My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 186 Zhang Zhao Pleads Guilty
Before setting off, Liu Feng approached Xun You and Guo Jia, told them about the matter, and wanted to hear their opinions.

Whether it's Xun You or Guo Jia, their wisdom and strategy can be considered top-tier (T0) in their time. Perhaps Guo Jia is slightly inferior to Xun You, but he is definitely still top-tier (T1).

It would be a waste not to use such a great talent.

Sure enough, after listening, Xun You gave Liu Feng an idea.

"I heard that Zhang Zibu recommended Tao Gong for the title of 'Outstanding Talent,' but Tao Gong refused and imprisoned him for questioning."

Xun You said, "Tao Gong had the intention to kill someone, but he was stopped by Zhao Yu, the Prefect, and Wang Lang, the Chief Administrator."

"Zhao Yu, Wang Lang, and Zhang Zhao rose to fame together and were also close friends. In the past, Zhang Zhao had recommended Zhao Yu for the position of Xiaolian (a scholar recommended for officialdom). Later, when Zhao Yu learned that Zhang Zhao had been imprisoned for Tao Qian's sake, he and Wang Lang worked together to rescue him. They eventually persuaded Tao Qian to release Zhang Zhao and allow him to live in Tancheng. Later, Zhang Zhao went to Haixi to seek refuge."

"Later, Zhao Yu was murdered by Zuo Rong."

Xun You said in a low voice, "Young master, you can start here to provoke Zhang Zhao to come out of seclusion."

Liu Feng slapped the table in admiration, but asked with some curiosity, "Mr. Gongda, you've only just arrived in our prefecture, how do you know so much about the situation here?"

Xun You smiled modestly and attributed the credit to Prefect Mi. "I and Prefect Mi hit it off immediately. During our casual conversation, I heard Prefect Mi mention it and I remembered it."

Liu Feng and Guo Jia both smiled. Xun You was clearly not just chatting idly, but had a specific purpose in mind.

Given Xun You's wisdom, with positions like Chief Administrator and Chief Clerk vacant in the prefecture, he would naturally inquire about the prominent figures in the prefecture during his casual conversations with Mi Zhu. And it was precisely at this moment that his talents came in handy.

"To be honest, I hit it off with Prefect Chen at first sight, and I happen to know something that might be helpful for your trip, young master."

Guo Jia also spoke up, saying, "I heard that after Zhao Yu was appointed as the Prefect of Guangling by the court, he recommended a filial and incorruptible official in Guangling, who is none other than Zhang Hong, Zhang Zigang."

Liu Feng opened his mouth in surprise, as if to say something, but then let out a sigh.

"Alas, Zhao Yuanda was a man of noble character and integrity, upright and courteous, clean of himself and averse to evil, devoted to learning, and skilled in both literature and martial arts. It is hateful that the villain Zuo Rong plotted against him, causing Xuzhou to lose such a talented man. How hateful and lamentable."

Liu Feng felt quite sorry for Zhao Yu.

If this man had not died, he would very likely have played a much larger role in the Three Kingdoms period. Just look at his contemporaries and friends such as Zhang Zhao, Wang Lang, Liu Yao, and Zang Hong, and you can imagine what level of talent he was.

*********
Haixi is located in Guangling County, but it is much closer and more convenient to Tancheng than to Guangling.

Later, when Chen Yu became the governor of Wu Commandery, he stationed his troops in Haixi. As a result, Sun Ce sent Lü Fan and others to wipe them out by sea. Thousands of his clansmen, soldiers, and their families were captured and taken to Jiangdong. The Chen clan of Xiapi suffered a severe blow from then on.

Although Haixi is geographically remote and seems isolated, it is still quite convenient to travel because a river flows through it, connecting the upper and lower reaches. People can go downstream to Qu County to the north and upstream to the south to join the Huai River at Huaipu.

