Golden Branch

This is Lou Yu’s inner study.

He sat behind his desk, his elbows resting on the armrest.

"Hmm! Does Ah Heng have any candidates?"

Lou Yu asked Wang Heng softly with a lazy attitude.

He had already considered Wang Heng's idea.

My previous trip to Nanning was too hasty and not a normal way to perform my duties.

Neither the prince nor Lou Yu wanted to stay in that place for too long.

According to their estimates, it will only take a few months.

Since he could not complete his entire term, Lou Yu did not make much preparation when he went to Yongzhou.

Apart from the necessary entourage, he didn't even bring any staff.

But this time, it's slightly different.

The affairs of Nanzhou involve Nanbang.

The newly established Protectorate also needs Lou Yu's further management and stability.

Lou Yu had made a plan in front of the prince that he might have to stay in Nanzhou for a full term.

Three years is enough time for him to solve the problems in southern Xinjiang to the greatest extent possible.

In the process of solving problems, he can build a network of personal connections and cultivate his own direct lineage while in office.

A very rare opportunity to "practice"!

Lou Yu felt that it was entirely possible to give “his own people” some space to gain experience.

And this one, just as Wang Heng thought, was either a clan member, a relative, or a student.

Lou Yu worked as a bachelor in the Hongwenguan and also taught at the Lishan Academy. Although he did not formally accept disciples, he did have some students.

Wang Heng knew Lou Yu's affairs very well. After thinking for a moment, she slowly said, "I do have a few."

"How is Chen Yan?"

Chen Yan is Zheng Shiliu's husband, the impoverished son of the Yingchuan Chen family.

He was an old acquaintance of Lou Yu and Wang Heng, from Dongshan Academy to Lishan Academy.

He can be said to have followed all the way.

Now, he has even married Wang Heng's study partner. The "closer relationship" makes him a natural direct descendant of Wang Heng and Lou Yu.

"Yeah! Chen Yan's abilities and character are indeed good."

Lou Yu nodded. Isn’t this a coincidence? Chen Yan’s name was also on the list he had drawn up.

What Lou Yu values ​​most is Chen Yan's "courage". He knows what he wants and is able to make the greatest effort for it.

At that time, Dongshan Academy was just a local private academy in the remote Yizhou.

The geographical location is not advantageous enough, there is no background, no fame, and the founders of the academy are just two children.

It seems like playing house no matter how you look at it.

Although Chen Yan's family has fallen on hard times, they are not really lower-class people.

Their family had a collection of books, and some of their clansmen served as officials in the court.

At most, it is not as prominent as before.

Given the Chen family's situation, there would be absolutely no problem in finding a reliable academy for Chen Yan.

But Chen Yan still firmly chose Dongshan Academy and came here from afar to study. What he valued was not just a small Dongshan Academy, but more importantly, Lou Yu's future.

At that time, Lou Yu was indeed just a teenager.

But he has a father who is a founding county duke and a lord who is the prince of Qi, so his future will surely be smooth.

Studying in the academy founded by Lou Yu, even if you are not formally a disciple, you can still feel like a half-disciple.

Don't underestimate this friendship. At certain times, it can play a crucial role.

For example, the marriage between Chen Yan and Zheng Shiliu.

Zheng Shiliu's family had long since fallen into decline, and she herself was a concubine's daughter with Hu blood.

But she followed a good master. She was the princess's study companion and was also related to the young and successful Duke of Qi.

Zheng Shiliu's elder sister has married into the royal palace.

After Zheng Shiliu came of age, many people wanted to marry her.

Among them are many powerful people, noble families, and even royal family and clan members.

Among all the suitors, Chen Yan, who came from a poor family, was not really outstanding.

However, he was a dual disciple of Dongshan Academy and Lishan Academy, which gave him a great advantage and ultimately enabled him to find a good match.

"Chen Yan is now an eighth-rank censor. His rank is not high, but he is an official from the capital."

According to the rules of officialdom, when Beijing officials are transferred to local areas, their ranks will normally be improved.

Lou Yu twirled his fingers, "Nanzhou has six counties under its jurisdiction: one upper county, three middle counties, and two lower counties."

The rank of the county magistrate of a lower county was seventh grade.

Lou Yu could easily arrange for Chen Yan to be a county magistrate.

"I just don't know if Chen Yan is willing to go to Nanzhou!"

Nanzhou is so remote, it's definitely a place of exile.

Not to mention the county magistrate, even the governor would be picked on by others.

Some scholars were appointed by the Ministry of Personnel to go to the Southern Province, and they were unwilling to go even if it meant giving up their official careers.

Lou Yu knew that Chen Yan was smart and decisive enough, but Lingnan's reputation was still enough to make many people shudder and stay away.

"I can tell Shiliu Niang first and ask her to ask Chen Yan."

Wang Heng said slowly.

This incident can be regarded as a test given to Chen Yan by the couple.

If someone doesn't even have the courage to travel all the way to Nanzhou, then he is not worthy of their attention.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that Wang Heng would give up Chen Yan. He married Shiliu Niang, and she was already one of his own.

However, even among our own people, there is a difference between what is valued and what is valued more.

Just like Yang Shou, his previous indecision made Wang Heng put him in the category of people who should not be taken too seriously.

