Has the Han Dynasty been restored today?

Liu Shan nodded: "I will make arrangements for General Zong's merits. Feng Zong's trip went smoothly. The court's efforts to reform the official system are largely due to Feng Zong's suggestions. I have also reserved a position for Feng Zong in the Hanzhong Administrative Office."

"Following the Emperor's suggestion, six ministries were established, each with a deputy minister. The deputy minister of the Ministry of Personnel was called the deputy minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and the deputy minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs was called the deputy minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The duplication of official titles may cause confusion. The term 'deputy minister' means deputy position. In my opinion, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Personnel should still use his original name, while the deputy ministers of the six ministries should be called deputy ministers. In this way, there will be no obstruction between superiors and subordinates."

"Fengzong has rendered a great service this time, how about appointing him as the Vice Minister of Works?"

Vice Minister of Works...

Official titles were essentially a means of appointment by the imperial court. Whether one was called the Minister of Works or the Deputy Minister of Works, there was little difference in essence.

Before his mission, Chen Zhi advised Liu Shan to re-establish the official system, further expanding the powers and capabilities of the Secretariat, incorporating the powers of the former Prime Minister's Office, and also taking control of all other powers of the court.

In other words, from now on, all matters, big and small, in the court will be handled by the Ministry of Personnel. The powers and responsibilities that originally belonged to the Nine Ministers will also be transferred to the Ministry of Personnel. The Nine Ministers will also have to take up their posts in the Ministry of Personnel, just as many officials in the court previously had to serve as military advisors in the Prime Minister's office in order to do their jobs.

The Ministers of Works and War were stationed in Hanzhong, while their Vice Ministers were stationed in Chengdu. The Ministers of the other four ministries were all stationed in Chengdu, while their Vice Ministers were stationed in Hanzhong. Of course, multiple Vice Ministers could be appointed, and a position could be held in both locations. In short, the court's authority was divided: Jiang Wan was responsible for logistics in Chengdu, ensuring adequate food and clothing, while Fei Yi assisted Liu Shan in leading the Northern Expeditions in Hanzhong.

Land reclamation, water conservancy, ordnance, construction... these all fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Works. Although it is not the Ministry of War, which is in charge of military affairs, its powers are all related to the military!

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhi solemnly bowed to Liu Shan and replied in a deep voice, "Your Majesty's favor has been bestowed upon me; I will certainly do my utmost to be loyal and faithful to Your Majesty's command!"

"Fengzong, rise. I need you to assist me." Liu Shan smiled and said, "Now that everything is settled, there are still a few days before the New Year. After you return to Chengdu, you can busy yourself with the wedding. After the New Year's sacrifice to Heaven, you can come with me to Hanzhong."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Chen Zhi replied.

The four talked in the tent for about half an hour, after which Liu Shan and Jiang Wan returned to their respective carriages, while Fei Yi and Chen Zhi continued riding. The imperial carriage continued its northward journey, and they were expected to stay overnight in Guangdu that night.

Chen Zhi and Fei Yi had not seen each other for several months. They rode side by side in the caravan, chatting as they went.

Chen Zhi released the reins and bowed to Fei Yi, saying, "Three months ago in Hanzhong, I had to address you as 'Sima Fei.' Now that we meet again, I can address you as 'Lord Fei.'"

Fei Yi glanced at Chen Zhi, shook his head and chuckled, "I'm not even forty yet. If someone else had said this, I would have simply asked them to address me as 'Master Fei,' not to be so arrogant. But today, it is Feng Zong who is speaking to me. Is it enough for Feng Zong to simply call me 'Lord Fei'?"

Chen Zhi knew that Fei Yi was implying that the marriage was approaching and that he would soon become Fei Yi's son-in-law, so he smiled and said, "Reporting to Lord Fei, the formalities have not yet been observed, and I dare not speak presumptuously."

"However, when I was speaking with His Majesty just now, there is something I would like to ask you again, Master Fei."

"Go on," Fei Yi nodded, looking straight ahead, and did not reject Chen Zhi's address of "Master Fei".

Chen Zhi asked, "When His Majesty led you to Chishui in Wuyang, did you really see a yellow dragon? Was there really a dragon?"

Fei Yi squinted at the front, remained silent for a few moments, and then spoke: "Who has ever seen a dragon with their own eyes? We stayed with the emperor on the banks of the Chishui River for a whole day, and it wasn't until the afternoon that we saw the light of the sky appearing in the clouds, resembling the shape of a dragon, very much like a flying dragon. So it must be a dragon."

