Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 101: Just as the clouds follow the dragon, so Zilong should also follow the dragon!
After reading the imperial edict himself, Liu Bian took the honey water handed to him by the maid beside him. His Adam's apple rolled slightly to moisten his dry throat. Then he breathed a sigh of relief, with a serious expression on his face, and handed the imperial edict to Feng Chen, who was already in tears.

I can never repay the prince’s kindness in my lifetime!
Upon seeing this, the guests present were all shocked, whispering to each other, and even felt jealous of the late Feng Xun.

Feng Xun's title of Marquis of Dongwu Ting alone was enough to make many officials in the court jealous. It should be noted that even the Flying General Li Guang had difficulty in getting a title of marquis. Although the title of marquis has been slightly devalued in name because of the eunuchs, the fiefdom and title are real and in front of them.

Moreover, although Feng Xun was only granted the lowest rank of Tinghou, Dongwu Ting happened to be located in his hometown of Wan County, which was undoubtedly a unique way of returning home in glory. Not to mention the three generations of undivided favors, as well as the protection and rewards promised to Feng Chen and her unborn child, such an honor was bound to make people jealous.

After everything was arranged, Liu Bian looked a little tired. Led by Feng Chenshi, he went into the side hall to rest for a while.

Feng Chen glanced around and seeing that no one was paying attention, she quietly waved to Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun was slightly startled when he saw this, but then he understood and followed her silently.

Before this, Zhao Yun fought to the point of being seriously injured and on the verge of death in order to protect Feng Xun. Feng Chen had always treated him like her own son or nephew, and the two of them interacted privately on weekdays, which did not attract much attention from others.

Zhao Yun thought the same thing, but unexpectedly, Feng Chenshi led him into the side hall where the Crown Prince rested. After a brief moment of surprise, he was puzzled by Feng Chenshi's intention, but he quickly reacted and bowed, saying, "Yun greets Your Highness."

He didn't know much about the prince, but the people of Hebei had all heard Zhang Jiao's edict criticizing the prince.

Of course, not many people took that manifesto seriously.

Although the prince had been regent for less than a year, his actions were witnessed by everyone in the world.

Disaster relief for the people, respect for the virtuous and loving the scholars, crackdown on corruption, and personally leading the expedition against the Yellow Turbans, these four things alone made many people feel the new atmosphere of the court.

Although it is not a new dynasty, there is a new atmosphere of vigorous vitality and flourishing development. It is self-evident who has made this achievement.

In addition, he saw everything the prince did for Feng Changshan today. Such a wise king was slandered by the Yellow Turban rebels. They are truly a group of lawless lunatics!

Such a wise king is also admired by people all over the world.

Zhao Yun looked at the prince with burning eyes, his heart filled with excitement that was difficult to suppress.

This world naturally includes him!
Seeing Zhao Yun like this, Feng Chen pursed her lips slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She had never expected that the prince could have such charm, able to rekindle the light in Zhao Yun's eyes, who was immersed in self-blame and depression every day.

"Please sit down."

Liu Bian observed Zhao Yun with a gentle smile on his face. When Zhao Yun stood in front of him, Liu Bian felt that Zhao Yun was tall and majestic, and his favorable impression of him became stronger. He couldn't help but feel more favorable towards him. He stretched out his right hand to support him, and glanced over Zhao Yun's shoulder and behind him.

Feng Chen had quietly left at some point, leaving the two of them with space to talk alone.

"Do you have a courtesy name?" Liu Bian asked softly with a gentle look in his eyes.

Although Zhao Yun was only nineteen years old and had not yet performed the coming-of-age ceremony, most families, even common people, would often choose a name for their children in advance, and then call them by their courtesy name after the coming-of-age ceremony.

"Yes, the elders gave Yun the courtesy name 'Zilong,'" Zhao Yun replied, cupping his fists. He was suddenly startled, realizing he wasn't in the military. He retracted his hand, a slight look of embarrassment on his face, and said, "It's taken from the verse 'Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger; when the sage acts, all things are visible,'" written by Sima Taishigong in The Records of the Grand Historian.

Liu Bian nodded slightly and said to Zhao Yun with a smile, "Yun means following the dragon. It's a nice name. I wonder if Zilong is willing to follow the dragon? What do you think of the Northern Army?"

Although he was smiling gently, his eyes revealed an unquestionable majesty.

discuss?

I have come here from Julu County, more than a hundred miles away. Although my purpose is not to recruit you but to pay my respects to the late Changshan Prime Minister Feng Xun, do you think you have the right to refuse my invitation?

Of course, he also had a crush on Zhao Yun, but he could no longer use the same method he used to recruit Cao Cao and others, using historical analogies or treating Zhao Yun with the utmost favor. He only needed to recruit him in the most straightforward way.