In addition, the area around Haixi has relatively few swamps, was developed earlier, and has a large population.

After leaving Tancheng, Zhang Zhao lived in seclusion here.

On this day, Zhang Zhao was receiving talented young people at home when his son Zhang Cheng suddenly walked in.

He first bowed to his father and the guests, then said to Zhang Zhao, "Father, the imperial carriage from the prefectural government has arrived again."

The two guests were scholars around thirty years old. One was upright and honest, while the other had a gentle face. Judging from their appearances, the two seemed to be complete opposites.

Among them, the man with a square face was the first to congratulate Zhang Zhao, saying, "Congratulations, Zibu Gong! The governor has invited you, which means he will be of great importance to you. Zibu Gong can assist a wise ruler and give full play to your talents."

Then, the man with the gentle face also offered his congratulations, saying, "Brother Baojian is right. Zibu, you may go and greet the governor yourself. We shall take our leave for now."

Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhao's face showed no joy, but instead a bitter smile.

This scene surprised the two guests, who were filled with doubt but couldn't bring themselves to ask.

Finally, Zhang Zhao spoke up, saying, "Baojian and Jibi, you two have just returned from Jiangdong and are unaware of the previous events. This invitation from Fang Bodi is the third time he has sent someone to recruit me since he took over Xuzhou."

It turned out that the two guests in front of Zhang Zhao were Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao, local notables from Guangling.

Xu Xuan himself was from Haixi, Guangling. He went to Jiangdong to escape the war.

Chen Jiao was from Dongyang in Guangling, and like Chen Jiao, he sought refuge in Jiangdong to escape the war.

Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao returned for the same reason: both of them had been recruited by Sun Ce.

Neither Xu Xuan nor Chen Jiao looked down on Sun Ce and the Sun family, and having learned from Sun Jian's example, the two quietly left their residence, crossed the river again, and returned home.

Chen Jiao and Xu Xuan were merely acquaintances, not close friends, which was largely due to their personalities.

Historically, the two were equally famous in Guangling and worked together under Chen Deng.

However, Xu Xuan had always disliked Chen Jiao, and the two did not get along.

However, historical records show that Xu Xuan was the one who kept criticizing Chen Jiao, while Chen Jiao remained silent. This may be because Xu Xuan was upright and principled, and his words were always meaningful. Every time he pointed out a fault, it was Chen Jiao who had committed it, while he himself was honest and upright. Even if Chen Jiao wanted to retaliate, he could not find a point to attack.

The reason Xu Xuan looked down on Chen Jiao was because of Chen Jiao's background.

The Chen family's original surname was not Chen, but Liu. However, they changed their surname to Chen because they were adopted by their maternal relatives.

If it were only this, Xu Xuan might not have been so hostile towards Chen Jiao. However, Chen Jiao married a woman from his own clan, the Liu family, which was something that the straightforward and honest Xu Xuan could not accept.

In Xu Xuan's view, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Chen Jiao committed incest.

Chen Jiao could only swallow his anger in the face of Xu Xuan's accusations, since he had indeed done something wrong.

Chen Jiao's two sons are also very interesting, as they each inherited the two extremes of Chen Jiao's contradictory personality to the fullest extent.

The eldest son, Chen Ben, inherited Chen Jiao's simple and pragmatic personality, while the second son, Chen Qian, inherited Chen Jiao's scheming and self-serving side.

Upon hearing Zhang Zhao say that this was the third time Liu Bei had summoned him, Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao reacted slightly differently.

Xu Xuan frowned, as if he had something to say, while Chen Jiao looked shocked and envious.

Xu Xuan couldn't hold back for long and said directly, "I have a question that's been stuck in my throat. I hope you, Master Zibu, will answer it without hesitation."

Since Zhang Zhao was willing to tell Xu Xuan about this, he knew that the other party would definitely have something to say, so he was not surprised and nodded directly, saying, "Baojian, you may speak freely."

