest beneficiaries of this change.
Chen Mansion in Jingzhou and Xiangyang City.
This is Chen Qun's temporary residence. After the failure to move the capital, the Yingchuan scholars who followed Cao Cao still had to make arrangements.
At this time, four people were also seated in the Chen Mansion.
Xun You, who has a gray beard and hair, Du Xi, who has a resolute face and a bit of majesty, Du Ji, who is similar in age to Xun You but has a sinister look between his eyebrows, and Chen Qun, the owner of the Chen Mansion.
"I received a letter from Yuan Chang. I hope we can all go back. Things are no better than before. He has become the dean of Taiyuan College. Once the imperial examination system is fully implemented, we, Yingchuan, are expected to become an immeasurable force in the court. Even more powerful than before.
Today I am looking for a few people to come here to discuss this matter. "Everyone is understanding, and Chen Qun is not going to mince words.
"This is quite strange. I heard that Yuan Chang and his son were thrown into prison when they were in Tongguan. They even stayed in prison for a while when they went to Xuchang. They were only released after His Majesty returned to Beijing."
Du Xi looked at Chen Qun suspiciously, "Logically speaking, they must have found some clues. In addition, Wu Yi surrendered to the enemy again. It is impossible for the things Yuan Chang did to be hidden from the public. How could he be suddenly pushed out?" Go to this position?"
"I've thought about this too."
Chen Qun rubbed his forehead and said in a deep voice: "It is completely unreasonable to say that Lin Mo used this to design our entire Yingchuan faction. After all, only Yuan Chang was involved in it from the beginning to the end.
I guess that Yuan Chang and Lu Lin reached some kind of agreement, so as to avoid the turmoil caused by the imperial examination system. Of course, this is just a conjecture. It is also possible that Lu Lin had some scruples.
There must be sufficient evidence to move Yuanchang, otherwise the entire Yingchuan faction will take action. What they need at this time is stability. "
Du Ji on the side nodded slightly, "Actually, I also really want to know what happened in Xuchang City. After this incident, the dean of the Taiyuan Academy was ranked higher than the three men. It is not ordinary that he can be moved at will. Lu Lin pushed him away To be in this position must be with the utmost sincerity.
At this time, if we don't go back, the strength of the Yingchuan sect will appear weaker.
You also know that although Wen Ruo has a family in his heart, sometimes he is too pedantic in his actions. Currently, he is the only one from Yingchuan among the three ministers and nine ministers, so his strength is weak. "
Chen Qun smiled happily, "So, Bohou also agrees to return to Xuchang?"
After Du Ji nodded, Chen Qun looked at Du Xi, who shrugged, "I'm just worried that the Lord may not let us go, especially after this incident comes out, he will pay more attention to our movements."
"You don't need to worry too much about this issue. If we have already decided to go, the lord may still be able to take action. At this time, if something happens to us, he will only be in more trouble." Du Xi was quite confident.
"Gongda, please say something." Seeing that Xun You remained silent, Chen Qun couldn't help but ask.
Facing the earnest gazes of the three people, Xun You had a look of helplessness and bitterness on his face. He sighed and stood up, "If you want to leave, I will help you, but I can't leave."
"Why?" Chen Qun frowned.
"My lord treats me well. In this crisis, I can bear to carry him away." Xun You walked to the window and looked at the continuous drizzle outside the window through the square hole, thinking deeply.
"Gongda, please think clearly. Lu Lin has blocked the channels for purchasing war horses in the southern regions. Even if my lord relies on the navy to gain a foothold in Jingzhou, it is no longer possible to fight back to the Central Plains."
Chen Qun looked at him with uneasiness on his face, "Our roots are in Yingchuan. If we continue to follow the master, we may not be able to go back in this life."
After saying that, both Du Xi and Du Ji lowered their heads.
It is impossible for people to be things without emotions. Although Cao Cao used clan power to fight against the Yingchuan faction, it was good and really good. If they had not considered the family and the future, they would not have made a decision so quickly. Determined to leave.
Does Cao Cao have the strength to fight?
Obviously there is, especially in water warfare. It can even be said that the current Lu Lin cannot shake the Jingxiang Navy.
The problem is that you don’t have war horses. Without war horses, there is no cavalry. Without cavalry, it is impossible to return to the Central Plains. This is the simplest truth.
They could endure the temporary suffering with Cao Cao, but they could not lose hope of returning to the Central Plains.
What's more, Zhong Yao has now taken up the position of dean of Taiyue College. When they go back, they can foresee that their life will be better than before and their family will be extremely strong. Who can resist this temptation.
Xun You, who always had his back turned to the three of them, looked up out of the window, his eyes blurred and empty, "Everyone, there are always things in the world of life that are worth abandoning everything to follow, right? Otherwise, wouldn't this life be too boring?
My lord has given me the kindness to know me, and I have sworn from the first day I followed him, that I will live up to my expectations in this life, otherwise I will die. "
Fengxiao has already left. If I leave him again, I can't imagine how he will feel.
I can't imagine how I would answer him if he stood in front of me and asked me why I accepted wealth and abandoned my master and subordinates.
