Jinting Han people

Crown Prince Sima Yi had ordered Liu Xian to kill someone, but that was after the Prince of Huainan arrived in Beijing, more than a month away. There was no rush; Liu Xian's immediate concern was establishing his own office.

The site Liu Xian chose for his official office was previously the residence of General He Chong, known as the Eagle Strike General. Since He Chong's death five years ago, the residence had been vacant. It was a standard military official residence, larger than the Anle Mansion. Passing through the gate, one could see the meeting hall in front, the office pavilion in the middle, and two courtyards in the back, which could accommodate around thirty people. To the east was a horse-racing shooting range, and to the west, a warehouse.

Since the basic framework was in place, the decoration did not take much time. The Shaofu invited craftsmen to come and repaint the entire office, replace all the roof tiles, and add some basic furniture. After about ten days, the General's Mansion was renovated.

After the renovation was completed, Liu Xian took A Luo to move in that day.

Liu Xian liked his first impression of this bandit-suppressing general's mansion. There was a tall apricot tree planted in the council hall. It was the time when the apricot blossoms were falling, and the fragrant snow was floating all over the ground. When he walked under the tree and looked up, he could see the branches swaying in the colorful sunlight, and the fragrance was overwhelming.

Liu Xian stood under the tree, took a deep breath of the fragrance of the flowers, and said with a sigh, "Another spring is about to pass."

Ah Luo had no idea what was on Liu Xian's mind and thought he was lamenting the fleeting passage of time. While directing the servants at home to move the bedding and other items from the oxcart into the house, she said to her husband, "It's really getting late, Biji. There are a lot of things missing here. Take a quick look and buy anything you need, or find a carpenter to make it. If we wait until next month when the wheat harvest comes, it will be difficult to deal with it."

Liu Xian nodded in agreement, lifted his sleeves, and tucked the lower half of his robe into his waist. While helping to move the furniture, he looked around the new office, feeling a little surprised.

Although I'd anticipated this, I had to admit, the place was still a bit empty. Forget about screens, paintings, and other decorative items; many rooms didn't even have beds, let alone bookshelves and desks for work. Therefore, there was a lot to buy, even bowls, chopsticks, and cups.

So Liu Xian simply took two official slaves to the East Market to do some shopping. In less than half a day, he had bought three ox carts full of goods. But even so, it was barely enough to live in. It would probably take some time to completely clean up the government office and turn it into a comfortable home.

After a busy day, Liu Xian and his wife were exhausted, but lying in their new room, they couldn't fall asleep for a while. Ah Luo listened to the magpies outside the window and said to Liu Xian, "When I passed by this place before, I thought it seemed deserted. I didn't expect it to be so empty!"

"That's quite normal." Liu Xian, knowing the previous owner's identity, told A'Luo, "The previous owner, General He Chong, was a general who surrendered when the Sun Wu army was still in power. Emperor Wu, as a sign of leniency, gave him the rank of third-rank general, and the nobles in the court also treated him with courtesy. After the fall of the Sun Wu army, there was no need for such behavior, and this place became deserted."

"Is that so? Then what happened to him?"

"It is said that when He Chong surrendered, his wife and children remained in Sun Wu and were killed by Sun Hao. He Chong never married in Luoyang, nor did he keep any retainers. He grew old, with only two old slaves to care for him. When he died, the government office was completely empty."

"How pitiful!" Ah Luo felt a little sympathetic after hearing this, and then asked Liu Xian, "Come to think of it, why did you choose a house like this? Don't you think the feng shui is bad?"

Liu Xian smiled and said, "It's not bad. I think people in troubled times are lucky to be able to live out their lives without illness or disaster like He Chong."

"You are such a person who doesn't mean what you say."

"To be honest, I don't think there's any distinction between good and bad houses. Otherwise, someone like me who has killed nearly a hundred people would be haunted by evil spirits, wouldn't he?"

"You, you, some things are better to believe than not to believe." Luo thought for a moment and said, "Tomorrow I will ask Zhang Tianshi's disciples to come over to exorcise the evil spirits. Your office is new, so you'd better be careful."

"But I don't have any business in this office."

"The more this is the case, the more cautious we must be." A'Luo turned over, half of her body leaning on Liu Xian's chest, and carefully instructed:

"Since there's nothing going on and the court isn't sending anyone, it's your own office, so you must take even better care of it. You must recruit talented and trustworthy people so that if an opportunity arises, you can seize it immediately. I see that the atmosphere in Luoyang is very tense right now, so there will definitely be opportunities in the future..."

As she spoke, A'Luo gradually became sleepy, her voice gradually became softer, and then she fell asleep.

Liu Xian remained sober. Just as his wife said, establishing an office was actually a big deal. He was also thinking about how to establish his own office.

According to Han Dynasty practice, the shogun's office was actually what later became known as the shogunate. Unlike other bureaucrats, the shogun's office was not fixed, and his administration was based wherever he lived. Since the shogun often resided behind the shogunate's curtains, it was called the shogunate.

The biggest difference between the shogun, a military officer, and other local government offices is that the personnel composition of the shogunate is entirely determined by the shogun himself.

