Standalone Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chapter 469 "Liu Becomes King"

No matter how important the letter was, the messenger could deliver it to Zhongshan City and Ji County as quickly as possible, and deliver it to the desks of Duke Su and Governor Murong on time.

Safe and reliable, there will be absolutely no delay.

The information Jia Zhi needs can also be quickly sent from Ji County.

Jia Zhi loves and worries about these subordinates.

What I love is that they are really useful. They free me from the mundane affairs of the county government, giving me time to visit the powerful people in Zhuo County.

The worry is that Duke Su already has so many mature officials under his command, who are already capable of handling county affairs. Even if they are not capable enough to govern a county, they are more than qualified to be the third chief.

Jia Zhi suddenly became anxious.

Once upon a time, these aristocratic families were the only candidates for official positions. They monopolized academics, knowledge, bureaucratic techniques, and even the art of war in leading troops. The late Han Dynasty and the Wei and Jin Dynasties were the golden age of the aristocratic families.

But how come the times suddenly changed?

These clerks who are proficient in government affairs, the sons of military households such as Hulu Guihan, the sons of poor families in Chongwen Pavilion, and even the sons of rich families who do not even have family background.

These people can all become officials.

Jia Zhi suddenly understood his father's anxiety and why Jia Shi of Guzang knelt down to Duke Su so quickly.

Cao Cao had no way to deal with these aristocratic families. Even though he issued the "Order to Seek Talents" and shouted "If Duke Zhou gives his advice, the whole world will be at peace", he could only use the children of the aristocratic families.

Perhaps Cao Cao was able to eliminate individual rebellious nobles, but his descendants did not have this ability, and in the end the throne was usurped by the Sima family.

The Sima family directly shouted the slogan of sharing the world with the gentry, and finally won the support of all the gentry and gained the whole world.

However, after the Jin Dynasty lost its power and the Five Barbarians invaded China, the treatment of the northern gentry continued to decline.

Although there were Han ministers such as Wang Meng and Cui Hao who were valued, in an era of declining rituals and music, the warriors with swords were the ones who decided the fate of the world.

During the Five Barbarians' Invasion of China, the Han people's clothing and etiquette declined for a period of time.

However, since Emperor Xiaowen re-examined the clan system, the gentry returned to their original position.

However, after Jia Zhi studied in Chongwen Pavilion and then took up a post in Youzhou, he had put away the arrogance of being a son of a noble family.

Duke Su is not Cao Cao. Cao Cao had no choice, but he did have choices.

The reason why you, the nobles, are still employed as officials is because Duke Su thinks highly of you. If you don't appreciate it, when the students of Chongwen Pavilion graduate, you, the children of the nobles who want to become officials, will have to obediently go to Chongwen Pavilion and queue up for the exam.

Jia Zhi vaguely felt that the golden age of the gentry had passed. Whether the next era would be the era of warriors or the era of scholars would depend on the choices made by their generation.

Jia Zhi suddenly had a goal: to assist Duke Su to end this chaotic world as soon as possible so as to usher in the golden age of scholars.

Those who fail to recognize the changes of the times will eventually be eliminated by this era.

And fools like Lu of Fanyang who want to go against the Duke are like a birthday star hanging himself - they think their life is too long.

These days, Jia Zhi attended various banquets and finally got a clear understanding of the situation in Zhuo County.

The largest family in the local area is naturally the Fanyang Lu family.

Fanyang was the capital county under Youzhou, and in some dynasties it also referred to Youzhou. The fact that Fanyang was chosen as the county's ancestral home was enough to show how powerful the Lu family was.

The ancestor Lu Zhi was famous for Confucianism in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and he left a foundation for Confucian classics to the family. The Lu family went from being an ordinary local tyrant to a national aristocratic family with the right to interpret Confucian classics.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Lu Yu was promoted to Sikong of Cao Wei. Later, Lu Qin, Lu Ting, Lu Zhi and Lu Chen successively held high positions.

During the reign of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Lu Xuan was the first to respond to the imperial order and join the court, and was known as the "leading family in the northern state."

Lu Xuan's son Lu Dushi was originally a future rising star of the Lu family, but because he was Cui Hao's cousin, he was involved in the national history prison case.

Later, Lu Dushi was pardoned by Emperor Taiwu, but his official career came to an end.

Lu Yuan, the son of Lu Dushi, was the first to initiate reforms during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen. He took the initiative to go to Luoyang and became one of the four noble families designated by the emperor.

Lu Yuan once served as the governor of Youzhou and had a bright future, but he died of illness at the age of 48.

Afterwards, Lu Yuan's branch settled in Luoyang and gave the position of head of the family to Lu Wenwei's father. However, Lu Yuan's sons did not hold high positions. Although the Fanyang Lu family was listed as a noble family among the Jia surnames, in fact, from the reign of Emperor Xuanwu to the present, there were very few members of the family who could serve as high-ranking officials.

However, because the Lu family of Fanyang had already declined, they managed to avoid the Heyin Incident and did not suffer a major blow.

Troubled times have arrived, how could a local tyrant like the Lu family of Fanyang not have other ideas?
After finishing today's official business, Jia Zhi stood up and looked at the screen behind him.

This white screen is covered with white paper and is now covered with names.

The head of the Fanyang Lu family, Lu Wenwei, has his name right in the middle of the screen.

Extending from Lu Wenwei are several in-laws of the Fanyang Lu family, who formed a close alliance with the Lu family through marriage.

