Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 155 Liu Bei: Who took my Kong Ming away?

The Xuzhou nobles and wealthy families in the distance were amazed to see Lord Xuande and Chen Yuanlong getting along so well with each other.

When did Chen Shi from Xia Pi hook up with Envoy Liu? How come they didn't hear any news at all?

The nobles and scholars who had not yet been introduced were quite anxious. They thought Lord Xuande would soon enter the city and they had not yet made their own acquaintance.

Mi Zhu seemed to sense several impatient gazes behind him. Seeing that the envoy and Chen Yuanlong had paused in their conversation, he stepped forward and whispered, "Envoy, there are some prominent families and scholars from Langya who have not come to pay their respects yet."

Liu Bei also came back to his senses and said to Chen Deng: "Yuanlong, there is still a long time to come. I will talk to you in detail about Xuzhou."

"I am always at your service, Your Excellency." Chen Deng bowed and slowly withdrew.

Looking at Chen Deng's back, Liu Bei sighed slightly. Chen Yuanlong liked to eat sashimi. He wondered if bringing Hua Tuo here at this moment could help him live ten more years.

Although he remembered some treatments from a manual, there was really no way to treat parasites.

The sound of subtle footsteps was heard, and Mi Zhu brought a few more people over.

"Sir, this is the Fu family of Dongwu in Langya. Their ancestor was a Qin scholar. When they heard that the Qin Emperor burned books, they hid the Book of Documents in the wall and it was saved. Later, they taught in Qi and Lu. When Emperor Xiaowen was in power, he sought someone who could teach the Book of Documents. Fu Gong was over ninety years old and could not walk, so he sent Chao Cuo to learn from him. Today, all those who study the Book of Documents are his disciples."

"The Fu family has a relative named Fu Wan, who married the Princess Yang'an, the daughter of Emperor Xiaohuan, and is currently serving in the court."

Mi Zhu introduced it in detail.

"Greetings, Lord Xuande." Everyone in the Fu family bowed.

Liu Bei also gladly returned the gift. Fu Wan was also a famous relative of the emperor. He married a princess and his daughter became the queen. Unfortunately, he liked to hide things just like his ancestors. The difference was that his ancestors hid the "Book of Documents", while Fu Wan hid a letter to kill Cao Cao. In the end, he was reported and Cao Mengde killed his entire family.

"Sir, this is Wang Rong, a famous scholar from the Wang family of Langya."

"Wang Rong greets Lord Xuande!" Wang Rong bowed calmly.

As a famous scholar, he had repeatedly declined the imperial court's appointments and had no requests for anything. This time he came to pay a visit to Lord Xuande because he could not resist the request of his clan.

"My Lord, I meet you." Liu Bei said with a hint of deep meaning.

The Wang family of Langye, which shared the world with the Ma family during the Jin Dynasty, was now just a small aristocratic family.

After Wang left, Mi Zhu brought the last nobles of Langye and introduced them: "Yangdu Zhuge family, the descendants of Zhuge Feng, the pre-Han Sili Xiaowei, their descendants have held the rank of 2,000-stone official for generations."

"The Zhuge family pays homage to Lord Xuande!" Patriarch Zhuge bowed respectfully.

He thought it was just a formality, but he didn't expect that Liu Shijun would help him up and asked with a smile: "I have heard of Zhuge for a long time. Zhuge Gong has a reputation as a good official. I learned from Taishan Governor Ying Zhongyuan that when he was the prefect of Taishan, he managed Taishan County in an orderly manner. Unfortunately, when Taishan surrendered, the talented person died of illness, which made me very sad."

"I wonder if any of Zhuge Jungong's descendants are coming today. The clan leader might as well introduce them to him."

Liu Bei said with a smile on his face, but his eyes were scanning the crowd behind him, trying to find someone of the right age.

“This…this…” Patriarch Zhuge was caught off guard.

I didn't expect Lord Xuande to be so enthusiastic and considerate of Zhuge. I couldn't help but be delighted and nodded quickly, saying, "Here he is, here he is. Please wait a moment, I will bring him here."