"Fengzong was well-versed in the principles of the I Ching. The scene at that time, according to the I Ching, was an image of a flying dragon in the sky, corresponding to the ninth line of the fifth position in the Qian hexagram. A yang line in an odd position is considered auspicious, and being in the ninth line of the fifth position is considered central and correct, representing the emperor's throne. With the auspiciousness of primordial prosperity, success, and perseverance, who can say that it wasn't a dragon?"

"I understand." Chen Zhi nodded quietly, then remained silent.

The two rode on horseback, and after a moment, Fei Yi asked, "Is Fengzong curious about this auspicious yellow dragon?"

Chen Zhi was in turmoil, but he couldn't voice his thoughts, so he explained, "To be honest, before I set off from Chengdu to Wu, I did suggest that the court create some prophecies and omens to facilitate His Majesty's journey. However, I didn't expect such an auspicious omen to actually appear, so I have some doubts about its authenticity."

Fei Yi nodded: "An auspicious omen is an auspicious omen, but we still have to do our work. Now that the ministers of the six ministries have been appointed, with the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Works mainly based in Hanzhong, Feng Zong's appointment to this position is a great honor."

Chen Zhi interjected, asking, "Lord Fei, who are the ministers of each department? Have they been decided yet?"

Fei Yi replied, "They said they would announce it after the New Year, but the ministers of each department have already been appointed, and some of the deputy positions still need to be confirmed in Hanzhong. I don't need to hide it from you."

"The heads of the four ministries—the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Rites—are in Chengdu. The Minister of Civil Affairs is concurrently held by Li Fu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. The Minister of Justice is Zhao Kang, the Minister of Justice. The Minister of Rites is Du Qiong, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. The Minister of Personnel is Yuan Lin, who has been relieved of his post as General of the Vanguard and ordered to return to Chengdu to take up his post."

"In Hanzhong, Xu Yun was chosen as the Minister of War, and Li Yan was appointed as the Minister of Works."

"Li Yan?" Chen Zhi couldn't help but gasp. "What a great favor! Li Yan has been reinstated and given such a crucial position!"

Fei Yi nodded: "I was not in Chengdu when Li Yan was reinstated. I heard from Jiang Gong that when His Majesty summoned Li Yan to the palace, he wept bitterly, kowtowed until his head bled, and said he was willing to die for the court. His Majesty considered that he was capable after all, and that the country was in need of capable people, so after discussing with Jiang Gong, he ordered Li Yan's reinstatement. His son, Li Feng, was also sent to an outlying prefecture as a county magistrate. The Taizhong government also sent someone to summon Liao Li, but he was too arrogant to come, so Jiang Gong didn't bother with him."

"Fengzong, when you arrive in Hanzhong, Li Yan will be the chief official of the Ministry of Works. He is arrogant and acts on his own. Although I will look after you, you should still be careful when you are working with him."

"Thank you, Mr. Fei," Chen Zhi replied with a cupped hand, then smiled and said, "Since we're going to Hanzhong after the New Year, the wedding should be arranged as soon as possible. Which day would be best?"

Fei Yi rolled her eyes and scoffed, "We just talked about so many things, and you still remember the wedding? I thought you'd forgotten."

"How dare I, how dare I?" Chen Zhi said with a forced smile. "Public affairs come before private ones, of course. In the future, whether I am serving as an official in Hanzhong or handling matters at home, I will have to rely on your guidance, sir."

Fei Yi snorted again: "The betrothal, name-asking, and auspicious date selection are now complete. Your family should perform the betrothal ceremony and send the betrothal gifts to my house so that I can choose a wedding date with you!"

Chen Zhi raised his right hand and pointed to the sky: "After returning to Chengdu tomorrow, the betrothal ceremony will be held the day after, and the betrothal gifts will be sent to your esteemed residence!"

Fei Yi turned to Chen Zhi: "How much betrothal gift did Feng Zong prepare?"

Chen Zhi replied earnestly, "In addition to the black and red silk and sheep, my family has prepared one hundred catties of gold and two hundred bolts of Shu brocade as betrothal gifts, which will be delivered to your esteemed household at an auspicious time the day after tomorrow."

Fei Yi raised an eyebrow, met Chen Zhi's gaze directly, and asked in surprise, "One hundred catties of gold? How can the betrothal gifts be so much?"

Chen Zhi replied earnestly, "Such a betrothal gift would be excessive if we were only asking for the daughter of a minor official in Hanzhong. However, if we were asking for the daughter of a prime minister who oversees the affairs of thirteen prefectures, I think it would still be insufficient. We can make up for it another day!"

Fei Yi took a deep breath and remained silent for a long time.