Fengxiao, if you were still here, I guess you wouldn’t have left.
When Xun You said this, the three of them fell silent.
We have worked together for many years and know each other's personalities very well. Words cannot change Xun You's decisions. In this regard, he is exactly the same as Xun Yu.
However, the determination in the eyes of the three people did not change because of Xun You's words just now.
After a long silence, Xun You turned around and sat down again with a relaxed smile on his face, "Everyone, if I stay, you can leave alive, right?"
The three of them were startled. Is this what he just said? Is there any way to help us leave?
If you think about it carefully, this is true. If there is a collective defection, even if Cao Cao has some scruples, he will still have to kill him in the end, otherwise the locals in Jingzhou will have other ideas.
Chen Qun raised his left hand and placed it on Xun You's elbow, and sighed, "Gongda, we are all leaving. If you stay here alone, you will only be coerced by the Jingxiang gentry in the future. Have you ever thought about this problem."
Conflicts between foreign scholars and local scholars occur everywhere, and they usually form groups to fight against each other.
This is the reason why groups such as Yizhou Dongzhou Sect and Jiangdong Huaisi Sect were born.
The scholars of Yingchuan had always been very united, which allowed them to be so powerful that it was fearsome. Now that they are gone, there will not be many Yingchuan people around Cao Cao. It is conceivable that Xun You's life will be like that.
When they thought of this, Du Xi and Du Ji didn't even dare to look directly at Xun You.
Xun You didn't answer him, but struggled to squeeze out a smile, "When I get back, tell Shi'er that he can come if he wants to. If not, just stay in Yingchuan and don't let him enter the court. I'm here and his days are over. I’m afraid it won’t be easy.”
"Don't worry, I will bring it to you."
"Gongda, I can't guarantee anything else, but the Xun family is small and we will definitely take good care of it for you."
"Gongda, do you really not think about it anymore?"
Xun You still didn't answer, so he picked up the tea cup, toasted the three of them with tea instead of wine, looked at each other and smiled, finally stood up and left with his head held high.
When he pushed the door open and walked out, he turned his back to the three of them and said, "Let's leave the city the day after tomorrow."
After saying that, he left without any hesitation, but the silhouette from his back made the three of them feel infinitely lonely.
But life is like this. Some people come and some people leave. You can be reluctant to let them go, but you can't give up your own way to accommodate them.
Xun You was very frank and went to Cao Cao to tell the whole story. There was no need or purpose to hide it. If Cao Cao wanted to kill, it would be difficult for them to leave Jingzhou alive.
After hearing this, Cao Cao was silent for a long time, then sighed heavily, looked deeply at Xun You, and said only five words, "You are here, that's enough."
Chen Qun and the others left.
On the horse walking path at the head of Xiangyang City, Cao Cao watched from a distance as they boarded the passenger ship docked by the moat. At this moment, his heart ached, and he remained indifferent despite the biting river wind blowing against his face.
Behind him was Cao Ang. He frowned and said in a deep voice: "Father, these few people used to be the assistant ministers of the Cao family. Now they are leaving in such a grand manner. If word spreads, I am afraid that everyone in Jingzhou will follow suit and we will be in chaos." ah.
What's more, they know our details too well, so leaving this time is not good for us. "
Cao Cao's face was expressionless, but his eyes were a little sad, "Son, I can't keep those who are leaving, and I can't kill them all, otherwise no one will dare to defect to me in the future.
What's more, Gongda is still here. He didn't let me down, and I can't let him down. "
Cao Ang looked around and whispered further: "Father, I'll do it myself. There won't be any traces."
Cao Cao didn't answer, but just laughed, very bitterly and helplessly.
When Xuchang scolded Fang Qiu, there were so many people around him, but now, how many people are still around him.
At this moment, Cao Cao felt hesitant and powerless about the future.
Of course Xun You is good, but there are too few people like Xun You. Chen Qun and others are the shadow of most people.
"Lin Mo is amazing. I have held the Emperor in my hands for so many years, and I claim to be able to use it freely, but I never expected that the Emperor would have such power in his hands. It's amazing."
Cao Cao looked to the northeast, which is the direction of Xuchang, "I have always not believed in such a thing as fate. I think man is destined to conquer nature. But over the years, I feel more and more that some things are really destined.
It was the first year of Jian'an or the second year of Jian'an. We were in Xuchang, looking at the curved shaft plow and the keel waterwheel, and imagining the future. You told me at that time that Lin Mo wanted to come to me, but was chased by Lu Bu to Xiaoguan and taken back.
You said, why is it such a coincidence? It would have been fine if he had left a day earlier. It would have been fine if he had not mistakenly recognized Lu Bu as his father-in-law. There would have been no problem if Lu Bu had not gone to that street that day. But it was such a coincidence. It was such a coincidence. If this is not fate, what is it? "
"Father." Seeing that Cao Cao was so sad, but as the eldest son, he could not share the burden, Cao Ang felt very painful in his heart.
Cao Cao rubbed the sand on the city wall and laughed at himself. He was really old and it was easier to think of the past.
Finally, he glanced at the ferry that had gone away and murmured: "I hope we can meet again in Xuchang."
(End of chapter)
