My younger brother Lü Fengxian

Chapter 225: To Increase the Strength
"They are all just serving their country. Coach Lu is too kind."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi immediately spoke humbly.

However, Lu Bu and Zhang Xun behind him looked at each other and smiled with pride.

Lu Zhi's kind and approving attitude was in stark contrast to the arrogance of Zhu Jun's son Zhu Fu, which made the two of them feel that it was a wise move to follow Lu Yi to join Lu Zhi.

"Si Xiao is so loyal to his country that he is truly a role model for the soldiers and civilians of Hebei!"

Seeing that Lu Yi was humble and knew when to advance and retreat, Lu Zhi couldn't help but feel a great liking for him and continued with a smile.

"Since Sixiao has come with his men, I will still order you to lead your troops."

"Thank you, General Lu, for your help!"

When Lu Yi heard that Lu Zhi had indeed allowed him to continue to command his troops as he had requested, he was overjoyed and immediately bowed to him.

"However, without a title, it is difficult to control the troops. According to your military merits, you should at least be appointed as a captain of a battalion. However, your military merits have not yet been officially recognized, so I cannot report to the emperor. Therefore, I will temporarily appoint you as a Sima of a separate unit in the name of the commander of the northern army of the Han army, so that you can act alone in the central army."

"We will reward you after we have finished commending your merits!"

The rank of colonel was already an official of the imperial court with a salary of two thousand stones, and could only be conferred an award by the emperor.

However, as Lu Zhi was the northern commander of the Han army, the emperor would not completely deny him any power when he went on the expedition. At least, Lu Zhi did not need to report the appointment of military commander to the emperor and could make the decision on his own.

"I thank you, Commander Lu!"

Lu Yi couldn't help but feel delighted when he heard this.

Currently, the highest-ranking officials under his command in the court are Zhang Xun and Lu Bu.

One of them was the county magistrate and the other was the Sima, both of whom were middle-level officials with salaries ranging from hundreds to thousands of stones. On the contrary, Lu Yi, the eldest brother and the person in charge, was just a small pavilion chief.

Although Lu Bu, Zhang Xun and others always obeyed his orders, in the long run, the situation of the lord being humble and the ministers being respected would eventually lead to chaos.

Now that he has the position of Sima of a separate department, which is above the general military Sima, Lu Yi can finally hold his head high in his own power.

But the surprise Lu Zhi had given him was obviously not over yet, as Lu Zhi smiled again.

"However, although I cannot recommend someone for the position of a lieutenant, I have the duty to recommend someone who is filial and honest. It is a good opportunity to recommend Sixiao to the court this year, so that the unpolished talent will not be buried among the sand."

"Hmm?" Lu Yi frowned at first at this sudden change, then changed his mind and relaxed again.

No matter how high the position is or how long one has been in the position, even a novice will be influenced by the officialdom and become a political veteran.

Survival and development are the instincts of any animal or species, and this is even more so for humans, who are the most intelligent creatures in the world.

Although Lu Zhi was not greedy for a career in officialdom, he had the idea of ​​being loyal to the court and the emperor and seeking benefits for the people.

Therefore, there is still a need for certain political rights and voice.

However, one can accomplish nothing alone and is extremely vulnerable to impeachment and exclusion by political opponents.

In history, Lu Zhi was not rewarded for his meritorious service after defeating Zhang Jue. Instead, he was imprisoned in a prison cart by Emperor Liu Hong and was taken humiliatingly all the way back to Luoyang to be interrogated. Could the reason for this really be that Lu Zhi refused to bribe a eunuch?

Or would Liu Hong be so foolish as to believe the one-sided words of a eunuch and punish a close official of the court who had great military achievements and was very popular without asking any questions?

Lu Yi didn't believe it at all.

Later, the reason why Lu Zhi was pardoned by the emperor and cleared of his charges was due to the petitions submitted by a group of political allies. This dispelled Liu Hong's concerns and led to his release and reinstatement of Lu Zhi.

Therefore, if one wants to maintain or develop, it is necessary to have a group of political allies.

Selecting talents and cultivating allies are also steps that Lu Zhi cannot skip.

Although it is different from the complete nepotism of the aristocratic families.

People like Lu Zhi still adhered to the standard of selecting talents based on merit.

However, while appointing people based on their merits, it is not entirely necessary to be jealous of relatives and friends.

Sometimes, isn't it a good way to achieve the best of both worlds to promote talented people regardless of their relationship with you?

Recommending talents to the court was a mandatory work indicator for court officials, and Lu Zhi was required to recommend talents every year.

The person who recommends and the recommender are of the same lineage, and if the recommendation is not good.

Whether it is disobeying the emperor's authority, or failing to achieve one's goal, or simply lacking in ability and financial resources, it will drag down the person who recommended him.

Therefore, any official must be cautious when it comes to such serious matters as recommending talents, especially recommending filial and honest people.

Lü Yi, who is currently studying under Cai Yong, is not only a natural potential political ally of Lu Zhi, but his "loyalty to the court" and his own abilities make him an excellent choice.

