Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 157: All Johor Comes Out
The Quanrou residence was located in the north of the city, not far from the Yan residence. The carriage arrived at the Quan residence in less than a quarter of an hour.

More than ten carriages were lined up in front of the mansion gate, and together with the guards, they stretched for a hundred meters.

Such a huge momentum immediately attracted many pedestrians to stop and watch.

The gatekeeper had already rushed into the mansion to report to Quan Rou. The Quan clan members, servants, and maids who were closer to the gate heard the news and came to kneel before the gate.

Yan Yi got off the carriage, asked everyone to stand up, and then stood in front of the mansion gate waiting, giving Quan Rou enough face.

He knew Quan Rou's inner reserve and was also aware of his inherent disadvantage in recruiting people from the aristocratic families. Therefore, he showed sufficient respect and courtesy.

If the Quan family were not just an ordinary noble family, coupled with the turbulent times and the advantageous geographical location, he probably would not even have the opportunity to recruit them.

Recruiting those from high-ranking families was even more difficult. If they were polite, they might host a banquet and feign some compliments. If they were impolite, they might not even let him in and simply shut the door on him.

In these troubled times, the sons of the aristocracy are waiting for opportunities and seeking official positions based on merit. There are usually three factors that attract them.

One is the background, power, sincerity, talent, ambition and development prospects of the person serving you.

The second is personal interests and family interests.

Third, he took the world as his own responsibility, tried to assist the wise ruler, make great achievements, and leave his name in history.

The second point is naturally what attracted Yan Yi to the entire Rounan region. The first point also played a part, especially the Battle of Rencheng and the Battle of Qiantang, which had a great impact on the entire Rounan region.

Zhu Zhi was a renowned general in Jiangdong, while Wang Lang controlled the entire Kuaiji region, making him the most powerful man in Jiangdong. Yet, both of these men were defeated by Yan Yi. Anyone with a reasonable degree of wit could see the immense potential within him.

For Quan Rou, Yan Yi was the perfect candidate for his bet at the moment. He would be hard-pressed to gain the respect of forces stronger than Yan Yi, and he looked down upon those weaker than Yan Yi. And his foundation, Qiantang, lay in Yan Yi's hands. This left him with very few options, and Yan Yi was arguably his best, and practically his only, choice.

Quan Rou was a clever man. When Yan Yi showed sufficient sincerity and courtesy, and paid a personal visit with great fanfare, he dropped his reserve and hurried out. Of course, according to the unspoken rules, he still had to decline, and only after Yan Yi repeatedly invited him did he reluctantly accept.

"Young Master, you have come to visit me. I am sorry that I failed to come to greet you. I beg for your forgiveness."

When Quan Rou reached the gate of the mansion, she regained her calm and unrestrained demeanor, slowly walked down the steps, and bowed to Yan Yi in front of everyone.

He was reserved, not arrogant, and didn't dare to go too far. He had heard of Yan Yi's reputation for benevolence, but he had also heard of his opponent's ruthlessness.

Especially since this boy's style of doing things is often unexpected, which makes him quite uneasy.

Think of Zhu Zhi's plight: under the gaze of thousands, he was dragged around the city like a pig, his reputation completely ruined. Few people would do such a thing.

The two of them were in love, and after a few polite words, they walked towards the gate of the mansion hand in hand.

When they reached the steps of the palace gate, they again made three polite gestures before ascending the steps together. Yan Yi ascended from the guest seat, and Quan Rou from the host seat.

Yan Yi was not used to these complicated etiquettes and even felt a little annoyed, but he had to abide by them because etiquette was the foundation of the existence of this social order.

After the two entered the mansion, Yan Yi's entourage began to move large and small packages of gifts throughout the mansion.

The Quanrou mansion wasn't large, just three rooms in front and back, but it was exquisitely decorated with carved beams and painted rafters. There was a martial arts arena in the front yard, displaying swords, spears, and halberds. Over twenty men were engaged in training. The two men arrived at the main hall in the backyard. In the center of the hall hung a three-foot-long sword, its scabbard inscribed with the words "loyalty and courage without parallel," evidently a cherished possession of the owner.