Xu Xuan immediately replied, "Lord Xuande is a member of the Han imperial family. He was granted the governorship of our province by the grace of Tao Gongzu. Since he entered Xu Province, he has diligently carried out government affairs, lived frugally, gathered refugees, and arranged for military farms. He has also recruited virtuous and capable officials and dismissed petty people. Xu Province has become much more peaceful. Even in Jiangdong, I have heard of the prestige of the governor. In particular, when he swiftly acted, Zang Ba submitted, his mighty army marched south, and Yuan Sui surrendered. This is a good governor bestowed upon us by Heaven."

“Baojian is ignorant. May I ask why you, Zibu Gong, have not accepted the imperial examination?”

Zhang Zhao sighed. He knew Xu Xuan would ask such a question, so he let him speak freely in order to elicit his explanation: "To be honest, Baojian, I have seen and admired all of Xuande's achievements in Xuzhou. However, because of Tao Gong, I was disheartened and only wanted to preserve my life, so I refused Xuande's offer to recruit me."

"Although Lord Xuande has not abandoned me and has summoned me again, I am but a mortal with limited vision, unable to recognize a wise ruler. How can I have the face to accept the summons again?"

After hearing Zhang Zhao's words, Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao both understood.

Zhang Zhao was concerned about both losing face and his reputation.

Zhang Zhao felt that if he hadn't accepted the appointment when Liu Bei was down on his luck, wouldn't accepting it now be suspected of reaping the benefits without effort?

Now that Liu Bei has unified Xuzhou and his power is greatly enhanced, wouldn't Zhang Zhao's act of surrendering to him at this time make him appear even more like a petty and opportunistic person?
After much hesitation, Zhang Zhao ultimately refused Liu Bei's second offer of service.

Zhang Zhao felt quite regretful, not because he coveted the official position, but because Liu Bei's performance far exceeded his expectations, and he had mistakenly missed out on such a wise ruler because of his relationship with Tao Qian.

Zhang Zhao is only forty years old and in good health, which is the prime of a person's political career.

Zhang Zhao's refusal of Tao Qian's offer of service stemmed from his preference for quality over quantity. He saw through Tao Qian's lack of wisdom and disapproved of Tao Qian's despicable behavior of favoring sycophants and alienating talented individuals. However, this did not mean that Zhang Zhao truly did not want to serve in the government.

Although Liu Bei succeeded Tao Qian, his personality and governing methods were completely different from Tao Qian's. After being rejected twice, he not only showed no anger but even came to recruit him a third time.

Think about what Tao Qian did back then?

That can only be described as "those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish." Compared to him, Liu Bei's virtue is like that of a wise ruler.

After hearing Zhang Zhao's explanation, Xu Xuan said indignantly, "How foolish you are, Zibu Gong! No one is perfect, who can be without fault? Zibu Gong already knows his mistakes, yet instead of thinking of ways to mend them, he is only indulging in the sorrow of losing his sheep. How absurd! Zibu Gong, a loyal and righteous man like yourself hides in the countryside, not thinking of serving the court, and is summoned by an enlightened ruler three times, yet refuses out of shame. If this results in the governor having no one to rely on, and allowing a scoundrel to rise to power, is this not your fault?"

Although Xu Xuan still respected Zhang Zhao, he also criticized Zhang Zhao's mistakes without any politeness.

Upon hearing Xu Xuan's accusation, Zhang Zhao was not angry at all. Instead, he nodded seriously and said, "What Baojian said is very true. I will go to the prefectural government and personally apologize to the governor."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao both showed delight.

Liu Bei had already established himself as a powerful figure, firmly securing his position as the ruler of Xuzhou, and possessed the potential to expand outwards.

Such a powerful ruler would naturally be most able to stir the hearts and minds of the scholars of Xuzhou.

Think about the stories of Nanyang and Yingchuan in this dynasty.

