A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

"Your Majesty, what is Wang Yun's plan?"

"The honey trap".

"Use Ren Hongchang to seduce the Grand Tutor and Fengxian, causing the two of you to fight each other. Use Fengxian's status and position to kill the Grand Tutor and subdue the army."

Liu Xie briefly explained Wang Yun's plan, which was enough to make Dong Zhuo understand the whole story.

"A honey trap, what a clever honey trap!"

"Your Majesty, the powerful families cannot be trusted!"

Dong Zhuo said with deep sorrow that, as a warrior from Guanzhong, he outwardly looked down on scholars, but in reality, he greatly admired those true literati, believing them to be cultured and courteous, far superior to crude warriors.

But reality has shown that the most righteous are often the lowly butchers, while the most ungrateful are often the scholars.

"When my father was alive, he taught me that governing the court still requires people from powerful families, and it also requires you, Prime Minister, to endure some hardship. However, people like Wang Yun cannot be allowed to live!"

Liu Xie advised.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, leave it to this old minister."

"Should Ren Hongchang be sent to His Majesty?"

Dong Zhuo inquired.

Liu Xie blushed deeply, "No, no!"

"I recently consulted the palace's secret texts. It is said that losing one's virginity at a young age can affect one's lifespan. Moreover, many wise rulers in history have not been obsessed with beautiful women."

Upon hearing that it would affect his lifespan, Dong Zhuo abandoned his idea.

"Then give it to Fengxian; it's a waste for this old man like me."

Liu Xie remembered the records in the palace's secret manual and ordered someone to bring them over.

"Prime Minister, this is a secret book that only the emperor could see throughout the dynasties. It records the health preservation methods proposed by Marquis Anshou of the Wei family. You can read it yourself after you return."

"The Han Dynasty's four-hundred-year reign, with its dozens of vassal states, now rests entirely on your shoulders. You must pull yourself together and take care of your health!"

Dong Zhuo was so moved that he was moved to tears, and his breathing became rapid.

"I obey your decree!"

Dong Zhuo staggered backward as he slowly withdrew from Weiyang Palace. After turning around, his flushed cheeks quickly returned to normal.

As expected of the new emperor chosen by him, he is so much better than that good-for-nothing who cries at the drop of a hat and only knows how to rely on his mother.

He was genuinely tempted by this kind of skill in managing people.

However, Wang Yun's scheme was something he had not anticipated.

The problem is that there aren't enough trustworthy people at our disposal. Wei Ya and Li Ru are both talented in governing the country, but not everything can be solved by just two people. There are so many great masters in the court, and even they don't have the energy to take care of everything.

We must recruit trustworthy scholars as soon as possible to help lighten their burden.

Soon after, news from Cao Cao's side made Dong Zhuo realize the truth, and he began to take action against the powerful clans.

……

Qingzhou.

The Prefectural Governor's Office of Donglai County.

Cao Cao was racking his brains over the administration of Qingzhou. Even though he had great talents under his command, such as Wei Xue, Xun You, Guo Jia, and Xi Zhicai, and even Xun Yu and Chen Qun had come to join him, he had a wealth of talent under his command.

This was far better than Dong Zhuo's situation.

However, the Yellow Turbans had only just been restored. Before that, the world was in chaos, and the entire Qingzhou was both made and destroyed by the powerful clans.

For Cao Cao, there were no large aristocratic families, so this place allowed him to better display his talents.

However, because there were no large aristocratic families, Qingzhou was more chaotic than other prefectures and counties in this chaotic era.

When he first took over Qingzhou, there was so much to do, countless things to organize, and new policies to be implemented.

Even though his advisors were all capable of serving as prime ministers, he was still overwhelmed by these countless trivial matters.

"We need to hire people, and we must do so as soon as possible."

Cao Cao put down the dossier in his hand, feeling a headache coming on.

"Does anyone have any good suggestions?"

"I suggest that the governor follow the example of King Zhao of Yan and build the Golden Terrace to recruit talented people from all over the world."

"Regardless of background, only talent matters."

"Order people to set up three trials, one for civil and one for military affairs, on the Golden Platform. Those who can pass the three trials will be granted a personal audience with the governor."

Wei Ya stepped forward and proposed the policy he had always wanted to put forward.

Everyone was shocked. This was no longer the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. The Han Dynasty had been established for nearly 400 years and had long since formed a fixed political system.

The political system of powerful clans had basically taken shape; no matter how talented you were, you could not escape the political network formed by these powerful clans.

Only two academies provided a way out for geniuses from the lower classes thanks to the Wei family. However, in the eyes of powerful clans, this was nothing more than an alternative network of clans, the Wei family's political network built on the foundation of the academies.

However, this recruitment order broke the political dominance of powerful families.

But now the powerful clans clearly don't think highly of Cao Cao, even though he is now the governor of a province.

Without enough scholars, it is impossible to govern the territory well.

In this day and age, those who can receive education are at least from poor families. Poor families are just declining aristocratic families. Ordinary people can't even afford to eat, so how can they have the resources to study?

Cao Cao's move severed the control that powerful clans had over the common people, which was bound to cause a backlash.

Even Xun Yu couldn't give a reason to object.

Not to mention that this is an imitation of the ancient sages. King Zhao of Yan built the Golden Terrace, which is still praised by scholars as the act of a wise ruler.

Cao Cao himself wanted to promote people from humble backgrounds and suppress the power of aristocratic families. He didn't want the fruits of his hard work in unifying the world to be reaped by aristocratic families.

With the support of his civil and military officials, Cao Cao issued an edict seeking talented individuals.

Throughout history, have any rulers who received the Mandate of Heaven and restored a dynasty ever failed to have virtuous and wise men to govern the world with? Yet, when they found such men, they never left their humble neighborhoods; it was not a matter of chance, but rather that those in power sought them out. Today, with the world still unsettled, this is precisely the time when the search for virtuous men is most urgent.

"Meng Gongchuo is excellent as an elder statesman of Zhao and Wei, but not as a minister of Teng and Xue." If only incorruptible officials can be employed, how could Duke Huan of Qi have become a hegemon? Are there not those in the world today who wear coarse clothes but possess hidden talents and fish on the banks of the Wei River? Are there not those who steal from their sister-in-law and accept bribes but have not encountered an uninformed person?

My two or three sons, assist me in promoting the virtuous and the humble, appointing only the talented, and employing them.

The call for talent caused a worldwide uproar.

Many scholars who had no job prospects began packing their belongings and heading to Qingzhou, while powerful families began to openly and covertly threaten Cao Cao to withdraw his order seeking talent.

But Cao Cao was a man of great stature. How could he possibly back down from something he had already made up his mind because of this threat?

Wouldn't that make us a laughingstock?!

Instead of withdrawing the order to recruit talented individuals, he directly mobilized the army to accelerate the construction of the Golden Terrace.

Express your thoughts with facts.

His actions gave Dong Zhuo a sudden inspiration.

Even powerful and influential families cannot control all their sons.

Even their own clansmen don't have enough resources. Emperor Wu of Han was able to use this to launch the Edict of Grace. Could he also use this to incite infighting among those powerful clans and reap the benefits?