The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 320 Someone Will Do It

"Mr. Yang, come, I'll pour you some tea!"

Cao Mao stood beside Yang Zong with a smile on his face, holding a pot in his hand. Yang Zong, who originally looked drunk, stood up hurriedly.

No one dared to ask His Majesty to serve him with a teapot.

Cao Mao looked at Yang Zong, who sobered up instantly, and pulled him to sit down again.

Cao Mao poured two cups of tea and then sat in front of Yang Zong.

"Mr. Yang, it's been a long time since we last met."

"I miss you so much, how could you run away?"

Yang Zong was brought before Cao Mao at this moment. When the army attacked Sima Zhao's camp that day, Yang Zong ran away.

But his luck was not very good. He was later discovered by Wen Yang who was searching for deserters and was taken to Luoyang.

At this moment, Yang Zong just lowered his head, did not speak, and did not look at Cao Mao in front of him.

Cao Mao smiled and said, "I still remember when we were in Yuancheng, you repeatedly advised me that I could not accomplish anything and that no matter what I did, it would be futile. What do you think now?"

Yang Zong was a little dazed, and he once again remembered the young man in Yuancheng who was "so hungry that he would eat anything".

Yang Zong, who was in the shadow of failure, really did not believe that Cao Mao could succeed. At that time, Yang Zong's faith had completely collapsed, and everything he had insisted on no longer existed. When he saw a weak young man preparing to change all this, all he did was ridicule him, and perhaps some pity.

No one knew better than Yang Zong how weak Cao Mao was at the time.

He even fell to the point of mixing with the lower-class farmers, wanderers, and merchants.

He was like a drowning man, stretching out his hands and struggling frantically, trying to grasp any hope of survival.

Yang Zong described Cao Mao's appearance as being so hungry that he didn't care what he ate.

And the one he has to deal with is the most powerful general in the world.

Until now, Yang Zong still didn't understand how the emperor won.

At this moment, he finally reacted. He raised his head, looked at Cao Mao in front of him, and said seriously: "Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy. Just because of what happened before, Your Majesty is worthy of being enshrined in the temple."

Cao Mao shook his head. "You know, I never did this for my own fame. Of course, I can't say I was completely selfless, but what I wanted to do more was to prevent an unprecedented catastrophe."

"So far, my beginning has been successful."

Yang Zong certainly knew this. After all, Cao Mao had instructed him on many things and told him that if he died, he should use these instructions to assist Sima Zhao.

Yang Zong sighed.

"Your Majesty, when you were in trouble, I was unable to help you. Later, I was deeply loved by General Wei, but when General Wei was in trouble, I was still unable to help him."

"I am a traitor, unfaithful and unrighteous. Until now, I have no face to stand before you any longer."

"I only ask Your Majesty to consider my past merits, which are of little consequence, and to grant me the gift of death."

Yang Zong was once a subordinate of Cao Shuang, then of Cao Mao, and finally of Sima Zhao. Judging from the results, he failed to protect three kings in a row.

He had been dead for a long time, his soul had long since died, and he was not afraid of the death of his body at this moment.

Cao Mao shook his head.

"Mr. Yang, I'm not letting you sit here today to humiliate you."

"I just want to discuss some knowledge with you."

"You once told me that benevolence, righteousness, morality, propriety, and the laws of propriety—all the things China once possessed—are now dead and no longer exist. The end of every road is destruction."

"I was also shaken at one point, but judging by the current situation, these things aren't as dead as you said, are they?"

Yang Zong looked at Cao Mao in front of him. He was not in the mood to discuss academic matters. "What exactly does Your Majesty want to do?"

"I have many things I want to do, but the first thing I want to do is to wake up these drunken and dreaming scholars of yours."

"The scholars of the Spring and Autumn Period were once admired by the people of the country. The scholars of the Former Han Dynasty once served as pioneers for the king and defeated the barbarians! Even the scholars of the Later Han Dynasty were warriors who would not surrender!"

"How come it has become like this now?!"

At this moment, Yang Zong could no longer fight back as calmly as before. The career that the emperor had established gave him the capital to say these words. This was no longer the childish talk of the past. This was a question from an imperial emperor who had just defeated a powerful enemy to the literati.

"I"

Cao Mao's eyes were filled with disappointment. "I look around and see that the court is full of ministers who only care about empty talk. They can't do anything except talk. They consult the gods before doing anything. If things don't work out, they take medicine and drink alcohol. They can't tell the difference between grains, they don't work hard, they are just good-for-nothings, and they can't accomplish anything!"

"Is this the scholar from my Great Wei?!"

Yang Zong still didn't dare to refute.

"I am incompetent."

Cao Mao said, "I want to change all this now. Lord Yang, it's not easy to live in this world."

"Don't think about dying, and don't think about hiding."

“Do something, even if it’s something insignificant.”