Moreover, such children from poor families were free from the complicated relationships and constraints of aristocratic families, and were outstanding talents cultivated and developed by Lu Zhi.

Therefore, Lu Zhi expressed his desire to recommend Lu Yi as soon as they met.

As soon as you enter the rivers and lakes, it is as deep as the sea.

It seems that even a perfect person like Lu Zhi is not immune to this.

However, although Lu Yi was thinking about Lu Zhi's thoughts, he still felt a sense of joy.

He had planned for a long time last year, spending a lot of money and effort, but he encountered obstacles everywhere and was unable to obtain the important ticket of entry into the officialdom of the late Han Dynasty, namely "Xiao Lian".

But now it is easy to get it from Lu Zhi.

It is true that there is no place to look for after wearing iron shoes, and it takes no effort to get it.

"Congratulations, Sixiao!" Seeing that Lu Yi's popularity was getting better, Lu Yi's elder brother-in-law Zhang Xun, a relative and ally behind him, immediately stepped forward to sincerely congratulate him.

"Congratulations, big brother!" When Lu Bu saw that Lu Yi received so many rewards at once, he couldn't help but feel extremely excited. He was even happier than if he had received the rewards himself.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi just smiled and nodded to Zhang Xun, but gently patted Lu Bu on the shoulder, showing a far greater intimacy than that shown by Zhang Xun.

"Congratulations, Sixiao." Gongsun Zan on the side also came over to congratulate.

Now that Lu Yi has been recommended by Lu Zhi as a filial and honest official, he can be said to be half a disciple of Lu Zhi. Naturally, he is now a true fellow apprentice of Gongsun Zan, so he is still very happy in his heart.

After Liu Bei whipped the Inspector, he abandoned his official position and surrendered to the court, already a criminal. However, Gongsun Zan not only did not despise him for fear that he would be implicated by Liu Bei, but he also took him in and protected him. Later, he recommended Liu Bei's merits to the court many times, and finally he restored his former glory.

The reason for this was naturally because Liu Bei and he were both disciples of Lu Zhi, and they were brothers in the same dormitory.

However, Liu Bei first surrendered to Gongsun Zan, who was later destroyed by Yuan Shao.

Later he surrendered to Tao Qian, who died the following year, and the family business was passed on to Liu Bei instead of being passed on to his two sons.

After attacking Yuan Shu and being stolen by Lu Bu, he had no choice but to surrender to Lu Bu. Lu Bu died soon after because of his kind words and pleading at the White Gate Tower.

Later he surrendered to Cao Cao, who almost died because of the Yidaizhao.

In the end, he betrayed Cao Cao, and after regaining Xuzhou, he was defeated by Cao Cao who came to attack him, and lost Xuzhou like a stray dog.

Liu Bei, the biggest unlucky star in the Three Kingdoms, later joined Yuan Shao, who forced Gongsun Zan to death, and seemed to have selectively forgotten Gongsun Zan's kindness to him. However, Lu Yi always repays kindness and revenge. Although he understands Liu Bei's approach, he does not agree with it.

If he were Liu Bei, who had received such kindness from Gongsun Zan, even if he submitted himself to Yuan Shao's army, it would be to find an opportunity to eliminate Yuan Shao and annex his forces and territory to avenge Gongsun Zan. He would never do so simply to survive in troubled times.

Therefore, Lu Yi was not averse to the goodwill shown by the White Horse General who would soon become famous outside the Great Wall.

Possible conflicts in the future are possible conflicts in the future, but if you deliberately ignore and exclude someone just because of future conflicts and conflicts,

This is not the demeanor of a hero.

"Since Sixiao is now a general under my command, I wonder what you think of the current situation?"

After supporting and winning over Lu Yi and making him his own, Lu Zhi immediately asked him about his opinion on the war.

Naturally, Lu Yi was able to defeat the enemy with a smaller force and achieve an excellent victory. Therefore, Lu Zhi believed that he must have great ambitions, so he asked him.

This not only includes Lu Zhi's consideration that listening to one side will lead to blindness, while listening to both sides will lead to enlightenment, but it is also a test for him and Lu Yi. He takes this opportunity to see whether Lu Yi has the real talent and hard work that he has shown.

Seeing Lu Zhi asking this, not only did Gongsun Zan look at Lu Zhi seriously, but some other generals in the tent also looked curiously at this person who suddenly appeared.

Lu Yi naturally understood the subtext of Lu Zhi's words. After pondering for a moment, he answered confidently.

"From my humble opinion, the Xianbei people have suffered three defeats, while the Han people have won one victory!"

"Oh? What is three defeats?"

Lu Zhi's eyebrows moved and he asked.

"The Xianbei are northern barbarians who have been following the grass for generations and are unfamiliar with the land of the Central Plains. This is a loss of geographical advantage!"

"The Xianbei people like coolness and fear heat. It is already midsummer in June and the weather is getting hotter. It is the time when the grasslands outside the Great Wall are in full bloom, but the people are not grazing on the grasslands. Instead, they are invading the Central Plains. The Central Plains is not as cool as the grasslands. The Xianbei people cannot adapt to it. There will be an epidemic in the camp, and the fighting capacity will be reduced to one tenth. This is the bad time!"