As a fourth-rank general in the Jin Dynasty, Liu Xian now had a Sima (Sima) and a Changshi (Changshi), each serving as a lieutenant. His main subordinates included the Zhubu (Zhubu), Gongcao (Gongcao), Menxia Dudu (Menxia Dudu), Lushi (Lushi), Bingjiashi Zeicao (Bingjun), Cihuan (Baijun), Zhaoxia Dudu (Zhaoxia Dudu), Gongcao Shuzuo Menli (Gongcao Shuzuo Menli), and Menxia Shuli (Menxia Shuli), totaling ten people. Each subordinate was further supported by three specialized clerks, for a total of forty-two people in the shogunate.

These forty-two officials were officially recognized by the court, receiving salaries and salaries. They were arguably the shogun's greatest asset. In times of war, these forty-two would share the general's glory and disgrace, overcoming difficulties and pacifying the rebellion. In peacetime, the shogun could use these positions to cultivate connections with the nobility and recommend scholars for official positions without requiring any assessments. If these recommended individuals achieved success, the general would naturally recognize their talent and credit them with their contributions.

At this point, it was impossible for Liu Xian to use the shogunate to befriend the aristocracy. According to Crown Prince Sima Yi, it wouldn't be long before the Prince's faction and the Empress's faction would come to blows. Liu Xian had to gather some trustworthy and talented people to ensure his safety in the political turmoil.

But who should I use?

Liu Xian had some candidates in mind. Li Sheng, Sun Xi, Zhang Gu, and the others were still in Chang'an. After they had finalized their duties, they would rush to Luoyang, which would be this month. When they arrived, Liu Xian planned to appoint Li Sheng as the Chief Secretary, Sun Xi as the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard, Zhang Gu as the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Court, and Zhuge Yan as the Official Assassin.

But this only occupies four positions. Excluding those minor officials, there are still eight positions left. What should be done?

According to tradition, one should make use of one's family members at this time. However, thinking of his brothers, who had neither received a systematic education nor fought in the battlefield, Liu Xian really did not think they were suitable for officialdom.

Liu Xian thought for a while but had no idea. He thought: It seems that I can only recruit from people I don’t know.

A few days later, after Liu Xian had prepared all the necessary equipment for the office, he posted a notice in the Imperial College, stating that anyone with talent could come to the General's Mansion for an interview, and those who passed the interview would be invited to the office and granted an official position.

Unfortunately, after the notice was posted, six or seven days passed and the people who came to the office to apply for the job were all mediocre people, which made Liu Xian very disappointed.

This is not surprising; the ruler chooses his ministers, and the ministers also choose their ruler. Although Liu Xian was a fourth-rank official, he had no power and his position was sensitive, so it seemed that he would not have a good career. Moreover, the Shogun's office was a military position, despised by the gentry in those days, and far inferior to the positions in the royal palace and provincial government.

Moreover, most talented people are arrogant and think that the phoenix can only roost in the phoenix tree. In their eyes, Liu Xian is probably just an ordinary pine tree, where only ordinary birds like sparrows and crows would nest. Fortunately, his wife reminded Liu Xian, "How could you forget, Biji? Don't you have a brother-in-law named Ruan?"

Liu Xian then remembered that when he was banished from the capital, he had married his cousin Liu Daorong to Ruan Fang, a member of the Ruan family's branch. He had personally arranged this, and considering Ruan Fang's age, he knew she was nineteen, well into the right age to enter the government.

He immediately went to Ruanzhuang and talked with Ruan Fang for a while. The poor boy back then had now become a learned man. He answered all the questions Liu Xian asked him. Liu Xian was very satisfied and appointed him as a recorder in the shogunate.

Having opened the door, Liu Xian asked his wife for candidates. Ah Luo then recommended her nephew Cao Miao and Xiahou Cheng, who came from the Xiahou clan, a family friend.

Liu Xian had met both of these men before. Cao Miao, nicknamed Agua, was the child who had teased Liu Xian when he first met Cao Zhi, the Duke of Juancheng, at Ruanzhuang. Xiahou Cheng, on the other hand, was the son of Xiahou Zhan. After reading his teacher Chen Shou's "Records of the Three Kingdoms," Xiahou Zhan had taken the initiative to burn his own copy of "Book of Wei," leaving a deep impression on Liu Xian.

Now these two men have grown up and are both in their twenties. Coming from literary families, they are naturally well-versed in literature, classics and history, and are also good at general affairs and laws. Liu Xian asked Cao Miao to be the secretary of the court and Xiahou Cheng to be the secretary of the Gongcao.

Even so, Liu Xian still couldn't recruit people for the most important positions in the shogunate, such as Sima, Zhubu, and Gongcao. He believed that Xiahou Cheng and others were too scholarly and unsuitable for such important positions without sufficient experience, so he still hoped to recruit better scholars.

Unfortunately, the positions of minor officials in the rafters were soon filled, but the Fengchu that caught his eye was still nowhere to be found.