Among them, they are divided into several levels according to their family's reputation.

Those who have served as high-ranking officials within three generations are considered national aristocrats.

Those who could only serve as officials in prefectures and counties were local gentry.

In addition, there are a large number of families in Zhuo County whose ancestors did not hold high positions but only had a certain reputation in the county. Through family in-laws, disciples, former officials and old friends, the Fanyang Lu family has woven a huge network in Zhuo County. The densely packed numbers on the screen are the "circle of friends" of the Fanyang Lu family.

Jia Zhi gained all this information by attending one banquet after another.

With such a huge net covering Zhuo County, it is no wonder that the Lu family of Fanyang is dissatisfied.

Jia Zhi smiled, these days he had been pretending to be stupid, even deliberately losing his composure at banquets, letting these local nobles make fun of him as a fool, just to find out their network of relationships.

Looking at the names all over the screen, Jia Zhi was not in a hurry to close the net.

Because next to Lu Wenwei's name, Jia Zhi wrote the word "Master" in red pen and drew a big red circle.

In the relationship network of the Fanyang Lu family, the only thing that confuses Jia Zhi is this "master" whose hiding place is unknown.

Traces of other relationships of the Fanyang Lu family can be found, but the clues related to this master are all a big mystery.

It was precisely such a "master" who connected the Fanyang Lu family with many famous local clans in Youzhou. They communicated with each other secretly and seemed to be planning something.

This is what Jia Zhi has always wanted to investigate.

If he had only eradicated the Fanyang Lu family in Zhuo County, such merit might have allowed him to be promoted to county governor.

However, if he can eradicate a major case that attempts to overthrow the entire Youzhou, he may become the governor in the future.

The governor is a high-ranking official. Whether the Guzang Jia family can stand out in this round of reshuffle depends on their own efforts.

Fortunately, the waiting days are coming to an end.

At today's banquet, Lu Wenwei had already invited Jia Zhi to attend a night banquet in the mansion the day after tomorrow, when he would introduce the mysterious master to him.

As long as the master's true face is revealed, Jia Zhi can close the net.

These families entrenched in Zhuo County seem to be powerful, but how can they stop the elite troops under the command of the Duke of the County?

When someone has the ability to harm you, it is best not to give them an excuse to turn the table.

This is the truth Jia Zhi learned when he was a child after his father knocked over a vase when he was in a bad mood.

It’s a pity that the Lu family of Fanyang didn’t understand this logic and insisted on doing these little tricks in Youzhou.

What's more, is it true that the person on the screen is in the same boat with the Lu family?

Jia Zhi narrowed his eyes. Wherever there are people, there are rivers and lakes, and there are conflicts of interest.

The Lu family's ancestral home in Fanyang has become a giant umbrella hanging over the heads of many families, blocking many families' opportunities to move forward.

There are also some bloody love-hate stories between many families.

After all, a family is made up of people.

As long as one is a human being, it is impossible to completely abandon emotions. Lu Wenwei's group looks huge, but in fact it has long been torn apart and vulnerable.

Jia Zhi has keenly identified several targets that can be won over, as well as conflicts that can be instigated within the alliance.
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A day later, Liu Lingzhu finally arrived in Zhuo County.

What happened in Beiping County also frightened him. Liu Lingzhu did not enter the city, but directly moved into the fortress of Fanyang Lu family outside the city.

After hundreds of years of operation by the Lu family in Zhuo County, the entire manor has become an independent kingdom.

The land of the Lu family alone occupied one-tenth of the land in Zhuo County. All the necessities of food, clothing, housing and transportation were provided by special servants and retainers. This was a complete aristocratic manor.

However, there were very few such aristocratic manors in the north, and Youzhou was not the core area of ​​the Six Garrisons Rebellion, so the Lu family of Fanyang was able to preserve their family business.

"Master, please rest here for a while. We will capture the county magistrate Jia Zhi at the night banquet tomorrow, and then we can launch the attack."

Lu Wenwei said respectfully to Liu Lingzhu.

Liu Lingzhu originally just came to Youzhou to investigate the situation and contact the local nobles in Youzhou.

But in Beiping County, people were shocked by the series of actions taken by Hulu Guihan.

Lu Wenwei also had the same worries. With the arrival of local officials, a large number of officials were added to fill the gap. The aristocratic families who had been watching the fun and thought that Su Ze could not handle the officialdom of Youzhou began to panic.

The talent pool under Su Ze is terrifying. He has brought out so many mature officials at once. If this continues, Youzhou will be able to settle down soon.

Once Youzhou is stabilized, he will no longer have any chance.

So the two of them discussed and decided to capture Jia Zhi as soon as possible, and in the name of the prophecy of "Liu becoming king", they raised an army from Zhuo County, and after driving away Murong Shaozong, they would surrender to the court in Luoyang.

Liu Lingzhu nodded and added:
"Su Ze's men are cruel and ruthless, what about Jia Zhi?"

Lu Wenwei smiled and said:

"He is nothing but a waste. Master, rest assured, whether Jia Zhi obeys or not, I will imprison him in my house."

Liu Lingzhu nodded, took out the tortoise shell to do some divination, and got another auspicious sign, so he felt at ease to stay.

The next day, Jia Zhi left all the guards at the county government office and took only the messenger with him. They took a carriage to Lu's manor outside the city.

(End of this chapter)