Although Zhuge Zongzhang was sixty years old and his hair and beard were all white, he was walking briskly at this time. He quickly found the descendant of Zhuge Gui among the scholars behind him, grabbed the other person's arm and said urgently: "Ziyu, come with me."

Zhuge Jin, who was talking to someone, was frightened by the clan leader who suddenly appeared from behind him, and almost raised his fist to hit him.

Zhuge Jin was terrified. He had just completed his coming-of-age ceremony and was about to accidentally kill the old man who was the head of his own clan. He was afraid that he would never be able to serve as an official again in his life.

His tone was filled with complaints as he asked, "Why did the clan leader scare Jin from behind?"

"Zi Yu, there is good news. No need to say anything. Come with me to meet Lord Xuande." Zhuge Zongzhang did not care that there were scholars listening nearby, and hurriedly said to Zhuge Jin.

"Lord Xuande actually wants to see me?! I have never been famous in Xuzhou." Zhuge Jin pointed at himself in shock.

"Stop talking nonsense and go!" Zhuge Zongzhang carried him away.

"I'll take my leave first, everyone." Zhuge Jin quickly bowed and apologized to the scholars he was talking to.

"It's okay, it's okay. Since Lord Xuande has summoned you, Ziyu should go quickly to avoid keeping Lord Xuande waiting for a long time."

Several scholars said sympathetically.

I don't know why, but I suddenly felt a little sour and an indescribable bitterness in my heart.

Isn't it said that everyone came to Xuzhou to escape the war and not to seek fame and fortune among the princes?
How come you, Zhuge Ziyu, are listed as a figurehead by Lord Xuande? Among the hundreds of scholars present, only one-tenth have the honor of being introduced to Lord Liu by Mi Beijia, and many of them are the leaders of the aristocratic families.

I didn’t expect that you, Zhuge Ziyu, who has a good reputation, are among them.

After Zhuge Jin left, several scholars looked at each other, feeling sour.

There was no longer the harmonious atmosphere of the previous conversation, and everyone sighed at the same time.

Even though they were jealous, Zhuge Jin was highly regarded by Lord Xuande, so if they were to befriend him, it would be like having an extra way out.

We are all smart people and will not speak ill of Zhuge behind his back or do anything to offend others.

"Zi Yu has gone to visit Lord Xuande, and I think he may not be back for a while. Why don't we go visit Lord Zhang? If it weren't for the ongoing war in Yangzhou, Lord Zhang would have already crossed the Yangtze River to the east." A scholar suggested.

The others nodded when they heard this.

On the other side, Liu Bei waited for a while, but saw Zhuge Zongchang coming with a young man with a turban on his head, who was polite and had a clear expression. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

What he was looking for was Zhuge Kongming, not Zhuge Ziyu, but it was better to get something than nothing.

This fish is a little small, but it can still be eaten.

"Zhuge Jin, courtesy name Ziyu, pays his respects to Lord Xuande! My father is the county magistrate Zhuge." Zhuge Jin bowed respectfully.

Liu Bei then smiled and said, "As expected of a descendant of Zhuge Juncheng, Ziyu is a very handsome man. Is there anyone else in your family in Xuzhou?"

"Only my mother is still in Xuzhou, and the rest of my younger brothers and sisters were taken to Jingzhou by my uncle."

Zhuge Jin explained.

He was also wondering why Lord Xuande wanted to know so much about his family situation.

"Since your brother and sister are young, why did your uncle take them to Jingzhou?" Liu Bei asked.

Zhuge Jin suddenly hesitated.

Zhuge Zongzhang sighed and said, "Mr. Xuande, you don't know that their uncle Zhuge Xuan was previously employed by Yuan Gonglu and later served as the governor of Yuzhang in Yangzhou. At that time, Cao Mengde and others had not yet come to Yangzhou to fight for it."

"Later, the court appointed Liu Zhengli, the younger brother of Liu Gongshan, the governor of Yanzhou, as the governor of Yangzhou. Zhuge was defeated in Yuzhang County, so he took his family and retreated to Jingzhou."

Good fellow, after being derailed by Zhuge Xuan, maybe Kong Ming is waiting for him in Nanyang thatched cottage again...

Liu Bei was filled with emotion.

(End of this chapter)