"This is Feng Gongsun's sword." Quan Rou introduced.

Since Yan Yi traveled through time, he has made up for a lot of knowledge and learned that Feng Gongsun refers to Feng Yi, a famous general of the founding of this dynasty and the seventh of the Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai.

The two sat down in the hall and talked about everything under the sun as the sky darkened.

Quan Rou ordered a banquet to be set up in the guest hall, and took this rare opportunity to summon all the young talents in the clan to join him, even his three-year-old son Quan Cong came to join in the fun.

Yan Yi liked the clever and eccentric Quan Cong very much. He took off the tiger-shaped jade pendant from his waist and let him play with it. He also gave him a hundred acres of fertile land.

Quan Rou was very happy, and only when a maid came into the hall carrying a food box did she order someone to take Quan Cong away.

After three rounds of drinking, both the host and the guests were in high spirits. Quan Rou wanted to make an impression on the clan members in front of Yan Yi, so he ordered them to toast one by one.

Yan Yi could drink a lot, and given his current status, he only needed to go through the motions. If he saw something he liked, he would drink half a cup. If he didn't like it, he would take a sip and put the cup down.

After the Quan clan members finished their toasts, he said with a half-smile, "The Quan clan members are all talented individuals. If they stay within the clan for too long, their talents will inevitably be lost. The world is in turmoil now, and it is a time for heroes to show their talents. Why not have them serve in our army and various departments, and contribute to the people's well-being?"

Quan Rou declined and said that he would let his disciples decide for themselves, and his intention to agree was clear.

Yan Yi was preparing to weaken the private armies of various ethnic groups in the future. It's important to note that in the history of the Eastern Wu, the army wasn't recruited and trained by the imperial court, but rather comprised of private soldiers from various ethnic groups. In the event of war, Sun Quan would issue orders, and the generals of each ethnic group would bring their own private troops to fight. Sun Quan didn't even have the power to recruit soldiers from the ethnic groups' territories.

After the matter was settled, Yan Yi and Quan Rou each got what they wanted, and everyone was happy.

Although Quan Rou was shrewd and capable, with strategic plans, he could not even compare to Yan Yi in foreseeing the future development of the political situation and the pros and cons of current politics. Although he seemed to gain short-term benefits, he was actually falling into Yan Yi's control step by step.

After the banquet, Quan Rou ordered the clan members to leave and invited Yan Yi into the quiet room.

This time there was no third person present, so the two of them spoke more casually, from the situation in Jiangdong to the military and political affairs of Qiantang, and gradually got to the point.

Seeing the time was ripe, Yan Yi said sincerely, "Lord Quan, the world is in turmoil right now, with the people displaced and warlords fighting for power. It is time for heroes to step forward and support the country. Lord Quan possesses both virtue and talent, and possesses strategic vision. He is a true sage of our time. If I could enlist your help and work together for our great cause, it would not only be a blessing for me, but also for all the people of the world."

Quan Rou immediately humbly declined. Yan Yi invited her again, but Quan Rou refused again. It was not until Yan Yi promised her the position of Qiantang Magistrate that Quan Rou finally prostrated herself on the ground, feigning gratitude: "Your Majesty has placed such high regard on my behalf. I am willing to serve you wholeheartedly!"

Yan Yi was overjoyed and quickly helped Quan Rou up.

Quan Rou holds a high reputation in Qiantang, making him the perfect choice to quickly put the city back on track. With his help, he believes Qiantang will soon provide him with a steady supply of money, food, and troops.

But he would not let Quan Rou stay in Qiantang for long. Once everything in Qiantang was back on track, he would find an opportunity to transfer him away.

Although the Qiantang magistrate was the highest official in the county, he had no military power and was just a bigger puppet in his hands.

(End of this chapter)