That day, Liu Xian politely declined another three poor scholars. These scholars, all they did when they met, were idle conversation, and their attire mimicked that of so-called literati, but they possessed no real talent or learning. The scholars returned disappointed, and Liu Xian, feeling somewhat discouraged, sat at the second-floor window sill of his pavilion, staring blankly at the apricot tree in the front yard. Suddenly, a waiter arrived with the news that a young man had arrived, claiming to be an old friend of the envoy.

Upon seeing the name card, Liu Xian realized it was Fu Chang, and he hurried downstairs to greet him. When he went out, he saw that it wasn't just Fu Chang, but also several young men. One of them was someone Liu Xian knew; it was Jiang Tong's good friend, Xi Jian.

Fu Chang came in and greeted Liu Xian: "Envoy, our sudden visit is not considered a bother, is it?"

Liu Xian laughed and said, "My office has just opened, and everyone hasn't gathered yet. How can I bother you or not?"

So he invited them into his house for tea and started chatting about family matters.

Fu Zhi, who oversaw logistics during the suppression of the rebellion, didn't achieve any significant combat success. However, his fairness and ability to calm the troops earned him recognition as a valuable contributor. After the war, he was promoted to the rank of Weiwei (Weiwei), making him one of the Nine Ministers. However, for unknown reasons, he recently fell ill and abdicated.

Liu Xian asked Fu Chang, "What's wrong with Lord Lingzhou? Is he in good health now?"

Fu Chang said: "My master is not seriously ill, he just had a stroke, he will be fine after a few days of recuperation at home."

The wind disease is not serious? Liu Xian was shocked when he heard this. Teacher Chen Shou had a combination of wind disease and respiratory disease. He could not leave his bed and could not speak freely. He was on the verge of death. Why did Fu Chang's tone make it seem that Fu Zhi was fine?

He then thought of Fu Zhi's reputation as "Little Liu Bei in the officialdom," and suddenly understood a good deal. It seemed the Duke of Lingzhou, sensing the complexities of Luoyang's political landscape and unwilling to be swept up in the undercurrent, had retreated under the guise of recuperation, hoping to return to office once the dust settled.

Fu Chang didn't dwell on this question. Instead, he surveyed Liu Xian's surroundings and said with a smile, "Your Excellency, this is a truly wonderful place. You receive a salary from the imperial court, yet you can spend your days doing nothing. The thin curtains reflect the bright moon, and the gentle breeze blows through my clothes. It's a bit like what old Ruan Gong used to be like."

Liu Xian laughed and said, "It sounds good to say that the world is a good place, but I can't even recruit enough staff here!"

"Isn't the envoy too harsh?" Xi Jian joked on the side. It seemed that the news of Liu Xian's recent recruitment difficulties had also reached their ears.

"I dare not be harsh!" Liu Xian recalled his experience in Guanzhong and said with emotion:

"The biggest lesson I learned from suppressing the rebellion in Guanxi is that if you want to accomplish something, you need the help of like-minded people. Otherwise, they'll hinder each other and engage in intrigue. Not only will you accomplish nothing in the end, but you'll also bring disaster to the people. Why bother? Regardless of power or no power, now that I've established the government, I still want to make a difference."

"The Envoy's ambition is truly lofty." Fu Chang nodded and asked, "Then may I ask, Envoy, do I meet your standards?"

After saying this, Liu Xian was stunned for a moment, then felt a little unbelievable. He naturally knew Fu Chang's talent, but with Fu Chang's high family background, there was no need for him to enter the government.

Fu Chang continued, "Does the envoy still remember my idea in Niyang? I have already asked my master, and he agreed."

Fu Chang was referring to his intention to marry Liu Xian's cousin and form an alliance with Anle Mansion.

This was truly a joyous occasion. If the Northern Fu family and the Anle Mansion could unite, Liu Xian's family network would become even more solid. While still not as strong as the eight founding mansions, it would still be considered a first-rate family. Even though Liu Xian was a man who kept his emotions to himself, he couldn't help but smile.

He smiled and said, "Good, good, with the world's support, why should I worry about not being able to accomplish anything?"

Taking this opportunity, Xi Jian, who was standing by, bowed and said, "If your Excellency does not mind, I would also like to do my bit."

At the same time, a young man named Huan Yi who was accompanying him also saluted and said, "I have long heard of your great name, General. I wish to fulfill your ambition!"

It turned out that Xi Jian came from a humble background, and Huan Yi's family had fallen on hard times. Both possessed considerable talent, but disliked the prevailing trend of esoteric and extravagant discussions, and had never found a suitable sponsor. Previously, they had not considered working under Liu Xian. After all, being close in age, yet serving as someone else's subordinates with little power would have seemed awkward.

It was Fu Chang who strongly praised Liu Xian in front of them, saying that he was no ordinary person, and forced these people to come and visit him. Only then did they hear Liu Xian say the four words "like-minded", which touched their hearts and touched the idea of entering officialdom.

After a brief examination, Liu Xian found that these two men were Confucian, well-versed in etiquette, and well-versed in both civil and military skills. They were indeed rare talents. Liu Xian immediately recruited them into the government, appointing Xi Jian as Sima, Huan Yi as Zhubu, and Fu Chang as Gongcao.

In this way, the office structure of the Bandit-Slaying General was completed. (End of this chapter)