Of the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai in the past, eleven were from Nanyang and seven from Yingchuan. These two adjacent places together accounted for eighteen generals, or two-thirds of the total.

It's true that Yingchuan and Nanyang produce talented people, but isn't the reason for such an exaggerated proportion because Liu Xiu started his career in Nanyang and grew his power in Yingchuan?
Now, Liu Bei is also a member of the Han imperial family. He has taken over Xuzhou and is skilled in both civil administration and social harmony. He has gathered refugees, vigorously promoted agricultural settlements, and achieved a series of victories in military campaigns, remaining undefeated to this day. Moreover, amidst the chaos of the times, he has avoided excessive military campaigns, valued sericulture and agriculture, and encouraged farming. He is truly a wise ruler.

For the scholars of Xuzhou, prominent figures and powerful families from Xuzhou, such as Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong, Chen Gui, Chen Deng and his son, Xu Qiu, and Mi Zhu, would naturally become the leaders of the Xuzhou group.

At the same time, the more famous and powerful figures from Xuzhou were around Liu Bei, the stronger the influence of the people of Xuzhou became.

The more secure the positions of these bigwigs are, the more opportunities and positions will be available for secondary celebrities like Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao to rise in rank.

Whether it's for the benefit of the entire Xuzhou region or for the personal interests of Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao, this is a win-win situation.

Therefore, even someone as upright and honest as Xu Xuan strongly urged Zhang Zhao to accept the appointment, and even went so far as to reprimand him severely.

Whether Zhang Zhao accepts it or not is no longer just a personal matter for him; it also represents the entire scholar-official group in Xuzhou.

Especially recently, rumors have circulated that people from the three provinces of Yu, Qing and Yang have been coming to Xuzhou to serve Liu Bei, which has made the people of Xuzhou wary.

“Baojian, Jibi, Zhongsi, come with me to greet the prefect.”

Zhang Zhao was a man of strong character and always kept his word.

Now that the decision had been made, preparations were immediately made to go out and greet the governor.

The four of them went outside to put on their shoes, and then Zhang Zhao led the way, with Xu Xuan and the other two following closely behind, and walked towards the gate.

At this time, Liu Feng had already gotten out of the carriage and was respectfully waiting outside the Zhang family's gate with the Zhuge brothers, Dong Xi, and Gan Ning.

Zhang Zhao was from Pengcheng, but he sought refuge in Haixi, so his living conditions were naturally not comparable to those in Pengcheng; it was just a relatively nice three-courtyard house.

The voices inside were a bit louder, and could be faintly heard outside, but the words were unclear.

After Zhang Cheng went in, Liu Feng waited for a long time but no one came out.

Liu Feng, the Zhuge brothers, and Dong Xi were alright, but Gan Ning was somewhat displeased. He cupped his hands towards Liu Feng and suddenly said, "Young Master, why is Zhang Zhao so arrogant? I am not talented enough to do so, but I am willing to capture him and bring him before the Young Master."

Liu Feng was taken aback by Gan Ning's self-recommendation. If he really did things the way Gan Ning did, he'd probably get a good beating from Big Ears when they got back.

Just as Liu Feng was about to appease Gan Ning, he heard Zhuge Liang beside him speak up: "General Xingba, I have heard that you were looked down upon by Prefect Liu of Jingzhou and Prefect Huang of Jiangxia when you were in Jingzhou. Is this true?"

At this time, Gan Ning was merely a separate commander, far removed from the general.

However, Zhuge Liang's original intention was not to provoke Gan Ning, but to advise him that before slapping him, one should first offer a sweet treat.

Moreover, the world is becoming increasingly chaotic, and the prestige of military positions is declining sharply. Any captain can now call himself a general, and the commander of a separate department is not far behind.

Upon hearing Zhuge Liang's words, Gan Ning's expression changed, and he glared fiercely at the other party: "So what if it is? What are you going to do about it?"