"The Xianbei bandit chieftain Tan Shihuai has repeatedly received favors from heaven without thinking of repaying them. Now he is even more undeclared and treacherous, invading our Han territory. Although his power is great, he is like water without a source and a tree without roots. He will surely fail if he continues for a long time. These three people will surely fail!"

"Given the advantages of location, time and people, from my point of view, the Xianbei people will definitely be defeated!"

"Then what is called a victory?"

Lu Zhi's expression changed slightly when he heard this, and he asked again hurriedly.

"Although our Han Dynasty suffered a minor defeat in the Xianbei raid, the whole country, from the emperor to the common people, is united. Everyone is angry when talking about the Xianbei and gnashing their teeth when hearing about the Hu. Now we have three famous generals, Lu, Zhu, and Huangfu, leading the troops of the world to attack. It is time to destroy the Xianbei!"

"Although it is only one victory, it is enough to defeat the barbarians and restore our country!"

"good!"

"Very good!"

"Sixiao's words are consistent with the opinions of the three commanders of our army. He is indeed a talented general with strategic plans!"

Lu Zhi was shocked when he heard this, and looked at Lu Yi with surprise and admiration in his eyes.

Although Lu Yi's views are consistent with his own, Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song's views.

But the three of them were veterans who had fought on the battlefield for many years. Although they could also see the key points, this was the result of their half-life accumulation.

If Lu Yi was only in his early twenties, it was truly commendable that he had such insight for a rookie like him.

If he is trained and cultivated carefully, he will surely become a talented person like Longcheng or Champion in the future!

"I didn't expect that Sixiao would blurt out our military discussion. I really admire him!" Gongsun Zan looked at Lu Yi as if he was looking at a monster.

His personal martial arts and command capabilities were both outstanding at the time, but he was criticized by his teacher Lu Zhi for lacking vision and perspective.

In Lu Yi, a man a few years younger than himself, he saw the two formal qualities that Lu Zhi mentioned.
Therefore, I was surprised and couldn't help but feel admiration.

The expressions of the other generals in the tent when they looked at Lu Yi also changed.

The slightly disdainful look on his face was quietly replaced by solemnity and admiration.

Although seniority is important in the military, real talent and military achievements are even more important.

With just a few words, Lu Yi was able to gain a firm foothold under Lu Zhi's command, saving himself from unnecessary probing and warnings.

"This is Lu Yi's superficial opinion, but I'm sorry to make General Lu and Bo Gui laugh."

But there's nothing wrong with being a little humble, so he immediately waved his hand and said modestly.

"Sixiao, there is no need to be modest. Now is the time to use troops. Sixiao and his cavalry are the best ace armored cavalry in the world, and they are very useful!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhi stroked his beard and said.

"The Xianbei are wreaking havoc in Hebei and are trying to occupy Hebei. The three commanders of our army have communicated with each other. We must not let the bandits stay for too long, or they will destroy Hebei."

"Therefore, the three of us have unanimously decided to launch a general attack and a decisive battle against Tan Shihuai in the middle of next month, when the weather is the hottest and the Xianbei people are short of food and grass. By then, Commander Sixiao's armored cavalry will be enough to become a surprise force and bypass the enemy. After the battle begins, when the two armies are in a stalemate, we will imitate the Battle of Jiuyuan Pavilion and launch a surprise attack from behind Tan Shihuai's camp."

"The armored cavalry is extremely powerful and has amazing defense. They will surely be able to break into the Xianbei camp."

"But this is a dangerous matter. If something unexpected happens, we might be trapped in the Xianbei camp. I wonder if Sixiao and the warriors of Jiuyuan are willing to do it?"

As Lu Zhi spoke, his tone became more and more serious, and in the end it turned into a deep question.

Lu Bu and Zhang Xun, who were standing behind Lu Yi, immediately felt a huge pressure and momentum coming from the commander-in-chief of the three armies, and they couldn't help but feel panic.

But when they looked at Lu Yi who was facing Lu Zhi's momentum in front of him, they found that his expression was still normal. He just took a step forward and knelt on one knee with a determined look in his eyes.

"Yi is willing to go there!"

"it is good!"

Lu Zhi helped Lu Yi up, his face full of unconcealable admiration.

"With a great general like Sixiao, there is no need to worry that the Xianbei enemy will not be destroyed, and the Han Dynasty will never be at peace!"

"Report to Commander Lu!"

Lu Yi's heroic spirit made Gongsun Zan, who was standing beside him, so excited that his face turned red, and he immediately stepped forward to challenge Lu Zhi to a fight.

"A surprise attack is always carried out by the vanguard of a large army. Zan is willing to lead 500 cavalrymen from our own army, follow Sixiao and attack the Xianbei together!"

"Good, good, good!"

Seeing that his disciples were so loyal and brave, Lu Zhi felt very happy and laughed uncontrollably.

"Since you are so loyal, I will add another thousand cavalrymen, all of whom will be equipped with heavy armor and horses and will be commanded by Sixiao to increase the bravery of the warriors!"

……

(End of this chapter)