Has the Han Dynasty been restored today?

Chen Zhi entered the palace close to noon. By the time he left the palace and returned to the city, it was already getting dark. He was very hungry, so he rode his horse all the way back to his residence without stopping.

In a well-functioning, upwardly mobile organization, becoming a confidant of your superiors means enjoying numerous privileges such as priority promotion and the ability to bypass intermediaries, while also bearing several times the workload and responsibilities of ordinary officials.

There are things to take and things to give up.

However, for Chen Zhi, who was in his prime and full of energy, this was not a big deal.

In the afternoon, Chen Zhi received the task of paying respects to Lady Sun from Liu Shan in the palace, and then went to Empress Dowager Wu's palace, where he spoke with her for more than half an hour. This was Chen Zhi's first time meeting Empress Dowager Wu, and if he were to give a serious assessment, Chen Zhi had a fairly good impression of her.

If Chen Zhi remembered correctly, when Empress Wu married her ex-husband Liu Mao, Dong Zhuo was still alive, and Empress Wu was also slightly younger than her brother Wu Yi. By that calculation, Empress Wu should have been over fifty, almost sixty, but according to Chen Zhi's eyes, she looked like she was just over fifty.

According to the usual descriptions of Empress Wu's appearance, she had the appearance of someone of great nobility. However, after Chen Zhi met Empress Wu, he felt that this description was not quite accurate.

Based on Chen Zhi's first impression, Empress Wu's appearance was like that of a deity, extremely well-proportioned and elegant, extremely graceful and extremely wealthy, and there was always a sense of refinement that was different from ordinary nobility, making her seem like an ordinary person.

This may also be an important reason why Liu Yan took her as his daughter-in-law and Liu Bei took her as his empress.

In short, Chen Zhi thought that having the Empress Dowager act as matchmaker was certainly not a bad thing. If the marriage was not handled properly, Fei Yi didn't need to bother him; he could go and find the Empress Dowager instead.

As Chen Zhi returned to his residence, the sky grew increasingly dark.

Recalling the entire process of entering the palace, official business was not worth mentioning. Chen Zhi only felt that although the Ji Han palace was strict, it still lacked the extremely complicated etiquette.

Overall, the Shu Han court was largely driven by pragmatism...

"Brother, you just returned from the palace?" Xu You asked with a smile as he came out to greet Chen Zhi upon hearing of his return.

Chen Zhi nodded slightly: "I was busy with some diplomatic matters and only just got some rest."

"Oh." Xu You then asked, "When are we going to the Kingdom of Wu?"

Chen Zhi said, "Probably the day after tomorrow. The imperial gifts have all been prepared, and I've almost finished with my work."

Xu You asked again, "When will my elder brother be home tomorrow?"

"Ayou, what do you want?" Chen Zhi raised an eyebrow and asked as he walked, "I'll eat first, then you can tell me."

Xu You chuckled: "I'll recite a couple of lines of poetry, brother, guess what I'm going to say."

"Go ahead," Chen Zhi said, unmoved.

Xu You cleared his throat, and mimicking Chen Zhi, he put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth in front of Chen Zhi while smiling:

"The wind and rain are bleak, but the rooster crows loudly. The wind and rain are fierce, but the rooster crows incessantly. The wind and rain are dark and gloomy, but the rooster crows without ceasing."

Chen Zhi glanced at Xu You, then sat down and picked up his chopsticks to prepare his meal.

"I'm not free tomorrow afternoon. If you need any arrangements, tomorrow morning will be fine. I'll be at home tomorrow morning, and I'll go to the palace to say goodbye the day after tomorrow morning."

Xu You laughed heartily: "Brother, your wit is truly remarkable! How about I deliver a few scrolls of books to the Fei family tomorrow morning? Would you like to come with me?"

"I finished learning the Book of Poetry when I was ten. What kind of quick wit do I have?" Chen Zhi shook his head and said, "Call me before you go tomorrow. Is there anything else? I'm going to eat."

"That's all, that's all." Xu You said with a smile, "Then I'll go back to my room first, brother, please enjoy your meal."

Chen Zhi had already started using the bamboo chopsticks in his hand to pick up the meat.