The ministers who served in the Prince's Palace, even if the civil officials came from humble backgrounds or had a difficult career, were not without fame; and among the military men, even Liu Bei had hundreds of knights following him, and Dian Wei was also a knight-errant who was famous in the area. Everyone had made some name for himself.

Zhao Yun's only characteristic is his experience. It is true that Zhao Yun was not born in a humble family, but was born in the Zhending Zhao family.

The Zhao family of Zhending was not a famous family, but they were a remnant of the royal family of the former Zhao Dynasty, and were considered a small powerful family in Zhending County.

As a remnant of a country's royal family, the Zhao family of Zhending was bound to be as unrestrained and free as the Zhao family of Xindu, but they were walking on thin ice during the Western Han Dynasty.

Who made the King Wu of Nanyue, Zhao Tuo, come from the Zhao family of Zhending?

Because of her feud with Zhao Tuo, Empress Gao had the ancestral tomb of the Zhao family in Zhending dug up. Later, Emperor Xiaowen wanted to make peace with Zhao Tuo, and although he had the tomb renovated, he was also wary of the Zhao family in Zhending.

Even during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu, when Nanyue was destroyed, the Zhending Zhao family was still just a small powerful family, unable to make any progress. Who made you fail the political background review?
Zhao Yun was just a branch of this small powerful family. His background was nothing at all. He had enough food and drink and even enough money to practice martial arts.

However, regarding this resume, Zhao Yun in this life had the experience of guarding the former Changshan Prime Minister Feng Xun. With the help of Feng Xun's reputation, he was recognized by the wealthy families in the county and earned the name of "loyal and brave", which could be used as a reason for promotion. However, in terms of fame, he was still far inferior to the officials in the Prince's Mansion.

But even so, Zhao Yun's starting point and reputation were still far from those of his subordinates.

If he showed too much concern for Zhao Yun and used the same method to win him over as others, it would not only discourage others but also harm Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun was naturally willing, and his back straightened immediately. But then he seemed to think of something and hesitated, "Your Highness is the Crown Prince Regent of the Han Dynasty. I am a Han citizen, so I should follow Your Highness. However... I haven't even been crowned yet..."

As the saying goes, if your mouth is hairless, your work will be weak.

The filial emperor once protected the noble and wealthy families among their officials, so the filial and incorrupt officials recommended from all over the country were all each other's descendants, and the age of officials became younger and younger. So he ordered that only people over 40 could be recommended as filial and incorrupt officials, and added a process of re-examination of filial and incorrupt officials and outstanding talents in the government office, which was known in history as the "Yangjia New System".

In order to implement the "Yangjia New System", the filial emperor even dismissed more than a dozen two thousand stone prefects in one go, and even demoted all the opposing officials of the Secretariat, from the Pushe to the Shangshu.

Since then, the unspoken rule of falsifying age in official circles has flourished. Scholars exaggerate their age and deliberately grow beards to appear mature.

Although this system has been gradually forgotten, there are still many people who were selected as filial and honest officials as soon as they turned 20, and even Xun Yu was not immune to this.

However, no matter how shameless the wealthy and powerful families are, they would not allow an uncrowned person to take office.

"The new Yangjia decree also states: 'If there are outstanding talents and extraordinary conduct, age is not a constraint.' Zilong is loyal and brave, and he embodies extraordinary conduct." Liu Bian did not care much about Zhao Yun's age, as in a few days it would be the seventh year of Guanghe.

The coming-of-age ceremony does not have to be performed on the birthday. It is sufficient to choose an auspicious day according to divination during the year to perform the ceremony.

"When I employ people, I either consider their talent or their conduct." Liu Bian waved his hand nonchalantly, picked up the honey water on the table, took a sip, and narrowed his eyes slightly, with a sharp glint in his eyes. "If anyone has any objections, I will have the Secretariat check the resumes of the young men of the human race to see if there are any who are under the age of forty and have served as officials."

Liu Bian's words were not meant to defend Zhao Yun, but as Zhao Yun's power grew, he no longer needed to give in on many things.

Why, are there some things that wealthy families can do but I can't?

But Zhao Yun didn't understand the reason yet. He just felt that the prince was prepared to protect him with a strong attitude, which really touched him and a warm feeling suddenly surged in his heart.

"If His Highness gives any order, Yun will die for it!"

(2629 words)
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PS: I’m sorry that I drank too much with my boss and clients at noon, and I was drowsy all afternoon, so the update is a bit late. I am sure that I will update 5,000 words today, so don’t worry.

PPS: The name of "Records of the Grand Historian" in the Han Dynasty was "Records of Taishigong" or "The Book of Taishigong".

(End of this chapter)