It can be used, but not reused.

The resources she and Lou Yu have are limited, so they have to prioritize and retreat, and they must not waste them.

"Yeah!" Lou Yu nodded. "Besides Chen Yan, is there anyone else?"

"Cui Heng, how is it?"

Wang Heng mentioned Lou Yu’s disciples at the Hongwenguan.

Cui Heng came from a noble family and was considered to be of the same clan as Wang Heng's former stepmother, but they had long since separated.

The Cui family was a first-class family in the north. Cui Heng's grandfather made a very accurate investment in the former emperor, and continued to maintain his wealth in the new dynasty.

Therefore, Cui Heng was able to enter the Hongwenguan as the son of a noble family.

"Cui Heng, not bad either!"

Lou Yu nodded. He knew his students very well.

The Cui family is indeed prominent and prosperous, but having too many people also has its disadvantages -

Family resources are limited and cannot be concentrated on one person.

The fact that Cui Heng was given the opportunity to study at Hongwenguan was already a favor from his elders.

He is already young, and if he uses the family resources to become an official, it will easily cause dissatisfaction among other members of the family.

It’s not that we have to give up on Cui Heng, it’s just that in recent years, Cui Heng has not been able to get any help from his family.

As Cui Heng's former husband, if Lou Yu was willing to give Cui Heng a chance, he would surely be tempted.

Wang Heng mentioned a few more names, including students from Mount Li Academy and the Nth generation of Hongwenguan.

Lou Yu raised the corner of his lips. Ah Heng and he really had a mutual understanding.

The people selected by Wang Heng almost overlapped with the list secretly drawn up by Lou Yu.

"...In addition to students, relatives and old friends are also welcome!"

The more Wang Heng spoke, the more excited she became.

She looked at Lou Yu and suggested again, "Brother, how about Lou Yu?"

Lou Piao and Lou Yao are both Lou Yu's cousins.

Both brothers inherited their ancestral teachings and joined the military.

However, as Lou Jin handed over his military power, the Lou family army became history, and it became difficult for the Lou clan members to serve in the army.

Not to mention the children of other families such as Lou Piao and Lou Yao, even Lou Jin's eldest son Lou Lin had to rely on Lou Yu's help when he wanted to go to the army for training, which shows the decline of the Lou family.

"Prostitute?"

Lou Yu chewed on the name gently.

As a genius with a photographic memory, Lou Yu can even remember strangers he occasionally sees, not to mention his own cousins.

He has a grudge against Lou Jin and will never reconcile with him in this life.

As for the other members of the Lou family...When he was young, Lou Yu felt the fickleness of the world from these so-called relatives.

He also has no sense of belonging to the Lou family.

It's not just a grudge, but more importantly, Lou Yu himself is not an emotionally rich person.

He is cold and dark, and he only cares about the people he recognizes.

He can treat other people, even his clan members or close relatives, with indifference and cruelty!

"The Protectorate still needs manpower. The Lou family is a military family, and the Lou family members are born warriors."

"Brother, Duke Anguo is just an elder from the next family. But the Lou family can still be a help to us!"

Wang Heng’s meaning was very clear. She and her husband could cut ties with Lou Jin and his wife, but they could not sever their own “roots”.

Family is their roots.

Although it seems that the family cannot help Lou Yu now, they need Lou Yu's subsidies and financial support instead.

But, a single tree cannot make a forest.

Similarly, cultivating confidants and direct descendants, those from the same clan have more advantages. They are natural allies of interests.

Even if there are conflicts, they are internal family matters.

As long as Lou Yu grasps the right measure, he can bring the entire Lou family under his control.

Although the Lou family has lost General Lou, they still have martial arts and military books that have been passed down for two or three hundred years, as well as power in the army.

...These should have belonged to Lou Yu.

More than ten years ago, Lou Jin forcibly deprived Lou Yu of his inheritance rights. Now Lou Yu can completely take back the entire Lou family in his own way!

Wang Heng's lively lychee eyes were still so clear and pure, yet filled with ambition.

Lou Yu looked at her deeply, then suddenly laughed: "Okay, I'll listen to Ah Heng!"

This seems to be what is called "husband and wife are of one mind."

Seeing Wang Heng wholeheartedly planning for him and feeling that her heart was only with him, Lou Yu felt as if his heart was soaking in a hot spring, warm and soothing!

……

The Ministry of Personnel issued the appointment document, and Lou Yu officially became the Governor of Nanzhou, and was in charge of all matters of the Southwestern Protectorate.

"Little pervert, you want to go to Nanzhou? Nanzhou borders Nanbang, Nanbang——"

After receiving the news, Wang Mian couldn't help but mutter.

She didn't know why, but she felt inexplicably uneasy.

This ominous feeling started when I saw Ashlin last time.

Ashlin's charm, the strange fragrance on her body, and Nanbang... Suddenly, Wang Mian thought of it.

The color suddenly drained from her face. "No way! That thing is imported! It's not a native product of China!"

"...But this isn't the Celestial Empire of history. It's a fictional dynasty that blends together several dynasties."

And she, this time-traveling girl, although failed to change the world, did flap her butterfly wings a little.

Perhaps her worries were true...