Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

February 6th, Jiangning.

The emperor has been in Jianye for two days with 21,000 cavalry, and he seems to be supporting Jiang Ji's governance, both openly and covertly.

After all, Jiang Ji is the governor of Yangzhou. He is capable and diligent. It would be better for the cabinet ministers, ministers, and privy councilors to handle political and military affairs, and let Jiang Ji take charge of the affairs of Yangzhou.

However, Huang Quan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, felt that Jiang Ji had been overly proactive these past few days. Just yesterday, he sent people to report ten officials to the Ministry of Personnel! All of them were recommended by the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Gu Yong.

Strictly speaking, this is quite a violation of political consensus.

An official in the governor's office was a staff member who assisted in handling various affairs. For example, Sima Shi was appointed as an official in charge of granaries by Jiang Ji when he was in Yangzhou. By convention, there were no more than ten such officials in a single prefecture, making it a very important position.

Although the appointment of officials by the governor does not require the Ministry of Personnel to make a decision, but only needs to be reported to the Ministry of Personnel, Jiang Ji added ten more in one go, expanding the original fifteen officials in Yangzhou to twenty-five. These were all official positions that he and Gu Yong had privately agreed upon.

Moreover, Jiang Ji has even recommended candidates for the position of Prefect of Danyang and county magistrates of several counties, including Jiangning, Danyang, Jurong, and Wuhu, to the court today. Even in wartime and in times of emergency, this clearly infringes upon the authority and responsibilities of the Ministry of Personnel!

Huang Quan held the list sent by Jiang Ji and pondered for a moment in the government office. He then became increasingly impatient and went to the palace to request an audience with the emperor, where he made a public complaint.

After listening to Huang Quan for a while, Cao Rui waved his hand and laughed, "Ten officials it is, Huang Qing need not pursue this further. Since the court has no law stipulating the number of officials in a prefecture, what can your Ministry of Personnel do? Can you dismiss Jiang Ji from his post as governor? We can just add a law later."

“But these ten men were all recommended by Gu Yong!” Huang Quan argued. “How can a surrendered official so quickly place people in the prefecture? I fear this is not a proper matter!”

Cao Rui smiled faintly and said, "I understand. Minister Huang, you are the Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel of the Great Wei. Why worry about a few officials? Let this matter go. Minister Huang should pay more attention to other political affairs."

Huang Quan was neither a naive newcomer nor a novice in officialdom; he was a seasoned veteran who had risen through the ranks under multiple rulers, including Liu Zhang, Liu Bei, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui. Seeing that the emperor had successfully built up the emotional groundwork for Jiang Ji's reassurance, Huang Quan then took out a document from his robes and presented it to the emperor with both hands:

"Your Majesty's instructions are absolutely correct. I shouldn't be so petty about a few officials. However, Jiang Zitong has also tentatively proposed candidates for Danyang County and Jiangning County. I request the Ministry of Personnel to approve them! Your Majesty, in the past, prefects and magistrates were appointed by the central government and the Ministry of Personnel. If a governor had a recommendation, he could only inform the worthy person of the situation through a private letter, not send a letter to the Ministry of Personnel directly requesting an official position like he did today!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui's expression finally changed, turning grim. Cao Rui beckoned to Zhuge Xu, who was standing in the hall, and Zhuge Xu took the document from Huang Quan and respectfully handed it to Cao Rui.

After glancing at it, Cao Rui threw Jiang Ji's document directly onto the table.

He recommended Wu Gai, a court official, to be the governor of Danyang, and Sima Shi, a court official, to be the magistrate of Jiangning...

These are all seasoned officials; who wouldn't see through these intricacies?

Wu Zhou was Sima Yi's old subordinate. When Wu Zhou was the Minister of War, he always shared the same position as Sima Yi. Later, when Wang Chang was transferred to Guanzhong, Wu Zhou was recommended by Sima Yi to serve as the military supervisor of Yingzhou.