Being slighted by Liu Biao and Huang Zu had become a grudge in Gan Ning's heart. Apart from Liu Bei and his son, anyone else who mentioned it would be unlucky.

Liu Feng was also startled and hurriedly went to check on Dong Xi. If Gan Ning were to lose his temper, perhaps only Dong Xi could stop him.

Zhuge Liang, however, said calmly, "General Xingba, this is what I wanted to say. When you were in Jingzhou, you were looked down upon. This is not because you are incompetent, but because your sharp awl was hidden in a sack and your gold was buried under gravel. Although you have lofty ambitions, you have no wise ruler to support you."

"I have heard that Prefect Liu wrote to Jingzhou twice to comfort and encourage you, General. When you first met the General in Guangling, you treated him with extraordinary courtesy. Isn't this enough to prove that Prefect Liu and you have keen insight and discerning eyes?"

"Today we have been waiting outside the Zhang residence for a long time. A person who can be summoned by Magistrate Liu three times and who can make the young master wait for so long must be a great talent in the world. If you, General, were to ruin Magistrate Liu and the young master's efforts to seek out talent in a fit of anger, how would you, a man of righteousness, face the magistrate and the young master in the future?"

After hearing Zhuge Liang's words, Gan Ning's anger vanished, and his face turned rosy.

That little guy really makes sense.

I was indeed too impulsive.

For the first time ever, the Jin Fan bandit Gan Xingba began to reflect on his actions.

Liu Feng just mentioned that his heart was finally at ease again after being in mid-air; Zhuge Liang really dared to say that.

However, it would have been far more appropriate for Zhuge Liang to say these words than for himself to say them.

If I were to speak for him, it might backfire and provoke Gan Ning's rebellious spirit.

However, Zhuge Liang's flattery and praise actually made Gan Ning reflect on his own actions.

This skill in mediating disputes is quite impressive; he truly deserves to be called Zhuge Liang, who would later be able to reconcile the conflicts between four or five factions in Shu.

Gan Ning knelt on one knee before Liu Feng and pleaded guilty, saying, "Young Master, as Mr. Zhuge said, I almost ruined your great plan. I am willing to accept the punishment."

"What crime has Xingba committed?"

Liu Feng naturally wouldn't punish Gan Ning. Instead, he personally helped Gan Ning up, held Gan Ning's hand, and said earnestly, "Xingba, I've long heard that you were well-versed in the classics in Shu, and clearly have lofty ambitions. Since you intend to develop your career in the military, I have a word for you, and I urge you to keep it in mind."

Gan Ning quickly replied, "Don't worry, young master, I will remember it well."

"A general should have a calm mind. A ruler should not raise an army out of anger, and a general should not fight out of resentment. If one fights out of anger, one will surely be taken advantage of."

After Liu Feng finished speaking, he turned to look at Dong Xi and said, "Yuan Dai, I also pass on these words to you."

Gan Ning and Dong Xi silently repeated Liu Feng's words. Both of them were well-educated and knew a bit about military strategy. Although they didn't know that it was from Sun Tzu's Art of War, they deeply agreed with it.

Therefore, Gan Ning and Dong Xi bowed and knelt down to express their gratitude once again.

The Zhuge brothers watched this scene from the side. They exchanged a glance and were surprised to find that their son was also well-versed in Sun Tzu's Art of War.

Not long after we finished here, a sound came from inside the door.

Liu Feng and the others quickly straightened their robes. Just then, the door opened from the inside.

A tall, stern-faced middle-aged scholar emerged from inside, followed by several younger scholars.

This middle-aged scholar was none other than Zhang Zhao. He sharply scanned the scene before finally fixing his gaze on Zhuge Jin. He then stepped forward, bowed to Zhuge Jin, and said, "I, Zhao, am blind and ignorant of your kindness. I have troubled the governor to come to Haixi three times. I have come here to apologize."

(End of this chapter)