The poem that Xu You just recited was actually "Wind and Rain" from the Zheng Feng section of the Book of Songs. This is one of the few poems in the Book of Songs in which a woman expresses her love.

The first three parts of Xu You's statement all begin with "wind and rain" and "cockcrow." The three parts of the statement that Xu You did not say all begin with "having seen the gentleman."

The last line is, "Now that I have seen you, how could I not be happy?"

How could Chen Zhi not understand?

……

The following morning, Chen Zhi and Xu You boarded the carriage together and headed towards the Fei residence.

Chen Zhi's gaze swept over the scrolls of bamboo slips carried in the carriage, and he asked, "What books did you bring today?"

"The 'Mao Shi Pu' is essential reading for Zheng Xuan studies," Xu You replied.

Chen Zhi frowned: "What's so special about giving away a copy of the *Mao Shi Pu*? Everyone has one, right?"

Xu You smiled and said, "The 'Mao Shi Pu' is light, so I'll have someone bring this copy. In a little while, I'll tell Fei Cheng that this book is different from ordinary books; it was personally read by Imperial Censor Chen when he entered the academy."

Chen Zhi calmly said, "It's not Imperial Censor Chen anymore."

Xu You's eyes widened as he looked at Chen Zhi: "What position did His Majesty grant you? Could it be that he really gave you the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat?"

"Don't joke like that." Chen Zhi waved his hand: "His Majesty promoted Right General of the Household to General Who Assists the Han, and promoted me to Colonel of the Yue Cavalry, because of his mission to the Wu Kingdom."

"The Cavalry Commandant!"

Xu You's expression instantly turned serious. He glanced at Chen Zhi's face, then, from his kneeling position in the carriage, bowed deeply to Chen Zhi and earnestly said, "Brother, you are now a high-ranking official. I, Xu You, offer my congratulations! May you soon be granted a marquisate and fulfill your lifelong wish!"

Two thousand stones...

A person with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain measure) could serve as a colonel or general in the army, or as a prefect or chancellor in a prefecture or county. All the highest-ranking officials were among those with a salary of two thousand shi.

Officials holding the rank of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain measure) represented a significant divide between high-ranking and mid-to-low-ranking officials in the Han Dynasty. A family that had produced at least one member holding this rank was considered a gentry family, and would be highly regarded by the local scholars for generations.

Within a prefecture or county, a prefect with a salary of two thousand piculs of grain could be addressed as "Prefectural Lord" or "Lord".

Even within the royal family, being promoted to a rank of two thousand shi (a unit of grain measure) is a major event that is taken seriously and celebrated.

Not to mention, in the official ranking of the Shu Han court, the five colonels of Tunqi, Yueqi, Bubing, Changshui, and Shesheng were ranked after the Nine Ministers and before many prefects and generals of various titles.

This is true trust and recognition! This is a true confidant of the emperor!

Before going to Hanzhong, Chen Zhi was unwilling to take on this position, and only wanted to serve as a censor with a salary of 600 shi (a unit of grain).

After returning from Hanzhong, Chen Zhi assumed the position of Commandant of the Yue Cavalry, and acted with composure and naturalness.

"Ayou." Chen Zhi didn't help Xu You up, but instead solemnly asked, "Do you know what my wish is?"

Xu You replied, "To restore the Han Dynasty! I already knew that when you went to Hanzhong that night, brother."

Chen Zhi looked intently at Xu You's face and asked in a deep voice, "What is your wish? Tell me."

Xu You's throat bobbed, and after a few moments of deliberation, he carefully replied, "My elder brother's wish is not my wish. If one day I can attain a high-ranking position and ensure the family's survival, then my life will be complete!"

"Though our ambitions differ, we can still walk the same path." Chen Zhi helped Xu You up and said seriously, "Ayou, after I return from my mission to Wu, you will be officially capped after New Year's Day and come with me to Hanzhong to serve as a clerk in the newly established Administrative Secretariat. Although the salary is only 100 shi (a unit of grain), you will handle a lot of documents, making it a good place to gain experience. Don't worry about your rank; with me by your side, your promotion will be smooth sailing!"

Xu You bowed deeply: "I will leave it to you, brother!"