Cao Rui had long known about the relationship between Jiang Ji and Sima Yi, and the Imperial Censor Chen Jiao had privately explained their relationship to Cao Rui in detail.

Today, you, Jiang Ji, are putting on an act of selflessness, violating the rules to recommend talented individuals for the country, yet you recommend Wu Zhou's son as the Prefect of Danyang? And Sima Yi's son as the Magistrate of Jiangning?

Cao Rui's expression clearly showed displeasure. Huang Quan noticed this and spoke up again, "Your Majesty, I just said that Jiang Zitong's appointment was inappropriate. Appointments should be made by the court and the Ministry of Personnel; how can a governor directly request an official position from the Ministry of Personnel?" Cao Rui glanced at Huang Quan, then at Zhuge Xu, and slowly said:

"Minister Huang, now that you are in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, do you have any candidates to recommend for the positions of Prefect of Danyang and Magistrate of Jiangning?"

Huang Quan took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and then cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have thought of two candidates."

"Speak," Cao Rui said, his tone still somewhat displeased.

Huang Quan replied, "I recommend Xiahou Xuan, the Grand Master of Works, to be the Prefect of Danyang, and I recommend Zhong Yu, the Chief Clerk of the General of the Army, to be the Magistrate of Jiangning."

"Your Majesty, the Wu region has just been pacified, and everything needs to be rebuilt. I believe that the appointment of officials should be based primarily on their ability and virtue, rather than being bound by age. Xiahou Xuan has always been a capable and virtuous man, and he has made outstanding military achievements in the recent campaigns against Ruxu and Wuhu..."

"No need to say anything more." Cao Rui waved his hand. "Since Minister Huang is the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, I still respect the authority of the Ministry of Personnel. The Ministry of Personnel shall issue the documents today, appointing the magistrates of Jurong and Danyang counties according to the candidates recommended by Jiang Zitong, and appointing Xiahou Xuan as the Prefect of Danyang and Zhong Yu as the Magistrate of Jiangning. I know the abilities of these two men."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Huang Quan bowed and acknowledged the order, but his face remained calm.

In Huang Quan's view, His Majesty had clearly shown some anger just now, but he had suppressed it and remained restrained. Moreover, the people recommended by Jiang Ji were still used in Jurong and Danyang, only the people in Danyang County and Jiangning County were changed.

On the surface, this veil of warmth and affection was not torn off, but in reality... it was by no means a good thing for Jiang Ji; it was already a rather stern warning.

After Huang Quan bowed in response, Cao Rui seemed not to have finished speaking, and pointed to Zhuge Xu:
"Draft a private letter for me and immediately summon Du Shu, the Prefect of Xiangping, to Jianye. Tell him that the court will select another Prefect of Xiangping and instruct him to temporarily hand over the affairs of the prefecture to the state."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Zhuge Xu was somewhat bewildered, but he bowed and accepted the order.

Then Cao Rui looked at Huang Quan: "The court originally intended for Minister Gu's son to go anywhere?"

"Zhongshan Commandery in Ji Province," Huang Quan replied. "Previously, it was said that Gu Ji would be appointed as the Prefect of Zhongshan."

"No need. Let Gu Ji go to Xiangping County. After Du Shu arrives in Jiangning, transfer the Wu County Prefect Lou Xuan, whom Zhong Gong recommended, to Zhongshan and let Du Shu take up the post of Wu County Prefect."

"Your Majesty, I understand. I will make the arrangements immediately," Huang Quan replied, bowing respectfully.

Cao Rui glanced at the documents on the table, seemingly unwilling to say more, and waved for Huang Quan to leave.

Watching Huang Quan's departing figure, Cao Rui felt a sense of unease. Due to the military focus of recent years, the positions of officials in the court and prefectures had been relatively stable, with few changes, leading to a situation where the concentration of power among officials had become a habit—this was not a sustainable path.

Once the war is over, the political situation should change significantly. (End of Chapter)