"Everyone will die, so why not do something before dying? To live a mediocre life, hiding in the mountains and forests to express one's ambitions, is this what a real man should do?!" Faced with Cao Mao's questioning, Yang Zong just murmured, "What dignity do I have left?"

"I don't know if you have the dignity to do this now, but if Mr. Yang were to hide away like this, then you would truly have no dignity, and I would spit on you."

"A true man stands in the world, facing adversity head-on, living in the face of death. How can he be timid and shrink back?!"

"Mr. Mao! Show the guests out!"

Cao Mao waved his hand, and Zhang Hua immediately helped Yang Zong to stand up and took him out of the Taiji Hall.

Zhang Hua accompanied Yang Zong all the way to the gate of the palace, and then let go of his hand.

"Mr. Yang, take care!"

Zhang Hua bowed, then turned and walked into the hall.

Only Yang Zong was left standing at the gate of the palace, at a loss.

When Zhang Hua returned to the Taiji Hall, Cao Mao was looking through letters and memorials from various places. Zhang Hua couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, Yang Gong is a man of great talent. If you had said a few more words just now, he might have stayed to assist you."

Cao Mao shook his head. "Even if we force him to stay, we'll just be leaving behind a drunkard. What's the point?"

"If he can figure it out himself, then I won't say anything more. If he can't figure it out, then I won't force him to stay."

"This tendency towards idle talk, seclusion, and inaction must all be curbed."

"If these people still want to talk nonsense, then let them go home and talk. I will establish strict examinations. All localities and departments will be investigated. Those who have no talent but empty reputations will be dismissed!"

At this moment, Zhang Hua was horrified, "Your Majesty, this is not possible!"

Cao Mao was not the first person to realize this problem. The last person to do so was Emperor Cao Rui of the Ming Dynasty.

Cao Rui realized the change in the world's thought, so he dismissed many ministers at once, causing huge controversy.

At that time, the trend of idle talk was very strong. A large group of children from prominent families gathered in Luoyang. They gathered together to socialize, evaluate people, and discuss famous theories. In a nutshell, they did not do any serious work.

Their behavior became popular among the entire scholar community and they became idols of the scholars at that time. The leaders were Xiahou Xuan, He Yan and Sima Shi.

As a result, they were accused of "making friends in a frivolous manner" and were all taken away for punishment, which is known in history as the Vanity Case.

As a result, many ministers also suffered misfortune. Zhuge Dan, who was serving as the Secretary of State at the time, was also dismissed from his post.

Now, this situation has developed further. Cao Mao still has Chen Qian's memorial.

In the Sili Xiaowei Department alone, there are eighty people who don't do their job!

What about other parts of the temple? What about the local areas?

He suddenly understood why Cao Rui was so angry.

Zhang Hua understood the emperor's feelings, but he still said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, we have just won over the ministers. We cannot rush into this matter. Even if we do, Your Majesty cannot do it first."

Cao Mao smiled and said, "Master Mao, don't worry. I know who is suitable to do this kind of thing."

At this moment, in the Shizhong Mansion.

Zheng Xiaotong sat in the study, looking at the rebellious young man in front of him, wondering what he wanted to do here.

"Mr. Zhong, I wonder what orders you have come here for this time?"

Zhong Hui, however, was sizing up Zheng Xiaotong in front of him for a long moment before nodding and asking, "I heard you have a granddaughter?"

Zheng Xiaotong's face suddenly turned dark.

During the Han Dynasty, marriages were usually arranged by mothers or female relatives. However, the grandfather was not considered the father, so Zheng Xiaotong could barely tolerate it.

"Yes, there is a granddaughter. What does Mr. Zhong mean?"

"I heard that your son is frail and sickly and has never served in the government?"

Zheng Xiaotong's face darkened even more. "So what?!"

"It is like this. Your granddaughter might be a good match for Your Majesty."

Zhong Hui's attitude seemed to be saying that it was your honor to marry your granddaughter to Cao Mao, so come and thank the emperor for his kindness.

Zheng Xiaotong had no opinion about the emperor. Whether from the perspective of personality, character, talent, or all aspects, Zheng Xiaotong admired the emperor very much. If the emperor wanted to marry his granddaughter, it was not impossible.

However, he had a lot of opinions about Zhong Hui.

Is that how you come to tell me? What do you want to do? To snatch a commoner girl for the emperor?!
Zhong Hui certainly didn't think there was anything wrong with his behavior. He said seriously, "You can send someone to send your granddaughter to the Queen Mother, have her pay her respects to her, and then have her order her to be betrothed to Your Majesty."

"As for you, you can proceed with your preparations according to the etiquette. Oh, and by the way, make sure all the ministers know about this as soon as possible. By the way, write down the names of those ministers who come to you and hand them over to me later!"

Zheng Xiaotong finally couldn't bear it anymore.

He stood up suddenly. "If this is true, the Queen Mother should come forward to deal with it. What does it have to do with you? How dare you humiliate me like this?!"

"Someone is coming!!"

"see a visitor out!!"

(End of this chapter)