Has the Han Dynasty been restored today?

Fei Yi and Chen Zhi walked arm in arm out of the house, chatting and laughing, leaving Liu Yin, who was waiting outside, completely puzzled.

No, weren't you just arguing a moment ago?

How come they're already acting like close friends and family again after such a short time?

Chen Zhi stopped a short distance in front of Liu Yin, smiled and nodded to him: "Brother Xiuran, Fei Sima and I have finished our discussion and are now heading out of the city to the Left General's camp. Please come with us."

"Yes, sir." Liu Yin cupped his hands in response to Chen Zhi, and seeing Fei Yi beside him, he also cupped his hands slightly in greeting to Fei Yi.

Fei Yi was in high spirits, and like Chen Zhi, he smiled and said to Liu Yin, "I've heard about Commander Liu's resume from Imperial Censor Chen. He's wasted many years and missed the Northern Expeditions, which is truly a pity. Once this matter is resolved, Commander Liu will have more responsibilities to shoulder!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Sima. I dare not overstep my bounds." After bowing, Liu Yin respectfully walked to Chen Zhi's side with his sword, his head slightly lowered, seemingly unwilling to show his face in front of Fei Yi.

This person is quite sensible. Fei Yi made this judgment about Liu Yin in his mind.

Chen Zhi is only in his early twenties, yet he is so outstanding. Liu Yin is also a loyal and reliable man. Thinking about it this way, Your Majesty still has quite a few capable people in Chengdu.

As Fei Yi just said to Chen Zhi, while a subject certainly needs to rely on the trust and authorization of the monarch, a subject is also a monarch's support!

Fei Yi nodded again, but this time he released his hand and walked forward with Chen Zhi.

Just now in the house, Chen Zhi and Fei Yi did not discuss how to bring down Yang Yi, nor did they reach any verbal agreement or contract; they only had a tacit understanding between them.

That's enough.

Political unity can only be achieved when goals and interests align. When goals and interests are intertwined, a close alliance can be forged without written communication.

However, if the goals and interests are misaligned, the words written on silk will have no practical significance.

As for how to proceed... we'll discuss that when we meet Wu Yi!

It will happen in the next few days.

……

Just as Fei Yi, Chen Zhi, and Liu Yin rode out of the city, a man on horseback entered the city through the south gate of Mianyang and, after asking around a few times, arrived at the gate of the Prime Minister's residence.

The man was about thirty years old, eight feet tall, and thin. Although he looked travel-worn and tired, his official robes and hat were still on, clearly having been taken off and put on just before entering the city.

"Please inform me that I am Qiao Zhou, the Prefectural Commissioner for Education. I came from Chengdu after hearing the news of the death to pay my respects to the Prime Minister!" Qiao Zhou bowed respectfully to the two guards at the gate and said.

The two officials exchanged a glance, one frowning and the other puzzled. The emperor's envoy had just arrived from Chengdu yesterday, so why was another official in charge of education coming today? And why was he the only one there?

"Officer Qiao, we need to go inside and inform them of this matter. Please wait a moment."

"Thank you for your trouble." Qiao Zhou nodded in response: "I have come from afar and have not made any preparations. Seeing that you two are already wearing mourning clothes for the Prime Minister, please bring me a few feet of white hemp. The Prime Minister also serves as the Governor of the province, and I am serving in the province. It is only right that I wear mourning clothes along with the ministers of the Prime Minister's office."

Du Bo couldn't refuse such a suggestion; a few feet of white hemp was nothing.

The message traveled through various levels of authority, first reaching Jiang Wei, the Protector of the Army. After a few moments of thought, Jiang Wei then went to inform Yang Yi of the matter.

"You said Qiao Zhou came from Chengdu to pay his respects?" Yang Yi raised an eyebrow at Jiang Wei, his voice slightly surprised.

Jiang Wei nodded, still expressionless: "Indeed, the gatekeeper reported that he was alone on horseback."

"Qiao Zhou..." Yang Yi's fingers tapped impatiently on the table. After repeating the name several times, he said, "Chen Zhi arrived quickly enough yesterday, how come this Confucian scholar Qiao Zhou also arrived so quickly?"

Jiang Wei's heart stirred slightly, and he tentatively asked, "Should we take him to pay his respects?"

Yang Yi frowned and pondered for a few moments, then waved his hand impatiently: "Fine, take him there. Go to the Prime Minister's residence to pay respects at the coffin. Don't bring him here. I have official business to attend to. Also, Boyue, find out with him what those old scholars from Yizhou in Chengdu think. Lai Min, Meng Guang, He Zong, Du Qiong, Wang Mou... Hmph, these old scholars won't come themselves, but they've sent out a junior to investigate."

"Understood, I will go immediately." Jiang Wei nodded and then left.

The development of history has its own evolution. Just like an army, it is formed by "gathering people from all directions over several decades" and is "not the property of one province". The origins of the people in the Shu Han court are also complex.

People from Jingzhou, such as Zhuge Liang, Wei Yan, Yang Yi, Jiang Wan, and Fei Yi, were the mainstream, but there were still many people from Yizhou in the court, and they were spread across various unimportant high-ranking positions and a large number of mid-level positions.

Prime Minister Zhuge Liang had an aggressive approach to personnel selection, often promoting young officials and boldly appointing his cronies to key positions, but he never went so far as to eliminate them all.

Among the scholars of Yizhou, those who are young and capable are often given a position in the Prime Minister's office or the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Those who are older, not skilled in administrative affairs, or have differing political views are often given high-ranking but idle positions in Chengdu.

As the saying goes, when the Prime Minister is around, everything is fine. But when the Prime Minister is away, everyone inside and outside the Prime Minister's residence is vying for power and interests within the court.

Qiao Zhou came from a family with a strong academic tradition and was put to good use at a young age. He was a key figure among the scholars and Confucianists of Yizhou.

On the other side, Jiang Wei personally went to the waiting area in the main hall of the Prime Minister's residence and met Qiao Zhou, who had come from afar.

Qiao Zhou saw Jiang Wei approaching and stood up to bow: "Is this General Jiang? I am deeply honored by your personal welcome."

Jiang Wei returned the greeting: "Greetings, Qiao Congshi. You've come all the way from Chengdu; how many days did it take you?"

Qiao Zhou sighed deeply: "I set off on the morning of September 3rd and arrived on the afternoon of September 8th, so let's say it took five and a half days. Upon hearing the news of the Prime Minister's passing, the entire Chengdu palace, government offices, and people of all ranks were filled with grief. Qiao Zhou was originally just a scholar, but I was fortunate enough to be selected into officialdom by the Prime Minister's favor, so I dared not delay in coming to pay my respects."

"Thank you for your trouble, General." Qiao Zhou bowed again.

Jiang Wei also sighed, turned to the side and gestured for him to come inside: "Qiao, please follow me."

"Okay," Qiao Zhou replied.

Qiao Zhou was selected by Zhuge Liang, and Jiang Wei was also personally recruited by the Prime Minister. Both men's official careers began with Zhuge Liang, showing a certain similarity in their official paths. Of course, Prime Minister Zhuge Liang appointed far too many officials.

Jiang Wei understood all the factional struggles Yang Yi had mentioned. Even though Qiao Zhou had powerful backers, and even though Qiao Zhou might have his own agenda, he had still come all the way from Chengdu, covered in dust and grime! Judging from the way Qiao Zhou walked, he must have suffered quite a bit on the journey.

Moreover, he came alone from Chengdu.

From a moral, logical, and ethical standpoint, Jiang Wei felt no ill will toward Qiao Zhou.